A Christian leadership program for college grads
timeline
Nine-month program, weekly meetings
COST
$7,000
INCLUDES
Housing with a host family, reading materials, meals, monthly sessions, all retreats
Learn how your faith applies to every area of life and become a gospel-centered leader in the marketplace. Through deep spiritual formation, theological study, community service, and city engagement, Fellows discover what it means to live a seamless, integrated life of faith and become a gospel-centered leader in the marketplace.
During these nine months, Fellows work paid, part-time jobs, live with host families, and gather regularly for times of fellowship, formation, class, service, and worship. Fellows also participate in many retreats and conferences throughout the program.
Not sure what God wants you to do with your life?
- Unclear on how your faith affects your work?
- Confused about what it looks like to follow Jesus post-college?
- Unsure about how to engage the culture around you?
Many young professionals leave college eager to make an impact but are unsure how their faith connects to their work, relationships, and community. They step into a world that prizes “success” but neglects purpose, leaving them longing for clarity, community, and conviction about what truly matters.
The Chattanooga Fellows is an intentional, nine-month leadership experience that bridges the gap between belief and practice. Fellows are equipped to faithfully find their vocation, commit to authentic community, explore their faith, and practice civic responsibility.
Find your Vocation
Within the context of community, Chattanooga Fellows provides participants with a wide array of resources and experiences to help them discover how God has uniquely wired them and what vocations they’re best suited for. These work placements sharpen vocational gifts, build valuable networks, and teach practical skills like project management and teamwork—all while cultivating selflessness and excellence in the workplace.
- Work three days a week in a paid, professional role across a wide variety of industries
- Discover your calling through workshops and assessments like the Highlands Ability Battery, MCODE, and CQ
- Attend weekly Vocational Lunches with local Chattanooga leaders in business, law, medicine, art, and other areas of influence
Commit to Community
Authentic relationships are central to life as a Fellow. Through shared experiences, meaningful conversations, and intentional life-on-life connections, the program teaches Fellows how to build deep, lasting friendships.
- Live with a host family from a local church and gain firsthand insight into how different families live out their faith
- Weekly community dinners together every Monday, hosted in the homes of families from participating churches
- Retreats and professional seminars to create space for encouragement, accountability, prayer, and friendship
- Community-based learning to process everyday life and work in the city
- Group discussions and collaborative learning
- Relationships with instructors, mentors, and speakers
Explore Your Faith
Chattanooga Fellows provides participants with a rich theological vision for life and work, teaching how to engage contemporary culture while also providing space to thoughtfully discuss complex issues with grace and humility. The program fosters a commitment to consider how the gospel impacts every area of life, featuring:
- Two seminar-level classes to help you cultivate a holistic Christian worldview (recent classes include: Old and New Testament Survey; Faith, Work, and Society; Everyday Faithfulness; Theistic Dynamics in Human Rights; Civic Engagement around the Fruit of the Spirit)
- Weekly worship and service in a local church
- Regular meetings with a chosen mentor to guide and support spiritual growth
- A robust curriculum of various theological texts from Christian authors old and new
Practice Civic Responsibility
Throughout the year, Fellows explore what it means for Christians to “seek the peace and prosperity” of the cities we live in. They engage deeply with the needs of Chattanooga through hands-on learning, service, and reflection.
- Weekly meetings with local nonprofits and civic organizations to understand the challenges facing the city, the history behind them, and how they can contribute to restorative change
- Conferences and lectures that will challenge Fellows to think critically about community engagement and their role in addressing local needs
- Weekly volunteer service at a local organization, putting their faith into action and personally practicing civic responsibility
- Present a Plan of Intentionality at the end of the year, a personal roadmap for faithfully serving the Lord in their work, relationships, and community beyond the program
application process
Apply
Completing our application form is the first step.
Submit Recs
You must submit both a professional and pastoral recommendation.
Interview
The admissions committee will review your application and reach out for an interview.
Decisions
Decisions will be communicated within about four weeks of application submission.
“I spent so much time in college thinking about things that Fellows touches on, but it was always confined to a classroom. In Fellows we not only discussed those things but had the opportunity to implement them in our daily lives.”
chattanooga Fellows participant
Connect with us.
Interested in learning more about Faith Co-Op? Want to know about events, fellowships, or courses being offered?