The Center for Spiritual Formation at NTS
A decades-long dream, fulfilled at just the right time.
“The dream for a Center of Spiritual Formation began to grow
in me as I saw firsthand the exhaustion and isolation of my fellow colleagues in ministry
and witnessed the transformative work of the Spirit inviting us all to go deeper and travel
lighter with Jesus.”
A Dream 40 Years in the Making
In the early 1980s, NTS professors Dr. Morris Weigelt and Dr. Dee Freeborn began offering
spiritual formation workshops because they saw what few were willing to say out loud:
- Pastors were hurting.
- Pastors were tired.
- Pastors needed more than academics, they needed healing.
These workshops became places where students could name wounds, doubts, and fears and
encounter God’s sanctifying and transforming love in deeply personal ways. In 1993, the two
professors publicly cast a vision for a Center for Spiritual Formation, a place where pastors
could learn to walk closely with Jesus, receive care, and find spiritual renewal.
Why Now? Because Pastors Are More Exhausted Than Ever.
For decades, this dream remained in waiting, faithfully stewarded through the work of Dr. Hardy,
longtime faculty member and former student of those first workshops.
But today, the dream has become reality through his partnership with Rev. Michaele LaVigne, whose own
formation journey was impacted by the influence of Dr. Weigelt and Dr. Hardy. And it’s arriving at the
very moment the Church needs it most.
Pastors are facing:
- burnout and isolation
- emotional and spiritual fatigue
- pressure to lead amid cultural anxiety
- limited access to spiritual direction or formation support
The Center for Spiritual Formation exists to help pastors live with Jesus instead of striving endlessly for Jesus.
What Your Giving Tuesday Gift Makes Possible
In just its first phase, the Center has already:
- ✔ Offered free spiritual direction for clergy at denominational events to rediscover the gentle presence of Jesus
- ✔ Provided online webinars and in-person retreats for more than 500 pastors
- ✔ Built a referral network of trained spiritual directors
- ✔ Developed a two-year spiritual direction training program launching January 2026
But we’re just getting started.
Your gift today will help us see even more of our dreams become reality:
Expanded Offerings
- Spanish-language spiritual formation offerings
- A guided-prayer podcast
Accessible Formation
- Lower costs for formation cohorts & spiritual direction
- Spiritual friendship cohorts for pastors
More Retreats
- More in-person retreats across the U.S.
Sabbatical & Transition Care
- Resources for pastors taking sabbatical and navigating transitions
This is where your generosity becomes transformation.
Testimonies & Quotes
“As a pastor, this was a lifeline in a season I didn’t realize I needed it. This is life and
ministry transforming. I am resting in joy in ministry as a result of this course. As an
assistant district superintendent, I am so grateful to encourage this to the fellow pastors
I serve. Thank you!”
“Taking the time to sit and work through these practices, to be guided through this class has
been so helpful in this season. It’s easy for me to get caught up in work and the “busy-ness”
of ministry, so taking time to pause can be uncomfortable. This course has challenged me to
sit in the discomfort and to rest in the Lord’s presence.”
Your Place in This Story
For 40 years, God has been preparing this moment.
For 40 years, NTS has been carrying this dream.
Today, on Giving Tuesday, you step into the story.
Your gift:
- brings rest to weary pastors
- provides a safe place for healing
- equips new spiritual directors
- strengthens the Church for generations
Every gift, large or small, helps shape healthier pastors and healthier churches.
Give Today
Help us care for those who care for everyone else.
