Clergy formation in the Presbyterian Church USA has traditionally focused on rigorous academic preparation for professional ministry, a process now noticeably incomplete as pastors lead through the unique challenges of ministry in 21st century US mainline protestant contexts. This project proposes a way to bridge the formation gap using presbytery-supported peer-learning cohorts for emerging and new pastors with an emphasis on vertical leadership development. Rooted in leadership theory, human development, and adult educational pedagogy, vertically focused cohorts can hone essential leadership and critical thinking capacities amid adaptive change and the complexities of ministry today for clergy and congregational thriving. / 2024-05-04T00:00:00Z