A Growth Journey
The Leadership Accelerator is a two-year formation program built around a curriculum that adapts to the needs of each cohort, consisting of six retreats (broken into three per year) and ongoing mentoring. Rather than following a rigid quarterly model, the program moves in meaningful cycles of retreat, reflection, coaching, and implementation.
The Focus: Transformation
The Leadership Accelerator program is built on effective teaching models, drawing on research which recognizes that adults are problem-oriented learners.
The focus of the program is transformation:
- From servants to servant leaders
- From good leaders to great leaders
- From great leaders to leaders of leaders
How the Program Works
Over two years, priests participate in:
6 intensive retreats
(3 per year, during the week)
18 individual coaching sessions
(monthly, 45 minutes each)
18 group formation gatherings (monthly, 75-90 minutes each)
Daily leadership practices for sustainable ministry rhythms
6 intensive retreats
(3 per year, during the week)
18 individual coaching sessions
(monthly, 45 minutes each)
18 group formation gatherings (monthly, 75-90 minutes each)
Daily leadership practices for sustainable ministry rhythms
Year One: Formation & Foundations
- Strengthening personal disciplines and daily rhythms
- Building self-awareness and leadership identity
- Establishing healthy patterns for communication
- Understanding parish culture and system health
- Laying the groundwork for sustainable ministry
Year Two: Leadership & Parish Growth
- Leading change with intention
- Delegation and team development
- Aligning staff, volunteers, and ministries
- Establishing parish mission, vision, and focus
- Balancing parish leadership with life and family
The Core Topics
The program presents practical leadership themes in clear, actionable, and deeply relevant ways, which are taught through an Orthodox pastoral lens. Topics and themes are updated regularly to match the needs in each cohort. Here are the latest topics explored in the program:
Learning effective time management is not only a useful leadership skill, but it allows for greater clarity in achieving parish missions. By creating concrete plans through program exercises, participants also benefit from increased wellbeing through better time management.
Through empowerment and delegation, priests shift from task executor to leader developer. Broken into 3 sessions, this retreat teaches the importance of both uplifting others by recognizing strengths and alleviating the overwhelm of both priest and parish by creating continuous leadership opportunities.
Priests gain diagnostic clarity about their own Working Genius profile and visual understanding of their team’s collective strengths and gaps, allowing for greater alignment in parish mission.
Developing team capabilities to handle increasing responsibility, and creating capacity by eliminating underperforming commitments, allows for empowered teams. Through strategic planning taught in the program, sustainable growth can be achieved.
Effective change leadership requires caring deeply about people while challenging them. This retreat covers how to do this effectively and gently, as a means of achieving greater possibilities rooted in the Orthodox vision.
Scaling the effectiveness of ministry involves leadership development, creating greater trust and confidence in both the individual and the parish mission. By discovering and celebrating individual strengths, through diagnostic frameworks and exercises shared throughout this retreat, teams can be better aligned to a shared mission.
Individual Mentoring & Guidance
Each priest is paired with an experienced coach who provides dedicated one-on-one sessions each month to work through challenges, identify effective solutions, and celebrate progress. Personalized guidance is tailored to the specific realities of each priest’s unique context.
Group Learning & Brotherhood
Through regular group and individual calls, priests engage in structured opportunities for mutual encouragement, shared learning, and accountability. These gatherings foster peer-to-peer mentoring and the exchange of practical insights.
“We are one Body in Christ, and every member must have care for the others. Let no one think himself sufficient, but let each learn from his brother, that by mutual exchange we may all profit, and the Church be edified.”
—St. Basil the Great, Letter 203, to the clergy of Neocaesarea
“Nothing so welds our life together as the love of the clergy for one another. For when priests are of one mind, the whole Church prospers. But when they contend, everything is torn asunder.”
—St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 1:1
Program Investment & Stewardship
A Sacred Investment in Your Ministry and Parish
Total Investment
$15,000 per year for two years, for a total investment of $30,000 per priest.
This investment model ensures commitment to the priest’s formation while making the program accessible to parishes of various sizes.
Funding Model (60-30-10):
Leadership 100 Grant covers 60% ($9,000 per year)
Parish contributions 30% ($4,500 per year)
Priest contributions 10% ($1,500 per year)
Leadership 100 Grant covers 60% ($9,000 per year)
Parish contributions 30% ($4,500 per year)
Priest contributions 10% ($1,500 per year)
Why Shared Stewardship Matters
This shared stewardship model creates greater ownership for all stakeholders: the priest, the parish, and the supporting organization. When everyone contributes, everyone is invested in the transformation.
What's Included:
- 18 individual mentoring sessions with experienced advisors
- 18 group formation gatherings with brother priests
- Six intensive retreat experiences for deep learning
- Meals and planned activities at all retreats
- Ongoing access to formation resources and materials
- Brotherhood network with clergy nationwide
What's Not Included:
- Lodging at retreat locations (discounted block rates arranged)
- Transportation to and from retreats
*We recommend that parishes cover travel costs as part of their investment in your spiritual and professional development.
What You Leave With
Clearer direction, stronger systems, healthier rhythms, and the confidence to lead with intention.
Customized Support
Over two years, participants engage in:
- If you need help with bishop conversations, we’ll send you specialized guides
- If you need parish council resources, we’ll provide approval templates and ROI materials
- If you have both approvals in place, we’ll discuss cohort timing and next steps
- 6 live retreats (3 per year, 3 days* per retreat)
- 18 individual sessions with your Leadership Accelerator coach (9 per year, 45 minutes each)
*Live retreats start with dinner on Monday evening and end at midday on Thursday.
Individual and group sessions are held virtually on Zoom and are scheduled in advance for the months that we do not meet live. All participants have access to a coaching portal with their session notes, journaling tools, trackers for actions and habits, files and worksheets, online courses, and online group discussions.
Scheduling respects major liturgical seasons and feast days. Retreat dates are set far in advance and carefully coordinated around important dates in the Orthodox calendar.
Is This Program Right for You?
This is not only for priests who are struggling. The most effective leaders know they can grow further. The program meets you where you are and helps you move to where you want to be – from servant to servant-leader, and even leader of leaders.
The Holy Eparchial Synod has approved the program, and Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago provides oversight as liaison to the Synod. As with any significant formation commitment, prerequisites include discussing your participation with your Hierarch.
Proven Results
Here are just some of the great results the program has gained:
- Over 30 priests across four cohorts
- Priests spanning three Metropolises (Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco), in states including Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Florida, and California
- Holy Synod approval for national expansion was secured in September 2025
- Balancing ministry + family
- New cohorts are launching Fall 2026 across all nine Metropolises.
The Path to Enrollment: Express Your Interest:
- Express Your Interest: Complete the registration process with the APC to let us know you’re considering the program.
- Discuss with Your Hierarch: We’ll provide resources to help you have this conversation and secure ecclesiastical approval.
- Parish Council Approval: Present the program to your council and secure funding commitment.
- Official Enrollment: Once approvals are in place, we’ll finalize your enrollment in the next available cohort.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
The Path to Enrollment: Express Your Interest:
- Express Your Interest: Complete the registration process with the APC to let us know you’re considering the program.
- Discuss with Your Hierarch: We’ll provide resources to help you have this conversation and secure ecclesiastical approval.
- Parish Council Approval: Present the program to your council and secure funding commitment.
- Official Enrollment: Once approvals are in place, we’ll finalize your enrollment in the next available cohort.
