Program Content

All presenters of program content are highly skilled in their areas of expertise and have shown a demonstrated commitment to the church through faithful service over extended periods of time. We trust that the wisdom gained from these wise leaders will help you grow in your spiritual life and strengthen your leadership skills in ministry.

The Bible: How it Challenges the Culture and Transforms Our Lives The Bible was written over many centuries in several different historical and cultural contexts. In this session we will consider how reading the Bible with an appreciation for the original setting of the scriptural texts can help us understand scripture's challenges to both the original culture and our contemporary postmodern culture. We will also study scripture's goal of transforming our lives through the process of intentional spiritual formation. Multiple passages from both the Old and New Testaments will be studied during this session. Be prepared to listen to scripture and to be challenged.	Terry McGonigal 5 hours
A Biblical Foundation for Kingdom Ministry The central theme of the ministry and message of Jesus was the Kingdom of God, a topic he talked about more than anything else. This class will examine this important biblical concept and its implications for our life and ministry	Keith Beebe 5 hours
A Brief History of Christianity: How It Has Adapted to Culture and Yet Remained the Same This course will explore how Christianity has engaged with culture and yet transcended culture over its 2000 years of history, thus showing its remarkable ability adapt to various settings and yet remain the same, the faith once delivered to the saints.	Jerry Sittser 5 hours
Beliefs: What Christians Believe and Why This course in Christian Theology is intended to serve as a bridge between the world of Christian thinking and the world of the church, especially the church as it engages with culture. Students in the CME program come from many different church backgrounds. At Whitworth, we are historically and intentionally rooted in the theology of the Protestant Reformation, especially that of the Reformed, or Calvinist, churches. Therefore, this course in theology will bring students into contact with the central tenets of Reformed theology as they are grounded in Scripture, as they emerged in history and as they are being lived out in churches today. The goal is not for all of us to be "Reformed," although that may be a benefit to some students. Rather, our goal is to practice asking and answering theological questions from within a particular Christian worldview, hoping to thereby deepen both our personal understanding of God and our service to God in daily life/ministry.	Karen Petersen Finch 5 hours
Becoming Missional Pioneers "In this course, participants will consider today's culture and its impact on Christianity, think through a theology of local mission and also begin the discovery process of what it would look like to engage their particular setting."	Rob Fairbanks 5 hours
Facilitating Small Groups This session will focus on practical aspects of effective group leadership. Topics include: group membership, preparing and leading of small group Bible studies, and managing conflict in groups.	Ron Pyle 5 hours
In, Not Of: How the Church Responds to a Changing Culture Understanding Postmodernity, responding to a changing youth culture, and what is the "Good News "of the Gospel to this Generation.	Kent McDonald 5 hours
Pastoral Care and Ministry This class will explore the biblical understanding of extending care to people at their point of need. It will include practice and discussion on such topics as the difference between care giving and cure giving, self-care and boundary setting, the difference between pastoral care and counseling, when to help and when to refer to another, who are the safe people and how to become one, healing words vs hurting words, grief care, and ethical issues involved in helping others, understanding your own emotional heritage, the concept of attunement and its power in relationships. These topics and others will aim at being very practical so they can be applied to others in your world at either the friendship, family or ministry levels.	Suzette McGonigal 5 hours
Christian Worship Professor of Music/Worship, Ben Brody discusses the reformed theology of worship and integrates that theology with forms of worship that incorporates the best expressions of music and theology down through the history of the church. This session provides guidelines for how CREs can use the great traditions of the church's worship as they plan their own worship services and as they lead their congregations.	Ben Brody 3 hours
Theology of Preaching/Biblical Exegesis Professor of Communication, Ron Pyle, whose expertise is in the theology and practice of preaching, discusses the foundations of preaching. What do we need to do as we study scripture in preparation for preaching? How are we faithful to the biblical message and communicate biblical truth in ways we are received well by the congregation? This session will provide guidance for the CREs in their preparation for and practice of preaching.	Ron Pyle 3 hours
Presbyterian Polity Stated Clerk for the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, Larry Veith discusses the Book of Order and how it functions as a guide for the pastoral and administrative functions for PC (USA) congregations. This session will provide practical guidance for CREs as they lead their sessions and as they relate to their colleagues in their Presbyteries.	Larry Veith 3 hours
Grief and Funerals Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care, Betsy Wynne discusses the role of the pastor in the process of guiding people through their grief after a loved one has passed away and/or other expressions of loss. The preparation for and leading the funeral service will also be considered. This session will provide important guidance for CREs as they deal with one of the most challenging pastoral tasks, providing a sense of God's presence as people lament their losses, especially in times of death.	Betsy Wynne 3 hours
Presbyterian Confessions Professor of Theology, Karen Petersen Finch discusses the content and the function of the Reformed Confessions in the life of the church. What are the confessions and how do they function? What is the history of each confession? What are the distinctive emphases of each confession? How can the confessions be used as aids to worship, polity, and pastoral practice. This session will guide CREs in learning how the confessions can be helpful in their pastoral ministry.	Karen Petersen Finch 3 hours