Dear Friends and Partners in Ministry,
My teaching 2013 Fall teaching schedule is now in full swing. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this
current group of students in in my favorite course: Pastoral Ministry. We have been discussing topics such as: a biblical theology of shepherding; a brief church
history of shepherding (looking at godly examples such as the great Puritan
pastor, Richard Baxter); the character and calling of a pastor; and what God expects of a pastor (know, feed,
lead, and protect the flock). These students have an evident love for the
Scriptures and a passion to shepherd their flocks on behalf of our Good
Shepherd, Jesus Christ. I am blessed by
their hunger, challenged by their questions, and humbled by their commitment in
spite of many challenges.
One challenge is that the vast majority of these men
are bi-vocational. So, in addition to being husbands, fathers, and pastors,
they must work in a secular job during the week to provide their income. The totality of all these demands makes their
task difficult to say the least. One or
more of the above-mentioned responsibilities often suffers. The result has been weak preaching,
insufficient discipleship and inadequate equipping of deacons and other church
leaders (see Ephesians 4:11-16). So these students are seeking to sharpen their
skills and augment their effectiveness in ministry. And we are working through
these challenges and asking God for wisdom to help the churches share the
financial burden that is often disproportionately borne by their pastors.
A unique way that our seminary helps the men and
women who come for training is to offer a non-traditional schedule that allows
the students to come for two weeks at a time (four times per school year). In each two week module, students can take up
to two classes (40 hours per class) for each session. That means four hours of
class in the morning followed by another four hours of class in the afternoon.
There are, of course, breaks and meals in-between (and a chapel service each
Tuesday). This approach makes education
more flexible and accessible for students who travel here from all over the
country without having to quit their jobs. But the schedule can be grueling—for
student and professor!
Thank you for your prayers! And please keep us in your prayers for the upcoming classes (see schedule below).
Jerry
Jerry's Teaching Schedule for Fall Semester (2013) (KTS - Kiev Theological Seminary)
1. Pastoral Ministry (September 9-20) KTS
2. Introduction to Pastoral Leadership (First week; October 7-11) KTS
3. Biblical Counseling (October 21- November 1) KTS
4. Homiletics 1 (November 4-15) KTS
5. Small Group Leadership Training at Heart of Jesus Church In Chernivtsi (November 22-23)
