We are extremely excited about this year’s sessions and speakers who are ready to pour into you. You will have the opportunity to choose between 22 different Mega and Breakout Sessions broken up into 4 basic categories; Discipleship, Practical, Cultural and Youth Leader issues. We have color coded the list below to make it easier to choose your favorite breakouts.
Topic Color Codes:
Discipleship / Practical / Cultural / Youth Leader
Brent Crowe is a thought-provoking visionary and communicator who has a passion to present the life changing message of the gospel. Brent uses humor and real-life situations to relate to people at the heart of their struggles. The roles of husband, father, minister, evangelist, author and leader have allowed Brent to influence people from all walks of life throughout his twenty years in ministry.
Engaging issues such as leadership, culture, and change, Brent speaks to hundreds of thousands across the nation and abroad each year and is currently serving as Vice President for Student Leadership University, a program that has trained over one hundred and fifty thousand students to commit themselves to excellence.
He is also the author of Ten Steps to Your Best Life, Philippians Bible Study, Moments ‘til Midnight, Sacred Intent: Maximize the Moments of Your Life, Reimagine: What the World Would Look Like If God Got His Way, Chasing Elephants: Wrestling with the Gray Areas of Life, the Associate Editor of IMPACT, The Student Leadership Bible and the coauthor of The Call.
The desire of Brent’s heart is to see people realize that they have been set apart to the gospel of God and thus, in turn, they must set their lives apart in an effort to capture every moment in worshipful service to Him.
Brent Crowe is currently serving as Vice President of Student Leadership University in Orlando, Florida. He is married to Christina and has six children, Gabe, Charis, Za’Riah, Mercy, Zi’Yon and Aryanna. He holds a Doctorate in Philosophy and two masters degrees, a Masters of Divinity in Evangelism and a Masters of Arts in Ethics, from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Topic: Discipleship
In this breakout session, we will survey the landscape of the Apostle Paul’s life to understand the role and characteristics of healthy friendship. Through Paul’s leadership and ministry, Christianity spread to much of the known world…but he did not journey alone. Friendship was a priority to a healthy life for nearly thirty years of advancing God’s kingdom. Far too often ministry leaders, for any number of reasons, operate with a distrust of others causing friendship to become a neglected aspect to their paradigm of living. If we are to understand what it means to be known, then we must be open to healthy friendships.
Dr. Walt Mueller is the founder and President of The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, a ministry that endeavors to increase the ability of home and church to nurture children and teens into a lifetime of biblically-faithful, whole-life Christian discipleship. A 45-year youth ministry veteran and youth culture watcher, Walt is the author of ten books on youth culture, and a long-time trainer of parents, youth workers, and students. He hosts the 1-minute daily CPYU radio show/podcast Youth Culture Today, and the long-form Youth Culture Matters podcast. Walt is a faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he co-leads the doctoral cohorts for Ministry to Emerging Generations. A husband, father of four, and grandfather of 6, Walt’s passion to deeply understand today’s youth culture as a pathway to more effective ministry continues to grow.
Topic: Cultural
Our children and teens are growing up in a world where “It’s all up to you!” is the mantra that guides – or more accurately mis-guides – our students into embracing and living out ideologies on sex and gender that undermine their human flourishing. In this seminar, Walt will walk you through what to teach about the beauty of God’s sex-and-gender-positive design as the path to spiritual growth, relational growth, and sexual flourishing.
Brian has been working full-time with families since 1993. He has had the privilege of speaking at more than 600 conferences, schools, churches, and camps from coast to coast as well as several international locations. Brian is a prolific writer for parenting magazines, most notably Parenting Teenagers, Parent Life, and Homeschooling Today with more than 80 articles published. He is the author of four books: Engaging Your Teen’s World, Tech Savvy Parenting, How You Always Meant to Parent, and Teen Savvy Parenting. Brian has been featured as a parenting coach on more than sixty radio shows and TV programs including FOX, ABC, and NBC affiliates.
Brian has had the privilege of being just a small part of the process as God turns the hearts of parents toward their children as well as children toward their parents. After serving for thirteen years in positions ranging from a youth pastor to a camp director to a school administrator, Brian stepped out and created 360 Family in September 2004. Most recently, he launched Screen Smarts—a one of a kind technology course for parents that now includes tens of thousands of parents!
Topic: Practical
No issue affects the family like technology. The typical child will spend seven years of their life just looking at social media! Parents feel anxiety from what they can’t control, grieve the content their kids are exposed to and fear what they do not know. Parents are grasping at straws to understand how to navigate this digital playground, create reasonable accountability, and set realistic boundaries with screens. You will leave with practical steps to give to parents of every age so they can win at leading their families.
Amy-Jo Girardier is the Women’s Minister and has served as Girls Minister for 19 years at Brentwood Baptist in Brentwood, TN. She continues to speak and write resources for teen girls, moms, and youth workers engaged in the girls ministry conversation. She is also the author of the two Lifeway biblestudy and DVD teaching series: Authentic Love and Faithful One and created the resource of girlsminister.com.
Amy-Jo loves Jesus more than anything else! She loves talking about generations, technology, drinking coffee, running, serving on staff with her husband Darrel, wordle, and hanging out with her sons Scout and Skylar.
You can find her on instagram: @amyjogirardier.
Topic: Discipleship
No, not the boy band, but a new generation coming on the scene after Gen Z!
Generations matter to God. God made the generations. And just like each child is different and unique to reflect the image of God, I believe each generation is different and unique for such a time as this.
Psalm 145:4 “says one generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”
Spend some time learning about GEN Alpha and GEN Z and how God wired them to lead and be led.
Doug Franklin started LeaderTreks in 1994 because he wanted to see students reach their potential. For over twenty years he has been training students and youth pastors alike, developing them into leaders who serve in God’s Kingdom. Before starting LeaderTreks, Doug was a youth pastor for twelve years, but discovered his true passion was discipleship and leadership development. He is married to a wonderfully creative woman named Angie Jones, and they live in West Chicago, Illinois.
Topic: Practical
Never underestimate the power of a dedicated team of volunteer leaders. But finding, forming, and training that team can prove to be one of the toughest challenges in ministry. Join Doug Franklin as he explores how to equip volunteer leaders with a skill set unique to their role. You’ll learn practical tips and tricks for building meaningful relationships, teaching for transformation, leading discussions, and challenging students to make life applications.
Robert is the Student Ministries Coordinator for seeJesus, a global discipling mission. He works with Student Pastors throughout the country helping them discover the beauty of Jesus as a Person. Robert served as a Youth Pastor for 20 years and he currently lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his wife Rebecca. They have five children, Emily (In Heaven since 2000), Tyler (Junior at the University of Tennessee), Campbell (Freshman at Covenant College), Laura (10th grade) and Mary Katherine (5th grade). Robert enjoys fly fishing, hiking, camping, landscaping and bonsais.
Topic: Discipleship
As youth leaders, we are often focused on the spiritual and emotional health of others. But what about our emotional health? What if you were given a new paradigm for processing your emotions? Join Robert as we look at the life and person of Jesus to see what perfect emotional health looks like and consider how he processed his emotions has implications for our lives and ministries.
Ryan is the CEO of Conflictish, a conflict strategy consultancy specializing in addressing workplace conflict and sexual misconduct behavior in leaders. From tarnished rapport to squeamish behavior, he’s passionate about helping leaders get their ‘ish together.
Ryan is an expert in his field and has conducted countless interviews, high-stakes interrogations, complex negotiations, de-escalations, and interventions. He is a decorated law enforcement veteran with 14 years of experience in various roles including a detective in the Special Victims Unit and member of the Child Abduction Response Team, SWAT hostage negotiator, and crisis intervention officer.
Previously, Ryan served as the Pastor of Life Safety and Executive Director of Operations at Victory World Church in Atlanta, and as the Executive Director of Street Grace Tennessee, a faith-based anti-human trafficking non-profit. Today, in addition to his consulting practice, he serves as the Pastor of Leadership Development at City Light Church in Chattanooga.
Ryan has been married to his high school sweetheart, Alicia, for 16 years. They enjoy serving as marriage and pre-marriage ministry facilitators, worshipping and playing music together, and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with their 4 children.
Topic: Practical
Despite the unfortunate prevalence of misconduct incidents that occur in churches, many faith leaders and ministry workers remain largely unequipped and underprepared to recognize and respond to allegations of misconduct. In addition to the spiritual & emotional toll these incidents can take on a church, the legal challenges that follow leave leaders with complex questions to answer. Where do we start? What does the law say? What does our insurance require? What should our policies contain?
This session will equip attendees to mitigate opportunities for misconduct, to recognize the signs of misconduct, and it will provide them with actionable steps to take once an allegation of misconduct is received.
Chris Martin is a content marketing editor at Moody Publishers, an author, and a social media, marketing, and communications consultant. He writes regularly in his newsletter, Terms of Service, and is the author of Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media (B&H, 2022). Chris lives outside Nashville with his wife, Susie, their daughter, Magnolia, and their dog, Rizzo.
Topic: Cultural
In March, Chris Martin published The Wolf in Their Pockets: 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead. Chris has also spent almost 15 years volunteering in student ministry. In this session, Chris will explain some general and specific ways social media is discipling students in your ministry and how you can effectively disciple them to follow Jesus amidst that.
Matt Brinkley’s ministry experience spans over 40 years. He is a graduate of Covenant College (BS) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (ADiv). After serving as a youth pastor in Macon, GA, and Montgomery, AL, he moved to Atlanta to serve as student pastor at Perimeter Church in 1991. Eleven years later, Matt’s responsibilities there broadened to include leadership of the Nextgen Division and oversight of all ministries related to children and youth. In 2006 he went on staff at The Vine Community Church (PCA) serving as the Nextgen director and the oversight of adult discipleship until 2013.
Matt now serves full-time as the director of PACT Ministry which he founded in 1996 that serves and encourages youth pastors across the country in their personal walk with God, family and life balance, and strategic ministry.
He is an active certified coach and facilitator/trainer for RightPATH Resources impacting leaders in Fortune 500 companies as well as executives running medium and small businesses.
Matt is the author of four books (Mistaken Identity, Stay the Course, FOUR, and Dating by the Book), along with five discipleship manuals. He is a sought-after speaker for retreats and conferences. Matt and his wife Vickie have been married for 40 years and have three grown children… Matt Jr., Andrew, and Mary Beth, and five incredible grandchildren… Nathan, Luke, Olivia, Elena, and Hudson.
Topic: Practical
Every relationship will experience the challenge of conflict. Since it is unavoidable, we must learn how to manage it. Join Matt Brinkley, a seasoned mentor and coach, as he walks us through how to wisely manage conflict to a Christ empowered resolution. During our time together we will examine how background, personality, insecurities, and expectations impact conflict. We will seek and apply God’s word as we investigate proven principles to wisely bring conflict to a Christ glorifying resolution.
(Focus on resolving Ministry staff and/or Volunteer team conflicts)
Topic: Discipleship
God has designed his family, the church, to experience the generational benefits of being in a vital relationship with each other. Every generation needs every generation. Research shows us that intergenerational relationships are a central factor in helping young people flourish in both faith and life. With this in mind: How is your church/ministry doing in creating life-giving intergenerational relationships? Is every young person in your ministry experiencing the goodness of these relationships? Considering the importance of these relationships for each emerging generation, how can we make this a non-negotiable part of our ministries? This seminar will explore how individuals, families and churches can be intentional in helping young people have the Christ-centered adult relationships they need to flourish in faith and life for a lifetime.
Chad Higgins serves as the Parent Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. He has served in the local church since 2004. He is the co-founder of Youth Ministry Booster and is passionate about seeing spiritually healthy ministers lead families that point their children to Jesus. He lives in Stillwater, OK with his wife Martha and their daughter Malia. He loves chess, the Red Sox and sushi.
Topic: Practical
From helicopter moms to dads who never check their emails, parent ministry can be difficult. Sometimes we just want them to respond or at least pick their kid up on time. Let’s explore the concepts of making sure we are on the same page and speaking the same language as the parents when it comes to at home discipleship. Go from being frustrated to working as a team and loving the people you are called to serve.
Jason and his wife Lori have served in student ministry for over 23 years. Most recently, serving as the Associate Director of PACT Ministry, a ministry that specializes in life-on-life coaching of youth pastors. Before serving with PACT he served in 2 churches over the span of 22 years in Carrollton, GA and Columbia, SC. Jason and Lori have been married for 23 years, have 4 children and 2 cats and currently reside in Columbia, SC. You will routinely find Jason and Lori travelling to new places, eating great food and reading a great book.
Topic: Discipleship
“Feeling discouraged? Ready to quit? Maybe go sell insurance? Maybe not just yet… if you and/or your team is discouraged by what is taking place in student ministry, come join us as we discuss what we are really after in ministry… how to stay the course for the long haul. Jason will lead a discussion on why influence is greater than impact and how influence takes time to create. You will be reminded of key aspects of student ministry that your team can be encouraged in and prayerfully be encouraged to keep going!”
Chad has been speaking biblical truth into students’ lives for years. He believes in the importance of relationships and seeks to get to know people when he is away from the stage. Ultimately, Chad hopes to see students moved into a deeper relationship with Christ through the power of God’s Word. In turn, those students will impact their community and world for Christ’s sake. Chad is currently the Teaching Pastor at Grace Bible Church. He is the co-host of the Hold On Podcast and is the founder of Through-line Cohort – a ministry that exists to develop communicators of the Bible. He is married to Hope and they have three sons (Shepherd, Charlie, and Alder) and a daughter (Noli).
Topic: Practical
At the heart of Christianity is Jesus. In our session, we will process what it means to see why Jesus matters to each and every text and consider what it means to prepare and apply that truth to all of our teaching times. Whether you are learning to invite non-Christian students to trust Jesus from the stage, guiding small groups to conversations centered on Christ, or anything in between, you will benefit in seeing your time through the lens of Jesus-the sacrificial hope of the world.
Amanda Mejias serves as the Lifeway Girls Brand Specialist, and she is passionate about equipping church leaders as they minister to and disciple teen girls. Amanda feels like she is living a dream, especially with her husband and their two small kids by her side. She is also always down to hear a cheesy joke, grab coffee, and talk about golden retrievers. Amanda holds her master’s degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity.
Topic: Discipleship
This Is Girls Ministry invites you to identify what your relational strategy looks like as you overcome fears that have kept you from stepping up and break down barriers that show up when you do. In the end, we’ll discover that girls ministry is for all of us—student pastors, ministry leaders, moms, dads, and anyone else willing to disciple and transform the hearts of the girls right in front of us.
Courtney lives in Chattanooga, TN with her husband Todd and their dog, Teddy. Courtney served as the Youth Director at Rock Creek Fellowship for 7 years while completing her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Richmont Graduate University. She and Teddy are working at the Christian Counselor Cooperative where she is a licensed counselor as part of the Elbow Tree Group. Courtney loves hiking, cooking, spending time with friends, and always up for the next adventure.
Topic: Cultural
What do I do when one of my students is having a panic attack? How should I respond when a student shares about mental health? What do I do when a student mentions self harm or suicide? Often youth leaders are the first ones on the scene in these crisis situations, and as a former youth director, I experienced this first hand without the knowledge I needed to know how to effectively respond and resource the students in my ministry. This breakout session will aim to equip you with practical tools to feel prepared to respond in these crisis situations and help you to come alongside and care for your students and their families.
JaMichael’s passion for ministry stems from his own challenges as a youth to his transformation to becoming fully dedicated and committed to Christ. In addition to serving as Youth and Young Adult Pastor at the Mount Canaan Baptist Church for many years, JaMichael served five years as Program Director for Stop the Madness National, Inc., a program that was centered around at-risk youth and families. JaMichael gives credit to Stop the Madness National, Inc. for allowing him to be a pioneer of change through teaching, mentoring, and leadership development throughout Chattanooga and Hamilton Country Schools while staying true to his destiny.
Although JaMichael is very focused on youth and young adults he has a vast skill set that includes serving on the advisory council for Glass House Collective (GHC) as well as serving as a consultant with the Supreme Court for the state of Georgia. JaMichael is also a proud graduate of the University of Memphis, where he was actively involved and served in many leadership roles such as President of the Empowered Men of Color (EMOC), Vice-President of the Black Student Association(BSA), Orientation Guide, Memphis State Eight honoree and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. JaMichael graduated in 2011 where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree. He earned his certification in Pastoral Leadership from Tennessee Temple University in 2014.
Most recently, JaMichael has become a newly published author with the release of his first book entitled “Decoded: Discovering the Mystery That Is You.”
JaMichael is married to Amanda, who equally shares and supports his vision and passions. The two share two sons together Micah and Nason.
Topic: Discipleship
“What if there was a way to decode the mystery of your students?
Imagine if you could see what they’re dealing with, and understand where they’re coming from. And then imagine if you could use that insight to help them grow personally and spiritually.
Wouldn’t that be amazing? Well guess what: now you can! In this session, we’ll talk about how to enhance your ability to identify specific needs and giftings within your students, how to build a healthy student and leader relationship, how to encourage and push students toward mission and purpose—all while learning ways to maximize your role as a youth leader while preparing your students to become all that God created them to be.”
Jay serves as the Youth Specialist with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. His desire is to help engage people with the Gospel and know the love of Jesus Christ. Jay believes that the message of Jesus changes lives and provides hope. He has worked at churches in Louisiana, Tennessee and has spoken throughout the Southeast. He leads Youth Summer Camps and YEC, Youth Evangelism Conference, for Tennessee Baptists. Jay holds a degree from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He enjoys traveling with his wife Natalee and two children, Caleb and Mary-Clare. Advocating for Special Needs, eating Cajun Cuisine, and travel brings joy to his family.
Topic: Youth Leader
Join us as we share what it looks like to have a family altar- laying the foundation of personal devotion, discipling your children- walking with Jesus as you go about your life, and making sure accountability- vulnerability and honesty is at the forefront of your life and ministry. Intentionality focused on Discipleship can change the course of every family. You will hear the heart of Jay as a husband, father, and minister!
Michael Savadge is the associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Chickamauga, Georgia. He previously served in student ministry for 16 years at churches Arkansas, Kansas and Georgia. His passion for healthy student ministry continues as he invests in student pastors as student ministry coach with PACT Ministry out of Atlanta, Georgia. Michael is married to Krista and they have four children: Madisyn (15), Callie (13), Camden (11) and Leah (6).
Topic: Practical
As ministry leaders and volunteers, we strive to see our students engaged in Great Commission work. We teach different ways to share the Gospel (3 Circles, Romans Road, Four Spiritual Laws, etc) and then encourage them to be missionaries wherever they are. But often, students are sent out as missionaries on their campuses and in their communities without ever learning the skills of a missionary. Many students grow frustrated because they don’t know where to start or how to even initiate Gospel conversations. In this session, we will discuss the importance of cultivating the skills of observing, connecting, listening, questioning, and more! Cultivating these skills in the students that you lead is essential if you are serious about creating a missionary culture in your student ministry. This session is for student pastors and volunteer leaders alike!
With close to 20 years’ experience in congregational youth and family ministry, Chris Ownby now serves as a family life educator and research coordinator for First Things First, a Chattanooga non-profit which provides healthy relationship education and resources for couples and parents to live better lives and create positive generational change. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, teaching Child and Family Studies. Chris has been married to his wife Kristin for 19 years, and they have two teenage daughters.
Topic: Cultural
Fear! Embarrassment! Shame! Anxiety! Incompetence! These are but a few of the emotions parents face at the thought of talking to their kids about sex and sexuality. As youth workers, we have the opportunity to walk beside parents as they navigate this often uncharted territory. At this session, we’ll discuss how to help parents approach the topic of sexuality with kids and teens in all stages of development, view sexuality beyond simply “plumbing” and intercourse, and continue the ongoing sexuality conversation rather than relying on “the Talk.”
Kerry is the Director of Publishing for YM360.com. Prior to joining the YM360 team, Kerry was a youth ministry veteran with 27+ years of experience serving and leading in churches of various sizes, denominations, and multi-site strategies. After nearly 3 decades immersed in all things youth ministry, Kerry is quick to tell you that he still finds immeasurable joy and life in every opportunity he has to engage teenagers and youth workers whether that be in the form of camp/retreat speaking, writing, content creating, coaching youth workers, developing young leaders, enlightening parents on adolescent development, church consulting, or training youth ministry teams. Kerry and his wife Stefanie live in Birmingham, AL, with their two children. You can connect with Kerry on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook at @kray2u.
Topic: Youth Leader
Leading a youth ministry is an honor and a truly remarkable calling, but it comes with great responsibility and its own set of unique and often daunting challenges. As a youth pastor, you face the complexity of understanding, reaching, discipling, and connecting with students. But it doesn’t end there. You’re also expected to simultaneously juggle various responsibilities: preacher, mentor, spiritual guide, counselor, visionary, event coordinator, trip planner, games master, volunteer recruiter, lead trainer, parent whisperer, and the list goes on. The pathway from surviving to thriving as a youth ministry leader can feel difficult, if not unattainable. But what if there was a way? In this session, you’ll discover eight key essentials that every youth pastor must get right if they want to unlock the full potential of their ministry. These eight keys come with practical tools and insights that can revolutionize your ministry. Whether you’re a seasoned youth pastor or just starting out, this session will equip you to navigate the challenges of leading a youth ministry and help maximize your impact for the Glory of God.
Chris serves at the Next Gen Catalyst at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Having recently wrapped up almost 17 years as the Middle School and Student Pastor at Johnson Ferry Baptist in Marietta, Georgia, he has a passion for pointing teenagers to Jesus and investing in leaders who are impacting the next generation for Christ. He lives in Marietta, GA with his wife, Wendy and has two grown up kids, Dillon and Abby. As an “old guy” in youth ministry (now 30 years), he is also the co-host of the The Youth Ministry Podcast for Volunteers (launching in August, 2022) and author of Consider This: A Youth Minister’s Guide to Longevity.
Topic: Practical
With each passing year comes new challenges to working with the Next Generation. In this breakout we’ll talk through five things that will help you to be the most effective in pointing this next generation to Christ. This conversation will include how to interpret current trends and a look at what teenagers will be facing in the upcoming years.
Cordell serves as the Youth and Worship Pastor of Second Baptist Church LaFayette, GA. His ministry’s goal is to connect students with Jesus and each other. He has previously served at Antioch Baptist Church and worked with the GA Baptist Mission board. Cordell combines his passion for technology with ministry. He gets to use his experience and degree in Media Production to communicate the gospel and connect members of the community.
He believes that God is equipping this generation to start a revival in our schools, communities, and churches. This starts with the church being more than a place to come on Sunday, but instead being a light to our community: serving and loving the people around us. Cordell lives in Chickamauga, GA with his wife Timerra Kingsley. They share a passion for helping students build relationships with the Lord. Some of their favorite things to do include traveling, watching volleyball, and getting ice cream!
Topic: Discipleship
Many student ministry leaders are serving in small churches without the budgets and resources of a larger church. Is it possible to do student ministry effectively in a small church setting? Yes! This session will be an encouragement to those who are called to lead in a small church setting and will equip you to serve well where God has called you. We will discuss some of the advantages of serving in a small church and look at how to overcome the challenges of serving in a small church. If you are serving in a small church, you do not want to miss this session!
