Continuing Education > CE For Pastors

It will become painfully evident over time which pastors invest in continued learning and which ones do not think they need it. Often, the ones who protest that they don't need to worry with continuing education are the very ones who need it the most.

You'll need to discover what your conference's CE policy is, and they may well ask you to monitor and enforce it. And you may have to become more persuasive to get some reluctant pastors involved in some learning.

In past years, budget was often a problem. There was rarely enough CE money to go around, and what was available often would not fully fund a learning experience somewhere. Flexibility with your policy can be a great help. Perhaps they can be assisted to purchase some helpful software or subscribe to something like HomileticsOnline or Preaching Today. Or maybe some years they can be allowed to purchase a slew of new books needed for ministry.

And, with the Adventist Learning Community, there's a wealth of potential learning experiences that would be free for them to access. Though it might have been done in the past, it would be useful to highlight the ALC often in your pastors meetings and pastoral communications.

Here are a few suggestions from Mark Weir, Ministerial Director for Upper Columbia Conference:

•Every conference should set aside funds that pastors can use for Continuing Education with an annual minimum of $250 and if possible, up to as much as $750.

•We can help foster healthy continuing education by making sure that our pastor’s meetings or other gatherings have something in them that could be reported for professional growth and development.

•Organize area group meetings where a book can be read and discussed.

•Plan a tour to the Holy Land or some other place aimed at helping pastors experience what they preach about.

•Our pastors need to realize the value of professional growth and why reporting is helpful to them. To spend a few moments in reflection on what was read/done along with what was gained or learned is valuable. But the most important step is the final step in the reporting process – what will be done next with what was gained or learned. The reporting aspect increases the likelihood of actual follow through. And it is the actual follow through that makes this entire Continuing Education process relevant.