INDIANAPOLIS and ANDERSON, Ind.—The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is pleased...
INDIANAPOLIS and HUNTINGTON, Ind.—The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is pleased to announce the release of “Curriculum Development for Christian Ministry,” by Karen Jones, Professor of Christian Thought and Practice at Huntington University.
This open textbook, made possible through a Textbook Creation Grant from the PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning program, prepares students to develop a curriculum for their ministry or Christian organizations. As a peer-reviewed, open educational resource—OER—it is entirely free to students and is ready for use in any classroom.
About the Book
“Curriculum Development for Christian Ministry” is a foundational resource for students seeking to design effective curricula for ministry and Christian organizations. Blending theory and practice, this book equips readers with the knowledge and skills necessary to create meaningful educational programs that align with both organizational needs and biblical principles.
Covering the entire curriculum development process—from vision to evaluation—the text explores the theological and educational foundations of curricular planning. Readers will gain practical insights into structuring comprehensive learning experiences that support spiritual growth and ministry goals. Each chapter includes reflective questions and mini-assignments, encouraging deeper engagement and application of key concepts.
“Thank you to PALNI for the opportunity and support to create this open textbook,” says Noelle Keller, Director and Associate Professor of Library Services at Huntington and PALNI Board Director. “Thanks also to Professor Karen Jones for her commitment to creating a quality resource, freely available to all in this vital area.”
Collaborating with PALNI
Jones received a PALSave Textbook Creation Grant for the project in 2023. Offered to faculty from PALNI-supported institutions, the grant allows educators to develop open textbooks that are freely available online, making them part of a nationwide effort to reduce the cost of course materials for college students. Each grant provides a maximum of $6,500 per project or $5,000 per author. Currently, there are 14 grant-funded titles published or in production through PALNI.
“The PALSave team is delighted to see this important project come to fruition through the Textbook Creation Grant program,” says Amanda Hurford, PALNI Scholarly Communications Director and PALSave program lead.“ We are especially grateful for Jones’s commitment to making this textbook freely available, ensuring that scholars and educators have access to high-quality, open educational resources.”
Project Manager Miriam Liethen, Electronic Services Librarian at Grace College and Theological Seminary, also supported the book’s creation.
“Curriculum Development for Christian Ministry” by Karen Jones is available for free through the PALNI Open Press.
Visit PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning online to learn more about Textbook Creation Grants and other OER opportunities offered through PALNI.
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About the PALSave Textbook Creation Grant Program
With support from Lilly Endowment Inc., PALNI's PALSave Textbook Creation Grant Program awards funding to faculty members from PALNI-supported institutions to create open textbooks.
Faculty are periodically invited to submit creation grant proposals for the courses they teach. Textbooks may cover any discipline at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. PALNI seeks proposals for textbooks geared toward specific fields of study that meet the inclusion criteria for the Open Textbook Library. Projects are selected for funding based on proposal quality, clearly defined goals, need within the current open access body of work, and adoption potential within PALNI schools and beyond.
PALNI coordinates peer review, copyediting, layout, and hosting services to assist grant recipients in their textbook creation. Each textbook is also supported by a local project manager to monitor progress and answer questions throughout development. The open textbooks are published on the PALNI Open Press-supported Pressbooks platform alongside other faculty-contributed works and are ultimately submitted to the Open Textbook Library and OER repositories. Visit the PALSave website to learn more: palni.org/palsave.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family — J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli — through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. More information can be found at www.lillyendowment.org.
About the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana
The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is a non-profit organization that supports collaboration for library and information services for 24 colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout the state. From its inception in 1992, the PALNI collaboration has been a key avenue for its supported institutions to contain costs while providing more effective library services. More recently, PALNI has adopted a model of deep collaboration that pools resources and people as a tool to expand services while containing costs. Simultaneously, PALNI is expanding collaboration within its institutions and with external library partners to address challenges and build cost-effective services. Visit www.palni.org for more information.
PALNI Supported Institutions
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Anderson University | Bethel University | Butler University | Concordia Theological Seminary | Christian Theological Seminary | DePauw University | Earlham College | Franklin College | Goshen College | Grace College | Hanover College | Huntington University | Manchester University | Marian University | Oakland City University | University of Saint Francis | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary’s College | Saint Meinrad’s Seminary and School of Theology | Taylor University | Trine University | University of Indianapolis | Wabash College
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