The Theological Education Initiative

The Kern Family Foundation’s Theological Education Initiative exists to strengthen ATS - accredited Evangelical theological schools.  This initiative began in 2007 with a grant to In Trust, Inc.

The Theological Education Initiative is currently expanding through, “Leading Through Change: Innovation in Theological Schools.” Leading Through Change (LTC) is a matching grants initiative seeking to foster innovation in seminaries that helps them move toward mission fulfillment with economic sustainability by means of transformational presidential leadership expressed through shared governance. Leading Through Change brings focus:

• To the urgent need for new models in education for ministry;
• To the requirement that such innovation must be directed through transformational leadership in the context of collegial governance;
• To resources that will energize institutions to design new horizons in theological education;
• To produce measurable outcomes in terms of authentic pastoral theologians who will have long-term impact upon the Church, the culture and the world.

Five seminaries have received Leading Through Change matching grants as described in this press release.

Theological School – Issue Definition

 1. Assemblies of God Theological Seminary - Providing a seamless pastoral education between college and seminary through partnership options.

2. Fuller Theological Seminary - M.Div. curricular innovations in the context of a strategic planning process.

3. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary – Providing access to a ministry degree focused upon leadership development through a hybrid model of technology.

4. Multnomah Biblical Seminary - Offering pastoral education through residential, off-site and on-line learning.

5. Nazarene Theological Seminary - Reorienting pastoral education to serve the missional church.

6. Grand Rapids Theological Seminary - Extending non-residential theological education to diverse cultural and ethnic groups.