Struck a C(h)ord, I Guess -- A response to some good questions provoked by this week's posts11/6/2015 Excellent questions from Dean Blevins, US/CAN Regional Education Coordinator and professor of Christian education at NTS-Kansas City, who left on a comment to a previous post: Did you ever speak with anyone on the anonymous district to find out why they made the decisions they made? . . . I wish it was a single district, but it's been several over the last seven years located across the country from coast to coast and across the midwest. I have also spoken to at least 20 district superintendents, and raised these issues with them in private conversations and various meetings, and they are sometimes as perplexed as I have been. So, the issue is not geographic or acute, but a systemic issue. The variety of responses I have received, either publicly or privately, tell me that I'm not the only one that has recognized the severity of this issue.
I have dealt with students that have completed a validated course of study and still have not received recognition for their educational efforts in fulfilling the educational requirements toward ordination without being required to do more educationally on the district. I have also dealt with those that have chosen other programs that are not validated, missing maybe five or six courses, yet have been required by their districts to do nine or more courses. Never has the question been raised if the students have exemplified competencies necessary for completion of the requirements but simply not seeing the same course title on the transcript. It's been difficult because the district boards seem to see the process as "counting courses" not completing the competencies necessary to be recognized for ordained ministry: avoiding this is the whole point of the 4Cs and the reason ICOSAC and its regional counterparts exist. Either these processes are necessary or they are not. If districts take up this responsibility, there should be some awareness of what is expected of validated programs of study. If I remember right this ICOSAC and 4Cs were supposed to avoid the difficulties of the "good ol' boy" system or the development of much different requirements within or between regions. The process is supposed to make sure that universities are preparing students for ministry and not just further academic work. The process expects something from every stakeholder involved. I hope universities do not take up the sole responsibility for educational preparation toward ordination. It was seem to me to be several steps backward. The flexibility of the Nazarene system is one of its strengths. It allows all who are called to be prepared adequately for what it takes to engage in an active and thoughtful ministry. I think there might be something to be said about [warning: Nazarene lingo follows] the "field" leaders, district superintendents, the board members in the credentialing process, and ordained faculty members, work together within an educational zone, maybe even in unison with the university in consultation with NBC and NTS (at least within the US/Canada Region). I had an encouraging conversation with a district superintendent at the university trustee dinner last night about this very topic, and what the district superintendents in our neck of the woods are doing already in this direction. This person also mentioned similar collaboration work in another educational zone. Encouraging signs. Hope this clarifies some of your questions, and the other posts might also help in answering some of your concerns.
3 Comments
Dean Blevins
11/7/2015 09:21:35 am
Matt, I can only say that what you suggest "has" occurred on different educational zones in the past, often around specific incidents, when addressed by reasonable people in leadership (district and school) who have both a collaborative arrangement on their region, and a reputation of that collaboration beyond that region. In those circumstances, we discover the faculty, their deans, and even the institution itself, has fostered close relationships with district leadership based less on accusation and more on an appreciation of the mutual task... and challenge... of using a process that remains reliant on a number of people working within the constraints of their circumstances.
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Dean Blevins
11/7/2015 11:17:48 pm
Sorry Matt, my reply was cut short because I closed my laptop before the upload was complete. I am at a conference and was running late for a meeting. To finish the last thought, there have been changes to the Sourcebook on Ordination to reduce the number of ability statements, and to shift the language from behavior outcomes to abilities (more in line with McIntyre's use of practices and virtues) to correspond to the "be, know, and do" portions of the sourcebook. I think you know this because MVNU was privileged to use the new statements as part of your recent review by the RCOSAC. Those changes have taken much time to implement since we have to negotiate them at a national level, and now in direct collaboration with Canada districts (actually a helpful addition to our deliberations) with changes at our last General Assembly. The committee, for all of its limitations, has listened to educators, district leadership, pastors both young and old, and continues its work to this day to establish resources in line with the newer ability statements that districts can use in their deliberations.
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Matt
11/8/2015 03:13:56 pm
Thanks again for your continued contribution to the conversation. I think there is a place for discernment in the ordination process, even for cause to delay the process in some cases. I do not think the course of study should be used as the delaying mechanism, especially since so many stakeholders are involved in this process. If a district board sees the need for delay, simply delay the process or incorporate a leadership development approach similar to the GE school of executive leadership. But, don't pin the delay on the course of study. I have been in contact with leaders from five districts in the last four months talking about this very thing.
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