Develop Leaders
We strengthen the community of vocational ministers through advocacy, endorsement, credentialing, care, and formation.
The Evangelical Covenant Church envisions a connected and faithful community of clergy and lay leaders who demonstrate the following traits:
- The active inclusion of all persons called to serve God, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or disability
- A deep understanding of Scripture, theology, discernment, and Covenant identity
- A healthy self-awareness and personal care through Sabbath-based rhythms
- A commitment to lifelong learning and relational accountability
Develop Leaders
How We Equip Our Leaders
Credentialing
We offer training and grant ministerial credentials to those who are called to serve vocationally in Covenant churches or other ministries.
Care & Support for the Ministerium
Ministers' Crisis Fund
The Ministers’ Care and Crisis Fund supports those in ministry during times of crisis or need with funding for necessities such as healthcare, counseling, or essential household expenses.
Sustaining Pastoral Excellence
The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence initiative facilitates learning and growth in pastoral character, competency, and constancy through content, cohorts, and coaching. Grants to help sustain healthy enduring ministry are available.
Thriving in Ministry
The Thriving in Ministry work focuses on pastoral resiliency. It is our purpose to provide an alternative for our pastors, missionaries, and chaplains to isolation and stagnation which are the enemy of thriving and resiliency.
Women in Ministry
We seek to be a diverse and welcoming church that affirms the calling and gifts of the entire body of Christ. We support God’s gifting of women by urging churches to encourage women in their congregations to embrace leadership.
Covenant Orientation
We provide clergy and lay leaders opportunities to understand the identity and ethos of the Covenant. Orientation was designed to provide a way for people who are called to serve within the Covenant church but are unable to attend North Park Theological Seminary to fulfill the orientation requirement for Covenant credentialing.
Covenant Financial Leadership
We offer cohorts focused on helping credentialed Covenant pastors take charge of their own and their congregation’s financial health with a ministry and supportive peer community dedicated to the goal of financial resilience and the path out of debt and distress.
Theological Education
We provide the training and tools for vocational and lay leaders to align with Covenant identity and become proficient in who we are and the mission. Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos is a theological and pastoral training center for Hispanic church planters, pastors, and lay leaders, offering courses in multiple locations. North Park Theological Seminary educates whole persons with the whole gospel for the whole world, producing evangelical scholarship and serving Christ’s church.
Resources
Tools for Covenant pastors to take charge of their own and their congregation’s financial health.
Thriving in Ministry work focuses on pastoral resiliency. It is our purpose to provide an alternative for our pastors, missionaries, and chaplains to isolation and stagnation which are the enemy of thriving and resiliency.
Resources needed to complete our credentialing processes and to thrive as a well formed, equipped, and supported minister.
Information and applications for grants that are available to Covenant pastors, missionaries, and chaplains who satisfy the SPE-eligibility requirements and follow the process outlined for application.
Free helpful resources on pastoral growth and care.
Covenant-produced articles, books, and resources that address the call of women to pastoral ministry.
Events
This program provides a way for people who are unable to attend North Park Theological Seminary to fulfill the orientation requirement for Covenant credentialing.
We offer group and self-guided retreats that help ministers to pause and reconnect with Christ regularly in their ministerial lives. Find out more about our 2022 offerings.
A three-retreat experience spanning eight months which will lead participants in an exploration of the third formational stage of ministry life.
This interactive retreat takes a formational, devotional, and practical look at personal finances and identifies tools to help build spending plans that invite impact.
The Thriving in Ministry Initiative provides cohorts of learners, individual coaching and expert content in order to shape, strengthen, and support pastors as they strengthen their leadership skills in deep spirituality, family systems knowledge, emotional skills, and financial acuity.
The Deeper in Christ retreat experience is designed for those in ministry who are seeking to renew their friendship with God, reignite their pastoral imagination, and explore their call in a deeper way.
Our Stories
Jin Lee to Join Serve Clergy
Serve Clergy and Ordered Ministry are happy to announce the addition of Jin Lee as director of pastoral support and practice.
Four Key Initiatives Supported by Lilly Endowment
The Evangelical Covenant Church has had the privilege of resourcing our pastoral community for over two decades because of the generous gifts from the Lilly Endowment. The Lilly Endowment cares deeply for pastors. They have partnered with the Covenant to provide resources that help pastors live well into their call.
Three Women Receive Honors for Advocacy, Leadership, and Preaching
Phyllis Myung, Sara Sosa, and Nicole Bullock were honored for their work in advocacy, leadership, and preaching, respectively. The awards were presented at the annual meeting of the Covenant ministerium on June 28, 2023.
