dissertation

321
sed in chapter 9, these themes (personal or spiritual formation, ministerial or public leadership,
and dealing with the cultural context) do receive a prominent place in leader
education as provided in the Emerging-Missional milieu.
Against this background, we reflect on the main findings of our empirical research
(described in chapter 10) and formulate some challenges for the PThU, the TUK and
the ETF, respectively. As indicated in the introduction, however, we think it not farfetched
to assume that some of the remarks pertain not only to the institute in question
but to others as well.
11.2.1 Challenges for the Protestant Theological University (PThU)
This subsection submits four points to which the PThU might benefit from giving some
attention. These are (1) adopting ‘leadership’ as an integrative focus; (2) accentuating
‘leadership’ in the curriculum; (3) thinking through the implications of educating for
missional leadership; (4) spiritual formation. Some problems that are likely to be encountered
are mentioned in closing.
11.2.1.1 ‘Leadership’ as an Integrative Focus
Today it is often remarked that, generally speaking, students in seminary – if they
know what they want to do after seminary – aim to be teachers, counselors and pastors,
rather than leaders. 6 Furthermore, only a minority of pastors see themselves as leaders
(in 1998, George Barna estimated a mere 5 percent). 7 As discussed in chapter 4, we
currently live in times of rapid change and high complexity in society and culture. Since
leadership is called for in such times, also in local church congregations, it certainly
seems appropriate that – as we found in our empirical research – some of the teachers in
the PThU intentionally use leadership language, arguing that it is important in the current
cultural context that pastors see themselves as leaders, and function in such a role. 8
However, ‘leadership’ is not used as an umbrella term for the predikantenopleiding as a
whole, nor as an integrative focus for the different competencies that are to be attained.
It is likely that many professors and students think of the minister as being foremost a
pastor and a preacher or teacher, and that they operate largely from a default position
on the topic of leadership. 9
6
Jimmy Long, The Leadership Jump: Building Partnerships Between Existing and Emerging Christian Leaders
(Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2009), 13. Long speaks from an American context. However, the Dutch practical
theologian Sake Stoppels has the same message for the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
See Sake Stoppels, Voor de verandering. Werken aan vernieuwing in gemeente en parochie [For a change:
Working on renewal within the congregation and the parish] (Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum 2009), 18-19.
7
George Barna, The Second Coming of the Church (Nashville, TN: Word, 1998), 36.
8
See 10.2.2, particularly question 1b. What are visions on leadership and church office?
9
This interpretation is in line with the conclusions of Johan van Holten, Rol & Roeping. Een praktisch-theologisch
onderzoek naar de rolopvatting van aanstaande, beginnende en oudere predikanten gerelateerd aan hun roepingbegrip
[Role and calling: A practical theological research on the role conceptions of senior students, beginning
and older ministers in relation to their role conception] (Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum, 2009), cf. chap.
1, n87 and n88.