Leaders in ATS schools acknowledge that there are blessings and challenges in leading a theological school. Most conversations about enrollment or finances or human resources lead into some dialogue about a need for more. Schools believe they could accomplish more if they only had more students, more staff, more donors, more endowment, or more anything. School leaders must give an honest assessment of their reality, their challenges, and their blessings. They must be able to look beyond the school itself and gauge what is happening beyond the school - within the church, within higher education, within society, and so on - to better understand and evaluate the impact on the school. The way forward requires a proper assessment of the past and present. And that assessment likely is impacted by our reading of the times.

In the 10-minute video below, Chris Meinzer, ATS Senior Director & COO, offers a framework for school leaders in performing their assessment of the times. As you will see, Meinzer believes that our assessment of the times will influence our actions in the present and this could be detrimental for the school and its fulfillment of God's purposes in the world.

If interested, you can watch the video at 1.5 speed using the settings button in the bottom right of the video.

Questions for Conversation

Is your school experiencing a blizzard, winter, or ice age? What about theological education, the church, or the places your students will serve?
Are the actions your school takes around mission, models, and money reflective of a blizzard, winter, or ice age? What needs to change?