Thriving Clergy
Being Salt: 3 Things You Should Know about Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Oklahoma Wesleyan University maintains a growing cultural influence, developing a generation of Christians ready to engage their world. To hear OKWU’s vision for 2016, we talked to Dr. Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, who offered three...
Chaplaincy Spotlight: Jim Miller’s Ministry of Presence
Having recently returned from deployment, Military Chaplain Jim Miller describes his ministry in three themes: nurturing the living, caring for the wounded, and honoring the dead. Chaplain Miller describes his ministry in three themes: nurturing the living, caring for...
Wesleyan Higher Education Spotlight: Houghton College
“The goal of Wesleyan higher education is to cultivate in students the desire and capability to bring the light and hope of the gospel to the 21st century world.” -President Shirley Mullen, Houghton College As the oldest Wesleyan institution of higher...
Chaplaincy Spotlight: Jim Miller’s Ministry of Presence
Having recently returned from deployment, Military Chaplain Jim Miller describes his ministry in three themes: nurturing the living, caring for the wounded, and honoring the dead. Chaplain Miller describes his ministry in three themes: nurturing the living, caring for...
Women in Ministry Spotlight: Kelli Ward
Kelli Ward is a busy mom who loves to laugh; she is also the Connections Pastor at Forest Hills Wesleyan Church, Evansville, IN. She and her husband, Wayne, also an ordained pastor at Forest Hills, have four children, Karis – 8, Josiah – 7, Maria – 5, and Anna – 3....
Wesleyan Higher Education Spotlight: Southern Wesleyan University
“Our mission is to impact the world for Christ by raising up the next generation of leaders, pastors, and congregants, to grow the church and turn society toward Christ.” – Todd Voss, President of Southern Wesleyan University Many high school graduates no...
Healthy, Fit, Effective: New Pastors Orientation 2015
On November 18-19, 2015, Education and Clergy Development hosted its annual New Pastor Orientation at Wesleyan Headquarters in Fishers, IN. The conference reached out to pastors newly ordained or serving in their first appointment in The Wesleyan Church. This year, 23...
Graduate Student Theological Seminar: Rubbing Elbows with Incredible Minds
Since 1964, a group of around forty Wesleyan and Free Methodist scholars and graduate students gather to rub elbows at the Graduate Student Theological Seminar. Consistently, the conference has served individuals pursuing theology and biblical studies as a place to...
When the Path Bends Beyond Sight: Piang Khaw Lian shares how focused prayer set him on the road to pastoral ministry
Piang Lian Sometimes the path into ministry winds around unexpected corners. For Piang Khaw Lian, the path hasn’t been straight. Born into one of the few Christian families in New Dehli, India, Piang never foresaw himself as an ordained Wesleyan pastor in the...
Presidents and Board Chairs Strategize to Lead Together
On Monday, November 16th, the presidents and chairs of the boards of trustees of each Wesleyan College and University met at The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters to strategize about leading to advance Wesleyan Higher Education. The colleges and universities of The...
Residency Spotlight: Ashley Brooks: Finding a Win-Win Ministry Residency Program
Ashley Brooks now knows a thing or two about leadership. But fresh out of undergraduate and seminary programs at Indiana Wesleyan University, she wasn’t quite so equipped. When mentors suggested she pursue residency, Ashley contacted Cypress Wesleyan Church near...
Leaders Meet to Implement Ordination Outcomes
Over 130 District Superintendents, District Board of Ministerial Development members (DBMD), Religion Faculty, and non-traditional program instructors (FLAME) gathered at five regional meetings aimed at implementing best practices for developing healthy, fit, and...
Residency Spotlight: Shawn Oswalt High Risk, High Reward in Urban Ministry
Shawn Oswalt was always eager for real-life experience with urban ministry. A pastoral residency program at Awakening Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado offered him the chance to engage in real ministry—but he never imagined the risks they’d joyfully take for...
Chaplain Spotlight: Bryan Purvis — The Ministry of Presence
Chaplain Purvis recently was promoted to Lieutenant Commander – a professional success he attributes to the men he serves. “Promotions have little to do with me and everything to do with those I serve with; they, the enlisted and other officers, make...
How to Flourish: Faith, Work, and Economics
“It’s rare to have an opportunity to be able to help members of your congregation to inhabit their vocation as part of a Kingdom calling, much less work with other church leaders to strategize how to transform your church and community. Psalm 104 gave us...
Wesleyans lead the way at Residency Summit in Chicago
Pictured: Luke and Kyla, residents at All Shores Church in Spring Lake, Michigan. “We should have just had you Wesleyans send us all your materials and not even met” a co-host half-joked to me after the Wesleyans gave a strong presentation of our residency...
Journeys Into Ministry: Rob Rogalski
“When I accepted the Lord in 1983, I dove headlong into lay ministry. I was involved in a senior executives’ small group at the Pentagon; I volunteered in youth, prison, and men’s ministries. But just over two and a half years ago, I felt a calling...
Residency Spotlight: Luke and Kyla
Because we’re pretty young, seeing behind-the-scenes ministry has been tremendously important. Knowing everyday church ministry has been huge, and we’ll be able to apply what we’re learning here at All Shores to our ministry overseas. –Luke &...
Residency Spotlight: Christine Kaye
“I’m still in training, but I get real-life experience. Messy people walking alongside messy people: you can’t get that in a classroom. Until you’re in it, you have no idea.” –Christine Kaye Residency exists to train pastors for lifelong...
The Houghton Way: 3 Ways Houghton College is Making Disciples
“If you want to know God, organize your day around connecting with God.” –Dr. Michael Jordan, Houghton’s Dean of the Chapel Houghton College was founded in 1883. After over 132 years, they still offer an “Academically Challenging,...
Residency Spotlight: Tim Witte
“A lot of people have a hard time believing their pastor loves them; so I learned to knit so I could get closer to my congregation.”-Tim Witte (pictured below) If there’s a resident pastor who knows about loving a congregation, it’s Tim Witte....
Five Surprising Ways IWU is Changing Ministry Education
In 2012, the Kern Family Foundation partnered with the Indiana Wesleyan University School of Theology and Ministry to create a program to help students be ” More hirable, better trained, and less indebted.” Admission to the Kern program is contingent on...
Thrive in 5: Financial- Personal Finances
Few areas in our lives are as sensitive as personal finances. Finances are often a great source of stress for clergy. Yet no matter how much or how little we earn, we are responsible to be good stewards of what the Lord provides
