In Trust Center
The In Trust Center podcast is hosted by Matt Hufman. Walk alongside theological school leaders and innovators as they explore issues relevant to North American seminaries, all while helping institutions live out their missions more intentionally. Find more at intrust.org/podcast.
In Trust Center
Ep. 81: Creating a Pathway for underserved students into theological education
The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri, is using Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grants to create new ways for people from underserved communities to get a theological education. In this episode, the Rev. Drs. Sergio Navarrete and Darin Poe discuss how the school is using innovative, bilingual, and online programs to try to equip a new generation of ministry leaders. They talk about how they're addressing leadership shortages in churches with programs that blend mentorship, affordability, and relationships to educate and empower students to fulfill their callings.
Hello, and welcome to the IntraCenter Podcast, where we connect with experts and innovators in theological education around topics important to theological school leaders. Thank you for joining us. Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Good Governance Podcast. I'm Matt Huffman. We've been exploring the pathways for tomorrow initiative and projects associated with it. And I'm joined today by a school that has both phase two and phase three grants with me today, Sergio Navarrete of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary Seminary. Sergio, welcome to the program. Thank you, Matt. Good to see you again. And also Darren Poe. It's good to be here, Matt. Thank you for the opportunity. So it's great to have you both. And one of the things I appreciate about both of you, both of you, uh I didn't use titles, but both Reverend Doctor, both have experience in the church. Yes. Extensive church experience and church leadership experience, as well as academic experience. So, Sergio, let's start with you. You're overseeing a very ambitious program to outreach to uh Hispanic students and to make some new pathways. You have your own story about a pathway. Tell me a little bit, real quickly, about how you came to theological education.
SPEAKER_02:I was 18 years old in Tijuana, Mexico. And then I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. And at that same moment, God called me into ministry.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:So I left my vision and I said, from now on, um I'm going to Bible school. I didn't know which one. So but uh thank thank God I I I was uh accepted at the Latin American Bible Institute in La Puente, California. Not non-accredited AG school. Right. From there, uh our president, Dr. Jesse Miranda, he he he told me you need to go to Fuller seminary. And I said, what is that? So I I applied and and because I came from a non non-accredited, Fuller put me on a one-year pro academic pro probation. Uh-huh. But thank God I I got my master's in divinity. And then I I and then I continue a doctor's of ministry at Asusa Pacific University. And now I'm doing my PhD at AGTS.
SPEAKER_00:And you've worked uh in various contexts. I mean uh across not North America, Central America in in various different ways.
SPEAKER_02:Yes. Um in in our district, uh I was uh elected district superintendent. So I thank thank God I served there for for 20 years.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, now let's talk about that real quickly for our non uh the listeners not familiar with the assemblies of God. A district might be in a Catholic context, a diocese or a region. So you're an overseer, a bishop, yes and it's elected by leaders and members. And so your district, tell uh the district you were the superintendent of. Uh Southern Pacific District. Right.
SPEAKER_02:In in Los Angeles, California. Right, which is uh Spanish speaking? Spanish speaking, for 453 uh ministers and over three 340 churches.
SPEAKER_00:And of course, you've traveled throughout Mexico, Central America, working with the church.
SPEAKER_02:Correct. Uh in Latin America, the the Assemblies of God, we have the uh Global Hispanic uh fraternity, and it is composed of uh over 30 million Assembly of God members from uh Mexico all the way to Argentina. And there uh 10 10 years uh ago, they they elected me the the vice president of of this uh fr fraternity.
SPEAKER_00:So uh I've been so so blessed by it. So tell me a little bit about because your program, the the pathways program you've been involved in, has been very uh active in terms of creating exactly what the program talks about, creating new pathways uh for ministers. And and one of the things that uh you know, your experience coming from uh non-accredited, uh non-accredited school, you know, trying to find education fuller, uh doctor ministry, now in a PhD program as well. Um that's a difficult road. So tell me a little bit about how your program is going to help people like you and others. Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Um the assemblies of God, uh Christian education. We we have uh in in Latin America and the Hispanic districts in in the US over 1,200 Bible institutes. Uh total 49,000 uh Bible theology and ministry students. Okay. All of these 1200 Bible non-accredited. But now with the blessing of ATS and um accepting this um um institution and credit, now these students now we have a seamless uh uh path that they can apply at at our uh AGTS and at Evangel University. And so now in the assembly Hispanic students, they are able now that they can continue their the theological education.
SPEAKER_00:Now there's a lot to consider there from how you get them to one to graduate theological education in the United States. There's also a question of you know support. There's there's a whole lot to this, right? There's a lot of nuance. And you and I have had these conversations off a recording. Yes. What do you tell? Then there's a lot of interest right now, and we'll I think we'll have further conversations down the road, but there's a lot of interest, particularly in Latin America and students who speak Spanish primarily. If I were the uh member of a board of a theological school or the the president, and I'm saying there's a lot of students in my denomination we may not be serving. Correct. I I'm sure there's several conversations you would want to have with me, but w how do you want me to frame this? What do you what would you want a leader to think about as they look at serving these students? Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Um as as I tra travel and meet with uh all of these students, they are so smart, they are uh uh anointed, they're they're they have a heart for for God and and the church. And that and they have a deep desire for higher theological education. Their only uh greatest block it will be fine finances because the the credit and and the school prices here in in the US. Uh now with the Lilly Foundation grant that was given to us has been a uh wonderful blessing that we can lower the tuition 50 percent. So with this now we have 50 uh pastors and students at our master's degree, Spanish by bilingual online. So so we we've been able to to bless 50 students um at our master's degree.
SPEAKER_00:That's fantastic. Is this mostly online, hybrid? Uh 100% online. 100% online, yeah. Spanish. All in Spanish, right? Correct. And the new the curriculum has been written in Spanish, I know. The Yes. The so folks are receiving it in their native language. Correct.
SPEAKER_02:So there is a great um excitement about it. And we're getting ready to start the doctoral ministry in Spanish. So uh uh all of these thousands of students, the theology students, Bible students, are are so thankful to God for for this wonderful opportunity.
SPEAKER_00:That's fantastic. Darren, let me turn to you. You've got a long history in ministry. Yes. And I know that your project is about creating various pathways. So tell me a little bit about your background, how you got to this point, because it again, it's uh your career has been varied.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_00:You've experienced a lot of, I think, what you're now working on.
SPEAKER_01:That's true. Yeah. So growing up in Bakersfield, California, the last place I thought I would go to uh college was Springfield, Missouri. But I find myself at Evangel College back in the day and uh studying to teach and coach. Um but before I graduated, I got the opportunity, the local church I was plugged into asked me to become their youth pastor. And after a lot of conversations, uh I became the youth pastor at that church and served there for almost eight years in the local church. And then uh then the district, which again, the Southern Missouri district, has about 380 churches, uh, asked me to serve as their district youth director. So for the next 23 years, I got the opportunity to serve those churches, the youth pastors and the students of that district. And then uh and then at the end of that, uh I was asked to serve at the national office in the area of student discipleship. So I was over several programs and some resource creation for the national office in the area of discipleship before I found myself back at my alma mater and uh serving at AGTS, directing this grant project. It was a unique journey for me as one who didn't initially prepare to go into ministry. But at yet at this age of 16, I felt like at a youth camp, God had called me to speak life into students, even though I was one. So now the opportunity to work on a project that intentionally goes after those students who feel like they are called and get them into this pipeline where we get them the theological education that they need, both affordably and you know, a little bit adaptation and uh easily we can create that pathway to get them into ministry. Uh that was never that was never appeared to be an opportunity for me to do that. Now I have the opportunity to create that for some students that might be in the same position that I was in when I was 16 years old. So really excited about that.
SPEAKER_00:I think one of the interesting things about uh the projects at uh the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary are both, you know, as as you're reaching out to underserved students. Uh there's also an initiative to reach out to African American students. Uh so you're you're reaching out to underserved. One of the one of the things we often don't talk about, I think, in theological education is the underserved being a student like yourself, Darren. Yes. Who's you're gonna be a coach and a teacher. Right. Right? Not a youth pastor. Youth pastor wasn't there, and then you feel this sense. You know, I I know back when I went to school, there there it none of that existed, right? So it in what you're building or what uh what's built being built out there is a sense of for somebody like you. Yes. Somebody who might say to their pastor or a church leader, hey, what do I do? or or somebody on campus. So tell me a little bit about how you're identifying the students. Because really the heart of the project seems to be reaching them while they're young and still in the pipeline to create the pathway. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's definitely a part of it. Yeah, I never really proactively told anybody necessarily that I felt called. Um, but at the same time, I had eight youth pastors while I was growing up. So I never really wanted to be that person, but uh so I wanted to make a real difference in their life every day, you know, in the classroom, on the field. Uh but nobody called that out in me either. And I think a big part of it uh in my 23 years working with youth pastors and church leaders is to be proactive and intentional about those students that are kingdom-minded, that have gifts and skills that would easily translate to pastoring and shepherding. Uh and uh after 23 years of camp, one of the things that we always ask and we give the Lord time for is for students to hear his voice and uh and open themselves up to Lord, what do you want to do with my life? And so many students every year would respond that we feel called into pastoral ministry. And then we were finding that we didn't have anything for them to sign up for, be a part of, start growing now. And so the exciting thing now is creating resources for leaders to step into the role of mentoring these students and opening up the possibilities of what it looks like to serve in ministry as an end goal, and then opening up those obviously educational opportunities for them as well to do that. So, yeah, getting these students, helping identify them. Our major partner in the phase three grant is our Assemblies of God Fellowship. And a few years ago, they started an initiative called CALD. It's awkward to say that. I need to think of a different way to say that. But uh, this called initiative is basically creating that pipeline. And as much as the beginning uh focus has been on students and that college education, there's just as much emphasis coming on getting them into ministry, obviously, and then keeping them in ministry at on the end uh backside of that as well. But right now, we're working with uh 66 districts. Last year, 48 of those districts had some sort of a called event. So whether it was uh a camp that they invited students to or an overnight conference or a one-day conference, there's an intentional emphasis because of what's going on nationally in our fellowship to help students identify this call or identify the students that already feel called. And then resources have begun and been released already for kids. And the the kids' one is simply we all have we all have skills and talents and abilities that God wants to use. We need to offer those to Him. As you get into the junior high and high school, uh, the resources that are there through the website, videos, as well as books uh lean more toward are you called into pastoral ministry? God maybe has that calling for you. And then uh there are some resources that have been released already for those that are called into ministry, how to start well, uh, things like that. But through that, through the districts mainly, and we have a great network through the assemblies of God, through those districts, we're able to uh more hands-on grassroots, help students identify that call in their lives, and then give them the opportunities and let them explore the opportunities for what are uh what is out there for them to uh get to that end goal of being in ministry, which is what God has called them to.
SPEAKER_00:So mentoring is obviously important as is identification. Um Sergio, let me turn back to you for a second because you're trying to identify people from all over Latin America and and the United States and and anywhere. Yes. How are you vetting that? How are you pulling, figuring out who's the right candidate? Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Um as the Assemblies of God is is um formed in districts and in in Latin America, every nation has the so uh the they each district and uh they have the um Christian education department and they have annual con conventions and and they have hundreds of uh students and so so uh it is my my joy to to be there present and and and inform them about AGTS.
SPEAKER_00:So again, what I'm hearing with both of you is you're using the church structures that exist. Exactly. Absolutely and reaching down into your networks to identify the best people.
unknown:Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01:Because it's all about relationships. Sure. And with the varied backgrounds that both Sergio and I have in creating relationships across the country and with Sergio around the world, um the kingdom of God is a kingdom of relationships. So it's through those relationships and those people and the trust that's been built over decades of ministry that the these kinds of opportunities that God has orchestrated come to life, really.
SPEAKER_00:So well, both of you have led in wider context than the church. You're a local church. You've had influence in broad networks, um, which which of course is important. There's a credibility over a long period of time. Um Darren, I asked Sergio earlier what he would tell a board member or a senior leader of a school when you're thinking about this. Um, what are you learning, or what would you tell them? What would you share with somebody?
SPEAKER_01:I think we're we're learning number the importance of relationships. I mean, uh relationships and the trust and the ability to educate. Um I missed out on part of that as a student who prepared to go into teaching and education. I missed out on some of that theological preparation that I wish that I could have had early on. And so I think part of it is uh through those relationships, convincing our fellowship, and I don't think it takes a lot of it, that we are going to steward their students well. So I think when it comes to the governance and even the administration's idea of um stewarding these projects is we're stewarding outcomes, but those outcomes are and everything is only produced through a student. And so having that student mindset, how can we accomplish for the students what God wants to happen in and through their lives and uh through through mentoring, through classroom time, through curriculum, through the development of webinars, whatever that that educational model is, that uh that we keep that student in mind as culture changes, how can we best reach that student and then accomplish the task of educating that student and preparing them for what God has for them? So keep that student in mind for sure.
SPEAKER_00:Any other advice as we wrap up on anything that I haven't asked or that you would say, or learnings, things you're learning?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, uh one thing uh I have learned in in these past uh two two years, um Hispanic and then young Hispanics uh with a calling of God in their life, they have um deep desire and hunger for higher Bible and theology education. So that that that is just amazing just just to see in this um next generation of Hispanic ministers. They they they desire a higher education. Darren, what would you say?
SPEAKER_01:I think the one thing that I'm learning is um some of this was created out of a need that is perceived not just by our fellowship but by lots of denominations in the aging and retiring of a lot of our ministers uh from our churches and not enough people to take their places. And so the thing that I'm learning is there there are stories of students still out there uh that there's not just handfuls of students, but there are hundreds and thousands of students that God really has placed ministry on their heart. And it's our job to steward that and get them to where God wants them to be well. And so God is still calling shepherds uh to take care of people, to train them, to equip them to do the works of the ministry. And so while we are experiencing this shortage, there's not a shortage of people being called. I think now the beautiful thing is there's an intentionality and a focus on making sure we steward those callings well and get them not just in the pipeline and into ministry, but keeping them there uh as well.
SPEAKER_00:So Sergio, you looked like you were gonna say something.
SPEAKER_02:Um yeah, I'm I'm um just thinking of of the in this two two years as the director of Hispanic Initiatives at uh Assembly Sagatiological Assembly, I have seen almost daily God's hand and guidance in everything that he's doing. I mean it's just amazing. It's like it's like a dream. He is doing it. He he knows what what is he knows what he has for planned for for the for the future. But uh uh there's a great army of uh Hispanic ministers that that God is gonna use them worldwide.
SPEAKER_00:Well, as I think that's a good way to end. Unless, Darren, did you have something else?
SPEAKER_01:I was just gonna add to that um so many things come together and work out when you have the right people, the right time, the right place. So we're so grateful to the endowment for making this happen at such a time as this. And uh and really we believe the outcomes are going to are going to happen as we rely on the Lord, as we trust in him, and as we steward these projects well. We're we're very grateful for the opportunity. And we see his hand at work, and that gives us confidence moving forward, obviously.
SPEAKER_00:So fantastic. Thank you both for being here. My guests today, Dr. Serge Reverend Dr. Sergio Neverete.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:And Reverend Dr. Darren Poe. Glad to be here. Thank you for listening to the Intrust Center's Good Governance Podcast. For more information about this podcast, other episodes, and additional resources, visit intrust.org.