The Archives
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clergy, ministerial-formation, ministers, seminary
Ministers: Are you grateful?
10.25.07 | Permalink | 4 CommentsAttention all ordained ministers: I have a burning question for you. Thinking back to your candidacy process, is that a process you are grateful for now? (As opposed to being grateful that it’s over.) And were you grateful for it then? I’m asking specifically about the denominational vetting process—interviews, position papers, etc.—as opposed to seminary […]
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ministerial-formation, ordination, seminary
The gifts and graces for ministry
07.28.06 | Permalink | 6 CommentsIt’s no secret here that I grew up in the crossfire between free range charismatics and institutional Methodist bureaucracy, so it should come as little surprise that I have strong feelings about seminary, denominational credentialing and ministry. One half of my church life taught me that anyone with the gifts and graces for ministry was […]
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education, ministerial-formation, ministry, seminary
A better way to do ministerial formation
11.15.05 | Permalink | 6 CommentsOrdained ministry is been overprofessionalized. When you expect people (without ever coming out and saying it) to live in genteel poverty for their first ten or fifteen years, and when most new ministers take out huge loans and have children to support, well, it just isn’t right. Add to that the “entrepreneurial” bit, as Scott […]
