ORG716: Leadership in Diverse and Under-Resourced Communities

Instructor & Contact Information

The People tab in Canvas provides information on the course instructor and you can send a message to your instructor following these instructions. Faculty are expected to: 1) grade and return assignments, with feedback, within 7 days from the date of submission; 2) reply to your Canvas messages within 72 hours; 3) reply several times each week in total in the discussion forums (not to each individual student); and 4) demonstrate the core values of City Vision University.

Course Description

This course covers traditional Christian leadership development theory as well as providing a survey of theories on leadership. The first part of the course focuses on life reflection within a Christian context in order to develop a philosophy of ministry.  The last part of this course focuses on how to lead effectively in organizations serving in diverse and under-resourced communities and to develop strategies to improve the representation of women and people of color in leadership.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Reflect on your leadership journey according to traditional Christian leadership development theory.
2. Create a philosophy of ministry and leadership integrating personal experience with key concepts from this course.
3. Construct a leadership toolkit for new supervisors in an organization by applying leadership theories.
4. Develop a plan for expanding your own cross-cultural leadership ability.
5. Use systems thinking to develop a plan that includes personal, physical, cultural and organizational aspects of their own leadership development.
6. Design a plan for an organization to increase the representation of women and people of color in leadership.
7. Synthesize a major doctoral project combining theoretical and practical research related to leadership specifically for your context.

Degree Program Outcomes

This course supports the following program outcomes, marked with an (I) for Introduce, (D) for Develop and an (M) for Mastery.

1. 1. Research methods. Apply action research methods to practical research topics in the field.
   2. Diffusion of Innovation. Utilize technology and relational networking to help diffuse innovations within a community of practice.
   3. Values Alignment. To develop a theological vision and to align your organization's strategy, culture and systems with that vision to avoid secularization and mission drift.
   4. Strategy. To develop a synthesis to integrate a wide range of business skills into a strategic plan for starting or growing an organization.
   5. Social Entrepreneurship. Develop strategies and plans to effectively use technology and innovation to achieve organizational goals.
   6. Action Research Project. Synthesize action research with theory and practice to solve a practical challenge facing your organization and/or the larger field.

Concentration Outcomes

• 7a. Executive Leadership & Fundraising. Develop and implement plans to grow an organization in its impact, financial health and relational health. (M)
• 7b. Nonprofit Program Leadership & Social Entrepreneurship. Improve the effectiveness of nonprofit programs by implementing best practices.
• 7c. Education Leadership and Innovation. Apply disruptive and continuous innovation principles to designing courses and programs to provide radically affordable and practical online education.
• 7d. Organizational Culture and Change Management. Develop and implement plans to improve organizational health and adapt to change. (M)
• 7e. Trauma-Informed Counseling Management. Develop and implement plans to establish trauma-informed culture of health throughout an organization

Broad Institutional Outcomes

• I1. Knowledge (Head). Apply a wide range of tools to help solve society’s great problems by shifting from a single lens/tool/discipline to a multiple lens, multifaceted Biblical understanding of reality. (D)
• I2. Skills (Hands). Develop the skills you need for the next position in your development as a leader by shifting from mastery & understanding of a division in an organization to a comprehensive systemic mastery/understanding needed to lead across the organization. (D)
• I3. Attitudes/Character (Heart). Develop the character and discipline needed to step into greater leadership roles by losing the bias of your old position to gain a broader perspective and intellectual humility needed to accelerate your commitment to lifelong learning. (D)

Required Texts

Students are required to purchase these texts before the first day of classes. 

• Clinton, R. (2012). The Making of a Leader, Second Edition: Recognizing the Lessons and Stages of Leadership Development (Rev Upd edition). NavPress. ISBN: 978-1612910750

• Daft, R. L. (2022). The Leadership Experience (8th edition). Cengage Learning. ISBN: 978-0357716302

Pick One Text as Your Third Required Book

In the first half of this course we focus primarily on “majority culture” models on leadership from  academic and Christian perspectives. In the second half of this course, we will focus increasingly on effective leadership that supports women leaders, people of color and those serving and coming from under-resourced communities. To support the diversity of interests of students in this course, we are allowing students to pick their own book to read for the last half of this course. 

You can pick from the following book suggestions or you can suggest your own. If you suggest your own, your instructor will need to ensure that it meets the course objective to “improve your leadership capacity in general and specifically in serving in diverse and under-resourced communities." You cannot pick a book that you have read prior to this course. 

Recommended Books on Race & Ethnicity

• Healing Racial Trauma
  • Rowe, S. W., & Rah, S.-C. (2020). Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience. IVP Books.
• Latino/a Christian
  • Crespo, O. (2009). Being Latino in Christ: Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity. IVP Books.
  • Rodriguez, D. A., & Ortiz, M. (2011). A Future for the Latino Church: Models for Multilingual, Multigenerational Hispanic Congregations. IVP Academic. 
• African American Christian
  • Ellis, C. F. (1996). Free at last?: The Gospel in the African-American experience. InterVarsity Press. 
• Multicultural Christian
  • Frazier, S. T. (2001). Check All That Apply: Finding Wholeness as a Multiracial Person (Print On Demand edition). IVP Books.
• Ethnic Identity Development for White Christians
  • Harris, P., & Schaupp, D. (2009). Being White: Finding Our Place in a Multiethnic World. IVP Books.
• Racial Awareness Discipleship for White Christians 
  • Swanson, D. W., & McNeil, B. S. (2020). Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity. IVP.
• Asian Christians
  • Yep, J., Cha, P., Tokunaga, P., Jao, G., & Riesen, S. C. V. (1998). Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents. IVP Books.
  • Tokunaga, P. (2003). Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders. IVP Books.
  • Georges, J., & Baker, M. D. (2016). Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures: Biblical Foundations and Practical Essentials. IVP Academic.

• Global Perspectives & Missions
  • Plueddemann, J. E. (2009). Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church (5899th edition). IVP Academic.
  • Elmer, D. (2006). Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility (2007 or Later Printing edition). IVP Books.
  • Elmer, D. (1993). Cross-Cultural Conflict: Building Relationships for Effective Ministry (unknown edition). IVP Academic.
• Additional Book Recommendations on Race & Ethnicity
• Additional Book Recommendations on Global Christianity

Recommended Books on Gender

• Coleman, K. (2010). 7 Deadly Sins of Women in Leadership (1 edition). Next Leadership Publishing. 
• Lederleitner, M. T. (2018). Women in God’s Mission: Accepting the Invitation to Serve and Lead. IVP Books. 
• Leach, T. B., & McKnight, S. (2017). Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry. IVP Books. 
• Tucker, R. A. (2016). Extraordinary Women of Christian History: What We Can Learn from Their Struggles and Triumphs. Baker Books. 
• Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House.
• Harts, M. (2019). The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. Seal Press.
• Strickland, D., & Goff, B. (2020). Better Together: How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future. Thomas Nelson.
• Kristof, N. D., & WuDunn, S. (2010). Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (Reprint edition). Vintage.
• Additional Book Recommendations on Gender

Guidelines for Written Work

All written work must follow our Writing Format and Forum Requirements. You must read these to understand how to cite sources appropriately.

Critical Policies to Read for This Course

Note: These policies are critical for all students to read. In case of change, we have linked to the versions on our website to make sure you have the latest version.

• Grading Scale 

• Deadlines to Drop Courses

• Attendance, Late Policy and Extensions

• Technology Requirements for Courses

• Standards of Academic Integrity & Plagiarism Policy

• What plagiarism is and how to avoid it 

• Credit Hour Policy, Grading Policy and Other Academic Policies

• ADA Policy, Learning Accommodations & Disabilities Services
• Student Code of Conduct
• Library Services

Additional Policies:

• Privacy Policy

• Consumer Disclosures
• Additional policies are listed in our catalog

This syllabus is subject to change without notice up until the first day of the semester. Last updated: November 25, 2025