Confidence in virtually all American institutions continues to decline, a phenomenon augmented by rising rates of loneliness, isolation, economic and geographic clustering, and cultural tribalism. For the church to be a prophetic witness in this milieu is to be a space of radical and unconditional…
What type of leadership is needed in a moment that demands adaptive change? Join us as we speak with Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains, as he discuss his newest book, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change, the #1…
The significant role of smaller congregations across our country cannot be overstated. Yet so often, these critically important ministry contexts are overlooked when we consider the trends, innovations, and creativity evolving in 21st century ministry. What are the specific challenges facing small church pastors in…
How will we continue to lead faithfully, support one another, proclaim the truth, and navigate the anxieties of our congregations and communities after the election this week? Watch as we reflect together on following Jesus with courage and hopefulness in the days ahead. This webinar…
What can we say, 2020 has been a doozy and we are just beginning the fourth quarter. In addition to “everything pandemic” and the most recent movements advocating for racial justice, we are also experiencing societal upheaval…and now such anxiety around the election. How do…
How do we preach faithfully and prophetically during a pandemic and time of crisis, and manage the need for both pastoral and prophetic preaching? How do we deliver the truthful, powerful narrative of the gospel among the multiple narratives in our society? How do we…
We are thrilled to be joined by a panel of seven pastors who are serving in a wide variety of ministry contexts across the country: J.C. Austin, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, PA, Jerry Cannon, Pastor of C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church in…
Over the past two months, we’ve been listening and learning alongside pastors and lay leaders from all over the country, from a broad diversity of backgrounds and contexts, about the complexities of ministry right now. The pandemic is not only making day-to-day ministry complicated but…
We are entering an extraordinarily unique Holy Week. The week’s tensions of death and resurrection, darkness and light, fear and courage, despair and joy are perhaps more palpable and complex than any of us have experienced in our lifetimes. What will it be like to…
“Proclaim the word!” the apostle Paul exhorted Timothy, “And be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable.” Well, what sort of time are we in? Where does preaching, proclamation, and witness to the gospel intersect with the people of communities in this extraordinary moment? How do…
Our Extraordinary Opportunity to Embrace & Equip a Scattered Church Beyond the immediate challenges of reaching our congregations and communities remotely, how will we seize this moment to recover and re-imagine a simpler, deeper ministry for the long-term? What is this moment exposing about our…
This is an urgent time to faithfully lead with depth, creativity, and imagination, and not get stuck in crisis-management mode. What will we learn in this moment about God, the church, and our communities that might shift our understanding of ministry in the 21st century?…
”
I was the Facilitator for the first New York City cohort, and at the time, I was working in theological education on Christian leadership formation, so it seemed like a natural fit. What I discovered, though, was something quite different from my “day job.” While the content and topics of the curriculum was a crucial part of our gatherings, it was the community of mutual care and support that made the content relevant, not the other way around. And second, having three years of strong bonding created an extraordinarily resilient community that, in turn, was able to build up resilience in our leaders. I think every member of my cohort went through significant seasons of both joy and heartache, professionally and vocationally, during our time. And the cohort, in turn, lived out the exhortation of Romans 12:15, “rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep,” with a depth and integrity that I have rarely experienced, and often doing both in the same gathering. It was a privilege and a blessing to me and my own faith and ministry to be their facilitator, and I am eternally grateful to the Ministry Collaborative for calling me to that work!”
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“I truly looked forward to this every week. The discussion topics, activities, and small group conversations were all very rich and meaningful. This experience gave me space to reflect on what’s happening right now in my congregation and community. It helped me to think about what might be next in my own ministry. It offered some very concrete ways I might work on equipping leaders in my congregation. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from different places, denominations, and contexts–and learning from their experiences and reflections. I also appreciated hearing further conversation and reinforcement in the podcasts.”
Graduation Date:
July 14, 2021
“The experience was, in one word, enriching. It was timely as well. I was at a critical point in my own ministry and this literally breathed life back into me. The time went by so fast that I didn’t even realize two months had passed. To be able to share that type of camaraderie with other preachers, and realize that my struggles are not isolated, was liberating.”
Graduation Date:
March 18, 2021
“It was great to find confirmation and affirmation of my ministry through the voices of other pastors. I particularly enjoyed the focused time on talking about each of us as individuals and pastors, and not so much on what our churches look like.”
Graduation Date:
January 31st, 2020