I have also been excited by the Trellis innovation in preparation for ministry. However, it is more geared to preparing high school students called to ministry than second career folks. The time requirements are simply too much for someone who needs to support a family as well. It also should be noted that the Internship program is an undergraduate program. The shorter, Residency program is not simply for older students. It is a graduate level program, and if an older person, or second career person, doesn't have the requisite undergraduate degree, they aren't eligible. However, in my working with Trellis this past year, I have found them to be incredibly flexible and innovative. I know they are working on shorter, certificate based training opportunities that may not provide college credit, but will likely go a long way to train pastors somewhat like what our seminary is doing with their hispanic certificate program.
You have a lot of experience with the micro church or house church movement. What are your thoughts on the necessary preparation for leadership in that environment?
Thanks for the additional information on Trellis. I didn't get want to get too deep in the weeds on the details, but your clarifications are correct and helpful. Despite the challenges in getting the "second career" folks into the program, I'm with you on their innovation. I see them open to tackle those challenges.
I think the leadership development principles are similar for microchurches, in that the focus should be on providing hands-on, apprenticeship style experiences. This is what Trellis does well for conventional church forms. I believe this is very doable for smaller, emerging church forms as well.
I'm wondering about Theological Foundation training. Can one get that through apprenticeship? One of the major problems we have today, in my view, is the lack of revelation based theological foundation undergirding the what and the why of what we do. It seems to have been replaced by derived pragmatism. So I'm wondering about a mentored biblical and theological foundation training, that seems to me to be much richer if done with peers (in cohort, although cohorts seem somewhat small) and multiple mentors.
Thank you for your excellent coverage of issues confronting the Church of God. I like the model of small neighborhood house churches with no paid staff, no facility overhead, and every dollar that comes in going back into the neighborhood.
I have also been excited by the Trellis innovation in preparation for ministry. However, it is more geared to preparing high school students called to ministry than second career folks. The time requirements are simply too much for someone who needs to support a family as well. It also should be noted that the Internship program is an undergraduate program. The shorter, Residency program is not simply for older students. It is a graduate level program, and if an older person, or second career person, doesn't have the requisite undergraduate degree, they aren't eligible. However, in my working with Trellis this past year, I have found them to be incredibly flexible and innovative. I know they are working on shorter, certificate based training opportunities that may not provide college credit, but will likely go a long way to train pastors somewhat like what our seminary is doing with their hispanic certificate program.
You have a lot of experience with the micro church or house church movement. What are your thoughts on the necessary preparation for leadership in that environment?
Thanks for the additional information on Trellis. I didn't get want to get too deep in the weeds on the details, but your clarifications are correct and helpful. Despite the challenges in getting the "second career" folks into the program, I'm with you on their innovation. I see them open to tackle those challenges.
I think the leadership development principles are similar for microchurches, in that the focus should be on providing hands-on, apprenticeship style experiences. This is what Trellis does well for conventional church forms. I believe this is very doable for smaller, emerging church forms as well.
I'm wondering about Theological Foundation training. Can one get that through apprenticeship? One of the major problems we have today, in my view, is the lack of revelation based theological foundation undergirding the what and the why of what we do. It seems to have been replaced by derived pragmatism. So I'm wondering about a mentored biblical and theological foundation training, that seems to me to be much richer if done with peers (in cohort, although cohorts seem somewhat small) and multiple mentors.
Thank you for your excellent coverage of issues confronting the Church of God. I like the model of small neighborhood house churches with no paid staff, no facility overhead, and every dollar that comes in going back into the neighborhood.