The upcoming 2022 Theos Conference, which promises “No wishy washy woke BS,” features dozens of pastors and speakers, some of whom are controversial.
“Spirit & Truth” is the theme of this year’s conference, which takes place online from May 11 to 13. Free to watch live, it’s billed as “a teaching conference with more PHD’s & grey hair than Air Jordans.” Viewers are promised “the best conference of your life with 40+ geniuses you haven’t even heard of yet, and then a bunch you have.”
The annual conference is sponsored by Theos U, a subscription service that offers Christians “digestible courses” on various theology topics. Theos U co-founder Nathan Finochio previously was on staff at Hillsong New York City with Carl Lentz. In March, a Theos Retreat provided ministry leaders with three days “to receive theological and spiritual impartation from some of the best pastors, teachers, and worship leaders in the world. Literally, the best.”
Matt Chandler One of the Keynote Speakers
Pastor Matt Chandler, a Theos Conference keynote speaker, leads The Village Church in north Texas as well as the church-planting network Acts 29. His May 11 presentation at the Theos Conference is titled “Standing in the Gospel.”
Chandler has authored several books, including “To Live Is Christ to Die Is Gain” and “The Explicit Gospel. His most recent is “Family Discipleship,” co-authored with Adam Griffin, focuses on helping parents pursue gospel-centered discipleship with their children. Chandler appeared on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast in August to share his thoughts on how pastors can lead their churches in times when people are extremely divided. One of the points Chandler stressed was the need for pastors to make time alone with Jesus.
“I’m telling you what The Village Church and Acts 29 need from me,” said Chandler. “It is my heart fully satisfied and alive in Jesus Christ, so I can be the courageous man that God has called me to be and lead with courage, knowing that I am going to be put, have been put, and will continue to be put in situations where I simply am not going to be able to win with half the crowd.”
Chandler has dealt with some controversy in the past. In 2019, a woman claimed that a children’s ministry staff member at The Village Church had sexually abused her daughter seven years ago at camp. Chandler and other leaders faced scrutiny for their response to the allegation, and a $1 million lawsuit against the church is still working its way through the legal system.
Mark Driscoll Among Other Theos Conference Speakers
Eric Metaxas, a conservative radio host who’s being sued for making voting-fraud claims, is on the Theos Conference lineup. His presentation, slated for Friday, May 13, is titled “Is Atheism Dead?” Another scheduled speaker is Landon MacDonald, son of James MacDonald, the disgraced former pastor of Chicago-area Harvest Bible Chapel. The title of his May 13 talk is “Gratitude.”
Mark Driscoll, now pastor of The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and one of the co-founders of Acts 29, is also presenting at the conference. Back in 2014, Driscoll resigned from Mars Hill, the Seattle megachurch he founded, rather than face an elder-led restoration process.
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