March 24, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Forward Movement receives major grant for discipleship initiatives
J. C. Flowers Foundation awards $4 million to fund transformational work
Cincinnati, Ohio – Forward Movement is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a $4 million grant from the J. C. Flowers Foundation to fund the development of transformational discipleship resources for the Episcopal Church.
“At this critical moment in the life of our church, as the world yearns for a word of hope, we have an opportunity to boldly increase our focus on the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Forward Movement’s executive director, the Rev. Canon Scott Gunn. “I am incredibly grateful to Chris and Anne Flowers for their visionary generosity.”
With this grant, Forward Movement will launch a Center for Discipleship and Renewal, the centerpiece of which is a major video-based discipleship course to help Christians go deeper in their walk with Christ. In addition to this flagship course, which will serve as a follow-up to a basics course such as Alpha or Forward Movement’s Transforming Questions, the newly funded project will create smaller courses on prayer, scripture study, and other subjects to create on-ramps for churches of all sizes and contexts.
Mr. Flowers, the founder of the J. C. Flowers Foundation, spoke of the trajectory of this important work, saying, “We are happy to be on a journey from Alpha to Beta; we hope, with God’s grace, to arrive at Omega.” Data from Forward Movement’s RenewalWorks program suggests that the Episcopal Church does a good job of welcoming seekers but is often ineffective at encouraging spiritual growth and maturity. This new work aims to change that.
The idea for this grant came from conversations between Mr. Flowers and his priest, the Rev. Tim Schenck, rector of the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. “As we reflected on how to draw people deeper in their faith, we kept returning to the question, ‘What’s next?’ There are so many folks out there who get the basics of Christianity, and even go to church regularly, but who want to grow spiritually,” he said. “This work is all about transforming lives.”
The chair of Forward Movement’s board is enthusiastic about new discipleship resources. The Rev. Kate Wesch, who serves as vicar at the Parish of the Epiphany in Seattle, added, “I have seen congregations grow in numbers, depth, and impact when people focus on ancient spiritual disciplines that shape our lives by connecting us to the love of God. I’m thrilled that Forward Movement will be engaging in this work in a new, wider scale.”
The J.C. Flowers Foundation also supports people returning home from prison in New York City, and works towards malaria elimination with Anglican dioceses in Southern Africa. The foundation is led by executive director Rebecca Vander Meulen, who will work with Forward Movement on this project.
Founded “to reinvigorate the life of the church” in 1935, Forward Movement is a non-profit ministry of the Episcopal Church with offices in Cincinnati, OH and staff across the United States. Its work is funded by sales, donations, and grants.
Learn more about Forward Movement’s work to inspire disciples and empower evangelists at forwardmovement.org.
Media contact: Jason Merritt, media@forwardmovement.org
Forward Movement
412 Sycamore Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202 USA
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