A 10-month, master’s level church planter training school for pastors and ministry leaders. We will be hand-selecting just 5 people/couples. Upon completion of the Pathfinder Institute, graduates will be launched out to plant a church!

Tuition is $8,000 for the year which includes the missions trip + housing

Payments are made directly to us. You can fundraise, pay your own way, finance, etc.. Planting a church is a faith journey. Treat this like your first faith adventure. God will make a way!

Members of the church have affordable housing available for rent, reserved for our students. There are 4 fully furnished 2-bedroom units, and 1 unfurnished 3-bedroom house.

Yes! We love marriage and family.

Yes, at no additional tuition cost! If your spouse joins the missions trip it is an additional expense.

Located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Johnson City, TN.

No. Family is our core value and that is expressed primarily in person. All classes, ministry, and experiences of the Pathfinder Institute will be in person in Johnson City, TN.

Apply by May 31st

Class starts September 5th this year and runs through next May 2024. See Schedule

You may work a part-time job as long as it doesn’t interfere with your studies and growth and involvement in ministry opportunities. A spouse who is not attending classes can hold a full-time job.

Mattie Montgomery, Ian Miller, Chris Mathis, Ray Hughes, David Morrison, Brandon Faust, & more! See Instructors

No. Graduates of the Pathfinder Institute will be a part of the Pathfinder Collective, however, and receive continued instruction and support. You may launch a non-denominational church or a church from the denomination or network you came from.

Yes, you may still pursue credentials and the oversight of a traditional church denomination. We encourage students to follow the leading of Holy Spirit.

Students who graduate from the Pathfinder Institute may be ordained as ministers, be commissioned & sent out to plant a church, and will remain a part of the Pathfinder Collective.

Pathfinder Collective is our church planting network for pastors and church planters to not only remain connected, but to be invested in, taken care of, and be better equipped to serve their flock. As pastors, we know how easy it is to feel alone in the ministry and we want to change that narrative!

We evaluate each applicant on a case by case basis. Experience is one of the greatest learning institutions. We recognize this in candidates who have extensive ministry experience.

While it is certainly desirable, we assess each candidate on their own merits.

Yes you do. If you don’t, we would encourage you to attend a good bible college and explore local ministry opportunities.