The SDB Emerging Leaders initiative has crossed a new milestone. The number of nominations for this year’s Emerging Leader cohort far exceeded the total number of nominations received in the first two years combined. What an exciting, history making milestone! You can read about more milestones crossed in the recent SDB Impact Report.
Joshua Coleman (SDB Intern) and the team organizing this year’s Emerging Leaders Retreat are doing fantastic work as we enter the final weeks of preparation. For the past two years, as part of SDB continuing efforts in leadership development, we have been gathering a cohort of young and emerging leaders to network with one another and to connect with the work of our General Conference. This year, they will also be interacting with our guest speaker, Dr. David Hataj of Craftsman with Character and Edgerton Gear. Dave has a passion for the Marketplace and Theology of Work. He is a frequent speaker and consultant on the meaning and value of work. This will be a great catalyst for discussions about living as disciple-makers all seven days of the week as we join God in His work and rest.
This year’s cohort of emerging Seventh Day Baptist leaders will be meeting at the newly renovated SDB Center in Janesville, Wisconsin on October 10-12, 2025 to kick off a year of interaction together. The leaders who participate will be connected to the broader community of SDB leaders and the mission and vision of our Conference, as well as encouraged to increase their skill and engagement in leadership in their local SDB congregations. Together, they will explore how to build integrated lives of faith which include robust engagement in the local church as well as transformative participation in the broader world. All seven days of the week. You can read more about last year’s event here.
Who Are SDB Emerging Leaders?
When we speak of our Emerging Leaders, broadly we are speaking of SDB leaders who are under the age of 25, who are engaged in the life of their local church and are increasingly engaging in serving and leading in it. We know that many of our local churches are blessed with these leaders, and our desire is to continue to partner with our churches to continue to provide opportunities to grow even further! Selected participants are eligible for significant financial aid to cover the cost of their participation because of the generous financial partnership of those committed to developing more SDB leaders!
If you would like to partner in Conference ministries such as Emerging Leaders, there is an opportunity to financially encourage the work. You can simply use the SDB Conference Offering Link to participate. Together, we can invest in our next generation of leaders!
