Think back to the moment you first sensed a call to ministry.
For many Covenanters, it was a person, a place, a moment that helped something deep inside come into focus. A camp counselor who noticed a gift. A pastor who asked a thoughtful question. A youth group, a mission trip, a Bible study, a CHIC/Unite gathering where someone invited you to imagine that God might be calling you—and you took a tentative step forward.
Somebody was there.
A next step existed.
Something helped move you from maybe to yes.
Today, those moments still happen—but the pathways that once carried people forward are weaker than they used to be. Across the Evangelical Covenant Church, leaders are naming what many congregations are experiencing firsthand: fewer young people pursuing vocational ministry, fewer clear next steps for discerning call, and fewer Covenant‑formed leaders ready to serve congregations.
That’s why the One Covenant Community project has launched a major effort focused on deepening leadership wells and strengthening coordinated pipelines for leadership development—so that God’s calling, when it emerges, is recognized, stewarded, and supported.
Why Leadership Wells and Pipelines Matter
This work isn’t only about institutional survival. At its heart, it’s about discernment.
When pastors, camp staff, educators, and conference leaders gathered earlier this year to reflect on leadership pathways in the Covenant, a shared insight emerged: many people still sense a call, but they’re less likely to have someone help them name it or a clear pathway to pursue it.
The pipeline, one participant said simply, is incomplete.
Gaps appear at key transition points: between high school and college, between lay leadership and formal training, between sensing call and knowing what to do next. These gaps are often felt most sharply by women, people of color, bi-vocational leaders, and adults discerning ministry later in life.
The good news? The Covenant has a rich history of forming leaders well. Camps, congregations, mentors, conferences, and institutions have long played powerful roles in nurturing vocational imagination. The challenge—and the opportunity—before us now is to recover that wisdom, learn from it, and rebuild pathways that meet today’s realities.
The Leadership Wells & Pipelines Working Group
To lead this effort, the Leadership Wells & Pipelines Working Group is bringing together leaders from across the Covenant ecosystem—congregations, camps, conferences, educational partners, and denominational ministries. This project working group is co‑led by Pete Sutton, ECC Director of Youth and Young Adults, and Matt Aalseth, Director of Youth Ministry, Pacific Southwest Conference.
Together, the group is charged with strengthening how the Covenant identifies, nurtures, and supports called leaders—from early discernment through preparation for sustainable ministry.
But this work cannot be done by a single team alone.
Help Us Remember—and Rebuild
Before new pathways can be designed, we need to understand what pathways were successful in the past and why they weakened.
As part of this effort, the Leadership Wells & Pipelines Working Group has launched a denomination‑wide invitation to gather stories and insights about the leadership development experiences that have shaped Covenant pastors and leaders over the years.
What helped you recognize a call?
Where was it nurtured?
Who walked with you?
What resources, programs, or relationships made a difference?
To collect this wisdom, the group has created a simple input form where Covenanters are invited to share past or present leadership development pathways that were significant in their own journey—or in the journey of someone they mentored.
This is not about whether a program still exists or whether it was perfect.
It’s about learning from what worked—especially the informal, relational, and Spirit‑led pathways that have shaped leaders across generations.
You’re Invited to Participate
Whether your call took shape at a Covenant camp, through a congregational ministry, a mentor’s encouragement, an educational program, or a less formal network, your story matters.
By sharing your experience, you are helping:
- Honor what has faithfully formed leaders in the past
- Identify patterns and strengths worth renewing
- Name gaps where clearer pathways are needed
- Build a more accessible, coordinated future for discerning leaders
Add your voice to this collective discernment by sharing your leadership development story here. Together, we can help ensure that when God calls we are ready to walk alongside those responding in faith.
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