Education for Ministry (EfM)
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a Christian formation program designed for lay people.
The program invites people to live fully into their faith through small group exploration of scripture, church history, and theological reflection.
EfM was founded by and is administered through the School of Theology of Sewanee at The University of the South.
Listen to a description of EfM from Reverend Kevin Goodman, Executive Director of EfM.
About Education for Ministry
All EfM groups meet weekly for approximately 2.5hrs either at St. John’s Cathedral or on Zoom for 36 weeks. Groups can be mixed; consisting of participants from multiple EfM Classic study years and EfM Wide-Angle participants.
In EfM we explore topics like:
- What do we know about God and Christianity and how do we know it?
- What are we curious or confused about?
- Who are we in relation to God and to each other?
- Why does our relationship with God matter?
- How do our life experiences shape who we are and what we have to offer?
- How are we being asked to open our hearts and minds to deeper understanding and connection?
- How does our faith inform and shape our way of being in the world?
Choose Your Learning Path:
EfM Classic or EfM Wide-Angle
EfM Classic
All participants new to the Classic 4-year program begin with Year One and proceed through the program sequentially. Years may be done consecutively or on an “as life allows” basis. Participants spend 3-6 hours weekly studying and reflecting on seminar materials.
Year One
Who is Israel?
The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Year Two
Who is Jesus?
The New Testament
Year Three
Who and What in the Church in the World?
Church History
Year Four
How are We to Be in the World?
Spirituality and Ethics
EfM Wide-Angle
Wide-Angle offers a “taste” of the Classic 4 years through the study of 5 contemporary books exploring different facets of God and faith. Wide-Angle is open to those unfamiliar with EfM as well as EfM Classic alums. It is anticipated that participants will spend 0.5-1.5 hours weekly studying and reflecting on seminar materials.
EfM’s Five Core Practices
Uniting these mixed groups (Classic and Wide-Angle) are nine weeks of common lessons, a common annual theme and five core practices: Living in Community, Regular Prayer and Worship, Theological Reflection, Study of Christian Tradition, and Vocational Discernment.
