New leaders at prestigious Christian institutions weigh the cost of progress.
The first step in passing on a mantle is to make sure it’s going into the right hands. Historic Christian institutions have seen an influx of new leadership, with boards calling on both experienced professionals and industry newcomers to steer their organizations. For many of the incoming presidents and CEOs, with the desire to effect lasting change comes measured optimism and an eagerness to implement fresh practices, all while balancing a commitment to the institution’s founding principles and stakeholder expectations.
For some leaders, these appointments were the culmination of a dozen deliberate steps, each one taking them closer to the top tier. For others, it was a divine appointment, a position they never expected but now find themselves thriving in.
The latter was certainly the case for Timothy Dalrymple, who assumed the role of president and CEO of Christianity Today in May. While no formal training could have prepared him for this role, he notes that his past experiences—including founding creative agency Polymath Innovations and serving as an editor and vice president of business development at Patheos—have provided an unlikely but providential education.
“At every major intersection, it’s been the case that the next professional calling from God wove together the earliest parts of my life that are unexpected and somehow perfect,” Dalrymple said. “As I come to Christianity Today, it feels as though it draws on all the major threads of my life and produces something really surprising and beautiful. It’s as though all of your yesterdays were research for today.”
Some prepare for their leadership roles in unconventional ways. For Dalrymple, a former NCAA athlete, ...
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