Empower

John Senior is ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Assistant Dean of Vocational Formation and Director of the Art of Ministry program at Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, NC. Matt Floding is general editor and contributor to Rowman and Littlefield’s Exploring Theological Field Education series and co-editor of the journal Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry. He formerly served as director of ministerial formation at Duke Divinity School. He is one of the founders of Friendship House, a residential opportunity for graduate students in which persons of all abilities live in intentional community formed around eating together, praying together, and celebrating life together.

After reading this resource from cover to cover, one will discover that it is wisely named Empower. Editors’ Senior and Floding are empowering others by thoughtfully amassing a complete roster of authors who are uniquely qualified to pour collective wisdom into the art and practice of supervising students in ministry contexts. In doing so, they provide a ministry formation resource like none other. . . our authors provide practical resources that empower others for personal development and, equally important, public ministry. . . . This literary effort is applauded for the expansive reach of its exhaustive catalogue alone, and will be an incredible companion and ready guide for those mentoring in the ministry trenches. . . best of all, in keeping with Peter Block’s philosophy for the best kind of learning, each chapter ends with thoughtful questions for one to reflect upon as a ministry supervisor. These questions unlock the door to numerous conversations that will undoubtedly impact one’s ministry formation for years to come. We may want to assume the student is the one who will be transformed though such questions and conversations, but my hunch is that it is the supervisor who will be changed by the deep wells of wisdom that await them. As a theological educator charged with training dozens of supervisors each year, I can assure you that this text will be an essential resource for years to come!