Why Hands-On Training helps the Classroom

You can read all the books, sit through all the lectures, and memorize all the theory—but until you actually do the job, you know precisely nothing. That’s why the best training—whether for doctors, mechanics, or pastors—is hands-on.

At St. Bartholomew’s, we’re launching a pastoral residency that treats the church like a teaching hospital—because ministry, like driving a fast car, is best learned by getting behind the wheel. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, residents won’t just talk about ministry; they’ll live it, making mistakes, learning, and growing along the way.

Because the truth is, you can’t lead a church from a textbook—it’s about theory AND practice - you have to be in the thick of it, dealing with real people and real challenges. And that’s exactly what this residency is all about.

Thoughts? Disagreements? Wildly unnecessary metaphors? Let’s hear them.

https://www.stbartsdallas.org/pastoralresidency