TEDS Formation Gatherings Prepare Students to Flourish in Ministry

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) takes the call to raise up the next generation of evangelical leaders seriously. That includes recognizing that a future pastor or minister needs to be formed in multiple ways—not only academically but also relationally, spiritually, and vocationally. As Dr. John Simons, Associate Dean at TEDs, said, “We are asking ourselves, ‘What does it look like to help students develop resiliency to thrive in ministry in the long term?’ We want to help them be prepared for what they are facing out of seminary and into context.”

One of the ways that TEDS is doing exactly that is with their new Formation Gatherings. Funded by a Lilly Endowment grant, these in-person, 1-2 day gatherings take place throughout the country a few times a year. These gatherings allow students to learn from each other and pastors currently serving in ministry throughout the United States and beyond. The first gathering was hosted at South Suburban Evangelical Free Church in Apple Valley, MN, in October 2023. Students had the opportunity to connect with EFCA pastors and ministry leaders. Since that first gathering, interest has only continued to grow. Students have traveled from across the country—and even from Canada—to participate.

Nathan Miller, a pastor at Christ Community Church in Kansas City, MO, and a TEDS alum, recently hosted a Formation Gathering. He emphasized the importance of seminarians getting to know pastors, saying, “Seminary is great and important. I believe in it! But there’s just something about being with another pastor who is your age and a pastor who has done this for 5, 10, even 30 years.” Similarly, Dr. Simons shared, “There are challenges pastors face. They deal with accountability, ongoing spiritual formation in their own lives, and healthy marriages. We want to help students think about those issues one more time in seminary than they would otherwise..”

At these gatherings, students from around the world come together to have casual conversations about what flourishing in ministry looks like. We are “trying to give them a space to be vulnerable about some of the most difficult things as a pastor,” Nathan said. Recalling the last gathering, he said, “We spent a lot of time and connected with the students. There were a lot of questions about surviving and thriving as a pastor. At the gathering, I could be really honest about what I love about the job and what I hate. I didn’t feel like I had to hold back anything.”

Tyler Pace, a current online MDiv student and college pastor to young adults based in Dallas, attended this gathering in Kansas City with his wife, Kenzie, and found it deeply impactful. “I was able to connect, relate, and get deeper relationships with other students more in the 24 hours of that gathering than I have over a whole semester online. I had all of these informal conversations where you’re just talking to someone about their life and what their ministry is like. Having these conversations was awesome, and I feel you wouldn’t get that online. Being in person makes a world of difference.”

In particular, Tyler appreciated the practical and concrete nature of the aspects of ministry they talked about. One of the big takeaways from the gathering for Tyler was that, in his words, “Flourishing in ministry means knowing what flourishing does not look like. It might look different depending on who you are. For example, I learned that the pastors at the church in Kansas City count their hours every week. They have accountability, so they don’t go over a certain amount, or if they do, they cut back the next week. That surprised me because it takes time to log hours. But the pastors knew they weren’t so important that they couldn’t go home and spend time with their families. That was really tangible and practical.”

Jasmine Gadde, a current MDiv and MA in bioethics student, shared Tyler’s appreciation for the gathering. As a woman in ministry, she deeply enjoyed having candid conversations with pastors who are women. “My favorite part of the event was the ‘girl time’ talk, where we got to know the ministry of female pastors,” she said. “I particularly enjoyed the discussion on the role of female pastors in ministry. We delved into the challenges they face, including biases within the church and resistance from some members unwilling to be led by female pastors. This was eye-opening for me, as I had previously held the belief that only men could serve as pastors.”

Reflecting on the Formation Gathering overall, Jasmine said, “This experience has provided valuable insights into the importance of being deliberate in ministry to remain focused on serving the Lord rather than oneself… Jesus teaches that true leadership is found in servanthood, not in seeking celebrity status. Instead of basking in pride, pastors are called to humbly serve, carrying a cross and using a basin and towel.”

Dr. Harold Netland, Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Intercultural Studies at TEDS hosted another Formation Gathering in the Fall of 2024. This gathering, hosted on the TEDS campus, was arranged as an opportunity for fully remote students to connect with each other, TEDS faculty, and the broader TEDS community. The theme of the gathering centered around discerning God’s guidance or leading in ministry.

Participating students (one of whom serves in a sensitive international context and requests their image be protected) reflected on the opportunity to hear how God has worked in the lives of the guest speakers on the TEDS faculty and the students themselves.

“Hearing from the guest speakers’ personal stories and life experiences helped shed light on my own journey through TEDS, both as I reflect on my past and as I hope for the future. For me, the most fruitful aspect… was the personal connection I was able to make with several professors… This entire experience brought me clarity,” said Christian Meister, a current MDiv student.

To his fellow classmates at TEDS, Christian says if you have the opportunity to participate, “Don’t hesitate!” Kai Newell, another MDiv student in attendance at the gathering, agrees: “I would highly recommend all distance learning students do this.”

Both Jasmine and Tyler expressed their gratitude to the Lilly Endowment, which allowed them to attend the event at no cost to themselves, offsetting airfare, hotels, and meals. Tyler said, “My wife and I are so grateful that we got to do this without the financial stress, which would make it more difficult. That made the decision to go really easy. We’re just super grateful…. Interacting and seeing how other people are doing ministry is vital to your future ministry health and is just so encouraging.”