March 17-19 and September 15-17, 2025
Course Description
Leadership in Ministry is a twice-a-year, peer based, clergy leadership development program. It is part of the Pastoral Excellence Program of the Center for Lifelong Learning of Columbia Theological Seminary. Many participants have attended for several years, with some participating for over a decade, reaping the benefits of long-term commitment to personal and professional growth. This program's goals are to:
- Provide a peer-learning forum for clergy to explore the issues particular to their congregational or non-profit ministry contexts;
- Help participants develop a theoretical framework for interpreting ministry practice and context using Bowen Systems Theory;
- Help clergy and organizational leaders to accurately identify and name the particular challenge of ministry in their context;
- Provide clergy and other religious professionals with a safe and stimulating peer group experience for renewal and challenge.
The Leadership in Ministry online workshops will apply Bowen Family Systems Theory as further developed by Edwin Friedman, author of Generation to Generation and A Failure of Nerve, to ministerial and organizational leadership. Most of the time is spent in peer group case studies led by experienced faculty coaches. As such, participants work to apply the theory to the “real world” realities of their ministry context.
Location
Facilitators
Andrew Archie, Elaine Boomer, Israel Galindo, Lance King, Bill Pyle and Carla Toenniessen
Schedule
Gathering will begin at 2:00 PM on Monday and end at Noon on Wednesday.
Program Fee
$880 for both the spring and fall sessions. $528 for the single session rate. All registrations include a nonrefundable, nontransferable $200 deposit.
Housing
Housing will be at the Roslyn Retreat Center. Single occupancy housing for both sessions is $566 (total of four nights, Monday and Tuesday in both the spring and fall.) Housing is $283 for a single session (total of two nights, Monday and Tuesday.) All rooms include two beds, a private bathroom, and linens.
Meals
Meal fees are built into housing costs. Meals will start with Monday dinner and end with Wednesday breakfast. The meal rate for commuters is $146 for both sessions and $73 for a single session. Commuter meals include Monday dinner and Tuesday lunch and dinner.
Additional Information
Limited scholarships are available. Submit your financial aid request
HERE. Aid is limited to 50% of the program fee. Payment plans can also be arranged. If requesting aid, you can still complete your registration to hold your spot—select “pay by check” on the payment page. You will be able to pay with a credit card once your aid has been applied.
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