Cultivating leaders
C3I develops leaders who are called to serve in congregations, faith-based social services, and social impact sectors. Through participation in our Congregational Social Work Initiative, our Master of Social Work students work alongside faculty to conduct research on current congregation practices and the intersection of faithful witness and social change. Our Dual Master of Social Work and Master of Divinity students also learn to engage social issues in the context of congregational care. Baylor students from any major can participate in leadership development activities, workshops, and research efforts. For more information about the Congregational Social Work Initiative, click here.
Baylor MSW students who are interested in gaining experience in Congregational Social Work can apply for stipends to work in congregational settings. Over 40 congregations have requested a GSSW MSW student to help shape their congregation’s community engagement. For more information, click here.
Additionally, C3I partners provide continuing education to congregational staff and lay leaders who are part of community engagement efforts in their own cities across the nation. Using video technology, in-person workshops, and curated resources, C3I partners provide trainings for church staff, denominational leaders and regional associations on topics such as addressing hunger, holistic community transformation, biblical foundations for doing justice, and church and community assessments.
Our desire is to train students to conduct congregational research, develop full-time congregational staff positions and strengthen community transformation initiatives in their communities. We raise awareness of the resource that social workers can be for strengthening congregations and their ministries. We also are an interdisciplinary group learning from scholars from all academic backgrounds on how to best serve congregants and congregations.