eConnection from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - August 2016 from Josh Haddad for Wednesday, 10 August 2016
REFLECTING THE IMAGE: CONFLICT IN THE CHURCH
The following is my most recent blog post. The message is, sometimes we never even get to problem solving, because we spend too much time in problem denying.
Scripture:
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:1-6 NRSV)
Observation:When a church is engaged in ministry, there will be times of conflict. If we are avoiding conflict, we probably won’t be a vibrant church. That’s just the reality of ministry.
The early church was no exception to this situation. As the church grew rapidly, the Apostles were facing challenges they had never encountered. This was a loving and caring community in which people made sure that the needs of everyone were being met. Some of those who had become a part of the church were Hebrew and some were Greek-speaking. There seemed to be a concern that those who were Greek-speaking were being overlooked. Just like many churches today, they were multi-cultural and this challenged the way in which they were functioning. It was beginning to appear that a particular cultural group (the Hebrews) were getting special treatment. This was not the way things were supposed to be, so action had to be taken.
The Apostles faced the concerns head on, realizing that they had to become more organized and delegate certain responsibilities. They understood their calling and felt that they needed some good managers to help with the details of waiting on tables — which may have been serving at the tables where money and food were distributed. To select the individuals, they didn’t cast lots as they had when replacing Judas. Now, the process seemed to include new criteria — those filled with the Holy Spirit, and those who reflected faith. They also seemed to have managerial skills and another quality — probably they were bi-lingual. Their names suggest that they spoke Greek.
The Apostles laid hands on these individuals — a vision of ordination — and empowered them to minister with authority.
Application:The church seems to be adept at conflict avoidance but this passage provides us with a template for conflict response.
Please click here to read entire the blog post.
Conflict in the Church
Scripture
Acts 6:1 Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” 5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Observation
The church was growing rapidly and the Apostles were facing challenges they had never encountered. This was a loving and sharing community in which people made sure that the needs of everyone were being met. Some of those who had become a part of the church were Hebrew and some were Greek-speaking. There seemed to be a concern that those who were Greek-speaking were being overlooked. They were a multi-cultural church from the very beginning and this challenged the way in which they were functioning. It was beginning to appear that a particular cultural group (the Hebrews) were getting special treatment. This was not the way that things were supposed to be so action had to be taken.
The Apostles faced the concerns head on realizing that they had to become more organized and delegate certain responsibilities. They understood their calling and felt that they needed some good managers to help with the details of waiting on tables — which may have been serving at the tables where money and food were distributed. To select the individuals they didn’t cast lots as they had when replacing Judas. Now, the process seemed to include a new criteria — being filled with the Holy Spirit and those who reflected faith. They also seemed to have managerial skills and another quality — probably they were bi-lingual. Their names suggest that they spoke Greek.
The Apostles lay hands on these individuals — a vision of ordination — and empower them to minister with authority.
ApplicationThe church seems to be adept at conflict avoidance but this passage provides us with a template for conflict response:
1) They acknowledged that they had a problem. Too often the issue put forth here would not be dealt with because our defense mechanisms would not allow us to admit there was a problem. We would probably begin by saying, “No, the widows are not being neglected.” And then we would come up with some lengthy explanation as to how they ARE being served and maybe, we might just be able to blame it on the widows themselves because they probably just weren’t being assertive enough. We never even get to problem solving because we spend too much time in problem denying.
2) The Apostles evaluated the situation and what they believed was to be their role in the community of faith. The process of evaluation allowed them to affirm that their calling was to the preaching of the word and if this were the case, then they would need to find a solution to the current concern. There needed to be people who could manage the tables on a daily basis. If the Apostles would do this they wouldn’t have the time that they felt they needed to preach. They would need to find people to manage the tables.
3) Once they evaluated the situation and realized their need was for people to manage the tables, they set out the criteria for those individuals. The Scripture leads us to believe that they did this with the input of the people. They were willing to listen to engage the community of faith transparently in the decision making process. The people selected would need to have the right skills for management; filled with the Spirit; a track-record of faithfulness; and the ability to speak in multiple languages — especially Greek.
4) With specific criteria in hand they engaged the people in the selection of the right individuals who met the need. There was no cronyism involved. They didn’t just select their friends so that they could be seen as important in the new church but they matched the need to the gifting.
The needs of the community were met by the way in which the Apostles managed this conflict. Instead of the problem continuing, it was solved. Not only was it solved but by facing their problem they created a structure that would help the church grow and expand even further. They created space for new leaders to develop and Stephen goes on to become the first Christian martyr whose testimony lives on to this day.
Conflict could be a gift from God that nudges the church on to growth. Don’t ignore conflict but confront it and let’s allow it to make God’s church a better place.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the conflicts and please help me to deal with them well. Amen.
If you would like to read more "Reflecting the Image" click on the image to take you to the NPH bookstore.The book is also available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.
The following is my most recent blog post. The message is, sometimes we never even get to problem solving, because we spend too much time in problem denying. Scripture:
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:1-6 NRSV)
Observation:When a church is engaged in ministry, there will be times of conflict. If we are avoiding conflict, we probably won’t be a vibrant church. That’s just the reality of ministry.
The early church was no exception to this situation. As the church grew rapidly, the Apostles were facing challenges they had never encountered. This was a loving and caring community in which people made sure that the needs of everyone were being met. Some of those who had become a part of the church were Hebrew and some were Greek-speaking. There seemed to be a concern that those who were Greek-speaking were being overlooked. Just like many churches today, they were multi-cultural and this challenged the way in which they were functioning. It was beginning to appear that a particular cultural group (the Hebrews) were getting special treatment. This was not the way things were supposed to be, so action had to be taken.
The Apostles faced the concerns head on, realizing that they had to become more organized and delegate certain responsibilities. They understood their calling and felt that they needed some good managers to help with the details of waiting on tables — which may have been serving at the tables where money and food were distributed. To select the individuals, they didn’t cast lots as they had when replacing Judas. Now, the process seemed to include new criteria — those filled with the Holy Spirit, and those who reflected faith. They also seemed to have managerial skills and another quality — probably they were bi-lingual. Their names suggest that they spoke Greek.
The Apostles laid hands on these individuals — a vision of ordination — and empowered them to minister with authority.
Application:The church seems to be adept at conflict avoidance but this passage provides us with a template for conflict response.
Please click here to read entire the blog post.
Conflict in the Church
Scripture
Acts 6:1 Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” 5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Observation
The church was growing rapidly and the Apostles were facing challenges they had never encountered. This was a loving and sharing community in which people made sure that the needs of everyone were being met. Some of those who had become a part of the church were Hebrew and some were Greek-speaking. There seemed to be a concern that those who were Greek-speaking were being overlooked. They were a multi-cultural church from the very beginning and this challenged the way in which they were functioning. It was beginning to appear that a particular cultural group (the Hebrews) were getting special treatment. This was not the way that things were supposed to be so action had to be taken.
The Apostles faced the concerns head on realizing that they had to become more organized and delegate certain responsibilities. They understood their calling and felt that they needed some good managers to help with the details of waiting on tables — which may have been serving at the tables where money and food were distributed. To select the individuals they didn’t cast lots as they had when replacing Judas. Now, the process seemed to include a new criteria — being filled with the Holy Spirit and those who reflected faith. They also seemed to have managerial skills and another quality — probably they were bi-lingual. Their names suggest that they spoke Greek.
The Apostles lay hands on these individuals — a vision of ordination — and empower them to minister with authority.
ApplicationThe church seems to be adept at conflict avoidance but this passage provides us with a template for conflict response:
1) They acknowledged that they had a problem. Too often the issue put forth here would not be dealt with because our defense mechanisms would not allow us to admit there was a problem. We would probably begin by saying, “No, the widows are not being neglected.” And then we would come up with some lengthy explanation as to how they ARE being served and maybe, we might just be able to blame it on the widows themselves because they probably just weren’t being assertive enough. We never even get to problem solving because we spend too much time in problem denying.
2) The Apostles evaluated the situation and what they believed was to be their role in the community of faith. The process of evaluation allowed them to affirm that their calling was to the preaching of the word and if this were the case, then they would need to find a solution to the current concern. There needed to be people who could manage the tables on a daily basis. If the Apostles would do this they wouldn’t have the time that they felt they needed to preach. They would need to find people to manage the tables.
3) Once they evaluated the situation and realized their need was for people to manage the tables, they set out the criteria for those individuals. The Scripture leads us to believe that they did this with the input of the people. They were willing to listen to engage the community of faith transparently in the decision making process. The people selected would need to have the right skills for management; filled with the Spirit; a track-record of faithfulness; and the ability to speak in multiple languages — especially Greek.
4) With specific criteria in hand they engaged the people in the selection of the right individuals who met the need. There was no cronyism involved. They didn’t just select their friends so that they could be seen as important in the new church but they matched the need to the gifting.
The needs of the community were met by the way in which the Apostles managed this conflict. Instead of the problem continuing, it was solved. Not only was it solved but by facing their problem they created a structure that would help the church grow and expand even further. They created space for new leaders to develop and Stephen goes on to become the first Christian martyr whose testimony lives on to this day.
Conflict could be a gift from God that nudges the church on to growth. Don’t ignore conflict but confront it and let’s allow it to make God’s church a better place.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the conflicts and please help me to deal with them well. Amen.
If you would like to read more "Reflecting the Image" click on the image to take you to the NPH bookstore.The book is also available in Kindle format on Amazon.com.
Grace and Peace,
Carla Sunberg
President
NTS STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT!
Josh Haddad, Marketing & Communication
Last month, we posted an exciting video on our Facebook page about this project. If you haven't seen it, you can find it on the NTS Facebook page or simply click here.
We have already received a number of inquiries from friends and alumni asking how they can help. If you, your church, district or company would like to sponsor or donate money to one of these homes, please contact Tim McPherson at tmcpherson@nts.edu or (816) 787-5911. If you wish to donate labor, please contact Michael Coblentz at mcoblentz@nts.edu or (816) 268-5429.
Here are more details:
LEARNING FROM YOU
Tim McPherson, Dean for Advancement
NTS is a wonderful seminary. I've learned so much through classes, books and professors. I've also learned a great deal from all the friends and supporters of NTS. Spiritual things. Life lessons. Lessons taught with actions as well as words. Since my role has to do with matching resources with our mission, much of what I've learned has had to do with giving.
From our friends, I've learned that…
God prompts people to participate with NTS in creative and unexpected ways, financially and otherwise.
Jesus is right about one's heart and resources being connected. (Matt 6:20-21)
People like to be aware of what God is doing at NTS and like to learn of ways they can help.
Giving is often undertaken as a privilege, and appreciation for such an opportunity is expressed.
Giving is a cheerful act of worship, whether from abundance or need. (2 Cor 9:6-8)
Giving is an act of faith, optimistic about life/world change, and I've been challenged by the strong faith of others.
Friends, thank you for your examples and testimonies--and for your loving support of NTS.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Chance Peter
In the Fall of 2016, Chance will begin his second year at NTS. He is pursuing an MDiv and is a recipient of the Mary and Sterling Gilmore Scholarship.
Chance was born in Southern Sudan. His father was a lay preacher in the local church and his mother had a ministry for women. Chance's father died a martyr for the faith when he was killed by Muslim extremists simply because he was a Christian.
"I have great admiration for my parents who gave me a solid faith foundation."[Chance Peter]
Chance is very grateful to receive the Mary and Sterling Gilmore Scholarship! This scholarship has supported many NTS students over the years. The scholarship allows Chance to work fewer hours, spend more time on his studies and still support his family.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - "Faithful & Effective"
The mission of NTS is to prepare "faithful and effective ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." The stories of alumni in ministry are the story of NTS.
David Roberts (1988)
Recently, Pastor David Roberts wrote us a beautiful letter about his journey during and after his time at NTS. Pastor Roberts just celebrated his 28th anniversary at Montrose Church of the Nazarene in Montrose, California. We thought we should share.
"We've experienced life here as a small church, a medium church, and now a bigger church. I've pastored when I did everything from type the bulletin to empty the trash, to these days when it seems the administrative load is the tail that wags the dog.
"As these challenges and transitions have come our way, I have thought I should sit down and record the answer to this thought, 'Things they never taught me in Seminary.' I figured through the years I could offer some really good insights. However, every time I sat down to write that letter, there was really only one thought in my head--I'm so thankful.
"I'm not saying I learned everything I should have learned in Seminary. I'm pretty sure that those who oversaw my Seminary education had much more to offer than I could possibly take in, but they equipped me well. Those faithful teachers and staff from 1985-1988 transformed me. They taught me how to think and they helped me find a kind of freedom I hadn't really known before. I felt challenged, but also empowered by the time and energy and expertise that was poured into my life. Those years took me from being a somewhat cynical person sorting out a call to ministry and helped me believe there was a place for me to serve. As the years and challenges have unfolded, I deeply believe it was my years at NTS and the training I received that has allowed me to stay fresh and keep going. I have also become more and more aware of the sacrifice so many professors and staff have made in order for NTS to continue to serve."[David Roberts]
TESTIMONIES FROM OUR 2016 CHINA STUDY TRIP
"Our trip to China was above and beyond our expectations! We learned a great deal of Chinese history from our excellent guide, Richard. He gave us information about the construction of the Great Wall, about the Terra Cotta warriors, the Three Rivers Gorge dam and much more. Having a guide was great because he handled all the logistics which gave us more free time to learn and explore."[Verla Lambert]
"It was very enjoyable to travel with friends because it makes the destination even more memorable. This was an experienced group to travel with and we made new friends in a matter of days. It was a great way to introduce our friends who like to travel to the NTS community."[Saralyn Brown]
"We loved our trip to China and feel so blessed to have been a part of this wonderful group of people. Our tour guide, Richard made it even more special. To us...the big story is how our group made such an impression on Richard. When we arrived in Beijing one of our bags was missing....we really didn’t make a big deal out of it and even joked about it with Richard. We did get our bag back the next evening but we think Richard had to do a lot of inquiring to find it and then convince that person to bring it back. We had no idea that our attitude about it made an impression on Richard until the end of our trip. Lesson for us was be careful how you respond to an adverse situation as you never know how that can affect someone else’s thinking. Others in our group also made greater impressions on Richard. In the end he talked about the sense of peace he felt in our group."[Roger and Dianne Ayers]
"Loved the trip! So grateful I was able to be a part of it. The people in our group were wonderful and it was a blessing to get to know them. Our tour guide was the best and it was a joy to see and experience the wonderful country of China." -- Vicki Frederick
2017 REFORMATION TRIP
The expert faculty of NTS and MVNU join together to bring the Reformation to life on this one-of-a-kind academic travel program. Register today, and join us as we explore Germany, Switzerland and France in May 2017!
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
Be in Germany and Switzerland for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Visit Martin Luther’s birthplace, the monastery where he began to understand the gospel of grace and the church where he nailed his 95 Theses to the door.
Tour the castle where Luther translated the New Testament into German and visit the home of his collaborator and first systematic theologian of the reformation, Philip Melanchthon.
Visit Geneva, Switzerland, home of John Calvin and of Scottish Reformer, John Knox.
Tour Zurich, Switzerland, home of the Swiss Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli.
Enjoy new cultures, traveling with expert scholars from NTS and MVNU and discovering places you’ve only read about. Plus taste real Swiss chocolate, cheese and German cuisine!
This trip is open to alumni, pastors, and friends of both NTS and MVNU.
Click here to view the itinerary, cost information, details on getting course credit (at NTS or MVNU) and/or to register today!
Table of Contents
CENTER FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP (CPL)
The CPL continues to add new content to the LIFELONG LEARNING COURSE LIST on the CPL WEBSITE. Website subscribers have unlimited access to CPL sponsored webinars and other events which, when viewed, are automatically reported on the website to help the busy pastor keep track of their 20 hours of lifelong learning hours needed each year. NEW WEBINARS recently added include When a Woman Preaches featuring Rev. Tara Beth Leach, and Making Sense of Revelation led by pastors Jon Middendorf and JR Foresters.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Keep informed about upcoming continuing education events, CPL webinars and other happenings at NTS by visiting the EVENTS page of our website regularly!
COMING UP NEXT:
QUICK FACTS
Did you know that courses for the NTS Master of Divinity degree can be taken not only in Kansas City, but also in Bethany, OK; Mount Vernon, OH; Nashville, TN; Quincy, MA; and San Diego, CA? Click here to learn more about NTS as a Multi-Campus Seminary.
Did you know that an NTS graduate who is currently pastoring serves, on average, two years longer than someone who has not attended Seminary?
Did you know that in all ATS-accredited schools (including NTS), there has been a steady increase in recent years in the number of Seminary students who are age 50 and above?
Did you know that in the 2014/2015 academic year, NTS had 366 "unduplicated" students enrolled in our courses? (The average for our peer schools was 210.)
Did you know that NTS is the only Nazarene institution in the U. S. whose Master of Divinity Program is nationally accredited by the Association of Theological Schools?
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
There's a lot happening at NTS and you can follow all of it on our social media pages!
Facebook: @nazarenetheologicalseminary
Facebook Center for Pastor Leadership:@NTSCPL
Facebook Student Leadership: @NTS.SLT
Instagram: @NazSeminary
Twitter: @NazSeminary
Nazarene Theological Seminary
1700 East Meyer Boulevard
Kansas City, Missouri 64131-1246, United States816.268.5400
President
NTS STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT!
Josh Haddad, Marketing & Communication
Last month, we posted an exciting video on our Facebook page about this project. If you haven't seen it, you can find it on the NTS Facebook page or simply click here.
We have already received a number of inquiries from friends and alumni asking how they can help. If you, your church, district or company would like to sponsor or donate money to one of these homes, please contact Tim McPherson at tmcpherson@nts.edu or (816) 787-5911. If you wish to donate labor, please contact Michael Coblentz at mcoblentz@nts.edu or (816) 268-5429.
Here are more details:
- Approximately $40,000 will buy and renovate one of these homes.
- Our featured home is at 1921 69th Terrace, near the Seminary.
- $500 for paint
- $4,000 for new wiring
- $10,000 for kitchen renovation
- $5,000 for bathroom renovation
- $7,000 for windows
- $6,000 for HVAC
- $2,000 for floors
- $500 for light fixtures
- $500 for clean up and trash removal
- $500 for landscaping
LEARNING FROM YOU
Tim McPherson, Dean for Advancement
NTS is a wonderful seminary. I've learned so much through classes, books and professors. I've also learned a great deal from all the friends and supporters of NTS. Spiritual things. Life lessons. Lessons taught with actions as well as words. Since my role has to do with matching resources with our mission, much of what I've learned has had to do with giving.From our friends, I've learned that…
God prompts people to participate with NTS in creative and unexpected ways, financially and otherwise.
Jesus is right about one's heart and resources being connected. (Matt 6:20-21)
People like to be aware of what God is doing at NTS and like to learn of ways they can help.
Giving is often undertaken as a privilege, and appreciation for such an opportunity is expressed.
Giving is a cheerful act of worship, whether from abundance or need. (2 Cor 9:6-8)
Giving is an act of faith, optimistic about life/world change, and I've been challenged by the strong faith of others.
Friends, thank you for your examples and testimonies--and for your loving support of NTS.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Chance Peter
In the Fall of 2016, Chance will begin his second year at NTS. He is pursuing an MDiv and is a recipient of the Mary and Sterling Gilmore Scholarship.
Chance was born in Southern Sudan. His father was a lay preacher in the local church and his mother had a ministry for women. Chance's father died a martyr for the faith when he was killed by Muslim extremists simply because he was a Christian."I have great admiration for my parents who gave me a solid faith foundation."[Chance Peter]
Chance is very grateful to receive the Mary and Sterling Gilmore Scholarship! This scholarship has supported many NTS students over the years. The scholarship allows Chance to work fewer hours, spend more time on his studies and still support his family.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - "Faithful & Effective"
The mission of NTS is to prepare "faithful and effective ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." The stories of alumni in ministry are the story of NTS.
David Roberts (1988)
Recently, Pastor David Roberts wrote us a beautiful letter about his journey during and after his time at NTS. Pastor Roberts just celebrated his 28th anniversary at Montrose Church of the Nazarene in Montrose, California. We thought we should share. "We've experienced life here as a small church, a medium church, and now a bigger church. I've pastored when I did everything from type the bulletin to empty the trash, to these days when it seems the administrative load is the tail that wags the dog.
"As these challenges and transitions have come our way, I have thought I should sit down and record the answer to this thought, 'Things they never taught me in Seminary.' I figured through the years I could offer some really good insights. However, every time I sat down to write that letter, there was really only one thought in my head--I'm so thankful.
"I'm not saying I learned everything I should have learned in Seminary. I'm pretty sure that those who oversaw my Seminary education had much more to offer than I could possibly take in, but they equipped me well. Those faithful teachers and staff from 1985-1988 transformed me. They taught me how to think and they helped me find a kind of freedom I hadn't really known before. I felt challenged, but also empowered by the time and energy and expertise that was poured into my life. Those years took me from being a somewhat cynical person sorting out a call to ministry and helped me believe there was a place for me to serve. As the years and challenges have unfolded, I deeply believe it was my years at NTS and the training I received that has allowed me to stay fresh and keep going. I have also become more and more aware of the sacrifice so many professors and staff have made in order for NTS to continue to serve."[David Roberts]
TESTIMONIES FROM OUR 2016 CHINA STUDY TRIP
"Our trip to China was above and beyond our expectations! We learned a great deal of Chinese history from our excellent guide, Richard. He gave us information about the construction of the Great Wall, about the Terra Cotta warriors, the Three Rivers Gorge dam and much more. Having a guide was great because he handled all the logistics which gave us more free time to learn and explore."[Verla Lambert]
"It was very enjoyable to travel with friends because it makes the destination even more memorable. This was an experienced group to travel with and we made new friends in a matter of days. It was a great way to introduce our friends who like to travel to the NTS community."[Saralyn Brown]
"We loved our trip to China and feel so blessed to have been a part of this wonderful group of people. Our tour guide, Richard made it even more special. To us...the big story is how our group made such an impression on Richard. When we arrived in Beijing one of our bags was missing....we really didn’t make a big deal out of it and even joked about it with Richard. We did get our bag back the next evening but we think Richard had to do a lot of inquiring to find it and then convince that person to bring it back. We had no idea that our attitude about it made an impression on Richard until the end of our trip. Lesson for us was be careful how you respond to an adverse situation as you never know how that can affect someone else’s thinking. Others in our group also made greater impressions on Richard. In the end he talked about the sense of peace he felt in our group."[Roger and Dianne Ayers]
"Loved the trip! So grateful I was able to be a part of it. The people in our group were wonderful and it was a blessing to get to know them. Our tour guide was the best and it was a joy to see and experience the wonderful country of China." -- Vicki Frederick
2017 REFORMATION TRIP
The expert faculty of NTS and MVNU join together to bring the Reformation to life on this one-of-a-kind academic travel program. Register today, and join us as we explore Germany, Switzerland and France in May 2017!
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
Be in Germany and Switzerland for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Visit Martin Luther’s birthplace, the monastery where he began to understand the gospel of grace and the church where he nailed his 95 Theses to the door.
Tour the castle where Luther translated the New Testament into German and visit the home of his collaborator and first systematic theologian of the reformation, Philip Melanchthon.
Visit Geneva, Switzerland, home of John Calvin and of Scottish Reformer, John Knox.
Tour Zurich, Switzerland, home of the Swiss Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli.
Enjoy new cultures, traveling with expert scholars from NTS and MVNU and discovering places you’ve only read about. Plus taste real Swiss chocolate, cheese and German cuisine!
This trip is open to alumni, pastors, and friends of both NTS and MVNU.
Click here to view the itinerary, cost information, details on getting course credit (at NTS or MVNU) and/or to register today!
Table of Contents
- CENTER FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP (CPL)
- UPCOMING EVENTS
- QUICK FACTS
- FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
- NTS STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT!
- LEARNING FROM YOU
- STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
- ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - "Faithful & Effective"
- TESTIMONIES FROM OUR 2016 CHINA STUDY TRIP
- 2017 REFORMATION TRIP
CENTER FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP (CPL)
The CPL continues to add new content to the LIFELONG LEARNING COURSE LIST on the CPL WEBSITE. Website subscribers have unlimited access to CPL sponsored webinars and other events which, when viewed, are automatically reported on the website to help the busy pastor keep track of their 20 hours of lifelong learning hours needed each year. NEW WEBINARS recently added include When a Woman Preaches featuring Rev. Tara Beth Leach, and Making Sense of Revelation led by pastors Jon Middendorf and JR Foresters.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Keep informed about upcoming continuing education events, CPL webinars and other happenings at NTS by visiting the EVENTS page of our website regularly!
COMING UP NEXT:
- NTS Economic Summit, a Pre-Theology Conference Event, September 28, 2016, 1pm (Central)
- NTS 2016 Homecoming Alumni and Friends Dinner, September 29, 2016, 5:30pm (Central)
- USA/CANADA Theology Conference, September 28-30, 2016,5pm(Central)
- WEBINAR: The Power of a Lay Preaching Team, September 8, 2016, 2pm (Central)
- SHE Leads Summit, October 29, 2016, 10am-4:30pm (Central)
QUICK FACTS
Did you know that courses for the NTS Master of Divinity degree can be taken not only in Kansas City, but also in Bethany, OK; Mount Vernon, OH; Nashville, TN; Quincy, MA; and San Diego, CA? Click here to learn more about NTS as a Multi-Campus Seminary.
Did you know that an NTS graduate who is currently pastoring serves, on average, two years longer than someone who has not attended Seminary?
Did you know that in all ATS-accredited schools (including NTS), there has been a steady increase in recent years in the number of Seminary students who are age 50 and above?
Did you know that in the 2014/2015 academic year, NTS had 366 "unduplicated" students enrolled in our courses? (The average for our peer schools was 210.)
Did you know that NTS is the only Nazarene institution in the U. S. whose Master of Divinity Program is nationally accredited by the Association of Theological Schools?
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
There's a lot happening at NTS and you can follow all of it on our social media pages!
Facebook: @nazarenetheologicalseminary
Facebook Center for Pastor Leadership:@NTSCPL
Facebook Student Leadership: @NTS.SLT
Instagram: @NazSeminary
Twitter: @NazSeminary
Nazarene Theological Seminary1700 East Meyer Boulevard
Kansas City, Missouri 64131-1246, United States816.268.5400
Address postal inquiries to:
Nazarene Theological Seminary
1700 East Meyer Boulevard
Kansas City, Missouri 64131-1246, United States
Nazarene Theological Seminary
1700 East Meyer Boulevard
Kansas City, Missouri 64131-1246, United States
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