Clergy Cohorts

The Clergy Cohort is a group of preachers from small churches who gather online and in-person over two years to cultivate more faith-full preaching.

Now Accepting Applications!
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How the Cohort Works

The clergy cohort of the Faithful Preaching Project meets both online and in-person. Each online meeting begins with discussion time as the full cohort, followed by focused small group time with an assigned preaching coach. The discussions follow themes that were identified during interviews at the very beginning of the Faithful Preaching Project grant. Within the small group time, one preacher is invited to lead a spiritual practice and another preacher gives a sermon and receive instant feedback from the group.

The in-person gatherings are 3-day retreats, held once each semester of the two years together. These are times of renewal and reflection, inspiration and relaxation. We are grateful to be able to host these retreats at Mo-Ranch Presbyterian Assembly in Hunt, TX or at the Austin Seminary campus.

Applications are open!

The Faithful Preaching Project at Austin Seminary is looking for clergy members at small mainline Christian churches to join a two-year cohort of 15-20 peers. The two years together feature preaching coaching, peer support, and four cohort retreats — all with the goal of cultivating more faith-full preaching. The online meetings are slated for twice a month on Tuesday afternoons, with the exact schedule released after the cohort is announced. There is no cost to take part in the cohort beyond your time and commitment.

Click here to learn more or apply for the clergy cohort 2026-2028

Applications are due by May 15, 2026, with the cohort announced by June 1, 2026. The cohort will meet from July 2026-May 2028.

Participant Testimonies

"My participation the Faithful Preaching Project has enriched both my preaching life and my walk of faith in several ways. The coaching has helped me to put more of myself, particularly my emotion, into my preaching which has enhanced the perception of the congregation that I am confident in my belief in what I am saying. Parishioners now routinely say they can tell how much I am enjoying my time in the pulpit and how that helps them connect with what I am saying about the text and having it come alive. Coaching has also been valuable in relating to the different perspective which my parishioners have and helping preach into all of those perspectives." - Rev. Kevin Henderson, Sunrise Beach Federated Church, Sunrise Beach Village, TX.

“At the anniversary of twenty years in ministry, I felt as if I was dipping water out of a dry preaching well. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to join the Faithful Preaching Project and Sharing Faith Initiative. Our preaching cohort gave me a rare opportunity to discuss ideas and share  experiences with colleagues from various denominational traditions. It was particularly helpful because pastors often get siloed into their own denominational echo chambers and rarely get the opportunity to develop preaching ideas and skills with pastors of different traditions and ministry milieus. Our bimonthly meetings and quarterly retreats offered an opportunity at fellowship that was truly refreshing and even fun.” - Rev. Sam Brannon, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Elgin, TX

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