Western Theological Seminary Receives Grant for Excellence in Preaching

Partnership between Western Theological Seminary, Pillar Church, and Hope College

Western Theological Seminary has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish The Bast Center for Christian Proclamation. 

The program is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative. The initiative aims to foster and support preaching that inspires, encourages, and guides people to come to know and love God and to live out their Christian faith more fully.

The Bast Center for Christian Proclamation is a joint effort to cultivate a culture that equips current and future preachers to communicate the gospel in a way that will be compelling in this secular age. Cohorts led by Western Theological Seminary alumni and pastors around the United States will participate in transformative learning experiences, create meaningful community connections, and access resources designed to encourage the interiorizing of scripture and the communication practices of orality. Over the next four years, cohort meetings will culminate in the spring annual Behold the Word gathering in West Michigan.

“We are excited to offer this opportunity for continuing community and support to WTS alumni and preachers,” said Dr. Felix Theonugraha, President of Western Theological Seminary.

Rev. Jon Brown, Lead Pastor at Pillar Church, shares, “At the Bast Center for Christian Proclamation, we want to cultivate a culture of preaching that inspires Jesus’ followers across the globe and sustains pastors for the rigors of ministry in the 21st century.”

Western Theological Seminary is one of 81 organizations receiving grants through this competitive round of the Compelling Preaching Initiative. Reflecting the diversity of Christianity in the United States, the organizations are affiliated with mainline Protestant, evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, Anabaptist, and Pentecostal faith communities. Many of the organizations are rooted in the Black Church and in Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions.

“Throughout history, preachers often have needed to adapt their preaching practices to engage new generations of hearers more effectively,” shared Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s Vice President for Religion. “We are pleased that the organizations receiving grants in this initiative will help pastors and others in ministry engage in the kinds of preaching needed today to ensure that the gospel message is heard and accessible for all audiences.”

Lilly Endowment launched the Compelling Preaching Initiative in 2022 to support projects that help nurture the religious lives of individuals and families and foster the growth and vitality of Christian congregations in the United States.  

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and its home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.