The newsletter for chairs of theological school boards, Vol. 4, No. 12
What if you could see clearly into the future? That would be a dream for most leaders, wouldn’t it?
Seeing, though, isn’t enough. In a recent episode of the Good Governance podcast, the Rev. Tod Bolsinger, Ph.D., talks about how theological school boards can prepare for the future. The author of Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory, Bolsinger notes how members of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition saw the future: They spotted the Rocky Mountains months before reaching them, but when they finally did, they were unprepared. The mountains were unlike anything they had expected.
It wasn’t just a matter of seeing the future – they had to understand that expectations might not come to pass and how to adapt to changing realities. That’s true for theological schools as well, particularly for governing boards, which are called to discern not only the future but how to prepare for it. Among the insights Bolsinger offers is this:
“Discernment is the spiritual practice of governance. It’s interesting how little time we spend on discernment. We spend a lot of our time on reports and data but not on discernment.”
I invite you to listen to this podcast episode and share it with your board. A good board discussion could focus on how you are seeing the future and what you can do to discern what’s ahead. You can listen to the episode here.
As you think about that, one thing that might be helpful is applying for a Board Development Grant. These grants are unique, offering boards up to $10,000 for action-oriented board development opportunities and growth. You can find out more about the grants here, and you can reach out to us about board grants via email here. The deadline for applying is Sept. 30.
If you have questions about the grants, our team would be happy to help. We’d also love to know how you’re discerning the future. Send us an email.
Thanks for all you do for theological education.
Amy Kardash
President, In Trust Center for Theological Schools
