Who ministers in Christ's name? Just the clergy? Or laity too?

Around the world, church councils, church staff and teachers of theology are increasingly involved in equipping
all the saints to minister. As the World Council of Churches' Program on Theological Education states: "...the ultimate purpose of theological education is to motivate, equip, and enable the people of God to develop their gifts and give their lives in meaningful service."

Once, the laity were expected to come to church to consume what was offered. Today, the emphasis has moved to empowerment for the ministry and mission of the whole people of God. At a time when nuclear oblivion can be only minutes away, when systematic exploitation and structure evil are part of life, all who bear Christ's name are called to speak and to enact the Good News.

To do this, they need to be equipped.

And so in Holland, Aartjan van den Berg of the Netherlands Reformed Church organizes a bold program of theological education for parish members. In 20 towns and cities, 1100 registrants gather in groups, one evening a week, for 32-week courses in biblical studies, church and society, faith and pastoral practice. Participants pay up to $110 a year for the three-year catchesis program. Says van den Berg: "The strongest interest indicates a broad and thorough emancipation of members is taking place."

Similarly, in Africa, groups of Christians gther to do theological education by extension (TEE). Augustin Batlle, in Nairobi, runs the program. He writes that many church groups are finding that religious "experience is not enough and many of them are turning to theological training opportunities." For these groups, doing theology means "interpretation of a people's experience of God and God's dealing with them in their history...."

In a village in rural Kenya, the church bell (actually a car wheel suspended from a tree branch) calls people to a TEE seminar. Batlle observes that traditionally, they have thought that "theology belongs to those who are officially appointed to do it for the church. Yet the marvelous thing is people finally becoming aware that they too can do theology!"

In Canada too theology is welcomed by the people. In British Columbia, over 1100 in local groups register for the Vancouver School of Theology's course "Jesus: Fact, Fiction, Faith." The program goes out on the Knowledge Network - the provincial government's educational television facilities. Local groups respond to studio resource people by long distance telephone.

In northern Ontario, Huntington University in Sudbury has for ten years taught religioous studies credit courses over the mid-Canada netowrk of the CBC. In small groups, buided by a mentor, hundreds of registrants have wrestled with course materials, the broadcast, and their own life experience.

These are hopeful signs. Yet we need more than signs. I don't yet see any groundswell of church folk consciously claiming theology as a means of strengthening their faith. Theological education for all the saints must not remain merely a vision advocated by bureaucrats, synods, and professors.

Pastors too need to be convinced of the value of theological education for their parishioners. Then, perhaps, together, they can allow the Spirit to transform an idea into a reality, to transform a dream into a new confidence that fosters congregational renewal.