For some of our neighbors, home is familiar and congenial, safe and loving. Yet for many, this is not the case. In this pathway, we consider how to participate in efforts bridging the gap between oppression and freedom, so that home is a safe, welcoming place. To assemble a just world, lovers of Jesus must come together and establish relationships in spite of, and through, the differences that make us beautiful.

The data is disarming – Churches of Christ are in decline. But, like Doc Brown told Marty McFly, “Your future hasn’t been written yet.” Hear research from the front lines of revival and renewal among our churches and inspiring insights from the kingdom of God in a post-Christian world. Well-led congregations will help write our future.

The importance of leadership can’t be overestimated. It is not too much of a reach to speak of the “spirituality” of leadership as it works its way into and through the changes, challenges and progress of our lives and organizations. Tapping into the wealth of experience shared by this lineup of leaders, and set against the background music of the Psalms, these sessions inspire, inform, and challenge anyone involved in or aspiring to positions of leadership.

Are you curious about the faith journeys of young adults? Join us for a series of conversations featuring ministers, researchers, and students. Through this pathway, we consider factors shaping affiliation with faith, the experience of working with young adults in ministry contexts, and research into the spiritual lives of college freshmen. This pathway concludes with a collaborative look at young adults’ faith formation and race, hosted in partnership with the Songs of Sorrow, Songs of Joy pathway.

The book of Psalms has provided rich resources for Jewish and Christian worship and ethical reflection for centuries. It still does. The speakers in this pathway draw on years of work as scholars and artists to explore the book’s many dimensions as a source for study, prayer, song, and art. As the church’s first song book, Psalms provides language and images for lament and praise, storytelling and the pursuit of wisdom. In short, it helps us be more fully human in our lives before God.

This pathway explores the role of Christianity in contemporary American politics and the public policy process. It addresses questions faced by Christians who are troubled by the political polarization and coarseness of today’s American politics, and concerned about public policies that seem to conflict with religious expression. The destination of this pathway is more informed and responsible engagement in politics that is faithful to one’s Christian commitments and that ultimately fosters a healthy religious civil society.

This pathway is for people who are looking for what’s next. With more in-depth and practical information, we discuss specific growth paths for each number. This will include understanding levels of health within your type, achieving balance with your centers of intelligence (thinking, feeling, and doing), and utilizing your stress and security arrows.

Scripture tells us to go to all nations, yet the church often struggles at the intersection of different cultures. From the center city to the suburbs, cities in North America are increasingly multicultural. While international migration is transforming neighborhoods, individuals are now connected to the larger global world at the push of a button, and shifts in religious belonging are having a profound impact on outreach of the local church.

Join Jason Byassee for a mini-pathway based on his book, Faithful and Fractured: Responding the the Clergy Health Crisis. Combining the expertise of a health psychology researcher and a leading pastoral theologian, the book brings together the best in social science and medical research, examining the poor health of clergy and exploring what can be done about it. In addition to physical health, Faithful and Fractured treads deep into the territory of mental health and spiritual well-being, and suggests that increasing the presence of positive mental health may prevent future physical and mental health problems for clergy.

Churches that want to become more intentionally intergenerational typically raise two questions. The first: “How can we bring the generations back together?” The second and even more important: “Why?” What is the evidence that intergenerational approaches are beneficial? This pathway explores both questions engagingly, incisively, and experientially. The speakers briefly share biblical and theological foundations and explore empirical, sociological, and theoretical support for cross-age Christian practices. Along the way, the class addresses the “how” question, discussing (and experiencing) several successful emerging intergenerational approaches.