Mark Wenger (wearing dark blue shirt) leads a prayer session during a Preaching Institute class at EMS at Lancaster.
Mark R. Wenger is a man on a mission.
His task as director of pastoral studies at EMS at
Lancaster is to spread the word that resources are
available to equip area pastors and other church leaders to better serve
their congregations.
Dr. Wenger, who graduated from high school in the Lancaster area, spent
the last 10 years co-pastoring the Springdale Mennonite Church near
Waynesboro, Va., with his wife, Kathy Weaver Wenger. He also served worked
with the Preaching Institute at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Va.
The Wengers moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania this summer so that Wenger
could work more closely with prospective students, using the EMU at Lancaster site at 1846 Charter Lane as a base.
"This move represents a major initiative by EMS to
expand leadership training opportunities for pastors in the Lancaster and
greater southeastern Pennsylvania area," Wenger said.
Wenger's first day in the office was July 11. Since then he's spent many
hours on the phone contacting area pastors and inviting them to consider
taking upcoming courses locally.
"We intend to begin offering more core courses for persons wanting
seminary classes. This will make it possible to earn a Certificate in
Theological Studies that in turn can be applied toward a graduate-level
degree at EMS," Wenger noted.
Seminary-level classes scheduled this fall include:
The Preaching Institute, led and taught by Wenger. Now in its seventh year, the Preaching Institute is an innovative
in-service training program for men and women who want to improve their
preaching. Weaving together a creative mix of on-site learning activities
over a nine-month period, the Institute offers a unique model for learning
and growth.In addition to overseeing seminary courses, the Preaching Institute and teaching at least one course each year, Wenger has also stepped into the director's role for the STEP (Study and Training for Effective Pastoral Ministry) program, designed especially for pastoral leaders who don't have college or Bible school training.
STEP is a three-year training program leading to a certificate of
completion that can be applied towards an associate in arts degree awarded
by EMU. The program has received accreditation approval from the
Pennsylvania Department of Education.
For example, Lancaster Mennonite Conference has some 17,496 members in
1876 congregations in an eight-state area and 385 active ordained and
licensed pastors. Many of these pastors are bi-vocational, often called
from within their congregations with little or no formal pastoral
training. Similar situations are found in other denominations and
congregations in the area.
"I'm amazed to find how many area persons are employed full time in the
professions or trades while also pastoring congregations and parenting,
all at the same time," Wenger said. "We believe congregations will want to
invest in their own mission and growth by enabling their pastors to get
high-quality training.
"Congregations are asking a lot of their pastors," he continued. "Eastern
Mennonite Seminary has educational resources that equip men and women to
grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, prepared to lead the church in mission
with passion and integrity.
"This is at the heart of our mission. Our goal is to meet the needs of
local congregations and leaders of various church groups," Wenger added.
Wenger welcomes anyone to call him at his Lancaster office for more
information on any of the pastoral study-training programs being offered
this fall. He can be reached at (717) 397-5190 or e-mail
.
-article by Jim Bishop
