UNIT TWO INTRODUCTION In Unit 2, Toler’s textbook, A Practical Guide for Pastoral Ministry, addresses the “Family Life” of the local church pastor, which is integral to fruitful returns in pastoral ministry. The man must match his message. Otherwise, the hypocrisy of the endeavor will collapse its ambitions. The textbook and threaded discussion in this unit will attempt to answer the question, “How does one guard his character in a changing culture?” The issue of political correctness will be addressed and you must decide what your response to a godless culture should be. Must he overcome it? Succumb to it? Or engage it? That is the question so critical to effective ministry in the 21st century. UNIT TWO RESOURCES ? Textbook: Practical Guide for Pastoral Ministry ? Textbook: The Pentecostal Pastor: A Mandate for the 21st Century ? 2.1a PDF: Character and Credibility Lecture 2.1 TEXT/MEDIA: TEXTBOOK; PDF INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT See Unit Two Introduction above. RESOURCES ? Textbook: Practical Guide for Pastoral Ministry ? Textbook: The Pentecostal Pastor: A Mandate for the 21st Century ? 2.1a PDF: Character and Credibility Lecture BACKGROUND INFORMATION None INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read Part 2: “Family Life” in Practical Guide for Pastoral Ministry. 2. Read Unit 2: “The Unique Struggles of Today’s Pastor” in The Pentecostal Pastor. 3. Read the “Character and Credibility” lecture. Be prepared to comment and discuss in Culture and Character Threaded Discussion. 2.2 THREADED DISCUSSION: CULTURE INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT See Unit Two Introduction above. RESOURCES ? Textbook: Practical Guide for Pastoral Ministry ? Textbook: The Pentecostal Pastor: A Mandate for the 21st Century ? 2.1a PDF: Character and Credibility Lecture BACKGROUND INFORMATION None
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Reflect upon your readings for this unit and review the information given in the Unit Introduction above. 2. For your initial post, address three particular topics with a substantive paragraph on each. Critically engage the textbook, the lecture, and each other in this response! a. Our Culture I Chron. 12:32 says that “…the children of Issachar…were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.” Assess the culture of our day. b. Culture and the Church Dietrich Bonhoeffer challenges the church to faithfully answer this question: What is our mission? 1) To dominate culture? 2) To engage culture? or 3) To succumb to culture? Also, your lecture says on p. 2, par. 2 that “Our culture bleeds into our churches?” Good? Bad? Or indifferent? c. Culture and Character In light of the Church’s mission, what is the posture of the pastor in a “politicallycorrect” culture? How can a pastor be theologically faithful and culturallyrelevant at the same time? Your grading for each discussion will reference three particulars: 1) personal insight, 2) critical engagement of textbook, lecture, and peers, and 3) solid, substantive content.
