Spring 2024 Residency Information

Sage Leaders Cohort 2: The Voice of a Wiser Leader

Helping Leaders Bring the Questions of their Lives and Ministries into Conversation with the Wisdom of Jesus

Our Fall cohort, The Heart of a Wiser Leader, invites us to wisdom formation and equips us to better lead local people (and ourselves). Our Winter/Spring Cohort, The Voice of a Wiser Leader, invites us to a sage apologetic, and helps leaders discern wiser responses to the cultural questions, doubts, sorrows, and oppositions that confront us. We answer the question: How can Christian leaders respond when confronted by cultural challenges in such a way that those they serve can learn to do the same?

This cohort is for paid and volunteer, men and women, who serve as leaders in ministry.

January 9: Wisdom as a Missionary Encounter: Your Voice of Leadership in our Cultural Moment. (Cohort members will receive an article to read and consider ahead of formally beginning the Spring cohort on January 23).

January 23: The Leader’s Slower Inner Life amid Cultural Haste, 1-3 pm central time/Live Online 

February 6:  The Leader’s Use of Questions amid Cultural Venting, 1-3 pm central time/Live Online

February 20: The Leader Gleaning Hearts amid Cultural Reductions, 1-3 pm central time/Live Online

Details & Schedule

March 4-5: In-Person Residency/Spring Preaching & Teaching Workshop

Monday Cohort:

  • The Leader Enjoying Anything True in an All-or-Nothing Culture

  • The Leader Hunting for Jesus Amid Competing Cultural Christianities

 

Tuesday Preaching & Teaching Workshop:

  • Preaching & Teaching Jesus in a Culture of Political Polarization

March 19: The Leader Observing Blindspots in Cultural Arguments (and our own), 1-3 pm central time/Live Online

April 2: The Leader Picturing the Story amid Cultural Enchantments, 1-3 pm central time/Live Online

 

April 16: The Leader Embodying Wiser Loves amid Cultural Loves, 1-3 pm central time/Live Online

A man holding a microphone and standing at a wooden podium inside a room with brick and painted walls, decorated with artwork and a gold-framed mirror.

Zack Eswine

Zack pastors at Riverside Church and is the co-founder of Sage Christianity with his wife Jessica. He formerly served as Director of Homiletics and Scholar-in-Residence at the Francis Schaeffer Institute (FSI) at Covenant Seminary. A writer and pastor, Zack’s books include Recovering Eden: The Gospel According to Ecclesiastes, Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression, Preaching to a Post-Everything World, and The Imperfect Pastor. 

A man standing at a wooden pulpit speaking to an audience in a church or religious setting. Behind him are large blue and white Christian banners and a brick wall. There is a table with a cross and plant to his left.

Mark Ryan

Mark is an evangelist and apologist serving as the Executive Director of Sage Christianity. He previously served as the Director of the Francis Schaeffer Institute (FSI) at Covenant Seminary after pastoring in the United States and in his home country of Australia. Mark also spent numerous years working with L’Abri Fellowship, a ministry begun by Francis and Edith Schaeffer. Mark and his wife Terri are well known in our city for the way they open their lives and their home to those who question God, are done with church, feel at a loss with faith or who feel curious but suspicious about Christianity. 

FAQs

  • Men and women who serve in paid and volunteer ministry roles in congregations, on campuses, and for ministry organizations.

  • • 6 live video zoom calls with your cohort, 12 hours of online instruction and Q&A

    • One 2-3 day residency opportunity (with partial live streaming available for those outside the United States), which includes access to the October Sage Preaching & Teaching workshop.

    • A private online discussion community with Zack, Mark, members of the Sage Community team, and your cohort

    • Access to video sessions to rewatch or watch for the first time if you missed a session

    • Access to personal coaching with Zack, Mark, or one of the Sage Christianity team, and peer encouragement during the cohort residency

    • A list of recommended readings, audio recordings, and videos to help you grow a wiser heart for ministry leadership.

  • We want anyone who is interested to be able to join, so we trust God with a “whatever you can afford” recommended donation policy with a few options in mind:

    • $1200 (for those in the USA) plus travel to St. Louis for the March Residency.*

    • $900 (for those who cannot afford the first option because they are outside the USA or in a smaller ministry context) plus travel to St. Louis for the March Residency.*

    • $900 (for those who are planning to participate in the cohort with someone from their local context: fellow staff member, spouse, local ministry leader, etc.) plus travel to St. Louis for the March Residency.* Each person will need to register for the cohort separately.

    • $600 (for those who are unable to afford the other options), and this does not include the March Residency. You are still invited to register for and attend the Sage Preaching & Teaching event separately.

    *Travel to St. Louis for October Residency not included in any of the options. Local homes for accommodation are potentially available through Riverside Church upon request.

  • Registration Deadline: January 19

    Availability: This cohort is limited to 18 leaders.

  • Click here to view all the information about the residency!

Registration is now closed