Dec. 30—ELKHART — Jewel Gingerich Longenecker and Daniel Schrock have been named co-directors of the new Doctor of Ministry in Leadership program at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart.

The new co-directors, who began Sept. 19, are sharing the half-time position, overseeing the program's faculty and curriculum as well as guiding student advisory groups and doctoral research project committees. Both are continuing in their existing roles at AMBS — Gingerich Longenecker as dean of Lifelong Learning and Schrock as a core adjunct faculty member in the area of spiritual direction.

Beverly Lapp, vice president and academic dean, sees Gingerich Longenecker and Schrock as bringing a unique combination of the experience, education and skills needed to successfully launch and lead the new program, which will begin in January 2023.

"The co-director approach maximizes their gifts for leadership of the Doctor of Ministry as a planned collaboration of AMBS's graduate programs and Church Leadership Center," she said.

This 32-credit-hour competency-based degree program is designed to help mid-career pastors and ministry leaders strengthen their leadership capacities for the advanced practice of ministry. It's the only DMin in the U.S. to be deliberately developed with an Anabaptist framework.

Gingerich Longenecker earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership in 2014 from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan; a Master of Arts: Theological Studies with a concentration in Biblical Studies in 1992 from AMBS; and a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1988 from Eastern Mennonite College (now University) in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Gingerich Longenecker resides in South Bend and is part of Kern Road Mennonite Church in South Bend — a congregation of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.

Schrock has ministered at Lombard (Illinois) Mennonite Church (1990 — 91); Columbus (Ohio) Mennonite Church (1991 — 2002); and Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana (2002 — 20).

Schrock earned a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality in 2007 from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia; a Certificate in the Art of Spiritual Direction in 1999 from San Francisco (California) Theological Seminary; a Master of Arts in Theology in 1987 from Chicago (Illinois) Theological Seminary; and a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1981 from Goshen College.

He lives in Goshen and is part of Walnut Hill Mennonite Church in Goshen, also an Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference congregation.