Jason Mills, PhD
Blog
Thoughts and writing about the future of theological education, pastoral formation, reclaiming leadership for the whole church, co-vocational ministry, and chaplaincy & spiritual care
Why do books have forewords?
Earlier this week I submitted my edited manuscript back to my editor. As part of our back-and-forth, she let me know that if I wanted a foreword to be included in my book I would need to have that finalized by mid-September. What is a foreword? A foreword is very simply, the word that goes…
More research published on Co-Vocational Ministry
Co-Vocational Canada had two articles published recently: The first is a summary of findings arising from conversations with denominational leaders and Co-Vo pastors from representing 17 denominations. The second article is peer-reviewed and written from our findings from our first ever Co-Vocational Canada Symposium. The paper was published in the Journal of Pastoral Psychology and…
Three critical questions about the goal of theological education
Last week I spent a couple of days on the campus of Canadian Mennonite University for a Christian Higher Education Canada gathering. The conference theme was “Calling and Vocational Christian Ministry: the Landscape is Changing.” Three presenters and three respondents spoke about three areas of interest: the phenomena of multi-vocational ministry, the rise of people…
7 Surprising Findings about Co-Vocational Ministry in Quebec, Canada
What’s unique about co-vocational ministry in Quebec? Co-Vocational Canada is physically located on the campus of Briercrest Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan. Nevertheless, our vision and influence spans the whole country. This past year we have been privileged to work alongside and learn from co-vocational leaders in Quebec. In November, 2025 a team from Co-Vocational Canada,…
Co-Vocational ministry, Multi-Vocational ministry, and Bi-Vocational ministry: why defining these 3 concepts brings clarity
Co-Vocational, Multi-Vocational, and Bi-Vocational ministry What’s the difference between bi-vocational and co-vocational ministry? It’s a frequently asked question and in some ways the answer is simple. In other ways, it’s more nuanced. The simple answer: The terms all point to the same reality. I see them all defining the work of a paid or unpaid…
Return to Grace UB Church
Today I visited the church where I grew up, Grace United Brethren Church in Sherkston, ON. Why return after 10+ years? First, I happened to be in the area; it just so happened that the conference I had been invited to as a speaker was in Port Colborne. So, I spent the weekend with my…
