Course Dates:
January 20 –
February 28, 2020
You will need a password to enroll in this class as a proof of pre-requisites.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 6
Price: $125
CEUs: 3.0
Required books?: Yes
Live video session?: No
Part of a certification or series of courses?: Yes (IFD Certification in Rural Ministry)
This class takes a drive down the backroads of our rural communities, exploring cultural, social, economic, and spiritual realities present in rural communities. Special attention is given to the need to explore the needs of the community and how student’s rural ministries can help. This course involves a weekly practice of observing and evaluating, as well as resources for how a church might best connect with these needs.
Students are required to have the following book for this class:
- Rural People and Communities in the 21st Century: Resilience and Transformation (2nd edition), by David L. Brown & Kai A. Schafft
- The Forgotten Church: Why Rural Ministry Matters for Every Church in America, by Glenn Daman
This course is eligible for 3.0 CEU.
You will need a password to enroll in this class as a proof of pre-requisites.
About the Instructor
Dr. Jonathan LeMaster-Smith holds a PhD in Christian Education and Congregational Studies from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. The focus of his work is in rural ministry. He teaches regularly for many schools in the fields of Christian Education, Rural Ministry, and United Methodist Studies.
His most recent writing is on rural youth ministry as erosion control and is working on an article related to Wesley eschatology in rural communities. He serves as the Director of Connectional Ministries at Oak Hill United Methodist Church. He lives in Hildebran, North Carolina, with his wife Shannon, a United Methodist Deacon. She serves at First United Methodist Church, Newton. The have 3 dogs, enjoy hiking, playing board games, and working on their new home.
