The Center for Congregational Resources has received a grant of $5 million—the largest single grant in the university’s 183-year history—from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative. The grant will support the Center’s work which provides services to help congregations become thriving ministries. The aim of Lilly Endowment’s initiative is to provide resources to help churches in rural areas and small towns enhance the vitality of their ministries and strengthen the leadership of the pastors and lay leaders who guide them.
The CCR will develop the Equipping the Called Leadership Program to help Christian churches cultivate the spiritual formation of congregants and function as anchor institutions that strengthen their local communities. The primary aim and objectives of the program additionally include equipping congregations to extend hospitality to their neighbors, and to function as anchor institutions that strengthen their local communities. This program will address these aims and objectives by:
- Providing training and support for ordained and lay leadership
- Helping congregations to identify and respond to the challenges and opportunities within their congregations and in their local communities
- Equipping rural and small-town churches to serve as anchor institutions and to build collaborations with other organizations in their communities.
The content for this program will be developed in partnership with Samford’s scholars with expertise in theological education, practice of ministry, physical and mental health education and awareness, business administration, community development, and others.
An additional feature of the grant will involve the CCR forming a hub of denominational partners as well as other colleges and universities in order to partner with and equip them to resource and support rural and small-town congregations in their respective networks.
The Equipping the Called Leadership Certificate Program will be developed in early 2025 with a proposed launch date of Fall 2025. The first cohort of participants will be congregational leaders who are part of the hub of denominational partners. A second cohort will be available for other participants and will be launched in Fall 2027.
The hub of denominational partners include the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions; the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship; the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley, the presbytery for central Alabama. The Center will partner with and equip them to resource and support rural and small-town congregations in their networks. Throughout the term of the grant, additional denominations, non-profits, and/or colleges and universities will be included.
The CCR is excited to engage with congregations serving rural and small towns. This work will involve congregations statewide and beyond. More details will be made available during the implementation process.
