In teaching about ministry subjects (including Field Education) Graham Hill, Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical studies at Morling College, Sydney, Australia, shares about gathering insights from ‘experts’ or ‘specialists’:

“Over the 26 lecture weeks, almost every week would include a guest ‘specialist’–I do the first lecture and then the guest talks about the application in their own setting, church, mission or ministry. These include pastors of large churches, pastors of established churches being reshaped or transformed, leaders of mission and parachurch ministries, specialists in multicultural settings, evangelists and missionaries, youth and children’s specialists, etc. This is a rich and creative year for the students, with a balance between theory and practical insight.”

On this theme Rowland Croucher writes:
“Several seasoned clergy have wondered, in our conversations, why they’ve never been asked to interact with trainee-pastors in our seminaries. Although they might not be academics, they felt that half a century’s ministry-experience might have something to offer future pastors!”

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Learning from guest practitioners.