Foundations of Christian Leadership

Overview

A Learning Community

Do you care about the church in the world and want to build skills to lead Christian-inspired projects with joy and creativity?

Foundations of Christian Leadership brings together emerging leaders from a variety of faith-based organizations as colleagues in an encouraging and collaborative learning environment.

The program includes two four-day gatherings. Thanks to the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc., participants are only responsible for a $150 registration fee and will have the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to support innovative approaches within his or her institution.

Ideal applicants are those who have been in a leadership position in a Christian institution for fewer than five years. If leaders with more than five years’ experience apply, they should be working on new projects or have an expanded scope of responsibility and be seeking ways to sustain key activities over time. Applicants and their organizations must be based in the United States. Learn more about who should attend Foundations.

Program Objectives

Participants will…

Form a learning community rooted in Christian practices
Refine a vision of thriving communities that includes the work of Christian institutions
Learn how to assess the context in which they are serving and appropriately plan for the future
Hone skills in organizational leadership and theological reflection
Explore the concepts of traditioned innovation, transformative leadership and vibrant institutions as the underpinnings of effective Christian leadership

Session One helps participants foster a positive vision regarding how our work with organizations and churches contributes to God’s plans in the world. By delving into our individual identities, this session aims to enhance our self-awareness as leaders. Through this process, we seek to build our confidence in our calling and capabilities, informing our continuous development.

In Session Two, our focus shifts toward unleashing our creative thinking capacities and cultivating a perspective that positions us as catalysts for continuity and transformation, benefiting both our institutions and the world. We anticipate that participants will emerge from this session with a renewed sense of purpose and a trusted network of ecumenical conversation partners: a community of peers essential for sustaining the work of traditioned innovation.

Both sessions are designed to equip participants with sharpened skills and newly acquired resources, spanning creative collaboration, communication, supervision, team-building and facilitation, as well as a new appreciation of the resources participants already have.

To learn more about the program and whether it's right for you, please use the menu to explore details of this program. You may also nominate a colleague.

Join us!

Foundations of Christian Leadership is offered twice a year in varying locations. Visit Dates & Locations to learn more about upcoming cohorts, Who Should Attend for participant criteria and How to Apply for more information on the application process.

Who Should Attend

Foundations of Christian Leadership benefits those who care about the church in the world and want to build skills to lead Christian institutions with joy and creativity.

Over the years, we have had lay and clergy leaders from a variety of faith-based organizations participate. Ideal applicants are those who have been in a leadership position in a Christian institution for fewer than five years. Participants in Foundations typically work in one of the following environments:

A faith-based nonprofit
A denomination
A Christian seminary or college
Community-oriented ministry in a church

If leaders with more than five years’ experience apply, they should be working on new projects or have an expanded scope of responsibility and be seeking ways to sustain key activities over time.

Applicants should express a desire to:

Hone their leadership voice
Engage in “balcony time,” a time to disconnect and reflect
Examine current systems and structures of their work
Collaborate and recognize others’ gifts, strengths and resources
Imagine alternative models that embrace innovation
Build community in different spaces and hear different voices

Applicants’ ministry context must be based in the United States. We are unable to accept applicants based outside of the United States.

All individuals, regardless of their educational background, are welcome to apply; however, applicants should not be enrolled in an academic program at the time of applying.

If applications are not yet open, please sign up for our mailing list to receive a notification when the application is live.

Know someone who would benefit from Foundations of Christian Leadership? Let us know by filling out the form below.

Nominate a Colleague

Dates and Locations

Foundations of Christian Leadership is offered twice a year in locations such as Chicago and San Antonio.

Innovation Grant

Leadership Education at Duke Divinity provides Foundations participants with the opportunity to apply for grants of $5,000. These Innovation Grants will fund experiments that the participants will design and implement in their respective organizations.

These grant opportunities are designed to:

Spark theological and practical imagination.
Empower participants to identify new and more Christ-like ways of approaching the core work of their institutions.
Attract the attention of institutional leaders and partners.

Award Process

The grant application process will be outlined during Session 1 of Foundations of Christian Leadership. The window for submitting grant applications will open at the conclusion of Session 2 of Foundations. Grant funds are not available until 10 months after Session 1 of Foundations.

Grant Parameters

Grants will be awarded to the organization under the leadership of the Foundations participant. The funding may not be used to cover the cost of attending Foundations.

As part of the grant application process, program participants will be asked to describe the experiment, the project timeline and anticipated outcomes. Recipients will be expected to submit reports during and at the conclusion of the grant project that reflect the project’s successes and challenges.

At the conclusion of the grant project, the participant and a representative from the institution will commit to participate in an online convening of other grantees and Leadership Education staff to offer feedback and learnings from the project experience.

These grants are made possible by the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.

How to Apply

Step 1: Complete the Online Application

As part of the online application form, please be prepared to submit the following:

Answers to the following short essay questions:

Please provide your answers in a Word/PDF document. Your document must use 12-point Times New Roman font and be single-spaced. Note that each narrative question has a word limit.

Describe your work. What about your work, as you have experienced it to this point, is most exciting for you? What is most depleting for you? (500-word limit)
How long have you served in your present role? Prior to this position, what were your previous experiences in professional ministry? (200-word limit)
Briefly describe your last continuing education experience. (200-word limit)
What is your greatest current work challenge? What would you hope to learn to address that challenge? (500-word limit)
What is your greatest current work opportunity? What would you hope to learn to address that opportunity? (500-word limit)
What is the size of your organization, including the budget and number of employees/volunteers? (100-word limit)

A resume

A letter of recommendation

Please select a recommender who knows your work well and who can speak to your experiences and goals.

Please note that once you start the application, you will not have the opportunity to save and return to your work.

You will receive immediate confirmation via email that your application has been submitted. Please allow 2-3 weeks for us to review your application once all materials are received.

Step 2: Register for your Cohort

Once your application has been accepted, you will be invited via email to register.

Should your plans change after you register, please contact us immediately. Participation in all sessions is mandatory. We can work with you to transfer to another location of Foundations should the need arise.

If you have questions or concerns about the application process or would like assistance in determining whether you are eligible for the program, please contact the Leadership Education office at leadership@div.duke.edu with the subject line “Foundations of Christian Leadership.”