Gordeon-Conwell Introduces New Scholarship Program

The new Partnership Scholarship will provide a three-year, $7,000 per year scholarship to 50 qualified Master of Divinity students enrolling at the South Hamilton, Massachusetts campus for the Fall 2004 semester. According to Robert Landrebe, Executive Vice President, in addition to helping students reduce the costs of theological education, the new Partnership Program has been carefully structured to provide vital biblical and practical preparation for three areas of ministry often overshadowed by other academic requirements: biblical stewardship, discipleship and call to ministry. These three elements are effective ministry in the Church, on the mission field, and in other areas of Christian leadership. The seminary will offer ongoing resources and continuing education opportunities to assist the applicants as they work with their pastors to identify their call to full-time ministry. Applicants must make good faith effort to identify at least 12 donors who agree to give $35 per month to a Partnership Scholarship Fund, and a sending church that gives $500 per year to the same fund. Donors and churches also support the student through regular communication and prayer. Internal Revenue Service confirmed that the scholarship would be considered non-taxable, qualified scholarships. In addition, the program will be administered so that financial support is not credited directly to student accounts, but will be credited to a restricted account under the complete and final control of the seminary.¡°Studies show that students frequently graduate having never learned the principles of biblical stewardship and as a result have difficulty talking about money, teaching others these principles and helping their congregations develop a stewardship plan,¡± Robert explains. ¡°Moreover, in meeting the rigorous academic requirements of a seminary degree, students often fail to develop the spiritual disciplines which are the foundation of pastoral ministry. We also believe that students who come to seminary with a call to ministry are more likely to complete their seminary degrees.¡±¡°Our goal as a seminary is to ensure that students graduate from seminary well prepared to serve the Church effectively in all areas of ministry,¡± says Gordon-Conwell President Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. ¡°At the same time, we want students to enter ministry without the burden of heavy educational debt. Our Board, faculty and leadership have wrestled for more than two years with how best to achieve these objectives. We believe the Partnership Program is innovative in addressing both, and we are grateful for the opportunity to make it available for our students.¡±