In my early days of ministry, after graduating from seminary, I invested time and energy into writing for the church. I mostly wrote curriculum for youth and adults. And I wrote a couple of small books, also for teaching in…
Teaching. What is important to you about teaching? How has your teaching practice changed over time? How has your pedagogy (designs and plans for teaching) changed in this pandemic season? This week’s episode of 3MMM is especially for everyone who…
Vocation. Work. Calling.Ministry. Family. Life. Vocation is a word that often evokes the idea of work. Yet vocation is not just work. Vocation may bring to the top of your mind the idea of calling. Yet vocation is more than…
Back to school. Back to seminary. Back to something new! As I greeted students at Union Seminary’s orientation last week, I told them “I am just as new as you are! We will be learning together.” And I feel it.…
Orientation. Disorientation. Reorientation. This week is orientation for many people going back to school… including me! I’m starting a new teaching appointment for the coming year. And orientation begins this morning. The week has hardly begun and already I have…
Accountability. Without some accountability, learning goals can certainly fall flat. Learning practices as complex and subtle as ministry, does not work well in isolation or without good partners, mentors and friends. Being accountable to them requires trust and openness. Today’s…
What is the long-term value of learning goals for ministry? This week’s episode of Three Minute Ministry Mentor considers how learning goals can help us bring the fears that may hinder our learning into the light of day. Big goals…
BIG. Squishy. Learning goals. Everyone working to learn the practice of ministry needs at least one or two of these. When I ask students to imagine this kind of goal, I’m urging them to think long-term and big-picture, to set…
Aha! So many kinds of moments deserve this word! When conducting interviews with 50 seminarians-on-the-way-to-ministry and 25 seasoned pastors and priests, we asked them all to tell us about and “aha moment” of learning in ministry. The Learning Pastoral Imagination…