SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM
SERVANT LEADER EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM
IN ACCREDITED NON-CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS
Action Research Project Presented to the Faculty of the Master of Arts in Servant Leadership Viterbo University
______Dr. Enoch O. Antwi Advisor
______Dr. Enoch O. Antwi Program Director
______Tracy Stewart, Ph.D. Vice President for Academic Affairs
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Servant Leadership by Christine E. Hackett May, 2020 2 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM
Servant Leadership Education in Master of Divinity Curriculum
in Accredited Non-Catholic Theological Institutions
Christine E. Hackett
Viterbo University
Colloquium SVLD 690
Dr. Enoch Antwi
Spring 2020
3 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Abstract
The church of today looks to their pastor for leadership, faith formation and spiritual care. With declining membership, the yoke of leadership sits squarely on the shoulder of the pastor. Upon completion of a seminary education, churches expect the graduate to know how to lead, handle conflict, manage volunteers, be competent in church administration, inspire through worship, educate the faithful, and engage the community. This study reviewed the Master of Divinity curriculum at fifty theological institutions across the United States. Each theological institution was designated as a seminary, divinity school or university. Institutions sampled reflected that of mainstream Protestant faith traditions as well as those declared as non-denominational or evangelical. Servant leadership principles were looked for within the core curriculum. A comparison was made between the servant leadership education and that of the study of ancient languages. Data exploration showed the disparity or lack of leadership education within current
Master of Divinity programs. All Master of Divinity programs prepare students to be theologians; most prepare students to be pastors; however, very few prepare students to be leaders. Without proper leadership training, pastors are ill-equipped to lead their congregations leading to increase stress and dissatisfaction with their calling. Studies have shown that there is a high exit rate among pastors for these reasons. Servant leadership education can play a significant role in preparing those called to ministry.
Keywords: servant leadership; seminary; Master of Divinity
4 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table of Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………2
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………..5
Review of Literature…………………………………………………………………………….6
Graduate Level Religious Education……………………………………………………6
Master of Divinity Degree………………………………………………………………8
Servant Leadership and the Seminary………………………………………………….12
Lack of Servant Leadership Skills…………………………………………………… ..13
Church Definition of Pastoral Skills……………………………………………………16
Data Review…………………………………………………………………………………….20
Table 1. The Number of Theological Institutions Surveyed per State………………….22
Table 2. Faith Traditions Included in Study………………………………………….…23
Table 3. Range of Credits per Master of Divinity Program…………………………….24
Table 4. Qualitative Comparison by Raw Number and Percentage of Ancient
Language versus Servant Leader Education……………………………………25
Table 5. Number of Servant Leader Classes per Surveyed Institution…………………26
Table 6. Percentage of Curriculum: Servant Leader vs Ancient Language –
Mainline Protestant……………………………………………………………..27
Table 7. Percentage of Curriculum: Servant Leader vs Ancient Language –
Other Christian………………………………………………………………….28
Table 8. A Comparison of Institution Type – Average Credit and Percentage of
Servant Leadership and Ancient Language Education…………………………29
Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………29 5 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………31
References……………………………………………………………………………………….33
Appendix:
A. Theological Institution Participant List and Data……………………………………41 B. Vocational Reflection……………………………….……………………………….44
6 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Introduction
Theological institutions (seminaries) play a pivotal role in providing the educational platform on which future pastors are formed. According to Robert Greenleaf, seminaries are best positioned in the structure of our society to inspirit the churches and equip them with the prophetic vision to become a forceful society-building influence (1996). The church is the natural arena to live out servant leadership principles with Christ as our role model. In today’s church, the pastor role consists of two sides: spiritual and managerial. A servant leader will succeed at both sides if properly trained, principles practiced, and proper tone set within a congregation. The challenge today is that many pastors are not prepared to handle the ‘people’ side of ministry- change, conflict and volunteer management.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Master of Divinity core curriculum at fifty non-Catholic theological institutions across the United States for servant leadership education. A cross section of institutions identified as main-stream Protestant faith traditions, non- denominational as well as evangelical were reviewed. All programs were accredited. The criteria included any class where servant leader principles were outlined in the course descriptions such as change management, conflict management, people (volunteer) management and ethics. All information was obtained through each respective institutions’ public website. For comparison sake, the study also noted the amount of required ancient language study. The total credit number of both servant leader and ancient language curriculum was expressed as a percentage of the required credit amount for each program. The information from the large group of fifty institutions was reviewed then broken out into the various denominations to determine if one faith-based institution provided a better basis of servant leader education.
7 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM The Review of Literature
Graduate Level Religious Education
The pursuit of higher education is forged from many a reason. Perhaps, it is from a need for an in-depth study of a particular topic or a need for advanced standing within a job placement. For those who pursue higher religious education, there is the subtle knocking upon one’s heart to answer the call to ministry and serve the people of God. Sometimes that ‘knock’ is very subtle, being formed over a lifetime of faithful living. Sometimes that ‘knock’ is unexpected with the recognition sprouting from an experience, change of life circumstances or change of career opportunity. Whichever way one is drawn to higher religious education, one must walk open-mindedly through those seminary doors. Seminary is the place where faith is challenged.
This study included institutions designated as ‘Seminary’, ‘Divinity School’ or
‘University’. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, seminary was defined as a higher learning institution for the training of candidate for ministry. Divinity School was defined as a professional school having a religious curriculum especially for ministerial candidates.
University was defined as an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees.
Seminary Advisor (2020) stated there is a difference between a seminary and divinity school. A divinity school is a professional school that is part of a larger university and is analogous to other professional schools within the university. A seminary tends to have stronger ties to a particular denomination. Both types of institutions provide the necessary formation for
8 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM those pursuing ordained ministry. For the sake of this study, seminary, divinity school and university were considered to be equal.
Only institutions and programs accredited by an accrediting agency were reviewed for this study. The Association of Theological Schools in the United Stated and Canada (ATS) is a membership organization that conduct postbaccalaureate professional and academic degree programs to educate persons for the practice of ministry and for teaching and research in the theological disciplines. The Commission on Accrediting of ATS accredits the schools and approves the degree programs they offer. Leadership was one the core values of ATS. The majority institutions reviewed received accreditation from ATS. Other accrediting bodies were also noted. Many institutions were accredited by more than one entity.
ATS, as an accrediting body, operates on four values: diversity, quality and improvement, collegiality and leadership. According to ATS Standard 4.3, the Master of Divinity degree is broadly and deeply attentive to the intellectual, human, personal, spiritual, and vocational dimensions of student learning and formation in ways consistent with the school’s mission and theological commitment. The degree must have clearly defined learning outcomes that addressed each of these areas: religious heritage, cultural context, personal and spiritual formation, and religious and public leadership. This leadership includes cultivating capacities for leading in ecclesial and public contexts and reflecting on leadership principles. This accrediting agency did not define what style of leadership was acceptable nor what parameters were included in the definition of leadership.
The focus of this study was to determine what servant leader education was included in the core curriculum of various theological institutions. This study did not focus on pastoral leadership in terms of being a worship leader, counselor, sacramental minister or Christian 9 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM educator. This study looked for education on the management of change, conflict, or people/volunteers within the core curriculum. Any reference of servant leader skills within a course description was also noted. These skills included, but not limited to, prophetic vision, active listening, building community, trust formation or collaboration.
Institutions were reviewed from various internet listings and searches for specific denomination institutions. The seminaries selected for this study were categorized by Protestant denomination, Other or Non-Denomination. The Protestant denomination distinctions included were Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of
Christ (UCC). Lutheran also was further defined by Evangelical Church in America (ELCA),
North American Lutheran (NALC) or the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). The
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELs) was not included in this study. The Other category included the Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Nazarene, Wesleyan, Christian and
Evangelical. Non-Denominational institutions were from two major academic universities
(Harvard and Vanderbilt) as well as two seminaries (Fuller and Wake Forest).
Master of Divinity Degree
The Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree was the most common path of study for perspective pastors. Some seminaries offered a specialized track along with their MDiv degree such as for pastoral ministry or church leadership. Many denominations required a Master of
Divinity degree in order to be ordained and placed within a congregation.
All accredited Master of Divinity programs must be at least 72 credits. There was wide variance in the amount of credits each reviewed program offered ranging from 72 to 150.
Depending on the institutions’ capability, classes may be taken in person (residential), online or a 10 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM hybrid. An institution may offer different classes depending on whether the program is residential or online. For the purpose of this study, only residential program requirements were reviewed.
Some denominations require a student to complete Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as part of their curriculum requirement. CPE was experienced in a hospital or nursing home where students are to talk with and tend to the spiritual needs of the patient while unpacking the issues within their own spirituality. Some denominations require a student to complete an internship in a church setting. Most internships are nine to twelve months. The thought is that church leadership was taught during this time. The student experience during internship varies greatly.
With no formal leadership training, an intern has limited experience in leading anything.
While the categorical fields of study may have had different names, each Master of
Divinity program consisted of the following: Biblical Languages, Bible Studies, Theological
Studies, Historical Studies, and Pastoral Studies. Biblical languages studied were koine Greek and Hebrew. Bible studies included an in-depth study of various books of the bible. Theological
Studies included systematics and denomination specific beliefs. Historical Studies included the history of Christianity, church history and the church’s role within the world. Pastoral Studies included sacramental instruction, homiletics, leading worship and lessons as an educator.
The study of koine Greek or biblical Greek and Hebrew varied from seminary to seminary. Students were taught to read, write and understand the nuances of each language. With this knowledge of the languages, students were able to spend time in exegesis or translating the biblical text from its original language. Studying of ancient languages in today’s seminary curriculum offered itself to controversy. Many years ago, pastors were the learned of a society.
They could read and had the skills to interpret what was read. Now the Word of God had been 11 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM translated as such that the everyday person could delve into that word individually. Wycliffe
Global Alliance (2019) states that the complete bible has been translated in 698 languages with the New Testament translated into 1548 more languages and simple portions of it for a further
1138 languages. In all, as of October 2019, there were 3384 languages with some sort of written translation of Scripture.
In his essay posted on ThoughtHub, Robert Starner stated there are several reasons for studying the ancient languages. Hebrew. Greek and Aramaic are the only languages that God chose to communicate His inspired word. The single, most important, starting point for biblical exegesis is grammar. Our primary concern must be with the grammar of the original language, not the English translation. A text simply cannot mean what the grammar of that text does not support. Knowing Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Greek unveils the interpretative options of a given text and assists in properly adjudicating among them and gives the interpreter useable access to invaluable exegetical tools. Reading the text in the original Biblical languages develops and reinforces a careful, detailed hermeneutical approach and identifies the authors’ emphases.
Kruger (2018) pondered the question of is it wasted of time to study the Biblical or ancient languages. Since pastors are called to be ministers of the Word, significant time is to be devoted to scripture study – even more than just in preparation for the weekly sermon. Studying the languages help students think textually. He states that prior to learning the languages, most of us simply do not know how to think on a textual level when it comes to studying the Scripture.
But after learning Greek or Hebrew (even if we forget it), we now understand grammar, syntax, logical flow, and sentence structure. His opinion, therefore, it is not wasted time to study ancient languages. Biblical scholars and seminary professors agreed the study of ancient languages was 12 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM important part of the Master of Divinity degree and a key component to preparing a person for ministry.
Michael Duduit, in an excerpt from Christianity Today, stated that exegesis is an analysis of the text- studying its language, grammar, historical and cultural background in order to understand its meaning. The task of the preacher is to analyze and understand the meaning and purpose of the biblical text so that he can do the task of translation- shaping a message that helps the listener understand the essential truth contained in that text and how that truth impacts his or her life.
While there were imperative arguments for the reasons to study ancient languages, there were many to argue against. With declining church membership and other paid staff, pastors were tasked with more responsibilities and were left with little time to delve into the Word.
Tools exist today that never existed in the past. Online Greek or Hebrew translators aided and lessened the time spent in translation and were available as a quick reference. Pastors could find any amount of commentary and biblical information just by searching favorite website or books.
The Evangelical Church in America (ELCA) and the United Church of Christ denominations have turned to using inclusive text within Scripture. Seminary students are being taught to use inclusive language in their writings. Inclusive text changes the language of
Scripture, ignoring the original word in favor of gender-inclusive language. Plural pronouns are used in place of singular. Words were added to ensure women have an ‘equal showing’. Political correctness should not be allowed to tamper with the Word of God. Why spend time learning the ancient languages if the original words are altered? If studying ancient languages taught the student to think textually, then why not study a language that could be used in ministry today.
Speaking the language of the people served is crucial to sharing Christ’s mission with them. 13 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Servant Leadership and the Seminary
In his essay, A New Role for Seminaries, Robert Greenleaf stated this:
The big question might be, why be concerned with seminaries at all? They seem not to be
valued by society as a whole, not even by many of the clergy who were trained by them.
They are a checkpoint in the credentialing process, and that is about all.
Robert Greenleaf believed that the most valuable and useful change agent is the churches. In turn he asked how to energize and focus the churches so that they become more influential in shaping the quality of society. Seminaries are best positioned in the structure of our society to inspirit the churches and quip them with the prophetic vision to become a forceful, society-building influence.
Most often people entered seminary with a passion to serve God’s people through a church setting. It is out of this desire to serve one another that the servant leader is born. Jesus
Christ served as an ultimate example of a servant leader. To love is to serve (Jones, 1995, p.251).
He had a plan. He had a team. He did the difficult things. He prized the seed rather than the banquet. He had a passionate commitment to the cause. He gave them a vision greater than themselves. He served them.
While the desire to serve formed the basis upon which a church leader was formed, it took more than an understanding of scripture, more than the ability to translate an ancient language, and more than performing a sacramental rite. Being a servant leader also meant active listening, being self-aware, being respectful, being a change agent, and being a manager of conflict. Servant leaders were intentional in their work. They had crucial conversations when needed. Servant leaders lift up others to engage their gifts and form more servant leaders in the 14 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM process. These skill sets cannot be learned solely from a book. They must be practiced daily.
They must be lived.
Lack of Servant Leadership Skills
Certainly, after spending two to three years in academic study and perhaps a year internship within a church that upon graduation, the seminarian would be prepared and ready to lead a congregation. Theologically, seminarians were prepared. Pastorally, seminarians were
3prepared. As a leader, seminarians were not prepared for the people and business challenges of running a church. The thought that there was no conflict in a church and that everyone gets along was quite naïve.
In his book, What They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary, James Emery White (2011) writes, ‘I needed to raise money to meet the church’s budget, and I had never had a class on that.
I wanted to try to grow the church numerically by reaching out to the unchurched and my coursework never touched on that. I had a problem with a combative and disagreeable deacon, and I searched through my seminary notes and found nothing. I found I needed to be in the office for administration, in my study to prepare my talks, in peoples’ lives to stay connected to the community, and in my home to raise my family- and there hadn’t been any instruction on how to manage that.’
White went on to state that he had gone to seminary to prepare for ministry and that he was not prepared for the life of ministry. The skills of time management, spiritual self-care and the balance of family life are not taught in seminary.
I knew about the Council of Nicaea, but no one had ever told me how to lead my own
Council meeting. I knew about the Barth-Brunner debate but not how to handle the 15 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM breakdown between two Sunday school teachers when one was asked to start a new
class, for the same age group, from the existing class. I knew the significance of the
aorist verb but not how to parse the culture to know how best to communicate. I could
tell you the leading theologians of the sixteenth century but not about leading and
managing a staff. (White, 2011, p.15)
We must be careful how we define ministry readiness and spiritual maturity. There is a danger of thinking that the well-educated and trained seminary graduate is ministry ready or to mistake ministry knowledge, busyness, and skill with personal spiritual maturity (Tripp, 2012, p.64). Sending a new pastor into a church setting without the appropriate (servant) leadership skills has led to dissatisfaction, undue stress and opened the door for the pastor to exit. Statistics provided in 2020 by The Fuller Institute, George Barna, Lifeway, Schaeffer Institute of
Leadership Development, and Pastoral Care Inc stated the following:
• 53% of pastors report that the seminary did not prepare them for ministry
• 90% of pastors report that the ministry was completely different than what they
thought it would be like before they entered the ministry
In 2015, LifeWay Research conducted a survey of 734 pastors who left their pastorate before retirement age. Ed Stetzer, Executive Director of LifeWay, stated “Many seminary programs don’t even require courses on the people side – they’re focused on theology, biblical languages, and preaching, which are important, but almost half of the pastors felt unprepared for dealing with people they were preparing in seminary to serve.”
The online survey was sent to pastors who stopped serving as pastor prior to retirement age. The survey sample consisted of four major Protestant denominations: Assemblies of God, 16 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Church of the Nazarene, The Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod and Southern Baptist
Convention. The completed sample was 734 former pastors. The statistics painted a common picture. Lack of preparedness for the people side of ministry was evident. 48% of former pastors said they had not been trained for relational and leadership issues.
Ministry can be especially prone to conflict explosions, especially when that ministry involves people’s kids, or a person’s deeply held beliefs or the use of someone’s personal giftings (Peach, 2019, p.33). Conflict was a major theme in this survey. When asked about what type of conflict was experienced, the responses were
• 56% Conflict over change proposals
• 54% Experienced a significant personal attack
• 47% Conflict with lay leaders
• 45% Conflict with church patriarch or matriarch
• 40% Conflict with leadership style
• 38% Conflict over expectations of the pastor’s role
• 23% Conflict over doctrinal differences
Servant leaders are skilled in the art of crucial conversations. They speak the truth with love. One needs to be self-aware of their own triggers in order to diffuse situations. While resolution may or may not be feasible, the servant leader would be able to look at each situation from various viewpoints and foster an understanding- even if that understanding is to agree to disagree.
The bad news is clear. Nine out of ten churches in North America are losing ground in the communities in which they are located. Too many congregations today are stuck and are not 17 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM moving forward. The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 is about moving forward (Rainer,
2016, p.27). As creatures of habit, human beings found change difficult. Churches were no different. They wanted to attract new families using the same songs, same programs and same message and then look to the pastor when it failed. When the pastor wanted to implement change, often roadblocks were thrown up by the congregation. The essence of change leadership is simple and clear: become a voice of hope and provide clear vision for the church to move forward in a strategic fashion. Change leaders who provide hope and vision are the most successful change leaders (Rainer, 2016, p.74-75).
As seen in the previous study and discussion, conflict and change were two critical areas of learning that new pastors needed in their toolbox. This study reviewed seminary curriculum that contained strategies for conflict and change management.
Church Definition of Pastoral Skills
The process for a church to select a new pastor varied by denomination. The United
Church of Christ and Baptist churches selected and hired their own pastors with no oversight of a governing body. The Methodists and Presbyterian were assigned churches by their respective governing bodies. The Lutheran churches could select their own pastor in conjunction with the governing body. No matter the Protestant denomination, each church prepared a profile that was used by the governing bodies or synods or for prospective pastors to review prior to application.
Some denominations placed their open church profiles on a public website.
A sample of church profiles were reviewed from the United Church of Christ (UCC),
Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Church in America (ELCA) and the National Baptist
Convention. The profiles outlined what characteristics they looked for in their new pastor. The 18 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM profiles also outlined the goals of the church and expectations for the pastoral role. Excerpts from some profiles were listed below as cited denomination websites.
From the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America website, the following church profile was found.
King of Kings Lutheran Church, Pueblo, CO. We seek a creative, energetic pastor
who joyously preaches and teaches the Gospel, and who works well with all age groups
to guide worship, education, fellowship, service and faith building.
On the National Baptist Convention website, the following churches offered their profiles:
Monumental Baptist Church, Jersey City, NJ. We are called to servant leadership and
will receive a Senior Pastor aligned with this practice. This individual must govern
himself or herself according to the Word of God through Christ Jesus and demonstrate
how he or she will use the Word to steward the people at this place of worship in
accordance with the policies and practices it maintains. In keeping with the basic
Doctrine of Faith, the Senior Pastor God leads to us will evangelize, preach, teach, and
steward using the practice of sound doctrine, in consultation with the Holy Spirit.
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Evansville, IN. This person must demonstrate
maturity in their faith…and be able to manifest a vision through teamwork and
leadership development. This person must also be able to work through conflict in a way
that furthers intimacy, be in their own process of personal growth and be open to
direction and mentoring.
On the United Church of Christ website, the following churches offered their profiles: 19 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Church of Peace UCC, Fond du Lac, WI. We are looking for a comprehensive speaker
/preacher who is effective with youth and is a compassionate and caring person.
Preparation and leadership of Sunday worship, coordination of music staff and
volunteers, Faith formation, leadership development by working with people in the
church to create ministry and programs; Community engagement; Attend meetings and
give leadership as needed to church programs, in collaboration with lay leadership;
Faithful financial development and stewardship; Counseling, listening and referring.
First Congregational UCC, Portland, OR. We seek a Senior Minister experienced in
urban ministry and skilled in creative leadership with people of the congregation and our
metropolitan area. We envision a Senior Minister who communicates openly, insightfully,
and compassionately, who loves pastoral care, engaging worship, collaborative
governance, community outreach and involvement in social justice ministries, and who
practices responsible management of human and financial resources.
Peace UCC, Gladbrook, IA. Is an effective preacher/speaker; Is effective in planning
and leading worship; Is a helpful counselor; Is a good leader; Works regularly at
bringing new members into the church; Works well on a team; Is effective in working
with youth; Encourages people to relate their faith to their daily lives.
St. John’s UCC, Clear Spring, MD Strengthening inter and intrapersonal assets;
Working together for justice and mercy; Building transformational leadership skills;
Exhibiting a spiritual foundation and ongoing spiritual practice.
Hilo Coast, Honomu, HI. Prepare weekly message and worship services; Provide
spiritual support; Provide administrative services; Communicate with and assist Church 20 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Council; Support and encourage members to increase their knowledge and abilities to
serve the church effectively as workers and leaders.
First Congregational Church of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA. We have come
to value a pastor who offers encouragement, validation, appreciation, affirmation, and
acknowledgement. We love music and fun and our beautiful town and our lovely church
home. We want to share it all with an authentic, pastoral and inspiring leader.
On the Church Leadership Connection website of the Presbyterian Church, USA, the following profile was found:
First Presbyterian Church, MT. Compassionate; Preaching and Worship Leader;
Spiritual Maturity; Communicator; Public Communicator; Change Agent; Willingness to
Engage Conflict; Organizational Agility; Collaboration; Flexibility
While each profile was unique, they displayed similar themes. Leadership was the skill most often requested of their future pastor. The churches recognized the need for leaders to be developed from their laity. Servant leaders seek out those who were willing to serve and from them, form more servant leaders. The next pastor of these churches needed to lead bible study, youth groups and be the church administration. The pastor was requested to be a prophetic visionary to address the needs of the church and community. Servant leaders were prophetic witnesses to the world.
The next pastor of these churches needed to be an authentic self and speak wisdom in truth. Servant leaders spoke the truth in love and were able to have crucial conversations as necessary. The churches stated that openness and flexibility are wanted. Servant leaders reevaluated situations and changed direction when the situation was called for. 21 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Being a team player and working collaboratively was another key characteristic of the next pastor. Collaboration implied a shared governance between the church board, laity and pastor. The pyramid of management would be built from the bottom up- not top down. A servant leader does not work in a silo nor sits at the top of the pyramid, alone, barking orders.
These churches wanted a pastor who cared about them as a people. The pastor would be there for them spiritually and challenge the congregation to more fully live out their faith life.
They wanted someone personable and approachable. Servant leaders cared about people, were open to relationships and built community where they were.
Nowhere have these profiles stated they wanted a biblical scholar- knowledge-yes, but having scripture memorized- no. These churches have not stated that the new pastor must be proficient in Greek or Hebrew. The profiles stated they wanted a pastor to relate their faith to everyday life- not just give a translated version of the Gospels. Churches looked for a servant leader with tools of leadership, collaboration, administration, conflict and change management and prophetic vision. Was there a disconnect between what the churches wanted and needed and how the seminaries were preparing people for ministry?
Data Review
The purpose of the data collection was to review the Master of Divinity curriculum of each accredited theological institution within the data set to determine how many credits were dedicated to servant leadership education. This study evaluated the amount of time / credits required by each theological institute in the study of ancient languages. This study then compared the amount of time spent in ancient language study to that of time spent in servant leader education. Not every seminary offered an ancient language component. Not every 22 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM seminary offered servant leader education. All information found was gathered from each institutions’ public website.
The institutions selected met certain criteria. All institutions were accredited. The most common accrediting body was The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of
Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). Other accrediting organizations including the Higher Learning Commission, the Association for Biblical Higher Education and various other associations at the state, region or denomination level.
The institutional campus needed to be located within the United States. This study did not include institutions on foreign soil. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia were represented. See Table 1 for the breakdown of how many institutions were reviewed per state.
23 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table 1. The Number of Theological Institutions Surveyed per State
State Institution Number Pennsylvania 7 Texas 5 Illinois 4 Missouri 4 California 3 Minnesota 3 New York 3 North Carolina 3 Georgia 2 Iowa 2 Kentucky 2 Connecticut 1 Florida 1 Indiana 1 Kansas 1 Louisiana 1 Massachusetts 1 New Jersey 1 Oregon 1 Tennessee 1 Virginia 1 Washington DC 1 Wisconsin 1
The institutions were found via several online searches. The Seminary Student published a listing of fully online Master of Divinity degree programs and basic information about each seminary. A search by denomination yielded seminaries affiliated with various faith traditions.
The United Church of Christ, the various Lutheran traditions, the Episcopalian church and
Wikipedia offered listings of different institutions. Some seminaries were chosen as they were familiar to the author. The faith traditions represented in this study were all non-Catholic, defined as Christian (Non-Denominational and Evangelical) or from main line Protestantism. 24 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM The representative faith traditions are listed in Table 2. See Appendix A for a complete listing of theological institutions.
Table 2. Faith Traditions included in Study
Abbreviation Denomination Anglican Anglican Bap Baptist Church of Christ Church of Christ Dis of Christ Disciple of Christ ELCA Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Epis Episcopalian Evang Evangelical LCMS Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Meth United Methodist NALC North American Lutheran Church Naz Church of the Nazarene ND Non-Denominational PCA Presbyterian Church of America Pres Presbyterian UCC United Church of Christ Wesly Wesleyan
Theological institutions often offered their Master of Divinity degree via a residential program (on campus), on-line, or a hybrid (partial online/partial in person). Depending on the institution, curriculum requirements may differ between residential and online programs. For the sake of this study, only residential programs were considered.
The total amount of credit per program was noted. The minimum amount of credits needed for a Master of Divinity curriculum to maintain or qualify for accreditation is seventy- two. The range of program credit units spanned from 72 to 150. The average credit per program was 85.1 with a median of 79 and mode of 72. 25 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table 3. Range of Credits per Master of Divinity Program
Total MDiv Credits # Institutions 150 1 139 1 120 1 116 1 111 1 99 1 98 1 90 6 89 2 88 2 87 2 84 1 81 3 80 1 79 1 78 7 76 3 75 4 72 11
Each Master of Divinity program was reviewed for servant leadership classes or content related to servant leadership within the core curriculum. Elective offerings were not included.
Most programs offered some form of Christian ethics as part of the core curriculum but was not counted for this study. This study looked for content that revolved around leading change, conflict management, team dynamics, administrative tasks, building community, prophetic visioning and volunteer management. Any pastoral ministry class that spoke of worship leadership, sacramental delivery, educational ministry, or pastoral care was not included in this study. Information was obtained by review of the online course catalog where available. Unless otherwise noted, each class was noted to be three credits. 26 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Also noted were classes that pertained to the biblical languages, Greek and Hebrew as well as any exegetical class. 82 % of the institutions required some amount of ancient language instruction. 18% of the institutions required no ancient language at all. 56% of institutions offered more ancient language instruction over servant leader education. Only 9% of institutions offered more servant leader education than ancient language. See Table 4.
Table 4. Qualitative Comparison by Raw Number and Percentage of
Ancient Language versus Servant Leader Education
n % AL > SL 28 56 SL > AL 9 18 Equal Credits 4 8 No Credits 9 18 The Ancient Language (AL) number was expressed as a percentage of the total number of credits for a respective Master of Divinity curriculum. The Servant Leader (SL) number was expressed as a percentage of the total number of credits for a respective Master of Divinity curriculum. The
AL and SL numbers were compared qualitatively for each institution. This comparison was expressed in one of four ways. First, if the AL number was higher than the SL number meaning there was a higher percentage of Ancient Language of required credits, it was counted in the AL
> SL tally. Second, the SL number was higher than the AL number meaning there was a higher percentage of Servant Leader required credits, it was counted in the SL > AL tally. If the percentage number was the same for both Ancient Language and Servant Leader required credits, it was counted in the Equal Credits tally. If the institution had neither Servant Leader nor
Ancient Language requirements as part of the required curriculum, then it was counted in the No
Credit tally. 27 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM The data collected showed 76% of institutions had zero to one servant leadership class as part of the required Master of Divinity curriculum. 18 % of institutions had two or three servant leader classes as part of the Master of Divinity curriculum. Only 6% or 3 institutions had four or more servant leader classes as part of the Master of Divinity curriculum.
Table 5. Representation of the Number of Servant Leader Classes per Surveyed Institutions
# Classes # Institutions % of Surveyed Institutions 0 - 1 38 76 2 - 3 9 18 4 - 6 3 6 All fifty institutions were evaluated for number of servant leader classes offered as part of the
Master of Divinity curriculum.
Data collected was also delimited by denomination to determine if there was any differentiation on how various denominations educated seminarians. The Protestant denominations included were Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ. The Lutheran category included the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and North American Lutheran
Church (NALC).
The Baptist seminaries included the most servant leadership education within the Master of Divinity curriculum. The Episcopalian seminaries offered no servant leadership education within their Master of Divinity curriculum. The Methodist seminaries come close to offering an equal amount of servant leader and ancient languages. The Anglicans, Lutherans, and
Presbyterians have a wide gap between ancient language and servant leader education.
28 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table 6. Percentage of Curriculum: Servant Leader vs Ancient Languages – Mainline Protestant
18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2
0 % of Total Credits Total of %
Protestant Denominations
%SL %AL
Percentages were calculated by totaling the number of ancient languages and servant leadership credits respectively and dividing by total credits per Master of Divinity program. Each program was further divided into the respective denominations.
Institutions outside the mainstream Protestant faith traditions were evaluated. The
Miscellaneous Denomination included the Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Church of the
Nazarene, and Wesleyan. Other Christian institutions are those only identified as Christian or
Evangelical. Non-Denomination institutions were not affiliated with any specific faith tradition.
Within the Miscellaneous Denomination, the Church of the Nazarene offered 25% of 72 credits for the Master of Divinity degree as servant leader education. This amount was the highest amongst all institutions surveyed.
29 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table 7. Percentage of Curriculum: Servant Leader vs Ancient Languages – Other Christian
% Servant Leader vs % Ancient Language 14 12 10 8 6 4
% of Total Credits ofTotal % 2 0 Miscellaneous Other Christian Non Denominational Denomination Various Christian Distinctions
%SL %AL
Percentages were calculated by totaling the number of ancient languages and servant leadership credits respectively and dividing by total credits per Master of Divinity program. Each Christian institution was then group as Non-Denominational, Other Christian or Miscellaneous
Denomination.
The data was delimited by the type of institution. The three categories were seminary, university and divinity school. All fifty institutions were divided into one of these three categories. Each institution self-identified the designation based on their institution title. The average credit amount was reasonably similar for the three institution types. Institutions designated as university offered more servant leadership classes as part of their Master of
Divinity curriculum. Seminaries required the most ancient language education within their curriculum. For the sake of this study, all institutions were considered to be the same regardless of being designated as seminary, university or divinity school. 30 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Table 8. A Comparison of Institution Type - Average Credit and Percentage of Servant
Leadership and Ancient Language Education
100
90 87.6
80 74 75.6
70
60
50
40
30
20
8.8 9.6 10 8.1 4.4 5.7 0.6 0 Seminary University Divinity School Average Credit per School Type and Average % of Servant Leader and Ancient Language Curriculum Avg Credit % SL % AL
Recommendation
Recommendations drawn from this study resonated at several educational levels as well as at the church level. Program formation was based on the standards put forth by the accrediting agency. A review of standards was needed to further clarify the leadership skills needed to succeed in parish life. Servant leader principles should have been woven into the fabric of these standards- not as a checkoff list but as a guide for pastor preparation. 31 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Theological institutions needed to review curriculum based on the fulfilling the need of today’s church. Seminaries should partner with churches to define their needs and work toward shaping leaders to meet those needs. Church management coursework in light of congregational ministry should have included change and conflict management, team and community building, volunteer management and business administration including a human resource component.
Some seminaries offered a concentrated area of study in pastoral leadership if the student had the desire to serve at the parish level. Many offered no leadership education at all. All seminarians could benefit from this education as it is applicable in all aspects of life- not just in the church.
Seminaries should re-evaluate the amount of credits designated to the study of ancient languages and exegesis of the original Scriptural text. While studies have shown the benefit from studying the ancient languages, there was as much evidence that this intense study of the ancient languages in today’s context is becoming obsolete. It may be good only to have an overview of both Hebrew and Greek, then learn how to use the exegetical tools that currently exist.
In days past, and before any exegetical tool was invented, pastors spent time each week translating the Scripture text in preparation of writing a sermon. In today’s world, most pastors do not have the time to devote to such study. Most pastors relied on various commentaries by their favorite authors. Today, also, there were several versions of the Bible, all originated from the original Greek. Each one had a slightly separate message depending on how the text was interpreted. Caution must be used with individual interpretation of the sacred text.
Studying a language was thought to teach a student to think differently. It was not understood if this learning benefit was obtained by studying Greek or Hebrew itself or if any language component would do. Perhaps the seminarians should have learned another language that could be used within their ministry- such as Spanish. 32 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Seminaries should recommend all perspective student obtain a certificate in or have a defined amount of servant leader credits prior to applying to seminary. This servant leader pre- requisite will mold the seminarian differently than one who had no experience at all. Servant leader principles could then be further identified and practiced during their education journey at seminary.
There was a clear disconnect between what the churches looked for in their future pastor and the core curriculum content offered at seminary. Seminaries and churches need to partner together to define and balance the church of today with the pastors of tomorrow.
For future research, a much deeper dive into seminary curriculum could occur. While this study only included a small sampling of theological institutions, a more robust sampling of institutions would be explored. The elective classes could be further explored. An investigation of the Ethics classes could be done to see what type of ethical reasoning is taught and how ethical decision making is made and compare that to the ethical decision-making tools of the servant leader. If a seminary stated that leadership formation was a core value, investigate the type of leadership and supporting classwork offered. Theological institutions could be interviewed as to explore their understanding of servant leadership and how servant leadership is lived at their site. A servant leadership certificate program for religious leaders and church lay leadership could be designed and implemented.
Conclusion
Today’s churches look to their pastors as leaders, communicators, managers of conflict and change, team and community builders, volunteer managers and church administrators. The 33 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM pastor as servant leader can fulfill this role if prepared properly. Seminaries hold a unique position where they not only educate the future theologian and prepare the next pastor but should also develop the servant leader. This study showed that theological institutions spend more time teaching ancient languages than teaching the language of leadership. Seminary graduates are not as prepared to handle the ‘people’ side of ministry as much as they are prepared to lead a worship service. This unpreparedness can lead to undue stress and conflict within the church with a significant number of pastors leaving their pastorate prior to retirement age. The seminary should help fill the servant leader’s toolbox so that both the church and the pastor can move forward together in faith, serving our Lord, His people and carrying out Christ’s message into the world.
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42 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Appendix A
Data Set: Accredited Non-Catholic Theological Institutions
AL Total Seminary Name State Affiliation SL Cr Cr Credits %SL %AL Church of Abiline Christian University TX Christ 0 12 72 0.0 16.7 B.H. Carroll Theological Institute TX Bap 4 4 72 5.5 5.5 Baptist Bible Seminary PA Bap 6 21 87 6.9 24.1 Bethel University MN Bap 3 6 78 3.8 7.7 Chicago Theological Seminary IL UCC 0 0 75 0.0 0.0 Church Divinity School of the Pacific CA Epis 0 0 76.5 0.0 0.0 Columbia Theological Seminary GA Pres 3 6 90 3.3 6.7 Concordia Seminary MO LCMS 3 12 98 3.1 12.2 Concordia Theological Seminary Ft. Wayne IN LCMS 0 26 139 0.0 18.7 Covenant Theological Seminary MO PCA 3 18 99 3.0 18.2 Dubuque Theological Seminary IA Pres 6 6 75 8.0 8.0 Duke Divinity School NC Meth 0 9 72 0.0 12.5 Eden Theological Seminary MO UCC 0 0 81 0.0 0.0 Fuller Theological Seminary CA ND 6 10 120 5.0 8.3 Gammon Theological Seminary GA Meth 0 0 89 0.0 0.0
General Theological Seminary NY Epis 0 0 76 0.0 0.0 Harvard Divinity School MA ND 0 9 72 0.0 12.5 Knox Theological Seminary FL Evang 0 15 90 0.0 16.7 Lancaster Theological Seminary PA UCC 3 0 75 4.0 0.0 Dis of Lexington Theological Seminary KY Christ 6 0 76 7.9 0.0 Logsdon Seminary TX Bap 3 12 75 4.0 16.0 Luther Seminary MN ELCA 3 6 90 3.3 6.7 Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary MO Bap 3 12 81 3.7 14.8 Nashotah House WI Anglican 6 12 90 6.7 13.3 New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary LA Bap 8 12 84 9.5 14.3 North American Lutheran Seminary PA NALC 3 15 90 3.3 16.7
43 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM
Data Set: Accredited Non-Catholic Theological Institution continued
AL Total Seminary Name State Affiliation SL Cr Cr Credits %SL %AL Northeastern Seminary NY Meth 6 9 80 7.5 11.2 Northern Seminary IL Bap 9 9 72 12.5 12.5 Olivet Nazarene University IL Naz 18 0 72 25.0 0.0
Portland Seminary OR Wesly 12 6 78 15.3 7.7
Princeton Theological Seminary NJ Pres 0 0 78 0.0 0.0 Reformed Episcopal Seminary PA Anglican 3 24 150 2.0 16.0 San Francisco Theological Seminary CA Pres 0 6 72 0.0 8.3 Seminary of the Southwest TX Epis 0 0 89 0.0 0.0 Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary NC Bap 9 12 88 10.2 13.6 Southern Baptist Theological Seminary KY So Bap 18 9 88 20.4 10.2 St. Paul School of Theology KS Meth 3 0 79 3.8 0.0 The King's University Seminary TX Evang 3 6 78 3.8 7.7
Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry PA Anglican 3 18 90 3.3 20.0 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School IL Christian 0 13 87 0.0 14.9 Union Theological Seminary NY Pres 0 12 78 0.0 15.4 United Lutheran Seminary PA ELCA 0 3 72 0.0 4.2 United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities MN UCC 3 0 72 4.2 0.0 Vanderbilt University Divinity School TN ND 3 0 72 4.2 0.0 Virginia Theological Seminary VA Epis 0 6 78 0.0 7.7 Wake Forest School of Divinity NC ND 0 6 78 0.0 7.7 Wartburg Theological Seminary IA ELCA 3 3 116 2.6 2.6 Wesley Theological Seminary DC Meth 3 0 81 3.7 0.0 Westminster Theological Seminary PA Pres 3 18 111 2.7 16.2 Yale Divinity School CT Epis 0 9 72 0.0 12.5
44 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Explanation of Data
Seminary Name- Name of Institution; State- Campus Location; Affiliation- Denomination; SL
Cr- Servant Leader Credit; AL Cr- Ancient Language Credit; Total Credits- Amount of Credits of Master of Divinity; %SL – Servant Leader Credits Expressed as Percentage of Total Program
Credits; %AL – Ancient Language Credits Expressed as Percentage of Total Program Credits
45 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM Appendix B
Vocational Reflection
There is a saying that goes, if you ever want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.
Reflecting on this servant leadership journey, I hear the echoes of laughter mixed in with my own joy, heartache and gratitude. I have been challenged, grown and become a better version of myself.
I have met an incredible group of people who share the same passion for service. I have been blessed by the wisdom of my professors. For all of this, I am truly grateful.
There have been a lot of ‘nevers’ in my life. Never did I think I would be divorced. Never did I think to find real love and marry again. Never did I think I would leave my home state. Never did I think I would be a pastor’s wife. Never did I think I find such deep satisfaction working with my husband serving a congregation. Never did I think I would leave a piece of my heart in each place we went. Never did I think I would begin a Master’s program. Never did I think there was such a fire inside of me to serve and lead. Yet, here, by the grace of God, I am- at the end of this phase of the journey.
I say with confidence that earning my degree is not the conclusion of this education but the beginning of the next phase. What will this next phase hold for me? I have learned to trust in the
Holy Spirit and go where I am called. I will dig deep find the courage to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone. I know that planning every detail only leads to frustration and heartache.
Trust is my shield along with the keen insight of a servant leader.
My husband and I just moved back to Wisconsin. We are in a new neighborhood and look forward to meeting those who live around us. We are more engaged in our families lives and able to see them more often. I will continue to work for Ascension Technologies, continue to learn our 46 SERVANT LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN MASTER OF DIVINITY CURRICULUM systems and maybe see the light of management in my future. We waited for this social distancing to be over and for churches to re-open. Perhaps then, Joe will find a new congregation to serve.
Over my time at Viterbo University, I have created and continue to fill my servant leader toolbox. Actively listening to my classmates as we talk with one another learning what makes each of us special. I see community in places I have not seen before. The art of recognition is an important skill. I have unlocked the skill of prophetic visioning in order to move a group or organization forward. I appreciate the need to celebrate- the rituals, seasons, and nuances of community life. I have learned the skill set of ethical reasoning and the ability to make decisions based on truth and not pure emotion. I have learned how a servant leader is truly a teacher engaging and fostering growth in the people around me.
I will continue to follow Jesus Christ, not only as my savior but as the ultimate example of servant leadership. God loves us and served us by sending His son. Jesus lived among us and served us out of love. Service is love. Love for one another as we are called to do. Treat each other with respect. Teach others to be their best selves. Grow and be challenged as a continual process.
Be flexible yet true to our beliefs.
These are my thoughts and skills that I will take with me as I start this next phase in my life. I know this learning is not over but only beginning. I have been transformed into a servant leader. For all of you, for all your wisdom, for all your love, I am humbled and grateful.
Pace bene!