Fall 2011 Cincinnati Christian University 3 Semester Hours

Preview TTH 570 PMN 550 THE CHURCH

Dr. Johnny Pressley Cincinnati Bible Seminary Fall 2011 Cincinnati Christian University 3 semester hours Main campus Sep 29 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) and Sep 30 (8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)

The Church course is a graduate level study of the Biblical teaching regarding the nature, structure, and operation of the church. The objective will be to establish a solid Biblical position for what we do as a church while dealing with some of the current issues related to the operation and leadership of the church. All of this will be done with a view to how this material can be relevant for preaching and teaching in the church.

Hybrid Format

This course will meet on the main CCU campus for two days of in-class teaching. The remainder of the teaching will be conducted online. All assignments are to be completed after the two days on-campus and submitted electronically.

Course Requirements

 Satisfactory attendance and conduct (5% of semester grade)  Two book reports (20% of semester grade)  One research paper (20% of semester grade)  Online reading (20% of semester grade)  Online quizzes and exams (35% of semester grade)

Materials Needed

1. The Church course notes (2011 edition, download from Moodle after Sep 16) 2. Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership, 2nd edition (College Press, 1995) 3. Everett Ferguson, The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today (Eerdmans, 1996) 4. Jack Cottrell, The Faith Once for All (College Press, 2002) 2

Moodle

Course information, lecture notes, online teaching, online quizzes and exams, and grades will be posted online on Moodle a. Find a link to Moodle on MyCCUniversity or on the CCU homepage b. Login with your username (student ID number) and password c. Need help with login: 1) Contact the Registrar’s office (513-244-8170) 2) Or contact our Moodle Maven [email protected] (513-244-8475)

On-campus Sessions

1. In class sessions a. Lectures by Dr. Pressley on the main CCU campus b. Thursday Sep 29, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. c. Friday Sep 30, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 2. Attendance grade a. Attendance will be checked throughout the day and time missed will be logged b. Course limit for being absent: no more than 2 hours c. Attendance grade scale (rounded to the nearest hour): 0 absence = 100 1 hour = 91 2 hours = 82

Online Sessions

The online portion of this course will consist of items to read, followed by quizzes. The reading will consist of lecture notes from Pressley posted on Moodle and chapters in Cottrell’s Faith Once for All. At the conclusion of each unit of study will be a comprehensive exam.

More explanation will be given in the Sep 29-30 in-class session.

Due Dates

Oct 17 - Strauch book report Nov 28 - Research paper

Nov 7 - Ferguson book report

Final deadline for submitting any late work: Friday Dec 9 3

Advance Work

No advance work required prior to our on-campus sessions Sep 29-30. If you want to do advance work, focus on the book reports and research paper.

Late Work

Assignments received after a due date are late a. Minus 5 points each day an assignment is late b. Last date to submit a late assignment: Friday Dec 9 c. Penalties are based upon the date an assignment is received by Dr. Pressley d. Early work is always received gladly

Course Agenda

Some of the topics to be addressed: Nature and purpose of the church Corporate worship Selection and ordination of leaders The Lord’s Day Elders, Preachers, Deacons The Lord’s Supper The role of women Gifts and offerings Church government structures Church discipline

Book Reports

1. Read all pages in the assigned books a. Reading 1 – Strauch b. Reading 2 – Ferguson 2. Write and submit 2 reports based upon your reading assignments a. The reading reports are essentially Q & A b. The format is simple 1) Each paragraph should be your answer to a question 2) First write my question, and then write your full answer 3) Answer all questions 3. Questions for Reading Report 1 (Strauch) What are some key Biblical arguments in favor of a team of Elders rather than a single leader of the church? What are the benefits of “shared leadership”? What abilities should “qualified leadership” possess? How did Jesus illustrate the idea of servant leadership in his own life? Explain the Jewish idea of Elders Describe the “double resource” for Elders 4

What is Strauch’s interpretation of “husband of one wife”? What does Strauch say regarding whether or not an Elder must have children? What is Strauch’s interpretation of elders praying for the sick and anointing with oil? What is your overall impression of this book? 4. Questions for Reading Report 2 (Ferguson) What is the biblical idea of a “covenant” and a “testament”? List Ferguson’s reasons why Christians should still value the Old Testament What is the primary biblical meaning of “kingdom,” and what is not a necessary part of the biblical concept? What does it mean to speak of the “already” and the “not yet”? What does it mean to be a “people of God”? What does Ferguson say regarding the origin of the name “Christian” in Acts 11:26? What kind of things does the title “temple” imply regarding the nature of the church? Name and explain Ferguson’s four misunderstandings regarding worship. What are the spiritual sacrifices we are to perform as a spiritual priesthood? Name and explain Ferguson’s six specific purposes for the church assembly. What is your assessment of Ferguson’s view of instrumental music in a church gathering and why? Name and explain Ferguson’s four expressions of church unity. What is your overall impression of this book? 5. Length: 2-3 pages (not counting the title page) 6. Typing instructions a. Typed double-spaced, 1 inch margins on all sides b. A type font size similar to the text on this page (Times New Roman, 12) c. Letter quality print that can be read easily c. Page numbers in upper right-hand corner or in bottom center d. Stapled in the upper left-hand corner e. References to the Strauch and Ferguson books: parenthetical (Strauch, 37) f. References to other sources: parenthetical or traditional footnotes (with full bibliographic data at end) 7. Title page a. Attach a title page to the front of your assignment b. Include the following: Book Report 1 (or 2), book author and title, TTH 570 (or PMN 550) The Church, Fall 2011, your name 8. Grading will take into account: a. The quality of the content (i.e., careful thought, good expression) b. The general appearance of the report (i.e., is the spelling, grammar, and neatness appropriate for graduate level work) 9. May be submitted by email or snail mail 5

Research Paper

1. Write and submit a research paper related to our study a. Topics must be approved in advance by Pressley 1) Submit your topic proposal by email ([email protected]) 2) Give enough description that Pressley can understand what you intend to do 3) Approval (or rejection) will be given by email Reply b. There is a wide range of possibilities for your topic c. Guidelines for selecting a topic 1) Must clearly relate to the study of ecclesiology 2) Must demonstrate your ability to think theologically and develop an idea using all the relevant biblical data 3) Must be more than simply a summary of material presented in class 2. Length: 10-15 pages (not counting the title page or bibliography) 3. Typing instructions a. Typed double-spaced, 1 inch margins on all sides, 10-15 pages b. A type font size similar to the text on this page (Times New Roman, 12) c. Letter quality print that can be read easily c. Page numbers in upper right-hand corner or in bottom center d. Stapled in the upper left-hand corner e. Traditional term paper format (with footnotes and bibliography) or parenthetical references (with bibliography) f. Formal third person (no first person) g. First reference to a person: first and last names; thereafter: last name only h. 5+ good reference sources i. Term paper style title page 4. Title page a. Attach a title page to the front of your assignment b. Include the following: title of your paper, TTH 570 (or PMN 550) The Church, Fall 2011, your name 5. Grading will take into account: a. The quality of the content (i.e., appropriate research, careful thought, good expression) b. The general appearance of the term paper (i.e., is the spelling, grammar, and neatness appropriate for graduate level work) 6. May be submitted by email or snail mail

Course-Embedded Research Project

1. A student wishing to take this course for CERP credit (for Theology or Practical Ministries) should submit the proper form during the first week of class 2. Use the same instructions given above for research papers with the following modifications: a. 10+ good reference sources b. CERP length: 25+ pages 3. Submit the CERP paper in place of the course research paper 6

Grade Scale

A (100 – 95) B+ (91 – 89) C+ (82 – 80) D+ (73 – 71) A– (94 – 92) B (88 – 86) C (79 – 77) D (70 – 68) B– (85 – 83) C– (76 – 74) D– (67 – 65)

Miscellaneous

1. Any part of this course and its expectations may be revised by the professor as needed, with fair notice to be given in class 2. It is recommended that you save all graded papers and keep a log of your absences and tardies in case you later think there is a discrepancy with Dr. Pressley’s grading records 3. To contact Dr. Pressley outside of class:

Office: the Seminary Dean’s Office (downstairs Library/Grad building)

Phone: (513) 244-8104 Email: [email protected]

Mailing address: Dr. Johnny Pressley Cincinnati Christian University P. O. Box 4320 Cincinnati, OH 45204