Russell Moore, Jay Jakub, Chip Pugh to headline Lipscomb University’s Illuminate: Working With Purpose one-day conference Sept. 30
Conference explores the intersection of faith and work through keynotes, breakout sessions
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University will shine a spotlight on the intersection of faith and work through its annual Illuminate: Working With Purpose. Illuminate: Working With Purpose takes place Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the university’s George Shinn Center.
Illuminate: Working With Purpose focuses on viewing business as mission and is designed to help attendees discover how faith can inform and shape their professional lives, no matter their career stage or field. The event features compelling keynote addresses, thought-provoking breakout sessions and networking opportunities.
This year’s keynote speakers include three national voices in the faith and work movement — Jay Jakub, executive director of the Economics of Mutuality Foundation (EoM) in Geneva, Switzerland; Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today and the inaugural Bill and Crissy Haslam Endowed Distinguished Visiting Professor of Faith and Reason at Lipscomb; and Chip Pugh, director of spiritual and personal growth for the Tennessee Titans.
A highlight of this year’s conference will be the presentation of the Illuminate Award to Brandy Whitehead, co-founder of Church of the City in Franklin. The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates what it means to live with purpose in a secular profession, using their talents, time and resources to faithfully lead and serve others while allowing faith and core values to guide both professional and personal decisions. Whitehead has served throughout her career as a social worker, crisis counselor, victim advocate and case manager. She currently serves on the Foster Care Review Board for Williamson County Juvenile Court and is helping lead Church of the City’s The Village initiative, which opens Sept. 12-13 and is focused on supporting children and families impacted by foster care. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work from Lipscomb University in 1997 and is a 1993 graduate of Lipscomb Academy. Past Illuminate Award recipients include former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Tony Young, co-founder of Kingdom Story Company.
Registration is now open for the one-day event, which is part of the university’s Presidential Signature Series. The cost is $60 per person or tables of eight may be purchased for $400. Registration includes lunch and all conference materials. All attendees will also receive a copy of Pugh's book, Made to Win: Six Practices of Jesus for a Life on Mission. Register here.
“Illuminate aligns deeply with our Christ-centered mission to equip individuals to live out their faith in every aspect of life. That vision reaches back to Lipscomb’s founding 135 years ago, when our founders established an institution grounded in the belief that Christ-centered education should prepare people for lives of purpose no matter what their vocation,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “This conference is a space where we will delve into how we can bring meaning and purpose to our everyday work, no matter the field or stage of our careers.”
“At Lipscomb University, we believe that a career can be much more than a job,” said Rob Touchstone, executive director of Lipscomb’s Center for Vocational Discovery. “It can be a vocation, filled with purpose, meaning and opportunities to serve others.”
Jay Jakub has held leadership and advisory roles with organizations around the world, including the EoM Alliance, Mutual Value Labs, Mutual Value Investments, Commence, the Human Flourishing Foundation, Thompson Family Office, Eagle Venture Fund and Singapore’s Alliance for Action on Corporate Purpose, and previously served as senior director for external research at Mars, Inc. An international speaker and author, he earned his doctorate from Oxford University and has co-authored books on business, purpose and the Economics of Mutuality. In addition, he and his wife, Eleni, also co-founded the Christian Healing Institute and lead biblically based healing prayer ministries globally.
In addition to his work at Christianity Today, Russell Moore serves as host of The Russell Moore Show, and is co-host of The Bulletin. He is also the author of several books, including Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America. Moore previously served as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and as provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A senior fellow with the Trinity Forum and board member of Becket Law, Moore brings a unique blend of theology, ethics and cultural insight to the conference.
Chip Pugh serves as the director of spiritual and personal growth for the Tennessee Titans, where he supports players, coaches and staff members in their development beyond the game, and also serves as the team's chaplain. He is the co-founder of Be1Make1, a ministry that trains people to live and lead on mission for Jesus Christ. As a certified strength and conditioning coach, he has spent much of his professional career training athletes, CrossFit competitors, and fitness enthusiasts. He has taught leadership development at Tennessee Tech University, where he also served as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Character Coach for the athletic teams. In his athletic career, he played football at Ohio University, where he earned a master's degree in coaching. He and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters. They reside in the Nashville area. All attendees will receive a copy of Pugh's book, Made to Win: Six Practices of Jesus for a Life on Mission.
Illuminate 2026 is hosted in partnership with Lipscomb’s Center for Vocational Discovery and College of Business, bringing together leaders, students, and professionals who seek to live out their calling with clarity and conviction. Interactive breakout sessions will offer practical insights from a wide range of disciplines, fostering conversations around faith integration in education, business, healthcare, media and more.