—  what we do  —

The KALEO Youth Theology Institute aims to transform lives through the discovery, discernment, and affirmation of God’s call for Christian leadership in the lives of junior and senior high school students. KALEO acts as the catalyst for student leaders to grow in the spiritual gifts in order to spread the gospel and make a difference in their communities, schools, and churches.

KALEO’s key goals are to empower young Christian leaders to:

1. Discover leadership self-awareness, purpose, and identity in God’s call for Christian leadership through a communal wilderness immersion experience such as backpacking and river kayaking.

2. Discern God’s call to Christian leadership through a critical and practical survey of the mission of God and His “big picture plan” for humanity at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas.

3. Discern God’s call to Christian leadership through hands-on service through domestic mission work in US metropolitan areas like New York City and Seattle.

4. Affirm God’s call to Christian leadership through applied ministry in local and global settings through a year-long mentorship with an individual from their home church.

— Program Overview —

The three components of KALEO are the Pre-Immersion Mentorship, the Immersion Program, and the Post-Immersion Mentorship. Each component is vital to the overall success of the program.

The Pre-Immersion Mentorship

The Pre-Immersion Mentorship begins ten weeks before the Immersion Program. Each participant is paired with a mentor from their own church, allowing for continued accountability throughout the entire year surrounding the Immersion Program. This mentor should be a pastor or other church leader who has an active relationship with the Lord and desires to mentor the participant for the full year. Upon acceptance, the KALEO participant receives curriculum for this 10-week period.

The Immersion Program

The Immersion Program acts as a greenhouse for participants. It creates a space for students to focus on their relationship with God, their call, and their practical purpose within Christian leadership. Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas acts as the home-base for this 18-day period. This program has three parts:

Wilderness Immersion

Participants focus on hearing God’s call to Christian Leadership by entering the wilderness. This immersive experience allows participants to focus on the heart of their call to leadership.

Campus Immersion

Upon their return to Wayland Baptist University, the participant then begin their 3-day Campus Immersion. This Immersion focuses on the “how” of Christian leadership. The professors within the School of Christian Studies at Wayland Baptist University conduct three classes: Christian Leadership, Drama of Scripture, and Kingdom, Church, World.

Mission Immersion

The participants seek to apply what they have learned by engaging with hands-on service through domestic mission work across the country. This week-long mission trip allows students to observe pragmatic ways to serve Christ in their specific areas of influence. KALEO intentionally provides opportunities for participants to gain and practice tools that can then be utilized for the benefit of their own communities.

Post Immersion mentorship

The Post Immersion Mentorship is the culmination of the previous two components. Upon their return, the participant begins to meet with his or her mentor to debrief about the Immersion Program and assess how to translate their acquired knowledge within their sphere of influence. The Mentor’s role is to guide the student, keep them accountable to their goals, and encourage them in their walk with the Lord. The KALEO Youth Theology Institute seeks to initiate change in the name of Christ. This is where the work begins.

— How to Apply —

There are 3 forms required for each participant.

The Participant Application

Students wishing to participate in KALEO should fill out the Student Participant Application. The form asks for information about them, their legal guardians, school, and church.

The form takes about 20 minutes and can be completed digitally on the website or printed and mailed. Progress on the digital application can be saved and resumed.

Begin Student Participant Application

The Nominator Application

Participants must be nominated by a member of their church. A nominator should be a pastor or other church leader who knows the student well enough to speak to his or her suitability for the program.

The form takes about 20 minutes and can be completed digitally on the website or printed and mailed. Progress on the digital application can be saved and resumed.

Begin Nominator Application

The Mentor Application

Once each participant has selected a mentor, the mentor needs to fill out the form below. A mentor should be a pastor or other church leader who has an active relationship with the Lord and desires to mentor the participant for the full year.

The form takes about 10 minutes and can be completed digitally on the website or printed and mailed. Progress on the digital application can be saved and resumed.

Begin Mentor Application