Almost There

Almost.

I've completed all the courses for the Masters In Ministry Leadership now, except for the "Capstone" course "Practicing the Focused Life." In the course, we're asked to collect documents such as our mentor reports, projects, etc. that tell the story of how we have grown during our time at Rockbridge.

We are measured against 35 Competencies:

“Worship” Skills

* Leads and/or works with other people in planning and facilitating worship.
* Performs baptisms, weddings, funerals and other ordinances of the church in an appropriate manner.
* Designs creative worship experiences that involve music, media, and the arts.
* Educates the congregation in personal, family, and corporate worship.
* Communicates Scripture in a way that leads an intended audience to worship and to experience life transformation.
* Leads a congregation in prayer and a prayer ministry.
* Practices and leads the church in practicing worship through stewardship of life and resources.

“Fellowship” Skills

* Builds and maintains healthy relationships with others.
* Sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
* Develops relationships within and external to the ministry organization for accountability and personal support.
* Functions effectively with professional staff and church members and works with others in resolving conflict in the body of Christ.
* Listens and responds in ways that let people know they have been heard.
* Develops small groups and leads them to birth new groups.
* Leads the church in developing a process for connecting new members into the life and purposes of the church.

“Discipleship” Skills

* Interprets the biblical text and applies its truth to life situations.
* Effectively employs Bible study tools and basic biblical language skills for personal Bible study and Bible teaching.
* Evaluates current ministry programs and issues in light of church history and theology.
* Leads the church in planning, conducting, and evaluating a comprehensive program of discipleship and Christian maturity.
* Demonstrates a vibrant spiritual life through the implementation of spiritual disciplines including prayer, Bible study, holiness of life and communion with God.
* Models the role of an effective teacher and communicator.
* Leads in developing, evaluating, and administering curriculum plans; functions as resource person in discipleship curriculum.

“Ministry” Skills

* Exercises the administrative skills of strategic planning, organizing, leading and evaluating the work of ministry that leads to achievement of defined goals and the mission of the New Testament church.
* Provides spiritual guidance in helping others analyze how God has shaped them for ministry through spiritual gifts, heart for ministry, abilities, personality, and experiences.
* Recruits, trains, and supervises individuals to fulfill the purposes of the church.
* Assesses the needs of the ministry community, designs appropriate actions to meet those needs, and effectively markets the church’s ministry in the community.
* Develops and administers budgets for ministry programs and organizations; reads and prepares financial reports.
* Provides pastoral care and counseling for the sick, hurting, and grieving, and makes appropriate referrals to other sources of professional help.
* Demonstrates godly humility and sacrificial love for those in the church.

“Evangelism” Skills

* Communicates biblical truth through preaching, personal witness, teaching, speaking, writing, music, and other ways as may be appropriate to fulfill the Great Commission.
* Leads the church in an effective program of evangelism; plans and conducts a program of community witness.
* Leads the church in planning and conducting cross-cultural missions.
* Builds relationships with unbelievers that lead to opportunities to share the gospel.
* Interprets the culture and plans appropriate strategies for sharing the gospel in that culture.
* Respects persons of different cultural, social and religious backgrounds.
* Articulates the Christian message and contrasts that message with other worldviews and major world religions.

These have to be expressed through the projects we have done along the way, and VERIFIED by people. That last little bit was an unexpected part of the information dump I received as the Capstone opened yesterday. I'm asking for clarification to see if my professors and mentors can serve to verify the projects I have done or whether I will have to go outside that.

So dear reader, take a look at the list of competencies. If you think you can verify that I have on occasion accomplished one or more with competence, I may have to get back to you. :)

Over the last 17 years and 109 hours of seminary plus 20 hours of other Masters level coursework I've learned a lot. But Rockbridge's focus is right on - what do you do with what you have learned?