It was good to read that Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary President Dave Boshart was appointed to a second term (July 7). We had frequent contact with him while he was working in Iowa for Central Plains Mennonite Conference. Our Des Moines congregation relied on his support and wise counsel on many occasions. However, in the same issue, there was an advertising insert introducing the graduating class of AMBS and stating their plans with their new degrees. Of the 20 highlighted, I saw no one with definite plans to pastor a congregation in the United States. I have been on numerous search committees and heard from conference leaders that choices would be few. For years we’ve wondered if our church educational institutions were aware of this and doing their part in addressing it. Service anywhere is important, but without leadership, congregations will falter or evaporate. Maybe our institutions should give priority to enrolling students who want to be pastors. Maybe curricula should be promoted and taught in ways to encourage such. I encourage Anabaptist World to explore the connection between a shortage of trained people to serve in our congregations and our institutions graduating few such leaders.

Lloyd Kaufman, Des Moines, Iowa