Academic Catalog: Outdoor Leadership
Wilderness ministry and adventure programming are a means of getting people into a setting of intentional, intense, experiential education. God’s creation becomes the classroom, a laboratory for learning, where lives can be transformed as individuals are pushed to their limit physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. God used the wilderness in the lives of Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, Jesus, and others as key to their spiritual formation, training, and call. Recognizing that this is still true today, Denver Seminary’s outdoor leadership courses teach students to plan, structure, administrate, lead, and facilitate wilderness ministry and adventure programming. Utilizing the Seminary’s campus, local wilderness programming agencies, and the Colorado backcountry, courses are taught by experienced professionals, utilizing both classroom based instruction (in the outdoor leadership courses found below) and experiential, in the field training (in the adventure programming courses found in the youth and family ministries course descriptions). Course work in both departments focuses on the soft and meta skills of outdoor leadership and includes a missional, cross-cultural emphasis.
OL 500 Introduction to Wilderness Ministry
A practical course designed to introduce students to the theology, philosophy, and methodology of utilizing wilderness settings in Christian ministry. Students will explore this subject through readings, instruction, discussion, and most importantly, through guided experiential involvement in the
OL 501 Biblical, Theological, and Philosophical Foundations of Outdoor Leadership
This course introduces students to a practical theology of wilderness journey, a biblical perspective on the practice of outdoor leadership, a biblical approach to the implementation of experiential learning in the outdoor leadership setting, a philosophy of wilderness ministry, and the Bible’s unique perspective on outdoor leadership theory. Course reading, class discussions, and course assignments will focus on the wilderness context and adventure programming as a primary location for spiritual formation and leadership development. Three hours.
OL 503 Outdoor Leadership Organization and Management
This course explores biblical leadership principles of organizational management. Students will gain an understanding of the theology of leadership and develop a personal philosophy on how to integrate their own leadership qualities into outdoor program administration. Students will integrate scripturally based leadership ideology in the areas of leadership styles, decision-making, program design and development, and management as well as develop an understanding of how to start an outdoor/adventure program. Three hours.
OL 601 Stewardship in Creation: Theology and Outdoor Practice
This course introduces students to a biblically informed theology of creation and its stewardship, discovering the rich Christian tradition of caring for creation, understanding how impacts to creation can disproportionately affect the poor, and developing a better informed apologetic concerning contemporary environmental issues. Two hours.
OL 602 Adventure Ministry in Cross-Cultural Contexts
This course is a study of the use of wilderness and adventure in cross-cultural contexts, with special attention given to the biblical/theological rationale and cross-cultural sensitivity required for design and implementation. The focus is on wilderness and adventure as the means and the context for evangelism, discipleship, spiritual formation, leadership development, and mission in both local and global cross-cultural contexts. Two hours.
OL 650 Outdoor Leadership Practicum
This is an advanced, field-based course providing opportunities for students to gain meaningful life-on-life training to increase their outdoor leadership experience, competencies, and vocational fitness. A seven-day wilderness trip in the Wind River Range of Wyoming will provide opportunities for each student to learn and apply the soft- and meta-skills required of professional leaders of wilderness and adventure programs. Knowledge and skills include experiential learning models; designing, setting up, implementing, and debriefing adventure activities; risk management; Christian environmental stewardship; incorporating spiritual formation activities; and effective outdoor leadership. Students can also expect challenging scenarios, opportunity for encounters with God, practice of spiritual disciplines, solo time, and character development. Reading and writing requirements will augment experiential learning. All needed equipment, clothing, food, and transportation are provided. Limited to 12 students. Prerequisite: OL 501 Biblical, Theological, and Philosophical Foundations of Outdoor Leadership or professor approval. Two hours.
OL 670 Adventure Ministry Leadership and Programming
A practical course designed to teach students about the theology, philosophy, methodology, and potential outcomes of adventure programming ministry. In addition to classroom-based instruction, students experience first-hand many of the adventure experiences presented, including ropes course participation, rock climbing, rappelling, sea kayaking, and backpacking. The class is not exhaustive but instead provides a general overview of adventure programming along with an in-depth look at a number of activities that are most effective and available. Two hours.
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