Open Table Conference—October 2-4, 2026

When the Open Table Conference first started in 2007 it was committed to engaging “seekers of truth,” those who examined the significant questions of life with open hearts and minds.

The Table is not ours—it is God’s Table. And not only is everyone invited to this Table, but everyone is welcomed and belongs at it. There is a seat for everyone.

At the core of our thinking is this thought: God is better than we could ever imagine. This is a radical thought for many of us who were taught about a god who had been conveniently systemized. This god spoke about love and truth and justice, yet when examined under the light of Jesus’s life looked more like the monster we imagined lived under our beds when we were small children. Or worse.

For those of us who accepted this view of God, we were in desperate need of a new perspective. And in order for that to happen, it would require several paradigm shifts. But how does that happen?

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We don’t know the complete answer to that question but we at the Open Table have observed at least three things we believe lay crucial roles in our transformation:

1. The space we provide needs to be free from fear and accusations. It is a safe space. Every person’s thoughts matter because they matter. Our conversations are done in humility and love.

2. We have an eclectic team of people, not an individual expert, and we learn primarily through discussion, not lecture. Growth and love both happen best in community.

3. All ideas and questions are welcome and we filter them all, as best we are able, through the lens of Jesus’s life and teachings.

The Open Table Conference is excited to announce our next weekend conference—Jesus, Justice, and your Neighbor.

We invite you to join us online during the weekend of October 2-4, 2026 beginning at 3:00 PM (PDT) for a discussion that is sure to stimulate and challenge our perspectives while also offering us tangible ways to live justly for the good of the world. It would be hard to think of a subject that is more relevant and needed in our world today.

Register for the Open Table Conference

Authentic justice is a topic that is close to our hearts. Not only should it be a primary issue that is front and center on the world stage of human relationships, but it also shapes how we relate to our neighbors, even reaching into the ordinary details of our lives.

We believe that Jesus had a lot to say about justice. And we believe his life is the truest picture of living justly that the world has ever seen.

Therefore, our goal this weekend will be to explore Jesus’s view of justice, what it is and isn’t, with regard to issues such as:

• Our prison system

• War

• Immigration

• Race and gender relations

• Employment and education

• The poor and marginalized

• The LGBTQ+ community

This event will be interactive and include 14 different speakers and teachers plus scheduled discussion times. Attendees will receive unlimited access to stream the HD video recordings, an audio-only version that is downloadable, and all notes and handouts from the entire event.

We encourage you to make plans now and block off the weekend of October 2-4. We truly don’t want you to miss this tremendous opportunity to join people from around the world to learn, ponder, and discuss more about Jesus, Justice, and your Neighbor.

For more information, including speakers and topics, and to register please click the link below.

Register for the Open Table Conference

John MacMurray is the founder and director of the Northwest School of Theology and the Open Table Conferences. Formerly an adjunct professor in Bible Literature, he now speaks internationally and writes. His books include A Spiritual Evolution and Father Fiction (co-written with Donald Miller). He is also a landscape nature photographer, published in National Geographic, Sierra Club, and Audubon.

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The New Evangelicals is a digital-first 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to creating a better path forward at the intersection of faith, politics, and culture. Through educational resources and inclusive community spaces, we empower people to reject Christian Nationalism and boldly advocate for their neighbors while holding onto a faith rooted in the way of Jesus: with love, justice, and compassion for all.