Impact 2015 Special Edition

impact I sioux falls seminary

A North American Baptist Seminary

2100 S. Summit Ave. I Sioux Falls, SD 57105

2015 special edition Sioux Falls, SD I Omaha, NE I Online 800.440.6227 or 605.336.6588 info@sfseminary.edu

www.sfseminary.edu www.sfseminary.edu/omaha #SFSeminaryImpact

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facebook.com/SiouxFallsSeminary

Remembering George W. Lang Sioux Falls Seminary Professor Emeritus George W. Lang passed away on June 4, 2015, at the age of 86.

George was a faithful servant, pastor, missionary, educator, administrator, husband, father, grandfather, and so much more. During his years at Sioux Falls Seminary, he served God and others. He made an impact in the lives of many. After serving as missionary in Cameroon, West Africa, from 1955-1971, George and his family made the decision to accept the challenge of teaching at Sioux Falls Seminary, then North American Baptist Seminary.

Along with his teaching duties, he served as the library administrator. He was described as being analytical, integrative, mission-minded, and caring.

When George and his family joined the seminary faculty, they were already familiar with the seminary and its mission, not only from their time serving the North American Baptist Conference but also because George’s family had

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been a part of the seminary’s history for three generations. When his grandfather became a pastor in the early 1900s, the seminary was located in Rochester, NY. It was also there in Rochester, NY, where George’s father, George A. Lang, became the seminary president in 1944.

In 1949, George A. Lang moved the seminary to Sioux Falls and continued to serve as president until 1959.

With such a rich family history, it should be no surprise that upon his retirement in 1999, George spent half-days working with the North American Baptist Heritage Commission, located on the seminary’s campus. He was also given the distinction of Professor of Missions Emeritus for Sioux Falls Seminary. Upon his retirement, he looked back on his time at the seminary and said, “I’ve found this to be a very positive experience. It was great to be in Cameroon and get a global perspective, then connect with the students here and give them that perspective.”

walking

boldly Developing Servants I Walking Boldly into the Revolutionary Future to Which God Has Called Us

George, we remember you and thank God for you!

2015

impact I sioux falls seminary 2015 special edition

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UCH ‘10

‘15

‘89

Mark Johnsen was ordained as an elder by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015. He has concluded three years of service in Miller, SD, and moved to the Black Hills to serve Prairie View UMC of rural Smithwick.

in memoriam ‘31

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Joel Fredrikson began serving as Associate Pastor at The Point is to Serve, located in Sioux Falls, SD, in August 2015.

ported them since the death of their daughter in March 2014.

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from the

president

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President Greg Henson shares how Sioux Falls Seminary is seeking to discern God’s leading and then walk boldly into that calling as we remember to, above all else, make disciples.

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helping students

grow

coming together

as family

A look at how Sioux Falls Seminary is coming together with members of the North American Baptist Conference family to participate in God’s mission.

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volunteers

in action

James Renke became the Regional Minister for the Upper Mississippi Region of the North American Baptist Conference in April 2015.

introducing

dean caldwell

Dr. Larry Caldwell, new Chief Academic Officer and Dean, introduces himself and talks about his plans to serve others through tradition and innovation.

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serving families,

individuals

Kelly Lashly is Associate Pastor for Ministry Development at First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD. She oversees the organizational systems of the church. She joined the ministry team in December 2014.

Dwight Wahl is a Family Crisis Intervention Specialist with Volunteers of America. In addition, he recently started Making It Count, a life coaching service. He is an ICF Certified Life Coach and is excited about helping others through the process of making great choices.

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Brian Haynes is Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Roseau, MN.

‘98

Dave Decker is serving as the youth pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD.

staying in

touch

remembering

george lang

A tribute to George W. Lang, Sioux Falls Seminary’s Professor of Missions Emeritus, who passed away in June.

alumni news + prayer

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Ryan Stander is Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Flat Tail Press at Minot State University in ND, where he teaches courses in photography and directs the BFA program. He and his wife, Karina, became the parents of a baby boy, Willem, in April 2015.

‘04

Ellen Konyak (D.Min. ‘07) was ordained in 2015 at The Point is to Serve in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘08

Mark Donaldson is the Senior Pastor at Elm Creek Community Church in Maple Grove, MN. Mark and his wife, Kati, have three children, Timothy, Kahra, and Levi.

Andy Bartel has returned to Alaska, where he is Lead Pastor of St. John UMC in Anchorage. He and wife Kate have two sons, James and Angus.

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Sarah Herman was ordained as an elder by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015.

She serves in Napoleon, ND, and Lehr, ND.

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Laurel Buwalda lives in Sioux Falls, SD, and has been the Hospice Chaplain Coordinator for Sanford Hospice since October 2013. She was Ordained to Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Covenant Church in June 2014.

Clay Lundberg is pastor of the Burke Larger Parish in the Burke, SD, area.

Andrew Mahoney and his wife, Jena, moved to Beaumont, TX. Andrew is a full-time hospice chaplain and a part-time pastor at Christ Community Church, where he facilitates the services and works with youth.

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Joy Tracy and Mark Tracy were commissioned for the work of a deacon and of an elder, respectively, by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015.

Shihan Li is Director of Chinese Ministry at Community Church of Columbus in Indiana.

Arthur Itterman, the seminary’s oldest alumnus, passed away on October 31, 2014, at the age of 106. He had enrolled in Rochester Seminary at the age of 16, and went on to serve churches in Illinois, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa, before many years as a professor at Tennessee Temple University. He and his late wife, Lilah, were married for 73 years and were the parents of three daughters.

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Edgar Sturtz passed away May 10, 2015, in Ellinwood, KS. He was 80. Before retirement, he was an art teacher for 38 years. Edgar was preceded in death by his wife, Grace (Ringering) Sturtz, in whose honor he made a gift to name the Grace Prayer Room at Sioux Falls Seminary.

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Calvin (Cal) Kroeker of Oacoma, SD, died May 15, 2015.

A former teacher, Cal served NAB and Evangelical Free churches in his career as a pastor, retiring from Central Plains Evangelical Free Church of Oacoma in December 2014. He is survived by his wife, Deanna, two daughters, his mother, and a sister.

‘95

Michele Bradley died July 17, 2015, following a two-year battle with cancer. After earning her M.Div., she became pastor of the Church of Hope at the South Dakota Women’s Prison in Pierre, where she served until her health forced her to retire in January 2014. She is survived by a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.

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SUBMIT UPDATES ONLINE AT SFSEMINARY.EDU/ALUMNI

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UCH sioux falls seminary alumni news + prayer

from the

greg henson

president Over the course of this academic year, we are going to consider what it means to walk boldly into the future to which God is calling Sioux Falls Seminary. To me, there is no better place to start than the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 resonates with me for a number of reasons. I believe it gives us a great picture of not only the missionary nature of the Triune God, but also a clear focus for our work. As we are going, we are to make disciples.

sioux falls seminary

alumni news and prayer requests

CLASS OF 1970 MEMBERS (LEFT TO RIGHT): DARWIN STAHL, JUDY STAHL, CAROL MATHEUSZIK, RUDIE MATHEUSZIK, PAT WICK, AND DAVID WICK.

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Allan Gerber has concluded six years of interim pastoral ministry in four churches, and he and his wife, Leona, have returned to their home in Valley City, ND. He is currently employed half time as a chaplain at the Sheyenne Care Center.

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Members of the NABS class of 1970 gathered in the St. Paul, MN, area on July 18-19, 2015, to celebrate their 45th class reunion.

(See photo above.)

Rudie Matheuszik retired from the Department of Evangelism and Church Growth of the Lutheran Church of Austria in Steyr, Austria.

He now serves as a part-time consultant for the church.

Larry Neufeld is retired from Olympic View Baptist Church, University Place, WA, and serves as interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in

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Tacoma, WA. Larry also works parttime with NABNW Church Planting.

Darwin Stahl retired from Ashley Baptist Church in Ashley, ND, and serves as the part-time Pastor of Pastoral Care at Hawley Lutheran Church in Hawley, MN. David Wick recently retired from Riverview Baptist Church in West St. Paul, MN.

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Jay Mitchell is the Interim Minister at First Christian Church in Scottsbluff, NE. He and wife Trudy live in Gering, where they are close to their children and grandchildren.

‘84

Alan Steier was granted a Doctor of Ministry in Member Care from Columbia International University (Columbia, SC) in December 2014. He and his wife, Judy, serve

the missionary community through Barnabas International, a pastoral care and shepherding ministry.

‘85

Bryan Hochhalter began serving as Lead Pastor of Bismarck Baptist Church in December 2014.

He previously served churches in Detroit, MI, and Calgary, AB.

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Gordon Stork became the Regional Minister for the Northern Plains Region of the North American Baptist Conference in April 2015. He and wife Diane continue to live in Bismarck, ND.

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Jim Szymanski has been busy revising his book, Helping Hurting People, as well as working on a children’s book on cancer. He and wife Bonnie are thankful for the prayers of friends who have sup-

When we, as Sioux Falls Seminary, seek to discern God’s leading and then walk boldly into that calling, we must always remember that, above all else, we are to make disciples. At its core, theological education is by nature a journey of discipleship. It is something to which all of us are called. Yes, a few are called to roles of leadership within the church, but all of us are called to engage in theological education. We are called to follow Jesus into mission, to make disciples along the way, and to continually engage in our own discipleship journey.

At times theological education is viewed as something completely separate from the church. I would argue that because it is rooted in developing disciples for participation in God’s mission, it is an integral part of the work of the church. Seminaries, therefore, can play an important role in that work. In order to serve well, seminaries must embrace the disciple-making process and see the Great Commission as the foundation for theological education. Put simply, theological education is about developing disciples who can develop other disciples.

In our website story center, we are currently taking a closer look at the Great Commission and how theological education has sought to serve that mission over time. We are looking at the history of theological education, asking questions about how we have progressed, and seeking to understand the systems that have brought us to where we are today.

Sioux Falls Seminary is developing a reputation for being an innovative seminary that is seeking to reunite theological education and local ministry contexts. In doing so, we are learning that, in many ways, we are bringing some of the original essence of theological education back to the forefront. Our hope is that over the next few months we see some of the blessings and challenges of theological education and how a commitment to the Great Commission needs to be front and center for any future developments.

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Serving Families, Individuals Part of Calling Active Engagement in the Mission of God Section by Greg Henson

HELPING STUDENTS

grow where God has planted them Theological Education That Reflects the Missional Nature of God

by Nathan Helling, Chief Financial Officer; Vice President of Operations & Greg Henson, President impact magazine

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We join our students on a journey of discipleship as they participate in God’s mission. Why is it so important to help students grow where God has planted them?

According to studies by Hardaway, Marler, and Olson, less than 20% of the population of the United States darkens the door of a church on Sunday. A recent study from Pew Research revealed that the fastest growing religious affiliation is “none.” That’s correct, nearly one in five people in the United States say they have no religious affiliation. It is nearly one in three people under the age of 30. Finally, Barna reports that over 40% of the United States population is what they call “unchurched.”

Debates rage over statistics such as these. Some believe the numbers are too high while others believe the numbers are too low. Regardless of the debates, most agree that it seems accurate to say that the perceived status of “church” in the United States is declining. One way to say this might be to say that 50 or 60 years ago, the church stood at the middle of society and the majority of people knew the story of the Gospel. Today, it seems that may not be the case, and I have had personal experience with this.

Each year, I have conversations with an increasing number of people who live in North America who have

Did you know that, in addition to serving in the kingdom by providing systems of theological education, providing integrative counseling is also part of Sioux Falls Seminary’s kingdom calling?

Integrative counseling is a vital part of how Sioux Falls Seminary serve others. Our counselors and therapists use their gifts to serve individuals of all ages, couples, and families in our community through Sioux Falls Psychological Services (SFPS), and they help students become excellent integrative therapists.

Just over forty years ago, Ernie Zimbelman was invited to become a professor at Sioux Falls Seminary, known as North American Baptist Seminary at the time. In order to be a seminary professor and make a living, Ernie and his wife, Dorothy, sought permission to have a psychology practice on the side. That practice later became known as Sioux Falls Psychological Services. Later in his career, Zimbelman gifted his psychological practice to Sioux Falls Seminary. Through his generosity, the impact of Sioux Falls Psychological Services has expanded to include the Community Counseling Clinic, an on-site training clinic for counseling students at the seminary.

Over the past forty plus years, thousands of clients have been served through SFPS by receiving quality care in a Christ-centered environment. This includes people with many different kinds of psychological and relationship needs, people of faith struggling to make sense of how God is at work in the midst of their personal struggles, children and adolescents experiencing trauma, and married couples and families trying to work through some of life’s greatest challenges. Also during this time, dozens of counseling and therapy students have received the

education and experience they need to serve others effectively as excellent integrative therapists. A few of the many ways that Sioux Falls Psychological Services is making an impact in the lives of others through their service is by: • offering a wide range of mental health services for individuals of all ages, couples, families, and groups; • maintaining a team of professional and student therapists who are called to serve others; • providing approximately 11,000 sessions of therapy this past fiscal year; • meeting the growing needs of children, adolescents, and the people who care for them through the development of the new Child & Adolescent Therapy Clinic; • bringing counseling services to the rural community of Platte, SD, through its River Counseling Services branch; • bringing real-life experiences into the classroom by providing instruction and supervision in the seminary’s Master of Arts in Counseling program.

Each and every day, our team of integrative therapists at Sioux Falls Psychological Services serve others by meeting them where they are and offering them hope.

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Opportunity to Display the Great Work that God has Done A NOTE FROM PRESIDENT GREG HENSON

Sioux Falls Seminary’s primary accrediting body, the organization that validates our work within theological education, is the Association of Theological Schools.

Secondary accreditation is held with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Schools, in an effort to help ease the process that our counseling students undergo as they seek licensure in the State of South Dakota. This notice pertains only to our accreditation with HLC. In February 2015, the Higher Learning Commission placed Sioux Falls Seminary on probation. While this is not something to be taken lightly, it is something that I very much expected when I was appointed president in October 2013. The act of placing the seminary on probation is the end of a series of steps that began following our comprehensive visit in 2012. At the time, HLC was rightly concerned with the finances of the seminary and the seminary’s process for strategic and financial planning.

An Opportunity to Display God’s Work Believe it or not, I think being placed on probation is a very good thing for the seminary because it gives us an opportunity to display the great work God has done over the past two years. As part of the probation process, we were asked to file a report on June 1, 2015, that outlined how we were going to address HLC’s areas of concern.

Instead, that report provided tangible evidence of how we are already in compliance. In its response to that report, HLC commended us for our work.

to receive a notice like this from HLC, 2) The action from HLC has nothing to do with educational quality and instead stems from concerns HLC had in 2012, 3) We have already made great progress on everything listed in the document and that has been confirmed by staff from HLC, and 4) While this may be a challenge, it is also a valuable opportunity to proclaim the goodness of God by showcasing the great work he has done in and through the seminary over the past two years.

God is doing amazing things in and through Sioux Falls Seminary. Last spring we had a large class of 50 graduates and this fall had one of the largest number of incoming students in the history of the school. God is good! As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me directly at ghenson@sfseminary.edu.

Notice Regarding Secondary Accreditation (HLC) On February 26, 2015, the Higher Learning Commission placed Sioux Falls Seminary on probation. The Commission’s Board of Trustees took this action because of concerns related to resources, governance and administrative structures, strategic planning, and systematic improvement. The Board based its action on the findings of a focused visit.

The Criteria for Accreditation and Core Competencies on which the Board based its action and with which the seminary was found to be non-compliant are: • • • •

Resource base and plans for the future; Governance and administrative structures that promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes; Systematic and integrated planning; Institutional effectiveness.

Understanding Probation Probation is public status signifying that an accredited institution is no longer in compliance with one or more of the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation. The period of probation is not more than two years, commencing with the date that the Board placed the institution on probation. During the probation period, the institution remains accredited, and it has the opportunity to remedy the concerns that led to the probation sanction.

Strong Steps Forward A team from HLC will visit the seminary in Spring 2016. I look forward to sharing with them the ways in which God continues to bless the seminary and how we are taking strong steps forward. In both 2014 and 2015, we ended the year with an increase in net assets, something that is increasingly uncommon for seminaries across the country. Put simply, both 2014 and 2015 were years of strong financial health. Both the Higher Learning Commission and the Association of Theological Schools have commended us for our renewed strength in financial stewardship and strategic planning.

In most cases, because institutions on probation remain accredited, other institutions of higher education will continue to accept the institution’s credits in transfer or for admission to a program at a higher degree level. This is also the case with Sioux Falls Seminary. Students enrolled at an institution on probation and interested in pursuing a higher degree or transferring should contact any institution they plan to attend in the future to confirm the institution’s admission and transfer policies. Classroom discussions took place last spring to inform all students of the probation status with HLC, and the response from these discussions was positive.

When you read this notice, the important things to remember are: 1) When I said “yes” to becoming president of Sioux Falls Seminary, I was already expecting

To learn more about the Higher Learning Commission, visit their website at www.hlcommission.org or call 800.621.7440.

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never heard the Gospel or been to a church. I would like to say this is happening because I am seeking out such people, but this is happening through normal interaction with everyday people.

Today, possibly more than ever in the life of the church in North America, we need to understand that the church is a missionary community. Embracing this reality impacts everything, from the way we relate to those around us to the way we gather as a community of believers and to the way we develop disciples.

This could be a church, a school, a nonprofit organization, a law firm, an operating room, or any other space where someone might serve.

The key is that we need to walk alongside students to help them discern where God is working, discover ways in which they can participate, and develop the knowledge, character, and competency to serve well. This cannot be done apart from active engagement in God’s mission.

Innovation for a New Generation of Students

For us, at Sioux Falls Seminary, it starts with the question, “What might it mean for theological education to reflect the missional nature of God, not only in its content, but also in its very design and delivery?” In essence, do our programs and services, models of education, and perspectives reflect the fact that God sends each of us, as missionaries, to follow Christ into mission? Theological education must be rooted in the fact that God is a missionary God. Fortunately, this concept resonates deeply with the founding of the North American Baptist Conference, a fact made evident by NAB Executive Director Dan Hamil.

Section by Nathan Helling

So what does that mean for a seminary? Well, I could spend days writing answers to that question. Instead, let me simply say that in light of the mission of

As a seminary community, we believe strongly in making theological education affordable, accessible, and relevant to all the people God calls. All the while, we remain faithful to the heritage of the seminary, our baptistic faith, and the unshakable truth of God’s word. In the past 18 months, we

God and the missionary nature of God’s disciples, at its core theological education should allow students to grow where God has planted them. As we develop servants to participate in the Gospel, we need to find ways for them to remain actively engaged in the ministry contexts in which God has already placed them.

I have had the privilege to interact with hundreds of Sioux Falls Seminary students in the last decade. I have also had the opportunity to visit with hundreds of people who have considered seminary at one point in their lives but, for various reasons, never started the journey. Each and every one of the individuals I’ve had the honor of visiting with was called to use their gifts to serve others. Some of those individuals were well served by traditional programs, but many others were not able to make theological education a reality.

have rethought seminary operations and worked closely with students to discern their calls. New offerings such as the Kairos Project and Training in Spiritual Direction and innovation in course design are helping us reach a new generation of students called to serve today’s Church.

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coming together as

family

Participating in God’s mission is more than an individual experience.

Coming Together With the Wider North American Baptist Conference

In late February 2015, President Greg Henson had the privilege of visiting Cameroon, Africa, with a few members of the North American Baptist family. Together they shared what they learned about the wider NAB community and how we can partner to serve God in powerful ways in our neighborhoods and around the world.

What We Learned

Greetings from Taylor Seminary, Sioux Falls Seminary, and the International Office of the North American Baptist Conference! As three members of the NAB family, these organizations sent a team of leaders to Cameroon. Dan Hamil, Executive Director of the NAB; Norm Poehlke, Vice President of Ministry Outreach at the NAB; David Williams, President of Taylor Seminary; and Greg Henson, President of Sioux Falls Seminary had the privilege of spending time in Africa with members of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). We spent time with pastors, denominational leaders, school and health administrators, students, missionaries, and other ministry partners. It was an

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at the seminary

amazing experience. Rather than each of us sharing our own story regarding the visit, we felt sharing one story would be more indicative of our experience.

The Experience Undeniably, the experience was a great reminder of the fact that participating in the mission of God is not simply an individual experience. We are called to community, and that community extends to our neighborhoods, across cultural boundaries, and, indeed, across oceans. It is in this spirit of community that we are excited to share our collective relationship with our partners in Cameroon.

God is at work in Cameroon in powerful ways. Our team started in Bamenda, where we visited with our NAB Field Director, Cal Hohn. The next day, Nancy Palmer, an NAB missionary, joined us. Together we visited Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary (CBTS) in Ndu, where we met with faculty and executive leadership and toured the campus. During chapel the next morning, each member of our team brought greetings to the student body, and Dr. Nseimboh Johnson, President of CBTS, received his official Doctor of Ministry diploma from Sioux Falls Seminary. On our way back to Bamenda, we stopped at Banso Baptist Hospital. After a tour of the facility, we heard a presentation from the Principal of the CBC Private Training School for Health Personnel and had lunch with the hospital’s administrative team, which included Julie Stone, an NAB missionary on the staff at Banso.

Pictured (left to right): Susan Reese, Nathan Helling, and Shanda Stricherz.

faculty and administration news As Sioux Falls Seminary continues to take strides forward into the next chapter of the mission to which God has called the institution, it is exciting to see what God is doing and the people and partnerships he is bringing to the seminary. With the progress, change, and new initiatives on the horizon, the following announcements were recently made.

Dr. Susan Reese has been granted tenure and full

professor status as Professor of Spiritual Formation. She joined the seminary’s faculty in 2007 and recently played a large role in the creation of the new Training in Spiritual Direction program.

Nathan Helling is now serving as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations. This role combines his passion for stewardship and generosity as he works to manage budgets, create operational efficiencies, maximize assets, explore partnerships, and develop people.

Shanda Stricherz has been elevated to Chief Creative

Officer and Vice President of Project and Strategic Design. Her new role includes management of high priority projects, guiding implementation of institutional strategies, and leading of marketing and communications.

commencement recap and preview: a time of celebration and thanks On Saturday, May 16, 2015, the fifty individuals in the seminary’s 157th graduating class paused to celebrate their achievements and give thanks to God for his work in their lives. Degrees and certificates conferred were three Doctor of Ministry, eighteen Master of Divinity, eleven Master of Arts, two Graduate Certificates, and sixteen Certificates of Completion for Training in Spiritual Direction.

The Class of 2015 is participating in God’s kingdom mission in a variety of different contexts and ministering in many different ways by taking part in the work that God is doing in their communities.

Jim Liske To Speak at 158th Commencement We invite you to join us at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at First Baptist Church as another group of Sioux Falls Seminary graduates set out on a course to serve others. SFS alumnus Jim Liske, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship, will be the commencement speaker.

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a bit of

what’s new After spending the night in Bamenda, we traveled to Mbingo Hospital where Dennis Palmer, an NAB missionary, gave us a tour of the hospital, told us about how the hospital has grown and now serves as a referral and teaching hospital for the region. On our final day in Bamenda, we met with the executive leadership of the CBC for three hours and then toured CBC schools near Bamenda.

hiller lectureship

dr. charlie self to discuss faith, work, economics with pastors

2015 women in community` event inspired by work of Brene brown

Dr. Charlie Self will be the featured speaker at the Hiller Lectureship on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. Self is the Professor of Church History at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri.

On September 24 and 25, over 120 women gathered in Omaha, NE, and Sioux Falls, SD, respectively, for Wholehearted - Women in Community 2015.

This year’s lectureship will be devoted to helping pastors and church leaders consider how they can shepherd individuals in the business world and the critical role that the church can play in shaping others for their participation in the kingdom.

Fellowships Available for 2016 Hiller Lectureship Through a generous gift, fellowships will again be offered. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence in ministry and pastoral care.

Fellows will receive special recognition, the opportunity to learn from a renowned speaker, and reimbursement for expenses. If someone you know demonstrates excellence in ministry and pastoral care and is actively serving in pastoral ministry, submit a nomination by e-mailing info@sfseminary.edu.

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The day of dialogue, reflection, and discovery was inspired by the work of Brené Brown and the Daring Way™ Curriculum. It was led by Sioux Falls Seminary alumna Melissa Hiatt. Through her work as a Daring Way™ Facilitator, she helps people find freedom and grace by working through their doubts and finding ownership in their life stories and by helping them seek God in all aspects of their lives.

This Women in Community presentation series has been offered annually since 2009, thanks to the generosity of the Spletzer Family Foundation and the Christel Spletzer Endowment, and has helped woman of all ages reflect on their calls, the mentored life, the empowerment of story, the power of conversation, the ability to lead where they are, living Christ in the marketplace, and using their influence for God’s glory.

Our time with the executive leadership of Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary revealed a shared passion to support the broader work of theological education within the CBC, which includes the seminary in Kumba and other avenues of theological education throughout Cameroon. When visiting hospitals in Banso and Mbingo we were encouraged by the number of medical professionals being developed by the programs in place. In conversation with the executive leadership of the CBC, we noted a shared passion for integrated ministry, pastoral development, long-term planning, and innovative approaches to the opportunities that are ahead.

Next Steps Our primary goals on this trip to Cameroon were to listen, to encourage our missionaries, and to keep our hearts and eyes open. We feel that participation in the mission of God starts by listening to those who are doing ministry in a given context in order to see how God is already working. As expected, we returned with the belief that we have much to learn from our Cameroonian friends!

In cooperation with CBC leadership, we identified several possibilities for partnership. All of them are centered on the idea of walking alongside pastors and leaders in Cameroon, rather than simply sending

money or a faculty member every once in a while.

Providing tangible resources and people who can teach can be helpful. If they are detached, however, from a broader picture of partnership, one that helps to build capacity on both sides of the partnership, such resources are short-lived.

Obviously, we have much more listening to do and many more relationships to develop. Over the course of time, we will provide more detailed explanations of how we will journey with our friends in Cameroon. We have considered ways to 1) develop Cameroonian faculty for theological education and education in general, 2) create two-way coaching and accountability relationships for seminary leadership, 3) encourage a new missionary to teach in Cameroon, and 4) strengthen the already vibrant health services. Each concept is based on the idea that every member of the partnership has much to learn from the others.

Above all, we want to emphasize that the International Office, Sioux Falls Seminary, and Taylor Seminary will be committed to continuing our partnership with the CBC. As we continue to develop relationships with our ministry partners in Cameroon, we are doing so with the recognition that we are developing a strong community that is working together to participate in the mission of God.

Greg Henson, President, Sioux Falls Seminary Dan Hamil, Executive Director, North American Baptist Conference Norm Poehlke – Vice President of Ministry Outreach, North American Baptist Conference David Williams – President, Taylor Seminary

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volunteers in action

by Rev. Randy Tschetter, D.Min.

Director of Church and Alumni Relations

Sharing of Gifts Blesses and Serves Others During my years as a local church pastor, I preached about stewardship nearly every Sunday. However, in those 30 years, only a few of those sermons focused on the stewardship of one’s finances. Most, instead, called us as a church family to consider how we might serve God, the Church, and our community with all of the resources that God has entrusted to us.

Stewardship is about the wise use of God-given resources to bless the world and serve the Kingdom of God. Sioux Falls Seminary is blessed through the faithful stewardship of many volunteers who share their time and talent to help us live out our kingdom calling. Below are three examples of how the lives of seminary students and community members have been blessed by volunteers who use whatever gifts they have received to honor God. Eldon, Susan, and Jonathan Olthoff Several times each year, the refrigerator in the seminary’s food pantry is filled with farm fresh eggs, compliments of Eldon and Susan Olthoff and their son, Jonathan. The Olthoffs are members of First Baptist Church in Emery, South Dakota, and have a long family history of supporting the seminary. There is always a sense of excitement among the students when word gets out about the arrival of a fresh supply of eggs.

For the Olthoffs, stewardship involves “the responsible management of all that God has given” them.

Daphne Dunger Daphne Dunger, former North American Baptist missionary and volunteer at the seminary and the North

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American Baptist Heritage Commission, feels that the Great Commandment has been the “bedrock” of her faith walk. For Dunger, stewardship includes giving of her time while listening to and interceding for others, lending a helping hand in tasks and projects, and using her artistic abilities to help people find the Lord.

Karla Tschetter Students at Sioux Falls Seminary often frequent the food pantry. Gifts from generous donors make it possible for the seminary to provide groceries and supplies to students at no cost. About once a month, Karla Tschetter, seminary volunteer, stocks the pantry with everything from frozen hamburger to canned tuna to candy bars. For her, stewardship can be something as simple as helping a person unload their grocery cart, opening a door for someone, or greeting a stranger.

Volunteers at Sioux Falls Seminary join us as we boldly follow God into mission. Although their tasks are varied, they enable us to develop servants for their participation in the kingdom mission.

“I know that it is often easier to just write a check, but I have found that I get the most out of the blessing when I actually do something to help others,” Tschetter shared. “Nothing we have is ours.

All that we have is a gift from God, and we have the opportunity to share it for his kingdom. That’s what stewardship is about for me.”

introducing dean caldwell Dr. Larry Caldwell Installed as Chief Academic Officer and Dean On Tuesday, September 1, 2015, Dr. Larry Caldwell, Professor of Intercultural Studies, was installed as the fourteenth dean of Sioux Falls Seminary. Caldwell’s new role marks his second time as dean of a theological institution. He first served Asian Theological Seminary in Manila, Philippines, where he was a professor for 20 years. In 2011, he joined the faculty at Sioux Falls Seminary.

Tradition and Innovation: Dr. Caldwell Shares His Plans for Serving Others 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms,” is a good reminder for me as I begin my service as Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Sioux Falls Seminary. Peter’s words remind me that whatever strengths and abilities I bring to the job are for one over-arching purpose: to serve others.

And that service, I believe, is the key to what Sioux Falls Seminary is all about. All of us, as faculty, administration, staff, and students, have the obligation to serve others in whatever we do. It is in this service that we help the seminary fulfill its kingdom calling of developing servants for their participation in the kingdom mission, the Missio Dei. We are at an exciting time in the life of Sioux Falls Seminary! It is a time that gives us innumerable opportunities to serve others both inside and outside the walls of the seminary. My desire is that my tenure as dean be marked by two words: tradition and innovation. By using the word “tradition,” I am committed to

maintaining the rich tradition of the seminary’s conservative evangelical faith based upon the Bible. At the same time, by using the word “innovation,” I am willing to creatively innovate curriculum and delivery systems in order to better serve the ministry needs of current and future generations of ministry workers.

The reality is that for a seminary to be relevant in its service to the world today, it must constantly be looking for new and appropriate ways to make the unchangeable Gospel meaningful to today’s world.

And what a rapidly changing world it is! Today 37% of the entire United States is made up of individuals from non-white ethnic backgrounds. Today roughly 23% of the U.S. adult population is religiously made up of the “nones”—those individuals who identify themselves as atheists or agnostics, as well as those who say their religion is “nothing in particular.” Worldwide, over two billion individuals have never heard a credible presentation of who Jesus really is. Clearly Sioux Falls Seminary still has a role to play in equipping individuals to serve in this world!

I’m excited about becoming dean of Sioux Falls Seminary! We have an excellent faculty, an exuberant president, a service-oriented psychological center, and a wonderful administrative and support staff. Besides all of this, we are a “lean and mean” institution. In terms of size, we are more like a tugboat than a cruise ship. It takes much less effort to change our direction in order to be more relevant to serve the needs of the world around us. I truly believe that some of the best days are ahead of us as an institution!

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2015

volunteers in action

by Rev. Randy Tschetter, D.Min.

Director of Church and Alumni Relations

Sharing of Gifts Blesses and Serves Others During my years as a local church pastor, I preached about stewardship nearly every Sunday. However, in those 30 years, only a few of those sermons focused on the stewardship of one’s finances. Most, instead, called us as a church family to consider how we might serve God, the Church, and our community with all of the resources that God has entrusted to us.

Stewardship is about the wise use of God-given resources to bless the world and serve the Kingdom of God. Sioux Falls Seminary is blessed through the faithful stewardship of many volunteers who share their time and talent to help us live out our kingdom calling. Below are three examples of how the lives of seminary students and community members have been blessed by volunteers who use whatever gifts they have received to honor God. Eldon, Susan, and Jonathan Olthoff Several times each year, the refrigerator in the seminary’s food pantry is filled with farm fresh eggs, compliments of Eldon and Susan Olthoff and their son, Jonathan. The Olthoffs are members of First Baptist Church in Emery, South Dakota, and have a long family history of supporting the seminary. There is always a sense of excitement among the students when word gets out about the arrival of a fresh supply of eggs.

For the Olthoffs, stewardship involves “the responsible management of all that God has given” them.

Daphne Dunger Daphne Dunger, former North American Baptist missionary and volunteer at the seminary and the North

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American Baptist Heritage Commission, feels that the Great Commandment has been the “bedrock” of her faith walk. For Dunger, stewardship includes giving of her time while listening to and interceding for others, lending a helping hand in tasks and projects, and using her artistic abilities to help people find the Lord.

Karla Tschetter Students at Sioux Falls Seminary often frequent the food pantry. Gifts from generous donors make it possible for the seminary to provide groceries and supplies to students at no cost. About once a month, Karla Tschetter, seminary volunteer, stocks the pantry with everything from frozen hamburger to canned tuna to candy bars. For her, stewardship can be something as simple as helping a person unload their grocery cart, opening a door for someone, or greeting a stranger.

Volunteers at Sioux Falls Seminary join us as we boldly follow God into mission. Although their tasks are varied, they enable us to develop servants for their participation in the kingdom mission.

“I know that it is often easier to just write a check, but I have found that I get the most out of the blessing when I actually do something to help others,” Tschetter shared. “Nothing we have is ours.

All that we have is a gift from God, and we have the opportunity to share it for his kingdom. That’s what stewardship is about for me.”

introducing dean caldwell Dr. Larry Caldwell Installed as Chief Academic Officer and Dean On Tuesday, September 1, 2015, Dr. Larry Caldwell, Professor of Intercultural Studies, was installed as the fourteenth dean of Sioux Falls Seminary. Caldwell’s new role marks his second time as dean of a theological institution. He first served Asian Theological Seminary in Manila, Philippines, where he was a professor for 20 years. In 2011, he joined the faculty at Sioux Falls Seminary.

Tradition and Innovation: Dr. Caldwell Shares His Plans for Serving Others 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms,” is a good reminder for me as I begin my service as Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Sioux Falls Seminary. Peter’s words remind me that whatever strengths and abilities I bring to the job are for one over-arching purpose: to serve others.

And that service, I believe, is the key to what Sioux Falls Seminary is all about. All of us, as faculty, administration, staff, and students, have the obligation to serve others in whatever we do. It is in this service that we help the seminary fulfill its kingdom calling of developing servants for their participation in the kingdom mission, the Missio Dei. We are at an exciting time in the life of Sioux Falls Seminary! It is a time that gives us innumerable opportunities to serve others both inside and outside the walls of the seminary. My desire is that my tenure as dean be marked by two words: tradition and innovation. By using the word “tradition,” I am committed to

maintaining the rich tradition of the seminary’s conservative evangelical faith based upon the Bible. At the same time, by using the word “innovation,” I am willing to creatively innovate curriculum and delivery systems in order to better serve the ministry needs of current and future generations of ministry workers.

The reality is that for a seminary to be relevant in its service to the world today, it must constantly be looking for new and appropriate ways to make the unchangeable Gospel meaningful to today’s world.

And what a rapidly changing world it is! Today 37% of the entire United States is made up of individuals from non-white ethnic backgrounds. Today roughly 23% of the U.S. adult population is religiously made up of the “nones”—those individuals who identify themselves as atheists or agnostics, as well as those who say their religion is “nothing in particular.” Worldwide, over two billion individuals have never heard a credible presentation of who Jesus really is. Clearly Sioux Falls Seminary still has a role to play in equipping individuals to serve in this world!

I’m excited about becoming dean of Sioux Falls Seminary! We have an excellent faculty, an exuberant president, a service-oriented psychological center, and a wonderful administrative and support staff. Besides all of this, we are a “lean and mean” institution. In terms of size, we are more like a tugboat than a cruise ship. It takes much less effort to change our direction in order to be more relevant to serve the needs of the world around us. I truly believe that some of the best days are ahead of us as an institution!

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2015

F

a bit of

what’s new After spending the night in Bamenda, we traveled to Mbingo Hospital where Dennis Palmer, an NAB missionary, gave us a tour of the hospital, told us about how the hospital has grown and now serves as a referral and teaching hospital for the region. On our final day in Bamenda, we met with the executive leadership of the CBC for three hours and then toured CBC schools near Bamenda.

hiller lectureship

dr. charlie self to discuss faith, work, economics with pastors

2015 women in community` event inspired by work of Brene brown

Dr. Charlie Self will be the featured speaker at the Hiller Lectureship on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. Self is the Professor of Church History at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri.

On September 24 and 25, over 120 women gathered in Omaha, NE, and Sioux Falls, SD, respectively, for Wholehearted - Women in Community 2015.

This year’s lectureship will be devoted to helping pastors and church leaders consider how they can shepherd individuals in the business world and the critical role that the church can play in shaping others for their participation in the kingdom.

Fellowships Available for 2016 Hiller Lectureship Through a generous gift, fellowships will again be offered. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence in ministry and pastoral care.

Fellows will receive special recognition, the opportunity to learn from a renowned speaker, and reimbursement for expenses. If someone you know demonstrates excellence in ministry and pastoral care and is actively serving in pastoral ministry, submit a nomination by e-mailing info@sfseminary.edu.

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The day of dialogue, reflection, and discovery was inspired by the work of Brené Brown and the Daring Way™ Curriculum. It was led by Sioux Falls Seminary alumna Melissa Hiatt. Through her work as a Daring Way™ Facilitator, she helps people find freedom and grace by working through their doubts and finding ownership in their life stories and by helping them seek God in all aspects of their lives.

This Women in Community presentation series has been offered annually since 2009, thanks to the generosity of the Spletzer Family Foundation and the Christel Spletzer Endowment, and has helped woman of all ages reflect on their calls, the mentored life, the empowerment of story, the power of conversation, the ability to lead where they are, living Christ in the marketplace, and using their influence for God’s glory.

Our time with the executive leadership of Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary revealed a shared passion to support the broader work of theological education within the CBC, which includes the seminary in Kumba and other avenues of theological education throughout Cameroon. When visiting hospitals in Banso and Mbingo we were encouraged by the number of medical professionals being developed by the programs in place. In conversation with the executive leadership of the CBC, we noted a shared passion for integrated ministry, pastoral development, long-term planning, and innovative approaches to the opportunities that are ahead.

Next Steps Our primary goals on this trip to Cameroon were to listen, to encourage our missionaries, and to keep our hearts and eyes open. We feel that participation in the mission of God starts by listening to those who are doing ministry in a given context in order to see how God is already working. As expected, we returned with the belief that we have much to learn from our Cameroonian friends!

In cooperation with CBC leadership, we identified several possibilities for partnership. All of them are centered on the idea of walking alongside pastors and leaders in Cameroon, rather than simply sending

money or a faculty member every once in a while.

Providing tangible resources and people who can teach can be helpful. If they are detached, however, from a broader picture of partnership, one that helps to build capacity on both sides of the partnership, such resources are short-lived.

Obviously, we have much more listening to do and many more relationships to develop. Over the course of time, we will provide more detailed explanations of how we will journey with our friends in Cameroon. We have considered ways to 1) develop Cameroonian faculty for theological education and education in general, 2) create two-way coaching and accountability relationships for seminary leadership, 3) encourage a new missionary to teach in Cameroon, and 4) strengthen the already vibrant health services. Each concept is based on the idea that every member of the partnership has much to learn from the others.

Above all, we want to emphasize that the International Office, Sioux Falls Seminary, and Taylor Seminary will be committed to continuing our partnership with the CBC. As we continue to develop relationships with our ministry partners in Cameroon, we are doing so with the recognition that we are developing a strong community that is working together to participate in the mission of God.

Greg Henson, President, Sioux Falls Seminary Dan Hamil, Executive Director, North American Baptist Conference Norm Poehlke – Vice President of Ministry Outreach, North American Baptist Conference David Williams – President, Taylor Seminary

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2015

coming together as

family

Participating in God’s mission is more than an individual experience.

Coming Together With the Wider North American Baptist Conference

In late February 2015, President Greg Henson had the privilege of visiting Cameroon, Africa, with a few members of the North American Baptist family. Together they shared what they learned about the wider NAB community and how we can partner to serve God in powerful ways in our neighborhoods and around the world.

What We Learned

Greetings from Taylor Seminary, Sioux Falls Seminary, and the International Office of the North American Baptist Conference! As three members of the NAB family, these organizations sent a team of leaders to Cameroon. Dan Hamil, Executive Director of the NAB; Norm Poehlke, Vice President of Ministry Outreach at the NAB; David Williams, President of Taylor Seminary; and Greg Henson, President of Sioux Falls Seminary had the privilege of spending time in Africa with members of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). We spent time with pastors, denominational leaders, school and health administrators, students, missionaries, and other ministry partners. It was an

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at the seminary

amazing experience. Rather than each of us sharing our own story regarding the visit, we felt sharing one story would be more indicative of our experience.

The Experience Undeniably, the experience was a great reminder of the fact that participating in the mission of God is not simply an individual experience. We are called to community, and that community extends to our neighborhoods, across cultural boundaries, and, indeed, across oceans. It is in this spirit of community that we are excited to share our collective relationship with our partners in Cameroon.

God is at work in Cameroon in powerful ways. Our team started in Bamenda, where we visited with our NAB Field Director, Cal Hohn. The next day, Nancy Palmer, an NAB missionary, joined us. Together we visited Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary (CBTS) in Ndu, where we met with faculty and executive leadership and toured the campus. During chapel the next morning, each member of our team brought greetings to the student body, and Dr. Nseimboh Johnson, President of CBTS, received his official Doctor of Ministry diploma from Sioux Falls Seminary. On our way back to Bamenda, we stopped at Banso Baptist Hospital. After a tour of the facility, we heard a presentation from the Principal of the CBC Private Training School for Health Personnel and had lunch with the hospital’s administrative team, which included Julie Stone, an NAB missionary on the staff at Banso.

Pictured (left to right): Susan Reese, Nathan Helling, and Shanda Stricherz.

faculty and administration news As Sioux Falls Seminary continues to take strides forward into the next chapter of the mission to which God has called the institution, it is exciting to see what God is doing and the people and partnerships he is bringing to the seminary. With the progress, change, and new initiatives on the horizon, the following announcements were recently made.

Dr. Susan Reese has been granted tenure and full

professor status as Professor of Spiritual Formation. She joined the seminary’s faculty in 2007 and recently played a large role in the creation of the new Training in Spiritual Direction program.

Nathan Helling is now serving as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations. This role combines his passion for stewardship and generosity as he works to manage budgets, create operational efficiencies, maximize assets, explore partnerships, and develop people.

Shanda Stricherz has been elevated to Chief Creative

Officer and Vice President of Project and Strategic Design. Her new role includes management of high priority projects, guiding implementation of institutional strategies, and leading of marketing and communications.

commencement recap and preview: a time of celebration and thanks On Saturday, May 16, 2015, the fifty individuals in the seminary’s 157th graduating class paused to celebrate their achievements and give thanks to God for his work in their lives. Degrees and certificates conferred were three Doctor of Ministry, eighteen Master of Divinity, eleven Master of Arts, two Graduate Certificates, and sixteen Certificates of Completion for Training in Spiritual Direction.

The Class of 2015 is participating in God’s kingdom mission in a variety of different contexts and ministering in many different ways by taking part in the work that God is doing in their communities.

Jim Liske To Speak at 158th Commencement We invite you to join us at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at First Baptist Church as another group of Sioux Falls Seminary graduates set out on a course to serve others. SFS alumnus Jim Liske, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship, will be the commencement speaker.

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2015

Opportunity to Display the Great Work that God has Done A NOTE FROM PRESIDENT GREG HENSON

Sioux Falls Seminary’s primary accrediting body, the organization that validates our work within theological education, is the Association of Theological Schools.

Secondary accreditation is held with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Schools, in an effort to help ease the process that our counseling students undergo as they seek licensure in the State of South Dakota. This notice pertains only to our accreditation with HLC. In February 2015, the Higher Learning Commission placed Sioux Falls Seminary on probation. While this is not something to be taken lightly, it is something that I very much expected when I was appointed president in October 2013. The act of placing the seminary on probation is the end of a series of steps that began following our comprehensive visit in 2012. At the time, HLC was rightly concerned with the finances of the seminary and the seminary’s process for strategic and financial planning.

An Opportunity to Display God’s Work Believe it or not, I think being placed on probation is a very good thing for the seminary because it gives us an opportunity to display the great work God has done over the past two years. As part of the probation process, we were asked to file a report on June 1, 2015, that outlined how we were going to address HLC’s areas of concern.

Instead, that report provided tangible evidence of how we are already in compliance. In its response to that report, HLC commended us for our work.

to receive a notice like this from HLC, 2) The action from HLC has nothing to do with educational quality and instead stems from concerns HLC had in 2012, 3) We have already made great progress on everything listed in the document and that has been confirmed by staff from HLC, and 4) While this may be a challenge, it is also a valuable opportunity to proclaim the goodness of God by showcasing the great work he has done in and through the seminary over the past two years.

God is doing amazing things in and through Sioux Falls Seminary. Last spring we had a large class of 50 graduates and this fall had one of the largest number of incoming students in the history of the school. God is good! As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me directly at ghenson@sfseminary.edu.

Notice Regarding Secondary Accreditation (HLC) On February 26, 2015, the Higher Learning Commission placed Sioux Falls Seminary on probation. The Commission’s Board of Trustees took this action because of concerns related to resources, governance and administrative structures, strategic planning, and systematic improvement. The Board based its action on the findings of a focused visit.

The Criteria for Accreditation and Core Competencies on which the Board based its action and with which the seminary was found to be non-compliant are: • • • •

Resource base and plans for the future; Governance and administrative structures that promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes; Systematic and integrated planning; Institutional effectiveness.

Understanding Probation Probation is public status signifying that an accredited institution is no longer in compliance with one or more of the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation. The period of probation is not more than two years, commencing with the date that the Board placed the institution on probation. During the probation period, the institution remains accredited, and it has the opportunity to remedy the concerns that led to the probation sanction.

Strong Steps Forward A team from HLC will visit the seminary in Spring 2016. I look forward to sharing with them the ways in which God continues to bless the seminary and how we are taking strong steps forward. In both 2014 and 2015, we ended the year with an increase in net assets, something that is increasingly uncommon for seminaries across the country. Put simply, both 2014 and 2015 were years of strong financial health. Both the Higher Learning Commission and the Association of Theological Schools have commended us for our renewed strength in financial stewardship and strategic planning.

In most cases, because institutions on probation remain accredited, other institutions of higher education will continue to accept the institution’s credits in transfer or for admission to a program at a higher degree level. This is also the case with Sioux Falls Seminary. Students enrolled at an institution on probation and interested in pursuing a higher degree or transferring should contact any institution they plan to attend in the future to confirm the institution’s admission and transfer policies. Classroom discussions took place last spring to inform all students of the probation status with HLC, and the response from these discussions was positive.

When you read this notice, the important things to remember are: 1) When I said “yes” to becoming president of Sioux Falls Seminary, I was already expecting

To learn more about the Higher Learning Commission, visit their website at www.hlcommission.org or call 800.621.7440.

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never heard the Gospel or been to a church. I would like to say this is happening because I am seeking out such people, but this is happening through normal interaction with everyday people.

Today, possibly more than ever in the life of the church in North America, we need to understand that the church is a missionary community. Embracing this reality impacts everything, from the way we relate to those around us to the way we gather as a community of believers and to the way we develop disciples.

This could be a church, a school, a nonprofit organization, a law firm, an operating room, or any other space where someone might serve.

The key is that we need to walk alongside students to help them discern where God is working, discover ways in which they can participate, and develop the knowledge, character, and competency to serve well. This cannot be done apart from active engagement in God’s mission.

Innovation for a New Generation of Students

For us, at Sioux Falls Seminary, it starts with the question, “What might it mean for theological education to reflect the missional nature of God, not only in its content, but also in its very design and delivery?” In essence, do our programs and services, models of education, and perspectives reflect the fact that God sends each of us, as missionaries, to follow Christ into mission? Theological education must be rooted in the fact that God is a missionary God. Fortunately, this concept resonates deeply with the founding of the North American Baptist Conference, a fact made evident by NAB Executive Director Dan Hamil.

Section by Nathan Helling

So what does that mean for a seminary? Well, I could spend days writing answers to that question. Instead, let me simply say that in light of the mission of

As a seminary community, we believe strongly in making theological education affordable, accessible, and relevant to all the people God calls. All the while, we remain faithful to the heritage of the seminary, our baptistic faith, and the unshakable truth of God’s word. In the past 18 months, we

God and the missionary nature of God’s disciples, at its core theological education should allow students to grow where God has planted them. As we develop servants to participate in the Gospel, we need to find ways for them to remain actively engaged in the ministry contexts in which God has already placed them.

I have had the privilege to interact with hundreds of Sioux Falls Seminary students in the last decade. I have also had the opportunity to visit with hundreds of people who have considered seminary at one point in their lives but, for various reasons, never started the journey. Each and every one of the individuals I’ve had the honor of visiting with was called to use their gifts to serve others. Some of those individuals were well served by traditional programs, but many others were not able to make theological education a reality.

have rethought seminary operations and worked closely with students to discern their calls. New offerings such as the Kairos Project and Training in Spiritual Direction and innovation in course design are helping us reach a new generation of students called to serve today’s Church.

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2015

Serving Families, Individuals Part of Calling Active Engagement in the Mission of God Section by Greg Henson

HELPING STUDENTS

grow where God has planted them Theological Education That Reflects the Missional Nature of God

by Nathan Helling, Chief Financial Officer; Vice President of Operations & Greg Henson, President impact magazine

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We join our students on a journey of discipleship as they participate in God’s mission. Why is it so important to help students grow where God has planted them?

According to studies by Hardaway, Marler, and Olson, less than 20% of the population of the United States darkens the door of a church on Sunday. A recent study from Pew Research revealed that the fastest growing religious affiliation is “none.” That’s correct, nearly one in five people in the United States say they have no religious affiliation. It is nearly one in three people under the age of 30. Finally, Barna reports that over 40% of the United States population is what they call “unchurched.”

Debates rage over statistics such as these. Some believe the numbers are too high while others believe the numbers are too low. Regardless of the debates, most agree that it seems accurate to say that the perceived status of “church” in the United States is declining. One way to say this might be to say that 50 or 60 years ago, the church stood at the middle of society and the majority of people knew the story of the Gospel. Today, it seems that may not be the case, and I have had personal experience with this.

Each year, I have conversations with an increasing number of people who live in North America who have

Did you know that, in addition to serving in the kingdom by providing systems of theological education, providing integrative counseling is also part of Sioux Falls Seminary’s kingdom calling?

Integrative counseling is a vital part of how Sioux Falls Seminary serve others. Our counselors and therapists use their gifts to serve individuals of all ages, couples, and families in our community through Sioux Falls Psychological Services (SFPS), and they help students become excellent integrative therapists.

Just over forty years ago, Ernie Zimbelman was invited to become a professor at Sioux Falls Seminary, known as North American Baptist Seminary at the time. In order to be a seminary professor and make a living, Ernie and his wife, Dorothy, sought permission to have a psychology practice on the side. That practice later became known as Sioux Falls Psychological Services. Later in his career, Zimbelman gifted his psychological practice to Sioux Falls Seminary. Through his generosity, the impact of Sioux Falls Psychological Services has expanded to include the Community Counseling Clinic, an on-site training clinic for counseling students at the seminary.

Over the past forty plus years, thousands of clients have been served through SFPS by receiving quality care in a Christ-centered environment. This includes people with many different kinds of psychological and relationship needs, people of faith struggling to make sense of how God is at work in the midst of their personal struggles, children and adolescents experiencing trauma, and married couples and families trying to work through some of life’s greatest challenges. Also during this time, dozens of counseling and therapy students have received the

education and experience they need to serve others effectively as excellent integrative therapists. A few of the many ways that Sioux Falls Psychological Services is making an impact in the lives of others through their service is by: • offering a wide range of mental health services for individuals of all ages, couples, families, and groups; • maintaining a team of professional and student therapists who are called to serve others; • providing approximately 11,000 sessions of therapy this past fiscal year; • meeting the growing needs of children, adolescents, and the people who care for them through the development of the new Child & Adolescent Therapy Clinic; • bringing counseling services to the rural community of Platte, SD, through its River Counseling Services branch; • bringing real-life experiences into the classroom by providing instruction and supervision in the seminary’s Master of Arts in Counseling program.

Each and every day, our team of integrative therapists at Sioux Falls Psychological Services serve others by meeting them where they are and offering them hope.

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2015

SUBMIT UPDATES ONLINE AT SFSEMINARY.EDU/ALUMNI

STAYING in

T

UCH sioux falls seminary alumni news + prayer

from the

greg henson

president Over the course of this academic year, we are going to consider what it means to walk boldly into the future to which God is calling Sioux Falls Seminary. To me, there is no better place to start than the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 resonates with me for a number of reasons. I believe it gives us a great picture of not only the missionary nature of the Triune God, but also a clear focus for our work. As we are going, we are to make disciples.

sioux falls seminary

alumni news and prayer requests

CLASS OF 1970 MEMBERS (LEFT TO RIGHT): DARWIN STAHL, JUDY STAHL, CAROL MATHEUSZIK, RUDIE MATHEUSZIK, PAT WICK, AND DAVID WICK.

‘62

Allan Gerber has concluded six years of interim pastoral ministry in four churches, and he and his wife, Leona, have returned to their home in Valley City, ND. He is currently employed half time as a chaplain at the Sheyenne Care Center.

‘70

Members of the NABS class of 1970 gathered in the St. Paul, MN, area on July 18-19, 2015, to celebrate their 45th class reunion.

(See photo above.)

Rudie Matheuszik retired from the Department of Evangelism and Church Growth of the Lutheran Church of Austria in Steyr, Austria.

He now serves as a part-time consultant for the church.

Larry Neufeld is retired from Olympic View Baptist Church, University Place, WA, and serves as interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in

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Tacoma, WA. Larry also works parttime with NABNW Church Planting.

Darwin Stahl retired from Ashley Baptist Church in Ashley, ND, and serves as the part-time Pastor of Pastoral Care at Hawley Lutheran Church in Hawley, MN. David Wick recently retired from Riverview Baptist Church in West St. Paul, MN.

‘77

Jay Mitchell is the Interim Minister at First Christian Church in Scottsbluff, NE. He and wife Trudy live in Gering, where they are close to their children and grandchildren.

‘84

Alan Steier was granted a Doctor of Ministry in Member Care from Columbia International University (Columbia, SC) in December 2014. He and his wife, Judy, serve

the missionary community through Barnabas International, a pastoral care and shepherding ministry.

‘85

Bryan Hochhalter began serving as Lead Pastor of Bismarck Baptist Church in December 2014.

He previously served churches in Detroit, MI, and Calgary, AB.

‘86

Gordon Stork became the Regional Minister for the Northern Plains Region of the North American Baptist Conference in April 2015. He and wife Diane continue to live in Bismarck, ND.

‘87

Jim Szymanski has been busy revising his book, Helping Hurting People, as well as working on a children’s book on cancer. He and wife Bonnie are thankful for the prayers of friends who have sup-

When we, as Sioux Falls Seminary, seek to discern God’s leading and then walk boldly into that calling, we must always remember that, above all else, we are to make disciples. At its core, theological education is by nature a journey of discipleship. It is something to which all of us are called. Yes, a few are called to roles of leadership within the church, but all of us are called to engage in theological education. We are called to follow Jesus into mission, to make disciples along the way, and to continually engage in our own discipleship journey.

At times theological education is viewed as something completely separate from the church. I would argue that because it is rooted in developing disciples for participation in God’s mission, it is an integral part of the work of the church. Seminaries, therefore, can play an important role in that work. In order to serve well, seminaries must embrace the disciple-making process and see the Great Commission as the foundation for theological education. Put simply, theological education is about developing disciples who can develop other disciples.

In our website story center, we are currently taking a closer look at the Great Commission and how theological education has sought to serve that mission over time. We are looking at the history of theological education, asking questions about how we have progressed, and seeking to understand the systems that have brought us to where we are today.

Sioux Falls Seminary is developing a reputation for being an innovative seminary that is seeking to reunite theological education and local ministry contexts. In doing so, we are learning that, in many ways, we are bringing some of the original essence of theological education back to the forefront. Our hope is that over the next few months we see some of the blessings and challenges of theological education and how a commitment to the Great Commission needs to be front and center for any future developments.

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2015

impact I sioux falls seminary 2015 special edition

STAYING in

T

UCH ‘10

‘15

‘89

Mark Johnsen was ordained as an elder by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015. He has concluded three years of service in Miller, SD, and moved to the Black Hills to serve Prairie View UMC of rural Smithwick.

in memoriam ‘31

‘90

Joel Fredrikson began serving as Associate Pastor at The Point is to Serve, located in Sioux Falls, SD, in August 2015.

ported them since the death of their daughter in March 2014.

‘88

1

from the

president

7

President Greg Henson shares how Sioux Falls Seminary is seeking to discern God’s leading and then walk boldly into that calling as we remember to, above all else, make disciples.

2 4

helping students

grow

coming together

as family

A look at how Sioux Falls Seminary is coming together with members of the North American Baptist Conference family to participate in God’s mission.

6 impact magazine

volunteers

in action

James Renke became the Regional Minister for the Upper Mississippi Region of the North American Baptist Conference in April 2015.

introducing

dean caldwell

Dr. Larry Caldwell, new Chief Academic Officer and Dean, introduces himself and talks about his plans to serve others through tradition and innovation.

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serving families,

individuals

Kelly Lashly is Associate Pastor for Ministry Development at First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD. She oversees the organizational systems of the church. She joined the ministry team in December 2014.

Dwight Wahl is a Family Crisis Intervention Specialist with Volunteers of America. In addition, he recently started Making It Count, a life coaching service. He is an ICF Certified Life Coach and is excited about helping others through the process of making great choices.

‘96

Brian Haynes is Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Roseau, MN.

‘98

Dave Decker is serving as the youth pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD.

staying in

touch

remembering

george lang

A tribute to George W. Lang, Sioux Falls Seminary’s Professor of Missions Emeritus, who passed away in June.

alumni news + prayer

‘03

Ryan Stander is Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Flat Tail Press at Minot State University in ND, where he teaches courses in photography and directs the BFA program. He and his wife, Karina, became the parents of a baby boy, Willem, in April 2015.

‘04

Ellen Konyak (D.Min. ‘07) was ordained in 2015 at The Point is to Serve in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘08

Mark Donaldson is the Senior Pastor at Elm Creek Community Church in Maple Grove, MN. Mark and his wife, Kati, have three children, Timothy, Kahra, and Levi.

Andy Bartel has returned to Alaska, where he is Lead Pastor of St. John UMC in Anchorage. He and wife Kate have two sons, James and Angus.

‘11

‘12

Sarah Herman was ordained as an elder by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015.

She serves in Napoleon, ND, and Lehr, ND.

‘13

Laurel Buwalda lives in Sioux Falls, SD, and has been the Hospice Chaplain Coordinator for Sanford Hospice since October 2013. She was Ordained to Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Covenant Church in June 2014.

Clay Lundberg is pastor of the Burke Larger Parish in the Burke, SD, area.

Andrew Mahoney and his wife, Jena, moved to Beaumont, TX. Andrew is a full-time hospice chaplain and a part-time pastor at Christ Community Church, where he facilitates the services and works with youth.

‘14

Joy Tracy and Mark Tracy were commissioned for the work of a deacon and of an elder, respectively, by the Dakotas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2015.

Shihan Li is Director of Chinese Ministry at Community Church of Columbus in Indiana.

Arthur Itterman, the seminary’s oldest alumnus, passed away on October 31, 2014, at the age of 106. He had enrolled in Rochester Seminary at the age of 16, and went on to serve churches in Illinois, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa, before many years as a professor at Tennessee Temple University. He and his late wife, Lilah, were married for 73 years and were the parents of three daughters.

‘60

Edgar Sturtz passed away May 10, 2015, in Ellinwood, KS. He was 80. Before retirement, he was an art teacher for 38 years. Edgar was preceded in death by his wife, Grace (Ringering) Sturtz, in whose honor he made a gift to name the Grace Prayer Room at Sioux Falls Seminary.

‘84

Calvin (Cal) Kroeker of Oacoma, SD, died May 15, 2015.

A former teacher, Cal served NAB and Evangelical Free churches in his career as a pastor, retiring from Central Plains Evangelical Free Church of Oacoma in December 2014. He is survived by his wife, Deanna, two daughters, his mother, and a sister.

‘95

Michele Bradley died July 17, 2015, following a two-year battle with cancer. After earning her M.Div., she became pastor of the Church of Hope at the South Dakota Women’s Prison in Pierre, where she served until her health forced her to retire in January 2014. She is survived by a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.

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2015

impact I sioux falls seminary

A North American Baptist Seminary

2100 S. Summit Ave. I Sioux Falls, SD 57105

2015 special edition Sioux Falls, SD I Omaha, NE I Online 800.440.6227 or 605.336.6588 info@sfseminary.edu

www.sfseminary.edu www.sfseminary.edu/omaha #SFSeminaryImpact

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Remembering George W. Lang Sioux Falls Seminary Professor Emeritus George W. Lang passed away on June 4, 2015, at the age of 86.

George was a faithful servant, pastor, missionary, educator, administrator, husband, father, grandfather, and so much more. During his years at Sioux Falls Seminary, he served God and others. He made an impact in the lives of many. After serving as missionary in Cameroon, West Africa, from 1955-1971, George and his family made the decision to accept the challenge of teaching at Sioux Falls Seminary, then North American Baptist Seminary.

Along with his teaching duties, he served as the library administrator. He was described as being analytical, integrative, mission-minded, and caring.

When George and his family joined the seminary faculty, they were already familiar with the seminary and its mission, not only from their time serving the North American Baptist Conference but also because George’s family had

impact magazine

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been a part of the seminary’s history for three generations. When his grandfather became a pastor in the early 1900s, the seminary was located in Rochester, NY. It was also there in Rochester, NY, where George’s father, George A. Lang, became the seminary president in 1944.

In 1949, George A. Lang moved the seminary to Sioux Falls and continued to serve as president until 1959.

With such a rich family history, it should be no surprise that upon his retirement in 1999, George spent half-days working with the North American Baptist Heritage Commission, located on the seminary’s campus. He was also given the distinction of Professor of Missions Emeritus for Sioux Falls Seminary. Upon his retirement, he looked back on his time at the seminary and said, “I’ve found this to be a very positive experience. It was great to be in Cameroon and get a global perspective, then connect with the students here and give them that perspective.”

walking

boldly Developing Servants I Walking Boldly into the Revolutionary Future to Which God Has Called Us

George, we remember you and thank God for you!

2015