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African-American Congregational Leadership

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The African American Church has a unique history and culture that impacts every aspect of its life, including its worship style, forms of Christian education, methods of administration and governance, and interpersonal relationships within local congregations. The G-ETS African American Congregational Leadership track recognizes this uniqueness and offers students an opportunity to enhance their capacity to engage effectively in ministry within this context. For this reason, students admitted into this track must be engaged in ministry that is significant to African Americans or the African American context.

Students will cover such issues as how to approach biblical studies, how to engage in theological reflection, how to undertake church administration, and how to perform evangelism and Christian formation from an African American perspective. The courses dealing with these issues are taught by one of the largest groups of African American scholars on the faculty at a United Methodist seminary. These faculty members are supplemented by a cadre of highly accomplished African American alums of G-ETS, including Rev. Dr. Carlisle Fielding Stewart and Bishop Beverly Shamana.

In addition to these core courses, the African American Congregational Leadership track offers students the opportunity to expand their general skills in management and leadership by partnering with Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Students in this track have the option of attending two three-day seminars a year with Kellogg faculty members during which they will develop the necessary skills to understand their own leadership styles, recognize how to best lead in their local congregations, and prepare their congregations to be change agents in their respective contexts.

Students who opt to engage in the Kellogg session in this track will attend four sessions in Evanston per year. In mid-Fall and mid-Spring students will participate in three-day seminars led by Kellogg faculty, covering the latest in management and leadership studies. These seminars will conclude with a discussion led by a Garrett-Evangelical faculty member who will facilitate the students theological reflection on the content from these seminars.

In January and late-June students will attend two-week intensive terms during which they will take two courses. These courses will cover topics related specifically to the African American church, as well as providing fundamental research skills for deepening the student's academic facility and helping the student better analyze the local congregation.

For the final project, students will apply creativity in connecting the theories studied with the practice of ministry, and will relate his or her own practice of ministry to fundamental theory in the disciplines appropriated within the African American context.

Sample Schedule (based on school years beginning with the Fall semester):

Year 1:

January - attend two courses

Summer - attend two courses

Fall - attend Kellogg seminar

Year 2:

January - attend two courses

Spring - attend Kellogg seminar

Summer - write professional identity paper, begin framing final project proposal (does not require coming to campus)

Fall - attend Kellogg seminar

Year 3:

January - research for final project proposal (does not require coming to campus)

Spring - attend final Kellogg seminar

Summer - research for final project (does not require coming to campus)

Early Fall - receive approval for final project and conduct ministry intervention (does not require coming to campus)

Late Fall - Write final project paper describing impact of ministry intervention and defend it.

Information on the Kellogg Seminars

Students in the Doctor of Ministry track in Congregational Leadership are required to participate in four of six seminars developed in collaboration with the Center for Non-Profit Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.  Intended to help clergy become more effective leaders in their vocational settings, the seminars are led by faculty members from both schools and will focus on developing increased leadership capacity and application of management principles in congregation and faith-based organizations.  The themes include:

§  October, Year 1 - Developing Personal Leadership

§  April/May, Year 1 - Exploring Leadership in my Mission

§  October, Year2 - Financial and General Management

§  April/May, Year 2 - Building External Relationships

§  October, Year 3 - Managing People & Resources

§  April/May, Year 3 - Capstone Program: The Leadership Challenge

Dates for upcoming seminar sessions may be found at http://www.transformativeleaders.org/events-programs

The first and second days of each session are held at the Wiebolt Building on Kellogg's downtown Chicago campus from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The third day DMin seminar is held at Garrett-Evangelical. Meals on the first and second days (except dinner the second day) are included in the course fee. Additional information will be sent to participants prior to each session.

Participants who complete all six seminars (two of which are not included in DMin coursework or fees) will earn a Certificate issued jointly by Garrett-Evangelical and the Kellogg School of Management.

Sessions typically begin at 8 a.m. on the first day and conclude at 5 p.m. on the second.  Participants who complete all six seminars (two of which would be independent of the DMin coursework) will earn a Certificate of Excellence in Church Leadership, issued jointly by Garrett-Evangelical and the Kellogg School of Management.

For specific questions about the Kellogg seminars, including registration information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

List of Possible Courses

The following are a list of courses that are commonly offered as part of this track:

"Biblical Hermeneutics in the African-American Context"

"African-American Church Administration and Congregational Development"

"Black Ministry Engaging Historical Challenges"

"Leadership for Pastor and Laity"