Application Information

Each cohort of Indiana pastors is selected through a competitive application process that opens January through May on even numbered years.

Cohort members are expected to prioritize and attend all sessions and study tours of the two-year program. The Cohort 9, 2025-26, schedule is here. Please review the schedule and consider applying to the next cohort if you cannot commit to the 2025-26 program.

The online application form requests education and ministry history and seven to nine 500-word essay questions, as well as an opportunity to upload a resume or CV. In addition to the completed online application form, three letters of recommendation are required by the submission deadline:

  • One from a congregational leader (e.g., senior pastor, council president, board chair, moderator)
  • One from a regional leader in applicant's communion or denomination (e.g., regional minister, district superintendent, synod or presbytery official, bishop), or a civic leader in your local community (e.g., superintendent, chief of police, Community Foundation Director, elected official)
  • One from a person with whom the applicant has worked closely in some capacity (e.g., seminary professor, senior minister, colleague, mentor, former employer, another lay leader)

Letters are submitted via email directly to the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program.

Complete instructions and guidelines for writing a letter of recommendation are accessible from the application form.

Deadline to apply is Friday, May 3, 2024.

Application materials are reviewed by a selection committee comprised of Lilly Endowment staff, program staff, previous program participants, and representatives of Wabash College.

Applicants are notified of their status for the upcoming cohort by June 30, 2024.

Apply Now

Applications for the next cohort will be open from January 15 to May 3, 2024.

Eligibility + Selection Criteria

Are you ready for the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program? Read about our selection criteria and eligibility requirements.

What to Expect

Here's a brief overview of the of the two-year cohort experience.

Application Process

Ready to take the next step? Read about our competitive application process.

What to Know Before Applying

What commitments are required of Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program participants? Read more about our expectations here.

Financial Arrangements

WPLP is offered at no cost to program participants or to their congregations. Find out more.

Future Participants

Are you interested in learning more about the program or interested in being considered as a pastor participant? If so, please submit your contact information and anything you would like us to know about you below so we can contact you when the application season opens.

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