News & Insights
July 31, 2023

THE MAGAZINE
The pressure of change  

Theological schools are facing an unprecedented level of turnover among senior leaders, and Frank Yamada, Ph.D., executive director of the Association of Theological Schools, says leaders and boards should consider the times and how they're changing. That takes serious work and consideration of how to respond. See the piece here. Also in this issue:
  • Tuition models: Learn how Winebrenner Theological Seminary reconsidered its tuition model and came up with a subscription plan. President Brent Sleasman, Ph.D., outlines Winebrenner's thinking here.
  • Lessons from lifelong learning: Continuing education and lifelong learning can be porches for theological schools, wide-open, welcoming places to bring in new students and engage alumni. Helen Blier, Ph.D., the president of the Association of Leaders for Lifelong Learning in Ministry, provides ideas for boards to think about.
  • Full issue: The summer issue of the award-winning magazine is in mailboxes now. You can access all of the articles in the full online issue here.

WEBINARS
Stakeholder management planning

Every organization has people with outsized influence. Leaders need a different way to communicate with these stakeholders. Josh Peskin, Ph.D., an expert in organizational communications, will provide an overview of how to engage with these stakeholders and how to expand the story in his webinar on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET. Learn more and register here. Also see these recent on-demand webinars:
  • Guiding Transformation: This three-part series with the Rev. Dr. David Rowe covers the basics of change management and adaptive learning, and it provides a real-life case study to help schools succeed at change.
  • Creating sustainability: The rpk GROUP, a national leader in helping institutions create sustainable business models that reflect both mission and market, provides a two-part webinar on change management frameworks, best practices, and institutional readiness, as well as the rpk GROUP's strategic action plan tool, action steps, success metrics, and more. Together, these webinars will build the capacity for leaders to move to action.
THE PODCAST

Listening to the best of theological education

Before summer slips away, make sure you listen to and subscribe to the Good Governance podcast, which brings together thought leaders and innovators in theological higher education. Be sure to catch up on important recent episodes, including:

  • MaryKate Morse, Ph.D., learned many lessons at Portland Seminary, which is embedded in George Fox University, including how to make a relationship between an embedded school and its university work and the relationships she needed to cultivate. Listen to Episode 47 of the Good Governance podcast by clicking here. (Bonus material posted on the website: You'll find the outline that Dr. Morse put together to describe the seminary's value. It can be used as a guide for other embedded schools.)
  • Who's afraid of AI?  While the discussion about AI in theological education has focused on cheating, the conversation is much more nuanced. Listen to Episode 46 here. (Bonus on the website: See how ChatGPT describes the episode.)
  • The Joy of Fundraising: In a conversation overflowing with joy, Carla Maxwell Ray discusses how to create "generosity champions" instead of donors and how schools can embrace generosity as a spiritual virtue and invite people into the opportunity to give. Listen to Episode 45 here.

GOVERNANCE
Wondering how to govern well?

The In Trust Center has a large variety of resources to help you with your toughest questions in leadership and organizational governance. You can find resources, magazine pieces, podcast episodes, webinars, and templates & guides. Among those are resources on how to govern well. You can find those here. You can also email us here, and we'll respond quickly.
 
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Upcoming Events

The In Trust Center hosts learning community spaces throughout the year. Check out our upcoming events below.

Boards on a Tightrope: Navigating the Power Differential in Shared Governance

UPCOMING EVENT: Wed., Oct. 15, 2025, 1 pm (ET)

Join Wise Stewards Project Director Rebekah Basinger, Ed.D., for an exploration of attitudes about power, types of power at play within shared governance, and strategies for mediating power-based tensions in institutional governance.

Partnerships that Improve Institutional Sustainability and Quality

ON DEMAND

Webinar explores considerations for institutions pursuing strategic partnerships.

Redeeming Conflict One Tough Conversation at a Time

ON DEMAND

Dr. Ann Garrido, Assoc. Professor, Homiletics, Aquinas Institute of Theology, discusses how to choose to manage conflicts.

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