Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary

05/29/2026

Find a trusted cohort that nourishes whole-self formation, not just your role, through the Center for Lifelong Learning’s Leadership in Ministry workshops.

Register for the October 12-14, 2026 Montreat retreat below.
https://events.ctsnet.edu/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x7468abcd

05/27/2026

In 2003, I moved from Minnesota to Louisiana – basically from one end of the Mississippi River to the other. To say that there was a bit of culture shock (and temperature shock) is an understatement. Now, I had grown up in Maryland and lived in a number of other places before descending on Louisiana, but it was my first foray into the deep south, and I had a lot of learning to do – a whole new lingo to learn.

Who are your people? I think a critical issue for the church today is the place of community in a fractured world.

05/22/2026

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐢: 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
September 27-October 2, 2026

Kintsugi, the centuries-old Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer
and gold, offers a profound metaphor for healing. Participants will discover how
their wounds and imperfections can be celebrated rather than hidden.
https://www.ctsnet.edu/events/kintsugi-recognizing-beauty-in-brokenness/

05/20/2026

Nowadays, pastoral leadership comes with added pressure.

We all know the overall decline in commitment to institutions, and to the church in particular. Add in changing giving patterns and the short- and long-term impact of a global pandemic, and political intensity to accelerate these trends.

It’s a tough time to lead a congregation. You can’t lead in these times without making hard decisions.

You let a long-time staff person go. You take a stand on new directions for ministry. Or define yourself on a hot issue of the day. Or say no and disappoint people. Risks go along with these decisions. You risk upsetting key leaders — and givers.

Pastoral leadership comes with added pressure. Low church attendance, changing giving patterns, and pandemic aftermath only make matters worse

05/18/2026

When pastors and ministry leaders engage in reflective, facilitated peer learning, their congregations benefit from steadier judgment, clearer communication, and wiser decisions.

Register for the September 21-23, 2026 workshop in Richmond, Virginia, below.
https://events.ctsnet.edu/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x7392abcd

05/17/2026

The ministry of the trained full-time professional congregational Christian educator has seen a dramatic arc over the last 20-some years. Once a viable ministry supported by seminaries, denominations, guilds, and congregations, it may be on the endangered species list of “worst prospective jobs for seminary graduates.”

That does not mean that people are no longer called to that vitally important ministry. But now, that ministry is more often than not filled with passionate lay leaders and ministry staff largely untrained in religious education.

In some churches, it’s a part-time position; arguably, in most, it’s a volunteer position.

Growth in faith requires the practice of faith. For church educators, how many of your programs are focused on practicing faith daily?

05/14/2026

The study follows Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, a letter that calls for sharing abundant love, unity, and how to navigate living in Christian community as diverse people of faith. Through it all, we will be in conversation with Paul and wrestle with what 1 Corinthians is saying to us today.

Register today!
https://events.ctsnet.edu/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x7867abcd

05/13/2026

In most cases, the discernment process involves getting clear about what counts as something to factor into the decision and what can be dismissed as inconsequential. In the early stages of discernment, that is not easy to do. At those stages, everything seems equally important, so the feeling is one of being stuck.

Want to know when to go or leave your congregation? While there's no shortcut to discerning this, consider these points as you proceed.

05/12/2026

Workplace Spirituality is the reimagining of organizations as places of fulfillment, not just work.

Workplace spirituality is not limited to a religion, nor does it proselytize or affirm one religion over another. Instead, it advocates for a workplace culture and mission that emphasizes belonging, connection, and the communal life of an organization and its stakeholders.

Workplace spirituality, when implemented, is cited to increase employee trust, motivation, commitment, and overall performance.

This Guthrie Scholar's work sits at the intersection of spirituality, organizational leadership, and human flourishing.