Missionary Renegade: eConnection from NTS - November 2016 from Carla Sunberg of Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 15 November 2016

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

eConnection from NTS - November 2016 from Carla Sunberg of Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 15 November 2016

eConnection from NTS - November 2016 from Carla Sunberg of Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Tuesday, 15 November 2016
THE LAVISH GENEROSITY OF GOD

The following is from one of my recent blog posts. The message is, we have the opportunity to take others by the hand and lead them to the kingdom where they will receive the same reward as those who have been in the kingdom for a long time. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in the kingdom, the reward is more generous than anything we deserve.
Lavish Generosity
Scripture
Matthew 20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Please click here to read my observations about this scripture and how you can apply it in your own life.
Grace and Peace,

Carla Sunberg
President
YOUR GIFT IS NEEDED!
Tim McPherson, Dean for Advancement

“What do you need?” That is a question often asked of family and friends as a part of the Christmas giving tradition. Oft’ times the answer is, “Oh, I don’t really need anything.” Such an answer, however honest it may be, rarely prevents loved ones from giving. Such is love. Though humankind may not have known their desperate need, God gave his only begotten son. Such is the Gospel.This season, consider a meaningful gift to Nazarene Theological Seminary “to prepare faithful and effective ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” It’s a gift that reaches family, friends and beyond to impact the world in which we live. The Seminary relies upon your support during this season of generosity to help fund its mission year ‘round. Quite frankly, as the calendar year concludes, NTS needs your gifts—both large and small.

HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT WAYS YOU CAN GIVE:
Cyber Monday, November 28
Our CPL membership subscription will be specially priced for gifting to your favorite pastor or church leader. Stay tuned for more details! https://cpl.nts.edu/
Giving Tuesday, November 29
Please join NTS on Giving Tuesday. There are many ways to support NTS: http://www.nts.edu/support-nts/
End of Year Gifts, before December 31
Gifts to NTS are tax deductible! FYI: Donors over the age of 70.5 may now plan each year to make transfers directly from an IRA to a charity (In December 2015 the Path Act made the IRA rollover permanent!)
The Seminarian Offering, January 29
Preparations have already begun for this essential offering to be taken on Sunday, January 29, 2017. If each church would tell the story of NTS and take an offering that amounts to at least $1 per church member or attender (whichever is larger), it would dramatically increase the support of NTS. Every dollar invested provides tuition assistance, teacher salaries, multicultural programs, continuing education, library books, technological services, student housing, building improvements and much more! Be watching the mail for instructions and posters. Click here for more information and resources: http://www.nts.edu/seminarian-offering.
We give thanks for the faithful and generous friends of NTS.
SPRING 2017 - WOMEN CLERGY IN LEADERSHIP COURSE
Very often, programs for women in ministry have focused on identifying the roadblocks women face and have attempted to remove those roadblocks — a focus on the negative. This approach has produced moderate results: some valuable publications and modest increases in the number of women appointed or called to church leadership positions.
This course is structured around a positive, proactive approach to the issue of women’s leadership in the church. Appreciative inquiry-based interviews with women presently in ministry roles and the stories of female leaders in church history will reveal personal characteristics, life skills, strengths and virtues which have enabled those women to overcome resistance to their leadership. The strengths and virtues identified in this research form the foundation for a model of leadership development to nurture resiliency and success for women in church and ministry settings.
Course Specifics:
Professor: Dr. Judi Schwanz
Semester: Spring 2017
Day/Time: Tuesday afternoons from 1:30pm - 4:30pm
This is a Seminar course, meaning it is dialogical versus lecture style. This course is not tied to a specific degree or certificate.
If you're interested in this course, click here to contact our Registrars and Admissions office for more information.
FACULTY CORNER - Dr. Dean G. Blevins
"Neuroscience and Christian Formation," by Dr. Dean G. Blevins, Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Discipleship

This new book contains an amazing collection of essays written by practical theologians gathered by Dr. Dean G. Blevins (Nazarene Theological Seminary) and Dr. Mark A. Maddix (Point Loma Nazarene University). It serves as an introductory textbook and resource for Christian education and formation professors to use in Christian education or Christian formation courses at the college or seminary level.
Why a text on neuroscience and Christian formation? Simply put, we need one that represents the range of possible intersections between discipleship and neuroscience both for today and into the future. In

recent years, neuroscience's various fields of study began to influence our understanding of the person, memory, learning, development, communal interaction and practice of education. As the research in neuroscience grows, the points of intersection between our understanding of the brain and our task in shaping spiritual lives seems inevitable. So, Mark Maddix and I wrote chapters, and edited this text, with a group of scholars who may well feel more like "pioneers" exploring new territory then "settlers" residing in the well-worn conceptual neighborhoods of the faith formation of the past. While Mark and I hope to generate new interest and conversations between scientific discovery and ministry, we also think this book will provide practical wisdom for ministers in light of the many different issues emerging from this new field of study.[Dr. Dean Blevins]
Neuroscience and Christian Formation is available for purchase at Amazon.com.
FACULTY CORNER - Dr. Andy Johnson
"Holiness and the Missio Dei," by Dr. Andy Johnson, Professor of New Testament

Dr. Andy Johnson has been busy! In last month's edition of the eConnection, we highlighted his new commentary called 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Now, Dr. Johnson has released his second book, called "Holiness and the Missio Dei."
In Holiness and the Missio Dei, Dr. Johnson takes the reader on a biblical journey that explores the question of what holiness or sanctification has to do with God's mission in the world. He refuses to relegate the idea of humans becoming holy to the realm of individual inward piety or legalism, on the one hand, or to the realm of the impossible prior to Christ's return, on the other.

Today, "mission" is in, "holiness" out. Andy Johnson demonstrates not merely that holiness and mission can be linked together, but that the biblical story from Genesis to Revelation reveals how they are and must be connected--and in surprising ways. This highly perceptive yet accessible book is a rich feast, a must-read for all students, ministry practitioners, and academics concerned about the church's participation in God's mission.[Michael J. Gorman, St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore, MD]
This book is now available through Wipf and Stock Publishers.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
David Bond
David Bond is the full time Middle School Youth Pastor at Bethany First Church of the

Nazarene in Bethany, Oklahoma. David and his wife Bethany were recently blessed when their daughter Eliza was born just eight months ago. They are also blessed and honored to be parents to their nineteen-year-old adopted son Dylon and sixteen-year-old foster son Johnnie.
David graduated from Southern Nazarene University in 2011 and is currently in his fourth year at NTS.
Shortly after graduating from SNU, I sensed God calling me into youth ministry and was a little unsure considering I had just spent four years working on a degree in Biology. However, as I have learned time and time again, God’s plans are far greater. God opened many doors and closed many others in miraculous ways, and only three months later I ended up working with these wonderful Middle School students here at BFC. Every day has been a blessing, and I know I am right in the middle of God’s will for my life.
I decided to go to Seminary because I felt a great need to be educated in the foundational truths of the Church of the Nazarene and to learn how to better minister to my local context. I have learned so much in these past years, and I have been able to apply so much of what I have learned in my ministry. I can see how the classes I have taken have enriched the ministry that I am apart of and I look forward to learning more as I continue to work towards my ordination and eventually my Master of Divinity.[David Bond]
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.
Neil MacPherson (Class of 1957)

I began attending Nazarene Theological Seminary in the fall of 1953. At that time NTS was sharing space with the Nazarene Publishing House and the denominational headquarters of the Church of the Nazarene located in the area of 29th and Troost in Kansas City, MO. I had classes on the top floor of a large house that was used for the headquarters offices. I also had classes in the basement of an apartment building the Seminary owned on 30th and Harrison Street.
In the spring of 1954, the Seminary made its move to the present location. I can well remember being part of a car caravan that moved the library from the Troost site to the present Seminary location. At that time, the library was located on the lower level of the Seminary. I cannot recall the number of trips I made in that moving process, but it was several.
At the beginning of my ministerial career, I adopted words from a Wesley Hymn as my lifelong theme: “To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill. Oh, may it all my powers engage to do my Master’s will.” Serving the present age involves seeking to understand the present age. NTS prepared me to become a lifelong learner, to think theologically and biblically and to apply that thinking to the practical challenges of ministry.
I was privileged to spend most of my ministry in churches near Nazarene Theological Seminary. As a result, I was able to attend many seminars and special events at the school. During my 21 years at Independence First Church, I always had some seminarians as part of the congregation. I was able to supervise them in the evolving supervised ministry program of the Seminary. They also became vitally integrated into the life of the church.
Upon my return to Kansas City in 1994, at the invitation of Pastor Dr. Jesse Middendorf, I became a part of the pastoral staff of Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene. What an unanticipated and rewarding way to spend the concluding years of my ministry. I found myself often visiting and ministering to some of my former Seminary professors and other leaders who had been instrumental in forming and shaping my life. During my ministry at First Church, I again became involved in the Supervised Ministry Program at NTS. I have also participated in several Middler Assessments and Senior Integrative Seminars.
I have deep appreciation and strong confidence in the staff and faculty of NTS. President Carla Sunberg is giving strong passionate leadership as she works with the team in providing the theological, biblical and practical tools for students who are preparing themselves for ministering to a rapidly changing culture.[Neil MacPherson]
This year, Dr. Sunberg asked Neil to make phone calls on behalf of NTS. In a matter of a few weeks, Neil has made over 125 calls, connecting with many of those he supervised. These phone calls were rich to both parties. We are grateful for the time Neil has invested in the students of NTS. We are grateful for his example of faithful and effective leadership!
FREE CENTER FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP SEMINAR FOR CLUB 300 MEMBERS!

Club 300 members, log on to the Center For Pastoral Leadership website (cpl.nts.edu) to enjoy a free seminar. This quarter, the free offering is Preaching Matthew taught by Dr. Roger Hahn. Last quarter’s free course, A Conversation about the Sacraments, by Dr. Brent Peterson, is still available. Enjoy your free courses which also count as Lifelong Learning Credits. Club 300 members, keep your eyes open for other membership benefits!
Table of Contents

Quick Links

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:
I am White, We are Black, an event on racism at NTS, November 17, 2016, 6:30pm (Central)
Youth Ministry and Race, The NTS CPL is teaming up with Kansas City Youth Front to host a conversation and training on Youth Ministry and Race featuring Rev. Tina Harris and Dr. Brandon Winstead, December 1, 2016, 9am - 1pm (Central). Registration $10, BBQ provided!
Christmas Carol Sing at NTS, December 16, 2016, 7pm (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?
Upcoming Giving Options!

Cyber Monday is November 28.
Our CPL membership subscription will be specially priced for gifting to your favorite pastor or church leader.
Stay tuned for more details!