Welcome to Forming Christ-Shaped Leaders. This course is part of the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism series. Through this series, we hope you will experience a deeper grounding in the distinctive elements of Methodism at its best, and a renewed capacity for hopeful, imaginative participation in the mission of God.
Forming Christ-Shaped Leaders
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Forming Christ-Shaped Leaders
This course is part of Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism Specialization
Instructors: Jung Choi
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Beginner level
Recommended experience
5 hours to complete
3 weeks at 1 hour a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
What you'll learn
Define Christian leadership with the insights of John Wesley and Methodism.
Articulate how everyday work is part of God’s calling to ministry.
Explore how trauma impacts individuals, communities, and the shape of leadership drawing on a Wesleyan theological framework.
Explore the importance of innovative leadership for the church’s mission.
Skills you'll gain
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Recently updated!
August 2024
Assessments
5 assignments
Taught in English
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This course is part of the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism Specialization
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There are 4 modules in this course
“Rediscovering the heart of Methodism requires greater intentionality around forming Christ-shaped leaders who bear witness in communities.” What does it mean to be a Christ-shaped leader? This week, we will explore Wesleyan answers. First, by considering John Wesley’s view that leadership requires wisdom and holiness. We’ll also examine how holistic, Christ-shaped leadership reflects Christ as prophet, priest, and king. And we’ll explore the tensions between popular accounts of heroic lone leaders and communal approaches that enable Christ-shaped leaders to bear witness to the reign of God en conjunto—together.
What's included
1 video9 readings2 assignments2 discussion prompts
The calling to Christ-shaped leadership isn’t solely for people whose paychecks come from tithes and offerings. In fact, those set aside by God for pastoral ministry are tasked with equipping lay Christians for ministry. This means both “professional Christians” and those who work in any other area of life (paid or unpaid!) need clear understandings of work and vocation. This week, we will learn about discerning our callings and consider ways our Christian communities can better encourage a sense of calling in every Christian.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Trauma impacts us as holistic beings in community. Because leadership is always relational, leaders need to understand how trauma shapes human interactions. Because God calls leaders to come alongside those who have experienced (or are still experiencing) traumatic circumstances, it’s vital for leaders to develop practical skills for helping people heal as individuals and communities.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
As we wrap up this course, we’ll revisit the question of what Christ-shaped leadership looks like by taking a close look at Jesus’s teachings on the Great Commandment in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Along the way, we’ll examine how leading others into innovation for the sake of the church’s mission demands a Christ-shaped character that refuses to replace love with preference and demonstrates mercy in the face of reluctance and resistance.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
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Frequently asked questions
For pastors and other ministry professionals in need of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for their professional development, CEU credits are available for this course. Upon successful completion of this course, you can provide your Coursera certificate and the course description to your employer for recognition of earning 0.5 CEUs. Contact divinityonline@duke.edu with any questions regarding CEUs for this course.
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.