The Israel Academy of Ministry invests in local leaders for greater impact.
Born-again believers in Israel are a minority within a minority. But they are resolute and driven – that is why creating a program for leadership training in the land was just a matter of time. Israel Academy of Ministry focuses on the development of practical leadership skills to invest in local congregations and ministries.
Israel is more or less the size of the state of New Jersey and has a little over 8 million residents. Of that, less than 2% identify as Christians, with the overwhelming majority belonging to the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. This means that the evangelical and messianic believers in Israel are a minority within a minority.
With these facts in mind, it is not surprising that the ministries in the land are often funded entirely by donors and organizations from outside of Israel. The needs are great, but resources remain scarce, so many pastors and ministry leaders turn to their international partners for support.
“What impact are you making? Who are you serving?” A group of ministry leaders and ministry representatives in Israel were recently asked these questions by a lecturer at the Israel Academy of Ministry (IAM) in Jerusalem. Jennifer Fretz-Smith, an expert in strategic business development and grant consulting, led the latest course organized by the Academy, called “The Road to Success in Grant Writing”.
Israel Academy of Ministry (IAM) focuses on the development of practical leadership skills. Designed around one-week or two-week intensive classes, the program helps existing leaders gain specific strengths to improve their congregations, ministries and organizations. The sessions are usually taught in English, with Hebrew translation available. By request, Arabic or Russian translations can be arranged also.
By training assistant leaders, up-and-coming leaders and lay leaders, IAM courses strive to bridge the gap between theological or doctrinal training and the hands-on application of leading various ministries. “The Road to Success in Grant Writing” was already the fourteenth course offered by IAM, which was a continuation of its series on fundraising.
With her impressive background in fundraising and human resource management, Fretz-Smith also offered one-on-one consultations to the students. During the course, each ministry representative could write their own application for a grant, with a guarantee that a real grant would be offered to a selected winner.
IAM strives to serve the local body of believers in their areas of need. Other courses conducted by IAM so far included: How to start a Humanitarian Aid Ministry, Effective Ministry in the Arab and Muslim Communities, The Ministry of Conflict Resolution, and Using Technology and Media in Ministry.
Visit the Israel Academy of Ministry profile for more information about upcoming courses and to support their efforts!