While financial control often seems like the key to influence, it’s storytelling that holds power. Boards of theological schools must pay close attention to the narratives shaping their institutions—especially in the boardroom.

If your board is not holding an executive session during every board meeting, maybe it should.

This is "the" guide for people governing theological schools. As the introduction says, "How well a theological school is governed is key to the institution’s overall effectiveness and its fidelity to its mission. In the midst of change and discontinuity, the governing board is the steward that nurtures the purpose and vision of a theological school across the span of time." Download the guide and get started!

In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects on avoiding missing trends and issues that affect our mission.

In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects on finding better ways to engage an institution's board.

Many theological school board members see their work as a calling. Dr. Karen Sawyer, a doctor of physical therapy and theological school board member, talks about why.

Theological school boards can - and should - spend time preparing policies and procedures that prepare for potential legal actions. Find out more here.

Reducing expenses, decreasing enrollment, increasing costs, and shrinking revenue. These are the current realities of higher education. Are your board members asking the right questions in response?

In 2014, Karen Stiller asked Elizabeth L. Visconage and Joseph Molyneaux to share their thoughts about a resource from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members by Julia I. Walker. Their years of experience with boards and fundraising are readily apparent as Visconage and Molyneaux comment on some of the major points in Walker's book. A key question that guided the conversation: Is it realistic to expect all board members to be active fundraisers?

Board members often lament the lack of time in board meetings to focus on strategic issues and trends that really affect the future of the institution. Many boards struggle with spending too much time on the present, or even on the past. They prioritizereports from staff and committees but leave little time for robust discussions about moving forward.

Effective board orientation is valuablefor new trustees and veteran board members alike. Fitting orientation into already-full board meetings can be difficult, but it is important to take time each year to do so.

As part of the ongoing work of the In Trust Center's Wise Stewards Initiative, participating schools are completingboard self-assessments, which their faculty coaches are usingto create board development plans. Creating a plan is something that every school should consider doing.

The dashboard of a carcan tell you a lot — fuel level, speed, air temperature, tire pressure. The one thing it can't tell you is where you're going. For that we need another metaphor. Randall Basinger at Messiah College has just the thing: GPS, or governance positioning system.

Theological school boards are responsible for all aspects of the school they serve, including the spiritual formation of their students. But how can boards know for sure whether spiritual formation is being adequately addressed?

Do you have new (or existing) board members that require orientation? Interested in conducting an assessment ofyour board's efficacy? Feel as if your board could be communicating or collaborating better?

Board members are typically recruited for their leadership, business acumen, and networks. Dr. Rebekah Basinger, project director of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards Initiative, will discuss how strategic questioning and interrogation skills are essential for effective board stewardship.

Seminaries are People Too: Mindsets that make or break institutional change

Dr. Rebekah Basinger addresses the opportunities and challenges that come with chairing the board of a theological school, which include how to design effective board meetings, enhance board member engagement, and develop the board for long-term effectiveness while giving attention to the board chair and president partnership and the critical importance of call in both roles.

With any organizational plan, certain pivotal individuals – both internal and external – hold significant influence over our goals. To ensure the success of a program, initiative, or on-going strategy, we must prioritize these “Audiences of One” differently from larger audiences. Learn how the “Stakeholder Management Plan” tracks the status of these relationships to help boost overall success.

This webinar series addresses the basics of change management and adaptive leadership needed to navigate change.

In this session, we consider the policies, practices, and key performance indicators most helpful to supporting the essential partnership between the president and the governing board.

Learn how to equip, educate, and resource its members.

Rebekah Basinger leads a discussion on board governance as part of the Wise Stewards Initiative's Governance Between the Times Seminar.

Dr. Derek McNeil, president of The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, provides information on recruiting board members of diverse backgrounds. This presentation was offered as part of the Governance Between the Times seminar of the Wise Stewards Initiative.

Providing a well-organized board orientation can set the direction for the board and provide them with a strong foundation for leadership.

The sudden departure of a key leader can threaten your school's mission. But it can also be an opportunity for growth if you have nurtured a culture of leadership continuity.

Dr. Rebekah Burch Basinger sees fundraising as a vital ministry that can shape faith and fuel the work of theological education. An expert in fundraising, Basinger revisits her book "Growing Givers' Hearts" on its 25th anniversary and explores the power of generosity, breaking the scarcity mindset and embracing God’s abundance. She shares insights from her research, offering practical wisdom for boards, presidents, and leaders to treat fundraising as an expression of faith. Learn how theological schools can inspire donors, strengthen financial health, and model a spirit of generosity that transforms future church leaders.

Just 13% of CEOs of ATS-accredited schools are women. In Trust Center President Amy Kardash discusses the pathways for women in leadership of theological schools and how boards can help women succeed.

For Dr. Karen Sawyer, the sense of calling has kept her at Missio Seminary for more than 30 years.

Making boards good isn’t enough – they need to be great to help schools fulfill their callings, and Dr. Rebekah Basinger knows how.

In the final episode of the Wise Stewards series podcast, discover the pivotal role of engagement in the success of a theological school board through well-crafted meeting agendas, trustee feedback, and diverse perspectives, which nurture the skills and interests of board members.

In episode 8 of the Wise Stewards Series podcast, learn about the value of the board engaging a consultant, the issues boards should consider, and the essential questions they should be asking.

In Episode 6 of the Wise Stewards series podcast, Dr. Byron Klaus and Dr. Rebekah Basinger discuss the difference between governing and advisory boards, the uniqueness of embedded boards, and the support boards offer for advancing an institution's mission.

In the fifth episode of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards series podcast, special guests Ms. Lynette M. Brown-Sow, Wise Stewards Initiative Faculty Coach and governance consultant, and Dr. Rebekah Basinger, Wise Stewards Initiative Project Director and governance consultant, offer valuable insights into the board’s role in recruitment and diversity, emphasizing the importance of fostering institutional equity, diversity, and inclusion.

In the fourth installment of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards podcast series, Drs. Rod Wilson and Byron Klaus, Faculty Coaches for the Wise Stewards Initiative and experienced governance consultants, discuss the significant impact of the president and board chair relationship. Special insights include mutual respect, shared purpose, effective communication, willingness to compromise, and the importance of encouragement within this crucial relationship.

Listen as leading theological school board experts share best practices for building a culture of assessment with helpful insights on the who, what, and why of assessment.

Dr. Byron Klaus and Dr. Rod Wilson offer a distinctive viewpoint on the roles and responsibilities of boards, with a particular focus on board orientation. They delve into the process, highlighting its significance in relation to the school's mission and governance.