Homepage / Live Learning Catalog / New Christian Communities Leadership Incubator
New Christian Communities Leadership Incubator
Start your 12-month journey to launch a new Christian Community
- Price
Program Overview
Feeling called to start a new Christian community? Over the course of this year-long incubator, you'll learn alongside a community of peers through monthly online gatherings, guided reflection, practical ministry experiments, peer learning, and two online workshops.
Through Faith+Lead Academy courses, two workshops, and live coaching calls, you'll develop the practices of deep listening, discernment, trust-building, resilience, and missional imagination that prepare you to cultivate new Christian communities. You'll learn to recognize where God is already at work, faithfully discern next steps, how to share the gospel of Jesus with neighbors, and launch a new Christian community rooted in your unique context.
Throughout the year, you'll be supported by a community committed to mutual encouragement, honest reflection, courageous experimentation, and shared learning as you discover what God is bringing to life through your ministry.
Your Learning Experience Includes:
Application Process
Interested in joining? Here's what the process looks like from application to your first session.
Application Open
This application has three parts and takes less than 15 minutes. We'll ask about you and your congregation, your expectations for this experience, and your level of agreement with statements about faith and curiosity.
Complete the short application form to tell us about yourself and your ministry context. No lengthy essay required; we just want to get to know you.
Application Deadline
Please complete the application by 11:59 p.m. Central on October 31.
Interviews
The cohort leaders will contact applicants to arrange interviews. Those selected will be invited to register for the cohort.
Cohort Begins!
Complete pre-work in January in preparation for the first live online meeting in February.
Session Schedule
- 16 hours
- 10 lessons
Through online monthly gatherings, peer learning, guided reflection, practical ministry experiments, and two online workshops, ministry leaders will learn about the fresh expression launch process and develop skills in deep listening, discernment, trust-building, resilience, and missional imagination.
You will learn practices that help you recognize where God is already at work and discern faithful next steps for your own context. Throughout the year, you will be supported by a community of peers committed to mutual encouragement, reflection, experimentation, and growth.
Launch Workshop
February 6, 20271-3:30 p.m. CST
Missional Presence
March 11, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Deep Listening
April 8, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Powerful Questions
May 13, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Expansive Opportunities
June 10, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Design Thinking and Launch Workshop
August 7, 20271-3:30 p.m. CST
Truth Telling
September 9, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Trusting Intuition
October 14, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Recognizing Burnout and Limiting Beliefs
November 11, 2027 6-7:15 p.m. CST
Final Gathering: Reflection, Blessing, and Next Steps
December 9, 20276-7:15 p.m. CST
Wondering if this is right for you?
This cohort is designed for people who feel called to start a new Christian community and are willing to learn alongside others, faithfully experiment within their ministry context, and discern where God may be inviting new possibilities for mission and ministry. You don't need to have all the answers—just a willingness to listen, learn, and take faithful next steps. This cohort may be right for you if:
What’s Included?
When you join the New Christian Communities Leadership Incubator, you’ll :
Learn at Your Pace with On-Demand Lessons
Participants complete foundational online learning introducing Fresh Expressions, the Mixed Ecology of Church, and the practices of missional listening and discernment.
Embrace Growth as You Serve
Put what you're learning into practice and get support from your cohort
- Apply your newfound knowledge to your ministry context.
- Receive support from your cohort throughout the year, fostering growth in faith, confidence, and leadership.
Receive a Faith+Lead Certificate
At the conclusion, you will receive a New Christian Communities Leadership Certificate. Get recognized for the time and energy you put into growing your leadership skills with a certificate you can share.
Save your seat
This transformative, year-long experience is accepting applications now. It is free to apply and if accepted, the cohort registration is $249 thanks to generous donations.
- Price
Get to Know Your Instructor
Sean Steele
The Rev. Sean Steele is an ordained Episcopal priest, certified coach, and traditioned innovator. He is currently Associate Rector at St Thomas the Apostle in Houston, Texas, and the Director of their dementia care ministry. He was the founding pastor of St. Isidore Episcopal Church in Spring, Texas, where he spent eight years as vicar and church midwife.
Sean has studied finance and accounting at The University of Texas McCombs School of Business, received an MA in Theology from Creighton University, and a M.Div. from The Seminary of the Southwest. He is currently completing his doctoral studies, investigating shame-resilient ministry among men in traditional protestant settings. Sean is fully trained in mediation, Gallup Strengths, and ICF coaching. He is also a licensed Daring Way Facilitator.
Sean is married to Rebecca, a professional artist known for her beautiful murals throughout Houston, and he has three children, Margo, Sebastian, and Eleanor.
When he is not working, he enjoys great meals and conversations with family and friends. Some may say he has an unhealthy love of tattooing.
Tessa Pinkstaff
Tessa Pinkstaff is a spiritual director and the founder of Practices for Life, a ministry that invites people to explore Christian spiritual disciplines as a way to experience God’s healing and transformative presence. She is passionate about helping people become more like Jesus. Tessa is currently the Care Coordinator at Emmanuel Covenant Church in Shoreview, Minnesota, where she leads the prayer and care teams in addition to preaching and teaching. She also hosts the weekly Dwelling in the Word online gathering.
Tessa is an assistant adjunct professor at Hope International University in California, where she teaches online courses on spiritual disciplines and mentors ministry students. She co-authored the book Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future with Dwight Zscheile and Michael Binder (Fortress Press, 2023), and she facilitates workshops and retreats where people can try a variety of spiritual practices for themselves. Besides her training as a spiritual director, Tessa has a Master of Arts in Ministry from Bethel Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Northwestern University—St. Paul.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the schedule?
Please refer to the “Sessions” section to see the dates we’ll meet throughout the year.
Can this cohort be completed asynchronously?
No, this is a live cohort. Participants should plan to attend all Zoom sessions and workshops at the scheduled times to get the most out of the community.
What if I can’t make it to one of the gatherings?
All calls are recorded and available for later viewing.
Don’t see your question addressed?
Email us at support@faithlead.org for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!