What is EMANATE?

EMANATE is a one-year internship for young people to learn to be youth workers in churches. It is designed to be practical, more about doing it with real people than studying it.

About the course

The course takes one year and is planned for the stages described below. After each stage, you will be reviewed to see if you are ready to move on to the next stage, need to repeat the stage, or are unable to stay in the program.

First week	Induction: Learning what is expected of you.
Semester 1	Settling in: Learning what is expected of you and getting adjusted. You'll start leading simple groups as a peer leader.
Semester 2	Learn more complex skills. You might be handling more difficult behavior, teaching more complex skills, or dealing with more difficult issues in group member's lives.
Last part of semester 2	Assessment. This will be mainly on-job running groups for young people.

Units

The couse has the following units:

• Acts
• Explore a theme
• The Gospels
• The contemporary church
• Duty of care for minors
• Communication
• Youth ministry

These incorporate the following core skills:

• Discuss the nature of the Bible and present day Christian life and practice
• Communicate theological information in a clear, easy to understand form
• Use targeted communication skills to build relationships
• Work in a youth ministry team
• Identify and respond to children and young people at risk

How to use EMANATE

EMANATE is an internship, so you'll need to work with your team leader and other team members, have regular time together, and use the on-job learning guidelines. Obviously, a website isn't the same as relating to your team, so there's limits to what the e-book can do here.

Your supervisor will give you website links you to a range of on-line materials and tell you what you'll assessed on for credit. I could also refer you to recommended paper textbooks, but your tutor will have the final say in deciding the list. I suggest you discuss what you read with others in your group.

You'll also find that your organization has its own kinds of requirements (e.g. duty of care rules, employment systems, etc.)

Induction

The induction time is simply to make sure you have an idea of what your organization expects of you. You won't make sense of everything straight away, but the induction period will give you an outline to work on later in more detail.

Read through the guide to on-job training. Start here (Link opens new window.)

Get to know your team. You need to at least be comfortable with them and (we hope) make some good friends.

In your organization, you need to know:

• how your organization's programs work
• what policies and procedures you need to follow
• who will be your supervisor and the nature of the relationship
• how to communicate in your organization with other team members, church people, people outside the church, and your leadership.

Read through the Workplace Health and Safety (OHS). The law requires that you do an OHS course. Your organization should already have one, and it should include your duty of care for minors. Start here (Link opens new window.)

Your job description

You will need a job description that will work. Consider this suggestion. It's simple, will save everybody lots of paperwork and fuss, be very productive, and can be lots of fun. It suits people who would rather do ministry out there with people than sit in a room alone ploughing through paperwork.

1. Attend a weekly team meeting:
• It should involve Bible study.
• It should be encouraging.
• It should have an opportunity to reflect on what you are doing, what you are learning, and how you could resolve any problems arising. It is essential that you learn to share both your successes and failures. (Many people tend to be defensive and self-justifying about their failures.)
2. Meet with a mentor/supervisor, once a week in the beginning and perhaps less often later on.
3. Lead (or help lead) at least one group of younger people. At least one of the groups must involve a Bible study or some kind of Bible teaching. It could be a youth group, a home group, or a Sunday School group.

Other tasks that your supervisor can put into your internship:

• Planning a camp or two and running the activities. (It needs some quite solid project management skills.)
• School groups.
• Your organization or church might lend you to other organizations such as Youth for Christ, Warriuka/ Scripture Union, etc. who need spare pairs of hands for special events and will train you.
• A mission trip.

Weekly schedule

Your weekly schedule might look like the example below, although your supervisor might decide on something a little different. What this example does:

• It gives you two days completely free to have a part-time job.
• It allows for evening activities. If you are doing a unit in an organized class in an evening, your church can also invite other people from the wider church to aso take the unit.
• It assigns you enough time to be eligible for Austudy.
• Some groups have enough time to run a high school group as well, mainly because they do it as a team, not one person doing everything.
• It gives you time for preparation, leading another group, or doing assignments, marked with an asterisk (*).

	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
Morning	Day off	Day off	Team meeting	Free	Free	Free	Assigned tasks
Afternoon			*	*	*	*	Free
Evening			Home group		Youth group		Assigned tasks

Assessment

You will be assessed on what you can do, as this is an internship. As much as possible, the assessments are based on actual ministry, and classroom studies are relatively minimal. However some written work is still necessary, especially for biblical studies.

Other expectations

1. You will need to manage all tasks that fall under your purview during the period of assessment. This includes dealing with the responsibilities and expectations of the place of ministry and with the people in your organization. There should be no lapses in your proficiency, and it should cover all normal situations.
2. Your ability to handle contingencies is essential. It is your responsibility to handle any problems arising, such as cancelled meetings, unexpected behaviours, computer problems, changes in personnel around you, etc.
3. Confidentiality requirements strongly affect some units. In some cases, you may get permission for exemption from confidentiality. In other cases, this may not be possible, and the assessment process will work around it.
4. Everything you do must meet the legal minimums for your organization and the minimums to maintain adequate insurance cover.
5. You should familiarize yourself with your organization's ethical standards and comply with them.
6. These online materials have been designed to suit the wide range of circumstances faced by our students. You might need to discuss with your tutor how you interpret these requirements in your individual situation. For example:
• Your organization might use different terms for the same meaning.
• Your organization might use the same terms but with different meanings.
• You will need to know your organization's policy and procedures when you are required to follow them.
• You will need to know what your particular supervisor is responsible for.
• Your tutor may assign you a textbook or a list of books and articles to read.
7. You should also:
• be aware of access, equity and human rights issues relevant to your role.
• develop your ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• be aware of cultural, historical and current issues affecting indigenous people.

Acts: The story of the first Christians

Acts is the story of the growth of the early church. After a period based in Judea, early missionaries spread the church to many gentiles across the eastern Mediterranean in the Roman world.

Task 1: Outline and map

Start by reading the whole book of Acts through very quickly at least a couple of times.

1. Outline:
   1. Write an outline of the book's structure.
   2. Write a timeline of major events.
   3. Explain your reasons for dividing sections where you did.
   4. Identify major themes and events in the book.
   5. Trace major themes and events in the book and draw them as a diagram.
2. Map
   1. Draw a map of events that follows the book's structure.
3. Literature style:
   1. What are the main styles of literature?
   2. How does the literary style affect the way the book is to be interpreted?
4. Identify and describe distinctive features relevant to interpretation.
5. What is its context as part of the whole Bible:
   1. in relation to other books of the Bible?
   2. in relation to wider themes in Scripture?
   3. in relation to the historical flow of the whole Bible?

Task 2: Timeline

1. Based on the book of Acts, draw a timeline explaining how Christianity grew from being a Jewish group based in Galilee led by Jesus of Nazareth to a largely Gentile faith based in Turkey and southeast Europe led by Paul. Include main people, events and places in your timeline.
   Hints:
   • Use other other books of the New Testament as well.
   • Use basic aids to Scriptural research (Introductions, Bible dictionaries, Bible atlases).
2. Use your timeline to describe how Christian beliefs became more clearly defined in the early church.
3. After your supervisor has checked your timeline, give it as a presentation to a group in a tutorial or Bible study.

Task 3: Theological change

1. Identify the key passages of Jewish-leaning and Gentile-leaning theological beliefs. Explain why you chose those passages. (Hint: Most key passages are sermons.)
2. Describe these groups:
   1. The gentile Christians (first based in Antioch)
   2. The Jewish Christians (based in Jerusalem)
   3. The Judaizers, first led by Saul/Paul, and who later persecuted him.
3. What were the main similarities and differences between the Jewish and gentile Christians? Be very careful to represent each group fairly; be tolerant to their backgrounds.
4. What were the historical influences on theological beliefs in Acts? Consider the different kinds of people, their cultures, and where they lived.
5. Describe the development of theological beliefs in their historical setting.
6. Check three commentaries on those passages and see what they say. What did you learn from them?

Leading Bible studies 1

Your project for this unit will be leading Bible study groups in your church.

When you are ready for assessment, you will be assess in either one longer term group or it two short series. You will need to show well developed skills, and make good decisions about how you handle situations, and take responsibility for your role as a Bible study leader.

Your group

Consider your particular group, because what you do needs to work for them. For example:

1. What kinds of people attend the group?
2. What kinds of teaching will help them?
3. How "theological" should it be? For example, "heavy" teaching would bore or confuse some people, while others need something challenging.

Preparation

1. Select the passage.
2. Read it thoroughly and write down what you think it means.
3. Read up about it: You need to look it up in at least two commentaries recommended by your supervisor. You can also use a Bible dictionary and Bible atlas.
4. Consider historical, literary and cultural standpoints
5. Draw your conclusions about anything where there are different opinions.
6. Collate your reading results.
7. Select what the people in the group really need. (Don't expect to give people everything.)
8. Make a list of several key points and put them in an order that is easy to follow.
9. Decide on activities that will stimulate them to learn and grow.

Note: Select your reference books carefully.

Lead the group

1. Present your Bible study in a way that people find interesting and helpful.
2. Communicate information contained in books accurately and appropriately
• Communicate information in ordinary, everyday language suitable to your group.
• Explain clearly the significance and relevance of teaching
• Present any contrasting positions on theological beliefs from a variety of sources.
• Communicate information from a personal point of view and in relation to the particular settings or situations of group members
• Illustrate teachings appropriately from everyday life. Give personal examples as appropriate.
3. Let them do activities and learn.
• Give them enough information for them to do the activities, but don't lecture.
• Answer questions if they get stuck.
4. Consider different viewpoints as applied to life.
5. Lead the discussion to explore implications and personal application.
• Explain to others some life implications of theological belief
• Explore responses using a variety of material.

Your assessment

You will be assessed leading a regular study over a period of at least two months. Your supervisor will:

• Observe you in at least two sessions
• Read your notes done in preparation
• Ask your group members how it is going.
• Interview you:
  • Explain your rationale
  • What kinds of people do you have in the group?
  • Explain the dynamics of the group.
  • What did you do well? What would you change if you were to do it again?

The Gospels

In this subject, you'll explore one (or more) of the Gospels. Start with Mark or John. You'll see how the teachings of Jesus challenge our theological understanding and the realities of Christian living.

Task 1: Outline and map

Start by reading the whole Gospel through very quickly at least a couple of times.

1. Outline:
   1. Write an outline of the book's structure.
   2. Write a list of major events in order.
   3. Explain your reasons for dividing sections where you did.
2. Draw a map of events that follows the book's structure.
3. How does the literary style affect the way the book is to be interpreted?
4. Identify and describe distinctive features relevant to interpretation.
5. What is its context as part of the whole Bible:
   1. in relation to other books of the Bible?
   2. in relation to wider themes in Scripture?
   3. in relation to the historical flow of the whole Bible?

Task 2: Go though the whole Gospel

Your strategy should be to go through the Gospel section by section. You might get bogged down if you go too much verse by verse, and would miss the sweep of the incidents and of the whole story. You do not need to write a full exegesis of every verse.

Section 1: Exegesis

1. Describe any relevant background that affects meaning. These include social, political, cultural, historical contexts.
2. What is the text before and after talking about?
3. If there are any characters mentioned in the text:
   1. Who are they?
   2. What are their personal characteristics?
   3. Why are they relevant/important to the text?
4. List the key words and say what they mean.
5. What significant or distinctive features does the text have?
6. What is the main topic of the passage?
7. What distinctive kinds of language expression does it have? (e.g. metaphor, simile, repetition, parallelism, symbolism, hyperbole, etc.) How do they affect interpretation?
8. What key words need special care in interpretation?
9. What recurring themes are in the text?
10. Describe the relationship between the people or ideas in the passage.
11. What did the original recipient of this book understand by this passage?

Note: You may use tools such as Bible dictionaries, various translations, maps, and dictionaries of words of the original languages.

Section 2: Interpretation

1. What is the main point of the passage?
2. What are the supporting points?
3. What is the meaning of the text?
4. What is the difference between their viewpoint at the time and our viewpoint today?
5. What looks like a contradiction with other parts of the Bible? Explore the apparent contradictions.
6. What looks like a contradiction with Christian beliefs and practices? Explore the apparent contradictions.
7. What new questions arise?
8. Consult three scholarly commentaries.
1. Evaluate your exegesis considering what they say. Reference them in your exegesis.
2. Evaluate your commentaries, and justify your comments.

Section 3: Personal application

1. Put the teachings of the text into two lists:
   1. biblical principles that apply to all Christians and
   2. culturally-specific teachings that are relevant only to the people at the time of writing.
2. What are the implications for Christian morality and personal conscience?
3. Explain how each biblical principle of the passage applies personally to people today, and give examples of each. Applications need to be specific, concrete, contemporary, and justifiable from the passage.
4. What did you learn that new and relevant to you personally?
5. How would you explore it further?

Section 4: Application in ministry

1. How would you tell it as a story?
2. How would you act it out as characters on stage?
3. What are the key personal issues for group members?
4. How could we explore that application further?

Assessment

Take this unit first of all as a Bible study with your tutor. Then lead a Bible study group.

You will be assessed leading a regular study over a period of at least two months. Your supervisor will:

• Observe you in at least two sessions
• Read your notes done in preparation
• Ask your group members how it is going.
• Interview you:
  • Explain your rationale
  • What kinds of people do you have in the group?
  • Explain the dynamics of the group.
  • What did you do well? What would you change if you were to do it again?

Romans

We'll go though the book of Romans chapter by chapter. In this unit, we'll see how it applies to us personally, and to our church, and also to the wider community.

1. How we live

As you study, explore the implications for contemporary living. Answer the following questions for each section:

1. What does this passage teach about Christian living?
2. What do other NT writers say about this topic?
3. What does it say about right and wrong?
4. What are the implications for your life?
   1. How does it shape your personal conscience?
   2. What are the implications for Christian ministry?
   3. How do you apply this practically? Describe at least two particular practical situations where you can apply this teaching?

The wider community

We also need to explore the implications for contemporary society. Answer the following questions for each section:

1. What does this passage teach that applies to our contemporary society?
2. What do other NT writers say about this topic?
3. On this topic, what is different between what Christians believe and what non-Christians believe? Do Christians believe and non-Christians have beliefs in common? (Be careful to represent both viewpoints fairly.)
4. As Christians, how should we best respond to these social issues in the wider community? What kinds of social change should we pioneer?
5. How do you need to grow and change in how you minister in the wider community?

Task

Choose a moral or social issue that Christians should be concerned about. Before you go further, check that your tutor agrees to your topic. Read up on it and do one of the following:

1. Give a presentation to a group of at least 30 minutes, or
2. Write a four page (1000 word) essay.

Whichever you do:

1. Explain the issue
2. Say why it is important
3. Explain how it affects people in different ways
4. Say what Christians can do about it. Be practical and realistic.
5. Explain how Christians could do something about it.

Note: Your tutor may also ask you to lead a group discussion on it, so have some discussion questions ready.

Different strokes

Even when Christians believe essentially the same things, Christians put their beliefs into practice in many different ways, and it changes over time.

You will find that Christians have also understood their faith differently at different times. For example, the first Christians needed to know how Jewish they should be. During the Middle Ages, most Christians could not read and did not have Bibles.

Draw up a table like the one below. Make a list of ten key Christian beliefs from the Gospel of Mark. Next to each one, say how it is expressed in the life of your church (column 2).

In column 3, say how it is expressed in the life of the church in another era. Feel free to explore. For example, you could look at:

1. The time of Paul
2. The early church fathers
3. The middle ages
4. A mission context
5. The time when your parents or grandparents were the age you are now. (Interview some of your seniors.)

Before you start, discuss in the group the kinds of questions you should ask to get the best answers about the other era.

1 Ten key Christian beliefs	2 How is it expressed in the life of your church?	3 How is it expressed in the life of a church in a different era?

Questions

1. How have Christian practices changed? Why do you think that is so?
2. How have Christians understood their faith differently at different times?
3. What different influences shaped and developed Christian beliefs in column 2 and 3?
4. What different influences shaped and developed church practice in column 2 and 3?

Duty of care for minors

In short, duty of care means that you are reponsible to keep people safe while in your care or on your premises. You have greater responsibiity for peole under 18 than for adults. You can be fined and prosecuted it fyou di not take reeasonable steps to keep people safe.

Your organization should have a system in place to keep people safe with a system of training, risk management, and reporting.

This unit is about how to address duty of care requirements, working within an ethical framework and applying relevant legislation, policies and procedures in responding to children and young people.

Requirements

1. Follow practices that support the protection of children and young people

1. Identify children and young people at risk of harm by observing signs and symptoms, asking non-invasive questions, being aware of protective issues and using child protection procedures where appropriate
2. Respond to disclosure, information or signs and symptoms according to accepted standards, techniques, and legislative obligations
3. Consistently comply with lawful instructions, regulations and duty of care
4. Routinely use child-focused work practices so that you uphold the rights of children and young people to take part in making decisions where it is age appropriate
5. Use ways of communicating with children and young people and gathering information from them that follow current recognized good practice
6. Make sure that your decisions and actions are within your own level of responsibility, work role and legal requirements
7. Keep up you knowledge and skills you need to work effectively and participate in practice supervision
8. Maintain confidentiality as appropriate
9. Respond appropriately according to your organization’s procedures, legal and work role obligations

2. Report indications of possible risk of harm

1. Accurately record relevant specific and general circumstances surrounding risk of harm according to your organization’s procedures, ethics and legal requirements
2. Promptly report risk of harm indicators according to statutory and organization procedures
3. Work collaboratively with relevant agencies to ensure maximum effectiveness of report

3. Apply ethical and nurturing practices in your work with children and young people

1. Protect the rights of children and young people in the provision of services
2. Identify and seek supervision support for issues of ethical concern in practice with children and young people
3. Develop ethical and nurturing practices according to professional boundaries when working with children and young people
4. Recognize indicators for potential ethical concerns when working with children and young people
5. Respond to unethical behavior of others by reporting to the appropriate person

Other skills

1. Respond appropriately to signs of risk of harm
2. Use indicators of abuse to make judgements about risks of harm
3. Follow procedures and instructions
4. Apply principles of ethical decision-making
5. Maintain professional boundaries in work with children and young people
6. Give required reports and records, including using a computer according to OHS guidelines
7. Distinguish between legal and ethical problems
8. Work within a legal and ethical framework
9. Apply problem solving and negotiation skills to resolve problems of a difficult nature within your organization’s protocols.
10. Use child focused work practices including:
1. communication skills
2. awareness and sensitivity to children and young person's needs
3. inclusiveness of children and young people in participatory decision-making process
4. making special allowances to met needs of children and young people
5. ways of engaging children and young people
6. observance and presence of children and young people as primary clients

Assessment

1. Your assessor will do a walkaround in your workplace.
   1. Explain the kinds of risks and what to do about them. Include reviews of any cases that you have faced.
   2. Answer the knowledge questions below. (The assessor can also ask follow-up questions if necessary.)
2. Your assessor will also get a reference from your supervisor.

Interview / assignment questions:

Risks

1. What are the most common risk to child’s safety in your context? (Make sure you get all the important ones.)
2. What are the main signs of these different kinds of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, neglect, domestic violence?
3. What are the main effects of each different kind of abuse?
4. What are the main dynamics of each different kind of abuse? (E.g. relationships, psychological responses) Include as they apply to age, gender, disability, culture, sexuality.
5. How would you respond appropriately to a disclosure of abuse?

Your procedures

1. What are your organization’s guidelines and policies for responding to risks of harm to children and young people?
2. What recording procedures do you have in your job role? (e.g. incident forms)

Ethics

1. What ethical obligations do you have? (They may be written in relevant codes of practice in your organization or professional body, or licensing, accreditation or registration standards, or service agreements.)
2. Explain ethical approaches that incorporate the conventions on the rights of the child and human rights.
3. What is your specific role and where are the ethical boundaries? (You are responsible to clearly define your role and and responsibilities and the client’s roles and responsibilities in behaving ethically and following professional relationship boundaries.)
4. What are your ethical obligations as defined by your job specification and your employer?
5. Explain your top three key principles of ethical decision-making.

Legal

1. What are your duty of care responsibilities?
2. What are your state/territory requirements and processes for reporting suspected abuse?
3. What other statutory and policy requirements relate to your job role?
4. How does the child protection system work? (Include reporting protocols, responses to reporting, interagency policies)
5. Explain briefly how the legal system works as it pertains to your job role.
6. What are the common legal issues relevant to your work with children and young people? Consider the following:
   • abuse in all forms
   • domestic and family violence
   • neglect
   • exploitation
   • alcohol and other drugs (AOD) concerns
   • systems abuse.

Communication

This unit is about applying specific communication techniques to build and maintain relationships based on respect and trust.

1. Communicate effectively with young people and staff.

1. Identify and use appropriate communication strategies to establish rapport, exchange information, resolve issues, and defuse potentially difficult situations
2. Conduct interviews according to your organization's procedures.
3. Give feedback and advice in a way that reflects current good practice
4. Show respect for individual, cultural and social differences. Also show respect for their needs and rights.
5. If communication breaks down, make an appropriate response and refer the matter to to other staff or specialist services if necessary. Make sure you meet your duty of care responsibilities.
6. Respond to enquiries in a way that helps you fulfil your duties and helps the inquirer too.
7. Respect other people's views, even if they are quite different from your own. Consider them in a way that values their contributions and encourages them to keep contributing.
8. Make sure that your communication represents the organization effectively where appropriate.

2. Help put effective communication strategies in place

1. Use different ways to check whether young people and colleagues are communicating effectively.
2. Help people get interpreters or translators if they need them.
3. Regularly review the channels of communication in your organization to make sure that young people and colleagues get any relevant information they need in a timely way.
4. Coach colleagues and young people in effective communication as required
5. Keep up any relevant work-related networks and relationships to ensure that you meet client needs and that your organization meets it objectives.

3. Maintain constructive interaction

1. Put in place strategies to develop trusting relationships that will enable you to negotiate communication barriers. Identify barriers to communication and so something about them. Help the people involved to identify individual issues.
2. Give people enough time to tell their stories. Be effective in listening to people and giving feedback to make sure their stories are heard and to help them explore and validate the issues they raise.
3. Ask questions, speak, actively and reflectively listen, and use non-verbal communication. Use clarifying, summarising questions
4. Make decisions about appropriate words, behaviour, posture
5. Show that all communication with young people and colleagues is appropriate to their individual needs and the situation, and promotes achievement of organization objectives
6. When you address issues, put together responses that are culturally appropriate. Seek people's agreement on the processes to be followed. (But do it within the scope of your own abilities, skills and work role). Address issues in a timely way and way that maintains the person's integrity
7. Identify and evaluate what is happening in an interaction without being judgemental
8. Apply a full range of communication techniques to do your job as specified by your organizations. These include:
   • listen reflectively and actively, respond respectfully, be empathetic, get feedback and build rapport
   • use various strategies to address communication barriers
   • recognise non-verbal triggers
   • clarify the boundaries of your work role
   • ask questions, give clear information, listen to workplace instructions and understand them
   • clarify workplace instructions when necessary
   • Use ways of meet particular communication needs/difficulties
9. Express an individual perspective (your own philosophy, ideology and background) and explore the impact of this on the communication
10. Explore and unpack problems
11. Confirm that people have the information they need and that the message has got through.
12. Give summarising and reflective responses in conflict situations
13. If you need to, refer problems to someone else for conflict resolution and mediation.

4. Lead discussions

1. Give people opportunities to fully explore all relevant issues.
2. Routinely encourage all group members to participate equally. Ask all members to contribute and acknowledge them when they do.
3. When you lead a meeting or discussion, routinely contribute objectives and agenda items, and then follow them yourself.
4. Give groups any information they need to achieve the purpose of the meeting.
5. Evaluate the group's communication strategies so that you can help everyone involved to keep participating.
6. Take notice of individual group members' specific communication needs and address them.

5. Build relationships with young people who are involuntary or present communication challenges

1. Identify areas of mistrust or conflict that may require resolution
2. Identify and address specific communication barriers such as:
• closed or unreceptive attitudes
• mistrust or misunderstanding of people, organizations, systems and/or processes
• emotional states, such as fear, anger and frustration
3. Identify the need to include other people.

Practical assessment

Your assessor will:

1. Observe you in real situations.
2. Ask you the questions below. (The assessor can also ask follow-up questions if necessary.)
3. Get a reference from your supervisor.

Interview questions

1. What kind of communication builds and maintains relationships in the workplace? (Mention the different kind of people that you work with.)
2. Explain the differences between the communication styles of four people you work with.
3. Who are the different groups and how to they relate to each other? (re group dynamics)
4. How do you address communication barriers with people? Explain the most common kinds of barrier in your workplace.
5. Explain in your own words how to lead a group discussion.
6. Explain cross cultural communication protocols used in your job.
7. Explain non-verbal communication strategies
8. Communication techniques to maintain constructive interactions

Youth ministry

This unit is about meeting the specific needs of a wide range of young people. Some of them will be already members of the group, but others will be new.

Students usually do this unit as part of a youth ministry team and follow the guidelines of your organization. It works well for running a new projects such as a camp or an Alpha group, because it requires planning and promotion.

Requirements

1. Planning..

1. What kinds of ministry do your young people need?
2. Assess the needs. Of the range of things they might need, for example, what do they need most? What is feasible for your team?
   Note: Young people have some particular rights. The most important are the rights to confidentiality of their personal information and to a safe environment. This involves physical saftey (e.g. transport and the kinds of activities you do) and emotional saftey (e.g. from bullying and putdowns.) In fact, your organization has a legal obligations to maintain duty of care.
3. Look outside into the commununity. What sort of needs and expectations are out there?
4. Make a list of the contact details of the young people in your group. As you go, check that your groups activities meet all their needs as best as possible.
5. In your plan, write:
   1. a list of aims and objectives
   2. What resources you will need
   3. How you will evaluate whether you have achieved your goals
   4. Contingency plans
6. Allocate tasks. In particular, what will you be resonsible for? Note: you will need the skills to lead the kinds of activities your youth ministry offers.
7. Decide how will you get feedback from the group to know whether the plan is working. You need to know whether the young people like it. (You might also need to be able to get feedback from their parents.) And then how will you make decisions on it? (E.g. discuss it in a team meeting.)
8. Write a list of service providers that you might need to refer people to. (E.g. Counselors, medical doctor, mental health, government services.) Then keep it up to date.
9. Find out what paperwork you need to keep according to your organization’s standards. (At the very least, the team needs to keep notes of it meetings).

2. Run the youth program

1. Show that you are responsive to young people's needs. Make sure your interactions with young people are consistent with (a) their needs and rights, (b) your your organization’s accepted practice and codes of conduct, and (c) your duty of care. Always treat people in a non-discriminatory way.
2. Getting feedback:
   1. Get regular feedback from young people as you had planned and write it down. Interpret the feedback you get. What does it mean? Is the program going well or not? What kinds of changes need to be made? Is the program meeting the needs of your young people? Report feedback to your supervisor to resolve any immediate problems.
3. Check that the ministry:
   1. follows relevant legal requirements and young people's rights (e.g. confidentiality, duty of care),
   2. upholds the reputation of your organization and its ministries,
   3. is based on accurate information about young people's needs,
   4. uses suitable options for activities, and,
   5. follows your organization's policies and capabilities.
4. Keep all your paperwork up to date.
5. Regularly review the program based on feedback and your evaluation. (You will probably do this in a team meeting.) Then make improvements, even redesign your program if necessary.

3. Develop the ministry and promote it.

1. Promote the ministry wherever you have the opportunity to you existing group members and also potential group members. Make sure that they understand what your ministry has to offer them. Use flyers when it's suitable.
2. Help young people find out how to belong in the group and have their needs met.

4. Communicate effectively as a youth leader

1. Communicate well orally, for example, listening, asking questions, and encouraging.
2. in writing, including using a computer according to OHS guidelines

Practical assessment

Your assessor will:

1. Check that you can do everything above.
2. Ask you the questions below. (The assessor can also ask follow-up questions if necessary.)
3. Get a reference from your supervisor.
4. Examine your paperwork E.g. group plans, group leader notes, debrief notes from activities, etc. (It is unusual in youth ministry to need to do incident reports or referral notes, but they will also be assessed if you need to make them.

Interview questions

1. Describe what you did.
2. Describe what your team did.
3. What kinds of activities and services does your organization provide for young people?
4. What do you think are the five most important principles of effective youth ministry? Explain them.
5. How do you promote and market services to young people?

Resources

Almost all these resources are simply readings, and a few things are repeated in different contexts. To use the readings well, students should read them before coming to group and then discuss them. People lean more effectively through reading and discussion rather than reading alone.

Links open new windows.

•  
  Front page of the library
•  
  Starting out
  • Workplace Health and Safety The top link is a simple, interactive online course.
  • Learning on the job
  • NewJob Best to discuss each day of experiences one at a time.
•  
  Public speaking
•  
  Project A project is a deliberate activity that has a beginning and an end, such as running a camp, running a concert, or building a house.
•  
  Skills for leading all kinds of groups
  • Learning to teach
  • Classroom interaction and questioning
  • Group dynamics
•  
  Skills for teaching
  • Sequencing Sequencing means putting things inn an order that people will understand easily.
  • Planning & teaching lessons: Schools
•  
  May be helpful for Sunday school
  • Behavior management

Teaching

This unit is about giving individual and group instruction. It is basic and practical, and is different from your other teaching unit in that you also need to demonstrate skills.

In the Emanate context, the most useful subjects that you might want to teach are:

• How to use research aids such as a Bible dictionary, commentaries, compare translations, systematic theologies
• A basic writing course
• Information literacy
• Some kinds of ministry skills.

Terminology

The information below uses the terms training sessions, training and demonstration sessions and lessons as equivalent. Similarly, teaching includes both training and demonstrating.

Specific requirements

This section lists the specific skills you need to learn in this unit.

1. Organize lessons
   1. Gather information about the characteristics of your students and what they need to learn.
   2. Confirm that the location is safe.
   3. Find out the objective of the teaching and gather and check instruction, demonstration objectives, and ask for help if you need it.
   4. Find out what the sessions need to achieve (i.e. the objectives), and ask for help if you need it.
   5. Gather learning materials and check whether they are suitable for the sessions you will teach. Ask for help if you need to see how those materials can be used in your situation
   6. Organize access to necessary equipment or physical resources that you will need to teach your sessions
   7. Inform your students of how the course will run (e.g. when, where, how long, what to bring)
2. Teach your sessions
   1. Be welcoming and build rapport with students to establish a safe and comfortable learning environment
   2. Follow the delivery plan to cover all learning objectives
   3. Brief students on any WHS procedures and requirements prior to, and during, training
   4. Control the structure and pace of the session so students can learn effectively (e.g. don’t waste time, handle digressions and distractions)
   5. Communicate effectively when giving information, instructing students and demonstrating skills.
   6. If necessary, coach students individually so they learn more effectively
   7. Give students opportunity to practice during the lesson and later on in their ministries.
   8. Give students feedback on their performance to help them learn.
3. Check student performance
   1. Check whether each student is learning to perform the skills described in the lesson objectives
   2. Check whether each student can use new technical and generic skills and knowledge
   3. Monitor students’ progress and outcomes in consultation with them
   4. Review your relationship with the students, and make any necessary adjustments to suit their needs.
4. Review your personal training performance
   1. Reflect upon your personal performance in teaching and demonstrating, and write your strategies for improvement in a lesson review form.
   2. Fill in any student records, and file them securely in the office according to your organization’s procedure. In ding so, make sure you protect any private informations.

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed in a ministry and theology training environment. The only documents you will need are your local Safe Church documentation. However, you will need to locate your own training materials.

You will need to give at least of three training sessions, involving demonstrating and instructing particular ministry skills for at least two different individuals or small groups, with each session addressing:

1. different learning objectives
2. a range of delivery techniques and effective communication skills appropriate to the audience.

Interview or assignment questions

1. Describe the needs of your students their particular characteristics that affect you you will give training e.g.
   1. Commitment to learning, emotional stability
   2. Particular areas of ability and gifting
   3. Academic ability
   4. maturity
   5. Motivations for studying
2. Describe the content and requirements of the courses you taught. In particular, describe any aspects that are critical for its success.
3. Describe the delivery plan e.g.
1. Why the content of the whole course is sequenced in the way that it is
2. How the content of the whole course is divided up into specific sessions in the way that it is.
3. How effective is it?
4. Resources and learning materials
   1. Where did you get resources and learning materials for your course?
   2. What kinds of resources and learning materials are available for your course?
   3. Describe the content of the available relevant learning resources and learning materials
5. Describe the training techniques that enhance learning:
   1. Giving students information through “lecture” or reading
   2. Giving students learning activities
   3. Kinds of questions and when to use them
   4. Kinds of visual aids and how to use them
6. Describe when to use each of those techniques.
7. Describe each of the following learning principles and give an example of how to use it in a teaching session:
   1. How to use a lesson purpose in planning a lesson
   2. How to sequence content
   3. How to allocate time for each part of the lesson.
   4. What are forward planners? Why and how should you use them?
   5. How to structure different kinds of lessons
8. Describe each of the following concepts of learning and give an example of how to use it in a teaching session:
   1. Experiential learning
   2. Social constructivist
   3. Behaviourist
   4. Cognitivist
9. Describe each of the following learning styles and give an example of how to use it in a teaching session:
   1. Theoretical learners
   2. Activist learners
   3. Reflective learners
   4. Relaters
10. Workplace health and safety (WHS)
    1. What are the WHS roles and responsibilities of key personnel in your ministry environment?
    2. What are the WHS responsibilities of students?
    3. What are your organization’s policies and procedures for:
       1. identifying hazards
       2. assessing risks
       3. reporting WHS hazards
       4. reporting WHS accidents
       5. safe use of equipment
       6. emergencies?
    4. What are the risk controls for your specific training location?

Coaching

This unit is about coaching a person in ministry skills on the job within a professional relationship. It is like being a tradie training an apprentice on the job. For the purposes of this unit, we'll call the student an “intern”. However, we'll use the term mentoring.

Detailed requirements

This section lists the specific skills you need to learn in this unit.

1. Develop a written mentoring plan according to your church's requirements
   1. Identify the scope and boundaries of the mentoring relationship according to your church’s procedures
   2. Establish ground rules and negotiate realistic expectations
   3. Agree on a set of objectives
   4. Establish the confidentiality of the relationship and maintain it throughout the internship (Note: Confidentiality is narrower than the requirements of the Privacy Act. Your organization might have rules on things that may not be kept confidential, especially child protection.)
2. Give the intern on-job training
   1. Develop the intern’s confidence, self-esteem, respect and trust in the mentoring relationship
   2. Share your personal experiences and knowledge with the intern according to the objectives in the plan
   3. Support the intern to develop and use skills in solving problems and making decisions
   4. Use your personal and professional networks to help the intern
   5. Inform and guide the intern to enhance their engagement in the ministry
   6. Resolving differences without damaging the relationship, and get help according to your church’s policy and procedures
3. Monitor the mentoring relationship
   1. Give the intern help and guidance if he/she asks for it, in a form and style to suits their needs
   2. Give the intern feedback on their progress towards achieving the expectations and goals of the plan
   3. If any changes in the mentoring relationship become necessary, it is your role to recognize the need and discuss them with appropriate stakeholders (e.g. pastor, group leader)
   4. Negotiate and manage closure of the mentoring arrangement once objectives have been met
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring
   1. Establish and discuss the personal benefits that you and the intern have gained from the mentoring process
   2. Reflect on the personal benefits to you and articulate them.
   3. Identify the outcomes of the mentoring arrangement and the benefits to the organisation
   4. Make a report according to organisational policy and procedures, including suggestions on ways to improve the mentoring system

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed in a real ministry training situation, with access to your church's training plan. For the assessment, you will have to:

• Prepare a one-semester mentoring plan with clear objectives
• Facilitate at least three mentoring sessions (In practice, however, you will need to hold many more than three, usually once a week or a fortnight over a semester, but only three sessions from the final stage will be assessed.)
• Document information on sessions, including comments and notes from both you and the intern.

Interview or assignment questions

1. What are your responsibilities for each of the following:
   1. Workplace Health and Safety?
   2. Child protection?
   3. Responsibilities of church or ministry organizaton for oversight?
2. Explain the following mentoring methods and strategies:
1. Building rapport
2. Regular meetings
3. Demonstrating
4. Explaining
5. Formative assessment
6. Record keeping
7. Giving feedback (positive and negative)
8. Self reflection
9. Building confidence
3. Explain the following learning theories and say how they can be used in mentoring and on-job training
1. Experiential learning
2. Social constructivist
3. Behaviourist
4. Cognitivist
4. In a mentoring relationship, what is:
   1. acceptable behaviour?
   2. unacceptable behaviour?
   3. best practice behaviour?
5. What are your organizations’ equity policies and practices (equal employment opportunity, diversity)?
6. What do you have to do to support the church or ministry orgaization to meet its WHS obligations for the intern?
7. What are your chruch or ministry organisations procedures for coaching interns? E.g.
1. What records do you need to keep? (e.g. plan, logbook, meeting notes)
2. Where are they filed?
3. Who can see them?
4. Who can get copies of them?
5. What meetings should be held? When, where, how long, what is discussed in them?
6. Boundaries for meetings

Public speaking

This unit is about preparing, delivering and reviewing a presentation to a target audience. This unit applies to any kind of public speaking where a speaker needs to communicate well to present concepts and ideas.

Get as much practice as you can before the assessment, so that you develop confidence and are not unnerved by the unexpected.

Detailed requirements

This section lists the specific skills you need to learn in this unit.

1. Prepare a presentation.

1. Plan and document your presentation approach and intended outcomes.
2. Choose presentation strategies, format and delivery methods that match the characteristics of the target audience, location, resources and personnel needed.
3. Select presentation aids, materials and techniques that suit the format and purpose of the presentation, and will improve the audience understanding of key concepts and central ideas.
4. Brief others involved in the presentation on their roles/responsibilities.
5. Select techniques to evaluate how effective your presentation has been.

2. Deliver a presentation.

1. Explain and discuss desired outcomes of the presentation with the target audience.
2. Use presentation aids, materials and examples to help the audience understand of key concepts and central ideas.
3. Monitor the non-verbal and verbal communication of participants to help you achieve your goals in the presentation.
4. Use persuasive communication to get the audience interested.
5. Give participants opportunities to ask for clarification on central ideas and concepts, and adjust the presentation to meet participant needs and preferences.
6. Summarize key concepts and ideas at strategic points so that you audience understands.

3. Review the presentation.

1. Review the effectiveness of the presentation.
2. Ask for and discuss reactions to the presentation from participants or from key personnel involved in the presentation.
3. Use feedback from the audience or from key personnel involved in the presentation to make changes to central ideas presented.

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed through:

• Assessor observation in you rministry
• Supervisor reference (if the assessor is not the supervisor)
• Review of your documents
• Interview/assignment based on the requirements below.

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Practical

Specific tasks: Give two presentations and submit your notes and review.

You will be assessed in ministry as a safe environment. You need to demonstrate consistent performance and will need access to equipment, materials and business software packages for making a presentation, business technology, and interaction with others.

You will need to show that you can prepare and deliver at least two presentations in an occupation or area of interest. It needs to use effective presentation strategies and communication principles, as well as visual aids and materials to support the presentation. Select and use methods to review the effectiveness of your presentation and document any changes that would improve future presentations.

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Assignment/interview questions

1. In what different ways can you collect information for reviewing and getting feedback from presentations?
2. What regulatory requirements are relevant to presentations?
3. What organizational requirements are relevant to presentations?
4. Describe the principles of effective communication:
   1. How to prepare
   2. How to stand and speak
   3. How to sequence content
   4. Role of body language adn gestures
   5. Role of visual aids
5. Describe the range of presentation aids and materials available to support presentations.

Note: Your assessor may also ask you a variety of what if questions.

Central assumptions

The central assumptions of the assessments in Biblical studies are:

1. Wherever possible, it uses a biblical studies approach to meet the competency requirements.
2. It assumes a rational chain from exegesis to personal and corporate application.
3. It is designed to be used in a variety of cultures and in remote situations.

Assessments

These notes are addressed to the students, but are clear enough to guide assessors on what to expect.

Bible overview

For each book in the Old and New Testament:

1. What is the purpose of the book? State it clearly and succinctly.
2. Why did you define that as the purpose? Give your reasons.
3. Authorship
   1. Who is the author? (Give the name if possible.)
   2. Why did you give that name/s as the author?
   3. Based on the biblical text, what do you know about the author?
   4. If you are unable to identify the author, give your reasons.
4. Recipients
   1. Who were the original recipient(s)?
   2. Give their name/s if possible.
   3. Why did identify them as recipients?
   4. Based on the biblical text, what do you know about the recipients?
   5. If you are unable to identify the recipients, give your reasons.
5. What are the main theological themes and emphases? Give reasons from the text for your views.

Introductions for specific books

Your assessor will assign a series of Old and New Testament books:

• Two historical books
• Two books of wisdom literature
• Two Old testament prophets
• Two New Testament letters

For each one:

1. Outline:
   1. Write an outline of the book's structure.
   2. Explain your reasons for dividing sections where you did.
   3. Identify major themes and events in the book.
   4. Trace major themes and events in the book and draw them as a diagram.
2. Literature style:
1. What are the main styles of literature?
2. How does the literary style affect the way the book is to be interpreted?
3. Identify and describe distinctive features relevant to interpretation.
4. What is its context as part of the whole Bible:
1. in relation to other books of the Bible?
2. in relation to wider themes in Scripture?
3. in relation to the historical flow of the whole Bible?

Exegesis

This assessment is about applying the steps and skills of exegesis to the four main kinds of biblical literature:

• Biblical poetry (e.g. Psalms and the Old Testament wisdom literature, the prophets)
• Exposition and exhortation (e.g. the New Testament letters)
• Narrative (e.g. Acts, Old Testament historical books)
• Apocalyptic (e.g. Revelation)

(Note: the Gospels contain all kinds)

It is an open book assessment and your assessor will specify a series of deadlines for your work. Your assessor may interview you on your exegeses when you submit them.

Recommended pre-reading: How to interpret the Bible: A do it yourself manual, Bennie Wolvaardt (Harpenden, U.K.: Veritas College; The Good Book Company: New Malden, U.K., 1999)

Your assessor will assign you passages as follows:

• Two Psalms
• Two passages from the New Testament letters
• Two passages from Acts
• Two passages from the Old Testament historical books
• Two passages from Revelation

Write an exegesis of each assigned passage. Each should show that you can exegete a passage, show how it applies to the broader biblical and theological framework, and apply it in practical Christian life.

Please type them according to the standards for formal essays. There is no set length, but do not exceed 1500 words for each exegesis. The quality is more important than the length.

Make sure you cover all the points below. While they are a good guide, you will not necessarily write a good exegesis by blindly answering questions. For example, your answer to a later question might prompt you to revise your answers to an earlier question.

Section 1: Exegesis

1. Describe any relevant background that affects meaning. These include social, political, cultural, historical contexts.
2. What is the text before and after talking about?
3. If there are any characters mentioned in the text:
   1. Who are they?
   2. What are their personal characteristics?
   3. Why are they relevant/important to the text?
4. What are the important grammatical features?
5. List the key words and say what they mean.
6. What significant or distinctive features does the text have?
7. What is the main topic of the passage?
8. What distinctive kinds of language expression does it have? (e.g. metaphor, simile, repetition, chiasmus, parallelism, symbolism, hyperbole, etc.) How do they affect interpretation?
9. What key words need special care in interpretation?
10. What recurring themes are in the text?
11. Describe the relationship between the people or ideas in the passage.
12. What did the original recipient of this book understand by this passage?

Note: You may use tools such as Bible dictionaries, various translations, maps, and dictionaries of words of the original languages.

Section 2: Interpretation

1. What is the main point of the passage?
2. What are the supporting points?
3. What is the meaning of the text?
4. What is the difference between their viewpoint at the time and our viewpoint today?
5. What looks like a contradiction with other parts of the Bible? Explore the apparent contradictions.
6. What looks like a contradiction Christian beliefs and practices? Explore the apparent contradictions.
7. What new questions arise?
8. Consult three scholarly commentaries.
1. Evaluate your exegesis considering what they say. Reference them in your exegesis.
2. Evaluate your commentaries. Justify your comments.

Section 3: Personal application

1. Put the teachings of the text into two lists:
1. biblical principles that apply to all Christians and
2. culturally-specific teachings that are relevant only to the people at the time of writing.
2. Explain how each biblical principles of the passage apply personally to people today, and give examples of each. Applications need to be specific, concrete, contemporary, and justifiable from the passage.
3. What did you learn that new and relevant to you personally?
4. How would you explore it further?

Section 4: Application in ministry

1. How would you tell it as a story?
2. How would you act it out as characters on stage?
3. Prepare a series of Bible studies that go though the book. It should be appropriate to use in your own ministry.

Church

Compare the beliefs and practices of two substantially different Christian denominations, one of them your own. You may choose the other denomination but your assessor will need to approve your choice.

1. Describe the beliefs and practices of each denomination.
2. What particular characteristics does each one have? (What makes each one unique?)
3. What beliefs and practices of each denomination are changing?
4. What do the people in each denomination see as its strengths?
5. What is similar about the beliefs and practices of the two denominations?
6. What is different about the beliefs and practices of the two denominations?
7. What is the history of their different beliefs and practices? (Use history to explain why those things are different.)

Sources to use:

• Church history books
• Internet searches
• Documents from denominational conferences
• Denominational publications
• Interviewing people

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