$112,621 from a Donor Advised Fund
The grant was designated by the Lutheran Community Foundation for general operating support, which in addition to paying for seminary general operating expense can also be used to fulfill tuition assistance grant-in-aid.
CTS provides graduate level theological education and continuing study which is Christ-centered and Biblically based, confessionally Lutheran, and evangelically active. The majority of students are preparing to serve as pastors and deaconesses.
People of all ages seek understanding and stability in an ever changing world. Rev. Jonathon Bakker (2005) lives this reality as he serves a diverse community in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. “One of the most amazing things the seminary does is prepare pastors without knowing the specific nature of their future settings.”
As assistant pastor of a mid-sized congregation, the largest component of Rev. Bakker’s call is as the LCMS campus pastor at Central Michigan University. “The seminary equipped me by forming me into a theologian who prays, studies, and struggles with the challenges I daily face. With the help of the Lord my seminary training gave me the tools to adapt to this setting and thrive here.”
Rev. Daniel Grams (2002) of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Garfield, New Jersey, found expanded horizons while at CTS: “Many of the seminary professors spent time teaching overseas. They brought their international perspective right into the classroom. This global sense of the church’s mission has been extremely helpful in the context I’ve been called to serve.”
"I pastor a congregation in northern New Jersey right outside of New York City," he said. "It’s possible to see the Empire State Building from the church! Immigrants from all over the world are living and working in our neighborhood. These professors provided me with a solid foundation for sharing the timeless message of the Gospel with those God has brought to our community.”
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