tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post8131483412319222547..comments2023-10-03T10:53:51.102-04:00Comments on Next Generation Evangelistic Network: Training Lay People for Ministry in the Local ChurchDr. Terry Dorsetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05964444127928103488noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-53972672275203217242014-02-07T15:26:49.937-05:002014-02-07T15:26:49.937-05:00Amen, and I pray for your church to become a disci...Amen, and I pray for your church to become a discipleship example to other area churches. God bless.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-86990288850796034552014-02-07T15:26:26.395-05:002014-02-07T15:26:26.395-05:00Good and timely article. I am working on a Discipl...Good and timely article. I am working on a Discipleship course for my Church. I have had a burning desire to get the Church moving in this direction.Bill Wrighthttps://www.facebook.com/bill.wright.798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-35750200013913981132014-01-30T08:55:10.225-05:002014-01-30T08:55:10.225-05:00Seminaries create theologians. And that is not bad...Seminaries create theologians. And that is not bad. But theologians only know how to teach other theologians and write commentaries. We also need pastors, and that is learned through mentoring, on the job training, etc. Seminaries COULD be part of that, if they wanted to. But from my perspective, few do. One of the reasons I chose Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary for my DMIN was that is exactly what their passion is. And for me, it was a great fit.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-60185671481044147572014-01-30T08:54:32.712-05:002014-01-30T08:54:32.712-05:00Seminary was good for me in that it opened me up t...Seminary was good for me in that it opened me up to authors I would not have otherwise known and gave me some basics for sermon prep, theological positions, and church government. it did not train me to deal with day to day problems at the church, how to help addicts/suicide threats, or making disciples. My local church did that. Seminary isn't bad, but it definitely doesn't create pastorsNathan Cartelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-30210551169592869752014-01-29T14:48:12.322-05:002014-01-29T14:48:12.322-05:00Aye, aye! In 16 years of serving in the mountains...Aye, aye! In 16 years of serving in the mountains of far western Maryland, I've seen the Lord raise up at least two pastors who are locals and never had the advantage of "going away" for training for every one who came with that, whether local or not. As the Lord calls more and more from "amongst us", we must help each other in our churches get this development job done.Kenny Heathhttp://www.wbamd.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-14545634715325377402014-01-29T13:28:11.358-05:002014-01-29T13:28:11.358-05:00Brethren, I believe the Bible teaches that the loc... Brethren, I believe the Bible teaches that the local church has all the gifts it needs to do whatever God wants it to do. A pastor is supposed to "equip the saints for the work of the ministry." If a pastor cannot do that, he should not be a pastor. Either that or needs to learn how to do that effectively. That is THE primary role of a pastor.Virgil Vicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-14987237616009766332014-01-29T13:27:42.009-05:002014-01-29T13:27:42.009-05:00Long-distance education is definitely helping, Mik...Long-distance education is definitely helping, Mike, I agree. But I hope campus-based seminaries & Bible schools continue too, as there's something about learning in community. You get some of that as future pastors are mentored in the local church, as you say. But, speaking for myself, I found seminary broadened my view of the worldwide church, having fellow students from around the world, & from numerous denominations & theological stances. For example, I'm not in favor of female pastors: My main experience with women in authority before seminary was feminist church members trying to prove they could do anything a man could do. At Gordon-Conwell, I met women training for pastoral ministry who, like me, loved Christ & were students of God's Word. We disagreed on how to interpret passages like 1 Timothy 3, yes, but these sisters showed me that you don't have to be a liberal or into feminism to be in favor of women as pastors. I also learned how white & western the American church could be, with black friends and others from other countries around me all the time.Joel Stoddertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-88380562674464088892014-01-29T13:26:48.843-05:002014-01-29T13:26:48.843-05:00Jamie . . . Amen brother. . . That's why I am ...Jamie . . . Amen brother. . . That's why I am so excited about the ability to be trained at a distance in the things that Joel mentioned above . . . We have an incredible opportunity for young men to be trained right where they are & for them to be a blessing to the church God has placed them in . . . If God is calling them away then they have to follow His leading, but how many churches could use men who are in training to advance the Kingdom right where they are & then once they are fully trained send them out to plant another church to reach people . . . When people in our little church say, "Pastor, more people need to be in church" I ask them who they talked to about Jesus this week . . . Usually it's crickets . . . But they're getting better at engaging people in the public square as I am willing to train them through preaching, teaching & up close modeling . . .Jamie Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-32354958476633765682014-01-29T13:26:00.893-05:002014-01-29T13:26:00.893-05:00I don't think being a seminary professor has a...I don't think being a seminary professor has anything to do with it, personally. I don't miss the academic grind, but even 25 years later, I still miss some of the brothers who taught me, real men of God who loved us & loved Christ. Most of them had been, or still were, in local ministry even though teaching, & had a real heart for people.Joel Stoddertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-10380506299943535462014-01-29T13:25:18.887-05:002014-01-29T13:25:18.887-05:00But the bottom line is reaching people and buildin...But the bottom line is reaching people and building the Kingdom. The stats being thrown to us by the SBC is that 90% of our membership have never shared the gospel. I'm curious to know how many seminary professors have personally led someone to Christ in the last few months or years. I'm not trying to cause any trouble, just thinking out loud.Jamie Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-53322608489424906732014-01-29T13:24:43.527-05:002014-01-29T13:24:43.527-05:00I believe seminaries have a definite place in past...I believe seminaries have a definite place in pastoral training, as a resource. But they're not meant to be, and shouldn't be, the main training ground for ministry. Mentoring by more seasoned pastors in the local church is the way to go, in my opinion. But that being said, very few pastors are gifted in all the areas a future pastor may need training. A seminary gathers experts on not Old Testament, New Testament, Greek & Hebrew, counseling, church history, etc.Joel Stodderthttps://www.facebook.com/joel.stoddertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-19574198213383750452014-01-29T13:24:11.147-05:002014-01-29T13:24:11.147-05:00I'm with you Mike. That is my approach as well... I'm with you Mike. That is my approach as well. But what irritates me is when I see churches advertising for pastors and they require "Seminary" education and do not consider what this man has done in ministry or whether or not he is anointed by the Lord. Some things cannot, I say cannot be taught in a classroom.Jamie Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-2835658460020970062014-01-29T13:23:40.786-05:002014-01-29T13:23:40.786-05:00Jamie . . . God had me take a hybrid approach . . ...Jamie . . . God had me take a hybrid approach . . . I got my "seminary" training through Liberty University's "distance learning program" while I was being "apprenticed" in my local church . . . It was a win(God)-win(Kingdom)-win(church)-win(me) . . . The NT model doesn't preclude formal schooling by its absence . . . Sadly many pastors are unwilling or feel ill equipped to "equip" the saints & the misguided demands of the people in the church consider a pastor to be "shirking" his "responsibility" to them if he devotes his time to training individuals . . . That congregational mindset allows Satan to deter leader development under the guise of "playing favorites" . . . I pastor a very small church but I tell people that if you want more of the pastor's time & attention then avail yourself to the "mentoring" opportunities of ministry WITH me beyond Sunday morning at from 10:00-11:30 a.m. . . .Mike Becknernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-16852050359098758672014-01-29T13:23:02.656-05:002014-01-29T13:23:02.656-05:00I was being a smart alec. I am a strong believer i... I was being a smart alec. I am a strong believer in the apprenticeship model of education for every job, especially ministry related ones. But, most of my pastor friends have bought into the "send them off to school" philosophy because only the seminary can train a preacher. Btw, has anyone noticed that most of our "dead" churches get their pastors from the same schools?Jamie Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-54779260489472641102014-01-29T13:22:30.591-05:002014-01-29T13:22:30.591-05:00Jamie, most churches are not following the New Tes...Jamie, most churches are not following the New Testament model. Leaders are supposed to raise up other leaders. Bible colleges and seminaries arose because churches could not or would not do what they should.Virgil Vicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-68590463190237794272014-01-29T13:21:44.430-05:002014-01-29T13:21:44.430-05:00So, a man doesn't have to go into debt to achi...So, a man doesn't have to go into debt to achieve a college education and then have to pursue a seminary degree to be used by God? I thought that was the only way for a person to be in the ministry. Are you telling me that our denomination is not following the New Testament blueprint? Interesting.Jamie Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-49402882896686328062014-01-29T13:21:11.638-05:002014-01-29T13:21:11.638-05:00More and more these 'training institutions'... More and more these 'training institutions' are trying to recreate the local church environment to better equip the students for life back in the field. Okie-dokie then. David Wesley Gouldhttps://www.facebook.com/davidgouldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-81284851651047226392014-01-29T13:20:37.056-05:002014-01-29T13:20:37.056-05:00Many people who sense God calling them to a deeper...Many people who sense God calling them to a deeper level of service will be unable to attend a formal seminary. Though many will be able to take advantage of on-line programs and distance learning, the reality is that the needs of small churches across America are so great that we need people to be training in place and in context so they can help lead while they train.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-12261476342727074512014-01-29T13:20:00.231-05:002014-01-29T13:20:00.231-05:00Terry, this was my philosophy as a missionary in K...Terry, this was my philosophy as a missionary in Kenya. At the second Church I planted, I determined to train up young people to do ministry. The name of that church was KEY Outreach - Kisumu Evangelistic Youth Outreach. I was eventually able to turn the church over to a Kenyan pastor. There are dozens of young people who came out of that church that are still active in ministry. There is still a huge need for training church leadership in THEIR context in Kenya. I am figuring out how to do the same thing in mountain communities here in Idaho. Your book will be very helpful.Virgil Vicehttps://www.facebook.com/revvicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-35576850864794278002014-01-29T13:19:37.878-05:002014-01-29T13:19:37.878-05:00Amen Michael.Amen Michael.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-85901822145978490942014-01-29T13:19:12.627-05:002014-01-29T13:19:12.627-05:00I agree whole heartily Terry! As one who was and h...I agree whole heartily Terry! As one who was and honestly still is being trained.. Why send a passion filled person off to seclusion for several years when the need is so great! I have seen at least one young man go off to seminary on fire for God and never enter the ministry -- sad...Michael Murrayhttps://www.facebook.com/michael.murray.18294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-51723870481753585062014-01-29T13:18:26.620-05:002014-01-29T13:18:26.620-05:00 In order to build effective leadership teams, the... In order to build effective leadership teams, the church must once again become the preeminent place for ministry training.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-50959081143346984332014-01-29T13:18:05.884-05:002014-01-29T13:18:05.884-05:00The local church was the primary training experien...The local church was the primary training experience for ministry.Terry W. Dorsetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853614918122167720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-55338307351075681542014-01-29T13:17:36.661-05:002014-01-29T13:17:36.661-05:00The local church should never outsource its leader...The local church should never outsource its leadership development.David Wesley Gouldhttps://www.facebook.com/davidgouldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2134143779763240356.post-236923517280110972014-01-29T13:16:59.500-05:002014-01-29T13:16:59.500-05:00Holy apprenticeship.Holy apprenticeship.David Wesley Gouldhttps://www.facebook.com/davidgouldnoreply@blogger.com