- Weekly problem papers-
- Each week the student will write a one-page paper (200-300 words [double-space please]) responding toone of the situations below.
- The student may address any question on any given week but must answer all questions at least once.
- As there are more weeks than questions, some problems will be addressed more than once.
- Each paper will be marked on its demonstration of student’s interaction with course material and application to the question.
- NOTE: It is extremely important to remember that the goal of this assignment (and the basis for grading) is NOT just responding to the question or solving the problem. I want you to learn from the course material and grow from this interaction. This calls for a higher level of learning. The best way is to find ways to apply the course material. Therefore, these questions are just opportunities to internalize and apply course concepts and demonstrate that you have done so.
- Students may draw upon any material covered up to that point either in class or in the course texts.
- The paper should address three issues:
- First, based on the course material, describe the central issue or problem in the situation.
- hint: It is helpful to determine whether it is a question of CCF or F
- It may be a question of the interaction between the CCFF
- Secondly, describe what you have learned in the course that would apply to this issue.
- This may be taken from course lectures, textbook or Scripture materials
- Finally describe how you would approach the situation based on your previous discussion.
- The paper should stay focussed on the issues from this class and not discuss other (possibly important) issues that are inherent in the hypothetical situation.
- Each problem paper will begin with a header containting the following information:
- Name
- Date
- Problem Situation #
- These are the problem situations to be addressed:
- a) You are the senior pastor. The church is beginning to incorporate small group meetings in addition to Sunday morning services. You have asked the worship leader to oversee that worship happens in the small group meetings. He then asks you what you wish to accomplish in the worship portion of the small groups, and how (if at all) this is different from the purpose of Sunday morning worship time.
- b) You are a youth pastor. A parent of one of the youth approaches you and is very upset at the music that their child is listening to. They ask you to speak to their child. What to you say to the youth? To the parent?
- c) You are a fan of the Beach Boys. While in a store purchasing a Beach Boys CD, you are approached by an older member of your church. They begin to inform you that you can’t listen to that CD because good Christians do not listen to ‘secular’ music and they are concerned about your backsliding. How do you respond? How would your response be different if the CD was instrumental jazz instead of Beach Boys?
- d) You are the senior pastor. A group of committed Christian young people from your church forms a punk band. You attend one of their performances. The show is a mix of covers of current punk tunes, current tunes with their lyrics changed to reflect Christian themes, and original songs, some with Christian lyrics and some with other lyrics. After the show, as you are approaching the band, they are confronted by another Christian who tells them to quit playing the devil’s music and start playing godly music. What do you do or say?
- e) You are the worship leader. At different times, members of the congregation have approached you and informed you that they don’t like the direction the worship is taking. They want to return to the classic hymns and organ. They say such things as “This new style isn’t really worship”, or “Why are we copying the world’s music.” Meanwhile other members of the congregation have asked you to throw out the organ completely and start using modern music. They say, “That old music smacks of stale religion.” And “I can’t invite my unsaved friends because the music turns them off to Christ; It makes them think God is boring.” What do you do? What do you say to each group?
- f) You are the youth pastor. Steve has been attending youth group for about 3 months. Last month Steve got saved. Today he approached you and asked if he could play bass in the youth worship band. He also asks if his brother John who is not a Christian could play drums. They are both excellent musicians and you have been praying for a bassist and drummer because you desperately need them. What do you tell him?
- g) You are a parent. Your teenage daughter is an excellent singer. She sings in the choir at church. She also sings with a band formed by her friends at school. Only one of them is Christian and they sing old blues tunes and classic rock. What do you say or do?