March 3-4, 2026
This 2-day invite-only conference benefits pastors and students with leadership instruction and inspiration.
The Dunn Institute was founded at OKWU to maximize the effectiveness of church ministry by equipping Wesleyan pastors to face the administrative, management, and leadership challenges of the local church. Church leaders benefit from instruction on pertinent topics to make an immediate difference in their ministries during a yearly conference.
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon
Founder of World Hope International
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon is the founder of World Hope International and served as the first CEO, overseeing the mission to alleviate poverty, suffering, and injustice around the world. She holds a master’s degree in counseling with continued graduate studies in Historical Theology and has been granted five honorary doctorates. Notable awards include the 2016 World Methodist Peace Award and the National Immigration Forum 2017 Keeper of the American Dream Award.
Jo Anne served as General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church Globally for 8 years and later, as the Ambassador of the Wesleyan Church. She continues to hold a seat as the Founder of the Board of Directors of World Hope International and to work on behalf of World Hope International to bring opportunity, dignity, and hope around the world.
Over the years, Jo Anne has served – and continues to serve – on a variety of boards, including Bread for the World, the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Council on Faith with the World Economic Forum, and on President Obama’s Council on Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships. She most recently was a participant in the Ministerial on Religious Freedom at the Department of State and has participated in various multi-faith dialogues over the past years, including the Abrahamic Dialogue with Religious Leaders of Iran.
Jo Anne and her husband, Rev. Wayne Lyon, live in the Indianapolis area. They have four children and 10 grandchildren.
Dunn Institute Schedule
Tuesday, March 3
1:00: Registration – OKWU Chapel
3:00: Seminar #1-Chapel and Lyon Hall
4:00: Seminar #2-Chapel and Lyon Hall
5:30: Dinner-OKWU Mansion Living Room
7:00: Speaker in Mansion Living Room
Wednesday, March 4th
Breakfast at the Hotel
8:30: Speaker- Chapel
10:00: Chapel
11:30: Lunch – Q&A in Mansion Living Room
1:00: Leave
About the Dunn Institute
The Dunn Institute was established in March 2011 and named after Rev. John Dunn, a long-time Wesleyan pastor who served the church by providing financial advice and support to fellow pastors and their churches for decades.
“Our relationship with the Church is a top priority,” Jim Dunn, OKWU President, said. “This obviously means that we should do everything we can to serve the Church’s leaders. A unique way we believe we can do this is to help local pastors understand how to become better at doing the ‘business’ of the church: building budgets, navigating crisis, and leading.”
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