In a time of immense change and challenge for faith communities as we have known them, there is a great need for innovative professional development for leaders in ministry settings. The BTS Center meets this need by serving as a think tank and incubator for 21st-century ministries:

• We convene generative gatherings – like our annual Convocation, and the annual gatherings of the Regional Theological Education Consortium of the United Church of Christ, in partnership with the Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization Team.
• We create and curate fresh thinking – to be shared through our Bearings online magazine, vocational development programs, webinars, social media, and our web site.
• We fund selected projects as an active partner, investing in faith leaders and organizations prepared to apply innovative thinking to equip and support creative leadership for both familiar and emerging forms of ministry, and religious and spirituality-based leadership that resists traditional labels and forms – as in our Innovation Incubator, and our partnership with ARC – Arts|Religion|Culture.
• We seek to do our work primarily in collaborative relationships.

What is learned through all of our projects will be shared in multiple contexts. Selection criteria for supported projects includes alignment with our mission and our desire to model a way of life that embodies biblical justice and prophetic ministry in a pluralistic world.

Through these channels, The BTS Center carries out its mission: to catalyze spiritual imagination with enduring wisdom for transformative faith leadership.