A goal of both the academic and practical dimensions of theological education is to help students develop a social and personal theology. One of the ways Payne accomplishes this is through the Supervised Ministry Program. This program entails a field assignment in both a church context and a social agency. The student's field assignment becomes a primary setting for theological reflections on the practice of ministry.

Payne Theological Seminary stresses the importance of the pastor's role in the community. Every student is expected to spend one year in a church setting and one year in an agency setting. Each student must spend a minimum of five hours per week in the ministry setting. The Director of Supervised Ministry facilitates field assignments.

Church Setting

The particular assignment in the church setting will vary with each individual. In the church context, teaching committees are established. The Director of Supervised Ministry has an orientation session with each of these committees to help them learn their supervisory role. The committee meets with the student on a regular basis to provide feedback on the student's ministry. The committee also participates in an evaluation of the student's ministry.

Some students have the opportunity to serve as Student Pastors while in seminary. For those students, these requirements are worked out within that context. For Student Associate Ministers, the pastor of the church serves as the student's supervisor. In supervisory conversations conducted on a regular basis in a dialogical format, both student and supervisor are free to raise questions and issues about their ministerial experience, emerging pastoral identity, and interpersonal and pastoral relationships.

Agency Setting

The student spends year two of Supervised Ministry in a social service agency setting. We believe the pastor must have an understanding of how social service agencies function, both for the purpose of responding to the various needs within a given congregation and community, and in order to learn about the methods employed by agencies to assist those in need.

These skills may be acquired through participation in an accredited Clinical Pastoral Education program, through field assignments as chaplains in hospitals or prisons, and through an assignment in other agencies with qualified professionals as supervisors. Students who are also serving as pastors may complete the agency requirement during a summer term.

There are excellent opportunities for specialized placements in university settings such as Wilberforce and Central State Universities. In addition, students may be placed at social agencies such as drug rehabilitation, battered women and children’s, and inner-city community outreach programs.