Category Archives: Academics/Education
Newest Edition of Western Magazine Now Available!
Check out our Spring 2013 edition of Western Magazine online!
Click here to request a print copy.
Global Voices Presents
An Occasional Lecture Series by Western Seminary International Students
One Mile Wide and One Inch Deep:
How can the Ugandan Church translate ‘numbers’ into real cultural influence?
Given by Julius Twongyeirwe, graduating Doctor of Missiology student
Tuesday April 2, 2013
Western Seminary Chapel
7-9 pm
Ugandan worship to precede and a dessert reception to follow the lecture
Uganda is thought to be a Christianized nation with 85% of the people identifying themselves as Christians. Yet in spite of this, it is also ranked as the one of the most corrupt countries in the world. How can this paradox be rectified? The true Church of Uganda is called to be a voice in the culture, but this is hard when many already believe they are Christian and yet the truth of what that should mean in their lives does not penetrate more than this surface cultural identification. Come hear as Julius relates this current condition and how the gospel can truly transform hearts in the churches of not only Uganda, but the other nations of Africa.
Julius Twongyeirwe and family
Julius Twongyeirwe has been a pastor in Uganda since 1994. In 1999 he founded Proclamation Task (PT) which reaches all regions of Uganda to help equip pastors. PT organizes, supervises and coordinates training for pastoral leadership. Julius earned an M.Div. from Western in 2006 and is completing his studies for the DMiss program. Julius is married to Grace and has 4 children
Global Voices is a free lecture series at the Western Seminary Portland campus, featuring our international students. We’ll hear from at least one international student each semester on topics of interest to the Christian community around the world. We invite you to bring friends and family who may also enjoy learning about God’s work in other countries.
Discover Coaching
Interested in Coaching? Western is offering a free event so you can find out more!
Coaching is about having dynamic conversations and helping people move forward, so there’s many applications for coaching skills. Several of Western’s own faculty and staff have been taking coaching classes to further their professional development. The event will follow a format something like this:
- Intro to coaching and ice breaker
- What coaching is (and what it isn’t!)
- Coaching demonstration
- Q and A time
March 7, 2013 @ 7:00 PM at Portland campus
March 21, 2013 @ 7:00 PM at Sacramento campus
June 12, 2013 @ 6:30 PM at San Jose campus
We also offer an online version of Discover Coaching in April if needed.
To register or learn more, visit http://westerncoaching.com/discover/.
Sacramento Campus Connection Preview Night This Thursday
Western Seminary Sacramento Campus will be hosting its next Campus Connection preview January 31, 2013 from 7-9 p.m. Learn about our Gospel-centered approach, meet faculty and staff, and hear from our alumni and students.
Upcoming Informational Events
Are you or someone you know interested in attending Western Seminary? We will be exhibiting at the following fairs and conferences this week in California:
UC-Davis Grad Fair
Thurs, Oct. 18th
11am – 3pm
Freeborn Hall
The William Jessup University Grad and Seminary Fair
Fri, Oct. 19th
10:30am – 4pm
Tai Academic Complex and Shaw Courtyard
Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Equipping Conference
Sat, Oct. 20th
8:30am – 4pm
First Covenant Church in Rancho Cordova, CA.
Free coaching workshops!
Many ministry leaders find coaching to be a powerful set of skills that helps them communicate more effectively, create change, and get people moving ahead in life and work. If you’d like to know what all the buzz is about with coaching, you’re a perfect fit for Discover Coaching — a FREE two-hour workshop hosted at each of our campuses in September. Learn more and RSVP for a Discover Coaching event near you at http://westerncoaching.com/discover/.
Did you know some things are free?
If you are a graduate of Western Seminary you can receive one free class every year. It is called the alumni audit. All you need to do is chose a class, (e.g., Dr. J. Carl Laney’s “Revelation” class this Fall semester in Sacramento), use this form, and turn it into student services at one of our campuses. It’s that easy…and yes, it is free!
Five questions with Andy Crouch.
Andy Crouch will be teaching a course for our D.Min program on October 8th-11th titled “Creativity and Innovation in Ministry.” We have interviewed him for our D.Min news letter:
1. Tell us about your upcoming book that will be published in Spring of 2013.
I am just finishing Playing God, which is a book about power. I came in to this with the idea that power is more a subset to our humanity, but I have come to see it as the “superset” if you will, the framework of existence. From the onset, God gives us power, which can be used as a great gift for dominion, earth keeping etc., or be used to alienate, abuse, coerce, and destroy.
2. You have been involved in the Christian Vision Project, raising the question, “How Can We Be Countercultural for the Common Good?” Where are you today with this question?
I am still focused around this question but it has moved to “This is Your City,” a project focused around helping cities flesh out this question of common good. It was actually launched inPortland(see Christianity Today and its fall issue). At one time, evangelicals embraced suburbanization, and now there is a movement back to the city. We are looking at cities as cultural systems, and looking at how Christians can team up with the structures to promote the common good (e.g. Luis Palau Association and Seasons of Service inPortland).
3. You are passionate about Christians creating culture, as underscored in your last book. If a redeemed person is one in whom the image of God is being renewed/restored, why is so much of our culture-making cheesy and thin? Shouldn’t our culture-making stand out with greater creativity and substance?
Yes, it should. But look at it this way. Much of culture itself is thin, having given way to commercial culture that aims for a broad audience and makes minimal demands.
Christians do not have a market on thinness at all. Diet Coke is a good metaphor. It is popular because it is widely available, inexpensive, makes no demands, and is powerfully marketed. Evangelicals have fallen in to this same approach in their ministries and culture-making. We do have the potential to create amazing culture, but we tend to follow the main impulses out there. The good news is that in some of the more Creative film making, as an example, more and more Christians are doing some of the very best work.
4. Ross Douthat has written a significant work, Bad Religion, which gives an analysisof culture. Your take?
It is a worthwhile read, and does a good job assessing our times. He gives a good summary, but there is still work to be done thinking clearly about what the church must truly carry out.
5. What do you want students to take away from your upcoming course here at Western?
First, I want them to gain a deeper ability to help congregants understand their vocations from akingdomofGodperspective. Second, I want students to gain a clear sense of how their ministry can be an instrument of transformation in the place God has placed them in.
Read the full newsletter: July Newsletter
