Cultivate Leadership Institute helps churches, Christian companies, and individuals form confident Christian leaders when time, structure, and mentoring are thin. Its homepage puts the problem plainly: leadership growth often gets sidelined due to lack of time, structure, and support.^1
Students work through monthly courses on two-year Leadership and Ministry tracks, or a Create Your Own path that lets a church or Christian company build a custom sequence. The Leadership track takes one course a month, at 8 to 10 hours a month; the Ministry track pairs one leadership course with one ministry course each month, at 13 to 15 hours a month, and finishers receive a leadership certificate. Work happens in cohorts on Develop.Me, CLI's learning platform, with live instruction, on-demand playback, peer conversation, Equip Groups, and staff support. Students can start at the beginning of each month.^3^5
Dr. Eric Freeman started CLI in 2018 at Definition Church as in-house training for a small group. He wanted a more personalized approach with instruction, practical training, and guidance. CLI expanded digitally in 2020 so other organizations could use it, and built Develop.Me in 2021.^2 Instructors include Dr. Freeman, Dr. Rodney Cooper, Dr. Reggie McNeal, and Dr. Allen Holmes. Course topics include emotional intelligence, boundaries, emotionally healthy spirituality, theology basics, and developing spiritual practices.^6
Students describe the change in their own words:
"I always thought leadership was what you do, it's what you did; but after going through CLI, I have learned it is not about what you do, it is who you are. Before I can lead others I need to know who I am." - Taylor Hayes, Administrative Director, Mended Fly Fishing^1
"CLI is scaleable to any amount of people in your organization because it's on-demand and works with your schedule." - Nick Matthews^1
CLI is not itself accredited. Graduates who complete a full two-year track with a passing grade can receive transfer credit at Southeastern University (up to 6 hours for Leadership graduates and 12 for Ministry graduates) and at Manna University (up to 15 and 30 undergraduate hours respectively, plus up to 9 graduate hours), and a tuition discount at Colorado Christian University. CLI also partners with Reliant Mission. Tuition is set by personalized quote on the admissions page, rather than a public price list. Its values begin with Jesus is our focus and People are our priority, framed by Ephesians 4:11-13.^2^8
