Lead Pastor & Founder
Pastor Shane Blackledge is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Cultivate Church in St. Charles, Missouri. His life is a powerful testimony of God's redeeming grace, restoration, and purpose.
After years of battling addiction, incarceration, and a life headed in the wrong direction, Shane encountered Jesus Christ and experienced a radical transformation. What the enemy intended for destruction, God used for His glory. Through the power of the Gospel, biblical discipleship, recovery, and the work of the Holy Spirit, Shane found freedom, healing, and a new identity in Christ.
Today, Shane is passionate about reaching the lost, discipling believers, equipping leaders, and helping people discover their God-given purpose. Alongside his wife, Pastor Amber Blackledge, he planted Cultivate Church with a vision to create a church that is both a hospital for the broken and a training center for disciples who are called, equipped, and sent into their communities.
Shane is an author, speaker, church planter, prison ministry leader, and founder of Kingdom-Minded Ministries and You Are Not Forgotten, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals and families impacted by incarceration, addiction, homelessness, and poverty. He has helped launch recovery ministries, disciple-making initiatives, and prison ministries throughout Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
Shane is the author of From Prison to Purpose, Overcoming Codependency, The Prophetic Life, Kingdom Recovery, and other discipleship and ministry training resources. His books and teachings have been used in churches, prisons, recovery programs, discipleship groups, and outreach ministries to help people find healing, freedom, purpose, and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Whether preaching from a pulpit, ministering behind prison walls, serving those experiencing homelessness, or sharing the Gospel on the streets, Shane's mission remains the same: to see people encounter Jesus, experience transformation, and become fully devoted disciples who impact their families, communities, and the world for the Kingdom of God.
Shane believes that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that every person has a purpose. His life message is simple: Jesus still saves, heals, delivers, restores, and sends ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His glory.
Pastor Amber Blackledge
Youth Pastor
Pastor Amber Blackledge serves as the Youth Pastor of Cultivate Church in St. Charles, Missouri. She has a heart to see people encounter God's love, experience healing, and discover their God-given purpose.
Amber serves alongside her husband, Pastor Shane Blackledge, helping lead Cultivate Church through discipleship, pastoral care, prayer ministry, outreach, and leadership. She is passionate about helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and become lifelong disciples.
Known for her compassion and authentic faith, Amber ministers in churches, prisons, jails, nursing homes, recovery settings, and community outreach. She previously served as a State Representative for Celebrate Recovery in Iowa, helping establish Christ-centered recovery ministries in churches and correctional facilities.
Amber is passionate about mentoring women, strengthening families, and investing in the next generation. Her desire is to see people rooted in God's Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and equipped to live out their faith.
Her mission is simple: to help people love God, love people, make disciples, and find their purpose.
David Gregg
Children's Director
David Gregg serves as the Children's Director at Cultivate Church in St. Charles, Missouri. He has a passion for helping children know Jesus, grow in God's Word, and build a strong biblical foundation that will guide them throughout their lives.
David is committed to creating a safe, fun, and Christ-centered environment where children can experience God's love, worship Him, and learn the truth of Scripture in an engaging way. His desire is to partner with parents in discipling the next generation and equipping children to become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ.
Known for his servant's heart, encouragement, and love for people, David faithfully serves the children and families of Cultivate Church with joy and dedication. He believes every child is uniquely created by God, has incredible value, and can be used by the Lord to make a difference in the world.
David's mission is to help children love God, love people, make disciples, and find their purpose.