It’s hard to be an ecclesial theologian in a local church. That’s not whining; that’s reality.

For starters, there is little institutional support for ecclesial theologians. Nearly all the currents in the academy and the church push aspiring ecclesial theologians in a different direction, whether to do more “rigorous” or “academic” scholarship, or to be less “heady” and more “practical” in ministry. Frankly, this creates an inhospitable environment for ecclesial theologians, a state of affairs that is unlikely to change any time soon.

Despite the challenges, however, it is possible to be an ecclesial theologian. But to do so requires thoughtfulness and intentionality; it won’t just happen. In fact, pastors in pursuit of this calling need to adopt a few well-conceived strategies and take some bold and creative steps to see it happen. Here are a few of the strategies we recommend.

Guard Your Study Time with a Blowtorch

When ...