Samford University’s Resource Center for Pastoral Excellence (RCPE) in Birmingham has received a grant of $800,000 from Lilly Endowment, Inc., in Indianapolis for a five-year program to implement new congregational resourcing initiatives.
The grant will enable RCPE to expand its program for ministers to provide new resources intended to advance congregational excellence. The initiatives include resource specialists to help congregations identify and address a wide variety of needs, a resource library and guide, small targeted seminars and workshops and resource mini-grants. Outcomes assessment, a research project conducted by the provost’s office and a pilot project to test a new resourcing method also are being made possible by the grant.
“The resourcing needs of congregations vary widely depending on context and each congregation’s unique challenges and opportunities,” said Michael K. Wilson, RCPE director. “These needs can be of a practical nature such as long-range or strategic planning, a pastor search, volunteer enlistment and training, financial stewardship or space utilization issues to name a few. In other cases resourcing needs may be more philosophical in nature. For example, assessing core values and the implications these values have on future missions and ministry.”
Wilson noted congregations “typically look externally” to find assistance specific to an area of missions and ministry. “Fortunately, or more often unfortunately, a dizzying array of programs, services, coaches, consultants and agencies exists a click away that range widely in suitability, flexibility and cost,” he said.
In most cases, he added, “it is very difficult to verify the credentials or purported outcomes of these resources.”
RCPE will offer a means by which congregations first can learn to think creatively about their needs and then generate the best possible solutions utilizing both their own resources and wisely chosen outside resources, Wilson said.
Well-regarded consultants
The Samford program will enlist a team of 10 to 15 experienced current and/or former pastors and well-regarded denominational consultants to serve as resource specialists. Resource specialists will function much like coaches, utilizing a technique called facilitated self-learning where congregations discover their own needs and solutions. RCPE then will help provide resources to address their needs or to help them act upon their discoveries.
Wilson also noted RCPE will help congregations in the following ways:
- Resource Library and Guide — RCPE maintains a library on subjects related to pastoral ministry and congregational life.
- Resourcing mini-grants — Congregations can apply for one-time mini-grants of up to $1,500 to be applied toward expenses related to resourcing goals and needs chosen for action by the congregation.
- Resource consulting pilot project — The program will conduct a pilot project to investigate the impact of facilitated peer learning as an effective resourcing strategy. This approach will bring together two or three churches who want to work together to learn from each other as they respond to challenges and opportunities in their ministry setting. The first project already is underway between Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, and St. Charles Baptist Church, New Orleans.
(Samford)
Share with others: