Blog

This morning Seattle Pacific Seminary gathered a bunch of local pastors together to talk about how seminary best prepared us for ministry, as well as what we had to learn that seminary didn't teach us. As I was taking notes on the handout they gave me I realized that the stuff folks were saying and reflecting on was too good not to share. It's a bit raw, but I hope you get to taste some of the same fruit that I did! 

First question: What were the best ways your seminary experience prepared you for ministry today? 

• *Conflict resolution (The Peacemaker) 

• *Leadership courses

• *Field education at a hospital (or other chaplaincy)

• *Critical thinking: learning how to ask the right questions, dig deeper. One pastor's father (who was also a pastor) gave some excellent advice: "don't take everything your professors at seminary as gospel."

• *Another professor's solid warning: "Don't come to seminary to discern your call. Come to get the tools for the call God has already put on your life." 

• *Peter Cha

• *Kingsberry, Carson Brissom (Hebrew) at Union (VA) Seminary

• *Ray Anderson (Systematic Theology) at Fuller, learning to think pastorally. Provocative statements that get you to think and bring theology "to life". 

• *Fuller: brought all first year students together in a class. Princeton took first years on a retreat (and had third years share their experiences with them). 

• *Learning to ask the right questions (rather than just all the right answers). 

• *Received great mentorship

• *"If you can't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else." 

• *Speaking with friends who were going through the same experiences 

What did you have to learn on your own in order to succeed in ministry?

• *How to last in ministry (includes self-care. See quote above) 

• *Learning to contextualize (incarnate) the gospel. "What will signify the gospel in this (tragic)  situation?" (Professor Kay)  

• *Politics (I'd say this is as much self care/learning how to last in ministry) 

• *Role and necessity of the Holy Spirit's leading and power in ministry 

• *Ministry internship 

• *Perspectives (Kingdom mindset, Holy Spirit's mission to make witnesses, proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, and build the Body of Christ) 

• *Is success longevity, impact for Christ, or both? 

• *Mission Year

• *Lowering our expectations of our leaders (both lay and clergy): they have lives, they are working full time, they are human...we need to be patient with each other

• *Training leaders, sharing the ministry with the Body (rather than trying to take on everything by ourselves) 

• *Contracts with every person who's serving (clear expectations), 6 month reviews, find your own replacement. Really helps with burnout! 

Other random thoughts: 

• *read an article on relationship between language and culture, wondering what that has to do with the importance of learning Hebrew and Greek

• *how is my laptop not energy star rated...?! What is this, 1993? 

• *Seattle Pacific Seminary is the only North American seminary with an active Asian American Ministry Program. Princeton, what happened? 

• *Asian American Theology shouldn't separate Asian-American ministries from the rest of the Body, but rather help us learn more about what God's mission is in our complex context 

• *Importance of immigrant ministry alongside ministry to 2nd and 3rd gen Asian-Americans (which is often headed in a multicultural/pan-asian direction).

• *What is being done to help equip the current and incoming group of South(east) Asian immigrant ministries (and pastors)?