National Impact

Goals and Outcomes of the Empower and Equip Initiative

The Empower and Equip program will assist rural and small-town congregations by providing updated data, leadership training, opportunities for collaboration, and resources to expand ecclesial imaginations.

At the national level, Pepperdine and the Siburt Institute will conduct research and discover new data points relevant to Church of Christ congregations. This partnership will also yield resources vital to training faith leaders, such as publicly accessible libraries where sermons, classes, and community engagement guidance will all be available.

Together, Pepperdine University and the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry and Abilene Christian University will foster a landmark five-year longitudinal research project on Churches of Christ in America. Church leaders and researchers alike will be able to have access to data and insights that will inform the study of congregational life and inform the practice of life-giving ministerial leadership. Additionally,  in lively collaboration with our university and other organizational partners, small town and rural congregations across the country will be given access to a wide array of resources that inform ministry practice and encourage congregational leaders. Those resources may include such things as workshops, conferences, mentoring, networking and connection to other small town and rural church leaders, training and resource material, access to a digital library with written and video materials and more.