Why Leadership Development Can No Longer Be a “Nice to Have”

Why Leadership Development in Christian Higher Education Can’t Be Treated as Optional

Most leaders in Christian higher education would agree that leadership development matters. Faculty need support, administrators need growth, and institutions need stronger pipelines of capable leaders. These are not controversial ideas. And yet, in practice, leadership development is often treated as something to fit in when time allows. That tension is not new, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

The Quiet Reality: Development Gets Crowded Out

In most institutions, the people responsible for delivering the mission are also the ones with the least capacity to step away from their work to grow. Faculty are teaching, advising, and responding to increasing student needs. Administrators are navigating financial pressure, enrollment shifts, and operational complexity. Senior leaders are balancing long-term strategy with daily demands. In that environment, professional development becomes reactive rather than intentional. It is something leaders value in theory but struggle to prioritize in practice, and the result is not a lack of commitment, but a lack of structure.

Why Leadership Development in Christian Higher Education Is Essential

The pace and complexity of change across higher education have raised the stakes. Ongoing learning is no longer just helpful; it is necessary to remain effective. This is especially true in Christian higher education, where expectations are layered. Institutions are not only delivering academic programs, but also cultivating spiritual formation, biblical integration, and mission alignment. That combination requires continuous growth. Without intentional development, leaders and faculty are left to rely on prior training that may not fully equip them for current realities, and over time that gap becomes visible in both classroom effectiveness and institutional performance.

The Faculty Challenge: Expertise Does Not Equal Preparedness

One of the most significant pressure points sits with faculty. Institutions hire highly capable scholars and practitioners who bring deep subject matter expertise, but two assumptions are often made: that they know how to teach effectively and that they know how to integrate biblical truth into their discipline. In many cases, neither assumption is fully accurate. Faculty frequently enter their roles with gaps in pedagogy, biblical integration, or both.

The traditional academic pathway prioritizes research and subject expertise, but rarely includes meaningful preparation for teaching itself. That creates a disconnect. The curriculum may be well-designed and the mission clearly stated, but the actual delivery of that mission depends on the faculty. In many ways, the faculty are the curriculum. Without ongoing development, institutions are relying on individuals to carry out a mission they were never fully trained to execute.

Why Institutions Struggle to Solve This Internally

If the need is so clear, why is it so difficult to address? The answer is largely practical. Developing meaningful leadership and faculty training requires time, expertise, and financial resources, all of which are already constrained. There is also a scale challenge. Even within a single association, thousands of faculty may need support, making traditional approaches difficult to sustain.

Conferences remain valuable and should continue. They provide relationship-building and focused learning environments that are difficult to replicate. But they are not sufficient on their own. They cannot fully address issues of access, consistency, or ongoing development. Institutions need something that extends beyond occasional events.

Moving from Occasional Training to Ongoing Formation

What is required is a shift in how leadership development in Christian higher education is understood. It cannot remain occasional; it must become ongoing. That means creating systems that allow leaders and faculty to engage in development as part of their regular rhythm of work, not as an interruption to it.

It also requires a cultural shift. Leaders must model development as a priority by creating space for it, protecting that space, and holding their teams accountable to engage in it. This is not simply about adding more content or launching new initiatives. It is about reinforcing the idea that growth is part of faithful stewardship.

Conclusion: Leadership Development in Christian Higher Education as Stewardship

Leadership development in Christian higher education is not a luxury. It is one of the primary ways institutions steward their mission. When faculty are equipped to teach effectively and integrate faith meaningfully, students are shaped more deeply. When leaders continue to grow, institutions remain aligned and responsive in a changing environment.

The challenge is not whether development matters. Most leaders already believe that it does. The challenge is whether it will be treated as essential in practice, because that decision will shape both faculty effectiveness and the long-term health of the institution.

This blog came from an interview with Eric Brandt, ABHE Director of the Leadership Academy, hosted by Philip Dearborn, president of ABHE on the podcast Biblical Higher Ed Talk. Click below to watch the full interview.

A Practical Next Step for Your Team

If leadership development in Christian higher education is essential, the next question is straightforward: Where does that development actually happen? For many institutions, the challenge is not recognizing the need. It is creating consistent, accessible opportunities for leaders and faculty to grow while they are carrying full responsibilities.

The ABHE Leadership Academy was designed to address that gap. It provides short, focused micro-courses built specifically for Christian and biblical higher education, covering areas like faculty development, biblical integration, governance, enrollment strategy, and institutional leadership. These courses are designed for immediate application and can be completed on a flexible schedule, making it possible to integrate development into the normal rhythm of work rather than treating it as an interruption. Because the Academy was built by practitioners who understand the realities of leading in this space, the content reflects real institutional challenges, not abstract theory. It is intended to serve leaders at every level, from trustees and presidents to faculty and staff, with role-specific learning that supports both individual growth and institutional alignment. Whether you are onboarding new faculty, aligning your leadership team around mission, or creating a more consistent approach to development across your institution, it offers a practical starting point.

The Leadership Academy is provided free of cost for any staff at an ABHE institution as a member benefit to support your institution’s growth.