Director of Christian Outreach (DCO) Program

Individuals desiring to be certified to the public ministry as Director of Christian Outreach in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod are prepared for full-time outreach service for the church. The primary function of the DCO is to stimulate, mobilize and support outreach efforts and educate and train people in evangelism and mission. A DCO works in either congregational-based outreach ministries (cross-culturally and same culture contexts) and in mission contexts in the United States and around the world. A DCO works in a team ministry setting under the supervision of a pastor or missionary and with members of a congregation, circuit, district or mission organization.

Academic Requirements

To be certified as a Director of Christian Outreach, the student completes the following academic requirements:

Course of Study

1. General Education requirements
2. Minor in Confessional Lutheranism
3. Christian Outreach Major in either Parish/Cross cultural or Translation/Literacy.

Prerequisites:
For the Parish/Cross-cultural Track:

COM205

Group Communication and Facilitation

For Both Parish Cross/Cultural and Bible Translation/Literacy Track:

RLG350

Religions of the World (fulfills GenEd Requirement)

4

Required: (23 credits)

THY280	Personal Witnessing	2
THY281	Principles of Christian Outreach	4
THY371	Mission of God	4
THY381	Congregational Outreach	4
THY382	Assimilation Ministries	3
THY473	Cross-cultural Outreach	4
THY495	All Within the Context of the Christian Gospel	2

Track: (select one of the following)

Christian Outreach Major Track

RLG350	Religions of the World	4
THY372	Life and Work on the Mission Field	2
THY461	Worship and Witness	2
THY480	Rural, Suburban, Urban Outreach	3
THY481	Christian Response: Religions of World	2

Electives (6cr): Choose 6 credits from the following courses:

RLG459	Studies in Religion and Society	2
PHI341	Major Systems in Philosophy	4
THY331	Seminar I Theology	4
THY409	Studies in Biblical Theology	2

Parish/Cross Cultural Track (leads to DCO certification) (21 credits)

DCO361	Intro to the Role of a DCO	2
PEA316	Leadership I	4
PEA401	Teaching the Faith Across theLifespan	4
THY366	Outreach Practicum-Parish	2
THY367	Outreach Practicum-Cross Cultural	2
THY461	Worship and Witness	2
THY480	Rural, Suburban, Urban Outreach	3
THY481	Christian Response: Religions of World	2

Bible Translation/Literacy Track (leads to DCO Certification) (21-22 credits)
"L" courses from Summer Institute of Linguistics

L450	Articulatory Phonetics	2
L452	Syntax and Morphology I	4
L470	Introduction to Sociolinguistics	1
L480	Second Language Acquisition	2
DCO361	Intro to the Role of a DCO	2
THY372	Life and Work on the Mission Field	2

Emphasis (select one of the following emphasis):

Translation Courses (Choose 8 credits)

GRK211	Beginning Greek I	4
GRK212	Beginning Greek II	4
HBR311	Biblical Hebrew I	4
HBR312	Biblical Hebrew II	4

Literacy Courses (Choose 7-8 credits):

COM309	Intercultural Communication	4
ED290	Language and Society	4
ED366	Educational Psychology	2
ED340	Linguistics for Language Teachers	4
ED342	Teaching Literacy	3

MINOR: Christian Outreach
22-24 credits

Required: 16 credits

THY280	Personal Witnessing	2
THY281	Principles of Christian Outreach	4
THY371	Mission of God	4
THY381	Congregational Outreach	4
THY495	All Within Context of Christian Gospel	2

Electives: 6-8 credits (choose 6-8 credits from the following courses):

RLG350	Religions of the World	4
THY372	Life and Work on the Mission Field	2
THY382	Assimilation Ministries	3
THY461	Worship and Witness	2
THY473	Cross-cultural Outreach	4
THY480	Rural, Suburban, Urban Outreach	3
THY481	Christian Response: Religions of World	2

Internship

All students admitted to the program and desiring to be certified as DCOs must complete a full-time, supervised internship experience. This learning/service experience extends from 9-12 months and is normally taken after completion of the junior year. A student will normally be approved for an internship when s/he has:

1. successfully completed the entrance interview.
2. maintained a cumulative 2.50 GPA.
3. successfully completed RLG203, RLG206, RLG303, and THY330, THY341, THY421.
4. successfully completed THY281, THY366, THY367, THY371, and THY381, and an additional eight other credits from the major (a student intending to serve in a cross-cultural internship should also complete THY473, a student intending to serve in an overseas internship should complete THY372).