We are honored and delighted to be hosted at The University of Saint Mary of the Lake. We are provided with on-campus room accommodations for In-Person participants. All conference meals are included for In-Person participants. We look forward to a wonderful weekend of examining Spirituality & Leadership.
Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?
Matthew 20:22 NRSVue
Spirituality & Leadership
Reflecting on Jesus’ question, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” (Matthew 20:22), the 2027 Teleios Conference will explore Christian leadership through the lens of Christian spirituality.
Leadership can be viewed through many different lenses— the coaching lens, the corporate lens, the military lens, the charismatic leader lens, the authoritarian lens, the pastoral lens, the servant lens, etc. How we view leadership is important. An improper lens can skew our view of leadership. Howard Thurman advised, “Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
This year’s conference will explore various themes: how leaders are formed spiritually, the relationship of the leader and their community, maturing through trauma in leadership, and what it means to drink the cup as Jesus describes.
Our select speakers are seasoned scholars and practitioners representing various areas of expertise, including theology and psychology, and have served in Christian leadership in a variety of roles. There will be a time of question and response after each presentation.
There will also be time to share meals and fellowship with other leaders and learners at the beautiful conference center at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. The space promotes an atmosphere of reflection, fellowship, and discernment.
The Teleios Conference promises to be an inspiring and transformative conference. Please join us March 4-6, 2027, for three days of learning, growth, and engagement on Spirituality & Leadership.
Teleios Conference 2027 Speakers
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Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI
Oblate School of Thology
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Ruth Haley Barton, Ph.D.
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
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E. Trey Clark, Ph.D.
Princeton Theological Seminary
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Dr. Ryan G. Erbe, Ph.D.
West Point
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Pamela King, Ph.D.
Fuller Theological Seminary
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Fr. John J. Markey, O.P.
Oblate School of Theology
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David C. Wang, Ph.D.
Fuller Theological Seminary
Teleios Conference 2027 Schedule
Plenary sessions will take place on campus at the Conference Center at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake.
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Strengthening the Soul of Our Leadership: Spirituality for the Crucible of Ministry
The soul is the place where God is present to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual leadership emerges from our attention and response to this dynamic presence deep within. Working with the life of Moses we will explore a spirituality of leadership that emerges, is guided, and is sustained through friendship and encounter with the Divine.
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Thursday | March 4, 2027
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Feel What We Feel: Jesus as Model of Emotionally Integrated Leadership
In Gethsemane, Jesus asked for the cup to be taken from him. But he models emotionally integrated leadership: recognizing and accepting his emotions and examining his emotions in God’s presence. This type of leadership enabled Jesus to align his will with the Father’s and shows leaders how to drink from the cup.
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Availing Ourselves to Love: Spiritual Health & the Formation of Leaders
Christian spirituality draws us more fully into God’s luminous love, forming who we are and how we lead. Psychology offers insight into healthy spirituality and how we become increasingly receptive to divine Love—and, as reciprocating selves, become more fully ourselves, embodying God’s Love through leadership with and for others.
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Contemplative Leadership in Times of Crisis: Howard Thurman as Spiritual Guide
What does it mean to be a contemplative leader amid the many challenges of our time? The life and teachings of the African American mystic, pastor, and activist Howard Thurman offer profound resources for responding to this question. In this session, we will explore key aspects of Thurman’s enduring wisdom that can enrich our lives and leadership and empower us to be conduits of spiritual and social transformation.
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Friday | March 5, 2027
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Christian Leadership and Formation in the Shadow of Trauma
The Christian faith is built upon a trauma - the trauma of Christ's death on the cross. In this presentation, Dr. Wang will explore John 20:19-23, drawing connections between this passage to recent empirical research on the prevalence of direct and indirect trauma exposure among clergy. Implications of these realities on Christian leadership and formation will conclude our time together.
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Ministering to Ourselves as We are Ministering to Others: Self-Care within Leadership
We have been well-trained and well-prepared to do our jobs, but have far less preparation in terms of what the job will do to us … in terms of tiredness, inflations, and depressions. We have been put on a treadmill on which we can end up losing the very gifts and qualities for which we were wanted in the first place. Self-Care within Leadership, some Commandments for the Long Haul.
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Thank you!