What Do CEOs Say About the Mission Leaders Conference?

For mission agency CEOs, leadership is rarely limited to one challenge at a time. Strategic planning, organizational health, fundraising, staffing, global trends, technology, board governance, and field realities all compete for attention. The question is not whether leaders need new ideas. It’s where they can find ideas, relationships, and perspective that help them lead more effectively.

That’s one reason so many executive leaders continue to prioritize the Mission Leaders Conference.

As we prepare for DEEP: Shaping Global Disciples, we looked at feedback from last year’s event to better understand what leaders found most valuable. Here is what we found.

They Come for Practical Learning

When attendees were asked what was most beneficial about the conference, workshop tracks and breakout sessions ranked highest, with 46% identifying them as the most valuable part of their experience. Networking opportunities followed closely behind at 44%.

46% identify breakout sessions as the most valuable part of their experience.
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Leaders consistently highlighted the relevance and practical nature of the content. Participants described the workshops as “highly relevant,” “practical,” and full of ideas they could take back to their organizations. Others noted that the combination of expert insight and peer interaction made the learning especially valuable.

For CEOs, this matters. The challenges facing mission organizations continue to evolve, and leaders need more than theory. They need thoughtful perspectives, tested strategies, and practical tools that can help them navigate complexity and lead with confidence.

They Come to Learn from Other Leaders

One of the unique strengths of the Mission Leaders Conference is the opportunity to engage with peers who understand the realities of mission leadership.

The conference intentionally brings together agency executives, church leaders, practitioners, and specialists from across the Great Commission community. These interactions happen through workshops, networking forums, leadership meals, table discussions, and countless informal conversations throughout the event.

Participants repeatedly pointed to the value of learning from one another. Some highlighted the networking opportunities as the primary reason they attended. Others spoke about the connections they made and the perspectives they gained from leaders working in different contexts.

44% say networking opportunities are the primary reason they attend.
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This reflects one of the foundational assumptions behind the conference: many of the most important challenges facing mission organizations can be addressed more effectively when leaders learn together rather than in isolation.

They Value Meaningful Conversations About the Future

Several themes appeared repeatedly throughout the feedback: organizational effectiveness, leadership development, innovation, collaboration, AI, fundraising, member care, and cross-cultural ministry. Attendees appreciated sessions that provided practical guidance while also creating space to discuss larger issues affecting the future of mission work.

One participant noted that Missio Nexus continues to raise the level of conversation within the missions community. Another described the conference as a place where leaders encounter new ideas, challenge assumptions, and discover fresh approaches to longstanding challenges.

1,000+ mission leaders participated in the 2025 conference
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For CEOs, those conversations are increasingly important. The pace of change within ministry, technology, funding, and organizational leadership continues to accelerate. Having opportunities to engage these topics alongside trusted peers is one of the reasons leaders continue to return.

Why DEEP Matters

This year’s theme, DEEP: Shaping Global Disciples, focuses on a question that affects every mission organization: How do we cultivate mature disciples who will thrive, multiply, and remain faithful over the long term?

The conversation extends far beyond individual spiritual formation. It touches leadership development, mobilization, organizational strategy, cross-cultural ministry, church engagement, and the systems we build to support long-term ministry effectiveness.

Through keynote presentations, workshops, networking forums, and peer conversations, leaders will have the opportunity to explore how deep discipleship shapes both individuals and organizations.

The goal is not simply to discuss discipleship. The goal is to help leaders return home with greater clarity about how they can strengthen their people, their organizations, and their contribution to the Great Commission.

What Leaders Walk Away With

The Mission Leaders Conference is built around three outcomes:

Intentional Convergence

Leaders from agencies, churches, and specialized roles gather in one place to learn from one another and engage common challenges.

Catalytic Relationships

The conference creates intentional space for meaningful connections that often grow into long-term partnerships, peer networks, and sources of encouragement.

Actionable Clarity

Participants leave with practical insights, tested ideas, and concrete next steps they can apply within their own organizations and ministries.

One participant described the conference as “the best conference in the genre,” while another commented, “It just keeps getting better every year.”

Join Us in Orlando

If you are leading a mission organization, church missions ministry, or global initiative, we invite you to join us at the 2026 Mission Leaders Conference.

Join fellow leaders for three days of learning, relationship-building, and practical insight designed to help you lead with greater wisdom and effectiveness.

September 23–25, 2026
Orlando, Florida

Because some of the most important leadership decisions begin with a conversation, a new idea, or a perspective you didn’t have before. And those are exactly the kinds of opportunities the Mission Leaders Conference was created to provide.

We hope to see you there!