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B.A. in Intercultural Ministry
and World Christianity
B.A. IN INTERCULTERAL MINISTRY
AND WORLD CHRISTIANITY
Equip for ministry to the Ends of the Earth
Overview
In fulfillment of the Lord’s command to “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” the major in Intercultural and World Christianity is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills essential for cross-cultural ministry.
Classes will introduce students to new developments in missions in the modern period, especially the rapid growth of Christianity in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the opportunities this presents for Christians in the West.
Students will also be introduced to changes taking place in North America and Europe and discuss the implications for effective gospel ministry in an increasingly secular world. The Intercultural and World Christianity internship is designed to immerse students in a cross-cultural experience, which may be done in the North America, Europe, Africa, Asia or Latin America. Short-term trips used for internship credits are subject to approval by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Objectives
Upon completing the program, you should be able to...
01.
Critically observe and functionally engage with other cultures.
04.
Develop a theology of mission for effective leadership in the local church, para-church,
or mission organization.
02.
Distinguish between Biblical essentials and cultural nonessentials
05.
Consider opportunities for effective cross-cultural ministry in your community and in the larger world.
03.
Understand the current issues in missions, particularly in areas of contextualization.
Dr. F. Lionel Young III, chair of Intercultural Ministry and World Christianity program at MBC.
Degree Specific Courses
MI 499 INTERCULTURAL MINISTRY SPECIAL TOPICS
CREDITS:
3
On Demand
SEMESTER:
This course is reserved for opportunities for MBC to offer courses on specialized topics.
MI 420 THEOLOGY AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH
CREDITS:
3
Fall, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will examine how the global church is shaping theological discourse in the twenty-first century. At the theoretical level, it will examine the degree to which theological ideas have been universal (normative) for all Christians or local (cultural) and therefore only applicable to certain Christians. The course will consider how the first-century debate between Jewish and Gentile Christians framed the discussion around the question of normative theology. The purpose of this curse will be to equip students with an intellectual framework that will help them remain committed to evangelical convictions, yet open to the ways in which the global church can enrich their understanding of Scripture. Fall. Offered as a one-week intensive course.
MI 220 THEOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN MISSION
CREDITS:
3
Spring, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will consider Biblical foundations and theological developments in Christian missions. It will place an emphasis on the Biblical text, showing that God’s plan of redemption is the restoration of all creation with missions as the means through which he accomplishes his plan in the world. It will explore the beginnings of the study of mission theology as an academic discipline in the nineteenth-century and show how thinking on Christian mission has evolved over time. Students will explore theological themes such as the Three-Self Formula, indigenization, ecumenism, partnership (in mission), poverty, social justice, dependency problems, unreached people groups and the debate regarding evangelism and social justice.
MI 400 CULTURAL IMMERSION INTERNSHIP
CREDITS:
4
Fall
SEMESTER:
Internship opportunities are to be coordinated by the Vice President of Academics. There may be possibilities within Montana (serving cross-culturally in the state), the United States (one thinks of urban experiences), the United Kingdom (such as Cambridge), or any number of places in the Global South (Guatemala, Costa Rica, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Thailand, or some other location).
MI 320 MISSION AND GLOBAL POVERTY
CREDITS:
3
Spring, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will give attention to the intersection of Christian mission and global poverty. It will examine the teaching of both the Old and New Testament on poverty and show how evangelicals have sometimes focused exclusively on evangelism while neglecting the Biblical teaching on caring for the poor and marginalized. It will give attention to historical developments within evangelicalism during the twentieth century that have led to a more wholistic understanding of the gospel. The course will also challenge students to consider how Christian mission can retain its focus on evangelism as the most important work of the church without neglecting the Biblical call to serve the poor.
MI 210 HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
CREDITS:
3
Fall, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will follow the history of Christian missions and expansion beginning in the first century, up to the present. It will consider how Christianity expanded in the ancient period and examine the important role of “missionary monks” during the Middle Ages. The course will cover Catholic mission societies like the Jesuits and the Dominicans, as well as Protestant missionary activity in the early modern period. Special attention will be given to evangelicalism and the rise of the modern missionary movement, as well as new developments in missions with the rapid growth of missionaries now being sent out from everywhere to everyone.
MI 430 CHRISTIANITY AND WORLD RELIGIONS
CREDITS:
3
Spring, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will explore Christianity and its relationship with other world religions. It will provide an introduction to other major world religions including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Folk Religions, and explore some Native American religious ideas. The course will examine concepts like exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism in the Christian tradition. It will consider the early church’s concept of praeparatio evangelica in which other religious were considered a “preparation for the gospel,” and the debates around this idea. It will further explore how Christians have viewed inter-religious dialogue in both positive and negative ways and the related implications for global evangelism.
MI 310 MISSIONS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
CREDITS:
3
Fall, One-Week Intensive
SEMESTER:
This course will consider contemporary issues related to missions in the twenty-first century. It will begin with an assessment of how global missions has changed in a new era of world Christianity. It will consider what Christianity’s “Southward shift” means for missions practice in the twenty-first century. The course will explore themes and ideas like migration movements reverse mission (missionaries coming from the Global South), mission partnership (across regions), urbanization (and how it relates to frontier missions), the role of the Western church in an era of mission globalization, and new research on the STNM (Short Term Missions) industry in North America.
MI 110 INTRODUCTION TO WORLD CHRISTIANITY
CREDITS:
3
Spring
SEMESTER:
This course explores Christianity as a world religion with an emphasis on the new era of global expansion in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It gives special consideration to the remarkable growth of Christianity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, but also discusses developments in North American and Europe. Students will be introduced to key themes produced by major thinkers like David Barrett, Dana Robert, Lamin Sanneh, and Andrew Walls.
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