Our world is changing.
Gen Z is the least religiously affiliated generation in American history. Many Christian leaders are talking about how to get young people back to church. Amidst the panic, few are considering how the unique gifts and passions of this generation could enable them to lead innovative expressions of Jesus’ Church that resonate with our changing world.
Our Mission
Telos Residency is a 10-month leadership program that equips the next generation to find their place in the mission of God and lead the way to a more innovative Church that creatively engages the needs and injustices around them.
Our Values
Incarnational Presence
Ministry happens wherever our feet are planted. Our residents learn to be intentionally rooted in their context. They live in homes throughout Knoxville, serve with community-based organizations, and develop relationships with locally invested leaders. They learn to embed themselves as good neighbors, seeking the peace and flourishing of the specific streets, houses, and neighborhoods they inhabit.
Holistic Formation
We are humans, not assets. Our residents reject the frantic pace of modern ministry burnout to embrace sustainable spiritual rhythms. Through intentional soul care, spiritual direction, and practicing a communal "rule of life," residents learn to slow down and notice the voice of God. We prioritize your character over your output, training you to lead and serve from a deep, healthy overflow of communion with Jesus.
Shared Life
We thrive together. Our residents are immersed into an extended family of grace, love, and support. You will navigate the highs and lows of this season alongside a dedicated cohort, intentional mentors, and an interconnected web of believers who are seeking the good of Knoxville together. This value demands the brave and messy work of being truly known—practicing vulnerability, sharing tables, and learning that we only grow when we walk together.
Experiential Learning
The world is our classroom. Our residents treat their daily non-profit employment, academic studies, daily interactions, and local experiences as one big laboratory. Rather than collecting abstract information, you will learn through a continuous rhythm of action and reflection. We offer a safe ecosystem to experiment, ask hard questions, and fail forward, converting real-world challenges into wisdom that will shape the rest of your life and ministry.
Statement of Faith
An early 17th century theologian once wrote, "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity."
We strive to create a theologically diverse community that is centered on the earliest confession of the Church: “Jesus is Lord!” By bringing together residents of different traditions and theological convictions, we can have rich conversations that help us all grow in our understanding of God and our love for one another.
With this in mind, we ask that all our residents, mentors, and professors affirm the Nicene Creed as stated below.
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For humankind and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.