NBA at 2025 General Assembly
The 2025 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly, is taking place July 12-15 in Memphis, Tennessee. This year’s General Assembly theme, “BEYOND,” is based on Ephesians 3:20-21: Now to the one who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to them be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!
NBA is grateful for your support, and for those making a donation to NBA around the 2025 Disciples General Assembly, we have something special in return for you! We will have limited edition t-shirts available to those making a donation of $45 or more during the 2025 General Assembly. Supplies are limited so make your gift today by visiting nbacares.org/donate.
Thank you for joining us in this work to support and nurture Bold Visions & Dreams!
The National Benevolent Association will be onsite in Memphis. Learn more about the work of NBA by attending one of our events, stopping at our booth in the exhibit hall or attending one of our workshops during the conference!
DHM/NBA Chaplains Association Dinner: Friday, July 11, 6:00pm
Rooms 204/205 (Level 2)
Disciples Home Ministries (DHM), in partnership with NBA, is hosting a pre-event dinner for Chaplains attending General Assembly. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with and encourage each other, meet DHM’s new Director of Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries, and learn how NBA is supporting chaplains through our mission of creating communities of compassion and care. Tickets are available for purchase in the 2025 GA registration process.
NBA Luncheon: Sat. July 12, 11:45 am
Ballroom A (Level 2)
Join NBA staff and partner ministries on Saturday, July 12 from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm for lunch, conveniently located inside the Memphis Convention Center. The luncheon will be served buffet style and food will be available starting at 11:45 a.m. Come on in, grab your food, and hear about the work NBA is doing in Disciples regions across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. You can purchase a seat to attend the luncheon during the 2025 GA registration process. Seats are limited, so get your tickets now before they run out!
Wellness Hour for Body, Mind, Spirit Stewardship Event: Sun. July 13, 3:00pm
Room 101 (Level 1)
Join us on Sunday, July 13 from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm for a special Wellness Hour for Mind, Body, and Spirit. This interactive gathering will include reflective and restorative practices designed to support holistic well-being and insights from Rev. Joselyn Spence, NBA Director of Mental Health and Wellness, as she shares about the work of the Mental Health and Wellness Program and how it is supporting communities across the life of the church. It is also a celebration of the NBA Dr. Mark Poindexter Wellness Fund: A Fund to Support Body, Mind, and Spirit and Dr. Poindexter’s completed ultramarathon race to benefit NBA’s Mental Health and Wellness Program in June 2025.
There is no cost to attend this event. You can indicate your interest in the event by selecting it during the 2025 GA registration process.
Sunday Evening Worship Service: Sun. July 13, 7:00pm
Sunday evening’s 2025 GA worship service will feature Rev. April Lewton, NBA Vice President of Development and Marketing. Rev. Lewton will be co-preaching the service with Rev. Brian Kirk, pastor of First Christian Church in St. Joseph, MO.
NBA Workshops
NBA staff will be leading or participating in several workshops at the 2025 GA. To attend one of these workshops simply select them during the registration process, or if you have already registered you can modify your existing registration to add the workshops.
Monday, July 14th
- 8:45am Grant Writing Beyond the Basics: Mastering the Art of Compelling Grant Proposals (Room 101, Level 1)
- Led by Kara Whitehouse, NBA Operations and Grants Management Coordinator
- Designed for both congregational and nonprofit leaders, this workshop offers the opportunity for current and/or potential grant writers the opportunity to dive deeper into the art of writing a compelling grant proposal through hands-on learning, discussion and small-group work.
- 10:15am BEYOND Silos and Single Issues: Equipping Communities for Intersectional Justice Work (Room 110, Level 1)
- Featuring Rev. Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto, NBA Community Engagement Senior Coordinator, Justice Initiatives
- In this Workshop facilitated by Disciples Justice Ministries, participants will come away with an understanding of an intersectional approach to justice work through variety of activities, small group conversations, and embodied prayer practices. Participants will have the opportunity to share their stories, learn from fellow Disciples, and draw on the resources of the wider church in moving beyond silos and single issues and towards serving as a community of intersectional justice work.
Tuesday, July 15th
- 8:45am We Need Care Too: Soul Medicine and Practices for Spiritual and Mental Health Providers’ Wellness and Support (Room 106, Level 1)
- Led by Rev. Joselyn Spence, NBA Director of Mental Health and Wellness and featuring members of NBA’s Mental Health Equity Cohort
- This workshop will provide clergy, community leaders, and care providers with an interactive experience of self and communal care focused on navigating grief, storytelling, rituals of healing, developing affinity groups for nourishing optimal joy, how to ask for support, and sacred breath: integrating symbols of faith and mindfulness. This experience is based on a toolkit created by NBA’s 2023-2025 Mental Health Equity Cohort for clergy, community leaders and care providers to learn and practice a variety of forms of self and community care to empower leaders, enhance understanding, and support their resilience with healing.
- 8:45am Becoming a Silver Chalice Ministry: Engaging Older Adults (Room 110, Level 1)
- Featuring Rev. Dr. Paul Koch, Rev. Lina Eddy, and Rev. Kimberly Weir, members of NBA’s Older Adult Ministry Innovative Conversations Group
- The Silver Chalice Ministry workshop is for those wanting to enhance, encourage, and thoroughly engage the older adults in their ministry and community at large. While the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) recognizes the importance of utilizing the gifts and serving the needs of disciples of ALL ages, the intent of Silver Chalice is to provide our ministries concrete tools and resources to help us go BEYOND to serve and to celebrate the incredible value and wisdom of the older adults in our midst.
NBA Exhibit Hall Booth
Booth 148
Coming to 2025 GA? Be sure to visit our booth in the exhibit hall. Our booth, #148, will have plenty of space to sit and chat with people—come on in and make some new friends! You will also have opportunities to learn more about NBA’s program areas through special highlight sessions we’ll be holding throughout the four-day event. (Note: all times within each program highlight area time are approximate.)
Saturday, July 12th
- Community Engagement & Justice 1:45pm-5:00pm
- 1:45pm: Peer Learning and Wellness Groups – WHAT? WHY? HOW? And WHAT ELSE?
- 2:05pm: Peer Learning and Wellness Groups – Testimonials: The Stories Behind our Peer Group Stories
- 3:00pm: Wellness as part of Community Engagement Program with Rev. Joselyn Spence
- 3:20pm: NBA Justice Initiatives Work – Mission, Vision, and Programmatic Goals
- 4:00pm: NBA Asian/Pacific Islander Initiative – Supported by the Community Engagement Program
- 4:15pm: API Cultural Experience – A Celebration of Diversity
Sunday, July 13th
- Meet the NBA Team! 12:00pm-1:30pm
- Older Adult Ministries 1:30pm-2:30pm
- Young Adult Leadership Development & Black Women’s Leadership Experience 2:30pm-4:00pm
- 2:30pm: Meet the New Director of Young Adult Leadership Development, Rev. Bere Gil Soto
- 2:40pm: Meet the BWLE Residents and Staff
- 2:50pm: Join the BWLE Residents in Developing Your Wellness Plan
- 3:10pm: Young Adult Peer Groups Feud Game
- 3:45pm: Young Adult Leadership Grants Overview
Monday, July 14th
- 8:00am-12:00pm Social Entrepreneurship
- 8:00am — Welcome & Opening Blessing from Director of Social Entrepreneurship, Rev. Darnell Fennell
- 8:15am — Social Entrepreneur Spotlights + Strength Songs (every 20 minutes)
- 8:00am – 12:00pm (Ongoing) — Interactive Engagement Activities
- 1:30pm-3:00pm Grants
- 1:30pm: Grants Introduction & 3 Main Granting Opportunities
- 1:45pm: GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: BE THE NEIGHBOR – M&M + HSS
- 2:00pm: GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: Zaemelys Ramos- YALD grants
- 2:15pm: Q/A Time with Grantees
- 2:30pm: Q/A Time with Kara
Tuesday, July 15th
- 1:30pm-5:30pm Mental Health & Wellness
- 1:30pm: Soul Medicine at the Booth: Join NBA’s Mental Health Equity Cohort as they give a snapshot experience of their GA workshop “We Need Care Too” and published toolkit, Soul Medicine: A Toolkit for Community Leaders and Care Providers.
- 2:15pm: Meet the Mental Health and Wellness Team
- 2:45pm: Soul Care Moment to Pause and Restore
- 3:05pm: Yoga Wellness Session (Mats available!)
- 3:40pm: BIPOC Clergy Retreat Info Session with Guests from General M Ministries
- 4:10pm: MHW Addiction and Recovery Initiative Info Session
- 4:45pm: Mental Health and Wellness Collaborative Roundtable (Open to ALL GA Attendees)
Additionally, we’ll be sharing our space with 18 Disciples Health & Social Service Ministry partners—we encourage you to get to know them and the wide variety of caring and compassionate services they offer to communities all across North America.
NBA Partner Ministries at GA
- Advocates Embassy
- Be The Neighbor
- Bees and Lavender
- Come As You Are Collective
- Cultivating Caring Communities
- Disciples Access
- Florida Senior Enrichment Center
- Grapevine
- Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy, Christian Church in Pennsylvania
- Juliette Fowler Communities
- Making a Child Change Foundation
- MedCity Refuge
- Older Adult Ministries
- Restore Clergy
- Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth
- Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries
- Woodhaven
- YOUR Place to Shine