The WELL Program at NBTS

Pastors play a pivotal role in their congregations, and the demands on them are great in ordinary times, much less the current extraordinary challenges.

The WELL Program Overview

The WELL Program is a Thriving in Ministry Initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. This grant program is housed at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The WELL Program helps pastors thrive in leadership based on their unique context for ministry and hopes to enhance the vitality of the congregations in which they serve. We believe that empowering pastors also empowers communities. Pastors participating in the WELL Program will be involved in Mentorship groups, Pastor-to-Pastor Interactions, Virtual Learning Intensives, and Conference Retreats, and will develop a Capstone Project and plan for enhancing their ministry. Conference Retreats and Learning Intensives will provide presentations on the WELL Program Themes: Reflect, Rejuvenation, Restoration, Rest, and Recommit to Thriving.

Program Purpose and Goals

The WELL program will equip program participants with sustainable practices and meaningful support to enhance their personal and professional growth. The program design is culturally and contextually specific and will incorporate culturally relevant materials. The goals and purposes of the program fit perfectly with the mission of NBTS. We propose to assist pastors who serve in two diverse ministry contexts: Latino pastors launching new churches and African American/Black pastors leading congregations in urban areas.

Our primary aim for the project is to help participating pastors thrive in congregational leadership and, as a result, enhance the vitality of the congregations they serve. To achieve this goal, our WELL Program will assist participating pastors in:
(1) Determining the relational, experiential, spiritual, and knowledge frameworks essential to their personal and professional ministry development and growth.
(2) Cultivating and enhancing relationships with peers and with role models, including a mentor who partners with, supports, and guides each participant through common professional challenges and transitions.
(3) Employing introspective techniques (spiritual disciplines) that support the formation and transformation of participants’ pastoral and professional identity.
(4) Formulating individualized core teams that consist of financial, business, political, and health specialists who serve as consultants for the participants’ personal and professional long-term wellness and self-care strategies.

As part of our seminary’s mission, we have been doing this work through our curriculum, certificate programs, previous grant efforts, and though our Reformed Church Center. The WELL Program will allow us to expand our efforts to constancy outside of the walls of the seminary and invite a broader constituency to engage with us in activities that strengthen their gifts and skills to think critically, act justly, and lead faithfully.

Program Delivery:

Pastors in the program will be involved in pastor-to-pastor networking and interactions, mentoring, learning intensives, and conferences. Pastors will also develop a professional development plan to enrich their ability to lead and thrive in ministry.

To connect with us, please email: wellprogram@nbts.edu

What past participants have said about the program:

“...we have to give ourselves permission to break the mold…we are learning now to refer, we are learning now to discuss therapy. …if we’re healthy I believe it helps our communities to also be healthier and sometimes it requires not being the kind of minster that people may have grown up with.” – Rev. M.W.”

“…when you set up boundaries, yes it can be uncomfortable but you have to give time for yourself. …its okay to say no. …I’ve had to understand that I had to love myself in another level, yes in a spiritual level but in a physical level of not burning out.“- Pastor A.A.

Gihane Jérémie-Brink, PhD

Gihane Jérémie-Brink, PhD is the Director and Co-Principal Investigator for the WELL Grant Program. She also is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Program in Clinical and Counseling Psychology within the Department of Psychology at The William Paterson University, Program Chair for APA’s (American Psychological Association) Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology), Member of the Awards and Recognition Committee for APA’s Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology), and Editorial Board Member for Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice journal. Dr. Jérémie-Brink’s active research program explores racial and ethnic socialization, coping strategies, identity development, and critical consciousness as protective factors for the psychological well-being of Black emerging adults, women, and couples and families. Dr. Jérémie-Brink has been happily married for over 15 years and has three wonderful children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, dancing, and listening to music.

Rev. Micah L. McCreary, PhD

Rev. Micah L. McCreary, Ph.D. is the 12th president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary and has served in this role since July 2017. Dr. McCreary, a native of Detroit Michigan, came to NBTS from Richmond, Virginia, where he was President and CEO of McCreary and Madison Associates, Incorporated, a psychological and human resources consulting firm. Dr. McCreary also worked as a tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for 21 years. During his career at VCU, Dr. McCreary held other positions including his service as Assistant Vice Provost for Diversity, Quality Enhancement Plan Coordinator, and Co-Director of the Counseling Psychology Program. Dr. McCreary holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Michigan, a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Conferences:

WELL Conference 2024 : THRIVING TOGETHER