named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Advanced professional degree for experienced ministers seeking deeper theological reflection and leadership development
Field Education Program
Supervised practical ministry experience integrating academic learning with real-world pastoral and church-based settings
Hispanic Institute for Theological Studies (CHET)
Bilingual theological training initiative serving Spanish-speaking church leaders and congregations
Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
Comprehensive theological degree program preparing students for pastoral and ministerial leadership in the church and world
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Christian Leadership & Discipleship Training 4 activities
- Host public conferences and community eventsHosts events such as the Rebuild Conference, which featured over 40 presenters focused on rebuilding the church as a responsive, justice-minded, and loving community, and conducts commencement and hooding ceremonies for graduating students.
- Offer certificate and stackable credential programsProvides non-degree certificate programs in theological education, including Advanced Certificates in Chaplaincy, Biblical Interpretation, and Spiritual Formation, designed to develop ministry skills and support ordination requirements; certificates are stackable toward Master of Arts or Master of Divinity degrees and available online or on-campus.
- Prepare individuals for Christian ministry leadershipEquips individuals for roles as pastors, spiritual guides, transformational leaders, and community advocates through seminary education grounded in biblical and historic Christian faith, with curricula aligned to denominational ordination requirements for Free Methodist, Nazarene, United Methodist, and Wesleyan traditions.
- Recruit and admit students committed to ethical and academic excellenceRecruits students who demonstrate personal integrity, academic excellence, and ethical conduct for theological education, aligning with the seminary’s covenantal values.
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Religious Media Production and Distribution 2 activities
- Conduct theological research and publish scholarly worksEngages in theological research resulting in scholarly monographs, book reviews, and publications including works on biblical theology and eschatology such as The Liberating Image and A New Heaven and a New Earth, as well as authoring a catechism and systematic theology volumes for the Free Methodist Church.
- Produce educational media contentProduces a podcast that explores classroom conversations among students, contributing to broader theological dialogue and engagement.
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Higher Education Degree Programs 1 activity
- Deliver graduate theological education programsOffers fully online and on-campus graduate degree programs including Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Ministry degrees in theology and ministry; programs include field education, capstone experiences, and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training in healthcare and congregational settings. Delivered through Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY, with options for hybrid, online, or in-person study.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Engage and recognize alumniRecognizes alumni for faithful service in ministry through awards such as the Distinguished Alumnus honor, and provides opportunities for alumni to contribute blog content and refer prospective students to the seminary.
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Student Support and Academic Services 1 activity
- Process academic records and transcriptsProcesses official transcript requests via mail, electronic delivery, or in-person pickup (not by fax), supporting alumni and student academic needs.
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Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
- Support student access and affordabilityOffers a 25% tuition scholarship for Free Methodist Church students enrolled in Advanced Certificate or Master's programs and grants academic credit for completion of the School of Kingdom Living curriculum toward select graduate programs.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Facilitate inter-institutional enrollment and credit transferAllows students from partner theological schools to register for courses at Northeastern Seminary and develops articulation agreements with institutes to enable transfer credit into associate or pre-seminary programs.
- Maintain covenantal affiliation promoting inclusionShares a covenantal affiliation with the Free Methodist Church that emphasizes the rights and inclusion of underrepresented populations, women, and the economically disadvantaged.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.82M
Contributions & grants$204K11%
Program service revenue$1.58M87%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$28K
expenses
Total expenses$1.91M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$1.18M
Grants paid out$186K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$1.02M
Investments$4.22M
Liabilities$2.11M
Net assets$0
Liquid reserves32.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -40.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rupert A Hayles Jr START 0723 | PRESIDENT | 4 | $161K |
| Laurie J Leo LEFT 0324 | Chief Financial Officer | 6 | $161K |
| Deana L Porterfield | FORMER PRESIDENT | 0 | $155K |
| Alexander H Jones LEFT 0624 | VP for Institutional Advancement | 2 | $152K |
| Kristen M Brown LEFT 0324 | VP for Student Experience | 2 | $134K |
| Benjamin Espinoza LEFT 0823 | VP Northeastern Seminary | 2 | $80K |
board members · 18
- Barbara Rose — TRUSTEE
- Caryl Wenzke LEFT 0823 — TRUSTEE
- Chad Goodchild — TRUSTEE
- David Rinker LEFT 0524 — TRUSTEE
- Deborah Schmidt — VICE CHAIR
- Deborah White — TRUSTEE
- Duncan O'Dwyer LEFT 1023 — TRUSTEE
- Dwight Kip Palmer — TRUSTEE
- Emerson Fullwood — TRUSTEE
- Eric Logan — TRUSTEE
- Guy Adams — TRUSTEE
- Herbert Alexander — TRUSTEE
- Holly Hillberg — TRUSTEE
- Janet Balajthy — SECRETARY
- John Jennings — TRUSTEE
- Justin Niebel START 1023 — TRUSTEE
- Kevin Mannoia — VICE CHAIR
- Linda Adams LEFT 0524 — TRUSTEE
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- Apple Podcasts Partner — Platform where the Northeastern Seminary podcast is available
- Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada Network — Accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools, with accreditation for master's and doctoral programs.
- Church of the Nazarene Partner — Institutional partner in theological education and leadership development.
- Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School Partner — Partner in the Rochester consortium of theological schools, allowing cross-registration for courses.
- Dallas Willard Ministries Partner — Collaborates to offer academic credit for the School of Kingdom Living curriculum through Northeastern Seminary's graduate programs.
- Elim Christian Fellowship of Buffalo, NY Partner — Partnership with the Sound of the Genuine Lay Leadership Institute at Elim Christian Fellowship.
- FMC Canada Partner — Offers support opportunities for Canadian Free Methodist students enrolled at Northeastern Seminary.
- Free Methodist Church Network — Shares a covenantal affiliation with the Free Methodist Church, reflecting shared values and heritage.
- Free Methodist Church Partner — Collaborates on pre-approved curriculum for denominational ordination requirements
- Free Methodist Church of North America Government — Ongoing affiliation through ordained faculty and participation in denominational commissions such as the Study Commission on Doctrine.
- Genesis Conference of the Free Methodist Church USA Partner — Collaborates to align seminary coursework with educational requirements for Licensed and Certified Ministers.
- John Wesley Seminary Foundation Partner — Provides additional scholarship opportunities for Free Methodist students pursuing seminary education.
- Lilly Endowment Inc. Funder — Primary grant partner supporting Northeastern Seminary's mission and ministry.
- LinkedIn Partner — Hosts an alumni network for Northeastern Seminary graduates to connect professionally.
- National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Government — Authorized to offer distance-learning programs to residents of SARA member states and territories.
- Pacific Northwest Conference of Free Methodist Church Partner — Collaborates to design and deliver a fully online M.A. in Ministry Practice program.
- Roberts Wesleyan University Partner — Collaborates on commencement ceremonies, student ID systems, transcript credentialing, and academic integration.
- Roberts Wesleyan University Partner — Hosts the Northeastern Seminary campus and provides shared institutional location in Rochester, NY.
- Roberts Wesleyan University Partner — Merged with Roberts Wesleyan University in 2024 and previously shared faculty and institutional leadership
- Roberts Wesleyan University Career Development Partner — Provides career development tools and resources to Northeastern Seminary alumni.
- Spotify Partner — Platform where the Northeastern Seminary podcast is available
- St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry Partner — Partner in the Rochester consortium of theological schools, allowing cross-registration for courses.
- The Free Methodist Church Partner — Denominational partner receiving scholarship benefits and educational support for ordination requirements.
- The Genesis Conference of The Free Methodist Church Partner — Institutional partner in theological education and leadership development.
- The Pacific Northwest Conference of The Free Methodist Church Partner — Institutional partner in theological education and leadership development.
- The Rock Church Partner — Denominational partner eligible for scholarship benefits for students attending Northeastern Seminary.
- The Wesleyan Church Partner — Institutional partner in theological education and leadership development.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Biblical Metanarrative and Contextual Responsiveness Frameworkmethodology: biblical_metanarrative_contextual_responsivenessBy teaching Scripture through the overarching narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and eschaton while emphasizing contextual interpretation, the institution enhances the relevance of theology for contemporary ministry because this dual focus enables students to faithfully adapt their leadership to diverse cultural and global contexts.
- Christ-Centered, Formation-Oriented Theological Educationmethodology: formational_educationBy integrating biblical and historic Christian teachings with spiritual formation and leadership development, the institution prepares individuals for effective Christian ministry because this holistic grounding fosters both personal transformation and professional competence in ministerial vocations.
- Flexible, Blended-Modality Spiritual Formation Communitymethodology: blended_online_and_in_person_spiritual_formationBy offering flexible online and in-person formats alongside covenant communities, the institution increases accessibility to theological education while sustaining spiritual formation because blending modalities supports lifelong learning and incarnational presence across digital and physical spaces.
- Integrative Field-Based Ministry Preparationmethodology: integration-of_theology_and_practiceBy combining academic theology with practical field education, internships, and community engagement, the institution grounds ministerial training in real-world contexts because experiential learning strengthens integration of theory and practice, supporting renewal in local churches and effective social witness.