In Trust Center

Send us Fan Mail 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. 

Send us Fan Mail Lexington Theological Seminary is using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to help create ways students can gain access to a theological education. The Rev. Dr. Loida Martell, vice president for academic affairs and dean, talks about how the school is using prior learning assessments and other means to help students. 

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Derek McNeil, the president and provost of the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, discusses how his school is looking to help provide not just pathways for ministers but also ways to help heal a community. 

Send us Fan Mail Acadia Divinity School 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. 

Send us Fan Mail 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. She also talks about the article in the Autumn 2023 issue of In Trust magazine "No CEO Goes It Alone."  

Send us Fan Mail Five years ago, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab at Brandies University opened to explore and support the role of chaplaincy. With a changing religious landscape, the role of chaplains can be a benefit. Theological schools, in their work to train chaplains, can benefit as well. Dr. Wendy Cadge, founder and director, of the lab, and Dr. Michael Skaggs, co-founder and director of progr...

Send us Fan Mail There's a "trust gap" in the American workplace, according to Cory Scheer, Ed. D., the founder and CEO of TrustCentric. Scheer, a former pastor, academic administrator, and leader in business and nonprofits, studied trust as part of his doctoral work. The lessons can help theological schools learn how to improve performance and outcomes in their work. 

Send us Fan Mail After taking over as the president of Hartford Seminary, Joel Lohr, Ph. D., undertook a new strategic plan, which seemed routine. But after bringing in Rick Staisloff of rpk GROUP, he saw an opportunity and charted a course that ended with a revitalized mission and a new name: Hartford International University of Religion and Peace. You can find out more about the name change here...

Send us Fan Mail The rise of conspiracy theories and a lack of trust in institutions in societies have given some leaders in the church pause to consider the impact. In this episode, Rob Saler, Ph. D., of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, says theological schools can play a role in combatting these issues. 

Send us Fan Mail When Dr. David Rowe stepped in as the interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, the board of directors and senior staff had been having conversations about the future. For Lancaster, there was a question of how to preserve the mission for future generations. The result was a merger that provides a positive vision for the years ahead. Rowe and Elizabeth Palmer Bennett, w...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. MaryKate Morse, who served as executive dean of Portland Seminary, discusses the key relationships she forged in an embedded seminary and how she demonstrated the value to the school. 

Send us Fan Mail There has been considerable concern about artificial intelligence and its use in theological higher education, particularly as it relates to cheating. But Greg Henson, president of Kairos University, and Ruth McGillivray say there's more to it than that.  In this episode, they discuss the opportunities for theological schools to explore with AI. As promised in the episode, th...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to raise money? At its heart: generosity. In her career, Dr. Carla Maxwell Ray has helped raise more than $1 billion for a variety of organizations, institutions, and schools, and she encourages fundraisers to invite people into the opportunity to be generous. In this episode, Ray talks about ways to help people see generosity as a spiritual virtue and the opport...

Send us Fan Mail Having spent a life in religious education, Helen Blier, Ph. D., offers several key reasons why theological schools should consider lifelong learning and continuing education programs. She says those programs can serve as both an entry point into theological schools and a connection point for ministers serving in the field, helping them navigate change. This is particularly import...

Send us Fan Mail Is there a way to help theological schools cut overhead costs and free up resources to focus on mission? That’s the goal of the CHANGE Initiative, one of the projects funded in Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. David Boshart, president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and Dr. Jeff Williams, the project director o...

Send us Fan Mail Rev. Dr. Steven Moore, CEO emeritus of the M. J. Murdock Trust, says leaders in theological education should consider how they focus on stewardship. Drawing on 40 years of leadership in nonprofit groups and theological and higher education, Moore outlines what good leaders need, how boards can frame the work, and how leaders can stay fresh. Moore also reflects on his recent piece...

Send us Fan Mail Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada, the executive director of the Association of Theological Schools, says leadership turnover at ATS-accredited schools is at an unprecedented level. The data is clear: With pressing demands in a post-pandemic world, leaders are moving on in greater numbers than ever before. In this episode of the Good Governance podcast, Yamada discusses what it means for theo...

Send us Fan Mail Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is investing millions of dollars in theological education in North America. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the In Trust Center are co-coordinating the initiative, and in this episode, the In Trust Center’s Amy Kardash and the Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy of ATS discuss the emerging trends, interesting projects, and...

Send us Fan Mail In her doctoral work, Dr. Jodi Porter created a simple tool to help seminaries and theological schools discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion at their institutions. Those conversations can be difficult, but Porter’s tool provides a clear way to frame the issues and offers what questions to ask. In this episode, she discusses how the tool came to be and how schools can use it.  ...

Send us Fan Mail Rev. Dr. Scott Sunquist, the seventh president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, joins the podcast to talk about the school’s “pivot” – the plan to sell all or part of its scenic campus in Hamilton, Massachusetts, and move to Boston. Dr. Sunquist explains the financial realities he found after taking office in 2019, what it means to stay on mission in a global context for Go...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Good Governance podcast, the In Trust Center team talks about a few key trends facing theological schools, including a rise in schools embedding in colleges and universities, and innovation. Amy Kardash, Annie Glanden, and Matt Hufman finish a wide-ranging discussion on trends in the episode, “Trends, issues, and the essentials for 2023, part 2.” It includes...

Send us Fan Mail What’s ahead in the next year for theological schools in North America? Find out in the first part of a wide-ranging discussion on the In Trust Center’s Good Governance podcast. The In Trust Center’s Amy Kardash, Annie Glanden, and Matt Hufman discuss key issues in field, including an upcoming grant issue to help schools innovate. 

Send us Fan Mail Good boards often see their work not just as an act of stewardship or service but also as a sense of calling. For Dr. Karen Sawyer, the sense of calling has kept her on the Missio Seminary board? for more than 30 years. And the lessons she has learned will help other board members and school leaders see the value of their sacred work.  You can also see three takeaways from the con...

Send us Fan Mail Jason Allen, Ph. D., came to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as president a decade ago and found a school that was struggling. Today, the school is thriving and is one of the fastest-growing and largest seminaries in North America. In this episode, Dr. Allen talks about some of the principles that led to the change as outlined in his new book Turnaround: The Remarkable Sto...

Send us Fan Mail Did you know that the In Trust Center offers $15,000 matching grants to implement new projects? Join us today as we spotlight one of these grants and connect with Dr. Brent Sleasman, president of Winebrenner Theological Seminary, to discuss how his institution utilized its grant to advance collaboration and enhance content for its user-generated digital platform, Co-Mission. If yo...