Brazos Fellows

What Brazos Fellows does

Brazos Fellows is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating a nine-month residential Christian formation fellowship in Waco, Texas, founded in 2018 and hosted by Christ Church Waco (Anglican Church in North America). Each annual cohort (late August through early May) admits 5 to 8 emerging adults — primarily in their 20s and early 30s, with a documented secondary segment of mid-career adults and married couples — into a structured Rule of Life combining daily Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, weekly parish worship at Christ Church Waco, twice-weekly theological coursework (church history, scripture, theology, poetry, philosophy), one-on-one mentoring with a tutor, life coach, and spiritual director, and a shared communal rhythm of meals, seminars, retreats, and Sabbath observance. The core curriculum draws on Church Fathers, classic spiritual writers, and Anglican liturgy, taught by a small core staff of four (Executive Director Dr. Paul Gutacker, Assistant Director Paige Gutacker, Project Design & Development Officer Brooke Smith, and Program Manager Anna Sundblad) supplemented by guest instructors from Baylor University, Truett Theological Seminary, and Nashotah House.

The business model blends tuition revenue with charitable donations and grants. Tuition is $6,000 per fellow (with a $50 non-refundable application fee and a $500 acceptance deposit), generating only modest direct revenue given the small cohort size; the organization explicitly relies on outside donor support to subsidize affordability and to fund expansion. There have been eight cohorts since 2018 producing roughly 30 alumni, all of whom provide testimonial evidence of holistic transformation. Beyond the core Waco program, Brazos Fellows operates the Brazos Societies Project (launched 2022), which gifts replication resources to Anglican churches seeking to establish similar formation communities; two pilot societies launched in 2024 in La Mirada, CA and Holland, MI. In December 2025, the program became a partner institution in the Anglican Formation Network, a $10 million Lilly Endowment-funded initiative led by Trinity Anglican Seminary with the goal of launching at least 10 Brazos Societies across ACNA parishes over five years. Executive Director Dr. Paul Gutacker additionally published the book 'Practicing Life Together' through Moody Publishers on September 2, 2025, extending the program's intellectual reach.

Name

Brazos Fellows

Legal name

Brazos Fellows

Website

https://brazosfellows.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brazos Fellows is a 501(c)(3) Christian formation program in Waco, Texas, that runs a nine-month Anglican-rooted fellowship for emerging adults, combining theological study, spiritual disciplines, vocational discernment, and shared parish life at Christ Church Waco.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Formation Programs

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Christian formation program
• Anglican fellowship
• Theological education
• Vocational discernment
• Spiritual direction

Headquarters

HQ city

Waco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Tuition-based revenue model charging $6,000 per fellow covering course of study, retreats, and one-on-one meetings with tutor, coach, and spiritual director. Additional revenue from $50 application fee (non-refundable), $500 acceptance deposit, and donations from supporters.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Registered 501(c)(3) organization relying on donor support to subsidize tuition and fund Brazos Societies Project expansion. Accepts tax-deductible donations via online portal and mail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brazos Fellows is a nine-month Christian formation fellowship (August through May) for emerging adults that combines a common Rule of Life with daily Morning Prayer, twice-weekly theological study of Church Fathers and classic literature, one-on-one spiritual direction and vocational coaching, all rooted in the worship and community life of Christ Church Waco (ACNA). Fellows pay $6,000 in tuition and apply through a selective admissions process; the organization also disseminates the model through the Brazos Societies Project for partner churches and a published book.

Product overview

Brazos Fellows is a single, integrated nine-month fellowship program for emerging adults that combines four core components: Spiritual Disciplines/Rule of Life (daily prayer, weekly worship, monthly spiritual direction), Theological Study (Course of Study with twice-weekly instruction), Vocational Discernment (one-on-one mentoring with spiritual director, coach, and tutor), and Life Together (communal meals, retreats, and shared rhythms). The program is rooted in Anglican tradition at Christ Church Waco (ACNA). Related offerings include the Brazos Societies Project (a church planting initiative to replicate the model) and the book 'Practicing Life Together' published by Moody Publishers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brazos Societies Project: An initiative to inspire and empower Anglican churches to establish communities of emerging adults who will discern their vocation as lifelong followers of Jesus through four foundational spiritual practices: common prayer, shared meals, theological study, and sabbath keeping.

Products and services

• Brazos Fellows Program A nine-month residential-style Christian formation fellowship (August through May) for emerging adults that integrates a Rule of Life (daily Morning Prayer, weekly worship, monthly spiritual direction, Sabbath), a Course of Study (twice-weekly theological reading of Church Fathers and classic literature), Vocational Discernment (one-on-one mentoring with tutor, coach, and spiritual director), and Life Together (communal meals, retreats, seminars), rooted in Anglican parish life at Christ Church Waco. Tuition is $6,000 plus books (~$400) and housing/meals separate; open to individuals, married couples, and mid-career sabbatical-takers.
• Brazos Societies Project A free replication initiative that inspires and equips ACNA partner churches to launch their own parish-based communities of emerging adults centered on four spiritual practices (common prayer, shared meals, theological study, and sabbath keeping). Two pilot societies launched in 2024 (La Mirada, CA and Holland, MI), with partner churches customizing the Rule of Life to their context.
• Practicing Life Together (Book) A book by Dr. Paul Gutacker published by Moody Publishers that explores how intentional spiritual disciplines and a common rule of life shape Christian community and personal growth, drawing on the Brazos Fellows approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ alumni formed since 2018 across 8 cohorts
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Christ Church Waco (ACNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChrist Church Waco is the host parish for Brazos Fellows. Fellows participate in daily Morning Prayer and weekly worship. The church launched around 2009 and officially began Sunday services in August 2015 with 75 attendees, growing to 200+. The church helped pioneer Anglican catechesis patterns adopted by congregations nationwide.
• Trinity Anglican SeminaryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution for the Anglican Formation Network (AFN) funded by $10M Lilly Endowment grant. Brazos Societies Project is a partner institution working to develop strategic plan for forming mature, qualified church leaders.
• Anglican Church in North America (ACNA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazos Fellows and Brazos Societies Project work with ACNA to develop leadership formation approaches for young adults. AFN coordinates efforts across dioceses, college ministries, parishes, institutes, and seminaries within the province.
• Baylor University FacultyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaylor University professors serve as guest instructors and tutors for Brazos Fellows. Faculty contributors include Dr. Matthew Lee Anderson (Honors College), Dr. David Corey and Elizabeth Corey (Political Science), Dr. Charity Anderson (Philosophy), Dr. Malcolm Foley (Black Church Studies), Dr. Julia Hejduk (Classics), and others.
• George W. Truett Theological Seminary FacultyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaculty from Baylor's Truett Seminary serve as guest instructors, including Fr. Matthew Aughtry, Dr. Angela Reed, Dr. David Wilhite, and Dr. Malcolm Foley.
• Pilot Brazos Societies ChurchescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTwo pilot Brazos Societies launched in 2024: one in La Mirada, CA and one in Holland, MI. Each partner church creates its own name and customizes the Rule of Life to its context while retaining core transformational elements.
• Moody PublishersminorOthersPublished 'Practicing Life Together: A Common Rule for Christian Growth' by Dr. Paul Gutacker on September 2, 2025. The book explores how intentional spiritual disciplines can shape community and personal growth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• L'Abri Fellowship: L'Abri is a residential Christian community in Switzerland and elsewhere offering short- and long-term study periods combining theological reading, prayer, and shared life — the closest functional analogue to Brazos Fellows' 'rule of life + classical curriculum + small community' model.
• Anselm House (Toronto): Anselm House is a Christian formation community in Toronto offering one-year residential humanities programs for emerging adults integrating study, prayer, and vocational discernment — directly comparable to Brazos Fellows in audience and pedagogical approach.
• Chesterton House (Cornell): Chesterton House is an undergraduate Christian study center at Cornell providing intellectual community, faculty-led seminars, and spiritual formation for college-aged students — analogous to Brazos Fellows' course-of-study + community model, though attached to a university rather than a parish.
• Holy Trinity Fellows (Hamilton, Ontario): Holy Trinity Fellows is a one-year residential Christian fellowship for emerging adults combining theological study, liturgy, and community at Holy Trinity Anglican Church — the Anglican gap-year analogue most directly comparable to Brazos Fellows.

Broad incumbents

• Trinity Anglican Seminary: Trinity is a regional Anglican seminary leading the Lilly-funded Anglican Formation Network; it is the institutional parent of the AFN partnership and a near-ancestor mission to Brazos Fellows' formation work, but at degree-credentialed scale.
• Regent College (Vancouver): Regent is an ecumenical graduate theological school that produced both of the Brazos Fellows' leaders and shares its Reformed-evangelical formation DNA; comparable intellectually and pedagogically though degree-bearing rather than fellowship-based.
• Nashotah House: Nashotah House is an Anglican theological seminary whose faculty contribute as guest instructors to Brazos Fellows; it overlaps on Anglican formation audience but operates a residential M.Div. model at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• The Anselm Society: The Anselm Society is a Christian formation organization cultivating community around beauty, theological study, and culture; it overlaps with Brazos Fellows' classical curriculum but lacks the residential-formation delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/brazosfellows
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brazosfellows

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brazos Fellows