Pastoral Studies Distance Education

Are you a pastor called out of your congregation who wants more training in pastoral ministry? Would you like to provide your deacons or elders with preparation for their vital role in the congregation?

Then explore the Pastoral Studies Distance Education program.

PSDE is for active leaders of congregations:

• Pastors called to the ministry without college or seminary training;
• Lay leaders, deacons and elders wanting training to prepare for their ministry.

PSDE is a program of individual, college-level study with minimal time away from congregational duties. However, it is more than just a correspondence course.

Each unit has an instructor who interacts with the student several times per unit.

Each student also has a mentor in the geographical area who can be a sounding board.

The PSDE program

• focuses on issues vital to ministry in a Mennonite congregation;
• provides distance instruction along with interaction with a local mentor;
• may earn the student 15 undergraduate credit hours.

PSDE is for leaders

• pastors called to the ministry without college or seminary training;
• lay leaders, deacons and elders wanting training to prepare for their ministry

See how Mennonite Church Eastern Canada is using PSDE to provide leadership training for multicultural groups.

See how the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference and Central District Conference are using PSDE in a conference-based leadership development program called Journey.

Program design

PSDE is a program of individual, college-level study with minimal time away from current duties. Each unit has an instructor who interacts with the student several times during work on that unit. Each student also has a mentor in their geographical area.

Students may enroll any time from September through May.

Program details

Each unit takes approximately 20 weeks to complete. Completion of the entire course (five units) earns the student 15 under-graduate credit hours (three per unit). Fees are $600 per unit (Canadian or US dollars).

"Leading God's People," the curriculum for the course, includes five units.

Unit	Instructors
Church and Ministry	Mike Zehr and Lois Shenk Zehr, Goshen, Ind.; Maurice Martin, New Hamburg, Ont.
The Biblical Story: Old and New Testament	Dan Hertzler, Scottdale, Pa.
Anabaptist-Mennonite History and Theology	Maurice Martin, New Hamburg, Ont.
Salt and Light: Preaching, Worship, Evangelism	Renee Sauder, Waterloo, Ont.
Tending God's Flock: Pastoral Care and Counseling, Administration	John R. Martin, Harrisonburg, Va.

Additional information

• Application form (PDF file)
• Sources for financial aid (PDF file)

Congregational leadership training

Two units--Preaching and Worship Planning, and Pastoral Care and Counseling--have been revised for training elders, deacons and other lay leaders. Pastors may purchase the materials for these units and serve as the group leader within their congregations. Costs of materials for this use are: U.S.: Copies are $25 each. See contact information below.

Leadership training for multicultural groups

The PSDE curriculum is also used for the Multicultural Leadership Education program.

For more information