2026 Disciples Development Conference
AI is all around us and its prevalence is growing every day. Similar to the integration of personal computers and smartphones into our daily lives, AI is present in all aspects of society, and it is growing and changing daily.
You may be excited by the opportunity to fully embrace AI technology or simply want to better understand how AI might impact your work.
The Disciples Development Conference will explore how AI is being used and can be harnessed to transform your fundraising efforts. At the center of our exploration will be the responsible use of AI within the context of our ministries.
“Don’t become so well adjusted to the culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:2b
Schedule, registration, and hotel information is below.
Keynote Speaker: Nathan Chappell MBA, MNA, CFRE
Nathan Chappell is a thought leader, public speaker, author, and AI inventor, recognized globally as an expert on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and generosity. Nathan serves as Chief AI Officer at Virtuous Software where he supports AI integration to help nonprofit organizations amplify mission at scale. In 2018, Nathan founded Fundraising.AI, a global advocacy organization for Responsible and Beneficial AI in the nonprofit sector. Additionally, he is author of two books, Nonprofit AI: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Artificial Intelligence for Social Good and the 2022 award-winning book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges, which has been deemed “required reading for this generation of fundraisers”. With over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Nathan is a global keynote speaker and content contributor. His work has been featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, NPR, Forbes, Fast Company and more. His podcast, Fundraising AI, is among the top nonprofit technology podcasts worldwide.
Nathan serves as an advisor for the OpenAI Users Forum, the AI for Good Foundation, the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS), and the Forbes Technology Council.
He holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from University of Notre Dame, an MBA from University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from University of Cambridge, a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, a certificate in Philanthropic Psychology from the Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy and is a certified fundraising executive (CFRE).
Registration: Disciples Development Conference 2026
Registration for the Disciples Development Conference includes access to all presenters; Tuesday dinner; Wednesday lunch and afternoon break; and valuable networking opportunities with development personnel from across the life of the denomination. Note – breakfast is included with hotel room reservation(s) at the conference hotel.
Registration Payment
Registration cost – $300/per person. Early bird pricing of $250/per person is available until December 1, 2025.
You will receive the payment link once you have registered for the conference (above).
All registration payments are due by January 1, 2026.
Hotel
The 2026 conference will be held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah (GA) Historic District. The room rate is $155.00 (not including tax and fees) for the conference room block.
You will receive the hotel reservation link and group code in your registration payment receipt. Use the link or group code to reserve your room in the conference room block.