Baylor Launches Future Church Leadership Certificate

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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As ministry leaders and faith communities navigate the challenges of ministry in a changing world, Baylor University’s Office of Engaged Learning in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Program for the Future Church at Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary have collaborated to launch the Future Church Leadership Certificate. From fostering belonging to addressing the challenges of isolation and mental health, the certificate program provides practical tools for those who serve faithfully across ministry contexts to lead change and shape sustainable ministries.

The initial Future Church Leadership Certificate offerings will include four non-credit courses on “Belonging,” “Collaborative Leadership,” “Mental Health and Burnout” and “Church Innovation.” 

Taught by Baylor faculty at Truett Seminary and the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as other University, local and Texas Baptist ministry partners, the certificate courses are delivered online for participants to complete according to their own schedules. In the future, the program hopes to offer additional elective offerings on relevant topics such as disability, fundraising and more, in collaboration with partners.

Enrollment for the Future Church Leadership Certificate is open now and welcomes Christian leaders from around the world, including pastors, church elders and deacons, Sunday school leaders, nonprofit and mental health professionals, social workers, church lay leaders and more.

“These individuals may not be preaching in the pulpit or setting the vision for ministry, but they are the ones who make ministry possible week after week and carry the weight of care, coordination and creativity in ways that often go unseen. The Future Church Leadership Certificate honors the role of these leaders and equips them with the tools to take the next step in their ministries.” - Dustin D. Benac, Th.D.

“These individuals may not be preaching in the pulpit or setting the vision for ministry, but they are the ones who make ministry possible week after week and carry the weight of care, coordination and creativity in ways that often go unseen,” said Dustin D. Benac, Th.D., clinical assistant professor of philanthropy and organizational studies in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences and director and co-founder of the Program for the Future Church at Truett Seminary.

“The Future Church Leadership Certificate honors the role of these leaders and equips them with the tools to take the next step in their ministries," Benac said.

Addressing critical challenges

Ministry leaders today face questions different from those that shaped previous generations. For example, belonging is elusive, loneliness is rampant and mental health and burnout are acute concerns.

“Addressing these issues is central to the sustainability of a thriving ministry,” Benac said. “However, church and nonprofit leaders report that they are not always trained to respond to these challenges as they continue to lead change in their communities.”

The Future Church Leadership Certificate seeks to close this gap by providing asynchronous, non-credit courses to help ministry leaders address these challenges in their own contexts. Through four courses, the certificate equips leaders and faith communities with the tools and imagination needed to take their next step in navigating a shifting ministry landscape.

The certificate program is funded in part through a $1 million grant in 2021 from Lilly Endowment Inc. that helped launch Truett Seminary’s Program for the Future Church, a collaborative community that pilots solutions for emerging and pressing challenges facing the Church.

“Due to the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc. and the creativity and industry of Dr. Dustin D. Benac and his collaborators, convenient, affordable certificate training is now available for ministry practitioners and any number of others who are seeking to learn more about a range of timely topics, including loneliness, leadership, mental health, burnout and innovation,” said Todd D. Still, Ph.D., The Charles J. and Eleanor McLerran DeLancey Dean at Truett Seminary and holder of The William M. Hinson Chair of Christian Scriptures. 

“My hope is that this program will equip, enable and empower participants to be more thoughtful, faithful and fruitful in serving the LORD and those with whom they are privileged to serve,” Still added.

“All of us at Baylor have a vested interest in future church leadership,” said Andy Hogue, Ph.D., associate dean of engaged learning at Baylor. 

“This certificate program responds to emerging needs and prepares leaders for what the future requires so the church might help lead the way in efforts to help communities thrive. What a joy to see this certificate emerge,” Hogue said.

Preparation to flourish

The Future Church Leadership Certificate also aligns with the four core commitments of the Baylor in Deeds strategic plan:

• Equipping students to flourish by preparing faith leaders to respond to complex challenges through holistic approaches and integrated theological reflection;
• Extending interdisciplinary research and impact by translating three years of community-based, interdisciplinary research to develop courses that resource local communities;
• Contributing to a vibrant, caring and global community by creating a pathway for engagement with existing and emerging members of the Baylor Family that can be accessed anywhere in the world; and
• Demonstrating Christian stewardship by developing a strategic and sustainable research and educational model that also includes the role of  philanthropy for faith leaders.

To enroll in the Future Church Leadership Certificate, please register online. The Future Church Leadership Certificate can be completed by individuals or as a cohort; teams of ministry leaders are encouraged to apply. If you have questions before enrolling, please contact PFFC@Baylor.edu. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.

ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical, multi-denominational school in the historic Baptist tradition embedded into Baylor, a Christian R1 University. Truett’s mission is to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist World Alliance, Truett Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Contextual Witness and Innovation, Master of Arts in Theology, Ecology and Food Justice, Master of Arts in Theology and Healthcare, Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies (online), Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry and Ph.D. in Preaching. In addition to distinctive programs, institutes and centers, Truett Seminary also offers joint degrees through Baylor University school/college partnerships in social work, business, law, music and education. Besides its flagship Baugh-Reynolds Campus in Waco, the Seminary also has locations in Houston and San Antonio. Visit the Truett Seminary website to learn more.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 11 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. The College’s undergraduate Unified Core Curriculum, which routinely receives top grades in national assessments, emphasizes a liberal education characterized by critical thinking, communication, civic engagement and Christian commitment. Arts & Sciences faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.