ELD 3350/5350 Intro to Millennial Ministry is an important course because it provides valuable foundational information about the millennial generation and how students can begin to formulate their own ministry plan.  The course provides an overview of the Millennial generation including cohort characteristics, spirituality and religious beliefs, and postmodern philosophical orientation.  Consideration is also given to the ongoing debate both in academia and popular culture about Millennials’ purported narcissism.  Missional approaches to millennial ministry are addressed including an introduction and orientation to the missio Dei and its implications for contextualized discipleship using forms, language, and symbols of Millennials’ culture.  Biblical models of intergenerational discipleship relationships are examined to inform ministry methods and provide solid theological underpinnings for the formation of ministry collaborations, partnerships, and mentorship programs. 

ELD 3400/5400 Millennial Faith and Spirituality is a valuable course because it provides important context around the uniqueness of Millennials’ spiritual beliefs.  They are unique in many ways: they are the first fully postmodern generation, the first to occupy a new life stage called emerging adulthood, first to call themselves “spiritual but not religious,” and they are the most unchurched, de-churched population among us.  The uniqueness of their beliefs requires a thorough understanding so that students can maximize their impact as they minister to them.

The course addresses the prevailing imposter religion of the Millennial generation, Moral Therapeutic Deism, and helps students understand the “spiritual but not religious” stance that many Millennials take.  Consideration is also given to their complex views on Christology and ecclesiology; namely, that research suggests that they view the person of Jesus favorably while concurrently disdaining the institutional church.  The course will help students craft their own ministries to Millennials that address these concerns.  They will be taught to view Millennials as their own “mission field.” 

ELD 4350/6350 Leading and Developing Millennial Ministry is important because it combines a thorough understanding of the Millennial generation with the student’s own ministry calling.  Special emphasis is given to the skills and abilities, temperaments, spiritual gifts and leadership styles of the student so they can build on their strengths as they develop ministries to Millennials.  The course also helps students identify which sphere of society they are called to so that they can follow the missio Dei and create contextualized ministry in every sector of the culture.  Because Millennials are the most un-churched, dechurched generation among us, it is imperative that students understand how to fulfil the Great Commission, to go into all the world and make disciples.  Students will be challenged to take the principles and concepts learned in this program and apply them to the Millennials around them.  The goal is transformation of the student by drawing out their individual giftedness for their unique missional calling.  Students will be encouraged to move from theory to praxis as they apply their acquired knowledge in their own spheres of influence in order to effectively disciple the Millennials around them.

ELD 4610/6610 Social History and Technology of Millennial Culture is a valuable course because it challenges students to create ministries that include technological innovation even as they retain the orthodoxy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The course teaches students to think “out of the box” about how to utilize technology and social media as a platform for ministry.  Millennials are digital natives, having never known a life without computer technology.  Research shows that Millennials are becoming more and more isolated even as they are connected virtually more than ever through social media.  For these reasons, it is imperative that emerging leaders develop discipleship strategies that can help build community – even if it is online – and create a sense of place for millennials.  In short, we need to know how to “take church” to them rather than limiting ecclesiological expression to institutional, traditional brick-and-mortar forms.  With this in mind, students will be taught to think critically about the role of technology in sharing the gospel, taking into account the history of technology and the evolution of forms that have facilitated the transmission of the gospel, such as the road system of the Pax Romana, architectural advancements of the Middle Ages, and the printing press during the time of the Reformation.  Students will be equipped to consider how they might use technology as a platform for discipleship and ministry in innovative ways in whatever sector of society they operate.