Humanitarian Relief and Development

Acclimatizes new Evangel students to the University. As such, it serves as an intellectual and practical orientation to the challenges and opportunities of the University life and learning. Students are introduced to Evangel’s Christ-centered, integrational, exploratory, and global ethos. They build relationships with departmental contexts as well as across the campus. They are encouraged to understand that they are being prepared not only for a career but for life.

Examines the biblical foundations of compassion as an essential element of Christian faith. Topics include: how compassion relates to the people of God in the Old and New Testaments, a biblical approach to compassion within a clear Pentecostal framework and the survey of compassion in expression and thinking of believers today.

Presents the foundational principles and skills necessary to plan and conduct services for the four phases of disasters: Preparation, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. Emphasis includes the coordination of services between governmental, non-governmental, and religious-based organizations.

Explores practical and applied principles of relief and development to include disaster response and long-term sustainability efforts. topics include: practice of crisis intervention, rehabilitation and development, the role of the church in compassionate action and biblical justice.

Develops a biblical and practical understanding of conflict. Topics include:  conflict cycle, styles of conflict management, and intervention strategies for resolving conflict. Special focus is given to the leader’s pivotal role in managing conflict, using conflict for positive change, and setting the cultural climate conducive for addressing conflict.

Examines the history, dynamics and impact of human migration with special attention given to effective strategies for aiding refugee and mirgrant populations. Topics include: challenges these populations face, effective relief and development strategies.

Offers students a biblical framework and holistic approaches to assess and apply methods of advocacy, aligned with both the beneficiary and the intended outcome. Topics include methods of strategic advocacy, spheres of influence, and stages of effective action, all within a kingdom-centered framework of ethics.

Provides students with the knowledge and skills to function from a state of integrated health in an humanitarian context. Emphasis will include ownership of personal wellness, collaboration for community wellness and application for wellness of those served. Topics include psychological first aid, evaluation and interventions for physiological health, biblical frameworks for self-care and wellness, compassion fatigue, and interventions for personal and community health.

Introduces developmental and biblical worldview of children, providing basic relief actions and strategies for children in crisis. Topics include: how to identify stress symptoms, . (This course is not intended for professional or trained counselors, but for those who are on site immediately following natural or human caused disasters, or who conduct outreaches where children and youth may be in crisis.)

Introduces students to program theory, tools, and methods of monitoring and evaluation, equipping them to design and adjust effective protocols, adapting to the various factors of their context, all for the purpose of Kingdom impact. Students will also learn how to interpret the data they collect and report upon their findings.