Participants received insight and instruction from numerous African-American leaders in the church, including bishops, staff of churchwide boards and agencies, clergy and lay leaders.

"We wanted them to understand theology in broader context than ordained ministry," Talbert said. "When you do that, then these young people will be able to think for themselves and they will become viable leaders in our congregations to strengthening The United Methodist Church."

The academy also provided opportunity to look spiritually into many areas of the students' lives. "We want the youth to think theologically about public policy, the music they hear, the clothing they wear," said Talbert. "... And we want young people to be very serious in considering what it means to be a child of God, what it means to be in the image of God, what is seemly or not seemly for a person of Christian character and Christian integrity."

While The United Methodist Church acknowledges a churchwide leadership crisis, Felder also cites a declining pool of African-American clergy in annual conferences to fill vacancies in African-American churches.

"Here is an attempt to develop pastors for our churches at an early age so that they can then begin to see the value of ministry, the value of the work of the church, and also identify their own special gifts for the future of the church," he said.

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.

News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .