Leadership Now is an annual gathering for executive directors and CEOs of Christian faith organizations in the Murdock Trust ecosystem. It offers space to explore how leaders can build faithful, resilient organizations grounded in their deepest convictions while engaging insightful speakers and connecting with peers across sectors.
Leadership Now Conference 2027 #
Date: April 6-7, 2027
Location: Hilton, Vancouver, WA
Not Far From Any of Us: Leading for Human Flourishing in an Age of Distance #
Christian leaders today often feel the weight of growing distance. Loneliness, distrust, polarization, and institutional strain shape how we show up in the communities we serve. At times, these realities can leave leaders wondering how to lead faithfully and hopefully in such a fractured world.
Standing before the philosophers of Athens, Paul spoke to a culture similarly marked by competing worldviews and conflicting visions of the good life. Yet rather than beginning with division, he began with a profound truth: God "is not far from any one of us" (Acts 17:27).
While Paul was speaking first about God's relationship to humanity, his words also remind us that Christian leadership begins not with fear or scarcity, but with confidence that God is already present and at work in the people, institutions, and communities to which God has called us.
For Paul, God's nearness was not merely a theological observation. It shaped how he engaged a diverse and often divided world. Because God is already at work in the world, Christian leaders can move toward their communities with confidence, humility, and hope rather than fear or withdrawal. The Christian response is neither retreat nor accommodation. Confident that God has not abandoned the people, institutions, and divisions we navigate, we can strengthen the institutions entrusted to our care, cultivate trust across differences, and bear witness to the reconciling work of Christ in our communities.
Leadership Now 2027 will explore how Christian leaders can cultivate lives of deep formation, build healthy and resilient organizations, and participate in God’s work of fostering communities marked by trust, hope, and human flourishing. Because God is not far from any one of us, faithful leadership remains possible in an age of distance, and we will consider what that requires.
As always, Leadership Now will offer three interconnected tracks of learning: personal formation, organizational leadership, and community engagement.
While grantmaking priorities naturally evolve over time, some organizations invited to Leadership Now may not currently be eligible for funding. Our commitment to strengthening nonprofit leadership and a thriving social sector remains constant and extends beyond grantmaking. We are honored to continue supporting leaders through opportunities like Leadership Now.
Contact: Hannah Pick, Program Manager, leadershipnow@murdocktrust.org
Past Leadership Now Conferences #
Explores past themes, speakers, and workshop sessions.
The Murdock Trust is grateful for the ongoing support and partnership provided by the Stewardship Foundation.