PACE Academy
Grace School of Theology (GSOT), a diverse and relatively new institution near Houston, is launching the “PACE Academy (Pathways Accelerating Christian Education)” program with support from the Pathways grant. The academy offers micro-credentials aimed at providing accelerated, alternative pathways to credentialing for pastors and lay ministers. These certifications, embedded within the seminary, align with traditional continuing education models while addressing emerging educational needs in ministry.
Briefly describe the project.
The PACE Academy aims to offer accelerated tracks for pastors and congregational lay leaders, combining the depth and richness of traditional theological training with rigorous competency-based learning experiences and practical application training. We recognize that the average seminary student is often perceived as untrained and disconnected when placed in a real-life ministry setting. Some ministry leaders may not even have had the opportunity to be formally equipped through seminary. With these gaps, there is an increasing demand for specialized training that is both grounded on theology and contextualized for today’s needs.
By providing micro-credentials in practical ministry skills often overlooked in traditional seminary programs, PACE redefines the education process for current and future church leaders. With the depth and richness of traditional theological training alongside competency-based learning experiences, PACE students are equipped to effectively build ministry opportunities and address issues.
What have we learned so far?
One key insight we gained during Phase I of this initiative, through pastoral roundtable gatherings we held across the United States, is the accuracy of our research. Other ATS schools conducted similar research and, despite geographical and demographic differences, their research that was almost identical to ours.
What has surprised you along the way?
The time, talent, and treasure that Lilly Endowment, ATS, and the In Trust Center have invested in supporting the organizations awarded grants under this initiative have been both surprising and rewarding. All three organizations demonstrate a true commitment to helping us schieve our goals.
What have been a few of your successes?
We are excited to announce several significant developments at our organization. We have launched our online learning platform, PACE Academy, which can be accessed at gsot.edu/PACEacademy. Our online community has seen impressive growth, nearing 2,000 users. Additionally, we introduced our first course that offers a direct path to academic credit, focusing on hermeneutics and principles of biblical interpretation. We also celebrated the completion of our inaugural biblical counseling certificate cohort and have become an official training site for the Association of Biblical Counselors.
What aspects of the project are you hopeful about?
Under the leadership of our provost, Dr. Mark “Dean” Haywood, we are hopeful that PACE Academy will become an integral part of the Grace School of Theology’s DNA and thrive long after the grant period. Dr. Haywood has facilitated a direct connection to our academic programs and enlisted the help of additional subject matter experts to enrich our program offerings.
What we you learning that could help other schools?
Our project has frequently utilized the plan-,act-learn-adjust model to adapt to various changes within the organization. This model has assisted us in navigating staff changes, overcome collaboration blocks, make informed financial decisions, and, most importantly, ensure that our mission remains our core focus. We are proud of how our project has transformed us from being an outlier to becoming a main source of recruitment and resource development for our school.