Heritage Theological Seminary Awarded Large-Scale Grant in Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative

We are praising the Lord and thrilled to announce that Heritage Theological Seminary has been selected as a recipient of the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, receiving a generous grant of $5,986,710 USD from Lilly Endowment Inc. This funding marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations across Canada.

The Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is designed to help theological schools in the U.S. and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to meet the evolving needs of churches. Heritage is honored to be among the 163 institutions selected since 2021 to participate in this transformative effort.

Investing in the Future of Ministry

This grant will enable Heritage to:

• Establish Heritage Hubs, which are sites in collaboration with eight strategically located churches, where students may pursue high quality, in person theological education in their current regional contexts.
• Expand our offer of a five-year path to complete undergraduate studies and an MDiv degree, specifically for students from Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario, who feel called to ministerial leadership.

This collaboration with 3 denominational affiliation groups (FEB Central, Great Commission Collective, and the Associated Gospel Churches), and with Redeemer University, is designed to unite both church and academy in pursuit of a solution to the pastoral pipeline crisis. The church needs Heritage, as the school offers a concentration of resources and expertise that few – if any – local pastors could fully provide. Heritage needs the church – not only for the practical apprenticeship in ministerial training that is best gained through experience but also because local church leaders are in the strongest position to identify those called to pastoral ministry. The resources provided by this grant will have a transformative impact, significantly enhancing and accelerating the realization of this objective beyond what might otherwise be possible.

When combined with the $952,000 USD grant monies already received from Lilly through their Individual Pathways initiative earlier this autumn, it is clear that Heritage is stepping into a new era of opportunity for Kingdom impact potential.

All this is a cause for praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, who has been so gracious to us in enabling us to move forward in serving the cause of Christ in Canada and beyond!

Learn More

For more details about the initiative, Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative and Lilly Endowment Inc., please refer to the official press release.

We are deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited about the impact it will have on our students, our institution, and the broader church community.