Develop Leaders Who Will Shape Your Ministry Culture.
Cultivate is a leadership weekend designed to strengthen both high school student leaders and the adults who invest in them.
OCTOBER 23-25, 2026
OCTOBER 23-25, 2026
ATHENS, GA
Followers of Jesus are called to live differently than the world. It’s not just because Jesus wants us to be different. It’s that the people of the world live in sin and sin desires one thing: to satisfy self. God desires that we love and serve Him. Not because He is selfish but because He created us to find complete satisfaction in Him and not ourselves.
Living for Jesus means our actions and words will be life giving to those around us. In the bible there are numerous moments that we see His people living differently than the cultures they were a part of. A few are Daniel, the Good Samaritan, Esther and David. Each of these people lived counter culturally by doing one thing: acting in obedience to God. It didn’t matter about the environment, the people or even the circumstances. Each of them responded by saying yes, through their words and actions, to God’s request.
At Cultivate, we are going to take a deep dive into how we lead and why individual obedience matters for those who follow us.
Student Leadership Track
Grade-specific leadership development
Team dynamics
Discovering and using spiritual gifts
Practical ministry experiences
Leading with humility and character
Adult Volunteer Track
Building a discipleship culture
Leadership development systems
Team building and volunteer care
Teaching and discussion frameworks
Coaching students toward ownership of their faith
Whether you're building a student leadership team for the first time or strengthening an existing one, Cultivate provides practical tools that continue to impact your ministry long after the weekend ends.
FAQ
Who can attend Cultivate?
Cultivate is designed for high school students (9-12th grade) who are currently leading in your student ministry or who you see have leadership potential. The content of Cultivate is focused on developing spiritual and practical leadership skills in these students through intentional small group discussion, breakouts, panels, main stage talks and worship.
How many adults do I need to bring?
You need to bring enough adults to provide transportation for all of your students attending the event. Our SWAT Leaders do not drive students, so each church is responsible for transporting students from the host site to host homes.
What are the lodging accommodations?
Your students will be placed in host homes in the Athens area with a trained SWAT Leader and students of the same gender from other churches. All of our host homes and leaders are background checked and are personal or church connections of SWAT staff or SWAT leaders. Youth Pastors and other church chaperones are placed in host homes in the Athens area with the adults from other churches.
What is included in the cost?
Each student and adult will receive a t-shirt and journal, as well as meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast.