Reimagining Theological Education Together (RTET)

Michael A. Oritz

Through the Reimagining Theological Education Together Podcast, Michael Ortiz engages theological educators, ministry leaders, and church practitioners in conversations about how theological education can more faithfully strengthen God’s people for God’s mission. Whether you are leading a seminary, shaping a church-based training program, or building pathways between formal and non-formal education, you’ll find practical insights and global perspectives to inspire innovation, collaboration, and faithfulness in theological education.

  1. 5d ago

    The Importance of Story Telling in Theological Education | Ray Neu

    In the west, we’re taught efficiently and systematically, always aiming for the clearest possible point. But what if this isn’t the best way to learn? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ray Neu, who draws on his years of experience teaching in oral cultures to talk about the importance of orality and story telling in theological education. Timestamps:0:00 – Intro1:34 – What is orality?15:34 – Local proverbs & storytelling33:34 – Teaching contextualization35:34 – Orality in Western education42:34 – Future of oral theology44:06 – Outro/closing remarks

    The Importance of Story Telling in Theological Education | Ray Neu

  2. Oct 20

    Flexibility in Theological Education: How This Seminary is Adapting to the Times | Dr. Eldy Eldhouse

    The world is changing faster than ever and theological education is trying to keep up. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Eldy Eldhouse, academic dean at Evangelical Theological Seminary in India, to discuss how ETS is adapting and changing with the times, how he develops faculty and leaders at his school, and what it takes to form men and women to lead the church today. Links • ETS https://www.ets-india.org/ • DTS https://www.dts.edu/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:52 - Academic development and changes 7:04 - Navigating institutional change at ETS 9:53 - Why formal theological education matters 13:06 - Preparing students for Indian cultural shifts 22:29 - Faculty retreat purpose and structure 35:02 - Eldy’s personal journey to academic dean

    Flexibility in Theological Education: How This Seminary is Adapting to the Times | Dr. Eldy Eldhouse

  3. Oct 13

    The Future of Formal and Non-Formal Education | Paul Clark

    Are formal, non-formal and informal models of theological education compatible? In this episode, I sit down with Paul Clark of Mesa Global to talk about his lifetime of experience in theological education and how these modes can collaborate to better form future church leaders. Links: • Mesa Global: https://www.mesaglobal.co/ • Context-Rooted Curricular Engagement Impact Team: https://icete.info/resources/impact-teams/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & guest welcome 2:09 - Overseas Council's team of regional experts 7:03 - Common challenges facing seminaries worldwide 9:42 - The Nepal story: reaching pastors in remote villages 18:47- Best practices for seminaries staying connected to local churches 34:38 - Building trust and collaboration across organizations 45:05 - Advice for the next generation of leaders

    The Future of Formal and Non-Formal Education | Paul Clark

  4. Oct 6

    A Holistic Vision of the Gospel: The Indian School Expanding Our Concept of TE | Dr. Stephen George

    What if theological education was more than a seminary? Maybe even more than a school? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Stephen George, president of Asian Christian Academy (ACA) in India, to discuss how ACA is moving beyond a traditional theological education institution to effectively meet the needs of the community around them. In this episode, we discuss: • The origins of Asian Christian Academy • How ACA is moving to meet the needs of its community beyond theological education • Having an extended impact over time as a theological education institution • How institutions can expand past their formal education into informal pastoral training Links • Asian Christian Academy: https://www.acaindia.org/ • Evangelical Theological Seminary: https://www.ets-india.org/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: A new vision for theological education 2:07 - Inside the ACA campus 4:39 - The 50-year vision: from bare land to a thriving campus 18:46 - Balancing Western theology with the Indian context 23:44 - Training untrained pastors 30:51 - Wisdom for leaders and reimagining the future

    A Holistic Vision of the Gospel: The Indian School Expanding Our Concept of TE | Dr. Stephen George

  5. Sep 29

    Calling, Conflict, and Women: A Theologian from Bethlehem Speaks | Grace Al-Zoughbi

    Raised in Bethlehem, Dr. Grace Al-Zoughbi brings a perspective on theology that has been shaped by faith, suffering, hope, and the realities of life in the Middle East. In this episode, Grace shares her journey into theological education, her research on Arab women in theology, and her vision for the future of the church in the MENA region. Together, we explore contextual theology, migration, Christian identity, theological education, and why local voices matter in shaping the global church. This conversation is a powerful reminder that theology is not merely academic—it is lived, embodied, and deeply connected to the questions people are asking every day. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:08 - Growing up in Bethlehem 8:04 - Why women's voices matter in theology 16:03 - "Theological education started in the Middle East" 24:28 - Why contextualization is faithfulness, not an add-on 41:55 - A hope for the church in the Middle East

    Calling, Conflict, and Women: A Theologian from Bethlehem Speaks | Grace Al-Zoughbi

  6. Sep 22

    The Zambian Voice the West Can’t Capture | Wezi Ndhlovu

    What does it take to faithfully bring the gospel home — when "home" is half a world away from where you were trained? In this episode, I sit down with Wezi, a Zambian pastor-scholar pursuing a PhD in Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary. Together we explore what it means to leave everything for a calling, how Western theological education translates (and doesn't translate) into African ministry contexts, and why the global church needs voices that the West simply cannot capture on its own. Wezi draws on his journey from working as a computer scientist in Zambia to "jumping off a cliff" with his wife and arriving in Dallas with $400 and the clothes in their suitcases. He shares what he's learned straddling two cultures, why contextualization is constant work for international students, and his vision for a Zambian church that takes Scripture seriously enough to question its preachers by opening the text. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone involved in theological education, cross-cultural ministry, or the future of the global church. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:32 - Jumping off a cliff 3:19 - From computer science to ministry 5:46 - Finding family at DTS 9:16 - The profound cost of moving to America 15:07 - First impressions of seminary 35:59 - Hunger for the Word in Zambia 41:41 - A Zambian voice in global scholarship 47:50 - Advice for the journey of African students coming to the west 1:02:18 - A dream for the Zambian church

    The Zambian Voice the West Can’t Capture | Wezi Ndhlovu

  7. Sep 15

    Deepening the Church: Rethinking Pastoral Training in Africa | Dr. Richmond Wandera

    What does it take to steward the explosive growth of the Church in Africa when most pastors leading it have never been trained? In this episode, I sit down with Richmond Wandera, pastor, scholar, and founder of Pastors Discipleship Network (PDN), an organization that has equipped over 15,000 pastoral leaders across Sub-Saharan Africa. Together we explore the quiet crisis behind Africa's church boom, why training models built for the West fail in African contexts, and how Africa is moving from being the mission field to becoming the mission force.Richmond draws on his own story — from the streets of Uganda, to studies at Moody and Lancaster Bible College, to leading one of the most respected pastoral training movements on the continent. He challenges us to widen our imagination for what theological education can be, and invites the global Church to listen to what God is doing in Africa. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone involved in theological education, pastoral formation, or the future of the global church. Links: • Pastors Discipleship Network https://www.pdnafrica.org/ • Re-Forma https://www.re-forma.global/ • Cornerstone University https://cu.ac.ug/ • ACTEA https://acteaweb.org/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 2:05 - The quiet crisis behind Africa's church growth 5:30 - Why the 70% untrained figure matters 12:15 - The fear African pastors carry 18:03 - A fatherless generation leading the church 30:08 - What makes PDN different 37:43 - Learning the African learner 57:23 - Investing in pastors' wives 1:06:40 - From mission field to mission force 1:11:08 - A challenge to global theological educators

    Deepening the Church: Rethinking Pastoral Training in Africa | Dr. Richmond Wandera

  8. Sep 8

    Equipping Leaders for the Worldwide Church | Dr. Anne Zaki

    What does it take to form leaders, not just train them, for the global church? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Anne Zaki, educator, counselor, and author serving at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (the oldest and largest seminary in the Middle East and North Africa). Together we explore what faithful theological formation actually looks like, why companionship is the missing framework in most seminary programs, and how the church, not the academy, must be the starting and ending point of theological education. Dr. Zaki draws on her life experience straddling the Eastern and Western church traditions, her upbringing in a small urban congregation where every member was a minister, and her years shaping future church leaders in one of the world's most challenging ministry contexts. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone involved in theological education, pastoral formation, or the future of the global church. Links: • ETS Cairo https://etsc.org/ • ICETE https://icete.info/ • Voices https://youtu.be/pFa1haMLiHY Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:36 - Growing up in a Cairo pastor's home where children were active in ministry 4:34 - Moving to Canada at 16 and being shaped by 16 years in the Western church 11:54 - About the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo: 163 years old, mostly lay students 14:43 - Why companionship is a better model for formation than mentoring or coaching 26:10 - Preaching is caught not taught: training communicators of the Word 43:32 - Redesigning seminary curriculum around what the local church actually needs 58:44 - Dr. Zaki's hopes for theological education in the Middle East

    Equipping Leaders for the Worldwide Church | Dr. Anne Zaki
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Through the Reimagining Theological Education Together Podcast, Michael Ortiz engages theological educators, ministry leaders, and church practitioners in conversations about how theological education can more faithfully strengthen God’s people for God’s mission. Whether you are leading a seminary, shaping a church-based training program, or building pathways between formal and non-formal education, you’ll find practical insights and global perspectives to inspire innovation, collaboration, and faithfulness in theological education.

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