We Need to Talk
90% of Americans believe in some higher power
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32% of Americans attended a religious service in the past week
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27% of Americans have "very little" or "no" confidence in the Church or organized religion
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What percentage of pastors have any idea where to begin?
We can help.
We can help.
PATH is a pastoral formation venture in service of the belief that the Church is best served by cultivating Christian leaders grounded in practical, adaptive, and transformational leadership skills.
Through employing the gifts of vibrant local churches and their pastors, we work at the intersections of the progressive Church to raise up Christian ministers.
Through employing the gifts of vibrant local churches and their pastors, we work at the intersections of the progressive Church to raise up Christian ministers.
The PATH Program
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Leadership Education
Each Fall and Spring, our team of mentors take turns teaching courses that blend the foundations of traditional ministry preparation with the leading edges of ministry in the 21st century. Spend one week preparing a sermon for a Sunday service and the next an interfaith prayer for a Saturday rally. You won't have to worry about how "applicable" your learning will be, since your work will be grounded in practical ministry experience, taught by practicing ministry professionals.
Thanks to our PATH partners, you have the option of taking our courses for seminary credit. And should you want to take further study with one of our partners, you'll be able to enroll at a discounted tuition rate, too. |
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Ministry Experience
The foundation of PATH is ministry. Not the theory of ministry, but rather the living and breathing shepherding of a congregation through the seasons of community together.
If you are not already serving a congregation, you'll have the opportunity to serve a congregation as a paid intern through one of our PATH partner congregations. During your multi-year, half-time placement, you'll be relied upon as a vital member of the pastoral team in which you'll be expected to put your classroom learning into practice. |
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Peer Collaboration
Ministry can be isolating. Our PATH students never take the journey alone.
As you work closely with a diversity of other students in your cohort, you'll grow in your own faith, understanding of the practice of ministry, and theological leadership. You'll even have the chance to create shared programming across congregations. Some of the best moments of your learning will come through organic conversation with peers. |
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Thoughtful Supervision
Whether you're serving one of our partner congregations or serving a congregation of your own, all of our PATH students work closely with our mentors to help you grow in your ministry. Each fellow is assigned a mentor with whom they'll have weekly check-in opportunities, in addition to informal opportunities throughout the week.
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Follow a PATH to see how you can get involved
Mentors
Our mentors are ministry professionals. They are employed, local church pastors who believe deeply in the role of the Church to transform lives. They've served through times of abundance and walked with churches through the thinner places of ministry. While they have a diverse set of interests and experiences, they all share a passion for creative, relevant, and faithful ministry.
Our mentors lean on their practical experience and creativity to teach and supervise PATH students. |
Students
Our students are the heartbeat of PATH. Some are current (or former) Master of Divinity students, while others have never been to seminary. Some are currently serving congregations as solo pastors, while others are interns in one of our partner congregations. Some are working only in ministry, while others have a non-ministry full-time job.
Our students come from all walks of life and share a passion for growth as transformational faith leaders. |
Partners
Our partners are the institutions on whose gifts and resources we rely. They're congregations who provide internships for our students and space for our classes. They're theological schools who provide course credit for our classes and expertise in a variety of disciplines.
Our partners offer their resources and skills to help us connect PATH students with a variety of creative and practical learning opportunities. |
PATH has given me such great agency and confidence in my call to ordained ministry that otherwise I wouldn't have had.
-Jenn M.