Most seminaries have someone who is focused on talking with prospective students to answer questions about various academic offerings as well as aid in taking next steps in their academic journey. At Winebrenner we call this “New Student Engagement” while many schools identify this area as Admissions or Recruitment.
Regardless of the label attached to this function, it’s worth exploring how prioritizing discipleship shapes this area of work. A broad perspective about theological education invites consideration of how engaging potential students can be better aligned with God’s kingdom mission and not viewed as simply the task of “admissions” within “higher education.”
The major shift here is thinking about the conversation with a possible future student as a task of spiritual discernment and not merely helping them figure out if they want to enroll in a course or academic program.
One of the main goals of this discernment process is to help the person discover how they can be more active in responding to Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:37-38: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We need to be deeply committed to helping those who are called to be the workers Jesus talks about. The artificial division between the local church and formalized theological education is a creation of humans who are too concerned with academic credentials and accreditation and fail to see the unity of God’s kingdom mission.
As servants working under the authority of Jesus’ kingdom mission, we are accomplishing good things when we assist someone in discerning a spiritual next step – whether or not they join Winebrenner. Within this framework, it is still okay to set enrollment goals but the ultimate aim is to be good stewards of the learners that God provides. Developing flexible approaches to planning and budgeting become more essential for organizations that embrace this shift.
Our primary task within God’s kingdom Is to make sure we are walking with others as they discern their next step in their journey with Jesus.
We’ll continue exploring other shifts as we continue this series next week.
- Brent C. Sleasman, President
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