Hazelip School of Theology

05/29/2026

30 Reasons to Attend the Lipscomb Faith & Leadership Forum, July 31-August 1, 2026

#4 - Keynote address by Dr. Earl Lavender - Forming a Church Ready for What God May Be Doing

Many church leaders sense a growing spiritual curiosity in this cultural moment. People are searching for meaning, weary of spectacle, and hungry for something deeper. But openness alone does not lead to lasting renewal. Churches must be prepared to steward what God may be doing.

In “Forming a Church Ready for What God May Be Doing,” Dr. Earl Lavender offers a constructive vision of what readiness actually looks like. Rather than relying on attractional shortcuts, this keynote explores the kind of discipleship pathways, embodied practices, theological clarity, and leadership habits that help churches sustain renewal rather than merely experience a temporary surge.

Leaders will leave with a tangible picture of a “ready church,” practical ways to evaluate discipleship health, and concrete practices they can begin implementing immediately. Because faithful leadership is not simply about responding to the moment. It is about being formed for it.

For more information and registration, go to https://lipscomb.edu/events/lipscomb-faith-and-leadership-forum

05/27/2026

30 Reasons to attend the Lipscomb Faith & Leadership Forum, July 31-August 1, 2026

#3 - Keynote Address from Dr. Kris Miller, "The Formation Crisis Beneath the Opportunity"

People may be more spiritually curious than they have been in years. But openness is not the same thing as depth.

In a moment shaped by digital overload, ideological siloing, emotional fragility, and shallow discipleship, many church leaders are asking an honest question: Are we ready for the opportunity before us? In “The Formation Crisis Beneath the Opportunity,” Dr. Kris Miller names the deeper issue beneath many ministry challenges—formation. If people arrive spiritually curious but spiritually unformed, the church can easily respond with shallow approaches and miss the moment entirely.

This keynote offers a sober but hopeful diagnosis of what many leaders are already experiencing. It explores how algorithms, polarization, and fragmented attention are shaping congregations in ways we often fail to recognize, while offering language and courage to prioritize spiritual depth over performance. This is not a talk of despair. It is a call to strengthen what matters most.

For registration and information, go to https://lipscomb.edu/events/lipscomb-faith-and-leadership-forum

05/22/2026

30 Reasons to attend Lipscomb Faith & Leadership Forum, July 31-August 1, 2026

#2 - Keynote Address from Leonard Allen

What kind of cultural moment are we actually living in?

Many church leaders sense something shifting. There is growing spiritual curiosity, renewed openness to faith, and a quiet hunger for meaning. At the same time, we are leading in a moment marked by distrust, exhaustion, polarization fatigue, and deep confusion. Is revival around the corner? Or is everything unraveling?

In “Reading the Restlessness: Discerning the Moment Before Us,” Leonard Allen helps leaders interpret this moment with both sobriety and hope. Rather than chasing trends or reacting to headlines, this session offers a calm theological framework for understanding cultural change, a shared vocabulary for what many are sensing, and confidence to lead with steadiness rather than anxiety. Faithful leadership requires more than optimism or fear. It requires discernment.

For more information and registration, go to: https://lipscomb.edu/events/lipscomb-faith-and-leadership-forum

05/19/2026

30 Reasons to Attend the Lipscomb University Faith & Leadership Forum, July 31-August 1, 2026

#1 - Presentations from Eighteen Faculty Who Serve the Church

The Lipscomb Faith & Leadership Forum brings together the faculty of Lipscomb University’s College of Bible & Ministry for two days of teaching, reflection, conversation, and encouragement centered on the life of the church.

These are not merely academic presentations detached from congregational life. The men and women leading these sessions are teachers, ministers, scholars, mentors, and church servants who care deeply about the spiritual health and faithful future of the church.

Together, they will guide keynote sessions, breakouts, and “Field Notes” conversations designed to help leaders navigate a cultural moment marked by both challenge and renewed openness.

Presenting Faculty:

Dr. Leonard Allen
Dr. Greg Anderson
Dr. Alden Bass
Dr. Garrett Best
Dr. Phillip Camp
Dr. J. P. Conway
Dr. George Goldman
Dr. Frank Guertin
Dr. Carlus Gupton
Dr. Aaron Howard
Dr. Earl Lavender
Dr. Wilson McCoy
Dr. Kris Miller
Dr. Scott Sager
Dr. Deron Smith
Dr. Walter Surdacki
Dr. Lauren White
Dr. Mike Williams

Join us July 31-August 1 at Lipscomb University. Participant fee is $50 per person. Learn more and register at: https://lipscomb.edu/events/lipscomb-faith-and-leadership-forum

05/06/2026

The Lipscomb University College of Bible and Ministry Faculty is pleased to announce the inaugural Faith & Leadership Forum at Lipscomb University.

July 31–August 1, 2026
Lipscomb University | Nashville, Tennessee

Our 2026 theme is: Leading the Church with Discernment and Courage in a Cultural Moment of Renewed Openness

This gathering is designed for ministers, church leaders, and thoughtful Christians seeking to lead faithfully in a cultural moment marked by deep cultural change and renewed spiritual openness.

Across two days, Lipscomb Bible and Ministry faculty and guests will explore questions many church leaders are already sensing:

- How should the church respond to growing spiritual curiosity?
- How do we cultivate depth rather than reaction?
- What does courageous, non-anxious leadership look like in a restless culture?
- How do we form resilient disciples in a digitally saturated age?

The forum will include keynote sessions, breakouts, field notes from ongoing faculty research, guided table conversations, and opportunities for meaningful reflection with leaders from across the region.

As the Spirit opens hearts in a restless culture, faithful leaders must respond with discernment and courage.

We would love for you to join us for this inaugural gathering. More information and registration details can be found here: https://lipscomb.edu/events/lipscomb-faith-and-leadership-forum

10/27/2025

We are excited to be a part of the Lilly Endowment's Pathways for Tomorrow initiative in 2025. The Hazelip School recently received an Individual School Grant for $996,937 to support the new LIFT program. Read more about it below!

In its ongoing efforts to to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations, the Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded a $996,937, five-year grant to Lipscomb University to launch its new Leadership Initiative for Tomorrow (LIFT) program, coordinated by the Hazelip School of Theology an...

07/23/2025

Hard to believe there are less than 10 days left in the summer semester! Best wishes to all our students putting in the hours to finish up final projects. We believe in you!

07/15/2025

Last week, our Social Justice and Reconciliation class explored local businesses that embody justice and community development!

Head over to The Cookery for your next breakfast or brunch, and support the rehabilitation and culinary training of our recently unhoused or incarcerated neighbors!

For your next study session, check out Humphrey street coffee, that equips teenagers with job experience and supports local after school programs!

If you are looking for a fun place to hang out, Plaza Mariachi is a Nashville staple!

07/08/2025

Two days of our Social Justice and Reconciliation intensive done! So far, our students have gotten to learn from local ministries serving the unhoused, as well as leading pastors and thinkers in the Civil Rights Movement!

07/03/2025

Our students just finished their first Pauline Theology intensive this past weekend! They discussed the different the life and context of Paul, as well as taking a deep dive into Romans!