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The Kern Family Foundation awards $550,000 grant to AGTS at Evangel University

Published on Feb 17, 2014 by Jennifer Hall

The Kern Family Foundation in Waukesha, Wisconsin, recently awarded a grant of $550,000 to the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary at Evangel University to support a new initiative creating an alternative model for the development of pastoral leaders — an A.A. to M.Div. pastoral degree program that can be completed in as little as five years.

The consolidation of Central Bible College, AGTS and Evangel University into a comprehensive university with an embedded seminary has created possibilities for accelerated programs that were not previously available.

Byron Klaus
Dr. Byron Klaus is president of AGTS at Evangel.

CBC’s long legacy of undergraduate ministry preparation, EU’s strong pre-seminary tradition and the mature graduate programs of AGTS, work together to form a stable foundation on which to build this new program. The visionary initiative of The Kern Family Foundation will provide resources to create and launch it.

The university will offer this five-year A.A./M.Div. program to a limited number of highly qualified students committed to entering a lifetime of ministerial leadership.

“We believe that we must be more intentional in our efforts to identify and commit to the formation of younger pastoral leaders called to serve local congregations with ever increasing effectiveness,” said AGTS President Byron D. Klaus.

“With the catalytic impact of this grant, we will be able to create a clear path for young pastoral leaders to enter a lifetime of ministry leadership with minimal student debt, adequate professional competency and a clear supporting network of pastoral, institutional and denominational leadership. The vision of The Kern Family Foundation to partner with institutions like AGTS to create new pathways to develop young pastoral leaders is institutionally energizing.”

Leading the program is Dr. David Bundrick, AGTS academic dean and dean of the EU School of Theology and Church Ministries. Joining him is Dr. Donald Johns, STCM’s associate dean of undergraduate studies; Dr. Jay Taylor, AGTS director of spiritual formation and student services and Practical Theology department chair; and Dr. Randy C. Walls, director of Continuing Education and M.Div. practicums.

AGTS serves the larger Pentecostal and Evangelical traditions with 21st-century leadership for the Church and its mission. It is a unique graduate-level educational institution embedded within the larger structure of Evangel University offering doctoral degrees (including Ph.D.s) and masters degrees. For more information, visit the AGTS at Evangel website or call 1-800-467-AGTS.