2027 Disciples Development Conference
We are living in a profound moment of transition. The Great Wealth Transfer is anticipated to transfer $90 – $120 trillion or more from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to their Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z children and grandchildren. As unprecedented amounts of wealth are already beginning to move between generations —and increasingly across gender and racial lines—faith-based institutions must understand both how wealth is transferred and what principles, priorities, and spiritual beliefs are being passed on. These are important questions for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), particularly as we continue to see denominational participation decline.
In our host city, Tulsa, Oklahoma, a place marked by both generational resilience and the historic erasure of wealth, memory, and opportunity, we will explore how inheritance is shaped not only by dollars, but by values, relationships, and systems. Together, we will examine the Great Wealth Transfer, the rise of women as primary stewards of wealth, and the lasting impact of racialized barriers to generational prosperity—while grounding our conversations in faith, responsibility, and hope.
Throughout the conference, we will consider how Disciples ministries receive, steward, and deploy resources in ways that strengthen mission, cultivate faithful stewardship, and support thriving ministries for generations yet to come.
Schedule, registration, and hotel information is below.
Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee
Elizabeth is Managing Director of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where she works at the intersection of faith, generosity, and civic life. Her work focuses on equipping leaders, convening across difference, and shaping the ecosystems that influence how resources are understood, stewarded, and shared. She holds an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Before joining Lake, Elizabeth served as Director of Storytelling at the H. E. Butt Foundation, where she launched and developed narrative change initiatives. Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in the religious and nonprofit sectors, and her journalism training, she brings a deep commitment to ethical, place-based storytelling. Her work has supported faith leaders, artists, and community organizers in sharing stories of resilience, belonging, and repair.
Elizabeth serves on the boards of Auburn Theological Seminary, the Ministry Collaborative, and the Impact Guild, a grassroots organization working alongside faith communities to align their assets with their values for social impact.
A Native Hawaiian, her leadership is informed by a deep sense of relational responsibility and a long-view commitment to collective well-being. She lives in San Antonio, a city she often describes as helping her make sense of the world.
Schedule
Please note:
The conference kicks off early with a tour of Greenwood Rising on Tuesday, January 12, from 2:15 to 5:00 pm. The tour and transportation are included in the cost of your conference registration. Greenwood Rising honors the icons of Black Wall Street, memorializes the victims of the Massacre, and examines the lessons of the past to inspire meaningful, sustainable action in the present.
Registration: Disciples Development Conference 2027
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 November 30, 2026.
You will receive the payment link once you have registered for the conference (above).
All registration payments are due by December 30, 2026.
Hotel
The 2027 conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa – Warren Place. The room rate is $124.00 (not including tax and fees) for the conference room block. For attendees flying into Tulsa – the hotel does not have a shuttle service. Please plan to arrange your transportation to and from the airport.
You will receive the hotel reservation link in your registration payment receipt. Use the link to reserve your room in the conference room block. When booking your hotel reservation through the booking link, as needed, please adjust the dates you will be staying in Tulsa. Our room block covers overnight stays for Sunday, January 10 through Thursday, January 14, 2027. The Development Conference begins at 2:15 pm on Tuesday, January 12 and concludes at 11:00 am on Thursday, January 14.