NICK MAPLES

Glorifying God Through a Life of Ministry

Who should lead the church?

Nick Maples

Table of Contents
1. What is Ministry? pg. 7 2. The Call 3. Fingerprint 4. Goals and Plans 5. Epilogue pg. 18 pg. 29 pg. 37 pg. 52

6. Acknowledgements pg. 53

Dedication
To Stephen, Josh, Joe, and Graham. Thank you for the honor of letting me grow close to all of you.

Acknowledgements
I want to take time to acknowledge the people who helped me finish this book. I want to acknowledge Coach D for writing his book, which is the basis of which this is written. Every person in my Intro to Pastoral Ministry class has also helped bring information into this book. The two people who I have worked closest to and have helped me in gathering information is Joy Decker and Kyle Jeffers. Thanks to all of you for contributing to this final product.

Preface
This book is about the road to becoming a pastor. It is written using The Call of a Lifetime by Keith Drury as an outline. While Dr. Drury is a Wesleyan, I am not, so many of our ideas will differ. This book talks a lot about being called into the ministry, what it takes to be a minister and what life in the ministry is like. While Dr. Drurys book is written to men and women, mine is not because I believe only men should be ordained in the church, as you will lead later. I am not a minister and I still have a lot to learn. So while this book may be a lot about what life is like for some ministers, it may not be the same for others, or even me. I hope you enjoy this book, as I have enjoyed writing it. I also hope that you find a stronger desire for ministry after reading this, and if you do, that your ministry is greatly glorifying to the Lord.

Chapter 1 What is Ministry?

If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full. -John Piper

Introduction
Everything about a pastor and his job in the church can be very confusing. Many people in the church do not even know what a pastor does other than preach on sunday. There is also a lot about the ministry that is behind the scenes. There are also things set aside for ministers that other people are not called to do. In this chapter I will explain a lot about the ministry and what it entails.

Jobs of a minister

8

There are many jobs in the ministry. Briefly, the ten that are most evident in todays pastoral work are church work, people work, pastoral care, worship leading, preaching, teaching, rituals, evangelism, discipleship, administration, leadership, and community relations. The two responsibilities I am most nervous of as a pastor are pastoral care and preaching. Both of these jobs I think I will enjoy very much but I am very unsure of how I will do. Pastoral care worries me because Im afraid I wont know what to say. I know I wont have all the answers to a girl who is sexually abused, or a mother who lost a child. I am afraid I wont feel adequate to be the one looked to for advice. Preaching makes me nervous also because of how unqualified I am for the position. The Bible is perfect, God is perfect, and I am not. Teaching about Gods word and what He has to say worries me because Im not worthy and I wont live up to the things that I preach. Teaching and discipleship are the two that I look forward to the most. I am excited to teach because I love theology and the knowledge and truth of the Bible. Teaching truth, instead of a watered down Gospel is something I will enjoy doing. Discipleship and mentoring is probably the one job that I will like over all the others. I love small groups and people. I love to assist those who look to me for guidance. I think discipleship is of huge importance in the church and I will love this task. My two strong points are discipleship and mentoring, and teaching. Through recent experiences I have found that I have researched my beliefs slightly more than most of those around me. I dont mean that in a proud way, only that I have done some research and that I greatly enjoy teaching and assisting people who are thirsty for
9

biblical knowledge. I also find in the same way I love discipleship and mentoring. God called us to make disciples of all nations, so I know I am called to do it and I also love doing it. It grows me spiritually when I have the opportunity to grow someone in Christ and it is something that I believe I have been gifted at doing well. My lowest attributes are church work and worship leading, both for the same reason that I just dont know how to do them. I have never shadowed a pastor and learned how to do church work or how to organize a worship service. I plan to intern at a church soon and grow close to the mentor I chose for my practicum, and I hope to find out a lot more of what it is like to do these jobs. I believe it will grow me to see what being a pastor is like behind the scenes.

Ministerial Vocabulary
When referring to ministry and service to the church, the vocabulary most christians use can be confusing. When the Bible talks so much about every Christian doing some kind of ministry, why have pastors adopted the word ministry to refer to the everyday job of a pastor? This section should help clarify the words the church uses for all types of service. 1. MINISTRY

10

The word ministry means to serve in any way. A non christian can do ministry. A cashier at a supermarket and a teacher at a high school are doing ministry because they are doing a type of service for others. 2. CHRISTIAN MINISTRY This is serving in a way that is done proclaiming Christ or done for the glory of God. This type of ministry obviously has to be done by a Christian, but two Christians can be doing the same service while one is only doing ministry, and the other is doing Christian ministry. This type of ministry has to be done with the intention of glorifying God, so two people could be feeding the poor, but if one is doing it to glorify himself he well not be doing Christian ministry. Another term for the is GENERAL MINISTRY. 3. THE MINISTRY The ministry is a term used to describe an ordained pastor whose full time job is working for the church. This term is only used for a select group of people and much fewer people can do this ministry than the previous ministries described. 4. EQUIPPING MINISTRY This is the same as the ministry but puts an emphasis on preparing the church people to do general ministry. 5. THE CALL The call to ministry is explaining a person who does general ministry and their vocation is equipping ministry. This persons life would be devoted to serving Christ and his people. 1. ORDINATION
11

This rite sets a person apart from others and is recognized by the church as being in lifelong equipping ministry. Some who are ordained will not stay in equipping ministry for a lifetime, but that is what was intended by the church for a person who is ordained. 2. NON ORDAINED MINISTRY This refers to a person who does work for the church but is not considered a person doing lifelong equipping ministry. This could be someone like a worship leader or youth leader. It could also be a person who leads a small group or makes the coffee on sunday mornings.

The Ministry vs. Ministry: Whats the difference?

12

There is a big difference from christians who are in the ministry and christians who serve and do ministry. All Christians are called to serve and do Christian ministry. We need to act as servants to others, but that doesnt mean we are called to the ministry. The ministry is a lifelong service for people who are called to devote their life to equip others to do Christian ministry. There will be more talk about the ministry in the next section

The Call
Gods call doesnt stop at the inner conviction, his call works throughout the whole process. The call starts by an inner conviction from God, usually that is just a feeling or thought, but some believe it could be an audible voice from God. After that there should be a confirmation of the call from fellow Christians and the church. If a person feels the call to ministry but everyone around says that person is not a good fit for being a pastor, that person should rethink the calling. The church will be able to see if a person has pastoral qualities and their advice should be taken very seriously. If the call is felt, and those around you confirm it, the next step is to be commissioned by the church. This is the church recognizing a persons call and sending that person out, either for education, or to be sent to another church. If this call is real and the persons

13

sin does not get in the way, this should be a lifelong calling to pastoral ministry, equipping Gods people to do general ministry throughout the world.

Misunderstandin s of the Call

14

There are a lot of people who dont fully understand the call and what it entails. Like we have already talked about, we are not all called to the ministry. Some people think everyone is called to the ministry and to preach the Bible. Every person is called to share their faith but not everyone is called to preach and do the jobs of a minister. People also think only one type of person can be a pastor. These days, many people think that you have to have a charismatic personality to be a pastor. Previous generations believed pastors needed to be serious, always wearing a suit and tie, and never get excited in their messages. All types of people can be pastors! There are a lot of different people in the world, and God uses a lot of different kinds of people to reach those people.As we have also already talked about, some people believe the call is always an audible voice from God, in reality that is almost never the case. Some people claim that they here an audible voice from God calling them into the ministry, but it is a very small percentage of pastors. Finally, some people also think that the ministry is a human invention not a divine invention. They think that all people should preach and do all the jobs of a minister, and the Holy Spirit should be the only authority in the church. Throughout the Bible, God does not use this method. He calls specific people to be ministers and heads of the church to help those under him.

The !ible and the call

This chart helps explain The Bibles view of the call.
15

Inner Conviction ------ Confirmation ----- Commission ------ Lifelong Service ------- Equipping Ministry

Gods Call To The Ministry

"o# scri$ture de$icts the call

This diagram explains how Ephesians 4:11-13 depicts the call.

God Gave

Unity and Maturity

%$ostles !uildin u$ )ro$hets &van elists Christ to )reacher - Teachers .each

To &'ui$ *ods )eo$le

(or Wor+s of ,ervice !ody of

16

"istory of Ministers
This chart shows the what ministry has looked like throughout history. Each group is connected by their similarities in jobs.

History of Ministers
Patriarchs Moses Ministers who hold ultimate authority from God, first ministers on earth. Ex. Abraham and Noah. Moses is a patriarch who held authority spiritually, but also led his people militarily and politically. Priests and Levites Prophets Ministers who are born into pastoral ministry. People God gave to speak the word of God to his people. People who ruled the nation, many of these rulers also were the spiritual leaders of the nation. People who studied the scripture and transmitted it to the people.

Judges and Kings

Scribes

17

History of Ministers
Rabbi Prophets and Teachers These people are teachers who have disciples learn under them. Preach with authority and teach people to grow them in faith.

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastor All of these are made to equip believers Teachers and spread the gospel. Apostles A small group of a ministers closest disciples. People in charge of everyday church work like distributing food. Young or old people looked to for wisdom. . Women in the church who would in times of need to prepare meals or do whatever is needed. A synagogue elder is someone who is in charge of the whole church or shares the responsibility with a few others. This is a person who oversees a whole group of churches or a whole denomination.

Deacons

Elders

Widows

Synagogue Elder Bishop or Overseer

18

Wra$ u$
As it has been described in this chapter, not everyone is called into the ministry. Being a minister is a hard job that many people probably would not want to do. Most of us would never want Moses life, but that is what he was called to. There is a lot about the ministry that people misunderstand, and I think now it is obvious that a pastors only job isnt just to preach on Sunday. The call to ministry is a high calling, but if it is your call then look forward to everything God has to offer!

19

CHAPTER 2 The Call

Consider your calling. Do you sense that God is calling you to ministry, whether as pastor or another servant of the Church? Do you burn with a compulsion to proclaim the Word, share the Gospel, and care for Gods flock? Has this call been confirmed and encouraged by those Christians who know you best? God still calls . . . has He called you? -Albert Mohler

20

Kinds of Calls
There are many different kinds of calls and a lot of them can look very different from one another. Some people get an immediate call to their life that is very hard to ignore. Others could have a very quite call that takes a while to fully hear. This section is about some of those different types of calls. DAMASCUS ROAD CALL This is a rare call that is a supernatural act from God. Paul was called this way by a bright light and Gods voice while on the road to Damascus. This call is often seen through audible voices, dreams, and signs. Most people will never actually get this call, but many want to have this call. It is easy to obey God when He slaps us in the face or audibly yells at us, but usually this is not the way he chooses to call people into the ministry. PROGRESSIVE CALL This call starts with an interest in the ministry, and never stops growing. It can start by just a thought about going into ministry, and slowly the thought grows into something you can not resist. Having a progressive call could start by reading a Bible verse that makes you slightly think about the ministry, or you could see a gift you have that could be used well in a pastoral role. Once this happens, the desire to listen to that idea should grow continuously. CALL FROM BIRTH
21

This is also a rare call. Some ministers feel the call from birth, and could never remember not being called. They always knew the ministry was their call, and usually do not think twice about any other options. SET APART BY THE CHURCH This call was seen often in the Bible. Paul would go to a church for a period of time, leave eventually, and choose who would be the minister of the church. This can be seen in todays church when a respectable person in the church tells a kid that that person has gifts that should be used in the ministry. The church could choose to support that idea and could even choose to financially support that person to get education for the ministry. OPEN DOOR CALL People who have ministerial gifts often have this call. It begins by doing ministry work in the church, which leads to more ministry, which leads to the final call into the ministry. It could start by leading a small group and eventually becoming a pastor. COMBINATION CALL Most pastors have this call. Their life could take them down a road that crosses a lot of these types of callings. For example, a person could start as a small group leader with the open door call, begin to feel the call grow in that that persons life through a progressive call, and eventually be set apart by the church to be the sr. pastor.

22

MY MINISTERS CALL
My Pastor had a progressive call. Michael never remembers a specific time when the pastoral ministry just clicked in his mind. He came into college wanting to learn about philosophy and medicine. While working in the church, he just grew to realize that his gifts were perfect for the ministry. So through working in a church, he decided Medicine was not his calling, but neither was just pastoring. He feels the call to be bi-vocational, counseling and pastoring, in order to glorify God the way he best sees fit.

MY TAKE ON CALLS
The main thing I have learned about calls is that everyone has a different one, and a lot of them are combination calls. There are very few people who have a sudden, supernatural call. While it would be incredibly helpful if everyone in the ministry had to receive a supernatural call, God does not give us this luxury. Instead, He gives us his word to work in accordance to the scripture in wisdom. So in most situations, people will be called by a variety of calls that ultimately end in becoming a pastor.

23

MY CONFIRMATIONS
Just as there are many ways to be called into the ministry, there are also many ways to have that call confirmed. This chart shows the way I have experienced these confirmations in my life.

MY CONFIRMATIONS
Mystical Confirmation During the middle of my senior year I was reading the bible and came across a verse that basically said we need to be doing ministry for Christ. I didnt even right the verse down but I knew at that time that the best way I could glorify God and do his ministry was by being a minister. I have had a few mentors and church members say I should look into becoming a pastor. I was never really sure though and did not think about it much until a few months ago.

Church Confirmation

Confirmation by When I first felt the desire to go into the ministry, I hated it. I didnt Desire like the thought of public speaking or dealing with people at all but recently I have grown to look forward to it and desire to be a part of it. Firstfruits as Confirmation I have not had many opportunities to experience this confirmation, but a year ago I lead a sunday school for four year olds and all their parents told me how much they looked forward to the class.

Confirmation by My testing has come through doubt. Many times I doubt if I am Testing worthy of the call or if I could be doing something I would like more. Sometimes I choose to allow fear to overcome my trust in the Lord.

24

CMA ORDINATION
The christian missionary alliances ordination process is unique to the denomination, and is one of the more easy ways to be ordained among denominations. To be ordained by the CMA a person needs to have a ministerial eduction, but there are two different ways to acquire that. A student can go to a college and receive a degree in some type of ministry, or the CMA has an education process of their own called Church Leadership Academy. Once a degree is earned, a person has to work in a church for two years before becoming ordained.

STEPS TO MINISTRY
There are certain steps ministers go through before coming a minister. This section will briefly go through the steps before becoming a lifetime pastor. The first step is just an early hint that you might eventually receive a call into the ministry. This could be something as simple as being good at public speaking or memorizing scripture well. Next would be Gods call from Ephesians 4:11-13 that was charted out in chapter one. After that you just need to say yes to that call! Study and preparation is also a step that needs to be done to be a minister. That can take place at an institution, under another pastor, or possibly by yourself. God will at some point confirm your call through one of
25

the confirmations that were previously described. Testing will eventually take place to make sure your really ready for the call on your life. The church will also end up confirming your call, which could be a possible way God confirms your call as well. Near the end of this time you will get your first ministerial job. This is a big step in the process and will show you quickly if you are truly called or not. Finally, at the very end of this process, you will be ordained as a minister and spend a lifetime in fulfilling ministry.

MY OWN CALL
My own call is not a story with a lot of excitement. Basically my whole life I thought I was going to be a lawyer. I have always enjoyed law and history and I knew that it would be a good fit for me. A few months before I entered college I was reading my bible and read a verse about serving God and doing his ministry. Sadly, I can not even remember what the verse was. I just sat in my bed thinking how I could best do ministry for Christ. I knew that I could serve God and be a lawyer, plenty of good christians are lawyers and serve the Lord faithfully. However, I realized I was not going to be used as best I could to glorify God in that occupation. Theology and god have been my passions for a long time and I started to understand that I could best glorify God by becoming a pastor and teaching His word. I started to look at what classes I would have to take for a ministry degree, and realized that I would actually enjoy learning, and in many cases it wouldnt feel much like what school has always felt like.
26

So my desire to go into the ministry grew fast from there. I had been told a few times in my life that I should consider going into the ministry but never took it very seriously until I started to think about it right before college. As I looked at my life, I could see that God has gifted me with some qualities that are good for a pastor. So through all this, I have come to understand that I could be used well in the pastoral ministry, and that is what I have decided to pursue.

WOMEN IN THE MINISTRY

SCRIPTURE NOT SUPPORTING WOMEN IN THE MINISTRY There are a few scripture writings that indicate women should not be ministers. The two that many talk about are found in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2. I believe these verses are explaining that women should not be pastors in Bible times, and today. Paul is talking in a time where women were usually shut out from religious functions and because he is telling them to receive instruction, he is actually accepting them into the church. At the time, women may have been taking that too far and holding positions of authority in the church, which Paul does not allow. Many people believe that these are passages just for the church being written to, but that is not what Paul indicates. He goes on to say that the reason women should not be pastors goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. It shows that this was a universal truth and that women should be under the authority of men.

27

SCRIPTURE SUPPORTING WOMEN IN THE MINISTRY

Popular verses to support the role of women in ministry are Acts 2:16-17, Acts 21:9, and Rom. 16: 1-2, 7. In Acts 2 Peter talks about what Joel wrote. This is referring to the millennial kingdom, and will not be complete until then. Even though some would say that we should be striving for that now, I do not believe that we should defy scripture in doing so. In Acts 21 we see four women prophesying. There is no indication how many times they prophesied. Since women are not to be teachers or preachers, they could have definitely been prophesying to individuals and not to a body of believers. Finally, in the book Romans we see mention of two women. First, is a woman named Phoebe. In no way does this writing indicate that she was a pastor or teacher of any kind. She was a servant in the church and John MacArthur explains that this persons responsibility was to care for sick believers, the poor, and other people in need 1. He also explains that they were to instruct women and children but does not show that they could hold any authority over men in the church. Later in the chapter, Paul mentions a man and a woman, possible a couple but it does not say. It describes these two as being outstanding among the apostles. Apostle in no way meant the sole job of a preacher or teacher. These people could have been missionaries and served the Lord

1 This explanation comes from The MacArthur Study Bible in Acts 21:9 on page 1640. 28

faithfully, but there is no indication that either of them were pastors or teachers in the church.

CONCLUSION
Everything talked about in this chapter can be controversial. Many people do not believe in supernatural today, like a Damascus road call or a mystical confirmation. Other people only believe in these things and put strong emphasis on spiritual movements. Many people also have different views on women in the ministry. My challenge would be to look up scripturally what you believe, and stand by your faith, while also being able to listen to differing views on biblical topics.

29

Chapter 3 FINGERPRINT
"I always say to young fellows who consult me about the ministry, "Don't be a minister if you can help it," because if the man can help it, God never called him. But if he cannot help it, and he must preach or die, then he is the man." -C.H. Spurgeon

30

Introduction
God has used many circumstances in life to bring me to the ministry. I have not begun the ministry, so I cannot guarantee this is my life calling, but at this point in my life I believe it is. I believe God has blesses me with a great family and a great life, only to be able to better glorify him. This chapter will discuss things in my life that have led me to desire to become a pastor.

Preparation

31

One thing that I need to make clear is that while God has used many great experience in my life to lead me to pastoral ministry, he has also used bad ones. I have learned that if every experience was a good experience, then I would not have had a reliance on God or a desire to serve him. I believe that God has used my bad experiences, specifically my sin, to lead me to the ministry. If I never got to see how bad of a person I am and never understood the magnitude of my sin, I would never have had the passion to bring others to the understanding of their need for salvation. God has given me great people and experiences to lead me to the ministry, but he has used bad ones and my own sin as well.

Gods Fingerprint
This is a section of my book where I can explain the way God has worked in my life. I am not just talking about life experiences, but also things that he naturally instilled in me. The focuses here will be on spiritual gifts, heart or passions, abilities, personality, and experience.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

32

I am not certain of my spiritual gifts, as I have not had time to fully understand them. However, I do believe there are some aspects of my life that I may one day realize are spiritual gifts. One of the gifts I have been blessed with is counseling and mentoring. I have found that I have had many opportunities to counsel people and biblical mentor people yearning for spiritual guidance and biblical knowledge. I am not sure why this is, because I do not think that there is something special about me, but I do believe God has put me in these situations for a reason. I know that I put a high priority on listening to people, instead of being listened to. I think that people are drawn to someone who genuinely wants to know them, not someone who wants to be known by them. Another gift I believe God has instilled in me is my passion for learning and knowledge. I love to read and learn knew things, almost to the point where it is an addiction. I like to learn in many different ways. I love to learn through books written by people who I respect and who I know can teach me well. I love to learn through people, in the way they teach and in the way they can mentor. Education in many different ways is a gift that God has given me.

HEART
One of my biggest spiritual passions is biblical truth. I have a passion for the lost and things of that nature, but my biggest passion is inside the church. I hate when a person has poor theology and does not understand the magnitude of scripture. I also cannot tolerate a person who blatantly lives in disobedience to Christ, while claiming to be a follower of Him. Sin is a significantly bigger deal than many people believe. It is
33

common to hear in the church I sinned, but it is okay because I am forgiven. This sentence may not be wrong alone, but the way it is usually used is a problem. Many believe that after they sin and recognize what they did wrong, they can just be forgiven without any punishment. They believe that after sinning against God, everything that happened just disappears as if forgiveness makes sin a minor detail of life. Many of my passions are like this are concerned with christians and apply to people inside the church and not as much outside of it.

Abilities
I truly do not know how my abilities will have anything to do with my ministry. I believe I am a good people person, and I can relate many people, which could be very useful in the ministry. I also greatly enjoy playing and watching sports. I know pastors who enjoy watching and playing sports with people in their congregation, so I believe this could be a good way for me to fellowship with people in my church. While I think these abilities may be good for my ministry in the future, I think there are many abilities that I do not have yet that will help me greatly when I am a pastor.

Personality
The one thing about my personality that will be helpful in the ministry is the relational part of me. Whenever I meet someone I always try to think that this friendship could mean something in the future. Obviously, most of the time this is not how it turns out. Many people I meet in life will not be a close friend, but if I try to do everything in my

34

ability to make each person feel some kind of connection with me, strong relationships with people can be built.

Experience
There are many experiences that have led me to the ministry, many that I probably do not even realize affected me at all. The start of my desire to be a pastor was when I was reading my Bible in bed like I have talked about earlier in this book. I was not positive about what I wanted to do with my life before that night, but at that point I had a good idea what I wanted to do. Another way God has encouraged me to become a pastor was when I served coffee for a group of people in my parents ministry at a week of sermons. A guy named Taylor and I served coffee for the beginning of the sermon and sat through the rest of the sermons for a week. Taylor was also studying to be a pastor and one day we sat and talked about our futures, theology, and life for a few hours. This got both of us so fired up to one day be in pastoral ministry. Other people who have helped me with the idea of being a minister is my family and my brothers friends. My parents have been great examples for me in my life. They have always been strong and their faith. My father has always made a lot of money but they decided to sell everything they had to become missionaries and serve the Lord. This example will always remind me of how I need to serve Christ in everything I do. My brother has been my role model in life and someone who I can turn to for theology questions. He knows what he believes and has showed me scripture to further my faith. His roommates have also been a great light in my life. They are all Christian Ministries majors and will make
35

great pastors one day. They are great people and I think of them all as my older brothers. They are much more mature in their faith than I am and I love looking at them and seeing what I hope I can become one day. I have not had a lot of experiences where I have led a group of people or been in a great youth group so most of my growing experiences have taken place by building relationships with people. This can be seen in the way I engage with my small group at church. My small group means so much to me and has taught me how to interact with people inside of the church in a personal level. Everyone in this group has made me excited for the ministry as well.

My Testimony
I was saved at the age of four and my life has been a process of sanctification since that point. When I was four I asked my brother and mother what it meant to be a Christian. I knew it would be eternally important in my life, but obviously at the age of four, I did not exactly know the magnitude of God. So on the floor of my parents bathroom, my mom and brother lead me to the Lord. Even at the age of four, I understood my sinful nature and wept in sorrow over my sin. My parents became Christians before I was born, so I have always grown up in the church, and my parents spiritual growth has had an impact on my life. In my childhood, my parents were the ones I would turn to for spiritual guidance, but that

36

changed as I got older. In high school my brother became the person I looked to when I had questions about life and the Bible. He knows a lot of scripture and has been incredibly helpful in my walk with the world. He is also a great example of living out the things he believes which encourages me in my daily life. Since I was saved from the slavery of sin at the age of four, I had many things to learn. I never had any experiences where I recommitted myself to God, but I have had many opportunities to grow and mature in Christ. I went to a Christian school from seventh to twelfth grade, and this grew me mentally, but hurt me spiritually. During the early parts of this schooling I had a passion to know Christ and live like him. However, God became something I focused on at school and forgot about when I was home. I always knew the way I should live, but never fully cared enough to change. This changed my senior year when the Lord grew me and showed me how important he is. God gave me an understanding of how important a life change was needed in my life, especially at this time in my life. This time of my senior year was one of the most growing and significant times in my life.

Vocational goals
37

I have a few ideas of what I would like to do in my future, but I also recognize that I have many time to change those ideas. Right now, I would like to become a pastor and a professor at some point in my life. I love discipleship and teaching, which I think can be used well in a small classroom setting. I also think I would enjoy the jobs of teaching and shepherding that a pastor does. I do not want to have a head pastoring job until I have a masters degree, but I would like to have a job in a church during my schooling. God has also put a passion for learning in me, so I would like to attain a doctorate sometime in my life. I know that these plans could, and probably will change, and I will accept whatever God has planned for my life.

Conclusion
Everything that has happened in my life so far has led me to where I am today and where I will be in the future. I am thankful that God put me through whatever he wants to get me to wherever he wants. I hope that God will always make me remember that anything in life can be used to glorify him. I also pray that whenever I do not feel like glorifying him, I will do it anyway.

38

CHAPTER 4 Goals and Plans

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country -C.S. Lewis

39

Jobs in the Ministry

There are many jobs that only ordained ministers can do, or only titles that ordained ministers can do. Many of the jobs that ordained ministers do, lay people also do these jobs, they just do not, or should not, have the same titles. These jobs would be a youth pastor or a youth director, a mission director or a mission pastor, etc. Here are a few jobs and titles only ordained pastors can hold.

SOLO PASTOR Many pastors will start out, or eventually be in a small church. Sometimes these churches will not be able to afford many staff so only one pastor will work at some churches. No one wants a director as the only staff in a church and not have a pastor at all. YOUTH PASTOR A youth pastor will work with youth in a church. These people run the youth ministry, and could do the exact same job as youth directors. The only difference is that directors are not ordained pastors. STAFF MINISTER These ordained ministers can do a variety of different things. A large church can have an executive pastor, administrative pastor, a pastor of discipleship, a missions

40

pastor, and many other kinds of staff pastors. These ministers can be greatly helpful to a churches ministry but many churches are to small for many staff pastors. MINISTRY OUTSIDE THE LOCAL CHURCH Many people, after working in a church for a while, go to work at their denominations headquarters. These people could be in charge of a few churches in an area, or could go work in another part of the ministry. SENIOR PASTOR This is the pastor that many people know the best. This person usually preaches almost every Sunday, and is often seen as the head of the church. Many people will move from being one form of pastor into being a senior pastor. A lot of ministers will end with being a senior pastor. This person is very important to the church and does many of the up front jobs and behind the scenes jobs. LAY PEOPLE JOBS As I said before, many of the positions ministers hold, lay people can also hold. In most situations, if these jobs listed end in pastor or minister, a person is ordained. If these titles end with director then a person is not ordained. A senior pastor and a few other staff ministers are rarely lay people, but lay people can do a lot of the same jobs of ordained pastors.

My Preparation
41

CHARACTER A persons character can be seen through many different decisions. A persons character will be seen many times when no one is looking, which means often no one will no your true character except for you. However, your character will affect your whole life, and if you make the private decisions right, you should be able to make the public ones right as well. Many people will go on a mission trip or do a good deed, but only do it out of self ambition. Others will serve for a desire to be submissive to God and these two characters can sometimes be hard to differentiate. Often people who have wrong motives will show their poor character, while people who have pure actions will be seen as having good character. EDUCATION For me personally, I feel a leading to get a good education. The last thing anyone wants behind the pulpit is an uneducated pastor. In my undergraduate studies I plan on getting a Christian Ministry degree, and a Theology and Philosophy degree. Many churches would accept me into the ministry after that but I would like to pursue further education. While I may have some kind of job in the church during my masters studies, I do not want to be a senior pastor in a church until I get a masters degree, probably a masters of divinity. I have always seen education as very important and I would like to start on my Phd. soon after my masters as long as it is financially possible. I would like to be a full time pastor at this point also so it may be very hard to find the time to study for a Phd., but I think I will be able to. TRAINING
42

I think training to become a minister is vitally important as well. I do not want to start shepherding a congregation right after school with very little on the job training. I know my practicums will help me for this, but I do not believe they will be enough training. During the summers I plan on interning for my pastors at my home church. I think this will give me a lot of experience and help me see what the job is like. When I get done with my undergraduate studies, I hope I can still get some training at a church before I become fully in charge of any of the areas of ministry.

Charting Preparation
This is a simple visual aid that shows my character, education, and training that will prepare me for the ministry. CHARACTER I plan on doing my best to please God and not myself or others. EDUCATION TRAINING I plan on graduating with a 3.5 GPA or better and acquiring a Christian Ministry degree. I plan on helping at a church and being mentored by a pastor during my undergraduate studies.

My Churchs Educational Requirements

43

My Church only requires a person to get an undergraduate degree to be a pastor. Seminary is still recommended but it is not absolutely necessary. However, because jobs are scarce, a person who has a masters degree is more likely to get a job than a person with just an undergraduate degree.

Calling and Leading

Many people use the words calling and leading to mean the same thing, when in reality they are quite different. The main difference is that a calling is lifelong and a leading is temporary. I feel called to the ministry, but that could mean a lot of things. I could be an associate pastor, missions pastor, and senior pastor within my lifetime and that is all a part of my call. I could feel a leading to be an associate pastor, but because I might not stay in that position the rest of my life, it is not a calling. I feel called to the ministry so my call might consist of all those things. However, any of them by themselves are probably only a leading.

Saving in College
There are many ways to save money when going to college. Everyone looks at the sticker price and imagines the debt they will be in the rest of their life. Very few people pay this price and many could pay less than they do. One way to save money as
44

a student is by getting good grades. Coming in with a good GPA and maintaining it through college is a great way to receive money off tuition. It is also good to come in with college classes already done. A ton of schools offer college credit for classes in high school. These classes are much cheaper than actual college classes and it could take a year off of college expenses! Another great way to save is by CLEPing classes. This is a way to pay a small amount of money to take a test that will make up for credits needed in some classes. It is possible to CLEP almost all general education classes. CLEP test and taking college classes in high school can be the biggest money saver. Taking summer classes while in college can also save a good amount of money. These classes are cheaper than normal classes and it is nice to not waste three months of college doing nothing. A final way to save money is through scholarships. There are all kinds of scholarships, many that no one even knows about. Look into the best way to receive scholarships because this can basically be free money.

Independent Research
Independent research is a way to study that is different than a typical lecture class. It is a way to for a person to create his or her own learning experience about something that person is interested in. This is done by first finding a professor who will preside over the class. That professor will be the only accountability the student has and will great papers and other things pertaining to the class. It cannot make up for a class
45

that already exists, but is a new class all by itself. Only juniors and seniors can take these classes, primarily because of the responsibility needed to do this kind of study. If I do this in the future, I would love to do a study about the reformation. I would like to look at different reformers, like Martin Luther and John Calvin. I might also like to do a study of the puritans. I think both of these would be great to learn about and fun to learn on my own without a classroom setting.

Marrying and Dating as a Minister

This subject has been something that I have been thinking about for a while now. I have heard preachers explain that a pastors wife is very important and that ministers should be very careful on who they marry, because that person could greatly help them or greatly hurt them. Recently I saw a wife of a pastor break down to her husband in front of the whole church. She seemed very stressed and upset with another woman and brought it straight to the front of the church, embarrassing everyone involved. This could have been very bad for the whole church and at that moment I realized that I need a spouse who is stable and strong. Pastors spouses need to be calm when a bad situation takes place, they need to always think before they speak and be filled with the
46

Holy Spirit. I also know that my wife needs to be a people person and be very loving and caring to others. My wife needs to be in the church, involved with the people. A pastors wife cannot just go to church to hear her husband on Sunday mornings. She needs to be involved in peoples lives just like the pastor is. I am not saying that the pastors should be the only ones who get the good spouses. What I am saying is that many mens jobs do not have anything to do with the spouses. In the ministry, the spouse of a pastor is important to the whole congregation. She can either make his ministry thrive, or destroy it.

Ordination and Marriage

Ordination is crucially important in a ministers life. In most churches it is not possible to be ordained right when you enter the church. This is something you will have to work for. Marriage and ordination are very similar. They are both lifelong commitments. No one goes into ordination thinking that it is not a big deal, you can drop our whenever you want. While it may be possible to leave the ministry whenever, no one should go into ordination with that mindset. An ordination service is also like a marriage ceremony. This is seen primarily when the one giving the sermon preaches to the one being ordained, not as much to the audience. Ordination and marriage are very similar and both should be fully committed to and taken very seriously.

47

Early Troubles
Many pastors will leave schooling and think they are fully ready for the ministry. This is just not the case, at least not for most. There is the rare case of a person starting a church and seeing it grow rapidly, like Paul in Thessalonica, but this just does not happen very often. Many prominent ministry students will begin their ministry in churches of less than fifty. Some great pastors will even end their lives in churches these size. Jesus ministry was not full over growth and approval, actually quite the opposite. This does not mean mega churches are bad, some could be great churches that grow to the glory of God, just do not expect this growth from the start. There is always something to learn in the ministry. Just because someone has a Phd., if they have never worked in the church they need to grow in on the job training. Pastors will grow any many areas during this time: as a person, as a theologian, and as a minister. Ministers will grow through low parts in their ministries, the way they handle these situation may prove how these people love God. If they can make it through low parts in life, their relationship with Christ will be overwhelmingly evident. Nothing else will help pastors more in the ministry then their relationships with their lord.

Senior Advice
48

This section is about what most seniors would tell freshman Christian Ministry students. This may not apply to people in every major, but it does apply to almost all ministry majors. Some things may sound much different than high school, but will greatly help in college and in the rest of life. STUDY FOR KNOWLEDGE GPAs are not bad things, especially when it means more money from scholarships. However, the reason to go to class each day is not to get an A. The reason to go to class is to learn! The knowledge that can be learned in class and in homework can be greatly important to you. It is possible to get As on tests but never truly learn a thing, do not let that happen. GET INVOLVED IN A CHURCH Be an active participant in a church. Do not church hop or go to church just to see what church can do for you. Serve in the church through whatever ways possible. Some churches will even higher youth pastors still in college, which is a great way to get money and learn the skills needed for the ministry. SPIRITUALLY PREPARE Always put devotions before homework and friends. Both of those things are important but not as important as God. Get to know God, get to love God, and put God as a priority in your life. Going into the ministry, this should be the most important thing in your life. PROFESSORS ARE HUMANS TOO

49

Get to know your professors. They can grow you as a person and they probably want to get to know you just as much as you want to know them. Know them on a personal level, and if possible be mentored by one. These relationships will build you into the person you need to become for the ministry. CLEP CLEPing is a way to help you get credit for a class without actually taking it. It costs money but will save money and time in the long run. This is a great way to get done with gen eds. that you do not care about.

FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT School is important but friendships are too. Sometimes a great talk is better than studying for a test. People should be a higher priority to you than grades. Do not use this as an excuse! You still needed to study hard and do everything to the glory of God. You need to figure out how much time you need to put into something and how much value you will put on your friendships. College can be a blast, make it a fun experience. BE TEACHABLE You will never know everything in life. Many pastors may not a lot, but they are not God and still have things to learn from other people. Let professors teach you, even let peers teach you. Be a humble person who understands the value of other people. BE PREPARED

50

Have a schedule. Know what needs to be done and do it. Plan ahead for classes and down time. Without planning life will be hectic and many things that are important will be forgotten. SAVE SOME THINGS AND THROW AW AY OTHERS You will get some things in class that just do not matter. However, there is a lot of information that you will get in college that will help you in the ministry, especially when preparing sermons. Save whatever could be used for a future sermon; sermons you listen to, books you read, memorable quotes, etc. SLEEP Sleep is very important! Some days you will have to stay up late, but if you do not need to then dont. People function much better when they are well rested, so quit playing video games until four in the morning on a week night. Sleep will make the college experience more enjoyable.

Old Timers advice

Knowledge is gained from experience, wisdom is gained from others experience. This quote is good because it shows how important it is to have wisdom and knowledge. Remember that you are serving the Lord not the ministry. If you get to involved in serving others then you will burn out, that is why I feel this quote is
51

important. A minister also gave advice to read this book once a year The Making of a Leader by Robert Clinton. I have heard many pastors give the advice that it really is all about relationships because ten years down the road you want them to remember you. Imagine if every human being especially a pastor lived by this quote, treat everyone as though they were Jesus and respond to everyone as though you were Jesus. A question that must always be asked is the way that I worship and read the word of God helping me grow in a relationship with him or am I just doing it because I make myself. The minister wrote put God first, your spouse second and your children third. The fourth priority is the church. The people in the church need to see a loving person who shows that love through marriage and raising his kids. These are all great tips to know but very hard to do. Prayer and consistent strive towards God is the greatest thing for anybody and will help through all of lives challenging obstacles.

Where We Might Be
As a freshman in my first semester of college I am already thinking about my future. I have read about the student Coach D is proud of and I hope to be one of them someday, but I dont only want to impress Coach I want to work for God. As I read I realized there are so many ways I can do this. As an IWU graduate I can end up on the staff of a church like Lynn Payne, Zach and Becca Coffin, Ian Swyers, Steve Abel, Kelsi Adkins, Dustin Krantz, and Marcelo Satana. Each of these individuals came out of
52

college and either extended their knowledge or went straight into the ministry as staff pastors, this could happen to me and since it happened to so many of Drurys student I think that it is a big possibility for me. Mark Schmerse, Christy Hontx Lipscomb, Craig Coe, Dave Mierau, and Jarod Osborne are graduates that became solo pastors or senior/executive pastors after graduating from IWU. These individuals and either furthered their education then joined the ministry or went straight into the ministry. I could do this as well after graduation if I work hard and depend on the leading of God. When I graduate from Indiana Wesleyan I can be a church planter or missionaries like Julie Collins, Adam Thada, Austin Bonds, and Tom Cochran. Julie and Tom had staff job before they decided to plant their individual churches, while Austin and Tom went straight to their mission field in the states.

Finally
Everything written in this book may not be the same for all people. Some people who read this may become businessmen, nurses, or lay workers in the church. Some people may never experience early troubles in the church. Some may have a thriving ministry from beginning to end. Some people may have a lofty view of ordination and some would never care if they were ordained as long as they are doing the work God has given them to do. I hope this chapter and this book has helped those looking to go

53

into. I pray that whoever is reading this will, you will ultimately glorify God in whatever you choose to do in life.

Epilogue
This is only the beginning of my ministry, Im not even in the ministry yet. Looking ahead and seeing what my life may be like is extremely exciting, and a little scary. I believe that I will love being a pastor, I think I have chosen my occupation correctly and this is where I belong. I see maybe people around me looking forward to the ministry because they believe it is going to be fun and exciting. I am not sure if I believe that at all. I think it will be hectic, emotional, and upsetting. Everything a pastor is required to do
54

builds up into a crazy lifestyle. I would love to help the poor, but when there are twentyfive poor families in need it will be difficult. I love to help people through problems, but when half the church comes to me with issues in their lives, that will be tough on my emotions. I also would love to teach people Biblical truth, but I am going to freak out when I see hundreds of people staring back at me. The point is, everything that a pastor is required to do I am excited about. Doing it all to an access is what worries me. I think the ministry is going to be amazing. However, I also know that it is not a walk in the park. I know God will bless me in whatever I do in His name.

Appendix
This end of my book shows a clearer description of Christian ministries at Indiana Wesleyan University. It will show the professors and what they are like. It will also tell what classes a Christian Ministry major takes and a brief description of them.

PROFESSORS

55

/ame: Wilbur Williams Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. 2o the study uide before the class 3. 2o the assi ned readin before the class 4. Ta+e as many notes in class as $ossible 5. ,tudy everyday you can to $ut the information in lon term 6. 7f you end u$ stru lin in the class tal+ to him as soon as $ossible for o$tions

/ame: 8eith ,$rin er Teaches: Christian &ducation Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:

"e li+es 9ist Ta+e notes on a com$uter because he oes to fast for $en and $a$er Just ma+e sure you sho# u$ Ma+e sure you have boo+s for his class

56

/ame: ,teve 9enno: Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. .ead %99 of the re'uired material;;; <7ncludin the assi ned ,cri$ture 3. )artici$ate in every class discussion;;; 4. (ully $re$are for 'ui==es <you have a 'ui= in each and every class;;;.> 5. Commit the 'ui= 'uestions to memory <they formulate the e:ams> 6. Meet u$ #ith 2r. 9enno: %T 9&%,T once durin the course of the semester. <*et to +no# him? allo# him to et to +no# you;;;; "e@s an a#esome>

/ame: 8eith 2rury Teaches: )ractical Ministry Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. !e ready to #rite a lot and do not $ut the #ritin off until the last minute. The 'uic+er you et it done the better 'uality and less stress #ill result. 3. Ta+e notes durin A and % sessions because those to$ics #ill sho# u$ on tests and 'ui==es. 4. .emember earlier content from the class because it is very li+ely it #ill continue to sho# u$ on tests and 'ui==es. 5. Memori=e #hat you are told to memori=e ri ht a#ay

/ame: ,teve "orst Teaches: )hiloso$hy Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. !e $re$ared for )B) 'ui==es. 3. )ay attention more to #hat he says? not #hat is #ritten on the #hiteboard. Cou et more useful notes that #ay. 4. Dnderstand that he has a sense of humor? every once in a #hile he uses it to tell you #hat to be $re$ared for #hen he $ulls out a $o$ 'ui=.

57

/ame: Chris !ounds Teaches: Theolo y Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. Ta+e co$ious notes on everythin said in class. 3. )artici$ate in class discussions #henever $ossible. 4. When studyin ? ma+e sure to understand the terms? not Eust sim$ly memori=in the definitions.

/ame:.uss *usalus Teaches: Couth Ministry Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: ives lots of notes really fun tells lots of bad Eo+es really hard mid-term easy class to ta+e

/ame: Charlie %lcoc+ Teaches: Couth Ministry Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1.> 9isten because he has a lot to say. 3.> Ta+e notes over his lectures. 4.> Very fun $erson to tal+ to.

58

/ame: &laine !ernius Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: 1. *o over your notes and $ay attention durin lecturesF 3. *o over vocabulary most tests have vocabularyF 4. There is $retty consistent amount of readin ? but you dont have to com$rehend a #hole lot of it other than the terms. 5. There are a lot of #ritin assi nments? but they are all $retty short.

/ame: !rian !ernius Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: Ti$s from !ernius himself: 1. (ollo# %99 directs for assi nment 3. 2ont #ait until the ni ht before to study for my test 4. Ta+e notes outside the )o#er)oints 5. "e li+es to see you challen ed by the material. 6. !ernius #ants to see you en a in the te:t <both !ible and te:tboo+> G. (ollo# all directions. Thats #orth a lot. H. !e $re$ared to #rite a lot on his testsF he doesnt do multi$le choice or trueIfalse. J. *et to +no# him as a $ersonF hes e:tremely +no#led eable and very nice. 7s #illin to s$end time #ith you if you truly #ant to +no# more.

59

/ame: Constance Cherry Teaches: Worshi$ Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: -%ssi ns readin s for every class -.andom 'ui==es over the readin s -*enerally not a difficult $rofessor -KCou@ll #arm u$ to her.K

/ame: ,cott !urson Teaches: )hiloso$hy Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. Ta+e ood notes. 3. Ma+e flashcards. 4. *ive yourself at least 4 days to study for his e:ams. 2o a little each day. 5. )ay attention to 'uotes and #ho says them. 6. 2o the e:tra credit? even if it $ushes you out of your comfort =one.

/ame: /orm Willson Teaches: 7ntercultural ,tudies Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor 1. *o to class 3. Ta+e notes over any class discussion 4. .ead rubrics for $a$ers thorou hly 5. )artici$ate in class discussion 6. .ead and com$rehend any letters? sermons? or other forms of readin for tests and $a$ers

60

/ame: Jolly !eyio+u Teaches: 7ntercultural ,tudies Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. Teach yourself. 2r. Jolly tends to e:$ect students to a$$ly themselves to learnin outside of class and be able to use it in discussions durin class. We are tem$ted to e:$ect to be served by our $rofessors in lectures? but 2r. Jolly beats to a different drum. "e +no#s #hat #e are ca$able of and #ants us to sho# him. Cou #on@t learn unless you #ant to. 3. !e assertive. When you need somethin ? as+; 2r. Jolly can be confusin . ,ometimes he s$aces out and for ets to e:$lain somethin ? $ost thin s on blac+board? etc. %s you et to +no# him better? you@ll see that he a$$reciates your 'uestions and reminders. Dnderstand that he@s not or ani=ed; 4. ,ho# him race. %s everyone +no#s? 2r. Jolly is not ty$ical. That does not mean he@s a horrible $rofessor. "e has so much +no#led e and e:$erience? and he loves unli+e anyone else. "is lac+ of or ani=ation? confusin trueIfalse tests? relentless #or+sheets? and uni'ue rammar #ill be su$er frustratin . *et over it and learn from the uy. "e loves you?

/ame: 2avid Vardaman Teaches: )ractical Ministries Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. )rofessor Vardaman is 'uite strai ht-for#ard and doesn@t dance around the subEect? ettin strai ht to the $oint. 3. "e enuinely cares for his students and $ays much attention to detail. 4. Auestions are enerally either ri ht out of the te:t or lectures? so no sur$rise 'uestions on the 'ui==es #hich also $re$are students for the tests.

61

/ame: 2ave Ward Teaches: )reachin Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor:
1. Call him 2ave. "e is not a doctor? and $refers this to )rofessor Ward. 3. "e stresses $ersonal ro#th and character ro#th in his classes over academic success. 4. 7f you are a reat student? he may say somethin li+e? KCou don@t need to ta+e this test. 7t #ill lo#er your rade? but you don@t need to ta+e it.K 7f need an %? don@t listen to this too much. 5. 7f you haven@t e:$erienced failure in life before? he #ants you to e:$erience it- $ossibly in assi nments in his class. "e doesn@t #ant you to o into the ministry thin+in you have it all to ether? so he #ill try to ma+e you reali=e that you don@t #hile you are in his class.

/ame: %bson Jose$h Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: 1. )%.T7C7)%T7B/ in class is the +eyLif you freeload in class dont e:$ect to et ood rades on the tests 3. Tests are not obEectiveLthey are o$en-!ible testsL !DT you have to remember the class discussion so if you arent listenin to the discussion in class #hen it comes to the test you are in trouble. 4. 2ont re ur itate the $rofessors thou htsLhe #ants to +no# if you can thin+ on your o#n and ather evidence for your o#n ar ument in your #ritin s. 5. 2ont $lay ,ay #hat the $rofessor said for an % #ith Jose$hLit #ont #or+. /ame: ,arah 2erc+ Teaches: !ible Ti$s 0 "ints for ta+in this $rofessor: 1> "er readin s realistically dont matter because you o over it all in class M s$ecifically for her *ree+ class. 3> 2o the home#or+? or fail the class. 4> ,TD2C VBC%!. 5> ,he lets you out early all the time 6> Cant use com$uters in her class? all notes are hand#ritten.

62

CBD.,&,

COURSE: WOR-235 Worship NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: In this class you learn about worship. It combines teaching about the worship of our past, including it's rituals, as well as worship of the present so that we can have a deeper understanding of worship, and be able to lead it better. WHAT IT IS LIKE: They meet in class on Mondays and Wednesdays. Most of the classes are in a lecture format. Lectures come straight from the book that. Most of the grades come from small assignments frequently given. Then on Fridays, instead of going to class, you go to a practicum. I've been told that this class is pretty easy, a class that if you already have a busy schedule, this wouldn't burden you down much more. Therefore I was recommended to take this class, to fill in credit hours with a semester where I know I have classes loaded with work. COURSE: CED-255 Local Church Education NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: In this class you will become familiar with the different facets of church education(youth groups, small groups, mentoring and children through adult Sunday school classes). You will learn how to write curriculum for these different types of groups/classes as well as teach them. You will look at the characteristics of children and why they may behave in a particular manner. You will read a book as well as write your own book that is informative and instructive on the theology and history of education in the church. Your book will also teach others how to write curriculum and teach these various groups/classes as well. In the end, you may very well be able to come away from this class and step right into the position of Sunday school superintendent at a local church. WHAT IT IS LIKE: The class itself will consist of a few lectures but mostly in depth discussion, within a group that you have joined, about the chapters you have read and the chapters you are writing. Because you work in small groups be sure to get in a good one - there are plenty of group quizzes. There is also a practicum class each week. You will need to e-mail the Prof. what you have observed in a local church setting. Further into the semester the Prof. will not "hold your hand" so much in the writing of your chapters. You have to express some cognitive skills on your own. COURSE: THE-233 Christian Theology I NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: Basic Christian Doctrine, covering the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit WHAT IT IS LIKE: The class is a lecture class going off powerpoints everyday. There are few grades in the class. There are three tests, as well as five 4-mat reflections throughout the semester for the assigned reading. The tests cover the lectures, and there are study sessions that are extremely helpful. There is also a handbook project, in which you write a book explaining theology to a specific audience. I was advised to stay diligent with this handbook, as it can be a daunting task if you procrastinate. This class is very difficult, but crucial for a minister to take. COURSE: THE-424 Christian Theology II NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: An intensive study of soteriology, including the doctrines of sin, prevenient grace, justification, sanctification and glorification from a Biblical, historical and practical perspective. The Wesleyan Arminian tradition provides the theological framework for this course, also they examine other theological views from this perspective. Special attention is given to John Wesley's doctrine of holiness. 63

WHAT IT IS LIKE: This is a lecture style class with the professor working off of power points. Much like Theology I there is a "book" project throughout the class. It is advised from upper classmen to not get behind in anyway with the workbook if you would not like to pull a few all nighters to catch up. Also, I was told that this course is extremely difficult, but rewarding in the amount of knowledge that is ascertained.

COURSE: Pentateuch NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: You will learn about the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), as well as all related historical material assigned. WHAT IT IS LIKE: This is a discussion based, Scripture driven class. Daily reading of the assigned material is necessary, and attendance is required. There are frequent quizzes but they are not daily. Also, there are a great number of papers due in this class, mostly dealing with exegeses of the assigned material or related passages of daily reading. The tests and quizzes come straight from the material. You will not be thrown any curveballs, but much work is required to perform well. COURSE: Pastoral Epistles NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: This class focuses on the Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) WHAT IT IS LIKE: The class is lecture based, so take notes.There is a Lot of group work. Youll also write an exegeses paper and youll have other chances at smaller grades throughout the semester (like outlines of the books), along with a midterm and final. COURSE: Summer Internship COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Internship for Credit is an internship program where you can develop basic skills for ministry under a qualified Christian leader and their co-workers. Through exposure to church activities and direct consultation with the people who are professionals in the ministry you will hopefully gain an understanding both of your calling and the responsibilities that will come along with that call. It can also be used to gain college credit. The Internship is expected to be 40 to 60 hours a week. At least 10 hours of that time has to be supervised, and half of those hours have to spend with the one who you are interning with. It is important to remember that you cant get credit after the experience unless you sign up for it before you intern somewhere. COURSE: BIL-304 Johannine Literature NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: A study of the Gospel of John and his three epistles. Such concepts as Logos, truth, life, light, and love will be given special attention. Prerequisite: BIL-201, BIL-202 or BIL-203 or permission of instructor. WHAT IT IS LIKE: From what I could gather there are a lot of small homework assignments. The class is pretty laid back; lots of discussion and joking around with the prof and the students. It's an advanced New Testament course so I'm comfortable in assuming that there would be a lot of IBS (Inductive Bible Study) assignments and the tests are probably over concepts found in the literature. COURSE: REL-275 Evangelism and Global Outreach NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: You will learn the difference between a Christian and an Evangelist, the history of missions and outreach movements, andthe right way to do a partnership, when doing a short term mission. WHAT IT IS LIKE: This class is more discussion based, rather than lecture based. In almost every class the prof lets the students break up into groups and go over discussion topics within the text. There is only one test and that is the final. The only paper you have to write is a 15 page paper at the end, explaining everything you learned. There is a practicum with the class but is somewhat different than the practicum for Intro to Pastoral. 64

COURSE: YTH-371 Youth Evangelism and Discipleship NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: This course will establish both principles and practices of evangelism and discipleship which are uniquely applicable to persons in the second decade of life. You need to learn about the relationship between discipleship and evangelism. WHAT IT IS LIKE: There will be grades for this course but that is not what the class is focused on. Grades are not as important as learning the information. There will be two tests and two book reports. There is a lot of lecture/discussion/learning. He does not waste your time with useless stuff. Be engaged and learn a ton! This class is super practical. COURSE: HBR-201 Beginning Hebrew I NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: An introduction to biblical Hebrew designed to give the student sufficient knowledge of the grammar and tools available to be able to do basic study of the Hebrew Bible in the original language. WHAT IT IS LIKE: It is a fairly laid back class. There are lots of jokes between students and prof, A lot of reading, a lot of Translating. The class comes mostly from the book. You need to memorize a lot of the words. There are a lot of quizzes. The teacher will tell you to listen and then repeat terms. Teacher will tell you if you need to read in depth or just graze over. The class is lecture driven. COURSE: Seven practicums--Intro, Global, LCE, Leadership, Pastoral counseling, worship, Homiletics NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE:In these courses you will learn the practical side of ministry. This is applying what you have learned in class and learning how the church really works. WHAT IT IS LIKE: Get involved in the church you are at. Some upperclassmen will say take them all at one church if you can so that you build relationships with the people. Others will say to go out and be at different positions and different churches so that you learn in different environments. This is a personal preference and a choice that you will have to make. During the practicums, follow the rules layed out for you and just get involved in any way that you can and it will not only befit you, but it will also befit those around you. COURSE: REL-469 Pastoral Care & Counseling NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: A study of the biblical framework and various theories of pastoral counseling. There will be a heavy emphasis on self-understanding as a prerequisite of effective counseling. The course will cover most of the typical counseling problems faced by the local pastor, including pre-marital counseling, hospital visitation and grief counseling. Only open to Juniors and Seniors. WHAT IT IS LIKE: The prof is very interested in the students, spent a long time on prayer requests, this was great. I could tell that he genuinely cared for the class he was teaching, and showed that by making sure they understood everything. The students said that his tests and quizzes are inconsistent at times. They said that you will learn a lot just from paying attention, but his class is tough. COURSE: BIL-202 Inductive Bible Study NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: This course studies the basic principles involved in the study of the Bible. Assumptions concerning scriptural authority are presented as well as procedures for careful observation, analysis and interpretation of the text. Particular attention is given to the use of scriptures as a foundation for expository preaching and theological reflection. WHAT IT IS LIKE: You will need to participate during class discussions and everyone's opinion is valued. The class environment is mainly lecture with a small group type setting discussion from time to time. COURSE: REL-465 Homiletics I

65

NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: In this course, you are taught how to preach through lectures and practical experience. Students prepare sermon outlines for the prof to grade. They also will get up in front of class and share a story (2-3 min), a sermon introduction (7-minutes), and a short homily (15 minutes). After their homily, the students are given practical advice from the prof and other students in the class, both verbally and on paper. WHAT IT IS LIKE: The class varies from lecture style as the prof speaks to discussion of what went well after class members speak. The class feeling is one of extreme respect for all involved. Participation is a part of the grade, so contributions in class discussions are expected. COURSE: GRE-201 Beginning Greek I NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: In this course a student needs to learn to read and pronounce Greek consistently, to begin to understand the Greek noun and verb systems and basic Greek syntax, and to learn a basic Greek vocabulary. These skills will serve as a foundation for further studies in Greek for the purpose of better understanding the Biblical text. WHAT IT IS LIKE: This course requires students to continually put effort into learning the material. There are no weeks in which one can stop doing work without taking a serious hit in grades. The work is not overwhelming provided students stay on top of memorizing their vocabulary and paradigms. There are homework assignments due almost every class and weekly vocabulary quizzes. In addition, as students learn new paradigms for Greek morphology, there may additional quizzes over these charts. A unique feature of this class is the required study groups that meet for two weekly, one hour sessions outside of class. This counts for 20% of the grade, so if students go to all their study sessions, they will have more room for error in the other areas. After three absences of any kind from study groups, a student's grade drops by 3% per absence, which makes disregarding the study groups the biggest mistake one can make in the class. COURSE: General Epistles NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: In this course you study 1&2 James, 1&2 Peter, and Jude. The goal of this course is for you to be able to interpret these books and apply them to your life. WAT IT IS LIKE: The class time is filled with a lot of discussion over your interpretations over what you read. You keep a notebook about what you learned and how to apply it to your life. After each book there is a test and at the end of the semester you have a large exegesis due for your final project. COURSE: REL-331 Church History NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE:There are a lot of the presentations that seem to be over different people and different key components in the church history. You also learn about many different people that took part in the development of church and how we know it today. Consequently it will also teach you how to research and give presentations. WHAT IT IS LIKE: The class is a very loose and fun environment. It is mostly upperclassmen in the class so there is some class discussion over what these high level students need to do.. There seems to be a lot of presentations given by students, so it's a unique learning style with a lot of student teaching and little talking by the actual professor. There are also demonstrations given by different groups. So the class seems as if it'd be different every time, yet mostly lecture based. COURSE: REL-482 Capstone NEED TO LEARN IN THIS COURSE: This course comes last on the list of courses to take for a Christian ministry major. You will learn how to make a resum and gather everything you have done in previous classes in order to prepare you for the ministry after you graduate. WHAT IT IS LIKE: This class is a fun class in a small classroom setting. It is a time to learn from the professor, usually through times of question and answer. A whole class can be spent asking the prof questions that do not even pertain to the current subject, but will help in the ministry. It is a two credit hour

66

class and is a relatively easy A. Classes can be very interesting and conversations can get intense because the things talked about in this class are things that students wish to talk about. ELECTIVES There are also many electives that can be taken in the school of Theology and Ministry, here are a few with brief descriptions. REL-330 - Philosophy & Theology in Film Realizing that the medium of film has become the principal mass vehicle for the transmission of philosophical and theological ideas, this course will study a variety of films with the intent to identify ontological, epistemological, and ethical presentations of both Christian and non-Christian world views. Prerequisite: PHL-180. THE-310 - Christology This course examines the person and work of Jesus Christ. Students will explore the historical and theological development of orthodox Christology and attendant debates from the New Testament to today. Particular attention will be given to the relevance of Christ's theandric nature, earthly life, offices, atonement, resurrection, session, and second coming for Christian faith. Prerequisite: THE-233. THE-311 - Ecclesiology Ecclesiology addresses the doctrine of the Church with a special focus upon the nature and mission of the Church. The biblical, historical, theological, and practical aspects of ecclesiology will be examined from both a Protestant and Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox perspectives, while considering major contemporary theological proposals. This class will also examine the historical problem of ecclesiology in the Wesleyan-Arminian tradition, address contemporary Wesleyan expressions of the Church, and work toward a biblically and theologically informed ecclesiology. Prerequisite: THE-232 or THE-233. THE-425 - Patristic Theology The purpose of this course is to immerse students in the primary theological sources of the Patristic period, which form the interpretative foundation for theological orthodoxy. Specifically, students will read, examine and discuss the major theological treatises of the Doctors of the Eastern Church - Athansius, Basil the Great, Gregory Naziansus, and John Chrysostom and the Doctors of the Western Church Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great. Principal attention will be given to their systematic treatments of Christian doctrine. Prerequisites: THE-232 or THE-233.

67

My name is Nick Maples. I am a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University and I hope to be a pastor one day. I have one brother named Stephen who is a senior at Indiana Wesleyan. He is one of my best friends we are very close. My mom and Dad live in Granger, Indiana. They are missionaries for a missions agency called Life Action Ministries. They love God and love what they do. I was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio. This is where my extended family still lives today. I love God and love everything

68

and everyone he has given me in life. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to write this book.

69