Atlanta Campus Catalog 2011-2012 - Mercer University

MIN 901. Mentoring for Congregational Ministry(3 hours)Prerequisites: SPF 701 and a minimum of 45 completed hours; may not be taken concurrentlywith MIN 902Mentoring for Congregational Ministry is the one of two semesters of required mentoredministry. It includes the supervision of a Field Mentor coupled with a Peer ReflectionGroup in class. The Field Setting for this course must be a local church. Mentors areselected in consultation with the professor. This course will permit the student to testclassroom skills against actual ministry incidents in a local church setting and will guidethe student in transitioning from seminary studies, as a student, to field setting responsibilitiesas a professional minister.MIN 902. Mentoring for Contextual Leadership(3 hours)Prerequisites: SPF 701 and a minimum of 45 completed hours; may not be taken concurrentlywith MIN 901This course is one of two semesters of required mentored ministry. In consultation withthe professor, the student may choose any Christian ministry as Field Setting for thecourse. This semester also includes the supervision of a Field Mentor coupled with a PeerReflection Group in class. This course will permit the student to test classroom skills andpersonal entrepreneurial hopes for ministry against actual ministry incidents and opportunities.This semester is particularly slanted toward helping the student move from a“community” of seminary studies to the “aloneness” of ministerial responsibility.MIN 903. Capstone(3 hours)The Capstone course is required for graduation and must be taken in a student’s lastyear. The objective of the course is to help students to integrate the various facets of theMaster of Divinity curriculum in preparation for graduation and entry into a full-time ministryposition. To that end it involves students in critical reflection on issues in ministry frombiblical, historical, theological and pastoral perspectives.NTG 608. Gospel of Matthew(3 hours)Prerequisite: NTG 611Matthew holds a special place in the Bible and in New Testament scholarship. It has oftenbeen called the church’s gospel because only Matthew contains the story of the wise menand the star of Bethlehem, the Sermon on the Mount, the form of the Lord’s Prayer usedin worship, several of Jesus’ parables, Jesus’ words to the disciples about establishing thechurch, and the Great Commission. Matthew was composed at a time when the churchwas separating from Judaism and establishing its own community patterns, and it continuesto speak to the church today. We will be interested in both what Matthew was sayingto the church(es) for which he wrote his gospel and what the gospel says today. Morespecifically, the goals of this course are to lead you to understand the life setting of theGospel of Matthew; appreciate its literary design and subtleties of meaning; recognize thecontribution of this Gospel to the theology of the early church; be able to interpret passagesfrom Matthew, with a keen sensitivity to Matthean themes and theology; relate theGospel to contemporary ethical, social, and religious issues; and cultivate an appreciationfor Matthew as a source of spiritual nurturance and direction.NTG 611. Jesus and the Gospels(3 hours)This course seeks to enable students to become more informed readers and more skilledinterpreters of the Gospels. It engages historical questions about Jesus and the writing ofthe Gospels, it introduces various methods of interpretation, and it probes the meaning ofGospel texts for contemporary believers.342 / MERCER UNIVERSITY