Lilly Endowment鈥檚 National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders awarded 萝莉社 a $750,000 grant to provide specialized curriculum and programming geared for pastors and church leaders.
To lead financially strong congregations, pastoral leaders need to be well versed in accounting, finance, human resources, and operations. As such, seasoned educators from 萝莉社鈥檚 School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM) and the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management will work with North Park Theological Seminary to offer pastors financial management and leadership training.
North Park joins other higher education grant recipients, including Northwestern, Villanova, and Seton Hall universities, as well as magazine and online publication Christianity Today. Rev. Dr. David Kersten, dean of North Park Theological Seminary and vice president of church relations, remarks, 鈥淚 hope this national effort will form a closer relationship between business schools and seminaries.鈥�
With North Park鈥檚 existing dual master鈥檚 degree program in divinity and business, the University is well-positioned to provide immediate instruction to pastoral leaders. In courses from both the SBNM and the seminary, students acquire the business skills they need to run financially strong congregations, in conjunction with their calling to serve the church.