Applications are open for the next Clergy Cohort!
For the last two years, 16 clergy members and two preaching coaches have been meeting over Zoom and at in-person retreats to create a close-knit group that preaches, teaches, shares, and communes together. The second iteration of this group will meet from July 2026-May 2028, and applications for this Faithful Preaching Project Clergy cohort are now open.
The Clergy Cohort is designed for preachers currently employed at small mainline churches. This cohort will run for two years, typically meeting twice a month online for coaching and learning. The schedule aims to avoid busy times like back-to-school, Christmas, and Easter. Each Fall and Spring, the cohort will gather for a retreat at Mo-Ranch in Hunt, TX for rest and regrowth.
Eligibility Requirements:
Masters of Divinity graduate
Employed at a small congregation (<150 in attendance)
Employed at a church in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, or Arkansas
Ability to connect to Zoom for online meetings
Ability to attend four in-person retreats over the next two years
Applications will close on May 15, 2026. The cohort will be announced June 1, 2026.
“At the anniversary of twenty years in ministry, I felt as if I was dipping water out of a dry preaching well. Dr. Helsel and Dr. Jefferson together with Mrs. DeCleene and the rest of the staff, invited me into the two-year cohort. 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.”
Do you have questions about the Clergy Cohort? Please reach out to us by email at sharingfaith@austinseminary.edu with any questions.
Do you know someone who might be interested in being a part of this cohort? Please forward our newsletter so they can know of this free opportunity!
Interested in a cohort for those without a Masters in Divinity? The Faithful Preaching Project also has one-year cohorts for lay preachers. An application for a new group will open in May 2026. These groups have also been insightful in sharing feedback and resources among preaching peers and professors of homiletics.