Reimagining Ministry: Formation, Leadership, and Innovation for the 21st Century

Dear Colleagues,

Ministry in the 21st century is being reshaped by unprecedented cultural, technological, and ecclesial shifts. The rise of digital platforms, the challenges of globalization, and the evolving realities of secularization and pluralism are disrupting long-held paradigms of church leadership and theological education. At the same time, these changes are generating new opportunities for creativity, contextual engagement, and innovation in both the theory and practice of ministry. Ministerial formation was once dominated by residential, classroom-based, and denominationally specific approaches, but it is increasingly expanding into hybrid, global, and interdisciplinary models. Church leadership is likewise adapting, balancing tradition with innovation, and responding to diverse and rapidly changing social contexts.

This Special Issue, “Reimagining Ministry: Formation, Leadership, and Innovation for the 21st Century”, seeks to engage these dynamics by bringing together scholarship that is both critically rigorous and constructively oriented.

The aim of this Special Issue is to advance scholarly conversation on how ministry can be reimagined for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. By focusing on the interrelated areas of formation, leadership, and innovation, the collection will highlight cutting-edge research in theology, religious studies, practical theology, and related fields. This Special Issue sits firmly within the journal’s scope by addressing questions of faith, practice, pedagogy, and contextual ministry, while inviting interdisciplinary and global perspectives.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Ministerial formation in digital, hybrid, or intercultural contexts;
• Innovative pedagogies in theological education and ministerial training;
• Emerging models of ecclesial leadership in global Christianity;
• The role of technology and digital platforms in reshaping ministry;
• Historical and comparative perspectives on innovation in ministry;
• Bi-vocational, intercultural, and collaborative leadership models;
• Theological reflection models for ministry;
• Practical theology and the redefinition of ministerial identity.

Via this Special Issue, we seek to stimulate fresh academic inquiry into ministry as both a theological and practical discipline. By gathering diverse voices, contexts, and methods, our aim is to deepen scholarly understanding of how formation, leadership, and innovation intersect in the life of the church today. The intended impact is twofold: first, to advance research in the fields of theology, religious studies, and practical theology; and second, to equip educators, church leaders, and institutions with insights that are both academically rigorous and practically relevant. Ultimately, we aspire to shape the discourse on ministry in ways that are faithful to tradition, responsive to global contexts, and open to innovation.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor or to the Assistant Editor, Amity Zhang (amity.zhang@mdpi.com), of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring their proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Seidel Abel Boanerges
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.