Pittsburgh Theological Seminary will present the 32nd annual Teacher Training Workshop Sat., Sept. 26 from 8:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “Telling the Story: New Disciples, New Church."

The keynote speaker is Keith C. Kaufold, pastor at Eighth Avenue Place, Pittsburgh, Pa. Keith's presentation, "The Newness of the Old," will begin with the understanding that the Church in North America is in a time of great transition; it no longer holds a position of societal dominance as seen in years past (Christendom), nor is it "The Place" where many Americans go to receive religious instruction or even to worship God. With this reality, congregations can no longer be "cities on the hill" detached from the brokenness and beauty in their communities. Instead, people of faith are called back to be a "book of Acts" people, empowered by the Spirit to witness to Jesus to all they encounter in their daily lives. We are called to envision our communities as mission fields and our local congregations as active missions that bear witness to the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Elective Workshops for the Morning and Afternoon Sessions

“Sacred Journeys: Interfaith Individual-Centered Care“ with Caitlin Werth Ministering in an interfaith setting can be a challenge but it is also an opportunity to meet people in the midst of their sacred journey. You may want to take off your shoes – we are about to walk on holy ground.

"Intergenerational Ministry" with Sharon M. Stewart Children, youth, and adults of all ages are a gift and remind us that God is faithful! In this workshop we will brainstorm about ways to include all ages in our weekly ministry.

"Basics of Teaching” and "Beyond the Basics of Teaching" with Barbara Gunn These two fundamental sessions are taught as a morning and afternoon combination. For new teachers, the Basics class is most appropriate and provides foundational guidelines for teaching in a Christian Education setting; for those teachers with some previous experience, the Beyond the Basics class is a great refresher of teaching principles.

“From Salvation to Transformation – Equipping New Believers for Discipleship” with Sharon Dennard When people come to faith, how can we help them know what it means to be part of a faith community? How can we help them be disciples? This workshop will focus on three movements, often misunderstood, crucial to that formation: fruit-bearing, cross-carrying, and other-caring. Participants will learn tools and techniques to spur self-evaluation, discussion, insight, and change in their Sunday School / Christian Ed classrooms.

"EARS for Jesus" with Josh Botts EARS for Jesus is a four-session process designed to cultivate the minimum beliefs, attitudes, habits, and skills for listening to what God is up to in relationships with other people. Utilizing texts from Luke 10:1-12, we will explore the meaning of the four letters in the acronym: E-engage, A-accept, R-respond, and S-serve. The hope is that by developing EARS for Jesus, we might see ourselves as “detectives of divinity”; more effectively partnering with God in God's mission in the world.

Registration: Click HERE.

Fee: $25

0.4 CEUs will be available upon request. Contact the Office of Continuing Education at 412-924-1345 or with questions.

This event is co-sponsored with Mount Ararat Baptist Church. The workshop is supported in part by the Ritchie Lectureship at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and fosters further study on the theme of Christian Education.

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary will present the 32nd annual Teacher Training Workshop Sat., Sept. 26 from 8:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “Telling the Story: New Disciples, New Church."

The keynote speaker is Keith C. Kaufold, pastor at Eighth Avenue Place, Pittsburgh, Pa. Keith's presentation, "The Newness of the Old," will begin with the understanding that the Church in North America is in a time of great transition; it no longer holds a position of societal dominance as seen in years past (Christendom), nor is it "The Place" where many Americans go to receive religious instruction or even to worship God. With this reality, congregations can no longer be "cities on the hill" detached from the brokenness and beauty in their communities. Instead, people of faith are called back to be a "book of Acts" people, empowered by the Spirit to witness to Jesus to all they encounter in their daily lives. We are called to envision our communities as mission fields and our local congregations as active missions that bear witness to the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Elective Workshops for the Morning and Afternoon Sessions

“Sacred Journeys: Interfaith Individual-Centered Care“ with Caitlin Werth Ministering in an interfaith setting can be a challenge but it is also an opportunity to meet people in the midst of their sacred journey. You may want to take off your shoes – we are about to walk on holy ground.

"Intergenerational Ministry" with Sharon M. Stewart Children, youth, and adults of all ages are a gift and remind us that God is faithful! In this workshop we will brainstorm about ways to include all ages in our weekly ministry.

"Basics of Teaching” and "Beyond the Basics of Teaching" with Barbara Gunn These two fundamental sessions are taught as a morning and afternoon combination. For new teachers, the Basics class is most appropriate and provides foundational guidelines for teaching in a Christian Education setting; for those teachers with some previous experience, the Beyond the Basics class is a great refresher of teaching principles.

“From Salvation to Transformation – Equipping New Believers for Discipleship” with Sharon Dennard When people come to faith, how can we help them know what it means to be part of a faith community? How can we help them be disciples? This workshop will focus on three movements, often misunderstood, crucial to that formation: fruit-bearing, cross-carrying, and other-caring. Participants will learn tools and techniques to spur self-evaluation, discussion, insight, and change in their Sunday School / Christian Ed classrooms.

"EARS for Jesus" with Josh Botts EARS for Jesus is a four-session process designed to cultivate the minimum beliefs, attitudes, habits, and skills for listening to what God is up to in relationships with other people. Utilizing texts from Luke 10:1-12, we will explore the meaning of the four letters in the acronym: E-engage, A-accept, R-respond, and S-serve. The hope is that by developing EARS for Jesus, we might see ourselves as “detectives of divinity”; more effectively partnering with God in God's mission in the world.

Registration: Click HERE.

Fee: $25

0.4 CEUs will be available upon request. Contact the Office of Continuing Education at 412-924-1345 or with questions.

This event is co-sponsored with Mount Ararat Baptist Church. The workshop is supported in part by the Ritchie Lectureship at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and fosters further study on the theme of Christian Education.