Upcoming Moench Center Events
Project Thrive: One Year Later
January 26, 2026, 6:30pm-8:30pm
A year has passed since Belmont University’s Project Thrive initiative concluded. As we begin a new phase of this grant, under the new title Engaging Healthy Congregations, we want to take time to reflect, celebrate, and look towards the future with participating churches from Project Thrive. Dinner will be provided, and sign up information will be available soon!
Nashville Preaching Cooperative: Lee Camp – Conversations about the Good Life
February 4, 2026 10:00am-12:00pm
The Nashville Preaching Cooperative is honored to host Lee Camp for the next installment in its highly-engaging pastoral workshops. Lee is the Creator and Host of No Small Endeavor, an award-winning podcast. Dr. Darrell Gwaltney has known Lee for years, and has long admired his interviewing and conversational skills. His background is in theology and ethics and he has a passion for learning from others. View this list of episodes to see the breadth of individuals with whom he has worked.
Nashville Preaching Cooperative: Mary Gauthier, Mercy and Music: How Songwriting Helps With Trauma
March 26, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm
The Nashville Preaching Cooperative is honored to host Mary Gauthier, a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter whose songs have been covered by many artists. Mary has a story to tell and will be speaking about how songwriting helps address and engage trauma. Attendees might even do a little songwriting in our time together! This will be a unique opportunity to sit with Mary Gauthier and hear a voice that resonates in culture.
Academy of Preachers Day of Preaching 2026
April 18, 2026 8:00am-5:00pm
We invite young preachers from the ages of 16-28 to Belmont University for a Day of Preaching on April 18, 2026! No experience required! This is your chance to preach in a supportive and encouraging environment with other young preachers. Join us for a great day of preaching!
The Academy of Preachers was founded in 2009 to identify, network, inspire, and support young people in their gospel preaching. Over ten years about a thousand young preachers gathered up their Bibles and preached their first sermons with others their age. Initially funded through a generous grant by the Lilly Endowment, the Academy of Preachers came to Belmont University in late 2019. COVID-19 challenged some of the transition efforts and leadership changes brought a pause to the work of the Academy of Preachers.
Our Day of Preaching on April 18, 2026 marks a rebooting of the Academy of Preachers. We are excited for the future and the opportunities it will provide young preachers.
Now funded by the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University, our Day of Preaching will include keynote speakers, breakout workshops, a panel discussion, and young preachers preaching and encouraging each other.
A small fee of $75 is required for registration by April 11 to cover morning snacks, a box lunch, and incidental expenses for the day. Registration will increase to $100 per person on April 12, 2026. Register today!
Please join us for our Day of Preaching!
Nashville Preaching Cooperative: Todd Deatherage, Reconcilation, Transformation, and Conflict
May 5, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm
The Nashville Preaching Cooperative is honored to host Todd Deatherage, the CEO and Co-Founder of Telos. Read about what Darrell Gwaltney, Director of the Moench Center for Church Leadership, had to say about his experience with Todd.
“I met Todd and his team from Telos last June when I participated in one of their RESTORY US trips to the American South. It was a “bucket list” item for me that I felt was necessary to have a more full understanding of race and history in our nation. It was transformative to me.”
Telos also conducts trips in Palestine, South Africa, and Ireland. We all know that social, historical, and political conflict dominates much of our work today. Todd is uniquely gifted and has broad resources to create healthy conversations. This is a “don’t miss” opportunity to think deeply about some of our most challenging issues.
Engaging Healthy Congregations: Health and Vitality of the Church Summit
September 22-24, 2026
The Moench Center for Church Leadership is excited to host the second annual Health and Vitality of the Church Summit, part of Engaging Healthy Congregations. This is a gathering of diverse pastors that are thinking in innovative ways about church leadership. Throughout the week, pastors will coach one another, be encouraged by leading voices in the Church, and build lasting relationships across denominational lines.
Location and schedule to be announced