BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN MISSIONS/INTERCULTURAL STUDIES

The Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies (Mission) at ACU is a three-year program which prepares students for local and cross-cultural ministry opportunities: missionaries; church planters; church staff members with specific responsibilities in missions, evangelism, and church growth; evangelists; and church related ministries in missions.

CURRICULUM OF STUDY  – Requires 128 Hours Minimum

Need 20 credit hours to complete the 128 hours minimum requirement for BA in Missions/Intercultural Studies. The 20 credit hours could come from Free Electives and More Fieldwork.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

MIS/ACUTEO 1110 Old Testament Survey - 6 credit hours

This course is an overview of the books of Old Testament beginning with Genesis. The aim is to familiarize students with the content message and personal application of each book, and to study the unity of all the books in the progress of revelation and redemption.

MIS 1112 Introduction to Evangelism and Fieldwork - 5 credit hours

This course introduces students to the biblical principles and practice of personal evangelism as part of the process of their own self-building in Christ. Students will be guided to practice both contact and relationship evangelism styles through the year to discover more natural and effective style as a living process.

MIS/ACUTEO 1120 New Testament Survey - 6 credit hours

This course is an overview of the books of New Testament and the historical circumstances surrounding the writings. The aim is to familiarize students with the background, content, message and personal application of each book. The course also examines the process by which the New Testament canon was formed and the transmission through the history of the church.

MIS 1200 Introduction to Christian Missions - 3 credit hours

This course is a study of the biblical foundations, history, and philosophy of missions. Special attention will be given to insights from the modern mission era and the challenges of contextualization.

MIS 1201 Historical Perspectives on Culture and Civilization I – 3 credit hours

An interdisciplinary study of world civilizations particularly designed to help in understanding 21^st century intellectual, social, and political trends. A standard text is used as a reading base, surveying the history of civilization from the ancient world into the 17^th century, while class lecture concentrate on the foundations of contemporary culture, particularly its circumstances, dilemmas and options.

MIS 1202 Historical Perspectives on Culture and Civilization II – 3 credit hours

This course is a continuation of HIS 1210 in which the historical survey proceeds from 1648 to the present.

MIS 1220 Introduction to World Religions – 3 credits hours

This course provides broad understanding of the historical development, philosophical structures and worldviews of the non-Christian religions such as Primal religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religions, and Islam, with some of their folk expressions.

MIS 1310 Introduction to Psychology - 3 credit hours

This course examines the basic concepts of psychology of human behavior from biblical perspective. Special emphasis will be given to the theories of: sensation and perception; emotions; learning and cognition; human development and personality.

MIS/ACUTEO 2100 Foundations of Missions - 3 credit hours

This course examines the biblical, historical, and strategic foundations of world missions, providing the foundation subsequent Missions courses are built.

MIS 2200 Principles of Youth Ministry - 3 credit hours

A brief history of the growth of student ministries, orientation to various student ministry positions, principles necessary for successful student programming, and a survey of methodology involved will be studied.

MIS 2220 Worldview - 3 credit hours

An introduction to major worldview types, including a study of the elements and formation process involved in worldviews.

MIS/ACUTEO 2260 Biblical Foundation for Personal and Ministry Development – 3 credit hours

An introductory course the realm of vocational ministry that wrestles with the following questions: What perspectives does the Bible give to the issue of formulating a “life purpose statement”? Why is grounding our personal identity in biblical truth a prerequisite for ministry effectiveness? What biblical truths comprise our so called “position in Christ”? What basic priorities should serve as a guiding mechanism for management of our time and schedule? Why did God establish the local church – and how should His purposes affect programming and personnel? What are the characteristics of a healthy church? What are some principles that should guide leaders’ approach to ministry?

MIS 2300 Church History – 5 credit hours

A survey of the developmental history of the church from New Testament times to the modern era, divided into four periods: Early church history from the First Advent of Christ to the collapse of the Roman Empire (5 B.C. – A.D. 590); medieval church history from the rise of the Roman Catholic Church to the beginning if the Reformation (A.D. 590-1517); Reformation church history from the Protestant reformation to the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation (1517- 1648); and modern church history from the Pietistic Revival to the present (1648 A.D. and on).

MIS 2310 Church History I – 3 credit hours

This course is the first half of the study of the history of the church, focusing on the first century to the Reformation.

MIS 2320 Church History II - 3 credits hours

This course is the second half of MIS 2320, focusing on the history of the church from the Reformation to the present.

MIS/EDU 2410 Principles of Teaching and Learning – 3 credit hours

A study of theories and principles of Bible teaching and effective learning are examined, including teacher characteristics and behaviors. Bible curriculum design will be introduced with attention given daily lesson plans, emphasizing writing objectives, choosing appropriate teaching strategies, and designing relevant assessments. Presentation skills, including teaching models, communication, organization, environment, expectations, higher- order questioning, awareness of student diversity, and adjustment to learning style, are also covered.

MIS/ACUTEO 2420 Principles of Bible Interpretation – 3 credit Hours

This course is an introduction to the hermeneutical principles basic to interpreting Scripture. Many of these principles are common to language and literature, while others apply uniquely to the Bible. All of them are based on the way in which the Bible interprets itself. The course lays a foundation of cognitive understanding, but emphasizes practice in applying the principles.

MIS/ACUTEO 2430 Principles of Biblical Exegesis and Teaching – 3 credit hours

This course is an extension of MIS/ACUTEO 2420, focusing on application of the hermeneutical principles by exegeting passages in the Bible and developing messages, lessons and explanation, suitable for designated situations, which reflect the content, outline and reasoning of the passage. Prerequisite: MIS/ACUTEO 2420.

MIS 2500 Field Education in Missions - 2 credit hours

A training experience in which students apply the studies in Bible Principles of Bible Interpretation and Principles of Teaching and Learning by communicating God’s truth in a variety of settings such as church Sunday school, Bible Clubs, Retirement Homes, Youth Detention Centers and Prisons. Lesson plans are required on a weekly basis. The students meet weekly with a supervisor and peers according to their teaching setting for instruction, prayer and accountability. Each student is observed and evaluated periodically. This fieldwork must be undertaken concurrently with or after MIS 2410 and MIS 2420 both through the second- and third-year.

MIS/ACUTEO 2640 Christian Life: Spiritual Life Dynamics – 3 credits hours

The course is designed to help students understand what it is to be Christian, as Christ-like being, and the oneness with Christ as a living process, necessary. The course also provides an overview of the biblical principles concerning the practice of discipling as part of the process of developing the relational disposition in Christ and unity in Christ.

MIS 2830 Introduction to Christian Apologetics – 3 credit hours

This course prepares students to be able to give reason for the hope that is in them. We study the dominant Western worldview and seek to penetrate it with a biblical alternative. Major attention is given to the questions that Christians and non-Christians ask regarding the validity of biblical revelation, and evidence is presented to support the biblical revelation.

MIS 3140 Cultural Anthropology – 3 credit hours

This course is an introduction to cultural anthropology as a means to assist the Christian cross-cultural communicator in fulfilling the mandate of the Great Commission, and to help the believer understand his world.

MIS 3200 Evangelizing and Discipling Youths in Missions – 3 course hours

This course helps students develop understanding of the principles and practice of evangelizing discipling a young person to live Christ. It provides a specific look at adolescent Christian life as it pertains to the facilitation of maturing leaders in youth organizations. Students will review various models, strategies, and programs that target teens and collegians in a ministry of disciple-making.

MIS 3210 Developing the Church – 3 credit hours

This course examines the basic principles of church planting and church development, including the initial evangelistic penetration of a group, nurture and discipleship, and leadership training.

MIS/ACUTEO 3301 Systematic Theology I: God, Christ, Spirit – 3 credit hours

In this first half of a study of how Christian theologians through the history of the church understand biblical doctrines, the focus will be on: the authority and inspiration of Scripture, the attributes and work of God, the person and work of Christ, and the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The course also seeks to help students grow in their knowledge of God and understand how that knowledge is based on God’s revelation in His Word.

MIS/ACUTEO 3302 Systematic Theology II: Sin and Salvation – 3 credit hours

In this second half of MIS 3301, study focus will be on biblical doctrines concerning: the benefits of salvation; the role of the church; and the doctrine of last things. The course also seeks to help students understand the greatness of their salvation, as well as how that salvation places them into a community of believers and how it relates to God’s plan for the end of history.

MIS 3440 Urban Missions - 3 credit hours

A study of the evangelistic and missionary ministry of the church in urban areas, the nature and dynamics of urbanization, and the development of effective urban evangelistic and missionary strategies for the church.

MIS 3520 Spiritual Warfare in Missions and Evangelism - 3 credit hours

This course explores the biblical basis and principles of spiritual warfare, with particular focus on the relationship between warfare and evangelism and missions.

MIS/ACUTEO 3600 Old Testament Book Study – 3 credit hours

This course is a detailed study of a book of the Old Testament. The course is designed to help students understand the background and unique message of an Old Testament book and to apply that message to the present day.

MIS/ACUTEO 3700 New Testament Book Study - 3 credit hours

This course is a detailed study of a book of the New Testament. The course is designed to help students understand the background and unique message of a New Testament book and to apply that message to the present day.

MIS 4350 Sin, Shame, and Guilt in Cultural Context – 3 credit hours

A course designed to teach, through selected ethnographic readings, how to discover native moral categories, moral values, and symbols of human evil. The goal is a cultural understanding that makes communication of the gospel intelligible, subjectively relevant and meaningful to people of other cultures. Ethnographic methods for understanding the views of such sins as envy, lust, covetousness, and pride, in other cultures as well as how shame and guilt operate to control social behavior will be discussed.

MIS/ACUTEO 4360 Progress of Redemption - 3 credit hours

A study of God’s plan of redemption as it progressively unfolds in the Bible. The basic historical revelation is traced in the Old and New testaments to see what God is doing and by what method. Then the spoken revelations are related to this, and the progress of doctrine is observed. Prerequisite: MIS/ACUTEO 1110 & 1120.

MIS 4930 Missions Internship – 6 credit hours

The internship is a capstone of students’ education in missions, and it is required. It is a field supervised practical experience of missions at an approved site with an experienced missionary. The focus is on field service and the application of the student’s learning experiences. The internship is cross-cultural and can be focused on youths or adults. Approval and registration are required in advance of the internship experience.