Christian Ministry Online at NNU

For nearly 20 years, I was honored to teach and lead the NNU Graduate School of Theology and to engage with gifted faculty and students who have a great heart for ministry. Even in my current role, I love connecting with those for whom our programs can better equip them for faithful service. If you already have a bachelor's degree, NNU's fully online Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry is a great way to meet all educational requirements for ordination, plus you'll earn your master's degree in the process. And these same courses can also form the core of our Master of Divinity program, so motivated students can earn their MA degree and then continue on to complete the remainder of their MDIV without skipping a beat. Of course, we also offer fully online programs that lead to a bachelor's degree, too. If any of this interests you, please take a look at the courses and professors for our Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry program, then contact [email protected] or call us toll-free at 877-NNU-GRAD (668-4723). +>j

It's not too late to register for the 2023 Wesley Center Conference! Sign up at nnu.edu/wesleyconf.

Wesley Center Conference - Northwest Nazarene University Wesley Center Conference Top Title Wesley Center Conference 2023 Bottom Title Resilient Hope Image Tod Bolsinger, MDiv, PhD, the co-owner and principal of AE Sloan Leadership, Inc, an executive coaching and consulting firm that works with church, non-profit, and marketplace leaders in leading change...

Register now for these lifelong learning opportunities.



Northwest Nazarene University is excited to offer you the following continuing education courses!

November 13 - 17, 2017

Register now for "Resilience in Ministry," taught by Dr. Joe Gorman.
This class will help you be more resilient to the setbacks, failures, and challenges of ministry. Dictionary.com defines resilience as "the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions... the ability to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed." Those of us in ministry often experience chronic stress, burnout, and even depression, but have no one to journey with us. This class will provide you the opportunity to meet fellow-journeyers in ministry as well as learn important practices of resilience that will sustain you in life and ministry. Some of the practices we will look at include: adopting a Sabbath way of life, managing stress and burnout, engaging in play and hobbies, getting adequate sleep and regular exercise, and eating healthier.

Register now for "Church Board Development & Church Finance" taught by Dr. Stephen Borger. An overview of principles, procedures and best practices relating to the leadership and development of the local church board. The course will explore ways to create functionally effective church boards and the personal development of board members. The goal is that every church board will fulfill its fiduciary responsibility and give spiritual leadership.

Register now for "El Libro de Los Doce: Mensajes Mayores de Los Profetas Menores" taught by Dr. Randy Bynum. “En este curso, vamos a explorar algunos libros y pasajes no tan conocidos del “Libro de Los Doce” (Los Profetas Menores), descubriendo mensajes relevantes para nuestros tiempos y nuestras congregaciones.

Log in online and participate in the course at whatever time of day is most convenient for you. No books are required. Listening to, reading, and responding to lectures and classmates will take about 10 hours for the week. All resources are digitized and available through NNU's online course platform.

Course cost is only $29*. Students who complete this week-long course successfully will earn one transcripted continuing education unit (equivalent to 10 lifelong learning hours) from NNU's Center for Professional Development (upon request).

Expand your boundaries by engaging with other adult learners in our flexible, interactive forums. Enrollment is limited to just 15 adult learners per course, so sign up today. To register, contact us at [email protected].

*cost may vary if located outside the United States.

Poverty exercise hints at real hardship Poverty Simulation at Peninsula Baptist Church was “an evening of experiencing poverty in a safe, active, and educational atmosphere.” It was sponsored by Peninsula Poverty Response, Nazarene Compassionate Alliance-NW, Peninsula Baptist Church and Peninsula Church of the Nazarene. Grou

http://news.nnu.edu/story/nnu-is-excited-to-announce-new-university-mascot

NNU is excited to announce new university mascot - Northwest Nazarene University Over the past several years, NNU’s Board of Trustees has discussed and considered the possibility of changing the university’s institutional nickname and mascot. In 2016, the board appointed a task force composed of NNU trustees, alumni (one of whom serves as a missionary), students, representatives...

"I am eager for our people to learn to read the Bible in deeper ways than tweetable quotes. So, pastor, what are you doing to help your people learn to read, know, and love the Bible?"

Three Ways to Help Laity Love the Bible The Bible obviously occupies a central place in our faith. This may be especially true for pastors because, outside the Bible, we really have nothing much to say or do. But I wonder to what degree the Bible truly shapes the lives of our people? How we are teaching our people to be people of the Book...

Our prayers and hearts grieve with those who have lost loved ones or were injured in the unimaginable shooting in Las Vegas early this morning. In times like these, I confess that my first reaction is anger, helplessness, and hopelessness. Two things are helping to drive some of the darkness away for me today.

The first thing was re-reading some of Martin Luther King’s comments after the bombing at his home that almost killed his wife and children in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. Rather than lashing out in bitterness, King proclaimed, “Jesus still cries out in words that echo across the centuries: ‘Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; pray for them that despitefully use you.’ We must meet hate with love.”

The second thing that is providing light for my darkness is Chaplain Olivia Metcalfe’s message to us this morning at the NNU community chapel. Olivia read for us Jesus’ words from John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Preaching from John 8 and 9, Olivia challenged us to be “stone catchers rather than stone throwers.” At the end of her message, she read a heartbreakingly redemptive story from Bryan Stephenson’s amazing book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (this is one of the best and most unforgettable books I’ve read in the past several years). As Olivia noted in her message, the phrase “stone catchers rather than stone-throwers” is Stephenson’s.

My prayer: God, as we follow you in these heartbreaking and sometimes bewildering days, help us to be an instrument of your peace, to be stone catchers rather than stone throwers, to be light in the darkness, to love instead of hate, to work for justice rather than to succumb to systems of violence. Help us to learn what it means to be the eyes, ears, hands, and feet of Jesus in our everyday lives. In the resurrected name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Dr. Joe Gorman, Professor of Theology at NNU

Puerto Rico faces humanitarian crisis after Hurricane Maria | Church of the Nazarene A week after Hurricane Maria pummeled Puerto Rico, the island is facing a widespread humanitarian crisis due to the acute lack of water, food, fuel, and medical care.

http://holinesstoday.org/servanthood

Servanthood: The Essence of Leadership | HOLINESS TODAY Share Servanthood: The Essence of Leadership Posted in: Editorial Servant leadership is more than a nice concept, it is the model offered to us by Christ Himself. One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve hi...

NNU appoints Daniels as pastoral scholar-in-residence | Church of the Nazarene Northwest Nazarene University’s School of Theology and Christian Ministries announced the appointment of T. Scott Daniels as the pastoral scholar-in-residence.

"Buy-in for implementing change starts with buy-in for the leader. Whether the change is big or small, if the people do not have buy-in for the leader, they will not buy into implementing any change."

When it Comes to Implementing Change, Buy-in is Key Last week I suggested some things that you as a leader should take into consideration when implementing change. What all leaders need when it comes to implementing change, is buy-in from the people affected. Once you have buy-in you know the change will be implemented, and you will have the support…