Report on Interviews

Learnings from Advising Team:

a. Helping students on theological informational basis
Priority in their lives: family, ministry or school?
Evaluation of their gifts to direct them in a certain degree
b. Collaboration with other departments in serving as a model
To help students realize partnership in the ministry
To equip them to benefit the kingdompeople whom they are serving
c. Godly servant leadership goal
Encouraging student be involved in a local church
Spiritual Formation group
Helping them to seek the degree best for them to serve
d. Challenges
Advisors are fallen people as well with normal human issues
Balance: having mercy vs. being honest/harsh
Approaches to people
Learnings from Registrar office:
a. Roles in registration + academic record
b. Balance schedule of offered courses: online, extension, evening classes to meet students
need
c. Collaboration with other departments
Learnings from Student Service:
a. Focusing on non-academic side of students and faculty: personal life, counseling,
advising, chaplain
b. Collaboration with other departments: International students fairs & Advising Center
c. Enrich students social life
d. Establishing special team for minority/misrepresented groups: African American/Women
Students/International Students Advisors,
e. Meeting special needs of on-line students: announcement via web, email, text, SKYPE
and orientation in all extensions
f. Chapel attendance policy
g. Serving the students to get through school: marriage/relationship issues, ministry, and
involvement in a local church
h. Students Council to mirror the Seminary in structure: to design students chapel and
prayer chapel; students newspaper

Learnings from Admission:

a. Establishing good impression of the school by returning/replying emails or calls
immediately
b. Philosophy: seeking servant-leaders today to build the body of Christ tomorrow
(Servanthood, prayers, student-focused, integrity, team work, and quality)
c. Structure/function: sphere of responsibility rather than hierarchy (This system will help
staffs to serve students better. Sometimes, hierarchy will result in cutting a clear line of
responsibilities)
d. Collaborated Committee: academics, references, ministry experience, gift/promise of
ministry (exceptions for people without B.D.30 years old, extensive ministry
experience, GRE/MAT)
e. Introducing DTS: seminary fair, table at conferences/churches, Day @ DTS/ campus
visits
f. Collaboration with other departments especially at Day @ DTS: Advising Center, FA,
Registrar office, faculties, etc.
Learnings from Chinese Online:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Trying to reach more needed people

Meeting the needs of students
Designing practical courses based on the culture and distance
Thoughts: The major group we need to reach out is rural church leader, so set on-line
program is not realistic to our church group, because: (a) we do not have the resources
and funds to do so; (b) many ministers do not have internet at their home. Therefore,
gather them once every one/two/three months for a few days to study courses are more
practical to them.

Learning from Academic Deans office

a. Function: curriculum, degree program, faculty, record (Registrar), advising
b. Yearly evaluation/assessment
c. Creating curriculum, degree program, new courses, hiring, faculty development, board
meeting
d. Alumni ministry
e. Faculty handbook, office hours, teaching hours, contract
f. Protection on faculties from wearing out and value them
g. SACS requirement
Reflection
The one year full-time teaching experience at a Bible College trained me how to be a teacher,
counselor, advisor, administrator, but it was never enough for being a staff/faculty in a mature

and official school. During the interviews, I found so much professional and profound insights
about running a school especially a Bible School Institution. Majority of the learnings are new to
me, but they are super helpful to me and my Church group as we are in the process of building a
bigger Bible College/seminary system.
So far, we do not have a formal institutional system: two or three full-time teachers (having guest
speakers) and 20-30 students in 2-3 years Bible College. We have one so-called seminary: one
college class and one graduate class. Each has around 20 students. Three full-time teachers and
lots guest speakers. In the school I taught, teacher is faculty, administrator staff and counselor.
Usually single teacher live with the student, sometimes married teacher will act in this role as
well. In this way, the students needs may be met in time. Students are involved in serving each
other. They are assigned with different jobs led by appointed leaders: devotion team, financial
assistant (to the teacher), student service, etc. We will change turns for those services. After they
know each other for a while, we will ask the student to elect leaders for those jobs. Then teachers
will evaluate and make decision. We train them in various areas in personal and ministry life.
The teacher live with them is the supervisor to each group leader.
The advising will be mainly to students. Teachers will counsel each other as friends, and there is
no formal counsel vs. being-counseled relationship. Teacher will observe each student and talk
with them individually from time to time about their personal, academic or ministry needs. Also
they will talk collectively with leaders in each group. The door is always open to the needed
students, whenever they need it.
As we are walking toward to the goal of building a formal institution, we need to start with mini
departments to distinguish student service, administration and faculties. In this case, students
needs will be cared better and teachers will not be worn out.