Relational wisdom, in essence, is the desire and ability to obey Jesus’ timeless command, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-39).

To put it another way, relational wisdom (RW) is a six-part theological system that combines the gospel, the wisdom-principles of God’s Word and our God-given capacity for “emotional intelligence” into a discipleship paradigm for building and preserving Christ-like relationships. Each of the following disciplines fits within this paradigm (dig deeper here).

Biblical peacemaking is a systematic theology for resolving conflict and reconciling people. As described in Ken Sande’s book, The Peacemaker, this system is organized under four key principles (the “4 G’s”): Glorify God, Get the Log Out of Your Own Eye, Gently Restore and Go and Be Reconciled (dig deeper here).

RW skills coaching is a specialized form of “life coaching” that focuses on assisting individuals to accelerate the growth of the six core disciplines of relational wisdom in order to build stronger and more meaningful relationships and to “get upstream of future conflict.”

Christian conciliation is a process for resolving disputes between Christians in a biblically faithful manner. This process may involve conflict coaching (advising individuals how to resolve a dispute personally and privately), mediation (meeting with both parties to improve understanding and facilitate a voluntary agreement) or arbitration (a trusted individual resolves a conflict by rendering a binding decision). These processes are described in detail in Leading Christians Through Conflict and the Handbook for Christian Conciliation.

To learn how you can improve your ability to integrate these skills, see Pre-Conference Integration Training.

One of the most exciting things about this conference is that “we’re putting the band back together.” No, this doesn’t mean we’re making a new version of The Blues Brothers. It means that we’ve invited outstanding trainers and long-time friends from a variety of highly respected ministries to present our workshops, plenary sessions and advanced training.

At this point, our roster includes Claude Allen, Bruce Burgess, Paul Cornwell, Judy Dabler, Patti Damiani, David Kelly, David Mason, David Mikulsky, Brian Noble, Allison Pickering, Corlette and Ken Sande, Dwight Schettler, David Schlachter, Rick Stein, Daniel Teater and Chip Zimmer, with others still considering invitations.

Although these trainers have developed a variety of different educational and conciliation resources, we rejoice in the fact that we are “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Phil. 2:2) to exalt Christ and strengthen his church through the ministry of gospel-based peacemaking.

Once the roster and topics have been finalized, we will publish detailed speaker bios and workshop descriptions.

As you learn how to integrate these four disciplines (see definitions here), you will be able to proactively teach and coach others to develop skills that enable them to build stronger relationships and “get upstream of conflict.” You will also be able to reactively apply peacemaking and conciliation principles to help others resolve conflicts they were unable to prevent.

Our Preconference Integration Training is designed primarily for individuals who are interested in pursuing approval as a Certified RW Conciliator™ and anticipate using these skills on a regular basis in a professional capacity. Even so, since this training provides excellent skill development, it is open to any individual who meets the entrance requirements and would like additional training and practice in Christian conciliation.

Pre-conference training will focus on integrating the principles and skills of relational wisdom, conflict coaching and biblical mediation, so it is necessary that students are already well versed in these concepts and ready to move into practical discussions and role plays involving these disciplines.

Students are required to have read The Peacemaker, completed Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0 and completed formal courses in conflict coaching and biblical mediation that have been developed by RW360 or one of our nine sister ministries, which include Alliance Peacemaking, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Creative Conciliation, Crossroads Resolution Group LLC, ICC Peace, Live at Peace Ministries, Peacemaker Ministries, PeacePoint and PeaceWise. Students are not required to have completed any additional courses, practicums or certification processes in order to participate in our Pre-Conference Integration Training.

RW360 is currently developing a new generation of courses and practicums that integrate relational wisdom, biblical peacemaking, life coaching and Christian conciliation. Lord willing, these new courses will be released sequentially in the spring and summer of 2021.

Many of our sister ministries have developed new training paradigms and books over the last several years and no longer use the “4 G’s” paradigm (as set forth in Ken Sande’s book, The Peacemaker) as the primary organizing structure for their conciliator training.

Furthermore, none of our sister ministries’ training programs include an emphasis on the “emotional intelligence” concepts that are included in RW360’s relational wisdom paradigm. In addition to enhancing conflict coaching and mediation skills, RW principles may be taught and applied through “RW skills coaching” (similar to life coaching) before conflict arises or after a conciliation process to help individuals accelerate the development of key relational skills and reduce the frequency of conflict in the future.

RW skills coaching has the additional benefit of giving conciliators the opportunity to stay proficient in applying relational principles even if they do not have frequent conflict coaching or mediation cases.

Finally, since our relational wisdom resources are available in both faith-based and values-based (secular) paradigms that have been approved for continuing education credit in a variety of professions, Certified RW Conciliators will have opportunities to use their skills not only in churches and ministries but also in secular businesses, schools and other non-Christian settings, which can raise their community visibility and create more opportunities for teaching and conciliating.

In the light of these benefits, RW360 believes it can make a valuable contribution to the field of biblical peacemaking and Christian conciliation by developing a new generation of training resources that fully integrate the principles of relational wisdom, “4 G’s” peacemaking, RW skills coaching, conflict coaching and mediation.

RW360 sees great value in each of our sister ministries’ training programs, which is why we affirm their ministries and have invited many of their senior trainers to teach at this conference.

Furthermore, because RW360’s new integrated conciliator training program is based on the same 4 G’s paradigm that served as the foundation for the conciliator training and certification program developed by Peacemaker Ministries during Ken Sande’s tenure as president, RW360 will grant full credit for the courses and experience completed through Peacemaker Ministries’ conciliator training and certification program.

If you have completed Peacemaker Ministries’ entire conciliator training and certification program and were approved as a Certified Christian Conciliator, you will be exempt from completing RW360’s standard coaching and mediation courses and practicums (saving approximately $1,500). To be approved as a Certified RW Conciliator™, however, you will be required to:

• Complete RW360’s Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0 online course ($49, 8-10 hours) and Blessed Are the Peacemakers online course ($49, 8-10 hours, scheduled for release in March, 2021).
• Complete 6 hours of practical integration training that focuses on integrating relational wisdom, biblical peacemaking and Christian conciliation (to be offered online for $200 or live at our 2021 Annual Conference for $150).
• Acquire 14 hours of practical conciliation experience in which you integrate and apply the principles of relational wisdom, peacemaking and Christian conciliation (to be reviewed by an RW360 Conciliation Mentor for $100).
• Maintain your conciliation skills by acquiring 10 hours of approved continuing education (available online or at RW360’s annual conference) and 24 hours of practical conciliation experience (including at least one mediation case) annually.
• Commit to following RW360’s Conciliator Grievance Policy to resolve complaints based on possible deviations from the Standard of Conduct for Christian Conciliators.

If you have completed some but not all of the conciliator training provided by Peacemaker Ministries’ or any similar training provided by one of our other sister ministries, you may apply for exemption from corresponding segments of RW360’s Conciliator Training and Certification Program. These requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on the extent of your previous training and experience.

If you do not expect to meet the annual experience requirements needed to maintain certification as a Certified RW Conciliator, we encourage you to use your teaching, coaching and conciliation gifts as a volunteer on a Peace Sower Team™ in your church or organization, or as a  Certified RW Instructor™ or Certified RW Coach™ (more details here).

For further information on any of RW360’s training and certification programs, or on our 2021 Annual Conference in general, please email our Director Training, Jeff Sande, at jeff@rw360.org.

The early bird registration fee for the main conference is $299 for an individual and $549 for a married couple. These prices are in effect until December 31, at which time they will increase to $349 and $650. Prices will increase in similar amounts in March and June.

The early bird registration fee for the pre-conference training is $150 for an individual and $275 for a married couple. These prices are in effect until December 31, at which time they will increase to $175 and $300. Prices will increase in similar amounts in March and June.

Note: If purchasing multiple tickets for the conference (e.g., main conference + pre-conference), you only need to provide your personal information in the first ticket; you can leave other tickets blank.

Yes, you may cancel your conference registration for any reason and receive a 100% refund at any time prior to check-in.

Yes, hotel reservations may be cancelled without penalty if done so at least 48 hours before scheduled check-in.

The conference will be held the DoubleTree by Hilton, Billings’ premier hotel. Attendees may reserve their own rooms through a link that will be posted soon.

A room with a single or double queen beds is available to conference attendees for just $109 a night. Prices to upgrade to deluxe rooms and a registration link will be posted soon.

The hotel was upgraded in 2016 and provides a wide range of modern accommodations and amenities, including a fitness center, business center and shuttle service, as well as a City Brew coffee shop, the Montana Sky rooftop restaurant and the Montana’s Lounge. The hotel also provides multiple lounging areas where guests can pull away and enjoy personal conversation with special friends.

Yes, hotel reservations may be cancelled without penalty if done so at least 48 hours before scheduled check-in.

Registration fees cover lunch on each full day of the conference, which includes Thursday (for those who attend the advanced pre-conference training), Friday and Saturday. The main conference registration fee also covers the reception on Thursday evening and the Vision Banquet on Saturday night.

Attendees may arrange to enjoy breakfast each morning and dinner on Thursday and Friday evenings in the hotel or at one of the 20+ excellent restaurants that are available within three blocks of the hotel, which provide a wide range of cuisine that can fit every budget. A map and detailed list of dining options and recommendations will be provided at check-in.

Spouses may purchase separate meal plans for lunch on Friday and Saturday and for the banquet on Saturday evening instead of paying a full registration fee. They may enjoy other meals on their own at the hotel or at one of the nearby restaurants.

Montana weather is like a partly trained mustang: exciting and unpredictable! Normally we expect sunshiny days with daytime temperatures around 78 F at this time of year, but evenings often cool down to 45, so bring a jacket if you plan to stroll around in the morning or evening. Warmer clothes and walking shoes or boots will be needed if you plan to visit Yellowstone Park or any of our other nearby outdoor offerings. It’s not unusually to see our first snow flakes in the mountains in September!

Whatever is comfortable for you! Our gatherings are informal, so many people will be dressed in business causal or blue jeans. If you want to dress up a bit, however, please do so. (At least one attendee will be wearing a bow tie every day!) Some folks like to dress up a bit more for our Saturday Vision Banquet (“Montana formal” means wrangler jeans, an open collar shirt, sport coat and cowboy boots), but we love to see people wearing whatever they like.

Billings Logan International Airport is served by six major airlines: Alaska, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier and United.

The DoubleTree hotel provides free shuttle service to and from the airport, which is only two miles away. Rental cars are readily available through twelve rental agencies at the airport, and free parking is available to all conference attendees.