My MSR journey

As my last class draws to a close, I thought it would be a good exercise to gather into one place the 18 courses I took while pursuing the MSR CPM program. The only class in the curriculum I didn't take was World Religions, because I had taken that at Regis University in the 1990s. In addition are listed two events (boundaries training and the "Living the Call" retreat) which were not required for the CPM program but were offered through MSR and I took them during the same time period. The boundaries training is required of all pastors in our region every five years anyway, so I thought it would be good to go ahead and take it in advance, so to speak.

I wanted to also capture all the books I've read in the last 18 months for school. I may be missing one or two, but I think the 35 listed below is most of them. Whew! I am looking forward to reading some things on my schedule and for my purposes now, although since I like to read and study, I can't say any of this has been onerous.

Understanding the Bible

Instructor: Fran Schnarre
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: May 7-8, 2010
Texts:

• New Interpreter's Study Bible

Introduction to the New Testament

Instructor: Bob Atkinson
Location: Online
Dates: June 1-July 26, 2010
Texts:

• Chalice Introduction to the New Testament, Dennis E. Smith, ed.
• An Introduction to the New Testament, Raymond Brown
• Paul: An Introduction to His Thought, C.K. Barrett

Christian Ethics

Instructor: Bob Flanagan
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: February 4-5, March 4-5, March 25-26, 2011
Texts:

• Christian Ethics: An Essential Guide, Robin W. Lovin
• Moral Dilemmas: An Introduction to Christian Ethics, J. Philip Wogaman
• Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality, Jack Rogers

Personhood of the Pastor

Instructor: Bob Eichenberger
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: May 19-21, 2011
Texts:

• Becoming a Healthier Pastor: Creative Pastoral Care and Counseling, Ronald W. Richardson
• 22 Keys to Being a Minister, Jan G. Linn

Introduction to Hebrew Scripture

Instructor: Clem Graham
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: June 3-4, June 24-25, July 29-30, 2011
Texts:

• The Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (2nd Ed.), Stephen Harris and Robert Platzner
• Who Wrote the Bible?, Richard E. Friedman
• The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary, Walter Brueggemann

History and Polity of the Disciples of Christ

Instructor: Ken Watson
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: August 18-20, 2011
Texts:

• The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation, D. Duane Cummins
• The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Douglas A. Foster, et al.

Introduction to Christian Thought

Instructor: Thomas Minton
Location: Online
Dates: September 1-October 27, 2011
Texts:

• The History of Christian Thought, Jonathan Hill
• The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind, Alister McGrath

Evangelism in Your Local Context

Instructor: Bill Tenny-Brittian
Location: Online
Dates: November 1-December 5, 2011
Texts:

• Unbinding the Gospel, Martha Reese
• Hitchhiker's Guide to Evangelism, Bill Tenny-Brittian

Stewardship Strategies

Instructor: Ed Taylor
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: December 9-10, 2011
Texts:

• Beyond the Collection Plate, Michael Durall

Utilizing Church Conflict

Instructors: Nancy Tanner-Thies
Location: Online
Dates: January 3-February 28, 2012
Texts:

• Managing Church Conflict, Hugh F. Halverstadt

Living the Call Retreat

Instructors: Bob Eichenberger, David Avery, Bill Tenny-Brittian, Donna Rose-Heim, et al.
Location: Heartland Presbyterian Center, Parkville, Missouri
Dates: March 9-11, 2012

Preaching as a Christian Art

Instructor: Dennis Swearngin
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: February 10-11, March 16-17, April 20-21, 2012
Texts:

• Preaching Without Notes, Joseph M. Webb
• The Witness of Preaching, Thomas G. Long

History of the Christian Faith

Instructor: Thomas Minton
Location: Online
Dates: May 15-July 10, 2012
Texts:

• A People’s History of the Christian Faith: The Other Side of the Story, Diana Butler Bass
• Christian Attitudes to War, Peace and Revolution, John Howard Yoder

The Social and Global Mission of the Small Congregation

Instructor: David Avery
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: May 17-19, 2012
Texts:

• Mission: The Small Church Reaches Out, Anthony Pappas and Scott Planting
• Sabbath and Jubilee, Richard Lowery

Worship and Music in the Small Church

Instructor: Ed Varnum
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: June 8-9, July 13-14, August 10-11, 2012
Texts:

• Wonderful Worship in Smaller Churches, David Ray
• The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services, Candace M. Cherry

The Practice of Ministry

Instructor: David Avery
Location: Online
Dates: July 17-September 11, 2012
Texts:

• The Vital Church, Clark Williamson and Ron Allen
• Ministry in an Oral Culture: Living with Will Rogers, Uncle Remus and Minnie Pearl, Tex Sample

Pastor as Spiritual Leader

Instructor: Nancy Tanner-Thies
Location: Rickman Center
Dates: August 23-25, 2012
Texts:

• The Spirit-Led Leader: Nine Leadership Practices and Soul Principles, Timothy Geoffrin
• Who is My God? An Innovative Guide to Finding Your Spiritual Identity

Boundaries Training

Instructor: Donna Rose-Heim
Location: First Christian Church, Sedalia, Missouri
Dates: September 8, 2012

Basics of Pastoral Counseling

Instructor: Ted Lewis
Location: Online
Dates: September 18-November 13, 2012
Texts:

• A Primer in Pastoral Care, Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner
• Brief Pastoral Counseling: Short-term Approaches and Strategies, Howard W. Stone

Christian Education

Instructor: Kim Gage Ryan
Location: Online
Dates: November 20-December 18, 2012
Texts:

• Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: Living in a Three Storied Universe, Walter Brueggemann
• Power Surge: Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church, Michael W. Foss