Here you will find a list of the courses, along with their course descriptions, for the Engaging Series. Together, this set of six 'Engaging' courses comprise the Be In Christ Certificate in Practical Theology. You can take the courses in any order that you choose, however, the order below is a recommended option due to the flow of content.
In this course, you will learn how to identify some of the major genres in biblical writing, such as poetry and history, which will help you interpret the Bible's stories better.
Professor: Dr. Murray Baker
Textbooks:
1. The Blue Parakeet (2nd edition) by Scot McKnight
2. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth (4th edition) by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
In this course, you will become more familiar with describing the history of God's people as written throughout the books of the Old Testament (Genesis to Malachi).
Professor: Dr. Shannon Baines
Textbook:
1. A Survey of the Old Testament by Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton
In this course, you will become familiar with describing how Jesus changed everything, according to the books of the New Testament (Matthew to Revelation).
Professor: Dr. Hughson Ong
Textbook:
1. A Survey of the New Testament (5th edition) by Robert H. Gundry
In this course, you will explore the major themes, events and people from 2,000 years of the church's history.
Professor: Dr. Darren Schmidt
Textbook:
1. A Short World History of Christianity, Revised Edition by Robert Bruce Mullin
In this course, you will learn to identify some of the 'ologies' in theology, such as Christology and Ecclesiology, which will help you connect God's stories better.
Professor: John Schuit
Textbook:
1. Introducing Christian Doctrine by Millard J. Erickson
All the textbooks above (for courses 1-5) are available on Amazon (both in hard copy and Kindle ebook formats).
In this course, you will learn the story of the Be In Christ denomination, starting from the River People and moving all the way to your own congregation.
Professor: Paul Kiss
Textbooks:
1. The Upside Down Kingdom by Donald B. Kraybill
2. Be In Christ: A Canadian Church Engages Heritage and Change by E. Morris Sider
The first is available on Amazon and the second is available for free through Be In Christ.
Mini Meta Modules
The mini meta modules (MMM) are smaller courses designed to help you get the most out of the other courses. These are modules that you may find yourself coming back to time and time again, as they hold information on how to engage with the other courses.
This MMM is good to watch prior to beginning any of your courses, as it helps you identify the 'what' and 'why' of the Engaging series.
This MMM is also good to watch prior to beginning any of your courses, as it helps you to identify the 'how' and the 'why' of learning activities. This module may be particularly helpful to review before beginning the storytelling and reflection paper assignments.
