Preparing Church Leaders for Modern Ministry: The Impact of DWU's Practical Church Leadership Program

April 11, 2025

By: Alisha Vincent, Ed.D.
Director of Practical Church Leadership Program
Professor of Nonprofit Administration

Over the last few decades, the American church has undergone major changes, particularly in the expectations placed on pastors. Beyond preaching and pastoral care, pastors are now required to handle administrative tasks and manage the church’s business affairs. Yet, many pastors find themselves underprepared for these demands due to a lack of training they received in more traditional education or lack of exposure to business affairs.

Recognizing this gap, Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) launched the Practical Church Leadership (PCL) program in 2018. In partnership with the Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences of the United Methodist Church (and their Foundations). The PCL program is designed to equip clergy with crucial administrative leadership skills.

“Our aim with design and delivery of PCL has always been to help pastors help the congregations they are leading to thrive. We know that equipping them to confidently lead in areas of administration will enable this to happen,” Alisha Vincent, Program Designer and Director.

The year-long, 21-credit certificate program is tailored for working ministry professionals. Using a hybrid model, it blends online coursework with three weekend retreat sessions. Distinct features include real-time application of learning, individual coaching, and a year-long capstone project. Participants may also transfer credits toward an MBA if they choose.

Beginning with 15 students from the Dakotas and Minnesota, the program has grown to over 200 graduates from ten conferences across the U.S. Participants include elders, licensed local pastors, and lay leaders serving in diverse settings—from small rural churches to large urban congregations and parachurch organizations.

Evaluation and Impact

Recently, DWU, along with the Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences, conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s long-term impact. The findings suggest that PCL not only transforms individual pastors but also produces measurable results in their churches and communities.

Over an eight-month period, internal and external evaluators analyzed course outcomes, project results, and surveys from 129 participants, along with 60 clergy and 40 church or conference lay leaders. Ten participants were also interviewed in-depth.

Unsurprisingly, the evaluation found that PCL significantly improved participants’ skills and confidence in areas such as financial management, fundraising, human resources, project and change management, and conflict resolution. More than the content itself, participants appreciated DWU’s approach—drawing from business and nonprofit sectors and customizing the material for church settings.

Assignments were designed to be implemented in real-time, making them both relevant and immediately beneficial. Interestingly, the evaluation showed no significant difference in outcomes between participants with prior graduate education (e.g., seminary degrees) and those without formal training, like licensed local pastors. All groups reported similar gains in administrative confidence and competency.

“I’ve been in ministry for over 24 years. PCL sharpened existing skills and introduced new ones I hadn’t seen anywhere else. It helped me understand how to adapt and be relevant today,” shared one survey respondent.

Local Church Impact

Lay leaders also observed noticeable improvements in clergy leadership and church operations. Every PCL participant completes a project with their congregation aimed at delivering tangible benefits. These projects have included strategic planning, fundraising campaigns, new ministry initiatives, board development, and more.

Over the past eight years, more than 200 such projects have been completed. Results have included increases in annual giving (10–35%), improvements in committee efficiency, reductions in spending, and boosts in member engagement and retention.

“To date, we raised $104,722. This exceeds expectations and our goal,” shared one of the program participants, Zack, a pastor of a large church in Michigan, when speaking of his project that focused on stewardship. “More importantly, this project helped the church rally together… This has been an absolutely fantastic program.”

Timing, Relevance, and Relational Components of Education

Most participants had at least three years of ministry experience before enrolling, which made the content especially relevant. Many shared that they were unaware of the administrative challenges of church leadership during seminary or early in their careers. While some expressed that earlier exposure would have been helpful, nearly all agreed that learning at this stage had more practical value.

“I believe this is an important complement to the education pastors receive, and if I could change educational requirements, I would include some of these classes,” shared one survey respondent.

Participants also noted that the year-long, immersive format of PCL was more effective than short-term continuing education courses. Many appreciated that the program was led by business and nonprofit professionals, offering a valuable complement to the theological education typically provided in seminaries.

To that end, another core strength of the program is its emphasis on interpersonal connection. Despite being primarily online, PCL fosters deep engagement between coaches, instructors, and peers. Participants reported that these relationships were key to their satisfaction and growth—setting PCL apart from other online graduate programs.

Financial Accessibility and the Role of Scholarships

A final, but critical, finding was the importance of scholarships in enabling participation. Tuition assistance—from sources like the Lilly Endowment and various UMC conferences and foundations—was vital. One PCL graduate who responded to the survey echoed the sentiments of many participants: “Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to attend. Their support was the catalyst I needed to transform my ministry and the church.”

This raises important considerations for funders: high-impact leadership development may come from outside traditional theological institutions. Programs like PCL, delivered by subject-matter experts in nonprofit administration, offer significant returns for churches and communities.

“The investment in this initiative has empowered us to take meaningful steps to address the rural housing crisis in our small community… The insights from PCL were instrumental,” said Chris, a PCL graduate who serves a program-size church in the Missouri Conference.

A Model for the Future

The core strategy of the PCL program—developing strong administrative skills to empower effective leadership—has enabled clergy to lead with resilience and adaptability amid a rapidly changing church landscape. As the denomination looks to the future, programs like PCL offer valuable lessons on how to prepare ministry leaders to thrive in both spiritual and organizational leadership.

One lay leader who was surveyed said, “The PCL program has been a ‘Godsend’ to our churches and their leaders. It’s given our clergy tools to guide and move their churches forward in ways that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.”

For more information about the PCL program or the evaluation study, visit www.dwu.edu/pcl.
To connect with a UMC conference partner about the program, contact Rebecca Trefz at rebecca.trefz@dakotasumc.org.