MCS’s Competencies
Biblical & Theological Literacy
Biblical and theological Literacy is demonstrated by skilled interpretation of scripture and evaluation of theological issues in order to articulate how to think, live, and minister in light of who God is, who God’s people are, and God’s purposes for the world.
Skilled interpretation of the Old and New Testaments requires a thorough understanding of the diverse socio-historical contexts, canonical contexts, and genres of these literary collections. By considering these various aspects of biblical exegesis, interpreters recognize how each book of the Bible bears unique witness to the identity of God, God’s people, and God’s purposes. Correspondingly, as exegetes read different parts of the Bible with increasing mastery, they will become proficient at tracing central themes that unfold throughout Scripture.
Theological literacy that is grounded in the Christian scriptures enables one to understand the theological basis for historical orthodoxy, and accurately interpret and critically evaluate theological issues in history, the church, and the world. This allows one to articulate clearly one’s own theological positions and the reasons for holding to them, including positions regarding theological issues where there is no historical consensus.
Attention to biblical and theological literacy equips believers to find themselves in God’s story—to discover who God is and who they are in light of God’s purposes—so that they can discern how to think, live, and minister in present-day contexts. This provides a healthy foundation for Christian discipleship; a basis from which to distinguish between truth and error so that the church can come to full maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Spiritual Maturity
Spiritual maturity is demonstrated by participating in and modeling a vibrant relationship with the triune God, practicing core spiritual disciplines, exercising spiritual gifts for the benefit of others, and remaining committed to lifelong spiritual formation, resulting in ever-increasing Christ-likeness.
Spiritual maturity must be holistic in nature, rooted first in a living, growing relationship with the triune God, thereby nurturing the whole person. Abiding in Christ transforms the believer in character, emotion, ethic and worldview, the results of which are evident to those both within and outside of the Body of Christ.
Because the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all as the Spirit wills, it is clear that to be in Christ means also to be available for his service. Spiritual maturity discerns the proper, healthy balance between the disciplines (as mechanisms for the receipt of God’s grace) and the gifts (as dispensers of God’s grace into a hurting world).
To be Christ-like is to manifest the fruit of the Spirit consisting of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control. Mature saints show perseverance in discipleship and commitment to continual growth such that over time they better reflect the image of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit.
Because the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all as the Spirit wills, it is clear that to be in Christ means also to be available for his service. Spiritual maturity discerns the proper, healthy balance between the disciplines (as mechanisms for the receipt of God’s grace) and the gifts (as dispensers of God’s grace into a hurting world).
To be Christ-like is to manifest the fruit of the Spirit consisting of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control. Mature saints show perseverance in discipleship and commitment to continual growth such that over time they better reflect the image of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit.
Ministry Development
Ministry development is demonstrated by a capacity for advancing ministries with an awareness and use of effective ministry models for engaging with and equipping others in worship, witness, discipleship, care, and service to the world.
Advancing ministries begins with the church’s vision to participate in the Kingdom of God. That vision includes either the adoption of existing ministry models, programs, practices, and strategies, or the creation of inventive and healthy endeavors.
The adoption or creation of effective ministry models and the related ministries and strategies includes awareness, alertness, and appropriate discernment of contextual fit within church, para-church, or marketplace settings, and the public sphere more broadly.
Ministry developers exercise a facility for engaging with and equipping others. Key relational components include caring, discipling, training, mentoring, modelling, encouraging, serving, resourcing, blessing, listening, coaching, recruiting, praying, delegating, empowering, and team building. The goal is to see individuals and ministries flourish as they are encouraged, equipped, and positioned to multiply the effectiveness of the Kingdom of God on earth.
Ministry development in general is intended to be all encompassing and holistic in nature. It includes worship and all its related components such as ordinances, music,and prayer; witness as demonstrated through good deeds and outreach; discipleship by way of the many and various spiritual disciplines; care for one another,family, neighbors, work associates; and service to the world through vocational work, community involvement, and missional engagement.
Leadership & Administration
Leadership and administration is demonstrated by a capacity for influencing and collaborating with others to execute a vision, and is marked by godly character in servant leadership, self-awareness, and comprehension of organizational leadership theories and practices.
Competent leaders and administrators will influence and foster collaboration with individuals and teams. They will accomplish this by enlisting, equipping, and holding others to account to execute a vision, complete a project, or carry out an event. They will use planning and management skills to keep an organization functioning effectively. Further, they will be confident to participate on and perhaps lead a governing body (e.g., community or church board; council) and be aware of basic governance structures and role expectations (e.g., chair, CEO/pastor, member, committee member).
MCS’s leadership and administration competency is patterned after Christ’s model of leadership through godly character as expressed by other-centered servant leadership.
To lead others, competent leaders and administrators will demonstrate self-leadership and, in their place of service, self-awareness in areas of psychology, personality, work style, emotional intelligence, and leadership strengths and limitations.
Competent leaders and administrators will comprehend organizational leadership theories and practices, demonstrate capacity to cast a compelling vision consistent with an organization’s mission, plan strategy,and establish or align with organizational values to guide behaviours in executing the vision. They will also develop policies to reinforce strategy, steward financial and personnel resources to see the strategy and vision to completion, and assess ongoing results for healthy organizational change and growth. Finally, they will ably reformulate general leadership practices to apply to ministry contexts.
Competent leaders and administrators will comprehend organizational leadership theories and practices, demonstrate capacity to cast a compelling vision consistent with an organization’s mission, plan strategy,and establish or align with organizational values to guide behaviours in executing the vision. They will also develop policies to reinforce strategy, steward financial and personnel resources to see the strategy and vision to completion, and assess ongoing results for healthy organizational change and growth. Finally, they will ably reformulate general leadership practices to apply to ministry contexts.
Skilled Communication
Skilled communication is demonstrated by the purposeful attention to and use of language, voice, imagery, bodily presence, and multimedia tools to discern meaning and to convey clear and effective messages to an audience
Rooted in growing spiritual maturity, purposeful communication aims to be respectful, charitable, truthful,and discerning in order to live with others in harmony. It also aims to give gifts of grace to others by first seeking to understand,and then expressing ourselves.
To communicate one coordinates the words of a language, spoken or written, along with voice, body movement, dress, imagery, and multimedia tools to bring ideas and impressions into meaningful relationship for the benefit of an audience.
To discern meaning, one engages in listening, reading, or viewing to understand the other as he or she wishes to be heard, using imagination and reason to experience and examine the perspective of the other, and seeking clarification when necessary and possible.
When one conveys clear and effective messages, he or she evokes a desired change or impression in the hearts and minds on an audience.One ensures the style of language is appropriate for the context, composed correctly, and aligned with whatever additional vocal, physical, and visual signals are used so that the message is coherent, consistent, credible, and complete, and its presentation is organized and aesthetically pleasing.
The skilled communicator adapts to the opportunities and constraints dictated by the time, place, medium, and background of his or her audience. Having established a clear purpose (e.g., to teach or entertain), one considers the best means of presenting a message so that it resonates with and responds to the needs, values, and expectations of the various members of the audience.This assures them that the communicator’s credibility warrants audience’s trust in the message.
Contextual Awareness
Contextual awareness is demonstrated by a maturing orthodox Christian worldview, a healthy self-understanding, and engagement of people and cultures with wisdom and discernment.
A maturing orthodox Christian worldview is a biblical framework of ideas, beliefs, and commitments through which a Christian individual, group, or culture interprets and interacts with the world and ultimate reality. It is nurtured and pruned through relationship with the triune God and reliance on the authority of Scripture, within a Christ-centered community. One expresses a maturing orthodox Christian worldview through increasing cognitive understanding of the worldview’s suppositions and growth in Christ-like action, and deepening emotive commitment to God.
A healthy self-understanding is grounded in the recognition that one is made in the image of the God. From this identity, one evaluates his or her own thought processes and assesses personality, character, strengths and weaknesses, and successes and failures. Through this process one aims to mature in his or her identity and ability to relate with and contribute to family, church, community, nation, and the world with emotional intelligence.
Contextual awareness enhances our ability to engage with and respond to people and cultures in a Christ-like manner. This is cultivated through thinking critically about how human nature, socio-historical events and trends, meta narratives, philosophies, and worldviews contribute to interpersonal and cultural dynamics; discovering how and why others think and live differently; and considering how Jesus would have his disciples speak and act in response. Through this cultivation one learns to recognize and respond to people and cultures with grace by practicing biblical justice and sacrificial service, speaking God’s truth, and loving and listening to one’s neighbour.
Contextual awareness enhances our ability to engage with and respond to people and cultures in a Christ-like manner. This is cultivated through thinking critically about how human nature, socio-historical events and trends, meta narratives, philosophies, and worldviews contribute to interpersonal and cultural dynamics; discovering how and why others think and live differently; and considering how Jesus would have his disciples speak and act in response. Through this cultivation one learns to recognize and respond to people and cultures with grace by practicing biblical justice and sacrificial service, speaking God’s truth, and loving and listening to one’s neighbour.