GENERAL

Room 32 – Removing Barriers to Repentance

Andy Molyneux, First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant / Bridge Fellowship

A study in John 4, where Jesus cleared away every obstacle and offered to the Samaritan woman what she needed most, Himself. Learn how changes in thinking lead to biblical repentance and how to use biblical narrative to counsel people toward change and growth.

Room 64 – Ministering as a Church Safety Team Member

Jim Barrett, Founder of Safety Team Training LLC & Co-founder of Scenario Trainer INC.

This session will cover some of the basics for those serving on a church safety team.

Room 124 – Church Facility Usage: Legal Implications & Stewardship

Sally Wagenmaker, Wagenmaker & Oberly

How can churches best use their facilities amidst changing times? What about applicable legal considerations like property tax exemption, advisability and key elements of written space usage agreements, resulting tax and risk management implications, and religious liberty dynamics too? Real estate can provide enormous stability and security, but it can also present significant challenges. This workshop will walk through important legal parameters, offer practical guidance and provide opportunity for questions and answers to best address attendees’ specific concerns.

DISCIPLESHIP

Room 34 – Friendship Counseling

Gary Heim, True North Ministries / Magnify Church

When people are in pain they often turn to friends and people within the local church who know them. This breakout will increase your understanding and ability to come alongside such people who need a spiritual guide and mentor: one who relates to them like Jesus. That person can be you.

Pod C – 6 x 20 = 1,600,000

Doug Burrier, Sustainable Discipleship

The church is at the center of God’s plan to reach the world. Join us for this interactive talk and see how you can make 1,600,000 disciples in just twenty years. Trust us—it’s not a pyramid scheme. It’s the first step in a hexagon solution to attracting, making, and releasing many disciples that make disciples with little long-term effort. This is the stuff they just don’t teach in seminary.

LEADERSHIP

Room 30 – The Quest for Servant Leadership

Tom Lothamer, Calvary Baptist Church & ABWE

In this workshop, we’ll discuss three requirements of God’s servants for spiritual leadership taken from Philippians 2:1-8. We will remember that servant leadership requires a Ministry Mindset, a Ministry Method”, and a Ministry Model — all these exemplified by Christ.

Room 31 – Staying the Biblical Course: Avoiding Doctrinal Drift in Church Leadership

Jonathan Marko, Cornerstone University & Forest Hills Baptist Church

For the avid readers and thinkers, it is easy to become desensitized and not see questionable views as overly worrisome. This mindset can lead to doctrinal drift in church leadership. Similarly, certain characteristics, traits, and activities of the congregational majority, or a very vocal minority, may put undue pressure upon the rest of the congregation for unnecessary conformance inside and outside of the church walls. That is laity listing. We will discuss various tactics and strategies for keeping church leadership and the congregation staying the biblical course.

Room 50 – Developing New Leaders for Ministry

Ben Marx, First Baptist Church of Holland

You can’t do it forever. And you genuinely want to get others involved, so they can share in the blessing of serving the Lord and His church. So who is next up? Whatever your ministry, learn how to bring others up, how to encourage the reluctant, equip the willing, position the ready, and mentor the active in a way that feels natural, not forced, and takes a lot of the usual risk out of launching new leaders.

Room 56 – Managing Conflict for Healthy Teams

James Jeffery, Chapel Pointe

Conflict is a part of relationships that can sabotage team culture. Practicing wise biblical truths can transform conflict into personal, leadership and church growth. We can’t totally avoid conflict, but we can build spiritual and relational health in our lives and churches with obedience to timeless principles from God’s Word.

MEN’S MINISTRY

Room 52 – Stirring Affection for God

Andy Donaldson, Ada Bible Church

While many in the church are very committed to their faith, there is often a desire to establish and build more affection for God and His Word. In a culture that tends to think we have no control over our emotions, many Christians feel stuck in this. In this workshop we will discuss practical tips on how to establish, build, and maintain a deep affection for God.

WOMEN’S MINISTRY

Room 66 – The Loneliness Ache

Darlene Larson, Hearts with a Purpose / Magnify Church

Many women ache because of loneliness. They feel as if there is a hole in their soul. Whether married, divorced, single, or widowed, come and learn 10 Tips with the Truth to help women embrace Him at His Word, I will never ever leave you. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

STUDENT MINISTRY

Room 128 – How to Teach Gen Z

Wes Crawford, West Cannon Baptist Church

Helping young people learn how to change can be increasingly challenging. They hear several contradicting worldviews that seem convincing, and often wonder if a biblical lifestyle is viable anymore. This workshop will seek to build a framework for how people change and give guidelines for teaching the doctrine of progressive sanctification at a level that young people can understand.

CHILDREN

Room 122 – Effective Questions for Review Games

Marrena Ralph, Regular Baptist Press / Kids4Truth Clubs Program Specialist

Review games are a great tool in children’s ministries. They not only help those who learn easily, but also those who learn differently. Review games can only be effective when we use the right questions during the game. Effective questions motivate children to learn, help children retain memory work and lessons, build relationships within the club, and build relationships with church leadership and missionaries.

Room 126 – Learning Styles: Why Does it Matter?

Kimberly Buffinga, MI Bible Clubs

Did you know that how you teach can affect how much your students remember? We all have a primary learning style and tend to teach the way we learn. Come learn about the different learning styles and how to choose activities that work best for each learning style.

MISSIONS & EVANGELISM

Room 58 – Engaging Gen Z with the Gospel

Ray Brandon, EveryEthne / ABWE

Discover how to effectively communicate the timeless message of the Gospel to Gen Z in an ever-evolving digital landscape. This workshop delves into the unique characteristics and values of this tech-savvy, diverse generation, exploring strategies to make the Gospel relevant and relatable. Participants will learn how to utilize storytelling, hospitality, and authentic engagement to reach and disciple Gen Z, empowering them to live out their faith in today’s world. Join us for a transformative session that bridges generational gaps and inspires meaningful connections.

Room 129 – Developing a Gospel Training System

Rochelle Visser, Camp Michawana

A consistent plan is crucial for effectively sharing the Gospel, and while there are many methods, the message remains the same. This session will explore essential ways to develop a Gospel training system tailored to your needs, concluding with an overview of my favorite tool: the Wordless Book gospel color bracelet. Join us to discover practical strategies for clear, consistent Gospel communication.

WORSHIP

Room 38 – Unleashing the Church’s Voice: Embracing Social Media & Video for Impact

Justin Edmonds, Enhance AVl

This workshop dives into the “why” and “how” behind harnessing social media and video content to expand your church’s influence and impact. We’ll explore common misconceptions that keep churches off these platforms, discuss effective strategies for creating engaging, authentic content, and provide practical steps for getting started across various formats. Join us to discover how your church can effectively speak in the digital space, connect with new audiences, and strengthen your message in the world of social media.

Room 54 – When We Gather, We Grow: Planning Worship Services for Disciples

Chad Vitarelli
What if we planned our worship services so that our people would actually grow in Christ? This recent doctoral research study identified 20 worship leaders from all over the country who see the convergence between corporate worship and Christian discipleship and plan their gatherings accordingly. Along with the findings of the study, we’ll present a planning matrix developed as a tool for planning worship services for spiritual growth.