Supervised Ministry As A Means of Pastoral Leadership Development for Pastors in Training: A Literature Review
Supervised ministry is a structured learning approach within theological training where students engage in practical ministry experience under the guidance and supervision of experienced pastors. The development of pastoral leadership in pastors in training is very critical to the growth and sustenance of the values, beliefs, and practices of the church and the effectiveness and competency of student pastors. Supervised ministry which is integrated into theological education provides opportunity for aspiring pastors with practical and hand-on experience in real-world church ministry setting under the supervision of experienced pastors called field supervisors. Theses field supervisors served as mentors to the upcoming church pastors and expose them to nitty-gritty of the ministry. This study explores the concept of supervised ministry, biblical / theological foundation for supervised ministry, the role of supervised ministry in pastoral training, and its impact in shaping pastoral leadership skills and competencies in pastoral leaders. The study engages a systematic review of scholarly articles, journals, books, and other academic resources to explore the concept of supervised ministry. The study among other things reveals that supervised ministry serves as a bridge between theological theoretical education and practical application of theological knowledge. It exposes the pastors in training to vocational training, practical theology, ethics of pastoral ministry, connects the students to congregation, and helps in developing pastoral skills. All these point to the significance and relevance of supervised ministry as vital and indispensable component of theological training and pastoral leadership development. To improve the quality of service delivery and effective pastoral leadership, pastors in training need to be adequately exposed to real-world experience. Theological institutions must be highly committed to supervised ministry and improve its quality. Field supervisors must play their roles well and be intentional in mentoring future church leaders.
Keywords: mentorship, leadership training, pastoral ministry, supervised ministry, theological training.
