About the Center

Vision: To see women called by God to be affirmed, empowered, and equipped to serve the Church and the world through a variety of ministry professions.

Mission: The Wynkoop Center for Women in Leadership exists to create space to imagine together the possibilities of women’s contributions, along with creative and innovative participation in the future of the church of Jesus Christ. The Center does this by providing opportunities, assistance, and resources to explore and encourage the giftings and callings of women in traditional and new frontiers of leadership.

The Wynkoop Legacy: Mildred Bangs Wynkoop (1905-1997) was an influential educator, missionary, and theologian whose work impacted the Church of the Nazarene and beyond. As a prolific writer, she bravely sought new paradigms through her engagement with Wesley’s theology. One of her notable works, A Theology of Love, shaped a generation of pastors, teachers, and theologians. She taught at several institutions including Western Evangelical Seminary (Oregon), Japanese Christian Junior College, Japanese Nazarene Theological Seminary, Trevecca Nazarene College (Nashville, TN), and as theologian-in-residence at Nazarene Theological Seminary (Kansas City, MO) from 1976-1980.

The Wynkoop Center was founded in 2003 as an initiative of Nazarene Theological Seminary through the generosity of the Ralph and Mildred Bangs Wynkoop estate. In 2002, Dr. Judi Schwanz (Director 2003-2020), NTS President Ron Benefiel (President 2000 – 2011), and Dr. Keith Schwanz, proposed creating this Center as a way to support women in the life of the Church. Founded initially as the Wynkoop Center for Women in Ministry, the Wynkoop Center for Women in Leadership will continue this legacy and expand its mission to support women in leadership, scholarship, and ecclesial ministry.