Abilene Christian University
Graduate School of Theology
Theology of Ministry
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements of the
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry
by
T. Adrian Morgan
May 2014
Abstract This paper attempts to communicate understanding of my personal theology of
ministry. Inherent in this is my personal identity as a disciple of Christ, one who is saved by and
carried by the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. God, in his sovereignty, has currently called
me into the life of student ministry, where I participate in the active role of helping to lead the
body of Christ on earth, the church. The purpose of this ministry is to lead both students and
adults into active discipleship of Jesus, where lives are oriented around the practice of loving
God and loving others, in order to further the Kingdom of God on earth.
“The key thing I hope you learn is that you get to be a leader in the Church as it finds
ways to change and engage the world…we are all missionaries.”1 It is indeed fitting and on point
that Dr. Mark Hamilton opened my entry into graduate school with this proclamation. As the
former associate dean of the Graduate School of Theology, his opening remarks set the theme for
my future seminary studies. This paper will start with Dr. Hamilton’s ideas on formation, which
have significantly shaped my theology of ministry. This paper will weave through various ideas
including vocation and calling, context and ethnography, and finally theological reflection and
practice. As Dr. Hamilton noted, the calling of ministry that I am attempting to answer is not
something that I am forced into or obligated to answer. Rather, it is something that I “get to be.”
My hope is that I continue to grasp what a blessing and honor it is to be a part of leading the
church. In practice, may I embody Christ’s love for the church and mirror the dedication that we
read about in Ephesians 5:25: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”2 Finally,
may my theology not take this calling lightly, pushing me to grow in knowledge and wisdom of
God and what it means to follow Him, in order to help me more fully embody Christ’s love for
the church.
As I reflect upon my studies it is fascinating to note the correlation that exists between
what Dr. Hamilton spoke about early on that morning in August and what William Willimon
1
Class notes, Foundations of the Theology of Ministry, Graduate School of Theology, Abilene Christian University,
Abilene, TX, August 2011.
2
Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible references in this paper are to be the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
(San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1989).
writes about in his book, Calling & Character. In his lecture Dr. Hamilton outlined four main
points for one’s complete formation during their time in the Graduate School of Theology. First,
he noted that you must work on yourself and on growing yourself. By this, he meant to
communicate that we should not settle for base knowledge concerning our own unique
personalities and strengths and weaknesses, but instead one must become an expert on
themselves. The paradox of this pursuit is that humility, as opposed to vanity, must be the
cornerstone of this intense “self-knowledge.” William Willimon expands upon this point when
he writes this: “Whenever someone is in a position of power over another person, such as a
teacher who rules over a student, the person in power must be deeply aware of his or her
inclinations, dispositions, strengths, and weaknesses or else power may be abused. Therefore
self-knowledge was among the greatest Aristotelian requisites for good character.”3 Knowledge
without self-reflection is dangerous at best. I am convinced that all knowledge must pass through
the filter of the heart, exposing my strengths and weakness, and through this process better equip
me to serve the church.
Second, Dr. Hamilton emphasized that we must “work on our capacity for interpreting
the Scriptures, the history of the church.”4 The importance of the Scriptures cannot be
minimalized. Their study, interpretation, and application are a key ingredient in the life of the
church and her leaders. Willimon again mirrors this thought when dealing with the idea of the
calling and vocation of clergy. He writes, “We must be called, recalled to the joy of being
grasped by something greater than ourselves, namely our vocation to speak and to enact the
Word of God among God’s people.”5 As pastors, we must make it a practice to lean upon the
3
William Willimon, Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000), 37.
Class notes, Foundations of the Theology of Ministry, Graduate School of Theology, Abilene Christian University,
Abilene, TX, August 2011.
5
William Willimon, Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000), 25.
4
2
Scriptures and preach the Scriptures, which are our only hope for calling our people to something
greater than their present existence. Or, as Willimon writes, we must “be yoked so securely and
joyously to the Word that in the process of proclamation of the Word, we become the Word as it
dwells in us richly.”6 Thus, my ability to lead the church is directly affected by how much
importance I give to my vocation as one who interprets, preaches, and embodies the Scriptures.
Third, the importance of clergy’s skills with people cannot be taken for granted. In fact,
adept communication skills must be given careful attention so that one is able to connect and
lead a broad variety of parishioners within their church. Dr. Hamilton, with pointed sarcasm,
noted that “the funny thing about ministry is that it deals with human beings.”7 This fact simply
cannot be ignored. Although ministry consists of such solitary pursuits as reading, writing, and
thinking, it is true that the pastor cannot engage in ministry without a constant interaction with
fellow members of the church. In Willimon’s chapter entitled ‘The Pastor in Community,’ he
highlights the need for truth telling within the walls of the church. As leaders of the church, the
pastor must be specially equipped to confront and speak truth to his congregation. One could
make the argument that there is nothing that requires a greater mastery of people skills than the
ability to lovingly intrude upon a person’s blind spot and speak the powerful truth of Christ. This
skill is of such importance that retaining and mastering it is not an option. Reinhard Hutter, in his
chapter from the book Practicing Theology, draws upon the classic C.S. Lewis work, The Great
Divorce, to expose the importance of “honoring the truth.”8 We are letting down our churches
when we fail to step into difficult situations due to our lack of communication skills. It is these
6
Ibid., 70.
Class notes, Foundations of the Theology of Ministry, Graduate School of Theology, Abilene Christian University,
Abilene, TX, August 2011.
8
Dorothy C. Bass and Miroslav Volf, eds., Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life (Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.)
7
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skills that I must continue to grow in order to possess the ability to speak God’s love into the
most difficult of conversations.
Fourthly and finally, Dr. Hamilton emphasized that we must continue to work on our
knowledge of God. A faith that is bored is a faith that has grown cold. However, when we gaze
at the magnificence of our God, it is foolishness to think that we might ever stop learning about
Him. In Colossians 3:10, Paul writes that we are “being renewed in knowledge according to the
image of its creator.”9 Hence, a crucial facet of our growth in Christ is to expand our intimate
knowledge of the One who is our Creator. One of the most powerful ways that we can grow in
our knowledge of God is through spiritual disciplines. Willimon devotes a considerable amount
of time giving weight to the importance of these spiritual practices, since they provide an
environment for us to engage with and learn about God. Whether it be Sabbath, meditation,
mentoring, or study, all practices participate in centering, quieting, and guiding us into a deeper
knowledge of God. Without discipline one lacks the environment for growth and thus their
knowledge grows old. In an increasingly frenetic culture I must employ discipline as a core
practice of my theology of ministry.
While knowledge of self and of God and application of scripture and people skills are
important to theological formation, I believe that developing a personal hermeneutic is crucial to
one’s ministry. During my graduate studies this hermeneutic has been under constant reflection
and transition. Initially I was challenged by the basic question of how I understand God. From
here I have moved through church history and studied many of the different ways that humans
have interpreted scripture. Starting with Judaism and the early Church, I then moved through the
examples of the Church Fathers, Middle Ages, Reformation, Enlightenment, and finally postmodernity. All of these had their own unique bent on interpreting scripture that they believed led
9
Col 3:10
4
to the most accurate of interpretations. It was humbling to see that as time progressed, so too did
methods for reflecting upon Scripture, each revision believing it had achieved the ideal
hermeneutic. Through this study it appears that the three broad contexts for interpretation of
scripture are the historical, literary, and social/cultural. An accurate hermeneutic must
acknowledge and work through each of these areas as they attempt to interpret the Scriptures.
Finally, I have also been challenged by study of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. This process for
hermeneutics focuses on four main areas: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. Each of
these four areas needs to be reflected upon by any believer reading the Scriptures. It was
powerful to realize that my church tradition, reason, and experience play a profound role in how
I read and apply the Word of God.
Patricia O’Connell Killen and John de Beer begin their work, “The Art of Theological
Reflection” by focusing on one’s “standpoint” in approaching scripture, and thus theology. They
wisely note that “not every standpoint contributes equally to making genuine theological
reflection possible.”10 Next, they point out that while many either operate out of a “standpoint of
certitude”11 or a “standpoint of self-assurance,”12 the most accurate standpoint for theological
reflection is the “standpoint of exploration.”13 Those who operate out of a “standpoint of
exploration” they label as explorers. They then describe the mindset of an explorer as one who
“allow(s) the thoughts, feelings, images, and insights that arise from the concrete events of our
lives to be in genuine conversation with the wisdom of the entire Christian community
throughout the ages.”14 Does this not sound similar to the Wesleyan Quadrilateral which
prescribes “tradition, reason, and experience” as well as scripture when reflecting upon the
10
John de Beer and Patricia O’Connell Killen, The Art of Theological Reflection (New York: Crossroad, 1994), 4.
Ibid., 4-9.
12
Ibid., 9-13.
13
Ibid., 16-18.
14
Ibid., 18.
11
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sacred texts? Killeen and de Beer go on to describe theological reflection in greater detail and
draw on the analogy of a journey. They describe this journey as containing five key markers:
experience, feelings, images, insight, and action. They advise that one should not lean solely
upon rationalism, sola Scriptura, allegory, relativism, or the historical-critical method. Instead
we should take on the heart of an explorer and plunge into the Word, using tradition, reason,
experience, images, insight, and action in close correspondence to the Word, as weapons to more
faithfully reflect upon who God is. It is from this broader, more holistic, vantage point that I
believe I must attempt interpretation of Scripture and likewise, use to equip people in my
ministry as they encounter the sacred texts.
Looking at myself through an intimate lens helps to expose my personal hermeneutic and
views on theological reflection. I believe that the practice of enthnography is crucial to forming
my theology of ministry. Ethnography deals with studying the details of human culture and
practice. At first glance ethnography does not seem to have anything to do with spirituality;
however, this practice was helpful in shedding light on the process of theological reflection
because it teaches that much can be learned from reflecting on circumstances after they have
passed. The oft-used metaphor that you can teach a class for five weeks on problem solving or
you can give a class five minutes to solve a problem readily applies to this scenario. While the
readings and teachings during my studies have been informative and interesting, the actual
practice of reflecting upon an experienced worship service or my youth ministry has provided a
framework for what theological reflection should look and feel like. It was surprising to see just
how much more I noticed when I re-approached the events after some time had passed. The
setting, characters, and emotions took on a whole new feeling. As I let the images and
conversations play in my mind, new words and ideas rose to the forefront. In short, my doubts
6
and hesitations about the importance and relevance of theological reflection were placed at ease.
What had once seemed impossible to communicate to the teenagers that I work with now seemed
entirely plausible. Henri Nouwen says this about ministry:
Just look for a moment at our daily routine. In general we are very busy people.
We have meetings to attend, many visits to make, many services to lead. Our
calendars are filled with engagements, and our years filled with plans and
projects. There is seldom a period in which we do not know what to do, and we
move through life in such a distracted way that we do not even take the time and
rest to wonder if any of the things we think, say, or do are worth thinking, saying,
or doing. We simply go along with the many ‘musts’ and ‘oughts’ that have been
handed on to us, and we live with them as if they were authentic translations of
the Gospel of our Lord.15
Too often I find myself simply going along with the demands of ministry blindly hoping that
they are divine assignments from the Lord. The practice of ethnography forces me to take the
blinders off and take an honest look at my ministry and life. In short, I need the practice of
ethnography to help me to articulate and practice a more thorough understanding of theological
reflection in my ministry.
Is the discipline of theology solely an academic science? Is theology confined to a
practice of the mind that involves thinking about, studying, and pausing to reflect upon who God
is? Is the possibility of “practical theology” a reality or a dream? It is compelling to reflect upon
my study of the history of practical theology, from Aristotle’s acknowledgement of the
practice/theory divide, to Friedrich Schleiermacher’s attempt to overcome this divide with his
writings and the metaphor of a tree, to our current tension today that exists between theology and
the social sciences. Theology, and all that it encompasses, must be fused together with the heart.
Knowledge must directly lead to action. The point is clear: if our theology does not move us into
practice than we possess a defective theology. If our view of God does not affect our daily walk
then we are not seeing the complete picture. Jesus, speaking along these same lines, issued this
15
Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart (New York: Ballantine Books, 1981), 12.
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warning, “if these (the disciples) were silent, the stones would shout out.”16 If the disciples’ view
of Jesus, and therefore God, did not cause them to proclaim the Kingdom, then the earth would
cry out. At its core, practical theology, similar to healthy theological reflection, moves me, and
subsequently my ministry, from passive to active.
While these concepts and ideas make sense at an intellectual level, how do we actually
learn about God, while engaging with Him and walking with Him? Jean Lave and Etienne
Wenger, in their book Situated Learning,17 give an interesting theory into how we, as humans,
come to knowledge. They prescribe that we move “toward a theory of social practice in which
learning is viewed as an aspect of all activity.”18 Later on they expand on this idea by writing
that “learning itself is an improvised practice: a learning curriculum unfolds in opportunities for
engagement in practice.”19 Throughout the book they attack the idea that learning can be decontextualized. The environments that we learn in play an active role in the learning process.
Based on this we must pay special attention to our learning environments and use them to form a
more holistic learning experience. If indeed the acquisition of knowledge is in direct relationship
with the surrounding environment then this has huge meaning for understanding and teaching
theology. What if truer equipping occurs not on a Sunday morning in a classroom but rather on a
Saturday afternoon with a mentor? What if a student learns more about what it means to be a
follower of Christ over a series of lunches with a Christ-following adult who cares about them
than they do on a Wednesday youth group night? My theology of ministry has pushed me to
begin to dream about what a youth ministry with disciple-making apprenticeships built into its
curriculum would look like. My theology, therefore, is a practice, not just a study, that I need to
16
Luke 19:40
Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger, Situated Learning: Legitimate peripheral participation (New York: Cambridge
University Press, 1991.)
18
Ibid., 37-38
19
Ibid., 93
17
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live out in community with other Christ-followers, with whom I interact and engage daily, while
following Christ.
Another work that has informed my theology of ministry and that deals with this tension
and how to move from the active to the passive, or from belief to practice, is Practicing
Theology.20 The book deals with the relationship between belief and practice and how they
cannot and should not be isolated, but instead must come together to form a whole. Amy
Plantinga Pauw, in her chapter entitled “Attending to the Gaps between Beliefs and Practices,”
defines practice as “an ongoing shared activity of a community of people.”21 I appreciate her
emphasis on practice as something that is “ongoing” and that occurs within the context of
community. Far too often, we describe religious practices as individualistic and immediate.
However, in reality the journey of discipleship is a communal experience that involves the
Christian community which provides the curriculum for learning as well as a needed bridge
between theory and practice. Another example of this theory is how the book deals with the
stress that exists between the church and seminaries. The author of the chapter, “Beliefs, Desires,
Practices, and the Ends of Theological Education,” L. Gregory Jones, uses the analogy of a
“relay race” to describe how we have viewed the relationship between the church and institutions
of theological training. Echoing back to Killen and de Beer’s “standpoint of exploration” Jones
writes that we should view the ministerial journey more like a “pilgrimage.”22 Rather than
segmenting aspects of our theology and formation we must include it all, “catechesis, critical
reflection, and faithful living in the world.”23 One’s vocational calling cannot be segmented like
a “baton” being routinely exchanged lap after lap. Therefore, as difficult as it has been at times, I
20
Dorothy C. Bass and Miroslav Volf, eds., Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life (Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.)
21
Ibid., 34.
22
Ibid., 188.
23
Ibid., 188.
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am thankful that my graduate study path has intimately included my vocation and calling and
allowed for a daily context to practice holistic theological reflection. This has not only informed
my theology of ministry but also prepared me to continue my theological growth as I transition
out of the seminary.
The late Dr. Charles Siburt, once stated that “God’s gift to the church are people leaders.”
He went on to say that the church needs leaders who are not just exegetes, but are practitioners in
ministry. He finished by telling the haunting story of a former student who completed a PhD
from Harvard University, yet possessed few people skills, and was therefore still unemployed. In
listening to Dr. Siburt I was reminded of the chilling words written by the Apostle Paul in 1
Corinthians 13:2: “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”24 If my
theology of ministry, no matter how detailed or brilliant it may be, does not move me to practice
the love of Christ to those in my community, it is nothing.
The evidence is strong that a theology of ministry must include both the academic and the
practical. It must contain both beliefs and practices. It should consist of both personal reflection
and communal conversation. As a leader and teacher in a contextual youth ministry setting I now
feel more equipped to create a spirit-filled context where students can reflect upon God and then
move their beliefs into practice in order to hear their individual calling.
John 5:39-40 contains some of the strongest, and most sobering, teachings of Christ.
Jesus offers this warning: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have
eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”25
Jesus is addressing the human condition of seeking knowledge for the sole ideal of attaining
24
25
1 Cor 13:2
John 5:39-40
10
knowledge. I think he knows that many will be distracted by the study of the Scriptures, and miss
what they are pointing at. I confess that I have been guilty of this at times over the past five
years. I have often confused academic papers for faith. I have mistaken spiritual readings as
loving God and my neighbor. I have studied about Christ while at the same time failing to
actually engage Christ. It is this fear that shapes my theology of ministry. If there was a
pendulum that had the mind at one end and the heart at the other, I would want my theology of
ministry to sit squarely in the middle. I want to engage knowledge and practice, with each pursuit
valued and informative of the other. I desire to incorporate deliberate theological reflection as
well as disciplined practice, within the context of a community of disciples, in order to come to
know the God that Jesus knows and to lead others on the road to this understanding. I humbly
offer this theology up to God, asking that He might mold, alter, and shape it in whichever way
He sees fit, in order to bring Himself the most Glory.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bass, Dorothy C., and Miroslav Volf, eds. Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in
Christian Life. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002.
Beer, John de, and Patricia O’Connell Killen. The Art of Theological Reflection. New York:
Crossroad, 1994.
Class notes. Foundations of the Theology of Ministry. Graduate School of Theology, Abilene
Christian University, Abilene, TX, August 2011.
Lave, Jean, and Etienne Wenger. Situated Learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. New
York: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
New Revised Standard Version Bible. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1989.
Nouwen, Henri J.M. The Way of the Heart. New York: Ballantine Books, 1981.
Willimon, William. Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 2000.
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