Practicing Innovation: Real stories and practical insights on innovation from theological education leaders.

From confusion to clarity: Strengthening your school's brand

Federal policy shifts are reshaping higher education, and as details are still being understood, Peter Lake and David Rowe discuss what they mean for theological schools and how leaders can prepare.

Competency-based theological education (CBTE) is reshaping how future church leaders are formed – and it’s more than just skills training. In this episode, Dr. Susan Reese of Kairos University and Dr. Nathan Hitchcock, CBTE consultant, discuss how this approach emphasizes character, spiritual formation, and lived practice alongside academics. From mentoring and integration with local churches to assessing “heart” competencies like friendship, rest, and resilience, they also discuss issues like assessment and rigor, and offer reasons why schools may consider CBTE.

As the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative reaches its midpoint, theological schools are navigating both promising innovations and growing tensions. In this episode, Matt Hufman speaks with Jo Ann Deasy of ATS and Amy Kardash of the In Trust Center about how schools are reassessing mission, sustainability, and alignment.

How theological schools can navigate complex personnel decisions during large-scale collaborations.

As the world of artificial intelligence advances in theological education, leaders can stay ahead and find ways forward. In this episode, the Rev. Tay Moss, who has been a leading voice on AI in the Church and theological education, considers how leaders and institutions can engage AI wisely – balancing innovation, ethics, and integrity.

The formal process of transferring control between institutional boards

What it takes to lead successful institutional collaborations

Assessing organizational readiness for change and preparing multiple institutions for intensive cooperation.

Strategies for communicating an institution's brand value to prospective partners

Webinar explores attitudes about power, types of power at play within shared governance, and strategies for mediating power-based tensions in institutional governance.