About CCDA’s National Conference

Christian Community Development Association’s annual conference has been inspiring, training, and connecting CCD practitioners for close to 40 years. Join us in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from November 5-8, 2025, for amazing speakers, workshops, worship, networking sessions, and more!

Members often describe the conference as a family reunion. Whether you’re new to Christian Community Development or a seasoned practitioner, there is a place for you at our family reunion!

At the conference, you can expect:

Authentic community with other leaders and community organizers from around the nation.
Workshops highlighting best practices in Christian Community Development.
Plenary sessions featuring inspirational and relevant sermons.
Opportunities for networking and collaboration with other ministry leaders.
Exhibits providing an opportunity for learning beyond the conference through training resources, books, websites, and consulting.
Time to rest and refresh through our embodied practices spaces or in praying with conference chaplains.

If you are in the Greater Grand Rapids area and would like to connect about the Conference coming to your area, connect with us here.

Theme Verse

Zechariah 8:12a (NRSV)

For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew

Shalom

Shalom is more than just peace, more than just unity; it’s a concept encompassing wholeness, well-being, justice, development, and harmony. It speaks to a state of right relationship with God, with one another, and with creation; where nothing is missing and nothing is broken.

The prophet Zechariah speaks of a time when the seeds of peace are sown and we see its fruit: people gather together in the public square, children play in the streets… But just as in gardening, the time between sowing and reaping isn’t easy or quick.

This conference explores how we can work together with Christ and our community to actively craft Shalom in this time marked by division and injustice where many are fearful. We will delve into the conversations necessary to confront systemic issues while simultaneously building bridges of understanding and working toward genuine reconciliation. It is not a passive peace, but an active pursuit of justice.

Cultivating shalom requires us to acknowledge the brokenness in our world and within ourselves. It calls to listen to the voices of the marginalized, to challenge oppressive structures, to create economic opportunities, and to work towards a future where all people can experience the fullness of life that our Maker intends. This conference will equip us as Christ followers with the tools, inspiration, and connection to creatively live out Shalom in our communities. For nearly 40 years, we’ve been gathering shalom makers together to love God and love neighbor. Join us this fall.