The calling to be a pastor is among the great gifts that God gives. None are worthy, yet God takes up earthen vessels to shepherd the Church and guide her mission in the world, calling pastors to be theological leaders for God’s people.

The church needs good shepherds, pastors who serve the body of Christ from a deeply rooted identity. We are at a pivotal time for the American church, a time when it is critical for pastors to be humble shepherds providing theological wisdom for the church as she navigates our complex world.

In 2015, the Center for Pastor Theologians convened our first conference: The Pastor as Theologian - Identities and Possibilities. For our tenth conference in 2025, we’re returning to the theme of pastoral identity: Good Shepherd - Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. Much has changed in the last ten years, but the call on pastors to shepherd God’s people remains the same.

The task is more challenging and urgent than perhaps any moment in our lifetime. For too long, the pastorate has been shaped by visions of leadership that over-emphasize method and technique; pastors are pressured to adopt identities rooted in church-growth strategies, business leadership models, and social media influencer culture. The temptation to focus on secondary priorities by adopting worldly means is always present in church culture today.

It is time for pastors and ministry leaders to renew our commitment to follow the way of the Good Shepherd, Jesus of Nazareth. The 2025 Pastor Theologians Conference will bring together a diverse group of pastors and ministry leaders to reflect together on how we can model pastoral ministry as under-shepherds of Christ. This conference will include presentations on biblical and theological themes related to pastoral calling and identity, as well as historical treatments of pastor theologian exemplars from throughout the church’s 2000-year history.

This will be a vital gathering for pastors and church leaders to worship, pray, and think deeply together about pastoral identity and the future of the church. We invite you to Chicago, October 20–22, 2025, to be part of this crucial set of conversations.