Welcome From Our Founders

Aware that many young adults choose to abandon their faith when unable to explain or defend it against advocates of secular humanism and other misguided worldviews, John and Trudy Cathy White began searching for ways to combat this critical shift in ideas and lifestyle occurring amongst college-age students.

After 20 years of working in International Missions,  the Whites also recognized an increasing need for equipping young adults in the area of godly leadership.

Impact 360 Institute was born out of the vision to transform communities with the message of Jesus Christ by equipping young adults to become Christ-centered servant leaders.

In September of 2006, Impact 360 Gap Year (Fellows) was born. The inaugural Fellows class of 18 students became pioneers in the world of academic gap year programs, studying Christian Worldview, living in community, and practicing servant leadership amongst their peers locally and internationally.
Impact 360 Fellows is now celebrating the 17th year of the program and has had more than 450 graduates from 35 different states, fourteen countries, and various educational backgrounds, creating a web of motivated “changers” on college campuses across the US, and in the world marketplace.
Today, Impact 360 Institute offers students and young professionals from all walks of life transformative worldview and leadership experiences like Impact 360 Fellows, Impact 360 Immersion, Impact 360 Propel, and Impact 360 Masters.

 

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The Fellows Experience

Impact 360 Fellows is a nine-month Christian gap year experience that offers biblical worldview training put into action through a unique combination of experiential learning, dynamic teaching, vibrant community, domestic and international travel, and servant leadership training.

The Fellows experience is a holistic learning experience that incorporates both classroom learning and real-life application. During class lectures, Fellows engage with leading Christian scholars and thought leaders on a variety of relevant cultural and worldview issues. Outside the classroom, Fellows apply what they learn by living in intentional community, serving at local non-profits, and supporting ministries internationally during an international immersion experience in January.

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Why Impact 360 Fellows?

Understand, Articulate, and Share your Faith

Academics at Impact 360 Fellows isn’t about head knowledge, it’s about learning to truly own your faith.

Christian faith isn’t blind, it is active trust in what you have reasonable evidence to believe to be true. Dive deep into vital topics such as theology, biblical ethics, apologetics, servant leadership, and much more. Engage in exciting and challenging discussions as you unpack what it means to love God with your mind. 

Impact 360 Fellows partners with a regionally accredited University (SACSCOC), Union University (Jackson, Tennessee), to offer 18 hours of transferable college credit to each student that attends. Impact 360 Fellows are fully enrolled students of Union University.

Learn from the Global Church

We believe that it is important and powerful for students to have the opportunity to be immersed in a different culture. Traditionally, students spend the month-long international experience serving and learning in Brazil. While abroad, service opportunities include working at youth camps and orphanages, ju-jitsu ministry, volunteering at local churches and schools, and staying in host homes. experience a new culture with an international experience. This is also an opportunity for students to implement their worldview training in a culture that believes differently than a biblical worldview.

Chick-fil-A® SERVE Certification

Servant Leadership is at the heart of Impact 360 Institute and is embedded in every aspect of the Fellows experience. Fellows receive leadership training at Chick-fil-A Corporate and receive the SERVE model leadership certification, which is an opportunity normally reserved for Chick-fil-A Operators only. Each student also leads a group of their peers at least once throughout the program in their service teams.

Local Service

Becoming a servant leader is not an easy task, it requires deep vision and commitment to “your why”. Learn how to live a life of service, and learn why it’s the best way to live. Each Impact 360 Fellow learns how to be a servant leader, but more than just learning, you get a chance to live it out every single day. Learn More

Build a Life-Long Community of Faith

Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples, at Impact 360 Fellows we take this command seriously. Discipleship at Impact 360 Institute happens in the context of godly community. Learn how to make disciples while you are being discipled by our staff throughout the nine months.

Launch in to Kingdom Influence

God calls each of us into different calling and areas of the world to serve Him. The Fellows capstone research project is focused on a plan to influence the world around you, specifically an area of culture that you feel called to bring Kingdom influence.

Fellows Course Work

Vision and Values
Fellows will become oriented to the vision and values of Chick-fil-A and the ministries of WinShape and Lifeshape during a day-long tour of significant historical landmarks in the life of the organization.

Calling and Vocation
Discover and explore our identity in Christ in an effort to better understand personal gifting and calling

Biblical Worldview
Fellows will understand the importance of their design as Christ followers, & will demonstrate the essential elements of that design— the recovery of knowledge, the renovation of the soul, & reliance on God’s supernatural power.

Biblical Hermeneutics
Students will gain an understanding of the structure, writing styles, culture, and content of the Bible. This module is designed to equip students with necessary skills to study the Bible.

Biblical Life View
TED-style sessions where we repackage timeless biblical truths in a way that students understand and relate to. Covering topics such as worldview, discipleship, leadership, and service.

Heart of Leadership
Fellows will begin to understand biblical leadership principles that are crucial for any healthy leader. They will develop a picture of leadership, why leaders are different, and that leaders create the future.

Biblical Apologetics
Fellows will learn how to defend the authority and inspiration of the Bible. We will discuss how the Bible came about and why other documents are not included. We will think through difficult passages and wrestle with a foundational aspect of Christianity – The Bible.

Faith, Economics, and Poverty
Fellows will understand the complexities of impoverished cultures as related to the cycle of poverty & will be able to understand sustainable solutions to breaking the cycle. Fellows will discuss issues of global poverty through interaction with community leaders from developing countries, simulated poverty experiences, and classroom instruction on appropriate technologies. Emphasis will be placed on challenging them to think through sustainable approaches to breaking cycles of both economic and spiritual poverty.

God in the Dark
We introduce Fellows to a biblical understanding of doubt and how to think about their faith in such a way that leads to confidence in their even when they doubt.

Biblical Womanhood and Manhood
Fellows will grow in their understanding of what it means to live a biblical life in today’s culture.

Sacred Rhythms
Fellows will spend the academic week in the wilderness, experiencing the wonder and adventure of creation firsthand. In addition to backpacking, camping and rappelling, Fellows will also explore some primary spiritual disciplines through both instruction and practice. Fellows should come away with an understanding of the disciplines and a strategy for implementing them in their personal lives.

Intercultural Studies
Students will begin preparing for the International Immersion with a course on Intercultural Studies focused on learning about God’s heart for the nations.

Worldview I
Fellows will understand the importance of their design as Christ- followers, & will demonstrate the essential elements of that design— the recovery of knowledge, the renovation of the soul, & reliance on God’s supernatural power.

Worldview II- Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration
Fellows will have basic theological & philosophical categories to begin thinking critically from a biblical worldview perspective regarding creation, fall, and redemption.

Worldview III- Knowledge of Reality and Reality of Knowledge
Fellows will be able to articulate the priority of ontology over epistemology and the implications of that logical order for a robust biblical worldview

Worldview IV- Dynamic Worldview Survey
Fellows will grow in their understanding and ability to evaluate worldviews that represent an increasingly pluralistic society. Some worldviews Fellows will be exposed to are Christian theism, deism, naturalism, nihilism, existentialism, Eastern pantheistic monism, and New Age philosophies.

Spiritual Formation II – TrueFaced
Fellows will discover what it means to live in authentic Christian community by discussing biblical truth regarding individual identity, common obstacles to authenticity and key concepts such as grace and forgiveness. Fellows should come away from this week with a deeper understanding of community and a renewed desire both to live in and to offer an environment of grace.

Leadership | Kingdom Influence
Fellows will be introduced to the importance of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling in order to be an effective leader.

The Morality of God
The New Atheists characterize the God of the Old Testament as undesirable and unworthy of worship. Are they right? Is God good and worthy to be praised? We will seek to better understand some difficult OT passages and then learn how to address difficult questions that may cause confusion.

Evidence for God’s Existence
Familiarity with and ability to articulate classical and contemporary philosophical & scientific arguments for God’s existence. Fellows will be able to apply these arguments winsomely in a conversational setting

Ethical Systems & Reasoning
Survey major ethical systems and thinkers, including deontology, utilitarianism, situation ethics, virtue ethics and natural law.

Critical Thinking
Introduction to principles of critical thinking & logic and their importance for effecting God-glorifying cultural change.

Problem of Evil & Suffering
Define and demonstrate how the problem of evil is the most powerful argument against Christianity. Survey most popular versions, analyze assumptions and encourage Fellows to think critically in formulating responses.

Bioethics
Introduce Fellows to critically think through ethical issues with a Christian worldview. Some ethical issues we will address are abortion, reproductive technologies, genetics and cloning, and euthanasia.

Faith and Science
Introduce Fellows to naturalism and its implications for truth-bearing scientific projects, arguing for theistic science over against naturalist paradigms. Survey competing models of faith/science integration, with emphasis on an “interactionist” model. Intelligent design theory will be emphasized over against Darwinist/naturalist theory.

Biblical Theology
Most students own a Bible, but few understand how it came to be put together, how we know it is accurate, or how we know that the "right" books are in there. And then there are the issues of forged texts and alleged contradictions. When they encounter challenges on the Discovery Channel, in the classroom or on Youtube, they are often blindsided by the sophisticated challenges regarding a topic that is rarely addressed.

Marriage and Family
Introduce Fellows to critically think through ethical issues with a Christian worldview. Some ethical issues we will address are a Biblical view of sexual relationships, singleness, marriage, transgender, and homosexuality.

Christianity and Culture
How has Christianity influenced culture over the last 2000 years and how are Christians today influenced by the surrounding culture? Students will become aware of the rich history of Christians being salt and light in their culture. We will discuss ways we are currently being influenced by culture and how to whimsically draw culture to a flourishing life.

World Religions: Islam
Introduce Fellows to Muslim culture and beliefs. Discuss differences of belief systems, the importance of understanding Islam in the 21st century, and how to have significant spiritual conversations with people of the Muslim faith.

Culture Making
Introduce Fellows to culturally creative ways of engaging the world. They will utilize acquired tools from the year and think through influential tactics to engage culture in an active and winsome way.

Impact 360 Fellows Staff

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David Blanchard
Director, Impact 360 Fellows

David Blanchard

David has spent the past ten years working among college students in the areas of leadership and discipleship. He has received his M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a B.S. in Youth Ministry, Family & Culture from Columbia International University, as well as a Minor in Outdoor Recreation and Leadership. David first joined the Impact 360 staff in 2009 as a Student Learning Coordinator. He went on to spend several years living in Brazil, coordinating teams for Impact 360, and serving as Manager for Brazil Ministries with the Lifeshape Foundation. He began his current role as Associate Director of Student Learning and Living in July 2018 and now serves as the Director for Impact 360 Fellows. David lives with his wife, Melva, and their sons in Hamilton, GA.
Ed Bort
Senior Associate Director & Faculty Chair
Matt Dee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Leadership & Philosophy
Sarah Kilgore
Service Learning and International Coordinator
Charmaine Porter
Learning Community Coordinator
Chad Rosell
Learning Community Coordinator
Hannah Depledge
Logistics Coordinator
Todd Foster
Associate Director, Student Living and Learning
Katie-Marie Stout
Educational Resource Coordinator
Mitch Mask
Discipleship Manager
McKenzie Sutton
Discipleship Specialist

Instructors

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J.P. Moreland, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology

J.P. Moreland, Ph.D.

J.P. Moreland is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of TheologyBiola University in La Mirada, California. He has four earned degrees: a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Missouri, a Th.M. in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, an M. A. in philosophy from the University of California-Riverside, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern California. During the course of his life, he has co-planted three churches, spoken and debated on over 175 college campuses around the country, and served with Campus Crusade for Christ for 10 years. For eight years, he served as a bioethicist for PersonaCare Nursing Homes, Inc. headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. His ideas have been covered by both popular religious and non-religious outlets, including the New Scientist and PBS’s “Closer to Truth,” Christianity Today and WORLD magazine. He has authored or co-authored 30 books, including Kingdom TriangleScaling the Secular CityConsciousness and the Existence of GodThe Recalcitrant Imago DeiLove Your God With All Your MindThe God Questionand Body and Soul. He has also published over 70 articles in journals, which include Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical QuarterlyAustralasian Journal of PhilosophyMetaphilosophyPhilosophia Christi, and Faith and Philosophy.
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Dr. Tony Evans
Founder and Senior Pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. Founder and President, The Urban Alternative

Dr. Tony Evans

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative and author of over 100 books, booklets and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University. Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on over 1,400 radio outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. Dr. Evans’ sermons are also streamed and downloaded over 20,000,000 times annually.
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Alisa Childers
Apologist & Singer-Songwriter

Alisa Childers

Alisa Childers is a wife, a mom, an author, a blogger, a speaker, and a worship leader. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is a popular speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, and has been published at The Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, The Stream, For Every MomDecision Magazine, and The Christian Post. Her book, Another Gospel: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity was released by Tyndale on October 6, 2020. Her newest book Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed., will be released in late 2022.   Alisa is an instructor, teaching on the topics of Progressive Christianity and Worship at Impact 360 Fellows, Immersion, and Propel
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John Stonestreet
President, The Colson Center and Breakpoint Radio Co-Host

John Stonestreet

John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education, and apologetics. John is the daily voice of BreakPoint, the nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson. He is also the voice of the Point, a daily one-minute feature on worldview, apologetics, and cultural issues. John Stonestreet teaches at Impact 360 Propel- our one-week discipleship and leadership experience
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Dr. Derwin Gray
Lead Pastor- Transformation Church

Dr. Derwin Gray

Dr. Derwin L. Gray is the founding and lead Pastor of Transformation Church (TC), a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, located just south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Derwin met his wife, Vicki, at Brigham Young University. They have been married since 1992 and have two children. After graduating from Brigham Young University, Derwin played professional football in the NFL for five years with the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and one year with the Carolina Panthers (1998). During that time, he and Vicki began their journey with Christ and experienced God’s faithfulness and direction as He moved their hearts to know Him and make Him known. Derwin and Vicki began an itinerant speaking ministry in 1999, One Heart At A Time Ministries. Derwin went on to graduate magna cum laude from Southern Evangelical Seminary with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, with a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher, Dr. Norman Geisler. Following God’s call on their lives and their desire to shepherd people towards transforming their world through the mission of Christ, the Lord transitioned Derwin from his primary role of itinerant speaker to serving as the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church in January of 2010. Coupling his dynamic speaking style with a shepherd’s heart, his intense passion for seeing lives and culture transformed is both contagious and inspiring. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary. In 2018, Gray received his Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary under Dr. Scot McNight. In addition to his role at Transformation Church, Derwin speaks at conferences nationwide. He is the author of Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart (2010), Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future (2013), Crazy Grace for Crazy Times Bible Study (2015), and The High-Definition Leader (2015).
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Christopher Yuan
Professor, Moody Bible Institute

Christopher Yuan

Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope (100,000 copies sold and now in seven languages). He is also the author of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless. Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005, Wheaton College Graduate School in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis, and received his doctorate of ministry in 2014 from Bethel Seminary. Dr. Yuan’s newest book, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story, was named 2020 Book of the Year for Social Issues by Outreach Magazine.
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Sean McDowell
Apologist & Associate Professor, Biola University

Sean McDowell

Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Sean still teaches one high school Bible class, which helps give him exceptional insight into the prevailing culture so he can impart his observations poignantly to fellow educators, pastors, and parents alike. In 2008 he received the Educator of the Year award for San Juan Capistrano, California. The Association of Christian Schools International awarded Exemplary Status to his apologetics training. Sean is listed among the top 100 apologists. He graduated summa cum laude from Talbot Theological Seminary with a double master’s degree in Theology and Philosophy. He earned a Ph.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2014. Traveling throughout the United States and abroad, Sean speaks at camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. Sean is the author, co-author, or editor of over twenty books including Chasing Love, The Fate of the Apostles, So The Next Generation Will Know (with J. Warner Wallace), Evidence that Demands a Verdict (with Josh McDowell), Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God’s Design for Marriage (with John Stonestreet), Is God Just a Human Invention?(with Jonathan Morrow) and Understanding Intelligent Design (with William A. Dembski). Sean is the General Editor for A New Kind of Apologist, Apologetics for a New Generation, Sharing the Good News with Mormons, and The Apologetics Study Bible for Students. Sean has one of the leading apologetics blogs, which can be read at seanmcdowell.org. In April 2000, Sean married his high school sweetheart, Stephanie. They have three children and live in San Juan Capistrano, California. Sean played college basketball at Biola University and was the captain his senior year on a team that went 30-7.
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Monique Duson
Center for Biblical Unity

Monique Duson

Chantal Monique Duson has a background in social service and children’s ministry. She has worked with a diverse array of under-served communities.

Monique worked as a Missionary to South Africa for over 4 years, serving children and teachers impacted by drugs, violence, and trauma.

Monique spent 2 decades advocating for Critical Race Theory (CRT), but through a series of events began to see the contradictions of CRT with the historic Christian worldview. She is now convinced that  CRT is not the best way to achieve racial unity and actively speaks out against the use of CRT within the church. Monique's vision is to promote a vision for racial healing based on the historic Christian worldview.  

Monique has a BA in Sociology from Biola University. She is working on a MA in Theology.

Monique has appeared on shows such as Relatable (with Allie Beth Stuckey), the Alisa Childers podcast, and Breakpoint (with John Stonestreet).

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Megan Almon
Life Training Institute

Megan Almon

Megan Almon, a former University of Georgia gymnast, worked as an award-winning journalist until 2008, when she decided to pursue a career speaking and teaching about Christian apologeticsespecially in the area of bioethics. She joined Life Training Institute in 2009 and was awarded an M.A. in Christian apologetics from Biola University in 2011.  Megan and her husband, TrippDirector of Programs and Summit Semester for Summit Ministrieshave been married since 2003 and have two children, Neely and Rogan. Megan enjoys spending time with her family at home in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and is still known to practice handstands in her kitchen. She has spoken to high school and college assemblies and classrooms, youth organizations, womens groups, pregnancy care centers, congregations, and legislators across the nation on multiple topics, including bioethics, preparing Christian students for college success, and marriage. 
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Brett Kunkle
Maven

Brett Kunkle

Brett Kunkle is the founder and president of MAVEN, a movement to equip the next generation know truth, pursue goodness and create beauty. He has more than 25 years of experience working with junior high, high school, and college students. He was a youth pastor in Southern California and in the Denver area for 11 years and was the Student Impact Director for Stand to Reason for 14 years. Brett has developed a groundbreaking approach to mission trips, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that immerses participants in real-life engagement in apologetics, theology, worldview and evangelism in Berkeley, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition, Brett is a Teaching Fellow at the Impact 360 Institute. Brett is an author, contributing to numerous articles and books. He wrote the Ambassadors Guide to Mormonism, was an associate editor for the Apologetics Study Bible for Students and co-authored A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World. He received his Master’s degree in philosophy of religion and ethics from Talbot School of Theology. Brett lives with his wife and kids in Southern California.
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Frank Turek
President of CrossExamined

Frank Turek

Dr. Frank Turek is a dynamic speaker and award-winning author or coauthor of four books: Stealing from God:  Why Atheists Need God to make their Case; I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist; Correct, Not Politically Correct and Legislating Morality. As the President of CrossExamined.org, Frank presents powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity at churches, high schools and at secular college campuses that often begin hostile to his message. He has also debated several prominent atheists including Christopher Hitchens and David Silverman, president of American Atheists. Frank hosts an hour-long TV program each week called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist that is broadcast Wednesday nights on DirecTV Channel 378 (NRBTV). His radio program called CrossExamined with Frank Turek airs on 186 stations every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. eastern and is available continuously on the free CrossExamined App. 
Dana Bort
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Gene C. Fant, Jr., Ph.D.
President of North Greenville University

Gene C. Fant, Jr., Ph.D.

Dr. Gene Fant and his wife, Lisa, are the proud parents of twins - Ethan and Emily. He currently serves as President of North Greenville University in Tigerville, South Carolina. Previously, Dr. Fant was provost and chief academic officer of Palm Beach Atlantic University, and former executive vice president and dean of faculty at Union University. Dr. Fant holds a certificate in educational management from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is a writer who recently published a book entitled “The Liberal Arts: A Student’s Guide,” and occasionally contributes blog posts to the Chronicle of Higher Education and First Things. Dr. Fant is an integral member of the Board of Directors at Impact 360 Institute and says he feels blessed to be a part of what God is doing with the next generation.

Impact 360 Fellows

Learn More About Impact 360 Fellows

Impact 360 Fellows is a Christian gap year experience intentionally designed to prepare you for the path ahead. Invest nine months deepening your relationship with God, serve others, build intentional community, and discern God’s call in your life. Receive leadership training from Chick-fil-A® Inc., experience international ministry for one month, and sharpen in your faith in community.
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