| UPCOMING EVENTS |
|
ITS NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER!
STRATEGIC PLANNING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
November 19 - 21, 2009
Seattle, WA
This course studies the role of strategic planning, both entrepreneurial and global, in today's business climate, with special emphasis on business planning for a start-up business, defining its values and multiple bottom lines, functional analysis approaches, organizational systems, process and controls for promoting social projects, and employee empowerment in both the domestic and international contexts.
This course is also open to seminar participants at $150 for all three days.
POVERTY, DIVERSITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE
December 3 - 5, 2009
Seattle, WA
This course will examines current theories of poverty, diversity, and social justice, including current debates on poverty and development, the proper role and response of the church to urban, inner-city realities, Liberation Theologies for today's world, and evangelical reflection on social action and political involvement.
CREATING ONRAMPS OF CALLING FOR EMERGING URBAN LEADERSHIP
December 27 - 31, 2009
St. Louis, MO (held at Urbana)
Urbana is a missions conference for North American students hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and Canada. This class will focus on how to create pathways for young, emerging leaders to accept the call of God to cross-cultural, urban mission. We will interact both on the general content and pedagogy of calling leaders and spotlight two areas: Ministry in North American Urban centers and Ministry in International Squatter Communities.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
February 4 - 6, 2010
Bellingham, WA
This course examines all aspects of those formal and informal systems within an organization to ensure the effective and efficient stewardship of people, their gifting and talents, to accomplish the goals of the organization.
You can register by clicking this link, or contact BGU (800-935-4723 or bgu@bgu.edu) for more information. |
| JOIN OUR PRAYER TEAM |
 | |
|
|
November 2009 |
|
|
Learning from a Mud-Filled Classroom
In late September, Manila was hit by two typhoons that flooded 80% of this city of 12 million, created massive landslides, killed at least 246 people and dislocated millions from their homes. BGU already had a class  scheduled to take place in Manila in early October. Most Universities would have canceled this course. Yet many of BGU's students are leaders of relief efforts in their own cities and nations. They wanted to come to learn and to support their colleagues in a city still covered in mud, sewage and millions of refugees.
The students were awestruck and amazed at how the local ministries had risen to the challenge. Many of the leaders of these local ministries still wanted to teach in BGU's course - to have some place where they could go and be with people who had experienced similar disasters in their own countries. By God's grace, BGU had seven students from Myanmar, who had experienced the worst flooding in their nation's recorded history only 18 months earlier. It was an amazing time of cross-cultural learning and unity around issues of the stress, the challenges and the hope that emerges in disasters such as these.
 Nigerian student, Dotun Reju provided his perspective.
I left South Africa (a previous BGU course) with "new eyes" for my city. Now I am leaving Manila with "heavy shoulders" - a deep sense of responsibility for my city - and, of course, the smile on those Filipino faces which spoke of hope in the midst of the surrounding despair.
 Aaron Smith, a student living in Manila attending Overture 1 had this to say. Everyday has been powerful and insightful, causing me to question some of what we are currently doing in my church's ministry among the urban poor and giving me many new ideas for how to proceed. I have begun to see that I have to begin to network and partner with other specialized ministries. As a new church plant, we are limited in our impact on the community, but through partnerships we can work together as the family of God to transform our community. Two of the main themes stressed through our time in Manila were the power of the Word of God in transformation and the necessity of partnerships.
Manila has been both, a time of classroom learning, as well as first hand ministry connections. We have been learning about understanding the complexities of the city, transformational leadership, and contextualization. After having laid that foundation we began to hear from practitioners. We walked the streets late in the evening praying for and observing a ministry among prostitutes. On Sunday morning we attended small house churches in a squatter community, as well as a large church that meets in a mall. We learned about ministries that focus on advocacy and political issues, and business and microfinance as a means of poverty alleviation.
 Randy White, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Degree and Professor of Urban Studies for BGU, was on this course trip. He reflects. These overseas trips can disrupt your perception of reality on so many levels. The team arrived in Manila on October 5 and wasted no time getting immersed in the local culture of Manila. The class spent an afternoon in a slum called "Welfareville", learning about an incarnational ministry led by a young couple who had grown up in that slum. Ray Bakke, using his ministry analysis guide, did a spectacular job of using that ministry as a case study in a way that brought enlightenment to our students and encouragement to the ministry. The slum definitely ministered to us. God's power was very evident to us.
Some feedback from the students:
- "This is like water to my soul."
- "I didn't realize how much I needed this."
- "My head is spinning with all sorts of new ideas for my work."
- "After I finish this DMin, I'm going to continue taking these courses."
While Manila has many challenges at all levels, ministry is happening in the midst of the chaos. Lives are being changed. BGU city immersions impact students at the deepest levels. The most seasoned leaders on this trip are still interacting with each other across continents and implementing best practices from each other in their own cities.
BGU international city immersion courses are held in five continents throughout the year. Every person attending these courses is impacted. They are open to students and alumni, as well as auditors who are committed to do some of the advanced reading with the students. More information about these courses can be found by clicking this link, or contact BGU (800-935-4723 or bgu@bgu.edu) for more information. |
|
Bakke Graduate University (BGU) is the educational arm of a network assembled over a span of 30 years, around the values and practice of the whole church engaging the whole of culture with the whole gospel. Participants include church, business, government and non-profit leaders in 250 of the world's largest cities. BGU conducts city consultations and training programs, as well as offering accredited doctoral and masters degrees in theology. GlobalScape is an expression of this network.
You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Bakke Graduate University. |
|
|
