Winfield, Kansas — April 10, 2026
The 25th anniversary of the founding of the Bishop Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship brought persons from around the nation to Winfield April 10 to celebrate the Institute’s ministry. More than 50 guests attended the event at the Barns at Timber Creek, including former and current board members, IFD staff, current Bishop Scholars, friends of the Institute, and members of the extended Wilke family.
Established at Southwestern College in 2001, the Institute was founded following the extraordinary success of the Disciple Bible Study written by its namesakes. Its efforts today are in three main areas: BeADisciple.com, which has provided quality online educational experiences with roots in Wesleyan theology since 2006; BeADisciple Study App, delivering transformative experiences through app-based content and small groups; and several on-campus programs at Southwestern College.
The anniversary celebration brought together representatives of each of these three branches to give their perspectives on Institute programs. Institute executive director Cheryl Rude introduced board chair Stephen Hoskins to share comments on the evolution of the board.
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- Jeana Clark, who lives in the Chicago area, spoke of her return to church participation after being invited to participate in a BeADisciple study group.
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- Beth Galbreath represented instructors and pointed out that “In today’s contentious world, we are modeling healthy dialogue and creating a safe space for folks from around the world to learn and grow together.”
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- Joseph Kasongo spoke as a Bishop Scholar at Southwestern, one of dozens of international students who have been able to attend SC with the financial assistance of the Institute.
The four children of Richard and Julia Wilke also have been intensely involved in the life of the Institute and spoke at the celebration. Stephen Wilke, who recently retired from his position as the first executive director, is moving into a fundraising position at the Institute, and Paul Wilke, Susan (Wilke) Fuquay, and Sarah Wilke continue to work in leadership roles.