Displaying items by tag: training programme

A renowned and well-established research institution found only 5% of pastors/priests in every worldwide Christian tradition have theological training with a recognised degree. 90% of pastors only have some kind of informal or non-formal theological education. Formal theological education has a clearly defined programme, curriculum, exams, degrees, and associated accreditation processes. The thousands of informal programmes have nothing similar; there are no guidelines, no standards, and no outcomes that could be globally accepted. Each one does what it considers best. Often the concepts and beliefs of the founders or leaders of each denomination or mission agency determine how the various training programmes are carried out. One teacher and missionary leader stated publicly that he had personally trained more than 15,000 pastors for ministry; each pastor received about six weeks of training, and were then ordained as pastors. He and his board believe that such training is sufficient.