The Lipscomb Faith and Leadership Forum

Hosted by the Lipscomb University College of Bible & Ministry

The Lipscomb Faith and Leadership Forum is an annual gathering hosted by the College of Bible & Ministry for ministers and church leaders who want to read the times wisely and respond faithfully. Each forum centers on a theme, with keynote sessions, breakouts and candid conversation led by Bible and ministry faculty.

Mark Your Calendars for our next Faith & Leadership Forum on August 6-7, 2027.

About the forum

Each year, ministers, elders, church staff and volunteer leaders gather on Lipscomb's campus to spend focused time on one theme drawn from what congregations are facing. Faculty from the College of Bible & Ministry bring theological scholarship, cultural research and pastoral experience to that theme, and participants bring the view from their own congregations.

The forum is not about chasing trends or predicting the future. It is about faithful leadership in the present. Sessions are built to move from understanding a moment clearly to responding to it well, and the smaller format keeps room for conversation alongside the teaching.

The theme changes from year to year. The purpose stays the same: thoughtful analysis, practical frameworks and time with other leaders doing the same work.

What to expect

• Keynote sessions. College of Bible & Ministry faculty, including the dean and program directors, address the year's theme from several angles across the forum.
• Breakout sessions. Smaller sessions that apply the theme to specific areas of ministry, with past topics including preaching, discipleship, intergenerational ministry, digital formation, ministry burnout, public witness and leading through cultural change. Participants choose the sessions that fit their context.
• Field Notes. Faculty share insights from their ongoing research, teaching and engagement with the church, giving participants a window into the questions shaping their current work.
• Guided table conversations. Structured time to reflect with other leaders on what you are seeing in your congregation, where the strain is and what a faithful next step looks like.
• Shared meals and special presentations. Meals are part of the program, along with lightning rounds, ministry initiative updates and a closing charge.

Who should attend

The forum is open to anyone carrying leadership responsibility in a local church, including preaching and teaching ministers, youth and family ministers, elders and deacons, worship and discipleship leaders, church staff, and volunteers stepping into greater responsibility. Ministry students and those discerning a call to vocational ministry are welcome as well.

Registration includes all sessions, meals and materials.

Register for the upcoming forum

Dates, theme, speakers and registration details for this year's forum are posted on the event page. Space is limited, and registration typically closes as the dates approach.

Questions about the forum? Contact Carlus Gupton, event coordinator and director of Lipscomb's Doctor of Ministry program, at carlus.gupton [at] lipscomb.edu (carlus[dot]gupton[at]lipscomb[dot]edu).