Alan Siggelkow

A list of satellite courses offered by Prof. Alan Siggelkow:

Issues in Pastoral Counseling
The course explores the tension between secular counseling and Law/Gospel pastoral counseling. It presents repentance, forgiveness, and hope in pastoral counseling. Instruction and examples in the use of questioning in applying Scripture to case situations are offered

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 6-10

Counseling Members Suffering From Addiction
This course explores the following issues: the discussion about whether or not alcoholism isa sin or a disease, different current theories of dependency, what feelings dependent people have about church, the 12 step approach, special challenges Christians face who are dependent, repentance and the persistent drinker or abuser, special needs of the children and spouse of the abuser, pastoral counseling of the abuser and his or her family system, various current methods of treatment and the comparison of them to Law/Gospel pastoral counseling, offering hope to the substance abuser. Practical and effective ways of confronting those addicted to or abusing alcohol, intervention tools, and Bible-based counseling techniques will be demonstrated and learned. Training will be given to help the pastor minister to those suffering from eating disorders and addictions to drugs other than alcohol.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 10

Twentieth Century Ecumenism and its Impact on the Doctrine of Justification
A study of the history of the ecumenical movement in the United States and the world is followed by a review of the Synodical Conference as an ecumenical movement. There is a concentration on the dialogue between ELCA representatives and the Roman Catholic Church which resulted in the declaration of the late 1990s. Primary source documents are important resources to this class. An outline of the history of the ecumenical movement in the twentieth century is presented followed by the reading and discussion of various primary source documents that are pertinent to the study of the doctrines involved in the ecumenical dialogues that are highlighted. There is a concentration upon the doctrine of justification and how the ecumenical movement has changed the way the denominations involved in ecumenism teach justification.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 6-10

The Ministry and the Law of the Land
This course will study the responsibilities of WELS congregations and schools, from leadership to lay volunteers, in understanding and upholding the laws of the United States and various individual states. Scripture study will focus on Church and State relations, followed by a brief look at the history of Church and State issues in the church and in America and recent trends and challenges that are of concern to the sovereignty of our ministry. We will address contemporary liability issues and risks WELS congregations and schools face that can be eliminated through policies and procedures or mitigated through insurance coverage. Special emphasis will be given to legal and ethical issues regarding pastoral counseling, documentation and record-keeping, subpoenaed documents, testifying in court, confidentiality and privileged communication, procedures for recruiting and background screening of workers and volunteers, and mandatory reporting. This course will be as practical as possible and reinforced with case studies. We will attempt to address any specific concerns and questions that individual congregations and schools may raise during the course week or in follow up. Resource materials will include sample policies and procedures, risk evaluation tools and recommended reference materials for libraries. School principals, teachers, pastors, and staff ministers will benefit from taking this interactive course. The student will be provided with a digital library of pertinent state and federal laws.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 10

Pastoral Leadership: Planning, Organizing, and Working With Census Demographics
This course seeks to answer these questions: What makes a pastoral leader? How does he plan? How does he train others to be leaders in his congregation? What is the role of the pastoral leader in providing godly goals and vision for the congregation? How does he communicate those godly goals to the members and lay workers in his congregation? What are the advantages and disadvantages of various organizational structures for a congregation? How is the US Census a valuable tool for the pastor and his congregation in understanding his neighborhood? How can census demographics serve as another tool to help a pastor and a congregation proclaim the Gospel in the congregation’s neighborhood? Participants are encouraged to bring their congregation’s demographics to the course and to make immediate application to their ministry.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 6-10

Pastoral Leadership Training For Small Spiritual Support Groups
Today’s pastor will be exposed to support groups in one form or another. Some will have members involved in support groups outside of their church, while others may look at developing their own spiritual group. It is important to understand how support groups work. This course is designed to be informative and experiential. The student will be equipped with a better understanding of the dynamics of a small group and will have a foundation to draw upon for starting a small spiritual support group. The course is taught as a small Christian support group.

SQ course: 15 hours
PI course: 6-10