Pastors and ministry leaders gathered at Dakota Wesleyan for the launch of the 2024-25 PCL cohort last summer.

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,” said Dr. 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 United States. 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 of The United Methodist Church, 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 a formal degree, like some licensed local pastors. All groups reported similar gains in administrative confidence and competency.

 "The PCL certificate program gave me new skills and increased my confidence in leading administrative aspects of local church pastoral ministry,” said Rev. Jennifer McDonald, pastor of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Jamestown, North Dakota.

“The applied project and the coaching were a chance to put into practice what we learned in the PCL classes,” said Pastor Jason Christensen who serves Trinity United Methodist Church in Lead, South Dakota. “We could see first-hand what we did that was successful and what we would change if we were to do it again.”

Local Church Impact

Small group coaching teams are an integral part of the PCL learning format.

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.

“I decided to participate in the PCL program because I noticed that things I had learned in seminary and early in my ministry, that had been effective and useful, were no longer working well in today's church environment,” said Rev. Keith Nelson, pastor of Downtown First United Methodist Church in Mitchell, S.D. “What I have appreciated and found so helpful is that in each learning unit there have been topics that I have been able to directly apply to strengthen Downtown Mitchell First UMC.  So, for many assignments I was able to directly apply my ‘homework’ to a need or specific ministry area in the church. 

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.

“The greatest impact on my ministry was the learning around critical conversations,” described Pastor Christensen. “Not only am I better prepared to have them but with the help of PCL, I can have them effectively.”

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

Dr. Alisha Vincent moderates a panel during a joint session of PCL cohorts.

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 with many students echoing the sentiment that, without scholarship assistance, they would not have been able to participate.

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 Practical Church Leadership (PCL) program is one of the most impactful ways we invest in our pastoral leaders,” said Sheri Meister, president of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations. “It instills confidence, sharpens their leadership skills, and equips them to navigate the real-world challenges of ministry and to lead their congregations feeling empowered, strategically focused, and more grounded in their call." 

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 completed the survey in the impact study commented, “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. Pastors interested in enrolling should talk to their district superintendent.