Course Description
Loving one’s neighbor is difficult when whole communities are struggling to thrive. This course provides an overview of best practices and critical competencies for community development, with a Christian theological lens. The ideal candidates for this certificate are Christians who are working, or aspire to work, in partnership with their local communities to meet needs, establish a common vision for what it means to thrive, and execute strategies.
This course prepares you to serve your community in order to better love your neighbor through a combination of reading, writing assignments, integration and application.
Course Outcome
Students will learn how to understand and communicate the context in which they serve.
Students will learn best practices in community development.
Students will learn how to integrate theology with community development.
These students should demonstrate some prior experience with community development, ministry, or leadership in the community.
This course can also be combined with the BGU certificates in Economic Development and Peacemaking & Storytelling to make you eligible for the capstone Economic Peacemaking certificate.
Certificate Course Details
Cost | $500 |
Prerequisite Requirements | None. |
Time | 50 hours over 10 or more weeks. |
Instruction Method | Online Learning Platform and Zoom Meeting. |
Level of Instructor Involvement | Self-directed and self-guided, a combination of reading and writing assignments. Regular instructor feedback on your writing assignments and two Zoom Meetings. |
Credit | No academic credit. |
Facilitator - Dr. Brian Humphreys
Dr. Humphreys did not begin his career thinking he would become interested in economics and economic development. He was focused on ministry and loving his neighbors. However, responding to the pain and opportunities he encountered in the community kept bringing him back to living wage jobs and economic opportunity as a common denominator. A good job is often required to realize the community’s vision for itself or complement other community efforts. His career focused on connecting people with local living wage jobs and advocating for systems that create more living wage opportunities. Over the last 15 years, his work has included international economic development to help reinforce the cacao industry, building a financial literacy program in partnership with a credit union, becoming a certified financial coach, and creating and leading many community economic development and workforce development initiatives in his region. He developed and launched a master’s degree in community economic development, and this certificate curriculum includes his recently released book about economic peacemaking, The Wages of Peace.