Equipping the Saints Without a Theological Seminary

Abstract

There has been a dawning realisation among Danish free churches that we need future pastors and pioneers, and yet we do not have a seminary any more. Added to this, the next generation of young people have a hard time identifying themselves in the traditional image of a pastor. These, among other developments, initiated a reflection among Baptist and other free churches in Denmark almost ten years ago. Today the situation has changed, and a growing number of young people study theology and prepare for ministry within the synergy between local free church practice and academic theology at the university. This article provides a practitioner perspective on the theological formation of new pastors and pioneers within this context. It concludes that the Millennial, studying academic theology, could potentially be a great advantage for the free church movement, but at the same time challenge free churches to engage with academic work as a practice at the centre of the calling of the church.