Palmer’s New Initiatives Share the Gospel in a Brave New World
Pastoral ministry in 2026 can feel like sailing a ship on strange tides with no map or constellation. Issues like national concerns and anxieties, diets of algorithmically catered social media content, and deep grief over aging congregations and declining attendance can make pastors and church leaders feel ill-equipped to meet this cultural moment. But the Gospel never changes. Palmer Theological Seminary is rising to the call.
As the Seminary pursues the future of ministry and theological education, it is honored and humbled to be the recipient of two grants from the Lilly Endowment. The Lilly Endowment, through grants such as the Compelling Preaching Grant Initiative and the National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life, seeks to support and strengthen local congregations and lay and pastoral leadership, especially by funding innovations in theological education.
At Palmer, God is providing for theological education to face the next century with this same joyful hope and anticipation.
Innovation can sometimes conjure up fears of abandoning tradition for the sake of chasing something shiny and new. Instead, at Palmer, innovation is rooted in the various histories and traditions that inform the life of the institution and its students.
Palmer’s Kerygma Initiative is made possible through the Compelling Preaching Grant, and is committed to exploring effective ways to share the Gospel in a diverse and hurting world. This initiative studies models of prophetic preaching, such as those demonstrated by Dr. Tony Campolo ’56, MDiv ’61, to engage in the diverse public square both physically and digitally.
“We want to create opportunities for transformative homiletic learning, invite preachers into supportive communities, and encourage bold experimentation in proclamation of the whole gospel.”
In conjunction with Palmer’s Center for Alumni Care and Seminary Engagement (CARES) and the Flourishing Leader Project, Kerygma also strives for the cultivation of healthy and whole preachers who can thrive in and beyond the shifting seas of the 21st century.
Christians for Social Action (CSA), an organization founded by the late Ron Sider in partnership with Eastern University, is the recipient of the National Storytelling Initiative, which is being used to establish the project “Stories of Gospel Hope: Rooted and Resilient.” This initiative seeks to curate, promote, and distribute compelling stories of hope from marginalized and overlooked communities. These stories draw our eyes beyond the despairing headlines and point to the foundational hope in Christ that our world so desperately needs, serving as a reminder that the Gospel changes everything.
It is easy to read studies or see stories in the news and feel a sense of grief for the local church. But with the blessing of these grants and others, Palmer Theological Seminary is pushing faithfully beyond roadblocks and envisioning a flourishing future for our congregations. Our God is a God of resurrection, and resurrection work is alive and well in the Church.
“The hope for these initiatives in the coming decades is that they will continue to foster adaptable, resilient, theologically sound, and globally-minded church leadership. This ongoing support is crucial for Palmer and other theological schools as they continue to joyfully navigate future challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Let us never forget that God was made known by showing a way beyond death into new life. At Palmer, God is providing for theological education to face the next century with this same joyful hope and anticipation.