Winebrenner Theological Seminary has a long history and affiliation with the Churches of God, General Conference. Although we serve many denominations, during any trimester approximately one-third of the total number of students are connected to the CGGC. The CGGC Administrative Council is the group that helps guide the strategy for the larger denomination and meets twice a year in Findlay, OH, to work through various aspects of the denominational strategy.
Jacob Clagg, Director of Communications for the denomination as well as a graduate of Winebrenner, wrote the following summary of a recent gathering:
Preceding the Ad Council Sessions was a two-day event hosted by Winebrenner Theological Seminary where WTS faculty and staff gave presentations about topics like AI and the Church, and Mental Health and the Church. Along with information about WTS, there were many opportunities for feedback and collaboration between the Seminary and CGGC leadership. It was an excellent time for WTS to educate new and returning Ad Council members about the benefits of having a denominational seminary. Likewise, the presentations were consistently thought-provoking and meaningful. Ad Council members walked away with concrete ways to work with the seminary to strengthen their churches, tackle future issues, and how they might collaborate with WTS in the future. (You can read Jacob’s full summary of the Ad Council meeting by clicking here)
Sunday evening we gathered in the Wilkin Center for Christian Ministries for fellowship and introductions:
Dr. Kathryn Helleman led a session on The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Church & Theological Education:
Following lunch, Dr. Mary Iiames led a session exploring Mental Health & the Church:
We concluded the day exploring ways in which Winebrenner can listen to the needs of the CGGC and serve the denomination well:
Next week we’ll continue by highlighting the importance of listening to our stakeholders along with a few specific questions that emerged from this gathering.
- Brent C. Sleasman, President