Truett Students Gain Publishing Experience through Practical Assignments

At Truett Seminary, students are equipped for service in and alongside Christ’s Church. As they dive into classes on Tertullian, Hebrew, and contextual witness, they also must learn how to translate and communicate their seminary lessons colloquially to further the Kingdom.

Seminary students who intern with the Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work have the opportunity to exercise this practice through writing and publishing articles. As a requirement for their internship, they select a topic and then work with Coordinator of Research Projects Erin Albin Hill (MDiv/MSW ’19) to write the article and have it published.

“Our hope is to take some of the subjects that they are leaning about or passionate about and help them learn how to communicate those things in a way that is accessible for all people,” Hill said. “Whether that focuses on telling their story, encouraging others, or educating readers, we want them to always remember that their pastoral voice is important and needed in the world.”

Similarly, Dr. Gaynor Yancey, the Lake Family Endowed Chair in Congregational and Community Health and Director of C3I, requires Truett students in her Introduction to Pastoral Care class to write opinion articles about relevant and important topics. Articles selected by Dr. Yancey are then submitted by the student, with help from Hill, to be published.

“As the teacher in the Introduction to Pastoral Care class, I have been elated to have this tweaking of an assignment in helping our students share with others what God has placed in their hearts and minds—and experiences—in caring for others,” Yancey said. “We all benefit from their words that serve as new learning and, sometimes, reminders of how important it is to put caring actions into place when opportunities to do just that are parts of our daily lives. Our new generation of faith leaders has much to say about how we can show God’s presence in us to all people, no matter their age, situation, or condition. Many of the thoughts expressed in writing by our students are used by God to change people’s lives! What a gift these articles are from which we can all learn.”

Seminary students have been published in The Baptist Standard, Good Faith Media, and Baptist News Global with topics ranging from COVID-19 to spiritual formation to congregational resources and more.

Master of Divinity student Karson Loomis recently published two articles with Good Faith Media about ministering through children and teens through grief.

“Working on these articles has allowed me to share my thoughts on a topic that I deeply care about, and it has also challenged me to apply both my experiences and those of others to a particular ministry context,” Loomis said. “It has been a wonderful exercise in trying to balance practical experience with academics, which I believe will continue to aid me as I enter the ministry field. I never expected to have this kind of opportunity when I started at Truett, but I am incredibly grateful that Dr. Yancey opened the door to allow me to publish these articles.”

Below is a listing of opinion articles written and published by Truett Seminary students during the Spring 2021 semester. Look out for more published thoughts from seminary students in the future as they pair their knowledge and experience with their pastoral training and calling to serve.

How Your Child Handles Grief: Part 1 by Karson Loomis
How Your Teen Handles Grief: Part 2 by Karson Loomis
When Clergy Neglect Good R&R by Raul Balandrano
Ministering to teenagers with depression by Michael Kumi Owusu
Sweat, tears and the sea: How to endure loss in the pandemic by True Head
How we can worship together through fear and hope by Mahcoe Mikel
Shepherding Christians who want to pursue racial justice by Adam Jones
Racial Reconciliation Must Include Trauma Ministry by Joy Moton
How to provide pastoral care for complicated grief by Paige Shellhorse
Evangelicals Aren’t Dealing Well with Grief by Samuel Still
Four ways to help others through grief and mourning amid social isolation by Jacob George
Finding new life in the desert as a church becomes a place of healing for racial trauma by Nataly Mora
Five ways congregations can care for their pastors by Mahcoe Mikel
The Church and the death penalty by Natalie Glen
Rebuilding Deconstructed Lives by Joy Moton
3 Habits help lonely people feel connected by Cecily McIlwain
Psychological Impacts of Pandemic Distancing Likely to Linger by Aaron Walling
Don’t underestimate the power of little things by Nataly Mora

*The articles linked above express the thoughts and opinions of the authors and are not intended to reflect the opinions or views of Truett Seminary or Baylor University.