Neighborhood Seminary

NEIGHBORHOOD SEMINARY PROVIDES ROBUST MISSIONAL, SPIRITUAL, THEOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL FORMATION TO EQUIP LAY PEOPLE TO MINISTER IN THEIR HOME, NEIGHBORHOOD, WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY.

IN THE ANTI-RACIST EVANGELISM THROUGH NEW FAITH COMMUNITIES COHORT PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP NEW, SMALL SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS BY HELPING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS FLOURISH. PARTICIPANTS LEARN HOW TO RECOGNIZE GOD ALREADY AT WORK IN LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AND HOW TO SEE, HONOR, AND PARTNER WITH THE STRENGTHS IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS COURSE ALSO INTEGRATES WISDOM AND BEST PRACTICES IN HEALING THE WOUNDS OF RACISM, BECAUSE IN OUR WORLD WE CANNOT THINK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD FLOURISHING WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT HEALING (AND PREVENTING) THE WOUNDS OF RACISM.

THE FOUNDATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD SEMINARY PROGRAM IS A TWO-YEAR, NON-DEGREE, INTEGRATED COURSE OF LEARNING WHICH INCLUDES SPIRITUAL FORMATION, COURSEWORK, AND PRACTICAL TRAINING IN MISSIONAL ENGAGEMENT. FACULTY INCLUDES TEAMS OF SCHOLARS AND MISSIONAL PRACTITIONERS. MISSIONALLY-TRAINED SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS FACILITATE SPIRITUAL FORMATION. LOCAL MINISTRY PRACTITIONERS ARE GROUNDED IN PRINCIPLES OF ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND MISSIONAL THEOLOGY. IN SIMPLE TERMS, OUR PROGRAM HELPS LAY PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO NEIGHBOR WELL, HOW TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS FLOURISH, AND HOW TO FOSTER LIFE-GIVING COMMUNITY WHEREVER THEY GO. ALL IN THE SPIRIT AND MANNER OF JESUS.

THE LOVING THE HELL OUT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM IS A SIX WEEK INTRODUCTION TO TRAUMA-INFORMED MINISTRY THAT HELPS PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND SOME COMMON CONSEQUENCES OF TRAUMA, SO AS TO BE ABLE TO OFFER AN EMPATHETIC AND COMPASSIONATE MINISTRY OF PRESENCE WITH NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCING TRAUMA. THE COURSE IS BASED ON SIX THEMES: 1) DITCHING THE LABELS, 2) OPENING OURSELVES TO LOVE, 3) FROM VIOLENCE TO VULNERABILITY, 4) SEEING THE DIVINE IMAGE IN EVERYONE, 5) ASKING A NEW SET OF QUESTIONS, 6) LIVING A LIFE OF GRACE.

THE COLOR OF COMPROMISE PROGRAM IS A TEN-WEEK BOOK STUDY OF JAMAR TISBY'S BOOK, THE COLOR OF COMPROMISE. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN 1) SEEKING DEEPER UNDERSTANING OF AMERICA'S RACIALIZED CULTURE, 2) STRENGTHENING PRACTICES IN THE WORK OF RACIAL JUSTICE AS DISCIPLESHIPE, AND 3) SEEKING OUT WAYS TO PURSUE BECOMING A BELOVED COMMUNITY. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES AN IN-DEPTH DISGNOSIS FOR A RACIALLY DIVIDED AMERICAN CHURCH AND SUGGESTS WAYS TO FOSTER A MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE.