Grow as a Christ-centered leader with the character, clarity, and conviction to lead faithfully for the long haul.
What is the Young Leader Cohort?
Many young ministry leaders carry significant responsibility before they have the wisdom, rhythms, and support they need to lead well. The Young Leaders Cohort helps men 40 and younger who are serving as—or aspiring to become—lead pastors, church planters, or significant ministry leaders grow alongside experienced Watermark leaders and peers in the areas that shape faithful ministry.
Designed to help younger leaders think deeply, lead wisely, and build healthy patterns in areas like preaching, leadership, marriage, family, rhythms, team building, and creating organizational culture.
What Young Church Leaders Gain from this Experience
A Leader's Preaching
Hone your preaching skills and learn how to effectively communicate God's word.
A Leader's Voice
Develop your unique voice and learn how to influence and inspire others.
A Leader's Marriage
Balance your personal life with your ministry to maintain a healthy family and marriage.
A Leader's Rhythms
Establish and maintain personal and spiritual rhythms to sustain your ministry.
Team Building
Learn strategies for building and leading effective, cohesive teams.
Creating Culture
Shape and nurture the culture within your organization to reflect your values and vision.
Leading Organizations
Develop the skills necessary to lead and manage your church or ministry effectively.
Personalized Coaching
Continue your development with tailored coaching calls between in-person meetings.
Young leader cohort
Led by Senior Watermark Staff
Our team brings decades of experience serving churches and parachurch ministries across the country, giving you the opportunity to learn from leaders who have served in a wide range of ministry roles and contexts.
John McGee
Senior Director
20+ years in ministry
Blake Holmes
Campus Pastor
20+ years in ministry
Timothy (TA) Ateek
Elder, Lead Pastor
20+ years in ministry
Dave Bruskas
Executive Director of Discipleship
30+ years in ministry
John Cox
Executive Pastor
30+ years in ministry
Cohort Details
Key Dates
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Dallas In-Person Meeting No. 1: October 27–28, 2026
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Dallas In-Person Meeting No. 2: March 23–24, 2027
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Colorado In-Person Meeting: June 14-18, 2027
Optional add-ons in March:
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Pastor’s Wives Cohort – March 23–24, 2027
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Marriage Enrichment Day – March 25, 2027
Location
Watermark Community Church 7540 LBJ Fwy, Dallas, TX 75251
Cost*
$1,200
Registration includes: Dallas gatherings: content, coaching, meals, and activities Colorado retreat: lodging, meals, and activities
Travel is not included.
Scholarships may be available based on need
Young Church Leaders
Participant Testimonials
Hunter Melton
“I left ready to stop playing the rookie card and walk in the power of the Lord.”
Campus and Teaching Pastor
The Church at Woodbine
Ben Pukas
“Seeing the humility of the leaders was so helpful. No egos. No 10-step plan to build the biggest church. Just leaders who know Jesus loves them, love the people they’re ministering to, and are excited to be part of what He’s doing.”
Lead Pastor
Fellowship Bible Church
Jeremy Horton
“Time with seasoned men who have been in ministry longer than me, was incredibly valuable. Their wisdom, realness, and accessibility was a gift.”
Family Pastor
Shades Mountain Baptist Church
Equipping content
Our Church Leadership Podcast, regular blogs, and deep library of church resources encourage and educate church leaders to continually seek Christ as they serve the body.
Mistakes Young Leaders Make
Blake Holmes shares five common mistakes young leaders make.
PodcastWorking with Gen Z Leaders
In this episode, John McGee sits down with Emma Dotter (Join the Journey Director) to unpack why Gen Z works differently, how we (often unknowingly) contributed to that shift, and what you can do to build trust, call them up, and help them thrive. Whether you’re leading a team, mentoring young leaders, or just trying to understand the next generation in your church, this conversation will give you clarity, encouragement, and practical steps forward.
Podcast7 Ways to Develop Young Leaders
We keep asking why the next generation is leaving the Church, but Grant Skeldon thinks we’re asking the wrong question. Instead, we should be asking, how are we discipling the next generation? In this episode of the Church Leadership Podcast, recorded live at the 2025 Church Leaders Conference, Grant calls us to stop handwringing over what is wrong and to start identifying what is working. He explores key discipleship moments for raising up the next generation leaders and what you can do to help develop more young leaders in the church.