Sponsored by Covenant College’s Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership
The Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership at Covenant College is pleased to welcome Newt Crenshaw, President of Young Life, as the featured guest for the Spring 2026 Brock Forum on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
Mr. Crenshaw brings a wealth of leadership experience from both the corporate and ministry worlds, having served in senior business roles before being called to lead one of the world’s most recognized youth outreach ministries. His life and work exemplify the integration of faith and vocation—a hallmark of Covenant’s approach to Christian leadership education.
During his visit, Mr. Crenshaw will meet with faculty to discuss generational engagement with the Gospel, address the student body in Chapel on how faith shapes leadership practice, and participate in a luncheon dialogue with students, faculty, and administrators. The day will culminate with a community reception and address at the Chattanooga Country Club, where Mr. Crenshaw will share insights on reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha and cultivating resilient faith in a changing world.
Featuring Guest Speaker
Newt Crenshaw
President of Young Life
Read Bio Below
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Faculty Breakfast
8:30am - Invitation Only
Brock Forum Keynote Address: Newt Crenshaw
11am - Dora Maclellan Brown Memorial Chapel
Covenant College
Leadership Luncheon
12:15pm - Invitation Only
Charles Anderson Auditorium, The Kirk
Covenant College
Community Leaders Reception
5:30-7pm - Invitation Only
Chattanooga Country Club
Guest Speaker Bio
Newt Crenshaw
President of Young Life
Newt Crenshaw has served as the president/CEO of Young Life since 2016. He and his wife have been involved with Young Life for 40+ years, as volunteer leaders, committee members, committee chairs, mentors to staff, donors, trustees, and establishing Young Life in Zionsville, Indiana, and the Kansai region of Japan. Before serving in his current role, Newt had a more than 30-year career as a senior executive, leading global businesses with the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.
Newt brings international experience and a strong background in leadership, people development, and strategic planning to his role, along with a clear focus on carrying the gospel to young people. During his tenure with Young Life, he spearheaded the creation of the KNOWN vision, which is the mission’s strategy and campaign to know eight million kids by name and develop 200,000 volunteer leaders by 2030. He and his wife are members of First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, have four grown children, and enjoy spending time with their growing number of grandchildren.
The Brock Forum on Authentic Christian Leadership was established in 2007 to encourage excellence in leadership through thoughtful reflection on the application of biblical principles in the arena of business leadership. It is a day-long event that brings a nationally-recognized Christian business leader to speak to Covenant College students, to interact with members of the Covenant College community, and to engage in dialogue with the Chattanooga business community.
On-campus events typically involve a plenary address to the entire campus, a luncheon with students and faculty, and a panel or Q&A time to which students, faculty, and staff are invited (which may also involve participants from the Chattanooga business community). Evening events in the city of Chattanooga are typically a reception with Chattanooga business leaders—during which the keynote speaker makes remarks and answers questions—and a dinner with select executives from the Chattanooga business community.
The Forum seeks to honor Covenant College's fourth president, Dr. Frank Brock, and to perpetuate his legacy of faithful and effective servant leadership. After a successful career in executive leadership with the Brock Candy Company, Frank became the longest-serving president in Covenant College history, the founding executive director of the Covenant College Foundation, and one of the co-founders of the 10 Project—an innovative leadership development program that builds on Chattanooga’s rich generational business culture to teach holistic, civic-minded business leadership to rising executives.
Past Brock Forum keynote speakers have included:
Mike Duke, former CEO, Walmart
J. Frank Harrison III, Chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc.
Moe Girkins, former CEO, Zondervan Publishing
Henry Kaestner, founding CEO, Bandwidth.com/co-founder and Partner, Sovereign’s Capital
Bob Bosworth, former COO, Chattem
Bob Lawless, former CEO, McCormick Spice
Steve Reinemund, former CEO, PepsiCo
Bill Pollard, former CEO, ServiceMaster