Discernment Labs
Forecasted
Discernment Labs support faith leaders with projects that test discernment practices, helping young adults explore vocation, Christian ministry, and service through a peer learning community.
Funder: Forum for Theological Exploration
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Collegiate and Congregational Cohorts) | April 2027 (Church-Related Organizations Cohort)
Funding Amounts: Project grants up to $15,000 within an 18-month cohort program; retreat expenses covered excluding travel
Summary: Discernment Labs help faith leaders experiment with practices that support young adults exploring vocation, Christian ministry, and service.
Key Information: Applicants must work with an already established young adult program in the United States or Canada.
Description
The Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) runs Discernment Labs for faith leaders who accompany young adults as they explore meaning, purpose, and God’s call through Christian ministry. The 18-month cohort experience brings leaders together to learn, experiment, and innovate in a peer community, strengthening the ways they support young adults’ vocational discernment.
The program centers on FTE’s DISCERN Together Framework: six disciplines of discernment, the science behind their efficacy, and a process for implementing them in different contexts. Participants reflect on their existing practices, identify strengths and areas needing support, and develop grant-supported projects to experiment in their own settings. Retreats, facilitator coaching, and an online community connect learning with practice. At the closing retreat, participants share what they learned and how the disciplines affected the young adults they accompany.
