More Gifted Leaders

The Endowment will enable the education and formation of more leaders who are making disciples of Jesus Christ and growing congregations for the transformation of some of the most challenging communities in the world.

Quality Education Is Essential for the Church and the World

Since the founding of the Wesleyan movement and The United Methodist Church, education in general and theological education in particular have made the world and the church better. Here are three leaders among the many individuals who were trained through United Methodist schools and made the world and church better:

• Bishop Abel Muzorewa, led the Zimbabwe Episcopal and became the First Prime Minister of Zimbabwe: Old Umtali Methodist School and Old Umtali Biblical College.

• Boris Trajkovski, Lay Minister and President of Macedonia: Methodius University in Skopje

• Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut, Phoenix and New Mexico Episcopal Areas: Wesley Divinity School, Philippines

Close the Disparity Gap

• The denomination budgets $54 million for theological education in the U.S. and only $5 million outside the U.S.

• The endowments of the 13 United Methodist U.S. seminaries combined are $1.2 billion, which is essential for theological education. However, outside the U.S., the more than 20 theological schools, other than Africa University, have little or no endowment.

• Less than 5% of clergy outside the U.S. have a theological master’s degree.

• Pastors and students outside the U.S. long for a theological master’s degree and study with professors in Methodism, but a lack of financial assistance outside the U.S. There are more than 500 pastors today who are ready to pursue theological education and a master’s degree, but there is insufficient funding.

Raising the Endowment will provide more scholarships and professors in Methodism outside the U.S. in perpetuity to help close the disparity gap.

The Leaders We Are Developing

Many believe great leaders are born. In reality, leaders who love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously are formed and shaped along the way. Jesus’ disciples, who became great leaders of the church, were formed by Jesus’ teaching and shaped by missional challenges along the way. The Endowment will support the formation of leaders through the efforts of the best United Methodist educators and shape leaders through innovative and challenging ministry opportunities as they learn. This would not be possible without the generosity of United Methodists from around the world. While every pastor will not become a bishop or prime minister, with your help, they can become effective and joyful servants of God, leading the church into the community to make disciples of Jesus Christ and grow congregations to transform the world. You will make a difference for the future of the church and the world by supporting The Endowment.

How Will We Develop Leaders?

Theologically and spiritually formed leaders progress from calling to candidacy to full clergy membership in The United Methodist Church. They become impact leaders who make disciples of Jesus Christ, who start new congregations and grow existing ones, and who lead the church into the community to engage in witness, mercy, and justice.

The Endowment supports theological education that raises leadership through four “Cs”:

• Continuous, innovative education that develops understanding through in-person, online, and asynchronous learning.

• Cohort groups for team-based learning, action, reflection, and problem solving.

• Contextual field education and application.

• Coaching leaders through their challenges.

The progress and success of The Endowment and educational programs are measured through impact:

• More new disciples.

• More new congregations and more growing congregations.

• More transformative community witness, justice, and mercy ministries.

Essential to this leadership formation is the Endowment that will ensure continued worldwide leadership development for the future of the church and the world. Your gift will sustain theological education and leadership development throughout this century and into the next.