Multiplying Laborers for the Urban Harvest

M u l t i p l y i n g L a b o r e r s f o r t h e U r b a n H a r v e s t

The Role of Ministry in Your Institute

The Urban Ministry Institute believes that there are four components that are essential to theological education in context among the urban poor: cognitive input, ministry practice, class sessions, and effective professors/mentors. ➢ One of these elements—Ministry Practice—deserves special attention because of its crucial role in determining student selection and the overall goals of the program. Ministry Practice Determines Who Is Eligible to Participate The central purpose of The Urban Ministry Institute is to equip leadership for the urban church, especially among the poor. This statement assumes that the students being taught are emerging or existing leaders in urban churches. For our purposes,“leaders” refer to people called out and empowered by the Holy Spirit for all forms of Christian leadership in the Church. These leaders may be lay or ordained; vocational or bi-vocational; pastoral or non-pastoral; men or women. Every student who is accepted into the certificate or diploma program should be engaged in the regular practice of ministry leadership as evidenced by the fact that: 1. T hey can readily identify their leadership responsibilities and name specific individuals or groups who regularly look to them for input and guidance. 2. T hey can demonstrate that their church leadership acknowledges them as a person who provides formal or informal leadership to one or more specific ministries through their local church. 3. T hey can easily identify the areas in which they would apply theo- logical and ministerial education for leadership in everyday life.

➢ See Appendix 10, The Essential Components of “In-Context“ Theological Education , for a more detailed discussion of these elements.

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