Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership
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Welcome to the Home Page of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership!
For quick reference, here you will find a wealth of resources, including:
- List of upcoming Academy courses;
- 2008 Pastoral Study Project Final Report (PDF)*;
- Information about the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program;
- Current and past issues of our Academy Newsletters (The Scroll);
- Current training notebooks for Academy programs;
- Brethren Academy 2012-2013 Directory (secure login required).
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is a ministry training partnership of the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board, and Bethany Theological Seminary. The Academy is an umbrella for several non-degree ministry training efforts within the Church of the Brethren. You may view or download our Ministry Training Brochure for an overview of the variety of ministerial training programs available in the Church of the Brethren.
Education for a Shared Ministry (EFSM) is a three year program intended for small congregations who select five lay persons who will become trained for ministry along with a pastor in training. For more information, you may view or download the EFSM Brochure.
Training in Ministry (TRIM) is a flexible training program incorporating college and seminary classes, Academy level courses, independent study units, and pastoral formation experiences. TRIM is particularly suited for individuals who have not completed an undergraduate college degree. For more information, you may view or download the TRIM Brochure.
Courses offered through the Academy are open to TRIM and EFSM students, pastors, and lay people. Course formats include residential intensives at Bethany, intensives at a variety of locations around the United States, and online courses.
Continuing Education opportunities for pastors are provided through Academy level courses and two new initiatives of the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence project. Through a generous grant from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc., the Academy offers the Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership program and the Vital Pastor program, two year cohort-based learning experiences for pastors.
Church Planting Training is provided through a collaboration with the New Church Development Committee of the Church of the Brethren. These emerging efforts currently focus on a bi-annual conference hosted by the Academy at Bethany Seminary.
Staff for the Academy includes Julie M. Hostetter, Executive Director; Marilyn Lerch, TRIM Coordinator; Linda and Glenn Timmons, Coordinators for Sustaining Pastoral Excellence; Jennifer Quijano, Coordinator of Seminario Biblico Anabautista Hispano-de la Iglesia de los Hermanos (SeBAH-CoB); and Francine Massie, Administrative Assistant. They work in a collaborative style with the Ministry Team of the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board, the faculty of Bethany Theological Seminary, the Ministry Advisory Council, The Council of District Executives, congregations, and agencies of the Church of the Brethren.
*You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files.
For more information about Brethren Academy, contact:
Hostetter, Julie, Executive Director of The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership
hosteju@bethanyseminary.edu 765-983-1820
Francine Massie, Administrative Assistant for the Brethren Academy
academy@bethanyseminary.edu 765-983-1824
Originally, I was ordained to ministry by the Lewiston Church of the Brethren (Minn.) and later went on to earn a PhD in psychology, and am now a third year Master of Divinity (MDiv) student at Bethany. Having been a church planter for several decades, a Bible college director for a half-dozen years, and a pastoral psychotherapist for a lengthy season, I felt attracted to explore the possibility of...