About the Institute

Today’s pastors face daunting expectations. They must fill many roles— spell-binding speaker, visionary, spiritual leader, psychologist, counselor, business manager, human resource specialist, to name a few— roles that expand so rapidly that a sense of futility sets in as the gap between what they were prepared for in seminary and what they encounter on a daily basis steadily widens.

With this understanding, through our TMF Institute, we provide leadership, self-care, and spiritual formation resources to pastors through:

  • Clergy Development Groups- These facilitated peer learning groups are the central element of the ministry and provide pastors a “safe” place to learn, grow, share and reflect together on what the church is and could be, and who they are and can be.
  • Educational Seminars- These events for clergy and laity provide a catalyst for deeper self-directed group work
  • Think Tanks- These events draw together people interested or experienced in an issue to discuss and share new insights and perceptions
  • Special Events- These events bring together all disparate United Methodists in Texas, South Central Jurisdiction, and occasionally beyond to explore ways to put the mission of sustaining excellence in ministry and pastoral leadership at the center of our endeavors
  • Communities of Learning- Unique communities of clergy and laity from churches sharing a commonality in ministry setting, size and passion for becoming more missionally-focused, disciple-making communities of faith, which are lead through a process of visioning and strategic planning
  • Platform Groups- A group of clergy who share a specific role or responsibility and who gather to learn together what no one can teach them about their work.  (Examples: Bishops' Conclave, District Superintendent Groups, Congregational Development Conference Staff; Large Church Sr. Pastors.)
  • Adaptive Question Groups--A group of clergy who have been identified by their potential for missional leadership and who covenant to work together to learn their way into a clear adaptive question and produce specific efforts and actions of adaptive change within their system.  (Example: Music directors working on the question of how the tool of music can be used in disciple making.)