Teleios Conference 2026 Digital Pass
Thursday | 7:00 PM | February 26, 2026
Plenary #1: Ronald Rolheiser
Generative Discipleship – The Deeper Secrets Inside the Gospels
How do we move from being good to being great? How do we break the long-standing patterns and habits of mediocrity in our lives? How do we move beyond the last and deepest sadness of our lives? During this retreat we will attempt to take a deeper look at the invitations that Jesus has given us to grow. The great mystics have always stated that when we reach the highest level of human maturity, we will have only one question left: How can I be more helpful? How can we be more mature, more helpful, and more generative?
Friday | 9:00 AM | February 27, 2026
Plenary #2: Dr. Khalia J. Williams
Between Inhale and Exhale: Becoming in the Sacred Pause
Between each inhale and exhale lies a sacred pause - a quiet, often unnoticed space where transformation begins. This liminal moment, neither grasping nor releasing, offers a powerful metaphor for the spiritual journey of waiting, discernment, and becoming. In a world that prizes constant motion, the pause invites us to slow down, to listen, and to lean into the mystery of who we are becoming. Drawing from theological reflections on breath and embodied practice, this session explores how stillness is not a break from the journey - it is the journey.
Friday | 10:30 AM | February 27, 2026
Plenary #3: Dr. James Wilhoit
Like a Tree Planted by Water: Rooted in God’s Word through Meditation
Between each inhale and exhale lies a sacred pause - a quiet, often unnoticed space where transformation begins. This liminal moment, neither grasping nor releasing, offers a powerful metaphor for the spiritual journey of waiting, discernment, and becoming. In a world that prizes constant motion, the pause invites us to slow down, to listen, and to lean into the mystery of who we are becoming. Drawing from theological reflections on breath and embodied practice, this session explores how stillness is not a break from the journey - it is the journey.
Plenary #4: Dr. Jackie Halstead
Friday | 2:00 PM | February 27, 2026
Sustenance for the Journey through Silence and Solitude
This class explores the practice of biblical meditation as a delight-driven, prayerful pondering of Scripture in the presence of Christ. Drawing inspiration from Psalm 1 and the example of Jesus, we’ll learn how meditation opens our hearts to receive God’s love and deepens our love for Him and others. Far from being a duty, biblical meditation is a spiritual practice that fosters adoration, attentiveness, and joy in God’s Word.
Friday | 3:30 PM | February 27, 2026
Plenary #5: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah
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Class Description
Saturday | 9:00 AM | February 28, 2026
Plenary #6: Dr. Lanta Davis
The Art of Practicing Hope
The imagination is a powerful tool in our becoming. Art and stories not only delight the soul, but can offer us a vision of who we want to become. If we want to develop the virtue of hope, for instance, we can start by training the imagination. This presentation will look at how images and stories of hope show us what hope looks like—and then stirs our soul to imitate what we see.
Saturday | 10:30 AM | February 28, 2026
Plenary #7: Dr. Steve Porter
Approaching Christian Sanctity: Reclaiming the Lost Art of Becoming like Christ
Whether crafting a stained-glass window or crafting the human soul, forms of art require theoretical and practical knowledge. Knowledge of the craft (its ends and means) and knowledge how to craft (its embodied dispositions, skills, and practices). Unfortunately, both types of knowledge—knowledge about the process and knowledge of how to proceed—can be lost. For instance, when there are no longer any or many persons who know what it takes to hand-build a wood canoe, the idea of building one seems out of reach. This paper explores the recurring tendency of the Christian church, broadly construed, to mislay the understanding and informed practice that is required to make substantial progress in becoming like Christ. While not an extinct craft, the art of being conformed to Christ’s likeness has been on the endangered craft list for some time. After canvassing some of the historical, cultural, ecclesial, and personal conditions that have recently obscured the art of becoming Christlike, we turn to what it would take to reclaim the required understanding and know-how of Christian sanctification.