By Kathy Smith

(First appeared in the Fall 2005 issue of the Forum) 

“The best continuing education I’ve ever had.” That’s how pastors in peer learning groups describe their experience. Recent research on this growing trend in continuing education shows that pastors are excited about peer learning groups, and congregations are benefiting as well. Bruce Roberts of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis conducted a peer group program and an evaluation of such groups and found that “congregations are telling us that they have noticed a difference in their pastors—that the pastors have been more energetic, have started more programs, and have interacted better with the congregations than they had before” (Marlis McCollum, “A Journey with One’s Peers: The Power of Group Learning Programs,” Congregations, Vol. 31, No. 3, Summer 2005).

Why are peer learning groups so successful? In the same article, Larry Dill says that “the key principles underlying the peer group learning model’s success are that the groups are self-selecting, they design their own learning agenda, they study together over time, and the members hold each other accountable for the learnings.”

Many graduates of CTS are involved in peer learning groups, largely due to grants available from the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program of the CRC. One group consisting of five members of the class of 2002 reflected on their experience and assigned group member Gary Brouwers to write it up. We hope their story will encourage you to think about a peer learning group for yourself—or your pastor.