Free Resource
Suggest an idea in the comments for a free theological ministry resource
My current online course at Luther Seminary is “Overview of Christian Teaching,” an introductory theology class. As part of our final project we can either take an exam, write a 9-12 page paper, or do some project that can be used in ministry (bible study, activity, retreat, powerpoint presentation, website, confirmation lesson or curriculum, etc.)
I would like to try and do the project if possible and would like your input. If you could get yout hands on a robustly theological resource, what would you be looking for? What format? What topic? What age group (I work with junior high and high school but would be interested in doing something for college students or adults as well)? Have you ever bought a theological resource for use in ministry and were disappointed? What would have made it better?
Note that the paper option is in the 9-12 range, so the project itself might not be able to be too in depth, but only provide a snippet of the overall resource (i.e. an outline of a 10-week teaching series with two lessons written out in full). But if I like the topic I might go ahead and finish it out. When I do, I will post it for free for anyone to use.
We are using Roger Olson’s Mosaic of Christian Belief as the basic text, and he uses the following chapters (to help spur your thinking about possible topics–but be creative if you want to go outside the box):
- Christian Belief: Unity and Diversity
- Sources and Norms of Christian Belief: One and Many
- Divine Revelation: Universal and Particular
- Christian Scripture: Divine Word and Human Words
- God: Great and Good
- God: Three and One
- Creation:Good and Fallen
- Providence: Limited and Detailed
- Humanity: Essentially Good and Essentially Estranged
- Jesus Christ: God and Man
- Salvation: Objective and Subjective
- Salvation: Gift and Task
- The Church: Visible and Invisible
- Life Beyond Death: Continuity and Discontinuity
- The Kingdom of God: Already and Not Yet
Leave me a comment of something that might be helpful for you in your ministry.
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I think a topic that covers the difficulties of faith would be worthwhile. I feel like many times we are made to feel that questioning God is a heretical activity and has no place in a “proper” faith/relationship with him. People have doubts and concerns, and I would think that it’s healthy to actually talk about what those might be, rather than sweeping them aside in favor of high praise.
To make a truly strong case for anything (or anyone), if you want to get beyond superficiality, I think it’s important to include difficult aspects of accepting that case. I think faith can become that much stronger if it can stand in the face of questions and doubt.
Practical application is something I’m always looking for when it comes to faith/religion as well. For someone who is lost or needs direction, it can often be very helpful to offer practical advice on how to seek God. This is obviously difficult, since everyone follows his own path and has his own internal methods, but some ideas may be useful. Perhaps a series of interviews in which different people give their own accounts of how they personally see/feel God in everyday life?
These are good thoughts. I know this would be a valuable resource. I wonder if I could mold this in such a way as to fit the necessary boundaries of this assignment. I’m going to think about this some more.
How about at “Theology Matters” short course for youth. Even “what is theology and why does it matter?” type of thing. We are teaching theology all the time to youth but they don’t really know it.
Well, too late. I copped out and went the easy way out. I didn’t get inspired to do anything that I was really excited about, so I chose the exam, since I think it will be the least time-consuming.
But I do like the idea. I might do it anyways.