Examines the nature and theology of pastoral ministry with emphasis on the role of the pastor as the shepherd leader. Accordingly, the shepherd leader character traits development and the skills cultivation process are drawn from the wealth of biblical and theological principles. Furthermore, the practical aspects of the pastoral ministry from the pulpit to the caring ministry, from leading the church board to conflict resolution, from the emerging issues in the church ministry to Christ-like leadership succession will also be examined. Recommended prerequisite: SPIR CM09. Offered in Mandarin.

Different methods of evangelism to reach the Chinese in North America will be studied, with a goal to establish a new church. The ways to reach the Mainland Chinese immigrants and scholars in North America and bringing them to Christ will also be addressed. Technicality and theories of church planting will be analyzed and evaluated. Case studies may be conducted. Offered in Mandarin.

Explores the Christian foundation of worship and music in the Chinese Churches. This course is designed for those who are called to serve in the area of music and worship ministry. This course will equip students with essential and functional knowledge of the subjects, through providing the biblical and theological foundations for worship, training skills for developing and leading congregational singing, teaching principles in planning worship services and developing interpersonal skills for mobilizing musicians to serve in churches and parachurch organizations. It covers the future trends and worship renewal of the 21st century. Offered in Mandarin.

Teaches the basic principles of “bridging” what the biblical text meant in ancient times to what it means today, especially in the Chinese cultural context. This includes teaching the practical steps by which to develop the constituent parts of a sermon’s content. Consideration is also given to the important principles of effective delivery of the sermon. Opportunities are provided for each student to practice the principles and skills taught. Prerequisite: BIBL CM01. Offered in Mandarin.

Provides students with a basic understanding of the field of pastoral counselling, and prepares the students to be more effective in counselling as a pastor or lay leader. Essential elements of pastoral counselling are covered using the model of Christ as the “Wonderful Counsellor” (Isaiah). Opportunity is provided in small groups to practice basic counselling skills in a supervised setting. Practical tools and resources for building self-esteem and managing emotions are introduced for students to apply to their own lives and to help others. Offered in Mandarin.

Builds on the basic principles of sermon preparation and delivery taught in PAST CM21 (previously CHIN CM21). Attention will be given to the expository preaching of Old Testament biblical narratives. Besides the crafting of sermon outlines based on designated texts, students will be given sufficient opportunities through preaching laboratory sessions for sermon presentations and peer evaluation. Students will also be required to study and analyze different preaching styles and expository contents of assigned preachers. Prerequisites: BIBL CM01 and PAST CM21. Offered in Mandarin.

Examines the psychological and theological aspects of dying in order to better understand and provide significant pastoral care to those who are dying and to those who grieve. Same as COUN 0684 and SPIR 0684. Exclusion: PAST 0743.

Explores with biblical and theological resources in the face of death, grief and loss. Topics include how the Bible and the Christian tradition portray death, grief and lament, how Christians over the centuries have practiced spiritual care for the dying and grieving, and how to extend care to others in times of sorrow, including the use of the Psalms as a resource for support.

Explores and considers the nature of disenfranchised grief, particularly in situations of profound loss where grief is difficult to express and process. Disenfranchised grief can include suicide, traumatic death and other kinds of grief and loss that can get buried because they are avoided, unacknowledged, or not legitimized. Understanding the language of grief in the healing process will be examined. Included will be training in support group recovery and facilitation.

Explores the ways in which gender and culture dynamics influence one’s understanding and expression of suffering and grief as well as the process of recovery from loss. Consideration will be given to mourning traditions of different cultures and the need for self-awareness, sensitivity and understanding of various culture and gender dynamics. Effective helping strategies for caring for dying and bereaved persons from diverse backgrounds will be considered.

Involves a study of the dynamics of grief, death and dying in the context of family systems and their significance in human development throughout the life cycle. The course includes discussion of children and youth experiences of death, dying and grief. There is a special emphasis upon personal, familial, communal, spiritual and religious aspects of grief, death and dying and of resources available. Same as COUN 0655.

Designed to educate and equip students enrolled in the study of Thanatology with the basic skills required for effective and ethical pastoral care and counselling. This course involves 3 hours of weekly in-class lecture, demonstration and role-playing exercises to give each student hands on experience practicing the basic skills of counselling, as well as the use of biblical resources such as prayer, scripture and spiritual formation. This course has a strong emphasis on Safe and Effective Use of Self (SEUS), self-care and spiritual growth for both the student and those they will be working with. This course is a prerequisite to enter the internship. Exclusion: COUN 0601 & 0602. Prerequisites: 9 credit hours in PAST TH.

Explores the nature of complicated grief, comparing it with the nature of normal grief and mourning. Topics like why people fail to grieve, the types of abnormal grief, the symptomology of complicated grief and different models of mourning will be discussed. We will also explore the different approaches and goals between counselling and therapy, coupled with their distinctive practical implementation. The course will incorporate research from both past and present experts in the field of thanantology and bereavement.

Reviews ethical values, principles, and issues in end-of-life care. We do so from perspectives informed by the Christian faith, and biblical principles drawing on a breadth of theological voices. We also consider similarities and differences between Christian perspectives and those outside the Christian faith. As we apply Christian values and principles to issues of ethical concern, we explore problems—whether novel or enduring—that plague end-of-life care, particularly in the Canadian context. This equips students for ethical application in local situations.