Overview

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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. This course addresses two closely related questions: what does it mean to be a Christ-shaped leader, and how do we become that kind of leader? To develop our answers, we’ll mine the riches of Wesleyan wisdom, Mary’s witness, and Jesus’s teachings. We’ll also consider how calling and trauma inform Christian leadership. These four weeks will provide frameworks to guide our ongoing formation as Christ-shaped leaders who, in turn, encourage that same growth in others. If you are a pastor or ministry professional in need of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for your 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 [email protected] with any questions regarding CEUs for this course. Each of the 5 courses in the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism specialization is worth 0.5 CEUs, for a total of 2.5 CEUs for completing all of the courses.

Syllabus

Forming Christ-Shaped Leaders: Bearing Witness in Communities

“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.

A Wesleyan Perspective on Work and Vocation

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.

Leading Through Trauma

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.

Christ-Shaped Character and Leadership Innovation

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.