The Rhythm of an NTS Education: Investing in Students Who Return the Gift
Nazarene Theological Seminary recently celebrated its 79th commencement. Each ceremony is filled with tradition and joy. Yet, graduation is more than the conferring of degrees; it points to something greater.
At the heart of NTS is a steady rhythm. Faculty, staff, and administrators invest deeply in students, which would be expected. The joy is in how students return the gift. They carry this same spirit of investment into their own ministries. For nearly 80 years, the cycle of faithful giving and faithful return shapes the seminary’s identity and mission.
Dr. Hugh C. Benner, our founding president, was a gifted pastor, preacher, and general superintendent. He was also an accomplished musician. He composed hymns, arranged worship music, and in 1959 published Singing Disciples: Toward Better Church Music. The book expressed his strong belief in the formative power of worship and song. Dr. Benner’s investment in students left a lasting mark. His joyful presence in chapel and his love for the Church’s hymns became a defining part of the Seminary experience.
One of those students was Rob L. Staples, who later served as Professor of Theology from 1976 to 1996. Rob credited Dr. Benner’s love of church music as a lasting influence on his own ministry as pastor, scholar, and teacher. This spirit resonates in parts of Dr. Staples’ major work, Outward Sign and Inward Grace: The Place of Sacraments in Wesleyan Spirituality.
When Rob Staples returned to NTS as a professor, a new electronic organ was installed in memory of Dr. Benner. Reflecting on that moment, Rob wrote: “And now that I am back where it all started, attending chapel services in the building that Dr. Benner planned, and hearing music from the organ that is a memorial to him, my heart is, indeed, filled with gratitude.”
That rhythm continues today. Dr. Albert Hung, superintendent of the Northern California District, offers a recent example. His dissertation, “Deep Work: How District Communities Can Work Together to Renew Their Witness and Mission,” will inform his role as superintendent. He hopes his work will help churches flourish, renew their mission, and grow in ministry. We trust his research will bear fruit for years to come. Dr. Kyle Poole, superintendent of the Kansas City District is another example. His research in clergy wellbeing will be of immense benefit to his district pastors.
This year also marked a historic milestone: NTS graduated its first cohort of doctoral students in the Black Leadership and Ministry program. These students stood out for their academic rigor and deep commitment. We look forward to the ways their work will shape and strengthen the people of God in the years ahead.
This is the rhythm of an NTS education: a faithful, enduring investment. It is one that echoes through the lives of students and brings blessing to the people, churches, and communities they serve.
