The influence that trustees of seminaries and foundations can exert is discussed in three essays: "The Seminary as an Institution,""Mission in a Seminary," and "Critical Thought in the Seminary and the Trustee Chairperson's Role." The objective of the essays is to encourage a few seminary trustees to use their influence to bring one seminary to the position of greatness as "servant," both as a seminary and as a model of institutional quality that will be a positive influence in the culture. Trustees have the opportunity by questioning and persuasive leadership to encourage the seminary to: evolve an adequate theology of institutions, define in contemporary terms whom and what purpose the seminary can best serve, determine the best curriculum and method, give effective support to churches, and become a significant source of prophetic vision. Questions that might serve as a basis for discussing institutional mission include: Does the seminary see itself as a model for other institutions? Is critical thought a high priority in the seminary? Does the seminary experience develop spirit? Does the mission have power? Critical thinking is important for the seminary as an institution and for theology itself. The future of churches will be determined by the ideas, critical thought, that seminaries produce now and persuade churches to consider. (SW)