Journal of Christian Education & Information Technology 2006.Vol.10 19 Empowering Students for Learning and Ministry 1) Dean G. Blevins Nazarene Theological Seminary ABSTRACT One of the central goals of global Christian education is the empowerment of students for the sake of serving in ministry. Christian religious educators take into consideration preparation, cultural differences, economic challenges, learning styles, outcomes, and the ministry that students face. This article seeks more than what teachers do for students and addresses what educators must do with and through students. The challenge of empowering students to become life long learners for the sake of serving is discussed. Three areas of empowerment are based on the teacher's calling, student's calling and sound educational theory. Developing empowering education involves providing community, facilitating educational discernment, and transforming the world through a vision of the kingdom of God. Keywords: Christian Education, Empowering Students, Educators, Discernment, Calling This reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth 1) Originally presented to the Academy for International Education global conference, Johannesburg, July 2000. The conference provided a gathering of sixty educators and administrators representing 132 countries and fifty-seven academic institutions in the Church of the Nazarene. An earlier version of this paper was the closing plenary presentation.