Connecting to Essential Resources
Through programs, services, and transformative initiatives, the In Trust Center serves as a vital partner and valuable resource for our members and affiliates to fulfill their missions – to impact communities, churches, and the world. Our Mission & Vision
In this video, the In Trust Center President, Amy Kardash, discusses the work of the Center and outlines how it will help the Pathways initiative (January 2022).
Resources
As a resourcing organization, we strive to strengthen theological schools by connecting their leaders to essential resources for mission vitality, including using myriad mediums to convey the Pathways initiative. The following list outlines a few examples.
IN TRUST MAGAZINE
The New Town Square. Spring 2025. Read story.
Rites of Passage: Winter 2025. Read story.
Choose Your Path: Winter 2025. Read story.
New Funding for Pathways: Winter 2025. Read story.
A Transformational Path: Autumn 2024. Read story.
Crafting Narratives, Shaping Futures: Autumn 2024. Read story.
Who's missing at the table: Summer 2024. Read story.
Synchronicity: Summer 2024. Read story.
Compassion Play: Spring 2024. Read story.
Rites of Passage: Winter 2024. Read story.
A Mentoring Mission: Autumn 2023. Read story.
Tides of Change: Summer 2023. Read story.
Cultivating New Ministers: Spring 2023. Read story.
Big Projects, New Partners: Winter 2023. Read story.
Pathways Ahead: Autumn 2022. Read story.
Out of Chaos Comes Creativity: Spring 2022. Read story.
"STRATEGIC SHORTS": BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY VIDEO SERIES
Dr. David Rowe, Project Director for the Governance Initiative at the In Trust Center, hosts this six-part video series to enhance institutional capacity in theological education. Each episode features two experts sharing insights on key topics such as market research, facility repurposing, grant proposals, faculty engagement, mergers, and student readiness for growth.
STRATEGIC SHORTS
PODCAST
Explore the latest episodes of the In Trust Center’s Good Governance podcast, featuring interviews with influential leaders in theological education. Stay informed about the Pathways Initiative by tuning in to these insightful discussions.
To listen to the entire series, click on the Pathways Playlist button:
PATHWAYS PLAYLIST
Ep.88: A Shared Future: Rethinking Seminary Administration: Through a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant, AdminWise Shared Services, founded with Lilly Endowment Inc. support, offers theological schools strategic, mission-aligned administrative expertise, as explained by president Jeff Williams.
Ep. 82: Lilly Endowment Inc.’s expanded Pathways for Tomorrow initiative will offer up to $325 million to help theological schools accredited by the Association for Theological Schools collaborate and innovate. The Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy of ATS offers insights on what Pathways has accomplished so far and what could be ahead.
Ep. 81: The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri, is using Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grants to create new ways for people from underserved communities to get a theological education using innovative, bilingual, and online programs.
Ep. 80: Eden Theological Seminary is moving into a new model of education to form a network of other likeminded seminaries to provide a range of non-degree classes for ministers thanks to support from a Pathways grant.
Episode 76: Pacific School of Religion is using its Pathways grant to create a new ecosystem that includes not just technology but efforts to reconsider educational modes and methods.
Episode 72: The Pathways for Tomorrow initiative has reached the halfway make. The Rev. Jo Ann Deasy, director of institutional initiatives for ATS, and Amy Kardash, president of In Trust Center, discuss key findings and themes.
Episode 70: NAIITS, an Indigenous Learning Community, is using a Pathways grants to explore ways to decolonize theology and provide trauma-informed education for the Indigenous community.
Episode 69: McCormick Theological Seminary is exploring how theological education can help students to be trauma-informed.
Episode 68: China Evangelical Seminary North America is developing new programming to engage leaders and congregants of immigrant churches.
Episode 66: Kairos University is developing contextual, competency-based theological education, and now educates students across the world using their approach.
Episode 65: The Academy for Jewish Religion has created a series of explanatory videos about Judaism to foster connections between Judaism and seminarian education.
Episode 62: Hood Theological Seminary is educating students and alumni about financial planning, expand curriculum, and create anti-racism education.
Episode 57: Notre Dame's Department of Theology is using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to create cross-cultural competency in students studying for vocational and lay ministry. Professor Stacey Noem, one of the grant project directors, discusses ways the school is creating space for cross-cultural ministry and how it prepares students.
Episode 56: Lexington Theological Seminary is creating ways students can gain access to a theological education. The Rev. Dr. Loida Martell, vice president for academic affairs and dean, discusses how LTS incorporates prior learning assessments and other means to help students.
Episode 55: For the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, part of its grant is about reinvigorating community as well as addressing key issues ministers work on, including mental health, isolation, and trauma. Dr. Derek McNeil, the school's president and provost, discusses the need for leaders to be resilient, adaptable, and open to partnerships and mutual support.
Episode 54: Acadia Divinity College is experimenting and discerning future paths for the Church and theological education in its Pathways for Tomorrow grant, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Acadia President Dr. Anna Robbins and Dr. Jodi Porter, the project director, talk about creating a "sandbox," what it means to experiment, and how they're looking forward to the future.
Episode 43: The CHANGE Initiative, funded in Phase 3, is a program aimed at assisting schools that are interested in enhancing their mission focus by offering business services.
Episode 40: Matt Hufman, VP of Communications, interviews Amy Kardash, President, and Jo Ann Deasy, Director of Institutional Initiatives and Student Research at ATS, give an overview and update on themes and trends in the Pathways initiative.
PATHWAYS SESSIONS
Champions of Change
Dr. B. David Rowe, president of Windermere Consulting, offers five tips for involving an institution's board in Pathways projects and other transformative initiatives.
Tending to the Increasing Importance of Human Formation in Theological Education
Maria Pitt-Payne and David C. Wang discuss how human formation needs to take a holistic approach to preparing individuals for religius leadership.
Navigating Communications Conflicts and Challenges
Donna K. Alexander, President and CEO of Advoxum Global Strategies shares how effective communication is the primary tool for resolving conflict.
Educating Multivocational Ministries
Rev. Dr. Kwasi Kena and Darryl Stephens discuss the challenges of educating multivocational ministers, including providing appropriate learning support and curricula design. They also give examples of tools for prior learning assessments and micro-credentialing.
Financial Well-being
Economic challenges for pastoral leaders and theological educators include student educational debt and the financial health of theological schools and seminaries. Elise Erikson Barrett, Coordination Program Director, National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders, and Velma E. Love, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies / Director, Doctor of Ministry program, Interdenominational Theological Center, share insights on the best solutions to avoid increasing the financial burdens on students, clergy, and churches, and support their financial well-being.
WEBINARS
Seminaries Are People, Too: Mindsets that make or break institutional culture.
In this webinar, change management and leadership development coach Dr. Aaron Einfeld and strategy and governance consultant Dr. David Rowe offer tools to help leaders identify and overcome the hidden barriers to change that keep their institutions stuck.
Sustainability for Schools: David Rowe, an AGB Consulting group leader and coach of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards initiative, leads a series of webinars on sustainability for theological schools. Watch the on-demand video.
For more webinars, including change management and institutional transformation, click here.