The Preacher as Lifelong Learner...Continued from page 3

Kim May adds, “Go to conferences in the areas of leadership, keeping your family intact, and learning how to deal with people.” These are relatively inexpensive compared to a D.Min., and can be accessed locally most of the time.

Dr. Timothy Warren, Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary, says the biggest question is, “What am I really looking for and expect to get out of this? If I were looking just at preaching, what I would do before I got involved in a D.Min. program, look at getting some personal coaching. If you’re looking for an education, I would hire a vocal coach, find somebody who is a professional who would be willing to mentor me specifically in the areas where I had need. There’s something to be said for reading the books and so on. You might have money well spent by hiring a coach. I don’t think pastors even think about that.

“Tuition for a D.Min. is often more than $500 per semester hour. To graduate, it’s twenty-seven hours of course work. There’s also travel and accommodations, so you’re probably up to about $30,000. Two weeks residency winter and summer, two or three courses in a year’s time, for three to five years.”

Thus, Warren suggests there are many other things to do besides go for a D.Min. He says, “Another idea: say you need to build up your preparation skills, your study skills for preaching. Could you go to a local seminary, find a professor in New or Old Testament who will coach you through your work skills? Or say your need is preaching. Could you take a course in public speaking? For instance, go to Google and search on what professional businesses do to prepare their executives to be public speakers. That’s a great way to get a cheap and very helpful education in that area.”

He adds that, “If you’ve already targeted the particular areas you want to beef up and get constant input, I would find some coaching or specific business kind of seminars. If you spent a couple thousand a year for the next fifteen years for a coach to help you with your preaching, you’d get some good insight into how you’re functioning as a preacher.”

He also sees a pastor’s personal life as an important element of continuing education. “Here at Dallas,” he says, “we have the Center of Christian Leadership. It hosts one and two week programs for couples. A refresher on keeping your relationship strong and vibrant.”

There are many such seminars both for ministry leaders and others. But the ones targeted specially to ministry marriages help people in ministry, which can have its own unique set of programs and difficulties.

Clearly, there are many options out there for continuing education, according to the experts in professional development for ministry. The real issue is: What do you most need in developing your ministry gifts and skills? How can you get that need filled best?

Consider a variety of options, then try some things you think might work for you. Try several smaller options -– a conference or seminar, for example -- before jumping into a major program like a D.Min. Then get immersed in it for all you’re worth.

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Mark Littleton is a speaker and author who resides in Gladstone, MO.