The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship aims to deliver practical help to ministers and congregational leaders through the Initiative for Ministerial Excellence. The initiative has a three-pronged approach: peer learning networks, ministerial sabbaticals and ministry residencies for seminary graduates.
The Fellowship received a $1.99 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to fund the initiative that began in January 2003.
In late 2006, Lilly Endowment, Inc. granted the Fellowship a second grant of nearly $1 million dollars to expand the work of the Initiative for Ministerial Excellence. The goal of the initiative is to help sustain healthy ministers and deliver practical help to congregational leaders across the country.
Sabbatical Program
Initially, the initiative included a funded sabbatical program for ministers. The pilot program featured a limited number of stipends for pastors to take a church-approved sabbatical. The initiative has now entered the second phase of the sabbatical program which includes the non-financial resourcing of congregations as they seek to support ministerial excellency through the development of sabbatical leave policies. Previously funded sabbaticals serve as a model to the success of the program to churches taking on this new endeavor. (Learn more about sabbaticals.)
Peer Learning Groups
Another component of the initiative involves peer learning groups for ministers. The networks meet monthly to provide opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, study, discussion of ministry-related issues and fellowship. Currently there are over 70 groups with each group consisting of 10-14 members. Particular interest is given to ministers in their first seven years of ministry, ministers in rural settings and ministers in multi-staff congregations. (Learn more about peer learning groups.)
Ministerial Residencies and Teaching Congregations
The third component provides 10 two-year ministry residencies for graduating students from our grant partner schools (BTSR, Campbell, McAfee, Truett and Logsdon). Schools select students to receive the residencies and the IME team, in collaboration with the schools, select teaching congregations in which the residents serve. These resident ministers will serve in their teaching churches for two years, learning and developing in a healthy environment where they can receive mentoring, collegial and congregational support. (Learn more about ministerial residencies and teaching congregations.)
For more information, contact Steve Graham (770) 220-1675, sgraham@thefellowship.info.