December 18, 2009
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The Huntington University Graduate School announced this week that it will discontinue the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership, the program that prepares students for pastoral ministry. Classes will be offered through June 15, 2010.
Ministers can still receive plenty of training at Huntington University. The Masters programs in Youth Ministry Leadership, Counseling, and Education will continue. So will the undergraduate level programs in Bible and Religion, and Ministry and Missions. But the Ministry Leadership program is no longer viable.
The Ministry Leadership program is fairly small: 1 fulltime student, and 29 part-time students. Of those, less than half are United Brethren (1 fulltime, 12 part-time). Many of them receive deep tuition discounts. The program has one fulltime director, 4 adjunct faculty, and one support person.
Dr. G. Blair Dowden, in a letter he sent earlier this week to students in the program, wrote:
“Please be assured that this decision was not taken lightly and is part of a comprehensive budget adjustment involving all parts of the university. Factors such as university-wide enrollment, reduced giving from donors, and changes in state financial aid have forced the university (and many other universities) to take unprecedented measures to balance our budget. The decision to discontinue specific programs was made only after much deliberation and prayer….
“I am saddened by the loss of the Ministry Leadership program at Huntington University, and I regret the position this creates for you and the other students enrolled in the program. Please know that we will work with each of you to find the best solution for completion of this degree or a comparable degree at another university.”
We need to recognize the financial issues that brought this to a head.
For over 100 years, Huntington University has been the primary training ground for United Brethren ministers. However, for many years now, the university has lost money on its graduate-level pastoral ministry track. They have tried different approaches, and have accepted the financial losses because of their commitment to the United Brethren church. But it finally reached the point where they had to pull the plug.
While I’m saddened by this decision, I understand why it is necessary. I do not fault Huntington University. They tried to make it work.
I feel for the students currently in the program. A couple of them have contacted me already. They are halfway through the program, and are understandably concerned. Have I wasted time and money? Will the credits I’ve earned transfer to another school? What about the tuition discounts I receive as a United Brethren student?
Mike Cook, the Director of Graduate Ministries, is investigating options for them. Huntington University plans to help these students in a number of ways, including negotiating transfer agreements with other Christian colleges and universities.
On a positive note: we can now take a fresh look at pastoral training. This will be healthy and exciting for us.
The United Brethren denomination has a responsibility to train its ministers effectively. Yes, they can earn degrees at any number of other institutions. But we need to decide what exactly we want for United Brethren ministers, and then steer them in the right direction.
It’s easy, when you have a college with a pastoral training program, to just let them do it. Our approach has been: whatever program Huntington University offers, that’s what our ministers need. We’ve been a bit spoiled.
But now, we must reexamine that question. Which colleges have pastoral training programs that fit what we’re looking for? Should we offer training beyond formal education–mentoring, workshops, seminars?
It will be healthy for us to take a fresh look at pastoral training. The Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team will lead the way. My hope is that this spring, we can develop a game plan that does two things:
- Helps the students currently in the Huntington University program transfer to an institution where they can complete their training.
- Sets the agenda for the training of future United Brethren ministers.
Yes, it’s sad to see the pastoral training program come to an end. It’s been an important aspect of our relationship with Huntington University, training hundreds of UB ministers over the years.
But at the same time, we have an opportunity to take a fresh look at the crucial task of ministerial training. That will be good for us.
Tom Mahas, youth pastor at Bethel UB (Elmore, Ohio), was approved for his local church license December 17, 2009. Cluster Leader Brad Kittle, pastor of The ROCK (Findlay, Ohio), will present it to him soon.
Mark Ralph will become senior pastor of Lakeside Evangelical Congregational Church (Transfer, Pa.) effective January 1, 2010. Since 1975, Mark has been a pastor at Brown Corners UB (Clare, Mich), Shepherd Street UB (Charlotte, Mich.), and a UB church planter in Birmingham, Ala. Most recently, he was senior pastor of Sunfield UB (Sunfield, Mich.) 1997-2009. Mark has roots in the Evangelical Congregational Church, where his father was a pastor for 28 years. Mark himself pastored in the EC church 1981-1983.