Supporting the Church of Tomorrow

As a significant part of the work done to further the learning environment at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, faculty and staff are pioneering initiatives funded by grants to shape the future of the Church and mold the next generation of Christian leaders.  

These projects and the collaborative work they offer across Baylor University have created opportunities for Truett to engage in research and resource leaders in areas like intercultural congregation support, mental health and the Church’s response, Christian character building among student athletes, and more. 

Minoritized Preaching for the Good and Growth of the Church 

As a pastor-theologian, Jared E. Alcántara, PhD, professor of Preaching, holder of the Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching, and director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching at Truett Seminary, is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of pastors. 

“In a multicultural world, we need more interculturally competent preaching,” said Alcántara. “It will take wisdom, endurance, faithfulness, and courage to train the next generation of preachers. Our seminaries must learn to think in strategic, innovative, and nimble ways.”   

With the help of faculty from the Seminary and the University’s religion department, Alcántara secured a $1.25 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. enabling the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching to dedicate more resources to address rapid demographic changes and to equip intercultural churches with both aspiring and active preachers.

“The Kyle Lake Center has always been there to help pastors and others in ministry engage in the kinds of preaching needed today to ensure that the gospel message is heard and accessible for all audiences,” said Alcántara. “This grant now positions us in the best possible way to meet the needs of an intercultural church with an intercultural future.”

Currently the Kyle Lake Center offers events such as the African American Preaching Conference and the National Preaching Conference to support seminarians and local pastors as they hone the craft of preaching. The grant is enhancing the center’s capabilities by funding new initiatives and strengthening ties with the local church. 

“In February, we hired our first full-time program manager, Ms. Memory Jora, a pearl of great price and Truett alumni,” Alcántara noted. “Since then, we have recruited a dozen student leaders, connected with many new churches, hosted a book talk for seminarians with Truett’s own Dr. Matthew Kim, and hosted a consultation on minoritized preaching for scholars in New Jersey.” Alcántara continued, “This year, we anticipate a record attendance of 300 pastors at the African American Preaching Conference, which reflects our expanding reach and the pressing need for such initiatives.”

Embrace Young People Impacted by Disabilities and Mental Health Challenge 

Like Alcántara, Angela Reed, PhD, Truett Seminary’s associate dean for academic affairs, associate professor of Practical Theology, and director of Spiritual Formation, recently launched a project to support the emerging needs that congregations are facing today.  

In a unique collaboration between faculty at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, the Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I), and the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, this project focuses on resourcing churches as they embrace young people who face disabilities and mental health challenges.  

“This project is all about congregational belonging for youth and young adults experiencing disability, mental health crises, and/or chronic illnesses,” said Reed. “The sheer number of individuals and families strained and frequently isolated by these challenges is staggering. Most congregations and their leaders are theologically and practically committed to responding with compassionate support, but they often find themselves ill-equipped to do so.” 

Funded through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, the project aims to encourage the flourishing of congregations by helping them deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the vitality of their communities and the world.

“Our team senses a call to respond by coming alongside churches, youth ministers, and other leaders as they seek to create welcoming spaces that point to the loving, healing presence of God for this vital, but often hidden segment of our communities.” 

Recently the team has launched the Bridges to Belonging: Accessible Ministry with Youth and Young Adults project where churches will participate in a Congregational Learning Community. The goal of this five-year project is to strengthen ministry and outreach opportunities for young people, learn how to make church and worship practices more accessible, better attend to mental health needs in these congregations, and engage young people with disabilities more fully in the life of the Church. 

Character Formation  

In the world of sports ministry, the Faith and Sports Institute (FSI) director, Paul Putz, PhD, recently received a capacity-building grant to launch a collaborative project with Baylor Athletics supporting faith-based character formation in sports across Baylor and beyond.  

Funded by the Educating Character Initiative (ECI), part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, the grant was created to support universities as they seek to strengthen their ability to build character in their curricula and culture. Through the grant funding, Putz and his fellow project leaders from Baylor Athletics, Juliana Smith, Cori Bolts, and Kenny Boyd, aim to lay a strong foundation for future efforts and enhance the ongoing mission of the athletics department: Preparing Champions for Life.

“Baylor is already a hub for exploring character formation in higher education, and our athletic department makes that a central focus, too,” Putz said.

Over the next year, FSI and Baylor Athletics will engage in analysis and reflection on best practices for cultivating Christian character in Baylor student-athletes within the evolving context of college sports.

By leveraging the Christian character formation resources already available across Baylor’s campus, the project seeks to fortify existing work, provide a foundation for future growth, and share Baylor’s approach with other faith-based institutions, serving as a model for character education in college athletics.  

“With this grant we get a chance to connect research to practice and to think more deeply about distinctly Christian approaches to character formation in sports. It’s a great opportunity to serve not only the Baylor community, but other universities seeking to align their athletic programs with their faith-based mission.”

Through these pioneering initiatives, Truett Seminary is not only enhancing theological education but also making a profound impact on the wider community. These efforts exemplify the Seminary’s commitment to innovation and spiritual growth while shaping the future of the Church and preparing the next generation of compassionate and effective Christian leaders.