Note: COURSE CONTENT MAY BE CHANGED, TERM TO TERM,

Note:

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OURSE CONTENT MAY BE CHANGED

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TERM TO TERM

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WITHOUT NOTICE

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HE INFORMATION BELOW IS PROVIDED AS

A GUIDE FOR COURSE SELECTION AND IS NOT BINDING IN ANY

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Syllabus

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Just before our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven He charged His followers to: "Go . . . into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15). The responsibility of obeying this command rests upon you and me as much today as it did upon those disciples to whom it was first spoken.

It is my prayer and concern that this course will help to better equip and prepare you to fulfill the Great Commission and that you will experience the tremendous joy of sharing your faith and winning others to Jesus Christ.

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The goal of this course is to help you gain inspiration and information which will enable you to become more effective in witnessing for Christ and winning the lost to Christ. Upon completion of this course you should be able to

• recognize the task of evangelism in God's total program for these present times and, more

specifically, make a statement as to your individual responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission.

• write a paragraph outlining the essentials of the gospel.

• quote from memory thirty-six Scripture verses appropriate for use in soul-winning.

• distinguish the difference between several techniques and principles used in soul-winning.

• identify and write a brief statement explaining each of the basic steps in the total evangelization process.

• list and explain the basic principles of effective follow-up.

• identify and briefly describe the basic teachings of several prominent and currently active cults, as well as state some of the techniques used in successfully witnessing to cultists.

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Fryling, Alice. Disciplemaker's Handbook: Helping People Grow in Christ. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

Little, Paul E. and Marie. How to Give Away Your Faith, rev. ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

Robertson, Irvine. What the Cults Believe. 5th edition, expanded. Chicago: Moody, 1991.

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Copyright 1991 by Moody Bible Institute. All rights reserved.

Adapted from the Personal Evangelism Study Guide by Leonard P. Rascher Ph.D.

Unless otherwise specified, the materials and services on this website are for your personal and non-commercial use, and you may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from the website without the written permission from Distance Learning Center, Moody Bible Institute, 820 N. LaSalle Blvd., Chicago, Illinois 60610.

Permission is not required for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Except as otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations in this course are from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1977, by the Lockman Foundation and are used by permission, or the King James Version.

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SOUL-WINNING

• Introduction to Evangelism • Preparation for Soul-Winning • The Process of Soul-Winning • The Difficulties of Soul-Winning

• Handling Questions or Objections in Soul-Winning

FOLLOW-UP/DISCIPLESHIP

• Purpose of Follow-Up/Discipleship • Principles of Follow-Up/Discipleship • Procedure for Follow-Up/Discipleship

CULTS

• Introduction to the Study of Cults • Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormonism

• Christian Science and The Unification Church • The New Age Movement

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Your grade for this course will consist of:

Memory Work 10% Paper 1 20% Paper 2 20% Exam 1 15% Exam 2 15% Threaded Discussion 20% Total 100%

Letter grades are determined by the following scale:

A 95% or higher C 77 - 84.9% A- 94 - 94.9% C- 76 - 76.9% B+ 93 - 93.9% D+ 75 - 75.9% B 87 - 92.9% D 71- 74.9% B- 86 - 86.9% D- 70 - 70.9% C+ 85 - 85.9% F Below 70%

Requirements.

Communication.

1. Discussion Board Participation - One of the great advantages of an online course over a

traditional correspondence course is the ability to communicate and share ideas. You will be required to participate in a number of regular (usually weekly) discussions on select topics. You should check the Discussion Board in the Blackboard course site frequently and participate in any active discussions. Successful participation in a course discussion typically includes the following:

• You post one new message of your own for any given topic, the week that it is being discussed.

• You read the messages posted by others and reply to at least one of them in a reasonable amount of time or as otherwise instructed by your professor.

• Your postings should be thorough and thoughtful. Just posting an “I agree/disagree with your comment” or an “I think the same” to someone else’s thoughts is not considered to be an adequate response.

2. E-mail - You will on occasion need to send an e-mail to the instructor. Due to the large number

you send meet the following criteria:

• The subject line MUST contain with the course name or ID. This lets the professor know which course you are sending me a message about.

• You need to include your full name somewhere in the message. It is not always possible to tell what a person's name is from his or her e-mail address. Please remember to do this for all e-mails, not just the first one. If you do not include these things in an e-mail that you send your professor, then they cannot promise that they will get to your message in a timely manner—if at all.

Lesson Activities

There are often smaller activities that are assigned in any given week that are designed to help you further understand the concepts or applications being taught. It is expected that you complete these activities as you progress through the related lesson materials. Unless it is otherwise stated in the

syllabus, lesson activities usually are not graded and do not affect your final grade. However, your

completion of these activities may help you do better in other assignments in this course.

Reading Assignments

One of the essential aspects of each course is the reading assignments. It is expected that you will complete all the required reading, the week that it is assigned so that you are able to effectively participate in the online discussions as well as for your own benefit in being able to grasp the concepts being taught in the lesson.

Papers and Assignments.

Always follow the instructions given for any particular paper or assignment if there is ever a discrepancy with the guidelines listed here.

Assignments must be submitted electronically, only in a Microsoft Word compatible file using the digital dropbox located in the Tools area of the Blackboard course site. Within the Microsoft Word document, your assignment must take the following format:

• prefaced with a separate title page, which should include the title of the paper; the name of the course; the date; your name and address; and your student identification number

• On 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper

• Font size 12

• Double-spaced

• Bordered by a one-inch margin on all sides

• Correct in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. No more than four errors per page are acceptable

• Documented in MLA style if citations are necessary (see the Student Union, How to Write a Paper, and other MLA resources for more details On MLA style)

A list of resources used in this course is located in the Syllabus. This list of resources may be helpful in your research as you prepare the papers assigned for this course. Possible places that you could find these resources, include your pastor, a friend, or a library (church, school, or public). If the library nearest you does not have the book you want, they may be able to obtain it through an inter-library loan program. You may even wish to purchase some of these books for your own personal library. You are encouraged to consult any outside references and it is recommended that you also cite other applicable Scriptures.

Personal Work Reaction Paper

This paper is to be a brief statement detailing three separate attempts you have made while taking this course (or experiences you have had during the course) of sharing your faith with an unbeliever. You will need to include in the paper some background information as to when and where each encounter took place and to give your personal reactions (positive and/or negative) as to what took place. Please remember: the paper is to cover only those experiences which occurred during your enrollment in this course, not previous witnessing experiences.

This paper should be 3-6 pages in length and be submitted by the due date shown in the schedule.

Religious Service Reaction Paper

You have several options for the completion of this paper.

1. If you are comfortable doing so, you should attend at least one religious service of a cult group. As you write your paper, include the date and place of the meeting, the name of the cult group, and your personal reaction to the service.

2. If going to a cult service would cause embarrassment to you in your community, would be a stumbling block to others, or is simply impossible for you to carry out, you may choose one of three alternatives:

• Interview someone who has come out of a cult. Include in your paper the person’s name, the name and location of the cult, and all entry-experience-exit data, such as what attracted the person to the cult, what the cult stands for, problems encountered during association, effects on the cult member and his family, reasons for leaving, and impact of the past experience on his present life.

• Write a research paper on a cult, using resources other than the texts and study guide of this course. You can get information from the bibliography in this study guide and Walter Martin’s Cults Reference Bible (Santa Ana, Calif.: Vision House, 1981). Your presentation should cover a historical overview of the group, major deviations from orthodox doctrine, distinctive features, evaluation of the cult in general, and steps you would take to evangelize a person with these views.

Exams and Quizzes

Check the Grading section of the syllabus to find out how each exam/quiz contributes to your final grade.

All of the exams/quizzes will be available online, anytime during the week that it is to be completed, according to the schedule in the syllabus. The exams/quizzes are located in the Assignments area of the Blackboard course site.

Although you are not required to secure a proctor, you are still not allowed to use any books or other materials (unless otherwise instructed by your professor or noted for a specific exam). You will have a limited amount of time to complete each exam and once you have started an exam, you will not be permitted to close it and return later (it must be completed in one sitting).

Note: Many courses include self-check quizzes. Self-Check Quizzes are for review purposes only and do not contribute to your final grade. You are encouraged to take the self-check quizzes as many times as you like - they often include questions that are also given in the exams.

Memory Quiz 1

Bible Memory Quiz 1 must be taken by date shown in schedule. This quiz consists of all of the verses up to this point.

Exam 1

Both of the exams in this course consist of 50 multiple-choice questions. Review carefully the Scripture content and Supplement when preparing for the exams. You may only use your textbook, notes and Bible. No other resources should be used. Your exams will be timed. You will have one hour to complete your exams. Once you have started your exam, you can not view another page with in your course or leave the exam site. You will not be able to re-access your exam once you have started it. If you would like to use any notes from the lesson supplements, you will need to print them out or hand copy the important points.

Exam 1 covers lessons 1-6; see the schedule for when the exam is due.

Memory Quiz 2

Bible Memory Quiz 2 must be taken by date shown in schedule. This quiz consists of all of the verses up to this point.

Exam 2

Procedures

Each week you are expected to visit the course site a minimum of 2 to 3 times. What specific day or time is really up to you, unless your professor informs you otherwise. Each time you visit the course site you should do the following:

• Read any new Announcements that have been posted

• Read any new messages in the Discussion Boards

• Respond to these new Announcements and Messages appropriately

At some time, each week, you should study the lesson(s) assigned, actively read any reading

assignments, complete and submit any exams or assignments if there are any due for that given week. Also, in anticipation of some of the major assignments, you ought to be aware of the next major paper, project or exam so that you are ready to submit that when it is due. If you are ever not going to be unable to meet an assignment deadline, you should contact your professor (they may be able to work with you in either arranging makeup or permitting you to submit an assignment late - any late penalties will be determined by your instructor).

References

Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 1986.

The Finished Mystery. Studies in the Scriptures, volume 7. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1917.

1975 Yearbook. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1975.

Worship the Only True God. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2002.

Reasoning from the Scriptures. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989.

What Does the Bible Really Teach? Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2005.

Watchtower Magazine. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, June 15, 1994.

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1982.

Our Heritage. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1996.

"Joseph Smith--History 1:19." The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

The Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

Doctrine and Covenants. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

Search These Commandments: Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1984.

Achieving a Celestial Marriage. Salt Lake City: Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1976.

Latter-Day Saints, 1979.

Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2004.

Let God Be True. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1952.

Four Things God Wants You to Know. Wheaton, IL: Good News Publishers, 1996.

Articles of Faith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Press.

Bridge to Life. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? Orlando, FL: Campus Crusade for Christ.

Make Sure of All Things. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1953.

The American Heritage Dictionary.

40 Years in America. New York: HAS Publications, 2000.

Baker, Eddy, Mary. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Boston: The First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1875.

Baker, Eddy, Mary. Miscellaneous Writings. Boston: The First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1896.

Beckwith, Francis, Carl Mosser, and Paul Owen, eds. The New Mormon Challenge. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.

Boa, Kenneth. Cults, World Religions, and the Occult. Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1990.

Bowman, Robert. Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989.

Cares, Mark J. Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons. Milwaukee: Wels Outreach Resources, 1998.

Chandler, Russell. Understanding the New Age. Revised and updated edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993.

Clark, David K. and Norman L. Geisler. Apologetics in the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990.

Fryling, Alice. Disciplemaker's Handbook: Helping People Grow in Christ. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

Hefley, James C. The Youthnappers. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor, 1977.

Kennedy, D. James. Evangelism Explosion: Equipping Churches for Friendship Evangelism, Discipleship, and Health Growth. 14th ed. Revised. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1996.

Kimball, Spencer W. The Miracle of Forgiveness. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969.

Lewis, Gordon. Confronting the Cults. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1966.

Little, Paul E. and Marie. How to Give Away Your Faith, rev. ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

Lutzer, Erwin W. and John F. Devries. Satan's "Evangelistic" Strategy for This New Age. Wheaton: Victor, 1989.

Macaulay, J. C., and Robert H. Belton. Personal Evangelism. Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1956.

Martin, Walter. The Kingdom of the Cults. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1997.

Quote from Benjamin Creme, Martin, Walter. The New Age Cult. Minneapolis: Bethany, 1989.

McConkie, Bruce R. Mormon Doctrine. Salt Lake City, 1966.

McKeever, Bill and Eric Johnson. Mormonism 101: Examining the Religion of the Latter-Day Saints. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.

Moon, Sun Myung. Today's World Magazine. October/November 1992.

Newport, John. The New Age Movement and the Biblical Worldview: Conflict and Dialogue. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.

Olford, Stephen. The Secret of Soul-Winning. Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1963.

Olford, Stephen. The Soul-Winner's Training. Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute.

Packer, J. I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1967.

Reed, David. Answering Jehovah's Witnesses Subject by Subject. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.

Rhodes, Ron. Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1993.

Rhodes, Ron. New Age Movement. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

Robertson, Irvine. What the Cults Believe. 5th edition, expanded. Chicago: Moody, 1991.

Snow, Lorenzo, quoted by Anthony A. Hoekema. The Four Major Cults. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963.

Talmage, James E. A Study of the Articles of Faith. Salt Lake City, 1961.

Trotman, Dawson E. Follow-Up: Conserving the Fruits of Evangelism. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1952.

Tucker, Ruth A. "In Search of Respectability." Christianity Today. April 1995, volume 14-4.

Watchtower. "Jehovah's Witnesses--Who Are They? What Do They Believe?" http://watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm Accessed November 1, 2006.

Watchtower. "Statistics: 2005 Report of Jehovah's Witnesses Worldwide."