NACOS 2025 Sessions
NACOS 2025 Summer Sessions
NACOS 124: Transformative Leadership
Course Description: TBA
Instructor: Michelle Oberwise Lacock
Online Sessions: June 16 - July 3rd, 2025
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TBA
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TBA
NACOS 522: Theology in the Contemporary Church
Course Description: This course covers significant individuals, movements, events, and theological developments from the nineteenth century to the present in light of GBHEM goals.
Class Prerequisite Courses: NACOS 100/200, 322 & 422
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Jerome R. (Jerry) DeVine
Online Sessions: June 16 - July 3rd, 2025
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At the end of this course, Students will be able to:
Explore the current theological situation with an eye to joining tradition and innovation and responding to the realities of our time. The Reformation is always reforming and we need a theology as lively as the world in which we live.
Understand the origins and theological tenets of theological liberalism from the early
19th century to the present, including its influence on ecumenism and process theology.
Understand and distinguish reactions to liberalism, including Fundamentalism, and Neo‐Orthodoxy, and Evangelicalism. Also exploring current trends toward white Christian nationalism in the U.S.
Understand the historical development and theology of the Holiness Movement, Pentecostalism, and the Charismatic Movement.
Understand the origins and tenets of Liberation, Environmental, Feminist and Contextual Theologies
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To give the student an awareness of the major themes that the Church dealt with in the modern era. To help the student to begin to grapple with “post-modern” Christianity. To aid the student in beginning to envision what the Church may look like in the 21st century. To have the student encounter non-Western expressions of Christianity. To invite the student to deepen their own theological development.
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Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. 4th Edition. Daniel Migliore. Eerdmans Press. 2023
Note: Additional required texts, reading and online sources will be in final syllabus.
NACOS 2025 Fall Sessions - Wesley Woods - Dowling, Michigan
These courses will be hybrid courses with both in person and zoom classes. Registration is now open. These classes will occur from September 21 - September 26, 2025.
NACOS 223: Worship and Sacraments
Class Sessions: September 22-23, 2025
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Jerome (Jerry) DeVine, mustangrev2018@gmail.com, (810) 247-7601
Prerequisite Courses: NACOS 121 & 122
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1. Gain a basic understanding of the history of worship and the development and practice of worship in American Methodism and be able to articulate a theology of worship consistent with Wesleyan tradition
2. Examine the historical and theological grounding and practical application of the church year 3. Reflect upon worship practices, including but not limited to worship order, corporate prayer, traditional and non-traditional liturgies, the use of multi-media, lay involvement, cultural diversity, and music
4. Respectfully incorporate Native American cultural understandings and symbols within U.M. worship.
5. Examine the theology and practice of the Sacraments
6. Interpret theologically the rites of Christian Marriage and of Death and Resurrection and other occasional services and their application
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TBA
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Robin Knowles Wallace, The Christian Year: A Guide for Worship and Preaching
Hoyt Hickman, Worshipping with United Methodists: A Guide for Pastors and Church Leaders
Richard Twiss, One Church, Many Tribes
Felton, Cayle Carlton Felton. This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion. Nashville: 2005. [Discipleship Ministries | This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist… ]ISBN: 0-88177-457-X
Felton, Gayle C. By Water and the Spirit: Making Connections for Identity and Ministry. [ Discipleship Ministries | By Water and the Spirit - Full Text… ]Nashville: 2002. ISBN: 0-88177-201-1
NACOS 321 Bible III: Gospels
Class Sessions: September 22-23, 2025
Instructors: Rev. Carol Lakota Eastin, lakotaeastin@gmail.com, (217) 722-4731 & Rev. Victor Long, victor@mountvernonfirst.rg
Prerequisite Courses: NACOS 121, 122 & 221
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-Before arriving--
Read Powell, Introducing the New Testament, pgs 11-203
Scan read Murphy’s, An Introduction to Jesus and the Gospels
LISTEN to the First Nations Version: GOSPEL of MARK
LISTEN to the First Nations Version: GOSPEL OF JOHN
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1. Understand the origin, message, and purpose of each Gospel.
2. Exegete this form of literature.
3. Apply exegesis to preaching, other pastoral responsibilities, and issues of the present day.
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1, Bible (NRSV, NRSVue, NIV, NASB95, or ESV translation)
(preferable is a good study bible with notes)
2. First Nations Version of the New Testament, Intervarsity Press
PRINT copy and AUDIBLE version
3. Allen Powell, Introducing the New Testament.
4. Frederick Murphy, An Introduction to Jesus and the Gospels
5. Steven Charleston The Four Vision Quests of Jesus
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The Common English Bible (New Testament)
Marcus J. Borg Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time
William H. Willimon Why Jesus?
The New Interpreters Bible Volumes 8 and 9.
Matthew Mark Luke & John Side by Side or The Gospel Parallels
NACOS 324: Preaching
Class Sessions: September 24-25, 2025
Prerequisite Courses: NACOS 121 & 122
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TBA
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TBA
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TBA
NACOS 524: Theological Reflection/Practice of Ministry
Class Sessions: September 24-25, 2025
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Jerome (Jerry) DeVine, mustangrev2018@gmail.com, (810) 247-7601
Prerequisite Courses: Students should have completed at least 16 courses to be eligible for this class
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This course is the culmination of the student’s basic course of study and experience in ministry. Its focus is the integration of the biblical, theological, and practical aspects of ministry.
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Students will have the opportunity to:
1. Articulate what they have learned over their years in COS and pastoral ministry about pastoral identity, practices of ministry and the knowledge/skills needed for ministry.
2. State clearly the mission of the Church and how it relates to pastoral ministry.
3. Articulate a Trinitarian theology for the practice of ministry.
4. Develop a plan for continued growth.
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Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry, by Will Willimon
Introducing the Practice of Ministry, by Kathleen Cahalan
Attentive to God: Thinking Theologically in Ministry, by Ellen Blue and Charles Wood
Coming Full Circle: Constructing Native Christian Theology, editors: Steven Charleston and Elaine A. Robinson [select one chapter for this course]
How to Sign Up for a NACOS Course
Step 1
Select Course(s) by clicking on the “Register” button(s). Each click will add a $75 registration fee to your Cart.
Step 2
Click on the Pay COS xxx Tuition button. A $300 Course Fee will be added to your Cart.
All students must have DS and Registrar approval signatures, even if they are returning students. Follow all instructions on the form.
Step 3
Go to the Cart and Checkout.*
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History
In response to needs identified by members of the West Michigan Indian Workers Conference, and a Racial Ethnic Task Force report of 1998, serious conversation about starting a Native American Course of Study was begun. Classes began in the Spring of 2003.
Content
The intent is to make pastoral training economically accessible, culturally interpreted, contextually relevant and communally comfortable for those attending the class. A typical course includes: Two four-day sessions, reading texts and preparing papers prior to class, interactive sessions with dialogue, field application and feedback that will include some written and oral work.
Who May Attend
Our mission is to educate and train Native American local pastors in the United Methodist Church. The school uniquely prepares students to work cross-culturally in a variety of settings. In addition to Native Americans, NACOS is open to pastors of all races/ethnicities serving Native American people within their congregations and communities, as well as those pastors responding to a call to work in Native American Ministries.
Accreditation
This school is an extension school of the Course of Study School of Ohio at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. It is under the accreditation of the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education, and has been approved as a national school, accredited for both the basic and advanced course of study. Although a course of study does not terminate in a degree, classes are accredited and can be applied toward a seminary degree.
An Extension of Methodist Theological School of Ohio
A Course of Study Program Under the accreditation of the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education