American Baptist College has been awarded a grant of $1,999,994 from Lilly Endowment through its Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative. The grant will enable ABC to translate its core values and educational priorities into a specialized curriculum that simultaneously addresses leadership coaching, congregational development, and community engagement for small-town and rural congregations.
The aim of the initiative is to provide resources to help churches in rural areas and small towns enhance the vitality of their ministries and strengthen the leadership of the pastors and lay leaders who guide them. ABC’s program aligns with Lilly Endowment’s objectives by offering resources and direct support to congregations in rural areas and small towns. The initiative aims to strengthen these ministries and position them as hubs for enhancing the capacity of other organizations to provide essential resources and support for rural and small-town churches.
“The church is a cornerstone in many communities, and we are honored to be awarded funding from Lilly Endowment for this important initiative,” said ABC President Forrest Harris. “This grant will allow us to create and deliver a comprehensive training program that helps Black churches in rural areas and small towns better connect with their communities, while preparing congregation leaders to think of new ways for the church to be more than just a weekend experience.”
The program is aimed at strengthening Black congregations within the Baptist, United Methodist, and African Methodist Episcopal denominations in small, rural towns across Tennessee and neighboring communities. With the leadership of Dr. William Green, ABC’s program director for the grant, ABC will employ innovative methodologies to enhance congregational leadership, foster development, and deepen community collaboration.
By identifying emerging needs and challenges, the program seeks to empower participating congregations to become more relevant and impactful in the lives of their members and the broader community.
At the heart of the program is the introduction of the MARLOT Congregational Science Methodology—Missional, Adaptive, Resilient, Liminal, Organic, and Transformational (Green, 2022). Dr. Green developed the model through his 37-year academic and pastoral career leading both urban and small-town congregations
This framework will aid congregations and their leaders in navigating the complexities of contemporary faith practices, ensuring they can effectively address the needs of their communities.
ABC will collaborate with five anchor organizations renowned for their expertise in leadership coaching, congregational development, and community engagement specific to small-town and rural contexts. These partners include Healthy Congregations, Inc.; The Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management (Northwestern University); Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice (Vanderbilt University Divinity School); The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; and the Kaleidoscope Institute. Together, we are committed to uplifting and empowering Black congregations, ensuring they thrive and make a lasting impact in their communities.
American Baptist College is one of 20 organizations from across the United States receiving grants through Lilly Endowment’s Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative, including colleges and universities, denominational agencies, church networks, and parachurch organizations, among others.
“Our hope is that these grants will provide much needed resources and support to rural and small-town churches to help them address their challenges and enhance and extend the many ways that they serve their communities,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.
