If you were to glance at the promotional literature published over the years about Nazarene Theological Seminary, you may notice a repeated phrase; something like, “Preparing future leaders for tomorrow’s church.”
NTS takes seriously the sacred task of preparing women and men to be future pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers, chaplains, and ministry leaders. It is why we exist as a graduate school of theology in the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, in service to the Church of the Nazarene and the wider Christian Church. Yet, most of our students are not waiting for future assignment, they are currently active in local church leadership.
Across the past five years, ninety percent of our graduates were already serving in local congregations. Rather than “sending” our students to churches, we are meeting them there. As NTS students combine their pastoral duties with graduate studies, this dynamic of contemplation and action is powerful in the formation of faithful and effective ministers of the gospel.
One our students, Rev. Noelle Eichenberger, a second-year Master of Divinity student with a restaurant management background, always wondered why community churches don’t have community kitchens. Two NTS classes were pivotal in helping her and her small Nazarene congregation in Upstate New York launch The Hope Kitchen. Her church now provides a weekly community meal to people in need, while also providing nutritional cooking classes. Longtime community residents didn’t know the Keeseville Good Shepherd Church of the Nazarene existed. Now, they not only know about the church, but they also know Jesus as the Bread of Life.
Through our Seminary’s “learn where you live” model, students have a significant impact in today’s church. NTS is an academic institution, but it is much more. NTS is also a vital training center, constantly at work in the intersection of learning, faith, and the practice of ministry. Investment in NTS not only benefits tomorrow’s church, but it also blesses today’s church!
