At its annual Leadership Academy, New Church Ministry gathers leaders from all across regions in the United States and Canada for learning, growing, and community building. Our team invites undergraduate and seminary students, individuals contemplating ministry, those feeling “stuck” or isolated in ministry, and clergy ready for a new way to do ministry in a changing world to join us. You do not need to be a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to attend.

Leadership Academy also includes:

  • Three track sessions that allow participants to learn alongside fellow peers currently at the same stage in starting a place of worship (these are subject to change)
    • Emerge Track – for core teams who have yet to launch a community of faith
    • Discerners Track – created to allow those who have ever considered what it would take to start a church to audit the Emerge Track at a discounted rate. This option is ideal for those in undergraduate institutions who may feel the call to ministry, for our seminarians who are discerning what path God may be taking them down, or even our ecumenical partners who may want to imagine how their ministries might be shaped by this training.
    • Converge Track – for teams that have recently started a faith community, and
    • Multiply Track – for leaders of established congregations
  • NEXT Talk facilitated by a keynote speaker who will address missional transformation inclusive of every stage of leadership and congregational vitality, and
  • LEADLabs (Learn.Explore.Actuate.Discover.Laboratories) designed to help participants imagine, ideate, and innovate missional concepts through interactive, practical workshops.

The 2024 Leadership Academy is scheduled to take place from Tuesday, October 22 to Friday, October 25 at Meizon Church in Gainesville, FL. An asynchronous version of the event will also be made available to participants online who cannot attend in person. Stay tuned for registration details!