Backpacking as a Ministry
3 credits
This course will train the student in the necessities of backpacking skills, facilitation, and decision making. Students will learn how to design ministry programs in the wilderness context, and receive hands on experience in planning and leading a backpacking trip. The students will be required to participate in a multiple day wilderness trip during a break for this course. Students will be responsible to teach technical lessons pertaining to backpacking skills (stove usage, low impact camping, tent set up, water purification) and will explore ministry strategies and philosophies of this unique arena. Students will understand the safety protocols and specialized training required to lead such an endeavor. This course is offered every other spring semester.
Theory and Practice of Experiential Education (Min 250)
3 Credits
The theory and practice of experiential education in its diverse forms has much to offer people attuned to non-traditional ministry. Comparing adventure education with traditional education, this class explores the non-traditional education form and its wide spread usage in colleges, camps, and retreat facilities. Students are discipled according to their needs as content specific to adventure education ministry is described and lived by our class. The required weekend retreat is the foundational experience and is utilized for reflection and growth. This class studies components of experiential education history, modalities, adventure education philosophy and effective Christian ministry. It includes practical pieces of how to develop, administer, and conduct experiential activities for classrooms, youth groups, retreats, and camps. Alternative grading feedback processes are used and creative projects. Group presentations, reflection papers, and a final project is required providing hand-on experience designing and implementing an experiential learning activity.
Challenge Course Facilitation and Ministry (Min 253)
3 Credits
This class will develop in students the ability to assess a group's need, to design a challenge course experience, and facilitate the necessary experience for growth. Facilitation of adventure education forces one to examine his/her struggles and strengths in regards to ministry. Knowing oneself allows the student to utilize challenge course initiatives (team and low challenges) in ministry contexts to illuminate and connect learners to truth. Technical skills of belaying and specific techniques of challenge courses will be taught. Emphasis will be placed on safety protocols. A Christian perspective of adventure education facilitation is discussed and comparison is made between four widely held facilitation styles/philosophies in Christian adventure education. Students can expect to receive training in leading experiences from beginning to end of low & high challenge course items that they can, in turn, utilize immediately for ministries they are serving. Students will apprentice with Pisgah Program facilitators as they practice skills learned in the semester.
