The School of Ministry at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) is taking a bold step to invest in local church leaders.
October 2025 will mark the official launch of the Florida College of Preachers (FCP) and the Voices for Change Preaching Festival. Funded through the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, the program brings together South Florida’s diverse church landscape and trains pastors to better serve their congregations.
Started under the Voices for Change Preaching Initiative, with the first cohorts enrolling in February, May, and August 2025, respectively, the program will continue to grow under the FCP later this year.
A Multi-Denominational Program
While many seminaries recruit students within a denomination or train pastors to think about a particular style of church, PBA’s method is different.
“These schools often train people in a narrow and specific way,” says Rev. Shawn Allen, Ph.D., the School of Ministry’s associate director for pedagogy and strategic initiatives. “PBA has a broad evangelical community; people from many countries and perspectives. Our program embodies those different church backgrounds.”
Allen adds that there’s power in exposing students with narrow viewpoints to Christianity’s rich tapestry. The yearlong program features three key classes: Formation, focused on personal development and spiritual formation; Context, where students learn how to effectively reach those they’ll serve; and Content and Delivery, which trains students to write and present messages.
Allen says the framework is rooted in transformation. When preachers personally transform, their sermons and congregations do, too.
“That order is crucial,” he shares. “It starts with who you are in your own relationship with God, so you can stand up in front of people.”
Emerging and established preachers can earn undergraduate or graduate credits through the program. They can be enrolled at PBA or at another institution.
Rooted in Practical Ministry
Another differentiator for the program is a focus on practical theology. This discipline emphasizes the lived experiences of people, placed in tension with the truth of God’s Word. By bringing context to ministry, pastors can ensure their messages are connected to real-world experiences—and better impact the people they serve.
And today, context and relevancy are critical. Younger generations crave authentic spaces, and communities across the U.S. are reaching historic lows when it comes to trusting faith-based institutions.
“Our program looks like South Florida. We have English, Spanish, and Creole preachers,” says Allen. “If you don’t have [those voices], you aren’t reaching the constituents where you are. Jesus did practical theology, and Paul did it all the time. It’s cool to see this plainly in Scripture and actually understand that’s where it all starts.”
As the program grows, the cohort model will remain a crucial way to unite preachers. It’s a necessary step to bring spiritual leaders of a multicultural, fragmented region closer together.
“We’re trying to build a community so there can be further fellowship and encouragement,” shares Allen. “It’s the Church collaborating on the mission God has us on.”
From Oct. 2-4, 2025, local trainees will apply the skills gained at PBA during the Voices for Change Preaching Festival. Students, faculty and staff, alumni, and the public can register to attend the three-day conference. They’ll hear from university faculty and students, special guests, and local pastors—including sermons in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. The event will also feature worship services and welcome the first official members of the Florida College of Preachers.
Tickets are $40 per person for the three-day conference. To learn more about the festival or to register, click here.
