Why?

Small > Big. They've been invitation only group where quality has been more important than quantity or size. It's easy to hide in crowds. The big gatherings feed my adrenaline addiction. Getting lost in the sea of people doesn't require any effort. Being silent while an "expert" speaks is simple to do. The small pushes against all those and demands participation, exposure, and connection.

Gather, Scatter, Repeat. For the couple cohorts I've been a part of, we've consistently gathered together for a shared experienced, scattered to work out our learning, then repeated that cycle. The "repeat" has been key for true change taking place in my life and context.

Longevity of Relationships. Because of the "repeat" factor, some of my closest friends and leadership companions are from these cohorts and are spread out all over the world. The historical nature of our relationship built through a shared experience has allowed me to push through hurdles, grow through challenges, and have consistently spoken truth into my identity and perspective into my circumstances.

Like Me but Different. I'm a big believer that dissonance creates a catalyst for growth, yet safety cultivates the ground for its possibility. When others are "like me", it creates safety and opens me up for new ideas and change. Yet it's when others are not like me, when discomfort and pain are visceral, that instigates growth. The cohorts I've been blessed to engage in have been a divine mix of both those factors. Naturally, we lean toward comfort and the path of least resistance , so we have to make intentional choices to create disequilibrium in our souls. Becoming the fullest version of ourselves demands it!

It's for those handful of reasons that I'm launching a "women in youth ministry" cohort in January and another one for "women in leadership" (general) later in 2014. I've always desired for there to be safe yet dangerous places for women to gather to be encouraged, challenged, inspired, and educated toward their best leadership contribution. The women that are coming to the table are bright, passionate, diverse, unique, gifted, and lovely. I know this will be a life-changing experience for them, not primarily because of my contribution to the collective but because the power of a cohort.

Interested? Let's talk.

In January 2014 I'm launching a cohort for women in youth ministry. And I cannot wait. I've lead similar groups of women in the past. I called it Eden because I wanted to re-orient ourselves around what was intended in the Garden. We were meant to live in full freedom, equality, and partnership from which God created us. The church is far from what she needs to be to bless women with leadership gifting. Literally, every woman I know with a gift of leadership that's served in the church has experienced some measure of: oppression, pain, minimization, sexism, and even illegal activity. Some have experienced harassment. Others alienation because of their gender. We must be better than this. The world needs our gifts fully expressed, not subjugated to "the fall's" curse.

Last month The Youth Cartel announced the launch of my cohort HERE, and since then there's been such encouraging interest and enthusiasm about this group coming together. I literally needed to create an excel spreadsheet to keep track of responses!! Clearly, there's a need for women to come together for training, support, and connection.

This 10-month whole-life coaching program is all about developing and empowering you as a woman in leadership. Being a woman in youth ministry is different. It demands unique skills and awareness as we approach the challenges and opportunities due to our gender. We will learn across a scope of subjects including theology, practical life realities, leading men, and issues defined by this group. This specialized cohort has 8 women in leadership, and meets twice for 2 days plus 4 times online (2-3 hours each). Each time is very intentional and structured to provide encouragement, challenge, and transformation. This cohort provides customized attention to your specific context and needs as a woman in youth ministry.

A Few Details...

Limited to 8 women (+ April)
From anywhere in the country
Women do not need to be in point leadership roles or even full time, but they must be in youth ministry in some fashion
Two 2-day, face-to-face meetings in Orange County, CA
Four online meetings of 2-3 hours each
10 month schedule (group chooses exact dates based on their responses)
- January - face-to-face
- February - online
- April - online
- June - online
- August - online
- September - face-to-face
Participants get four 30-minute phone calls with April Diaz during the year
Private Facebook group for ongoing support and interaction
Cost is $1750 (+ participant travel costs)

We'll do a fair amount of reading and cross-disciplinary learning, as well.

I've participated in similar cohorts and paid significantly more. It's worth it. It's one of the best investments, in my opinion, you can make in your leadership. It has been for me. The transformation you'll experience from the other women and myself will be beyond these bullet points!

The group is still forming, but so far 3 women have committed and 6 more are strongly considering, so I'm expecting this cohort to fill in the next month. Already, the women who've committed and are strongly considering are from all parts of the country, different denominations, different life stages, and different experiences in ministry. I'm VERY excited about our "differences" because it will make our learning that much richer and more profound!!

If you're interested in this cohort or a future one, contact me HERE. I'd love to figure this out with you.

Wanna just apply? Complete this YMCP application and contact me HERE for my email!