Preparing for pastoral ministry

January 24, 2017 | Web First
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
Elkhart, Ind.

A desire to immerse himself in a learning community in preparation for pastoral ministry was part of what drew Lee Hiebert to relocate to Elkhart, Ind., and enrol in the master of divinity program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS).

Hiebert, who grew up in Kelowna, B.C., and was a member of First Mennonite Church there, had served for three years as a part-time associate pastor at Sargent Avenue Mennonite Church in Winnipeg while attending Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) full time.

To build on the theological and practical training he received at CMU, and to further develop his gifts for ministry, he chose to continue his education at AMBS.

“Within my Canadian context there are many great options for graduate studies, but few that are centred in a specifically Anabaptist tradition,” he says. “AMBS presented me with an opportunity to learn from a community that has been doing this work—specifically supported and directed by the Mennonite church—for a very long time. As someone who is hoping to serve in the Mennonite church, I find that it is only natural to breathe in what the church has provided for me.”

Hiebert, who is focussing on Christian faith formation in his studies, says he is exploring what it means for him to be an Anabaptist pastor and to be part of the church. “I hope to gain a personal connection with a community and a specific way of being the church that is located in the lives of real people and the traditions of Anabaptist practice,” he says.

He is grateful for the scholarships he has received—both from AMBS and through Mennonite Church Canada—and for being able to pay most of his costs at par. These benefits make AMBS financially comparable to any Canadian school, he says, adding, “If it was not for the generosity of donors and the foresight of many folks who have gone before, this experience wouldn’t be possible for me.”

Hiebert says that he appreciates being in an environment in which faith formation is a priority. He anticipates graduating this year and is open to whatever God may be calling him to next.

To learn more about AMBS’s academic programs and scholarships, visit ambs.ca.

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