Every accredited seminary is required to have a field education program, with students ministering under the oversight of field supervisors/mentors. Therefore, every student who graduates from GGBTS must take TFE.
You must have completed 24 semester hours prior to the semester you begin your TFE. TFE also requires specific course prerequisites (please check the current GGBTS catalog ). TFE is normally taken during your second year of study.
May 15 for the following fall semester December 1 for the following spring semester (Master of Theological Studies, Master of Missiology, and eCampus students only)
You should start considering where you will do your TFE the first week you are enrolled at GGBTS. Most students get “plugged into” a church soon after coming to campus. Others are already involved in serving in a church. Your TFE should match your passion for ministry and where you see God leading you to minister in the future. In other words, it should be a place that helps you gain the ministry skills that you will need in the future.
You will need to serve a minimum of 10 hours per week during your TFE ministry practicum. At least 6 of the 10 hours must be "face-to-face" ministry (teaching, preaching, leading a group, visiting, evangelism, etc.)
Once you begin your TFE ministry practicum you will create a covenant of learning. It will specify the hours you will serve and your responsibilities in your ministry setting as well as learning and growth goals that you wish to achieve during your TFE.
This is the team that will give you constructive feedback and guidance during you ministry practicum. It consists of... Peer Reflection Group –your on-campus or online class facilitated by a GGBTS professor. Field Mentor –your ministry supervisor. You will enlist this person and list them on your application. There are certain requirements for your Field Mentor to be approved. Please see the TFE Student Handbook. Spiritual Formation Mentor – gives you spiritual guidance during your practicum. Ministry Reflection Group – a group of ministry recipients and/or ministry partners that you enlist after your TFE class begins.
Your Field Mentor will be your supervisor during your ministry practicum. You will meet with them weekly for a minimum of one hour. They will hold you accountable and give you guidance and encouragement as you serve in your ministry setting and pursue your covenant goals.
Your Field Mentor may have had previous supervision training, but not all such training is equal. It benefits you to have your Field Mentor know our philosophy at GGBTS, the unique features of our TFE program, and our commitment to the ministry of supervision. It is also to your own Field Mentor's benefit to understand and be equipped to work with you in our program.
No matter what we do in ministry, it is spiritual in nature. We have found out through experience, however, that Field Mentors tend to focus upon ministry skill formation more than spiritual formation. Your Spiritual Formation Mentor will help you focus on how you are growing spiritually during your TFE.