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 Breakout Sessions. Additional sessions are continuing to be updated over the next few weeks!
Breakout Sessions
Jeff Glenn is a 30+ year veteran in student ministry, serving as a student pastor, mission leader, trainer, and network coordinator in Middle Georgia. He now serves as the Georgia Coordinator for the National Network of Youth Ministries, connecting with youth leaders across the state—passionate about strengthening leaders through collaboration.
With over 48 years in student ministry, Eddy McBroom has served as a student pastor, consultant, speaker, network leader, and mentor across Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. He now serves with the National Network of Youth Ministries as the Southeast Coordinator, connecting with and encouraging youth leaders across the region—believing wholeheartedly that we are better together.
Better Together: The Power of Networking in Youth Ministry (Youth Pastor Only)
Jeff Glenn & Eddy McBroom, – NNYM
Ministry is never meant to be done alone. In this interactive breakout, we’ll share stories and discuss the benefits of working in collaboration with other youth leaders in your community. You’ll discover how networking can create a space where you can be encouraged, supported and cared for. Join us to experience firsthand why we really are better together.
Doug Franklin started LeaderTreks in 1994 to see students reach their potential. For over twenty years, he has trained students and youth pastors alike, developing them into leaders serving 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, and they live in Wayne, Illinois.
Real Ministry, Limited Time: A Practical Model for Bi-Vocational & Volunteer Youth Workers
Doug Franklin – LeaderTreks
You don’t need full-time hours to build a healthy, disciple-making youth ministry. This breakout will give you a simple, sustainable model designed specifically for part-time, bi-vocational, and volunteer leaders. Learn how to build a relational volunteer team, create intentional programming that leads to real transformation, and focus your limited time on what matters most—discipleship. Walk away with a clear framework you can implement right away without burning out.
Matt Flanagan has served as the Children & Student Ministry Consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention since 2018. He served in student and discipleship pastor positions at four churches for 27 years prior to joining the KBC. Matt is passionate about equipping and encouraging leaders in children and student ministries and helping churches reach and disciple the next generation. Matt graduated from Centre College with a BS in mathematics and physics and a Master’s in Theology from Campbellsville University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Student Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married his wife Felicia in 1997, and they are proud parents of Caleb (married to Emma) and Eli. Matt and Felicia are members of the First Cedar Creek Baptist Church in Bardstown. Matt enjoys disc golf, camping, and talking sports.
Earn Trust, Build Influence: Professionalism for Student Ministry (Youth Pastor Only)
Matt Flanagan – Kentucky Baptist Convention
Student ministry leaders often hesitate at the idea of “professionalism,” assuming it feels corporate or disconnected from spiritual calling. In reality, professionalism in student ministry is deeply spiritual—it is faithful stewardship, relational wisdom, and Christlike maturity expressed through everyday leadership. This breakout will explore how professionalism builds trust with pastors, parents, volunteers, and students, and why trust is essential for long-term influence and gospel impact. Participants will be challenged to think intentionally about preparation, reliability, boundaries, and communication, and how faithful excellence in these areas strengthens both credibility and ministry effectiveness.
Zac currently serves as the Student Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Students. Zac is also the co-founder and network lead for Youth Ministry Booster. Zac is a voracious reader, avid gamer, car-camper, folk musician, black coffee-drinker, beard aficionado. Enneagram 7 & ENFP. Zac received his undergraduate education from Oklahoma Baptist University and his Master’s of Divinity from Duke University. He loves to eat breakfast food at new places with his wife Karen and two wild boys Isaiah & Gideon.
Unlocking Parent Ministry: The Big Dance In Youth Ministry
Zac Workun – Lifeway Students
In our (youth) ministry landscape where churches often talk to parents but rarely partner with them, it’s time to stop standing on opposite sides of the dance floor. This research-backed breakout invites youth leaders to rethink how they engage, equip, and empower parents as the primary disciplers of their teens. Here’s what you get when you come: The results of new Lifeway Research on what parents want from their churches. The HOPE framework (Habits, Opportunities, Partnerships, Expectations) to build a practical parent ministry strategy.
Chris Hargrove joined YM360 in 2024 as the Managing Editor of Youth Pastor Resources. Before joining the YM360 team, Chris served in youth ministry for 15 years in various church sizes, including smaller and multi-site churches. He finds joy in encouraging, equipping, and supporting youth leaders through coaching, writing, speaking, building relationships, and encouraging them as they pour into the next generation. He still loves serving students (especially those wild middleschoolers), challenging them in ping-pong, and helping them discover who God is and who God calls them to be.
Chris holds a Master of Arts in Discipleship and a Master of Divinity in Leadership from Liberty University. You can often find him enjoying a member’s only pizza slice combo from the famous Sam’s Club with his family throughout the year. Chris is happily married to his wonderful wife, Carrie, who homeschools their two daughters.
Things I Wish I Knew Sooner (*Youth Pastor Only)
Chris Hargrove – YM360
Some lessons just take time to learn. You figure it out as you go, through wins, failures, and even a few moments you’d rather forget. In this session, we’re going to work through things I wish I’d known sooner in youth ministry and how they can help you to stay healthy, lead well, and finish strong.
Ben Birdsong is a church and para-church student ministry veteran and currently serves as the European Expansion Director for First Priority Global Ministries, where they are seeking to raise up a generation of students to reach their peers with the gospel. He is also an adjunct professor teaching children, youth, and family ministries at Birmingham Theological Seminary. Ben also helps churches with custom curriculum through Your Youth Ministry Curriculum and authors with book projects through Birdsong Innovations.
Ben has bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Human Resource Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a Master of Divinity degree from Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry in Ministry to Emerging Generations from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
As an author, Ben has written the devotional books Words from the Cross: 7 Statements that Will Transform Your Life, journeying through Jesus’ final moments before His death, and James: Everyday Faith. He is also a monthly contributor for parenting and family ministry content for Birmingham Christian Family magazine.
Ben lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and is married to Liz. He enjoys reading, writing, and watching movies. You can learn more about Ben online at www.benbirdsong.com.
The Doorway of Doubt: How to Encourage Students to Let Their Doubts Drive Them to Deeper Faith
Ben Birdsong – First Priority Europe
How the church handles students’ questions and doubts either push students deeper into faith or drives them away from faith. Using the example of “Doubting Thomas,” this breakout explores the role of doubts in each person’s faith journey and helps equip parents and youth leaders to better approach teenagers’ questions and doubts. When approached in a biblical way, doubt can truly be a doorway into a deeper and more personal faith.
Kristopher “Boz” Boswell is a writer, speaker, and Managing Editor of Student and Event Resources at YM360. Before stepping into publishing and content development, he served in pastoral ministry for more than 10 years, investing in students, families, and discipleship. After serving in the U.S. Army, Boz attended Union University and also studied at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of Basic Training: Prepare for Battle, a devotional that helps believers understand and engage in spiritual warfare through a biblical lens.
Boz currently lives in Alabaster, AL, with his wife and two daughters. He carries many titles, but his proudest is Full-time Girl Dad, which mostly means being outnumbered and occasionally attending tea parties.
Shepherds, Not Sitters
Kristopher “Boz” Boswell – YM360
This session challenges pastors and volunteers to rethink the role of student ministry volunteer leaders. Volunteer leaders aren’t called to simply manage behavior, supervise conversations, or fill a spot in the room. Students need disciple-makers. This session will focus on the importance of leading from a healthy, growing relationship with Jesus, modeling authentic faith, and intentionally investing in students at every stage of their spiritual journey. Leaders will be encouraged to move beyond supervision and embrace their calling to shepherd, influence, and make disciples in the next generation.
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.
At the beginning of 2024, Matt transitioned to serving part-time as the Associate 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.
Matt is the author who has written 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.
Life-Changing Discipleship
Matt Brinkley – PACT Ministry
Learned through clear biblical principles and refined through a lifetime of ministry experience, Matt Brinkley inspires through compelling stories and equips through highly practical wisdom—helping others create the greatest opportunity for life-changing discipleship and lasting spiritual impact in the lives of students for generations to come.
Mike McGarry is the Director of Youth Pastor Theologian. He served as a Youth Pastor for 18 years and has two teenagers at home. He and his family worship at South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham, MA, where he formerly served as Youth Pastor and is now an Elder and volunteer youth worker. He has also written and contributed to multiple books that equip youth leaders to disciple teenagers into lifelong faith in Jesus Christ.
How to Build (and deliver) a Message
Mike McGarry – Youth Pastor Theologian
Whether you’re a seasoned youth pastor or a new volunteer, this session will help you teach with depth and confidence by helping you craft your biblical study into a message that is clear, deep, and helpful. We’ll walk through the different components of a biblical message and discuss communication strategies to help you deliver that message faithfully.
Crystal Holland is the youth director at North Shore Fellowship in Chattanooga TN. She providentially found herself in youth ministry after a pastor invited her to volunteer with a fledgling youth group and has never looked back. She finds middle schoolers to be the unsung heroes of our congregations, and delights in getting to be with students in God’s word on a weekly basis. When she isn’t playing 9-square & eating pizza with students, you can find her with her husband and 3 kids at their neighborhood park.
Entering the Throne Room
Crystal Holland – Northshore Fellowship
Prayer is the most essential and often most neglected discipline in the life of a youth leader. We talk about it, schedule it, and encourage it in our students — but many of us are privately running on empty in our own prayer lives. In this breakout, Crystal Holland invites you to step back from the noise of ministry and into the presence of God. We’ll explore what Scripture actually teaches about prayer and chart a path toward a prayer life that is honest, consistent, and deeply rooted. Whether your prayer life feels dry, distracted, or nonexistent, this session is an invitation to begin again.
Josh has spent twenty years in youth ministry fueled by a single obsession: seeing teenagers trade a hand-me-down faith for a bold, activated identity in Christ. He’s at his best when helping young people realize the local church isn’t just a place they attend, but a movement they participate in. Josh loves nothing more than watching the Gospel click for a student, seeing them grab hold of their place in God’s story and start living with a contagious, Kingdom-minded purpose.
As Director of Ministry Operations for Christian Endeavor (CE), Josh helps churches flip the script on traditional youth ministry. He coaches leaders to move away from the “Hippo” model of passive consumption and toward a “Honeybee” strategy of equipping students to be active contributors who own their faith and impact their communities. Whether he’s writing new resources, leading youth leader trainings or speaking at youth retreats, Josh is all about building discipleship strategies that actually stick.
In addition to his role with CE, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife Justine and four kids (who are entering the teen years!) on their small farm, drinking coffee and smiling like crazy. When you connect with Josh, be sure to keep an ear out for his classic catchphrase, “so good!”
Less Like Hippos…More Like Honeybees
Josh Good – Christian Endeavor
Many youth ministries unintentionally produce consumers. Students show up, engage with great programming, find it meaningful…and go home unchanged. We plan better events, work harder at mid-week engagement, and still wonder why students seem spiritually passive. There’s a better way. In this session, we’ll introduce the Hippos to Honeybees discipleship framework, a proven approach that equips every youth leader, paid or volunteer, to shift students from passive consumers to active contributors in God’s Kingdom. You’ll leave with a clear picture of contributor-driven discipleship, a fresh vision for what God wants to do through your students, and three immediately actionable priorities to take back to your ministry. Your students are ready to contribute. Let’s build a ministry that expects it.
Logan lives in Ringgold GA where he serves as student minister at Rock Bridge Community Church. He loves camp and was part of the Student Life team for seven years. In his free time he enjoys finding the best barbecue places and cheering for all the University of Kentucky sports teams.
Don’t Graduate Their Faith: Helping Students Build a Faith That Lasts Beyond Graduation
Logan Meek – Immanuel Baptist Lexington
What happens to a student’s faith after youth group? This session will share practical ways to help students follow Jesus beyond high school, whether they go to college, start working, join the military, or stay close to home. We’ll look at how to help students own their faith, build lasting habits, and stay connected to Jesus and the local church after graduation.
Lydia moved to Chattanooga with her family in 2004. She graduated from Carson-Newman University with a degree in elementary education. Lydia, her husband, and their three-year-old partnered with ChristWay in 2023. Church has always been her happy place, but ChristWay became home when she saw its commitment to a Special Needs Ministry. Her older brother (also her best friend) has special needs and lives with her and her family part time. Because of him, she knows this to be true: each person is intentionally created, deeply valued, and carries irreplaceable purpose. It’s why she believes, without hesitation, that the Gospel is for everyone.
Welcoming, Including, and Discipling Every Family: Special Needs Ministry in the Local Church
Lydia Toledano – Christway Community Church
The Church reflects the heart of Christ when every person is welcomed, valued, and discipled. Join us as we explore what Scripture says about disability, learn practical strategies for fostering belonging, and discover realistic steps churches of any size can take to become more accessible. Through biblical truth and real-world ministry experience, you’ll leave with ideas, resources, and a vision for helping every family worship, serve, and grow together.
Doug Franklin started LeaderTreks in 1994 to see students reach their potential. For over twenty years, he has trained students and youth pastors alike, developing them into leaders serving 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, and they live in Wayne, Illinois.
Real Ministry, Limited Time: Developing Student Leaders Without Adding More to Your Schedule
Doug Franklin – LeaderTreks
You don’t need a large staff, a leadership team, or extra hours in your week to develop student leaders. In this practical breakout, you’ll learn a simple, proven framework for turning everyday ministry moments into leadership opportunities. Designed specifically for volunteer, part-time, and bi-vocational youth workers, this workshop will show you how to create short-term leadership experiences that help students grow in confidence, character, and influence. You’ll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately to raise up student leaders who help carry the ministry forward—without adding another program to your calendar.
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).
Your Kingdom Come: The Lord’s Prayer as a Framework to Help Students Know and Follow Jesus
Chad Poe – Through-line Cohort
Jesus gave His disciples more than a prayer—He gave them a pattern for shaping disciples. In this session, we’ll explore how the Lord’s Prayer provides a simple framework for helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith, and follow Him in everyday life. Discover practical ways to use Jesus’ model prayer to shape your teaching, discipleship, and leadership in student ministry.
Reagan Frogge has been the Next Generation Minister here at FBCFO since 2020. She is passionate about working with students and allows God to lead the Kid’s Ministry in exciting directions. She graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Religion with a specialty in Apologetics and a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. Before she joined our team at FBCFO she served as discipleship leader at Young America Ministries and as a Master-at-Arms in the US Navy. Reagan and her husband Jacob have been married for three years & had their first born in November of 2023!
Patrick Everett grew up in East Ridge, Tennessee. He came to Christ as a young adult and brings over 17 years of experience in student ministry in the North Georgia area to First Baptist Church. He attended seminary locally and obtained a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies in 2007 and is pursuing a 2nd Master’s degree at Belhaven University. Patrick married his wife, Brittany, in 2008, and they have four children, Isabella (12), Isaiah (9), Isley (5), Isla (3), and another girl due in April.
Beyond the Barriers: Reaching and Discipling Hard-to-Reach Students
Reagan Frogge & Patrick Everett – FBC Fort Oglethorpe
Many students walk into our ministries carrying burdens that most people never see: financial hardship, family instability, transportation challenges, trauma, and a lack of consistent support systems. In this breakout session, we’ll explore practical strategies for reaching, connecting with, and discipling students from low-income and difficult circumstances. Learn how to build trust, remove barriers to participation, partner with families, and create a ministry culture where every student feels seen, valued, and loved. Whether you’re serving in a rural, suburban, or urban context, you’ll leave with actionable ideas and encouragement to help students move from simply attending to becoming fully devoted followers of Christ.
Jason and his wife Lori have served in student ministry since 1999. After serving in 2 churches for a span of 22 years, Jason now serves as Executive Director of PACT Ministries – a ministry specializing in serving youth pastors and spouses across the country. Jason and Lori have been married for 25 years, have 4 children, 1 cat, a lizard, and currently live in Columbia, SC. You will routinely find Jason and Lori traveling to unfamiliar places, eating great food, and reading informative books.
Marriage and Ministry
Jason and Lori Pittman – PACT Ministry
Come and Rest. Speak and Listen. Weep and Laugh. Sit and Move. Doubt and Rebuild. Rage and Rejoice. Untether and Belong. Mourn and Make new. Go and Live. I hope to create some of these experiences with you if you commit to working with me because I believe it is through new experience that change really happens. My path to Elbow Tree came through the Chattanooga Fellows program where I began to learn what it means to be human, body, soul, and mind and the purpose found in living a story within a story.
How to be the Adult Our Students Need
Sylvia Carpenter – Elbow Tree Christian Counseling
All too often in my counseling work, I see kids pushed into the role of an adult (taking on too much responsibility) in their relationships with other adults and this has many harmful repercussions on their development and mental health. In this session we’ll discuss this problem and learn the importance of being self aware, emotionally available, and a secure base for students so that they are free to be the kids they are created to be.
