Participating churches and pastors will join a network of peers who will provide support and encouragement. Supported by the staff at TBTP, subject matter experts, and coaches each participating congregation will be equipped in leadership, skill, and virtue development.

As they participate in the key activities over a 3 year period they will be better equipped to adapt to our changing social and cultural contexts, clarify their values and mission, and cultivate the Christian practices that deepen the faith of their members.

While TBTP originates out of a particular denomination (the Christian Reformed Church of North America), participation in TBTP is not limited to Christian Reformed Churches. In fact, TBTP will be best served with a diverse variety of congregations as participating churches. In selecting participating churches priority will be given to churches that are proximate to each other so as to promote partnership and collegiality (a virtual hub(s) is a distinct possibility as well).

Finally, it is worth noting that while TBTP is not designed to replace denominational ties, these networks may serve as helpful third-space environments for congregations desiring to live more fully into a center-set posture with other partner churches.

In gratitude for the generous support of the Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, we are excited to offer participation to congregations at a minimal cost.

Each participating congregation will receive training, coaching, and retreats valued at more than $15,000 over the 3 year term of the project. While the total cost for TBTP for each participating church is approximately $30,000 over the entire project, each participating congregation will commit to provide a minimum annual contribution of $2,000 (totaling $6,000 over the 3 years of the project).

We recognize that some participating congregations may be able to provide additional support for the project. Therefore, while $2,000 is the minimum contribution, the suggested annual contribution for each participating congregation is $5,000. These additional funds will allow for scholarship support for congregations who may feel restricted due to financial costs and provide for the future sustainability of our work.