Helping Future Christian Ministry Leaders Stay In Ministry And Flourish with Seminary Scholarships and Mentoring.

2 Timothy 2.2 “...and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

The pipeline of Christian ministry leaders is at its weakest point in generations. Seminary enrollment has been steady for decades, suggesting Christian ministry leaders aren't "sticking" in ministry. According to Barna Research, for every 10 seminary graduates entering a pastoral role, only 4 will stay for more than 5 years. The three leading factors for this premature exit from ministry are financial burden, isolation, and burnout. 

Understanding that the future of the church depends upon strong leaders remaining in ministry and having a long-term kingdom impact, and in obeying the call to mentor and equip in 2 Timothy 2:2, our mission is to enable seminary students to stay in ministry and flourish.

The 222 Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity that exists to help future Christian ministry leaders.

• Stay in the Ministry
• Flourish in the Ministry
• Ultimately, they become leaders by instilling a culture of mentorship through the Ministry.

Seminary students encounter a variety of challenges in their pursuit of education and spiritual development. Academic rigor stands out as a primary obstacle, necessitating in-depth theological study and critical thinking skills. Balancing coursework alongside personal, family, and ministry commitments demands strong time management and prioritization abilities. Given that the average cost for seminary is $128K, financial constraints present another significant challenge, with students often managing tuition fees and living expenses on limited financial resources. Additionally, the intense academic environment can impact emotional and spiritual well-being, underscoring the need for resilience and a supportive community to foster growth and well-rounded development. 

We serve seminary students by providing substantial scholarships and one-on-one mentoring.

• Scholarships alleviate the financial burden of seminary education and the resulting debt allowing students to focus on their training, get much out of seminary experience, and to lead their families and ministry well.
• Personalized Mentorship enables each student to walk alongside an experienced leader in their present season of life while providing him with insights and skillsets to navigate personal and ministry challenges in a God-honoring way. This intentional, customized mentoring creates a highly impactful relationship based on the core principles of authenticity, confidentiality, and guidance without judgement.

No. 222 Foundation is a non-denominational, Christ-centered nonprofit organization that works in collaboration with many different denominations that align theologically.

222 Foundation does subscribe to the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith and expects our student partners and seminaries to be in alignment with that Statement.

As a newer organization, we initially identified prospective mentors based upon the people that our staff and board knew directly.

Our second stage was to partner with churches to develop an ‘ecosystem’. In this case, the church provided an opportunity for the student to serve while one of the pastors or elders played the role of mentor; and 222 provided guidance and coaching to the mentor.

In our third stage, we have discovered that our current mentors have such a passion for the role that they proactively ‘nominate’ others they believe would be qualified and passionate. In our fourth stage, we’ve found that many of our devoted investors apply to be mentors.

As we grow larger, we welcome you to consider becoming a mentor. If you’re interested in learning more or applying, please send us your contact information.

222 Foundation partners with students who are:

• Followers of Jesus Christ
• Accepted into a graduate-level program (M.Div., Th.M. or equivalent) at one of 222 Foundation’s partner seminaries
• Called to long-term vocational ministry
• In need of financial assistance
• Have a strong desire for mentorship 
• Take at least 6 credit hours or equivalent per semester

Scholarships are in the range of $4,000–$7,000 per year. Scholarships will typically begin at the lower end of that range and escalate each year as the student demonstrates personal investment and progress in the mentorship program.

The average program cost (scholarship and mentoring investment) per student is $10,000 per year. Given the average commitment of three or four years, each student partner benefits from an investment of between $30,000 to $40,000. To put it into perspective, the average debt for a seminary student is $42,000. With 222’s substantial investment, most of our program alum graduate with $0 of seminary debt! 

The 222 Foundation currently partners with students enrolled at:

• Dallas Theological Seminary
• Moody Theological Seminary
• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Due to the high volume of applicants from our current partner seminaries, 222 Foundation is not currently seeking to add another seminary as a partner. Once our resources and infrastructure are fully developed, we may consider additional partnerships in the future.

The role of a mentor is both biblical and foundational to the raising up of leaders within the church and the advancement of the Kingdom of God. 222 Foundation’s Mentorship Program is aimed at coming alongside those pursuing theological studies and building a relationship with them that will be focused on helping the student apply the truth of Scripture to all of life and ministry.

Mentorship is not only about intentionally investing in the spiritual growth of the student, but also an effective means for imparting essential skills for ministry. In these ways, 222 Foundation mentors provide the practical guidelines and training through a highly personalized relationship with each student. As the President of Wheaton College, Dr. Phil Ryken observed, “Seminary can teach you about half the things you need to learn for ministry and the other has to be learned through experience and the church.” Mentors will provide biblical resources and guidance to better equip each student for fruitful vocational ministry.

The mentorship will typically include:

• Twice a month meeting between the mentor and mentee.
• Prayer time and encouragement between each mentor and mentee.

222 Mentors are experienced leaders – primarily business professionals with a deep love for Kingdom work.

• Have led people, teams, organizations
• Faithful follower of Christ
• Personal characteristics that align with 222’s “listen and nudge” mentoring approach. These typically include humility, active listening, and high emotional intelligence.
• See mentoring video here 

Mentor is an inherently “fuzzy” word; it means different things to different people. A man with teenage sons will talk about mentoring them into adulthood. A mature believer discipling a new believer will talk about mentoring them spiritually. A business professional working with a more junior staff member will talk about mentoring their career advancement. A football coach mentors his staff in his philosophy.

222 Mentorship is at once all of those things and none of them. Here’s 222’s definition of mentorship:

• We work with future Christian ministry leaders so that they can: Avoid the predictable pitfalls of ministry life
• Sustain a healthy and successful ministry for the long term, and
• Become leaders of leaders as they mentor other future leaders over time.

222 Mentorship is a gift to our student partners.

However, the value of 222 mentorships can be measured by comparable programs, which typically charge over $200/hour. We estimate that our mentors will volunteer over $70,000 of their own time over the coming academic year. Thanks to our mentors and generous donors, we can offer this personalized mentorship to our student partners at no charge.

Many of our student partners report that this mentorship was the gift they didn’t know they needed.

222 is funded primarily through donations from individuals who give at different levels including monthly giving. In addition, churches and family foundations also support the ministry. 

The Foundation's long-term goals for the 222 Foundation encompass three phases:

• Phase One: Raise funds to sustain the current 50 students in the program with a budget of $700,000.
• Phase Two: Expand support to 100 seminary students by raising $1 million.
• Phase Three: Establish an endowment fund of $15 million to ensure sustained support and longevity of the program.

These phases outline a strategic progression aimed at increasing impact and securing financial stability to fulfill the Foundation's mission effectively.

When you donate to 222 Foundation, your support is stewarded with care. We offer easy donation tools and transparent financial integrity, including clean audit reports.

Our accreditations: GuideStar 2024 – Platinum Status, Charity Navigator – Four Star Rating, ECFA accreditation in progress.

Partnering between a church and the 222 Foundation can be a meaningful collaboration that benefits both parties and the broader community of believers. Here are some considerations for a church interested in partnering with the 222 Foundation.  

• Volunteer Opportunities: Offer church members opportunities to mentor seminary students or support financially.
• Financial Support: Consider regular donations or fundraisers to support seminary scholarships.
• Raise Awareness: Share the 222 Foundation's mission and success stories within your church community (e.g. at Men’s or Women breakfast events etc).
• Collaborate on Events: Host joint events focused on theological education, ministry development, pastoral care.
• Pray: Commit to praying regularly for the 222 Foundation, its students, and mentors.

Partnering with the 222 Foundation allows your faith-based company/organization to invest in future ministry leaders and support the mission of theological education effectively.

• Financial Support: Consider donating funds, sponsoring scholarships, or organizing fundraisers to support the 222 Foundation’s initiatives.
• Employee Engagement: Involve employees as mentors or advisors to seminary students.
• Awareness and Collaboration: Promote the 222 Foundation’s mission within your organization and explore joint events or workshops focused on ministry and leadership development.
• Spiritual Support: Commit to praying regularly for the 222 Foundation, its students, mentors, and staff.

Volunteers are vital to our efforts in making a meaningful impact. Join us in creating a difference together! 

• Connect with Qualified Mentors: Help us find and engage mentors to support our students.
• Engage Local Churches: Assist in building relationships with local churches to expand our outreach and support network.
• Recruit Potential Students: Aid in identifying and connecting with prospective students who could benefit from our programs.
• Reach out to Financial Partners: Assist in connecting with individuals, family foundations, churches, businesses, and other potential supporters to sustain our mission.
• Offer to host small events (dinners, luncheons etc) with people who might be interested in learning more about 222.