Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts
Video Series for Building Institutional Capacity The Rev. David Rowe, Ph.D., Project Director for the Governance Initiative and…
Find resources and best practices to strengthen shared governance, fostering collaboration, mutual accountability, and mission-driven decision-making in theological schools.
- In Trust Magazine Articles 73
- Documents 14
- News & Insights 10
- Videos & Webinars 6
- Podcast 8
The Star
Present Moment | Preparing for greatness
Relationships are key to stewardship. They also making coming into the room more fun.
On My Mind
On My Mind
The mobile provides a good analogy for the work of governance and is worth a look…
On My Mind
Smarter questions
The questions we fail to ask are the ones that will get us into trouble, writes…
On My Mind
What’s Working?
What’s happening in theological education? There are three ways that leaders of theological schools can draw…
The Culture
Books | The Courage to Quit
Tod Bolsinger provides a series of short, accessible books to help leaders re-think the time and…
Feature Articles
Shared Governance is Smooth Like Jazz
Whether you’re a jazz aficionado or not, chances are that when you hear a jazz combo…
The Guardian
A New Look at Boards
A new survey as part of the In Trust Center’s Governance Initiative provides a new look…
The Guardian
Remark(able) | For Board Reflections
Consider how advisory boards can help your school.
On My Mind
Answering the call
After more than 15 years with the In Trust Center, I continue to be inspired by…
The Guardian
Remark(able) | For Board Reflections
Take a moment to consider how the institution considers presidential assessment and how the board does…
The Star
Future Promise | Welcoming
When we invite Latinas/os, being culturally competent and creating welcoming structures is important, yet student retention…
On My Mind
Means or Ends?
Today, theological education has embarked on a journey where structures and models may need to be…
Annual Report
Core Essential 3-President-Board Chair Partnership
Wise boards know the relationship between the school president and board chair is mission-critical.
Document
Core Essential 4-Balanced Budgets Fundraising Goals
Budget building is a challenging process, especially when finances are tight, and board members should balance…
Guide
4 Steps to Smooth Functioning Shared Governance
Shared governance has long been a part of theological education in North America but is often…
Guide
Storytelling
While financial control often seems like the key to influence, it’s storytelling that holds power. Boards…
Annual Report
Core Essential 4: The Board’s Role in Fundraising
There are two key components to a board's role in fundraising: Collective governance and individual involvement.
Guide
Executive Sessions
If your board is not holding an executive session during every board meeting, maybe it should.
Guide
Who’s in the chair?
The board chair plays a pivotal role in guiding the board and serving as a trusted…
Guide
Wise Stewards Guide
This is "the" guide for people governing theological schools. As the introduction says, "How well a…
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter: July 2025
THE MAGAZINE Flexible, tailored collaboration partners Eden Theological Seminary’s initiative, “Navigating the Shift,” funded by a $5…
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter: June 2025
Collaborations, Shared Services, Shifting Regulatory Environment, and much more.
News & Insights
Strategic Short: Large-scale Collaboration and Merging Multiple Brands
Learn how to communicate your institution's brand value to potential collaborators and how to build an…
News & Insights
In Trust Monthly Newsletter: October 2024
Top 3 on-demand webinars, shared governance, and much more.
News & Insights
Sept 2024: Board Chair Newsletter
Reflection, governance, and relationship from Rev. Nancy Claire Pittman as she retires as president of Phillips…
News & Insights
Board Chair Newsletter: August 2024
In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects understanding our shared mission.
News & Insights
Resource Round-Up: Shared Governance Resources
Here are a few resources to help your institution define and discuss shared governance and ensure…
News & Insights
Subject to church authority – another model for school governance
Most theological schools have boards that make the big decisions: to close, merge, or reorganize; to…
Videos & Webinars
Large-scale Collaboration and Merging Multiple Brands
Strategies for communicating an institution's brand value to prospective partners
Videos & Webinars
Boards on a Tight Rope: Navigating the Power Differential in Shared Governance
Webinar explores attitudes about power, types of power at play within shared governance, and strategies for…
Videos & Webinars
Redeeming Conflict One Tough Conversation at a Time
Conflict can either divide or strengthen institutions, offering a framework and practical strategies for constructive dialogue.
Videos & Webinars
I See That Hand
Board members are typically recruited for their leadership, business acumen, and networks. Dr. Rebekah Basinger, project…
Videos & Webinars
Called to the Chair: Board Leadership for Unsettled Times
Dr. Rebekah Basinger addresses the opportunities and challenges that come with chairing the board of a…
Videos & Webinars
Governance Minute: Five Steps to Shared Governance Success
Delores Brisbon says that for shared governance to succeed, an institution needs to follow five key…
Podcast
Ep. 77: What a president needs to know
The Rev. Nancy Claire Pittman, Ph.D., is retiring as president of Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa,…
Podcast
Ep. 74: The many facets of shared governance
The Rev. Heather Hartung, Ph.D., has been a student, minister, faculty member, dean, and member of…
Podcast
Ep. 71: Governance and the practice of holiness
Can the work of governance – even board meetings – be holy? Award-winning writer and author…
Podcast
Ep. 67 – Understanding the “invisible balance sheet”
Dr. Rebekah Burch Basinger considers the "invisible balance sheet" – things that institutions are responsible for…
Podcast
Ep. 64 – Why speciality accreditation matters
Dr. Philip Dearborn, president of the Association for Biblical Higher Education in the United States and…
Podcast
Ep. 51: The “trust gap” in theological education
There's a "trust gap" in the American workplace, according to Cory Scheer, Ed.D., the founder and…
Podcast
Ep. 48: Keeping the mission vibrant – Lancaster’s story
During his tenure as interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, Dr. David Rowe was challenged with…
Podcast
Ep. 21: The Importance of Shared Governance
Dr. Rebekah Basinger and Dr. Marsha Foster Boyd discuss shared governance from multiple vantage points, emphasizing…
Upcoming & Recent Webinars
The In Trust Center hosts learning community spaces throughout the year. Check out our upcoming and recent ones below.
Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts: Large-scale Collaboration and the Role of Boards
Focus on the critical role boards play in large-scale collaborations
Videos & Webinars
Strategic Shorts: Large-scale Collaboration and Difficult Personnel Decisions
How theological schools can navigate complex personnel decisions during large-scale collaborations.
Videos & Webinars
Large-scale Collaboration and Change of Control
The formal process of transferring control between institutional boards
Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?
In Trust Center provides Resource Consulting to our members at no charge. Contact us today and let us guide you to the most helpful resources for your situation.