Collaborative academic development for decades to come

CTLC is not merely a short-term project. It is a coordinated effort to strengthen Chinese theological education through shared faculty development, cross-institutional learning, and joint research that builds long-term institutional capacity.

Collaborative Programs

Shared formation, innovation, and succession planning

Several major initiatives will be promoted in the coming years to strengthen Chinese theological education for the long term.

Faculty Sharing & Mentoring

Cross-seminary faculty sharing, joint training, and mentoring of next-generation educators ensure continuity, excellence, and spiritual depth in theological teaching.

Joint Curriculum Development

Shared academic programs preserve rigorous theological standards while addressing the real ministry challenges faced by Chinese churches today.

Nurturing Future Leaders

Scholarships and mentoring aim to prepare 20 new Chinese theological educators during the project period.

Launching Innovative Initiatives

Doctoral-level educational research, a Chinese church history archive center, and competency-based leadership formation are among the forward-looking efforts being explored.

Books on a shelf symbolizing shared learning

Shared Courses

Broader course access through home-institution enrollment

Offering shared courses is a key priority of CTLC. Students gain access to courses beyond their home institution, encounter a wider range of theological perspectives, and learn from faculty with specialized expertise.

Although only advanced-degree courses will be offered initially, plans include future master-level collaboration. Students enrolled in a degree program at any member school may take courses at other partner seminaries, with credits transferable back to their home institution. Enrollment is subject to course requirements and space availability, and students apply through their home institution, which remains the degree-granting school.

Summer 2026
Fall 2026
Spring 2027

Research Initiatives

Joint projects that strengthen institutional and educational capacity

The collaborative initiatives of CTLC aim to strengthen the institutional and educational capacity needed to prepare and support future pastoral leaders for Chinese-serving churches in North America. The goal is to address urgent gaps in leadership formation while laying a scalable and financially sustainable foundation for long-term theological education.

Current directions

Launch at least one collaborative research initiative each calendar year.
Coordinate research topics, participants, timelines, and outcomes through the Steering Committee.
Create opportunities for joint publication and conference presentation.
Encourage each partner institution to propose new academic programs, shared research centers, digital repositories, or contextualized educational models aligned with the Consortium’s mission.
Support all five seminaries as they develop programs that strengthen both their own institutions and the wider communities they serve.