Power to the People

Bethel Seminary launches the new M.A. in Community Ministry Leadership with an unprecedented enrollment of 50 visionary students.

Volume 22 No 1 | Winter 2008-2009

Caring for the poor is a biblical mandate and a critical need in our urban society. But community ministry is about much more than that, says Mark Harden, lead faculty for Bethel Seminary’s new Master of Arts in Community Ministry Leadership (MACML). “It’s not just about feeding the poor,” he explains. “It’s about empowering individuals and families through transformational urban ministry.”

That’s the unique emphasis of the Community Ministry Leadership (CML) program: preparing leaders to empower both the urban poor and un-poor. The program is designed for mission agency and Christian foundation professionals, lay church leaders, and educated and experienced church and mission agency volunteers, offering them unparalleled depth of preparation as they work to improve the quality of life among urban children, teens, adults, and families.

“Students are empowered to provide leadership across a plethora of ministry areas,” says Harden, “such as community development, at-risk youth interventions, family life issues, and health and wellness.

Students learn leadership skills that help them respond to different situations depending on their ministry context. They receive practical tools in courses that are immediately relevant to their current ministries and their visions for future opportunities, including:

• Methods in Practical and Contextual Theology. Students think theologically about personal and spiritual formation.
• Effective Ministry Planning and Development. Students learn to effectively address holistic and developmental needs.
• Compassionate Urban Ministry. Students explore how to empower people affected by stressful life events.
• Street Culture, the Poor, and Urban Ministry. Students explore urban life and culture, focusing on maximizing their impact on working with the urban poor.
• Facilitating Community Development. Students discover how to mobilize and organize resources for change within communities.

What’s more, students can choose from three options designed to fit their needs and schedules. The SemPM program, a night school option meeting once a week on Monday nights, enables students with daytime commitments to complete a Master of Arts in Community Ministry Leadership degree in three years. Traditional Master of Divinity students may choose a concentration in Community Ministry Leadership by supplementing their day school classes with Monday night classes. Or students can choose the Certificate in Community Ministry Leadership, which can be completed in one year through a local cohort group or by taking the requisite courses on Monday evenings on campus.

The response to the new CML program has been overwhelming: the 2008 SemPM cohort began with more than 50 students. This successful start is due in large part to the cooperative efforts of Harden, Provost Leland Eliason, and the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. “Mark Harden is a true asset to both his students and the Bethel community,” says Sara Wilhelm, associate director of admissions and recruitment. “It was due in part to his persistent grassroots networking and Provost Eliason’s constant advocacy that this program had such a successful launch in SemPM.”

In addition, the cohort represents a wide diversity of ethnic groups, churches, experience, and ministry goals (see charts on page 12). Forty-four percent of the students are female, and two local churches have more than one member in the program. “As I’ve worked to introduce students to this program, it has been a true blessing to interact with people of so many differing ethnic and church backgrounds,” says Wilhelm. “I have been able to experience a bit of the beauty of seeing one of Bethel’s core values—reconciliation—occur as bridges have been built between Bethel Seminary and historically African-American, Korean, Hmong, and multiracial churches.”

While the program celebrates the diversity of its participants, it also recognizes the qualities that unite them. These are highly motivated students who have a passion for social justice and kingdom-building. “They are usually visionary people,” Harden notes, “with the ability to learn quickly and engage with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds. This program further empowers them to work in innovative ways to make an impact and strategically overcome multiple barriers that are common in the urban or community context.”

At the heart of the CML program is the heart of Mark Harden himself. “What I have learned out in the field over the past 20 years is that ministry is an essential part of our own spiritual and personal formation,” he says. “This program bridges what I feel is at the heart of who Jesus is and what we can achieve in faithfulness to the mission of the church. It also prepares men and women for ministry leadership in the broadest sense in any corner of the world. My vision is for a global movement of ministry leaders equipped to adequately respond to people’s needs, engaging in various forms of outreach ministry wherever God provides the opportunity to work to His glory.”

Meet Two CML Students

Tcher Hurh originally from the remote village of Dejcag Ntoos (Root Spring), Laos; now resides in Lino Lakes, Minn Job/Ministry: Senior pastor, Life in Christ Church, Roseville, Minn., which he founded in March 2008 Why did you enroll in the CML program? Bethel’s CML program is geared toward people like me who work in full-time ministry.  I can take classes at night and still maintain my regular daily ministry schedule. What are your goals as you pursue this degree? My short-term goal is to increase my knowledge and connect with others who are involved in vocational ministry. My long-term goal is to graduate with a master’s degree in leadership and use my skills to equip Life in Christ Church members as well as Hmong Christian communities. In his words: I am the second oldest son in my family, and when I told my father I wanted to go to college to become a pastor, he was not a happy person. He expected me to go to college to become a businessman or doctor or lawyer. We were very poor, with no savings for college, but I found a small private college, now Simpson University, that offered me tuition, room and board, and a part-time job. I eventually transferred to Fresno Pacific University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical and Religious Studies. I then worked for Youth for Christ in Fresno for five and a half years. In the past 15 years, I started three churches. Now I’m inspired to return to school after almost 20 years. If I don’t go now, I may never have the courage to go again! It is a challenge to read all the texts and write research papers, but I have been able to stay focused and disciplined with the support of my family, friends, and church.

Aledria (Lee) Buckley originally from Chicago; now resides in Apple Valley, Minn. Job/Ministry: Special Advisor to Governor Tim Pawlenty on Faith and Community Service Initiatives. Appointed in 2005 to develop a closer connection between government and faith and community organizations. Active in music ministry and the Celebrate Recovery program at Progressive Baptist Church, East St. Paul; hosts a bi-weekly home Bible study Why did you enroll in the CML program? I am being obedient to where God has led me. He presented the opportunity at just the right time in my life. What are your goals as you pursue this degree? My goals are to: 1) use what God is providing through this program to better equip me for what He has in store for me; and 2) be more effective in my ministry and professional life. In her words: The fact that God is in control of everything about this program both inspires and challenges me. My traditional approach to learning and studying in an academic environment is overridden by allowing God to direct everything. I thought that returning to school after being away for so many years would be the biggest challenge, but I’m finding that all of my life experiences are critical and relevant to this experience. I have always wanted to make a difference, wherever I am involved. The CML program has given me increased confidence that I can make a difference in the lives of others. I believe I will be more effective in both my professional and personal ministry as a result. I also more clearly understand now why God has taken me through the journey I have had, and how I can use parts of that journey in stewardship to others.

The CML Fellows Program The Community Ministry Leadership (CML) program includes the opportunity to be involved in the CML Fellows program, which involves all CML students during the time they are enrolled in their degree program at Bethel. Mark Harden, lead faculty of the Master of Arts in Community Ministry Leadership, describes the program below. Who A collaborative learning community of seminary graduate students and community ministry practitioners who have demonstrated a commitment and passion for urban ministry. What The objectives of the CML Fellows program include the following: To establish a Community Ministry Leadership Fellows program that can facilitate learning and community and can continue to add value long after graduation. To provide opportunities for access to local ministry practitioners in the field engaged in community ministry leadership. To develop resources that facilitate and support network-building. To create opportunities to develop long-lasting relationships that foster career path development and opportunities for ministry leadership. Why The purpose of the CML Fellows program is to provide opportunities for professional development, networking, communion, and inspiration while promoting ministry leadership. How The director and staff will coordinate activities and resources that bring seminary students and practitioners together for a collaborative learning experience filled with opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. When Students will continue to have the opportunity to be a part of the collaborative learning community during their time at Bethel Seminary. Fellows’ Experience Church Leadership—14%  Youth Development—32%  Public Service—16%  Chaplaincy—4%   Education—10%   Private—16%   Special Needs—8% Fellows’ Goals Urban Ministry—27% Church Leadership—19% Church Planting—7% Organizational Leadership—9% International—5% Chaplaincy—12% Community Development—9% Youth Development—12%