Field education, or “mentored ministry,” is an exciting opportunity to integrate classroom experience with life and ministry in the Church. This opportunity is required for all Master of Divinity students and is open by special approval to Master of Arts students.
The primary aims of Field Education are:
- to help students who intend to pursue pastoral or vocational ministry to test, exercise, and improve their gifts and skills;
- to provide students with firsthand experience in the services to which God has called them;
- to encourage their theological reflection on the tasks of ministry;
- and most importantly, to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ through service to His Kingdom.
At the Atlanta campus, your Field Education experience will be enriched in two unique ways. First, you will spend 25 of the 400 hours in personal evangelization. This ensures students remain intentionally involved in the lives of nonbelievers and connected to their role in His story to fulfill the Great Commission. Second, you will attend 4 workshops hosted by local and national ministry leaders. This exposes students to a variety of ministry opportunities, the life, and character of ministry leaders, and networking opportunities.
A few examples of ways students may fulfill the RTS Field Education requirement include:
- summer student assistant to a pastor;
- student supply in a vacant pulpit;
- pastoral internship of 9-15 months;
- missionary internships;
- campus ministry;
- parachurch organizations;
- ministry in national parks;
- youth ministry;
- evangelistic ministry in a local church;
- chaplaincy in hospitals, nursing homes, or with the military;
- prison ministry;
- or in other similar ministries – we welcome your creativity!
Click here for further details about Field Education.