Healing Communities
Conference
Transforming Cities through the intersection of faith, science, and community action.
San Jose · October 10, 2026
About the Summit
A gathering for the people who shape our city.
Healing Communities is a one-day convening of pastors, church leaders, parishioners, and city & county officials asking a single, serious question: what can the Church do, today, to heal Silicon Valley?
Led by Duke University's Dr. Harold Koenig — one of the world's foremost researchers on the relationship between faith and human flourishing — and joined by Dr. Ed Silvoso, architect of the global Transform Our World movement, the summit will pair decades of peer-reviewed clinical research with on-the-ground strategies for civic renewal.
This is a working summit to train and equip Christian leaders ready to deploy faith-based solutions to the systemic problems facing our region.
Opening Keynote
Dr. Harold Koenig, M.D.
A renowned Duke University psychiatrist and the founding director of Duke's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Dr. Koenig has authored more than 600 scientific publications. At Healing Communities, he will present the body of evidence showing that active participation in a faith community measurably improves physical health, reduces substance abuse, strengthens families, and extends lifespan.
Five Crises · One Mandate
Facing Silicon Valley's greatest challenges.
We are gathering Christian leaders, parishioners, and civic officials to deploy faith-based solutions to the systemic issues facing our region.
Homelessness
Beyond emergency shelter: sustainable restoration anchored in local faith communities.
Drug Addiction
Clinical recovery paired with the spiritual belonging that prevents relapse.
Recidivism
Mentorship, employment, and church integration for those returning home.
Mental Health
Addressing the anxiety epidemic with both clinical care and rooted community.
Loneliness
Rebuilding the social fabric of a hyper-connected yet isolated region.
The Science of Belonging
Faith is a measurable social determinant of health.
Decades of peer-reviewed research — much of it led by Dr. Koenig at Duke — show that people who participate regularly in a faith community live longer, recover faster, and report dramatically lower rates of depression, addiction, and loneliness.
The conference translates this evidence into an action plan for pastors, practitioners, and policymakers in Santa Clara County.
Guest Keynote
Dr. Ed Silvoso
As the founder of the Transform Our World movement, Dr. Silvoso has spent four decades mobilizing churches and marketplace leaders to eliminate systemic poverty and spiritual emptiness in cities across the globe — from Argentina to Hawaii to Silicon Valley.
He brings a proven framework for partnership between faith communities and civic institutions — the same framework powering the 2026 Transform Our World Global Conference, of which Healing Communities is a featured gathering.
The Host Venue
123 Let's Go Christian Community Center
The conference will be the grand opening of this brand-new 85,000 sq ft campus on Monterey Road — a landmark moment for Christian unity and evangelism in the heart of San Jose. The celebration will include an official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Community Sports
Year-round programs that bring neighbors onto the field together.
Healing Grove Clinic
On-site health care extending the mission of Healing Grove Health Center.
Three Churches
A shared home for multiple congregations united in mission.
Faith-Based Reentry Hub
Mentorship, employment, and belonging for returning citizens.
Indoor Playground
A safe, welcoming space for families and children.
International Cultural Center
Celebrating the many nations that make up Silicon Valley.
The Center will also host a range of additional services and community events throughout the year — a living embodiment of the conference's vision for what a healed, united city can look like.
Who Should Come
A convening for every sphere of influence.
Physicians
Medical professionals
Pastors
Church members
Case managers
Rehab professionals
Justice system professionals
City and county officials
Date & Venue
October 10, 2026
You Are Invited
Bring your church.
Bring your city.
Seats are limited. Registration is shared with the 2026 Transform Our World Global Conference in San Jose.
Register