President Gordon T. Smith's blog. http://www.resourceleadership.com/_xml/rssHome.xml en-us Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:15:30 -0600 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:15:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=345 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=345 The June 11 post was a condensed version of this paper: Theological Education as Formation in Wisdom . Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:09:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=344 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=344 One of the recurrent themes that theological educators discuss is the question of fragmentation and unity to the theological school and the curriculum. Ever since Edward Farley published his seminal book in the 1980s, “The Fragmentation of Theological Education,” there has been a vibrant discussion of what might unify and integrate a seminary. Many of course assume that what unites theological education is “training pastors.” And while this might at first seem both obvious and compelling – aren’t seminaries about preparing pastors for churches? – certain things are lost when theological formation is reduced to training for ministry. It so easily becomes one-dimensional and short-sighted; skills development that is suitable for one situation may not translate into another. And when a theological school is preparing women and men for a lifetime of active service and leadership, perhaps something deeper and broader needs to anchor the curriculum and the mission of the theological school. At the Asia Theological Association conference held in Manila, Philippines, in May of 2011, I gave two presentations in which I suggested that one of the most compelling perspectives to emerge in this conversation is the proposal that theological education be viewed as, fundamentally, formation in wisdom. While there might certainly be other ways to view the mission of a seminary, “formation in wisdom” has the potential to anchor and integrate the work of the faculty, the administration and all who are invested in forming women and men for leadership in the church and in society, while serving as a guide, goal and inspiration for the students. Skills and the capacity for ministry certainly matter; students do need to be competent in the essential practices of pastoral ministry and apostolic leadership. They need to know how to preach. Yet skills mean little and can actually be destructive if they are not anchored in biblical wisdom. And while the students who graduate from a seminary may be far from wise, in all their youth, surely the program of a theological seminary should be oriented towards establishing the patterns and foundations for a lifetime of growth in wisdom. We long for wise leaders in all dimensions of life and society, and we certainly long for this in the church. A vision for formation in wisdom would include the following affirmations and perspectives: That what defines our understanding of wisdom is the Triune God – for all truth and understanding comes from God, is embodied in the person of Christ and is formed in our lives through the gracious ministry of the Spirit; That nothing is so critical to formation in wisdom as immersion in the Scriptures, but that wisdom also comes from learning from wise teachers who have shaped the life and witness of previous centuries of the church, most notably the early church fathers; That there is no wisdom without knowledge and no knowledge without teaching, and that therefore teaching and learning are central to the life and ministry of the church (indeed, the church is a teaching-learning community); That wisdom includes formation in what we might call “moral intelligence”, or training in righteousness, which includes at the very least character with regard to sexuality, speech and issues of finance and economic justice; and, finally, That wisdom includes the capacity for discernment and the ability to choose well (that is, wisely). Of course, wisdom is not an end in itself; it is and must be but a dimension of our participation in the life of Christ. We seek to grow in wisdom because we are “in Christ.” Further, wisdom is clearly also a priority for any congregation, not just the seminary. True. Thus the work of a theological seminary is to foster growth in wisdom, so that seminary graduates can be catalysts for growth in wisdom within the church, teachers and preachers of the Word and of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, with this as an essential dimension of their vision for ministry. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:04:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=339 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=339 It has been our practice in recent years to identify one day a year as the “reSource Day of Prayer” – a day when as a board and staff we set aside time for focused intercession for the ministry of reSource, our partner schools and our supporters. We invite you to remember reSource in your own prayers and ask you to consider keeping us in your prayers at all times, but particularly on this day – Monday, February 28. The following represents our ongoing intercessory points of interest, concern and thus prayer: (1) reSource focus projects and ministries in the first half of 2011 Two theological seminaries in Cuba: the Methodist Seminary in Havana and the newly established Konrad Grebel Seminary in Holguin. Pray in particular for those providing oversight for these schools: Victor Gonzales at the Methodist Seminary and Gonzalo Grimal at the Konrad Grebel school. In Vietnam, the Institute of Bible and Theology in Saigon, now a well-established theological school. Also, please remember the ongoing conversations about the potential launch of two new seminaries – a second seminary in Saigon to serve an interdenominational constituency and another in Hanoi. For both Cuba and Vietnam, please pray for those giving attention to the development of theological resources and libraries for the seminaries in these countries – Mariel Voth in Cuba and Penny Hall in Vietnam. Also, remember the good work being done in the following schools, and this year we are asking that the focus of your prayers be for those providing oversight for the schools: Pentecostal Theological Institute, Bucharest, Romania – Dr. Corneliu Constantineanu Baptist Theological Institute, Bucharest, Romania – Drs. Vasile Talpos and Daniel Maris Macau Bible Institute – Ellis Ip Baptist Institute of Bosnia – Tomislav Dobutovic Evangelical Seminary of Port-au-Prince (STEP) in Haiti – Dr. Jean Dorlus While we are certainly in support of a number of additional schools, we are asking that these be the focus of your prayers in these months. (2) reSource Board and its work of governance Please remember the strategic work of our Board in overseeing the ministry of reSource. They meet twice a year to review the implementation of our mission and to monitor our financial well-being. In particular, remember the work of our Board Chair, Cal Buss. (3) reSource Staff Please remember our staff in your prayers – Catherine Doyle, who manages our office finance and communication; Melody Mazuk, who has recently been appointed to oversee library development (see a fuller presentation on her work on page 3), and our president, Gordon T. Smith. For Gordon, it would be very good if your prayers could give attention to the following: Upcoming site visits to our partner schools in Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Macau and the Philippines), Cuba and then also a gathering of seminary leaders upcoming in late March in Costa Rica. In each case, there is a string of meetings with seminary, church and academic leaders, faculty and students. These visits include: assessment of the progress of our projects and support for these schools; mutual encouragement and specific counsel on what makes for good theological education; working with our supporters and financial contributors to present our ministry with a clear vision and, as God enables, a compelling case for why this ministry is so strategic to the work of God in the world today. Also, we appreciate your prayers for Gordon’s work as a scholar and writer; in March and April, he will be working on presentations he will be giving in Manila in May 2011 on the theme “Equipping Women and Men for Wise Leadership in the Church: Theological Education as Formation in Wisdom.” (4) Financial Support for reSource In your prayers, we ask that you would remember God’s provision of the financial means for reSource to continue its work of investing in the theological formation of leaders in the countries where God is currently enabling us to make a difference. We are deeply grateful for God’s provision through our supporters for “core support” for our operational costs and for the generous investment in a whole range of projects that are ongoing. Thank you for your support; thank you for your prayers. We depend on the prayers of those who believe in this ministry. And if we can pray for you, do not hesitate to give us a call – leave a message on the answering machine or drop us a note – snail mail or email. It would be a privilege to pray for you as you pray for us. Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:44:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=337 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=337 On September 18, we held a consultation with 18 church and academic leaders in the city of Holguin, Cuba’s third largest city; the agenda was to examine whether there was sufficient support to launch an inter-denominational theological school to serve a region of Cuba, including Holguin, that until now did not have a formal program for theological study. I (Gordon Smith) moderated the day, along with Gonzalo Grimal who has been the primary factor in sustaining a vision for theological education in this city. It was a very gratifying day: the group overwhelming affirmed that there is a great need for such a program, and they are eager and willing to work together in an inter-denominational and cooperative venture. Dr. Alfred Neufeld, church and academic administrator from the Mennonite Church in Paraguay, joined me on this site visit; he joined the consultation as an observer and provided both the group as well as reSource some good counsel as we explore the very real possibility of helping with this effort. He serves with the Evangelical University of Paraguay. Next steps include identifying a core group of individuals who could serve as an organizing committee, along with that person who could serve as the key or central person to provide administrative oversight as a new academic program is launched. The involvement of reSource will be two-fold: expert counsel on the formation of a theological program and also the seed funding for the start up, which will take at least three years. This is a very clear example of where a program in theological education simply cannot be launched without external support, including financial support. Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:22:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=328 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=328 There are no good seminaries without adequate theological libraries; in other words, a good library is an indispensable component of a good theological school. The library supports the teaching and research of the faculty; and the library is an integral factor in the curriculum, giving both students and faculty the tools they need to draw on the wisdom of their theological and spiritual heritage. And yet many of us are beginning to think that libraries and librarians represent a weak link in theological education around the world. The partner institutions of reSource and our sister agencies in the Overseas Council Network are replete with well-intentioned librarians, quasi-librarians and libraries struggling to provide basic resources: empty shelves and shelves groaning with the wrong books; the lack of collection policies and the means to build collections in a cost-effective way; failure to appreciate the place of electronic and internet resources to complement hard copy collections; the lack of trained librarians; the lack of a vital link between library and curricula; the lack of vision from Bible schools and seminary presidents for the library; the lack of clarity about accreditation standards with respect to the library; and the lack of ability to coordinate with other libraries in their region (i.e., local university libraries or the libraries of other theological seminaries in the same city). Consequently we are increasingly recognizing that the development of theological libraries is vital to the fulfillment of our mission. We have found it very encouraging to work with a number of senior librarians who have agreed to generously offer their expertise, advice and encouragement to the leadership and especially the librarians of our partner schools. And we are giving particular focus to the libraries and theological resources of our partner schools in two countries: Vietnam and Cuba. For Vietnam, we have contracted with Penelope Hall, general secretary of BETH (the European Association of Theological Librarians), to work with current and emerging partner institutions; we are thrilled that in the timing of God, Penelope has agreed to work with us in Vietnam, in that not only does she have extensive experience working with libraries, but also happens to speak Vietnamese. She served for a number of years as a missionary to Vietnam, back in the 1970s. Initially her primary work will be with the Institute of Bible and Theology (IBT) in Saigon, but she will also advise on the development of a resource centre for the emerging inter-denominational school. In Cuba, we are very pleased that Mariel Voth is working with us. She is the former librarian of Bethel Seminary West, and prior to that, the Bible Institute of Buenos Aires. She is from Argentina and has extensive experience working with theological libraries in South America. Her work will focus on four seminaries in Cuba: the Baptist seminaries in Havana and Santiago, the Nuevos Pinos Seminary near Villa Clara and the new Methodist seminary in Havana. Indeed, it is the Methodist seminary in Havana that really profiles for all these schools the urgency of the need; with over 200 students active in their academic programs, the seminary has a library of less than 100 volumes, few if any of which directly support the curriculum. They effectively have no library, though they have a beautiful space that could one day house a centre for study and research. Many of our supporters recognize the strategic significance of libraries. And to each of you we offer our sincere thanks for your support and for investing in the work of Penelope, Mariel and others who have worked with us in recent months and years. Please remember these two women in your prayers. They face huge challenges, including limited funding, significant government restrictions and librarians in urgent need of adequate training. But they are both eager to give of their time and energy and to support those who do oversee the libraries and work creatively to help them secure the resources they need for their programs. Fri, 07 May 2010 20:37:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=325 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=325 This is a very significant time in the history of the church in Cuba: the national government is increasingly willing to work with the open or registered churches to actually support their need for certified and adequately trained pastoral leaders; and with the house churches, there seems to be a growing openness to allow them to function and even to give them some latitude to prepare their leaders for effective leadership. reSource is partnering with our US affiliate, Overseas Council (OC), in seeking a comprehensive approach to fostering excellence in theological education for this country. OC, for example, is working directly with the ministry of religious affairs to seek their support for the offering of a master’s degree that would provide for a cohort of qualified faculty to teach on the undergraduate level; and further, they are seeking government support for an external accreditation for this program. Additionally, they will be providing in-service training to develop effective academic administrators – with a particular focus in this coming year on the role of the academic dean. reSource will complement the work of our OC colleagues by working on the following fronts: Assist with the development of two newer seminaries: the Methodist seminary based in downtown Havana, which will serve the largest “open” or government recognized denomination in the country; and an interdenominational seminary in the eastern part of the country that will serve the house churches in that region, aiming for start-up in the Fall of 2011. reSource will focus attention on the question of theological libraries. Cuban theological education is significantly hampered by the limits of their library resources and working within the notable restrictions placed on them by the government. We will assist with the development of the libraries in at least four venues – two in Havana and two in eastern Cuba. Working together, then, we anticipate that over the next five or so years, we will be able to assist the Cuban church in the following ways: The development of a qualified cohort of faculty, capable of teaching on the bachelors’ level, to serve each of the partner schools that both ourselves and OC partner with; The equipping of the academic leadership that will oversee these programmes in ministerial formation; The provision and development of quality theological resources – with a particular focus on four theological libraries that are part of these Bible institutes; Assisting with the start-up of new or potentially new theological schools, while continuing to provide support for schools that we have been assisting to date; Addressing questions of accreditation and academic accountability – particularly for the Master’s programme. We appreciate and need your prayers; if we are successful, we have the capacity to make a major impact on the growth of the church in Cuba. And we deeply value your investment in the ministry of reSource as we partner with our OC colleagues to make a strategic impact in this country. Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:11:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=321 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=321 Just back from an extraordinary week in Vietnam: As many of you who follow our ministry know, I have been very keen to explore possibilities of an accredited theological college in Hanoi; but following this visit I have had to conclude that this is not likely to happen any time soon. But we are very encouraged with developments in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). First, we are so very pleased with developments at the Institute for Bible and Theology, the theological college of the Tin Lanh Church (Christian & Missionary Alliance) which is officially registered with the government. They have lovely new facilities on the outskirts of the city and have now moved their classes to this new campus which is still under construction. They have over 200 students, most in residence; their instructors are senior pastors in the Tin Lanh church. Their most urgent need is for a viable library to support their curriculum and the teaching of the faculty. Second, it was particularly thrilling to meet with 21 house church leaders representing 14 denominations; after a series of consultations formal agreements have been signed to establish an interdenominational theological college to serve the needs of these churches for pastoral training and theological education. This meeting was an extraordinary display of church unity and collaboration. And third, we have an agreement with Penny Hall, who serves with BETH (European theological library association) and who speaks fluent Vietnamese to assist us but especially to assist each of the schools that is being developed in Vietnam with the acquisition of library resources. Penny was in Vietnam in October and then again in January and will likely return later this year to advise, advocate and assist with everything from library collection development to librarian training; she is also advising us on how we can best work with other agencies such as the Theological Book Network to develop adequate theological resources to support these programs. Finally, I had a wonderful meeting with a group of emerging scholars; each of them had studied outside the country completing a graduate degree – in Thailand, Singapore or the Philippines. They spoke good English and each obviously had a passion to serve their country and their church. It was a highlight for me to get a sense of the next generation of potential scholars and teachers for the church in Vietnam. But it will take time before they can fully express their gifts and passion for teaching. The senior leaders in the Tin Lanh church are hesitant to affirm young scholars; and other options are limited due to government restrictions for new theological colleges. But I spoke to them about the need for patience, about taking whatever opportunities come their way, especially in the local church, and of the importance to keep on learning and growing in their faith. Please continue to pray for Vietnam; and thank you to each of you who have supported our ministry in this strategic country. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:39:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=320 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=320 I write these words just as I conclude a visit to Cuba. And I am, again, so impressed that each school I visit is urgently in need of good theological resources. While we have always recognized the importance of libraries – my predecessor, Bill Armerding, was a catalyst for library development in Colombia, Jamaica, the Ukraine, Poland and elsewhere – the last few years, beginning with Romania, Haiti and Vietnam have powerfully demonstrated for us just how urgent it is that we attend to the question of library development. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:27:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=316 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=316 We at reSource are deeply conscious of how dependent we are on the provision of God. And one expression of this is that we are setting aside a day for focused intercession. We invite our friends and supporters to join us; to remember this ministry on that day. Join us, please; take some time on that day to bring the ministry of reSource before the throne of grace. The Board of Directors will begin the day in a telephone conference, praying through the opportunities and needs of reSource. And then also, at our offices (see the address on page 4) in Richmond B.C., we will be holding a prayer gathering for those in the area who would like to join us. We will be meeting from 3:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. This comes as a special request – we realize that many of you pray regularly for us in your personal prayers. But this comes to invite you to give reSource special attention in your prayers, on that day. Consider the following in your prayers for this ministry: (1) Partner Schools. Please pray for our partner schools – with particular focus on those that are the focus of our attention this year: newly established theological schools in Vietnam, Baptist and Pentecostal colleges in Romania, and then also our partner schools in Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, Jamaica, Bosnia, Poland, Macau, Lebanon and the Philippines. Pictured within this article are students and faculty from each region of our focus that have been or are currently being supported through reSource. As you pray, remember the following: * The students and their needs – pray for their academic, spiritual and ministerial development; * For the faculty – the teaching staff of the school – that God would bless their preparation and give them effectiveness in the classroom; * For the administration, especially the president, who gives oversight to the school; * For the churches that these schools serve and in the end of the country in which they are located. (2) Haiti. Give particular attention in your prayers to the crisis that is being faced by our partner school in Haiti. (3) reSource Board. It is important to remember that the board plays a vital part in the effectiveness of this ministry; remember them in your prayers – most notably our newly elected chair, Mr. Cal Buss. Pray that God would give them wisdom, discernment and insight as they provide accountability for the staff, support the mission of reSource and partner with the president in our connections with our constituency. Their commitment to raising Core Support is an ongoing matter for prayer. (4) Staff. Do remember our support staff – Greg Shepherd, our Treasurer, and Evelyn Harrod, who manages our office. They have the challenge of caring for 101 things – often on the same day: they manage our finances, of course; Evelyn also handles communication with both our supporters and our partner schools, project management, and, of course, support for the work of the president. (5) President. Dr. Gordon T. Smith – please pray for his safety and well-being as he travels on behalf of reSource, both domestically in Canada and internationally on site visits to our partner schools; pray for his capacity to encourage and support the leadership and faculty of these schools. (6) Affiliates in the Overseas Council network. We value the partnership we have with our colleagues within the OC network, our sister agencies. Please join us as we pray God’s blessing on their ministries – Stuart Brooking in Australia, Tony Plews in New Zealand, David Baer in the U.S.A., Andreas Kammer in Germany and Peter Sarl in the UK. As you spend time in prayer for the ministry of reSource, please drop us a note, and let us know if you would like additional information on any one of these items for prayer. Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:48:00 -0600 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=310 http://www.resourceleadership.com/default.aspx?pageid=147&blogid=310