WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.300 --> 00:00:07.200 Welcome to Mission Works. 2 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.700 Thanks to donors. 3 00:00:08.700 --> 00:00:10.000 It is true. 4 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:15.000 We are grateful and thankful for the generous support we received from 5 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:18.700 you our generous donors and friends. In each episode 6 00:00:18.700 --> 00:00:22.500 we highlight how your gifts are making a difference in our Lord's 7 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:23.900 Mission. Today 8 00:00:23.900 --> 00:00:28.200 I'm happy to share with you a great improvement in our curriculum. 9 00:00:29.700 --> 00:00:36.700 It's sad, but every day we see great division in our country and this 10 00:00:36.700 --> 00:00:44.100 poison can seep into the church it even tempts pastors. Several years ago a 11 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:47.000 study done for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod found that some 12 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:50.700 pastors, some not all, we're causing division in the church. 13 00:00:50.700 --> 00:00:54.700 So what is your Seminary doing? 14 00:00:54.700 --> 00:00:59.400 So our graduates will work harmoniously with others under the lordship 15 00:00:59.400 --> 00:00:59.800 of Jesus. 16 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:05.900 A new mentoring program has been launched as part of the revised 17 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:06.700 curriculum. 18 00:01:06.700 --> 00:01:12.600 In fact, I am a mentor in this program. Every Wednesday 19 00:01:12.600 --> 00:01:17.700 I meet with 11 students assigned to me and other professors do the 20 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:19.000 same with their groups. 21 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:21.900 It's called formation hour. 22 00:01:21.900 --> 00:01:24.000 And here's how the program works. 23 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.900 When new students come to the Seminary. 24 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:32.500 They are given a personality inventory. This identifies strengths and 25 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:34.900 weaknesses in a student's personality. 26 00:01:34.900 --> 00:01:37.500 It is not a pass-fail test. 27 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:42.700 But does help the student learn where he or she can improve. The 28 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.400 ancient Greeks had a proverb know thyself. 29 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:49.100 And that's what this personality inventory does. 30 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:50.900 And then 31 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:57.400 each student is assigned to a group. These mentoring groups are not 32 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:02.300 clusters of like or similar students. You know on Facebook we friend 33 00:02:02.300 --> 00:02:04.600 people we like and don't friend people 34 00:02:04.600 --> 00:02:10.000 we don't like. Our formation our puts different personalities into the 35 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:16.700 same group and when you are assigned you may not request reassignment. 36 00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:23.100 You are in that group your whole time at the Seminary. 37 00:02:24.700 --> 00:02:28.500 What's the reason? Welcome to the real world. 38 00:02:29.700 --> 00:02:34.800 When students graduate they will have all kinds of personalities in 39 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:39.700 their congregations some pleasant others not so much. 40 00:02:39.700 --> 00:02:44.400 Our graduates go into circuits where they interact with pastors and 41 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:49.200 church workers with different personalities. This mentoring program 42 00:02:49.200 --> 00:02:55.000 prepares them to work harmoniously with others and model unity to all. 43 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:56.500 As our Lord. 44 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:59.800 Jesus says blessed are the peacemakers. 45 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:03.200 Now let me introduce you to Mr. 46 00:03:03.200 --> 00:03:08.100 Christian Pieper a seminarian who Lord willing will receive a call in 47 00:03:08.100 --> 00:03:08.400 Spring. 48 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:11.600 Christian welcome. 49 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:13.400 Where did you grow up? 50 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:18.700 I am from Plymouth Minnesota, which is a suburb north of Minneapolis, 51 00:03:18.700 --> 00:03:22.700 so Minnesota South is my home district. And going on four years 52 00:03:22.700 --> 00:03:31.300 I graduated from Concordia University Chicago or River Forest. Okay now I am in a suit 53 00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:39.400 and tie and explain your garb? As a student on campus in seminary. 54 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:40.200 I work, 55 00:03:40.200 --> 00:03:44.600 I work a part-time job actually on our Seminary campus as many students 56 00:03:44.600 --> 00:03:49.000 try to do to prepare for real-world life and work. 57 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:53.600 I love working on grounds crew at Seminary which means we take care of 58 00:03:53.600 --> 00:03:56.600 our our campus and make it look pretty. You do a great job. 59 00:03:56.600 --> 00:04:00.300 How has the formation hour helped you during your years here? 60 00:04:01.100 --> 00:04:07.300 Formation hour has helped and supported and forced guys into groups 61 00:04:07.300 --> 00:04:11.300 with each other to have conversation about how we see ourselves as 62 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:17.100 whole people in body, mind, soul, spirit, physical health, intellectual 63 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:22.100 health, relational health. And forcing conversation to talk about what 64 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:25.800 it means to be an entire person as we see ourselves not just as 65 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:27.200 pastors but whole people. 66 00:04:27.200 --> 00:04:31.700 Then we're putting groups where we are forced to have conversation and 67 00:04:31.700 --> 00:04:35.500 growing authentic community with one another. Has it been a practical 68 00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:36.400 help to you. Absolutely. 69 00:04:36.400 --> 00:04:39.100 What would you say to our donors? 70 00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:44.200 Thank you so much for your generous support guys, like myself really 71 00:04:44.200 --> 00:04:45.100 need and appreciate it. 72 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:47.000 Thank you Christian. 73 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:51.500 I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences and discoveries as a 74 00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:52.800 mentor during this coming year. 75 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:57.800 And this is one of the many projects and programs you support when you 76 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:02.700 make a gift to Concordia Seminary. I offer my thanks once again and 77 00:05:02.700 --> 00:05:06.500 invite you to watch the next episode of Mission Works. 78 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:08.100 Thanks to donors.