Diakonal Minister Credential

Diakonal Ministers were consecrated at the 2009 CHHSM Annual Meeting in a special service presided over by CHHSM President and CEO Bryan Sickbert (center). Standing with Sickbert are (from left) Lisa Fichera, Scott Stevenson, Lee Syria, Kyle Zanker, Bonnie Condon, Deborah Stouff, Tara Bethell, Dennis Kramme, Stacey Parke, and Sister Esther Hogan.

What is a Diakonal Minister?

Diakonal Ministers are senior staff leaders in CHHSM organizations who completed the Faith- Based Leadership Institute, a collaborative effort of religiously affiliated health and human service provider associations to provide theologically grounded management education.

The Diakonal Minister course of study augmented managers' professional skills with exploration of eight areas that research has identified as essential to successful leadership of faith-based health and human service organizations:

• Passion for justice
• Spiritual integrity
• Change leadership
• Sense of vocation
• Ethical reflection and action
• Covenant building skills
• Faith-values foundations
• Organizational skills

How do Diakonal Ministers provide value to CHHSM organizations?

Diakonal Ministers serve their organizations and CHHSM by integrating faith and leadership. They connect their own spirituality and the faith heritage of their ministries with their leadership practices and weave faith and values into the fabric of organizational life.

How is the Diakonal Minster program administered?

The Faith-Based Leadership Institute graduated its final class in 2009. CHHSM is in the process of creating a new program. Details will be released in early 2011.