Organic Multiplication
David Browning
How can the church experience spontaneous multiplication? How can the church behave more like a plant, than a machine? Come and learn how to shape your church to be more organic that organizational, and more like a cause than a corporation.
Deliberate Simplicity
David Browning
Church growth in the 70s, 80s and 90s was defined by the mega church. For decades the mega church has demonstrated that more can be more. Deliberate Simplicity is a new equation for church development where less can be more.
No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-As-You-Are Culture in Your Church
John Burke
Barna and other demographers warn of the coming death of the church in America unless we reach emerging generations. But what does it really take? Just as many seeker churches have been accused of only entertaining, emerging church models can fall into the same trap. It’s not candles, but community; not art, but attitude; nor liturgy, but love that breaks down barriers to faith. God can still use his local church to help thousands find faith and become his Body. Through real stories of postmoderns overcoming barriers to faith, explore whether your unseen church culture is your greatest ally or your worst enemy.
Soul Revolution: How Imperfect People Become All God Intended
John Burke
We’ve heard it all before. The promises for a better life get tiresome after awhile, because we know they don’t deliver. However, they do touch on a profound and inescapable truth: We were created to live our life out of a rewarding, richly textured relationship with God and others. Just like you, the members of your church have a deep longing to experience that kind of life. But how? In this seminar John Burke will explain how you can lead your congregation to live this out - practical ways for everyone to stay connected to God and to impact those around them.
The Pastoral Vocation in an Emergent World
Tim Conder
The advent of an emerging culture that is increasingly pluralistic, no longer assumes the Judeo-Christian presuppositions, struggles with questions of postmodernity, and brings the church face-to-face with a new missional landscape also yields a vocational crisis for many pastors. A changed culture demands new skill sets even for those with many years of fruitful experience. Recently trained pastors often find no landing pad for their gifts and cultural sensitivities. Staff teams can struggle to communicate and collaborate because of cultural and theological differences. The church and clergy both face an entirely different economic landscape. This seminar addresses these issues and offers a hopeful portrait of ministerial training, cultural adaptation, and the pastor's vocation in the emergent world. Tim brings a variety of perspectives as a leader in EmergentVillage, two decades as a pastor in large multi-staff churches, an emergent church planter, and as a Board Director for Mars Hill Graduate School to this discussion of vocation.
Emergent Ministry for Existing Churches
Tim Conder
Existing and established churches journey into the emerging culture on different trajectories than new start ministries. They may have greater resources, but often find those resources largely committed to established paradigms of ministry and ongoing partnerships, programs, or projects. These fellowships may have the momentum and stability of a historical ministry, but long histories also yield the potential burdens of entrenched expectations and inalterable traditions. This seminar focuses on specific, practical, and realistic avenues of transition for existing churches of all sizes. Tim has served as a pastor and elder in existing churches for twenty years.
Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith
Robert Gelinas
You don't have to be a musician to experience the renaissance of a jazz-shaped faith. Jazz is more than music and it's the more that we can creatively apply to prayer, scripture and church life. The concepts of call & response, syncopation and improvisation allow us to experience ensemble community-life in concert with and for each other and God.
The Table: The Centerpiece of Neighborhood Community
Randy Frazee
The Table was the core gathering experience of the 1st century church - the centerpiece. It catalyzed the Christian movement and impacted entire neighborhoods. The Table experience has been lost in recent years as our lives have become more fragmented and busy. This workshop will explore how we can rediscover the life-giving experience of the Table in our neighborhoods in the 21st century which will not only create a deep sense of belonging for believers but will release the powerful presence of Christ to transform your neighborhood.