Biola University is one of the institutions selected to receive the maximum $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., which gave $400+ million to a selection of theological schools in North America. The grant will help establish Talbot Embedded within the Talbot School of Theology, a cohort-based pathway for ministry leaders within the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry and Leadership (Ministry & Leadership) and Master of Divinity (Pastoral and General Ministries) programs.

Designed for pastors and leaders currently in ministry, Talbot Embedded offers the depth of Talbot’s theological training within a community of peers walking the same journey. Each semester combines online coursework with modular in-person gatherings, creating a rhythm of learning that is both flexible and deeply relational. San Diego and Seattle cohorts begin in spring, with other locations launching soon after — including plans for cohorts in Honolulu, Houston, Chicago, Orlando, Las Vegas, Portland and Phoenix. In addition, several denominations and networks will launch Talbot Embedded cohorts specific to their denomination or network, creating partnership cohorts that work toward a Talbot degree in community with other members of their denomination or network.

“A few years ago, we started a journey to move Talbot closer to the Church. Part of that is new partnerships with ministries around the globe. And part of it is launching regional locations to deliver our world-class education in sites across the country and around the world,” said Dr. Ed Stetzer, dean of the Talbot School of Theology. “When Lilly announced this grant, we were thrilled that Lilly would resource the strategy that we were already implementing. Now, we will accelerate with gospel urgency into new and expanded locations and partnerships!”

Unlike Talbot’s fully online option, Talbot Embedded is cohort-based and includes required in-person gatherings to build deeper relationships and spiritual formation. Different from the fully on-campus program in La Mirada, students do not need to relocate and can stay rooted in their current ministry context.

Talbot Embedded is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow

Initiative, which was designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. The grant awarded to Talbot is one of 45 approved in this competitive round of funding to support theological schools as they lead large-scale collaborations with other seminaries, colleges and universities, and other church-related organizations, a fact recently highlighted by .

“Theological schools play a vital role in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders for Christian congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “We believe that one of the most promising paths for theological schools to carry forward their important missions and enhance their impact is to work collaboratively with other schools, as well as congregations and other church-related organizations. By doing so they can strengthen their collective capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for effective congregational service now and in the future.”

Lilly Endowment launched the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative in 2021. Since then, it has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in efforts to strengthen their own educational and financial capacities and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors.

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. 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.

When students choose to study in the Talbot Embedded program through the Talbot School of Theology, they receive strong biblical and theological foundations. They learn to study and apply scripture faithfully and understand the essential doctrines of the Christian faith while deepening their relationship with the Holy Spirit through a set of five spiritual formation courses, plus retreats, small groups, spiritual direction and theology of spiritual growth. Students are also equipped with the essentials of effective church ministry, including evangelism, preaching, ministry leadership and more. Now is the time to apply to the Talbot School of Theology.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For information about locations launching or creating a denomination or network partnership, email talbotembedded@biola.edu.