May 29, 2017
A few weeks ago, we began talking about the various types of people that Sioux Falls Seminary is called to serve. Two areas of emphasis focused on servants who are:
Each of these areas requires the seminary to serve alongside other kingdom-minded ministries, networks, denominations, and seminaries. In short, it requires partnership.
Partnership is a very important aspect of our work at Sioux Falls Seminary. We believe God calls us to create integrated systems of theological education by honoring the work others do and recognizing that there is much we can learn from others. By partnering with others, the wider church is blessed through enhanced access to theological education, which is nothing more than an intense version of discipleship.
Already, Sioux Falls Seminary works with several partners in areas related to courses, program development, teaching, training, fundraising, marketing, technology, student services, and much more. Going forward, we will continue to expand our number of partnerships by developing relationships with people in the two areas listed above.
For students, partnership creates unique opportunities to specialize their educational journey so that it focuses on their unique calling. For example, if a student has a desire to focus on missional church leadership, they could take advantage of our partnership with Ethos. If students are participating through a pastoral development program offered by their denomination, we can partner with them to integrate that program into a certificate or degree program.
Partnerships that we create around things like marketing, student services, or program development enable the seminary to create systems of theological education that are affordable, accessible, relevant, and faithful. For instance, our partnership with Taylor Seminary in Edmonton, AB, enables us and Taylor to be more efficient and, as a result, lower the cost of education while also expanding the programs offered at each school.
Developing servants to participate in the kingdom mission by helping them “use whatever gift [they] have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10) requires us to recognize that Sioux Falls Seminary is part of a wider system. We value that reality and seek to develop robust partnerships for the sake of the kingdom!