Syllabus

Self Management and Prayer 

Course Description:

The foundation of good leadership is the reality that a leader needs to manage or lead him or herself. How well one practices self-management often defines the extent to which one is able to lead a group or organization.

Healthy self-management produces a healthy balance between serving and receiving, and between ministry and life. Through the practices of setting priorities and developing vision, every day activities will not become burdensome, and long-term goals will be more easily reached. Self-discipline and self-control enable a leader to keep his or her feelings and emotions in check, instead of being ruled by them.

Course Objectives:

Students should understand

• time management—design and follow a weekly time plan
• work life balance (strength diagram)—to analyze and develop usable action steps
• biblical principles for church ministry work—describe biblical principles for church service, and incorporate these in one’s self management plan
• developing priorities, decision-making process—learn and describe different models of priority management, and decision-making; apply these models to one’s personal management situation
• vision development—develop a vision statement, recognizing and using appropriate management tools
• bearing consequences of choices—recognize and describe consequences and dangers inherent in choices that one makes
• foundations of spiritual leadership—develop and articulate the definition of the foundations of spiritual leadership
• discovery, discernment, and reflection
• the power of positive habits and rituals—describe and defend the power of positive habits and rituals, using practical examples
• self-discipline and self-control—describe and apply the potential of self-discipline of one’s own feelings and emotions
• fundamentals of leading other people
• planning and communication—acquire the ability to effectively plan both projects and one’s personal life

Acquired Skills:

Students should be able to

• develop weekly schedule for the duration of the course; note divergences from schedule (10 hours)
• formulate life vision (10 hours)
• develop project plan for one project, execute and assess (10 hours)
• develop and execute priority plan for the duration of the course; document incidents of success and unsuccess, as well as the effort required to follow plan (5 hours)
• cultivate one new positive habit (10 hours)

Preparatory or Course-Related Assignments for Students (10 hours):

Reading of the compulsory literature

Content of the Course (20 hours):

1. The Big Picture 
2. The Small Steps
3. Withstanding Everyday Life 
4. Shaping Life as a Whole 
5. Dealing with Finances 

Performance Record (10 hours):

1. Study required for final examination: (8 hours)
2. Final examination: open-book essay (2 hours)

Compulsory Reading (20 hours):

Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes

Homework Break down

1. Part 1 and Part 2
2. Part 3
3. Part 4
4. Part 5 and Part 6

Further Reading:

• Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill
• Praying by J.I. Packer
• The Hidden Life of Prayer by David McIntyre

Composition of the Final Grade:

Class participation (30%)

Reading assignments (30%)

Written exam (40%)

Summary Time Statement: