Pastoral Burnout Is a Problem.
Reimagining Pastoral Education and Training is the Solution.
Reimagining Pastoral Education and Training is a project of the DJK Institute that seeks to revive the ancient pastoral training program of the University model and the Apprenticeship model. The program is delivered in four phases: Internship (during seminary), Residency (first year after seminary), Fellowship (five years after seminary), and Lifelong Learning. The program integrates the academy and the parish, the student and the supervising pastor, and the seminary professor. The program is delivered through multimodal means (a hybrid of online and on-the-ground supervision).
- INTERNSHIP (DURING SEMINARY)
- Application of every seminary course with a supervised ministry.
- Theological Reflection after praxis with supervisor, faculty member, peers, and family.
- The internship spans the entire curriculum experience of theological higher education.
- RESIDENCY (FIRST YEAR AFTER SEMINARY)
- In the year following seminary, the student-newly ordained minister receives a call (or appointment). The calling congregation becomes the living laboratory for supervised ministry, theological reflection, prayer, and evaluation of pastoral practice.
- There are 12 pastoral competencies delivered online and on-the-ground over one year.
- The benefit of a carefully designed system of asynchronous online lectures by senior practitioners
- Ministry experience with verbatim
- Supervised theological reflection
- FELLOWSHIP (SEMINARY + 5 YEARS)
- Fellowship (seminary + 5 years in which the minister enters a doctor of ministry [or similar] program for the purpose of theological reflection, vocational renewal, and scholarly contribution to an area of need in Gospel ministry), and
- LIFELONG LEARNING
- Multimodal systems delivering needed courses of study and training to address clergy challenges through the pastoral lifecycle.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the D. James Kennedy Institute of Reformed Leadership is to shepherd shepherds who will shepherd the flock of Christ.
―MORE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR MISSION―
OUR VALUES
The following values guide the Kennedy Institute:
- The inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments;
- The catholic creed of Christendom, viz., the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed);
- The faithful summary of doctrine taught in Scripture as contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith, and its Larger and Shorter Catechisms;
- Education (information) must be wed to training (formation) to prepare one to serve the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament;
- Education and Training must employ multimodal means for both teaching and learning, and apprenticeship (internship, residency, fellowship, and lifelong learning)
What is Reimagining Pastoral Education?
An initiative of supporting the Vision and Mission of the Institute by developing and deploying a multimodal system of education and training aimed at lifting the burden of pastoral burnout and its numerous pathological consequences. Specifically, Reimagining Pastoral Education and Training is the Institute’s comprehensive program of study and apprenticeship that supports the pastor (or other expressions of ordained ministry) and congregation from seminary internship (supervised ministry practicum for each seminary course) to residency (the first year following graduation from seminary, taking place at the newly ordained minister’s place of service; involving 12 pastoral competencies delivered online and on-the-ground, with a carefully designed system of [asynchronous online] lectures by senior practitioners, ministry experience with verbatim, and supervised theological reflection), fellowship (seminary + 5 years in which the minister enters a doctor of ministry [or similar] program for the purpose of theological reflection, vocational renewal, and scholarly contribution to an area of need in Gospel ministry), and lifelong learning (multimodal systems delivering needed courses of study and training to address clergy challenges through the pastoral lifecycle).
12 PASTORAL COMPETENCIES
in the
RESIDENCY PHASE
The 12 pastoral competencies are divided into 4 stages of ministry entrance:
- First Quarter: Genesis
- 1. Conversion (Reflecting on your own sacred encounter with the risen Christ and that encounter’s continuing formation on your present ministry)
- 2. Catechesis (Reflecting and integrating your early Christian formation with your present ministry)
- 3. Calling (Reflecting and integrating on your vocation and your present ministry)
- Second Quarter: Adjusting
- 4. Family (how your marriage and family life find a healthy adjustment to the realities of pastoral ministry)
- 5. Spirituality (how your daily, private spiritual rituals nurture your public ministry)
- 6. Parish (exploring the dynamics of the pastor and congregation, local congregational leadership, denominational adjudicatory, other clergy, civil authorities, possibilities for collegial relationships to enhance ministry)
- Third Quarter: Self-awareness
- 7. Visitation (integrating theology and practice at the bedside)
- 8. Counseling (conducting pastoral diagnoses and Biblical counseling with an emphasis upon self-reflection and your dependence upon the work of the Spirit of God and the means of grace in your counseling)
- 9. Pulpit (growing in self-awareness concerning your own unique voice as you integrate your “one sermon” with the unique place where God has called you)
- Fourth Quarter: Praxis
- 10. Word (public reading of Scripture, prayer, preaching publicly and from house to house)
- 11. Sacrament (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper)
- 12. Prayer (cultivating life-long habits of the mind and heart)
4 PHASES AT A GLANCE
Reimagining Pastoral Education and Training
OPERATION & GOVERNANCE
Reimagining Pastoral Education and Training is a program of the D. James Kennedy Institute of Reformed Leadership.
STAFF
Dr. Michael A. Milton, President, and CEO; Senior Fellow
Mrs. Christine Hartung, Executive Assistant to the President, Board Secretary, DJK Fellow,
Dr. Rebecca Rine, Senior Fellow, Research Professor
Dr. R.J. Gore, Senior Fellow, Subject Matter Expert
Dr. George Grant, Senior Fellow, Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Harry Reeder, Senior Fellow, Subject Matter Expert,
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. George Grant, Senior Fellow
Dr. R.J. Gore, Senior Fellow
Dr. Michael Stewart, Fellow
Dr. James Carter, Fellow
Dr. Mark Ross, Senior Fellow
Dr. Peter Lillback, Senior Fellow
Dr. Harry Reeder, Senior Fellow
Dr. Terry Johnson, Senior Fellow
BOARD AND ADVISORS
Dr. Michael A. Milton, President-CEO
Dr. George Grant, Clerk; Senior Minister, Parish Presbyterian Church {PCA), Franklin, TN, Clerk
Mrs. Christine Hartung, Recording Secretary
Mrs. Mae Milton
Mr. Jeff Johnson, State Farm Agent, Chattanooga, TN
Mr. Kent Warner, IT, Black and Veach Engineering Firm, Overland Park, KS
Mr. Steve Maye, Managing Partner, Drake Capital, LLC, Charlotte, NC
John Michael E. Milton, Associate Director of Online Learning, Erskine College and Seminary
CONTACT FORM
Do you have questions regarding the Reimagining Pastoral Education project? We would be happy to help. Please contact us through the form provided below.
Contact Us
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