The Nazarene Theological Seminary graduation on Saturday included all the familiar elements of such an occasion. “Pomp and Circumstance” played as the graduates processed. Academic regalia filled the room. There were moments of gravity and moments of levity. The commencement address was excellent—Dr. David Busic preached a thoughtful and engaging sermon, drawing creatively from the not-exactly-biblical text of “Humpty Dumpty.” Diplomas were awarded, families beamed with pride, and cheers rose with each name called. In many ways, it was exactly what one would expect from a graduation ceremony.

And yet, a few things stood out to me.

First, the seminary is no doubt the most diverse institution in the Church of the Nazarene. Racially it’s diverse. There were as many—if not more—graduates of color as there were caucasian graduates. Gender-wise, it’s diverse. There were as many female graduates as male. Maybe more. Denominationally, it’s diverse. It appeared that a significant number of those graduating were not Nazarenes. All of these facts are vastly different from the NTS that I attended in the late 80s. Back then, there were a handful of female and non-Nazarenes students and even less black students.

Second, there were roughly as many doctoral graduates as master of Divinity graduates. This raises an important question about our priorities in graduate theological education within the Church of the Nazarene. Neither group had over 20 graduates. A broader restructuring of graduate ministerial education is underway, and perhaps these numbers will shift in the years ahead. Also notably, there are more graduate theological education options (even within the Church of the Nazarene) than when I was a student. Maybe looking at the number of NTS graduates does not tell the whole story of Nazarene graduate theological education. Still, it seems that the number is woefully low. 

Third, I found myself wondering how many of those graduating either are, or intend to become, Nazarene pastors. Again, if less than half of the students are Nazarene, and if less than half of those students (that’s a guess) are planning on being pastors—those numbers should give us pause. There may be a variety of reasons for this, including, in some circles, a diminished confidence in the seminary or even in higher education more broadly. Regardless, the need remains clear: in these challenging times, it is essential for the church to have a well-educated clergy—men and women who can think deeply, communicate clearly, faithfully articulate our theology and mission and serve wholeheartedly in their communities. 

My new role of creating a Center for pastoral excellence through the Nazarene Bible College is not focused on graduate-level education. Instead, it centers on those at either end of the journey—those who may have completed their education (in some cases years ago) and those just beginning to explore a call to ministry. My work is about encouraging and equipping individuals wherever they may be along the ministerial pathway. Still, I cannot ignore a growing concern: are we adequately preparing our clergy for the realities they will face? Are we cultivating the depth of thought, theological grounding, and resilience that ministry today demands? In an unholy world, don’t we need more holiness pastors/preachers not less? If the “fields still white unto harvest” and if God is still calling men and women into pastoral ministry, where are these individuals? Are they not listening? Has something happened (or not happened) in between sensing a call and preparing and then fulfilling that call?

These are questions worth asking—and answering—together. In other words, we’ve got our work cut out for ourselves.