You’re Invited: The Global Leadership Summit at Calvin Theological Seminary

When I reflect on my journey-from lawyer to church planter to now serving as President of Calvin Theological Seminary-I’m deeply aware of how the mentoring and formation I received shaped me as a leader. Church planting taught me that leadership extends far beyond the pulpit; it involves navigating change, serving the local community, and cultivating a shared vision. Today, at Calvin Theological Seminary,  we have the privilege of preparing the next generation of pastors and workplace leaders to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. That’s why I’m especially excited about the opportunity we have with Calvin University to host the Global Leadership Summit this August 7-8 at the Prince Conference Center, a gathering focused on equipping leaders to grow, serve, and lead with clarity and conviction.

The Global Leadership Summit is the signature event of the Global Leadership Network. This event is designed to inspire and equip leaders with a broad vision for service beyond themselves. Featuring speakers from different ministry callings and the marketplace, the Global Leadership Summit invites leaders from all backgrounds to deepen their impact wherever they’re planted.

With content translated into over 60 languages and reaching over 120 countries, the Global Leadership Network is a movement of transformation and equipping that we’re grateful to bring to our local community.

I asked Rob Hogendoorn, Senior Pastor at Forest City Community Church, about his experience being a satellite host for GLS, and he responded with this encouragement:

“Over the years, I’ve watched our hosting of the GLS experience result in two big gains: One- it equips our internal staff and leaders with high-level leadership insights, inspiration, and strong take-away, actionable learnings. If we only did the GLS for our organization, it would be worth it. But there’s a second benefit. The GLS allows us to host people from organizations in our region to be practically equipped to augment the impact of their communities and organizations. That both builds our relationships with existing and new area partners as well as serves them to grow in impact in their Kingdom-related spaces.”

This year’s Global Leadership Summit offers not just a learning experience, but a calling: to lead with purpose, integrity, and a vision for the common good. Whether you serve in a church, nonprofit, business, or school, Global Leadership Summit offers practical tools to help you grow and lead well.

At Calvin Theological Seminary, we are committed to the holistic formation of leaders that serve the whole church. By hosting the Global Leadership Summit, we are excited to contribute to your ongoing formation as a leader.

We also invite you to join us on Friday morning, August 8, from 8:15 to 9:45 am in Calvin Theological Seminary’s Student Center for a special networking event. This gathering will feature free local coffee and pastries, along with opportunities to connect with fellow business and ministry leaders attending the Global Leadership Summit. An RSVP link for this networking event will be provided to registered attendees.

We hope you’ll join us August 7-8, 2025 and take the next step in your own journey of leadership.

In His Service with You,

Jul Medenblik

President, Calvin Theological Seminary