Communication in Church Organizations

Overview
The Communication in Church Organizations program prepares students for communication leadership in Christian churches and related institutions through an interdisciplinary program that combines training in the communication arts with the disciplines of church history, theology, and ministry. The program emphasizes the Christian commitment to peacemaking and reconciliation as applicable to the practical communication problems associated with contemporary church organizations in their various missional settings.

Objectives
The program trains students for a variety of communication leadership roles in Christian organizations while not replacing either the need for graduate education in preparation for pastoral leadership or the need for managerial training in preparation for other advanced leadership roles. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to

  • apply Christian theology, church history, and nonviolence to the development and maintenance of organizations devoted to providing Christian mission, witness, and service;
  • develop and lead worship as well as thoughtfully exegete biblical texts;
  • apply theories of rhetoric to the persuasive and instructive dissemination of the Christian message in a range of contexts and through a variety of media;
  • provide professional service to Christian organizations through a working knowledge of organizational communication processes and/or develop public relations campaigns for those institutions;
  • give effective public addresses, presentations, and sermons using new communication technologies (when appropriate);
  • serve as a resource for conflict transformation.

Coursework
All students enrolled in the Communication in Church Organizations declare a major in either Communication or Religion. In completing the requirements for their major, they should also complete the requirements associated with their chosen major in the list below. To complete the Communication in Church Organizations program, students will also complete each of the courses listed below in the department in which they are not pursuing a major. Thus, the 21 credits required in the second area will constitute electives for the purposes of registration.

Communication

  • COM185 Public Speaking
  • COM 205 Interpersonal Communication
  • COM 220 Communication and Conflict Transformation
  • COM 275 Organizational Communication OR COM 322 Public Relations
  • COM 320 Classical Theories of Rhetoric
  • COM 340 Religious Communication
  • COM 400 Advanced Studies in Rhetoric/Media/Communication

Religion

  • REL 230 Christian Worship
  • REL 311 Jesus OR REL 320 Historical and Theological Studies
  • REL 322 Biblical Interpretation OR REL 312 Exegetical Studies
  • REL 313 Catholic History and Thought OR REL 359 Mennonite History and Thought
  • REL 325 Sacred and Civil Religion OR HIS 301 Studies in American History: War and Peace in American History
  • REL 334 Foundations of Christian Ministry
  • REL 373 War, Peace, and Nonviolence

In addition to the courses listed above, every student in the program is required to complete a program capstone course entitled "Communication and Leadership in Church-Related Organizations."