Microevents

Tim Keller’s Legacy and Thought Process

SPEAKERS: Michael Graham, Collin Hansen, Christopher Watkin
HOSTED BY: Zondervan Reflective and The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics

Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen takes readers behind the scenes to meet the people and understand the events that formed Keller’s spiritual life and ministry priorities. Join Collin Hansen, Michael Graham (The Great Dechurching), and Christopher Watkin (Biblical Critical Theory) for a wide-ranging discussion of Keller’s vision for cultural engagement and its future application.

Hope, in Confusing Times and Suffering

SPEAKERS: James Anderson, Ligon Duncan, Nancy Guthrie
HOSTED BY: Reformed Theological Seminary

Christians dwell as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:11) in a world that is increasing complex to navigate while maintaining biblical convictions for faith and life. In this two-part session, James Anderson will begin by examining how to cultivate a biblically formed understanding of our present cultural realities—and how such an understanding helps us maintain a confident and hopeful witness when we might otherwise be tempted to despair. Ligon Duncan and Nancy Guthrie will then follow with a discussion of theological foundations and pastoral approaches for helping our fellow brothers and sisters as they walk through suffering.

Understanding the Times: How to Think about Worldview and Culture – James Anderson

Ministering to the Suffering: Seven Theological Misunderstandings that Rob Hurting People of Biblical Hope – Nancy Guthrie and Ligon Duncan

Heading Toward Burnout? Biblical Comfort for Worn-Out Ministry Leaders

SPEAKERS: Alasdair Groves, Darby Strickland
HOSTED BY: Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF)

You’ve seen the statistics on pastors thinking about leaving the ministry . . . and you understand why. Join seasoned counselors Alasdair Groves and Darby Strickland for an extended discussion on the slew of pressures, expectations, temptations, and limitations that lead toward burnout. This discussion will address the whole spectrum of strains leaders in ministry face, and the way Scripture reframes both the struggle of burnout and also the biblical response.

Living in Gospel Exile

SPEAKERS: Ashley Hales, Matthew Harmon, Irwyn Ince, Timothy Paul Jones, Jay Kim, Jake Meador, Alan Noble, Trevin Wax, Jamaal Williams
HOSTED BY: IVP

What if exile is not just a time of waiting, but a place God has called us to be fully present for the flourishing of both church and also culture? How would that change the way we lived? Join IVP authors for a series of short talks and roundtable discussions laying out a vision for engaging the culture for the common good.

Reliable: How We Got Our Bible, Part 1 & 2 

SPEAKERS: Michael Kruger, John Meade
HOSTED BY: Phoenix Seminary and Text & Canon Institute

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time—it’s been burned, banned, and beloved. But how did we get it? Join us to better appreciate the story of the Bible and the stories in the Bible.

Part One: Why Does the Old Testament Have the Books it Does?
How did we get the books included in our Old Testament? Was it determined by an ancient council, a powerful emperor, or is the history more nuanced? In the first hour, John Meade will lead us to explore these questions. You’ll walk away with a greater understanding of what is meant by canonical, readable, and apocryphal books.

Part Two: Why Does the New Testament Have the Books it Does?
In the second hour, Michael Kruger will address how and when the early church recognized the 27 books in our New Testament. Unfortunately, the high level of interest in the New Testament canon is often combined with a high number of misconceptions. But understanding the different categories of books in early Christianity is key to clear up many of the misunderstandings. We tend to think there are only two categories, those books that are “in” and those books that are “out.” But early Christians were more nuanced than this dichotomy.

Ecclesial Theologians: Vital for the Renewal of the Church

SPEAKERS: Mark Gignilliat, Gerald Hiestand, Gavin Ortlund, Doug Sweeney, Todd Wilson
HOSTED BY: Beeson Divinity School and Center for Pastoral Theologians

Learn about the unique calling of the ecclesial theologian, why they’re desperately needed in today’s complex world, and how we form and educate them. The event will feature a combination of brief presentations, moderated panels, and Q&A.

The Exodus from Egypt in Biblical Theology

SPEAKERS: Jim Hamilton, Tom Schreiner
HOSTED BY: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The exodus from Egypt is both a predictive paradigm and an interpretive schema, and it was intended as such by Moses himself, as can be seen from the song of the sea in Exodus 15. We will consider the literary structure of Exodus 15 and the insight that structure gives into the way that Moses intended the pattern of events of the exodus to be understood as a prospective type of the way God would act for his people at the conquest of the land. The predictive paradigm and interpretive schema can both be seen in Psalms, and both find fulfillment in the presentation of what Christ has accomplished, and of how Christians should live, in the New Testament.

You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches

SPEAKERS: Sam Allberry, Ray Ortlund
HOSTED BY: Crossway

​​​We live in a world increasingly marked by accusation and anger, and our churches are called to be places where the love of Christ is not just a theological tenet but a felt reality. We’ll talk about how, with God’s help, our churches can be marked by honesty, safety, and renewal.

Hope (and Help!), for Women’s Ministry

SPEAKERS: Ligon Duncan, Nancy Guthrie, Melissa Kruger, Leigh Swanson
HOSTED BY: Reformed Theological Seminary

Encouraging the Theological Development of Women in Your Church
A strong theological foundation plays a vital role in encouraging and sustaining hope. This session—led by Ligon Duncan, Nancy Guthrie, Leigh Swanson, and Melissa Kruger—provides practical advice and encouragement for pastors, elders, women’s ministry leaders, and others who desire to start and sustain biblically faithful and theologically rich women’s ministries in their congregations.

Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices that Made It Happen

SPEAKER: Jason Allen
HOSTED BY: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

In God-ordained capacity, we are all called to lead. Faithful leadership can be remarkably simple. Not easy, but simple. To be a faithful leader you likely need to do less, not more. Leadership is largely intuitive, commonsensical, and spiritual in nature. Join us to hear Jason Allen discuss 10 guiding principles that help turnaround an institution. These guiding principles can shape your influence and aid you in faithful leadership.

As in Heaven LIVE: How Spiritual Formation in the Church Can Help in Dechurching

SPEAKERS: Michael Aitcheson, Jim Davis, Michael Graham, Collin Hansen, and Jen Wilkin
HOSTED BY: Zondervan Reflective

Join Jim Davis and Mike Aitcheson for a live recording of the “As in Heaven” podcast. Their discussion will be centered on themes from the book, The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? specifically on how spiritual formation in the local church can help in the area of dechurching.

Reliable: How We Got Our Bible, Part 3

SPEAKER: Peter Gurry
HOSTED BY: Phoenix Seminary and Text & Canon Institute

Part Three: The Fascinating History of English Bible Translation
Why are there so many Bible translations? It’s a question many Christians ask at some point. There is a long history of creating new translations and revising older ones, but why? As the third hour of our How We Got Our Bible series, Gurry shares the reasons translations are so common, compelling stories from the Bible’s translation history, and why the KJV is not the norm when it comes to Bible translations.

Gospel-Shaped Planting Pipelines for Church Vitality

SPEAKERS: Irwyn Ince, Robert Kim, Chris Vogel
HOSTED BY: Covenant Theological Seminary and Mission to North America of the PCA

As we confront the decline and the pressures of the church in North America, there is an emerging opportunity to reimagine how to bring a renewed vitality to church planting. Creating gospel-shaped pipelines to develop future leaders must begin now. This microevent will address the need for such pipelines and the mechanisms needed to bring new health to church planting and established churches.

The Church Runs on Prayer

SPEAKER: Paul Miller
HOSTED BY: seeJesus Ministries

When we sense energy running low in our churches, we get busy: new programs, a fresh sermon series, better communication. But what if we’re missing something more fundamental? Join us as we explore how the Holy Spirit uniquely powers the church, and how praying together is the spark that ignites the world’s mightiest spiritual force—the everyday saints around us.

How Every Local Church Can (and Must) Fuel Global Mission

SPEAKERS: J. D. Greear, Kenneth Mbugua, Jairo Namnún, Soojin Park, Kori Porter, John Piper, and David Platt
HOSTED BY: Radical

Approximately 3 billion people have little to no access to the gospel today. That’s approximately 3 billion children, women, and men who are on a road that leads to eternal suffering, and no one has told them how to have eternal life in Jesus. God has called you and your local church to play a part in changing that. So what does that look like in practice? During this breakout with David Platt, John Piper, Ken Mbugua, J.D. Greear, Jairo Namnún, and other leaders from different perspectives, we will explore…

• To what extent every local church can (and must) fuel global mission.
• How to create and cultivate a culture of sending and going in your church.
• The role of the nations in reaching the nations, and how that changes the way we view different ethnicities in our local churches.

Hope, in the Triune God, and his New Creation

SPEAKERS: Greg Beale, Scott Swain
HOSTED BY: Reformed Theological Seminary

The hope of Christian pilgrims is grounded in the truth that “salvation belongs to the Lord” (Ps. 3:8), who is “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5). In the first part of this two-part session, Scott Swain surveys how the doctrine of the Trinity can help enrich our understanding of our salvation and enlarge our affection for the triune author of it. In the second part of the session, Greg Beale traces the theme of new creation through Scripture to illustrate how biblical theology helps equip us to appreciate and proclaim the gospel in all its beauty and fullness. Beale will also explain how the first Exodus and the prophesied second Exodus in Isaiah is part of new creation, and the second Exodus fulfilled in the New Testament is also a part of the inaugurated fulfillment of the new creation.

Blessed Trinity: How the Doctrine of the Trinity Enriches Our Biblical Theology of Salvation – Scott R. Swain

Salvation as New Creation: How Biblical Theology Helps Us Preach the Gospel – Greg Beale

Evangelical Renewal for Gospel Mission

SPEAKERS: Vincent Bacote, Steve DeWitt, John Dickson, Phil Ryken
HOSTED BY: Wheaton College

This lively dialogue considers the many ways race, sex, politics, and social media are tearing evangelical communities apart. The panel will also reflect on what pastors, teachers, and other Christian leaders can do to restore true Christian community and empower effective gospel witness that is faithful to Scripture and relevant to culture.

Finding Our Way Back: Talks on Biblical Faithfulness in a Season of Wandering, Part 1

SPEAKERS: Judy Cha, John Marriott, Brandon Washington, Thaddeus Williams
HOSTED BY: Zondervan Reflective

A record number of Americans are leaving their churches, deconstructing their faith, and experiencing division in their communities. The influence of contemporary cults and alternative theologies is on the rise. American evangelicalism is becoming more political than theological. Why?

In this series of TED Talk-style presentations, Zondervan authors will address why so many people are leaving the church and questioning their faith, how to recover your identity in Christ, and how to faithfully navigate your own questions and challenges about Christianity. You’ll become equipped to engage thoughtfully with political and social issues while staying biblically faithful and defend your faith in real-life encounters with skeptics and critics.

Presentation Titles

• Burning House: Brandon Washington
• Set Adrift: John Marriott
• Don’t Follow Your Heart: Thaddeus Williams
• Who You Are: Judy Cha

For Women: Cultivating Your Gifts of Leading and Teaching

SPEAKERS: Courtney Doctor, Melissa Kruger, Rebecca McLaughlin, Jen Wilkin, Elizabeth Woodson
HOSTED BY: Lifeway Women

Join several female theologians to celebrate and cultivate the gifts that God has placed in you to lead, teach the Bible, and create spaces for others to thrive. In this microevent, you’ll be encouraged, equipped, and will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded women. We’ll tackle two topics that are part of any woman’s leadership development journey: perseverance and preparation.

The Hope of Kingdom Expansion in a Hard-to-Reach Culture

SPEAKERS: Félix Cabrera, Matt Carter, Christine Hoover, Dean Inserra, Bryan Loritts, Tony Merida, Vance Pitman, Trevin Wax
HOSTED BY: Send Network

Times of turbulence and shifting cultural trends give us an opportunity to recommit our lives to expanding God’s kingdom. We will look at the church in today’s culture, with the aim of seeing disciples multiplied and churches planted, as we pursue a missionary encounter with the world we’re called to reach.

The Important Role of the Church in Family Discipleship

SPEAKERS: Cameron Cole, Clark Fobes, Terrence Shay
HOSTED BY: Rooted Ministry

Rooted Ministry, a ministry that advances gospel-centered youth and family ministry, will provide three micro-workshops to equip churches to invest in the next generation. “How the Whole Church Can Disciple Young People” will provide an overview of how all people and all departments of a church can contribute to biblical discipleship of young people. “The Critical Need and Simple Direction for Equipping Parents to Disciple Kids” will paint a picture of how any church, regardless of size and resources, can facilitate an effective family discipleship ministry. Finally, “Ministry to the Modern Child” will explain how today’s youth are growing up in a shame / honor culture due to the ubiquity of social media and technology. The workshop will provide guidance on how to proclaim the gospel to children in shame / honor cultures.

Jesus through the Eyes of Witnesses

SPEAKER: Rebecca McLaughlin
HOSTED BY: Crossway

The Gospels claim to give us access to eyewitness testimony about their hero. This session will explore what we can learn about Jesus if we pay attention to both the male and female witnesses the Gospels offer us within their narratives, from the beginning of Jesus’s life on Earth to the end—and beyond!

Hope in Doubt: How to Face Our Own Questions about the Faith in a Skeptical Age

SPEAKER: Michael Kruger
HOSTED BY: Reformed Theological Seminary

C. S. Lewis once said, “Don’t forget in the dark what you learned in the light.” The Christian life can be filled with dark times—doubts, fears, and questions about all sorts of things. Michael Kruger will explore the role of doubt in the Christian life, what causes people to doubt, and how we can fight against it (and help others fight against it).

Pastors/Theologians in the Post-Christian World

SPEAKER: Kevin Vanhoozer
HOSTED BY: Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

The world needs right-minded and right-hearted pastors and theologians. Are we ready and equipped to face cultural quandaries and challenges to biblical authority in our churches with faithfulness, grace, and love? Join Kevin Vanhoozer as he unpacks a reformational vision for the renewal of the church, cultivated by Spirit-empowered pastors and theologians who teach doctrine in ways that make disciples, form citizens of the gospel, and build up local churches, for the good of the world.

Finding Our Way Back: Talks on Biblical Faithfulness in a Season of Wandering, Part 2

SPEAKERS: Greg Koukl and Christopher Watkin
HOSTED BY: Zondervan Reflective

A record number of Americans are leaving their churches, deconstructing their faith, and experiencing division in their communities. The influence of contemporary cults and alternative theologies is on the rise. American Evangelicalism is becoming more political than theological. Why?

In this series of TED Talk-style presentations, Zondervan authors will address why so many people are leaving the church and questioning their faith, how to recover your identity in Christ, and how to faithfully navigate your own questions and challenges about Christianity. You’ll become equipped to engage thoughtfully with political and social issues while staying biblically faithful and defend your faith in real-life encounters with skeptics and critics.

Presentation Titles: 

• Biblical Critical Theory: Christopher Watkin
• Street Smarts: Greg Koukl

Gathered, Not Scattered: Parenting Toward a Shared Family Identity in an Age of Individualism

(THIS EVENT HAS REACHED FULL CAPACITY)

SPEAKER: Jen Wilkin
HOSTED BY: Lifeway

Today’s family sits squarely in a world that values charting your own path, being your own person, and pursuing what makes you, the individual, most happy. Jen Wilkin helps us consider how this affects family relationships and how to regain a deep focus on the shared space we call home.

Narcissism Is Toxic for Pastors. But So Is Lack of Confidence. 

SPEAKER: Daniel Doriani
HOSTED BY: Covenant Theological Seminary

While the church is rightly alarmed at pastors who devastate the church by bullying, immorality, and narcissism, many leave the ministry when their church experience crushes them. Narcissism is a great evil, but pastors also need confidence and resilience to endure disapproval, opposition, foot-dragging, sabotage, and whisper campaigns.

Jesus and the Greatness of God

SPEAKER: Steve Duby
HOSTED BY: Phoenix Seminary

This session will explore the connection between the person of Christ and the doctrine of God’s attributes and the Trinity. It will provide an opportunity to reflect on how the Bible’s teaching about Jesus fits with and is enriched by clear thinking of God’s aseity, immutability, impassibility, and simplicity.

The Church and Discipleship: How the Local Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus

SPEAKERS: JT English, Jen Wilkin, Kyle Worley
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

The primary context for discipleship is the local church, but not all ministry strategies are created equal. This session will begin to help you develop a contextualized, sustainable, and proven philosophy of ministry for deep discipleship in your local church.

The Pastor’s Voice: The Art and Science of Preaching as a Shepherd

SPEAKERS: Don Carson, Bryan Chapell, J. D. Greear, Tony Merida
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

This panel of experienced pastor-scholars will explore together the unique intersection of preaching and pastoring. Heralding God’s Word involves not only faithful and accurate interpretation of the text, but also clear and compassionate organization and communication of the sermon, especially to the unique flock of God entrusted to the shepherd. No easy task, the art and science of pastoral preaching requires much prayer and humility, wisdom and skill. 

Pastoring School Choices

SPEAKERS: Winfree Brisley, Courtney Doctor, Jared Kennedy, Bill Kynes
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

The education of our children is vitally important, but the decision on how to educate them can be incredibly challenging. As church leaders you are most likely asked to help those in your sphere of influence navigate their educational decisions. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of different choices, as well as biblical principles that can help inform our decisions.

1776: The Origin Story of the Post-Christian West

SPEAKER: Andrew Wilson
HOSTED BY: Crossway

The year 1776 remade the world. In one extraordinary year, a combination of books, ships, machines, inventions, paintings and declarations created a new cultural landscape which we could characterize as WEIRDER: Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic, ex-Christian, and romantic. In this session we will see how these different transformations came together to shape our world—and how the church of 1776 responded, and what we can learn from them.

How to Be a Light and Not a Raging Forest Fire on Social Media

SPEAKERS: Rebecca McLaughlin, Gavin Ortlund, Ruth Chou Simons, Trevin Wax, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Christians are called to redeem every square inch of God’s domain, and social media is no exception. But what does that look like? How do you know when to engage and when to back off? What to post—and why? And how can you do it without losing your mind?

Surprised by Doubt: How Disillusionment Can Invite Us into a Deeper Faith

SPEAKER: Jack Carson, Josh Chatraw
HOSTED BY: Baker Publishing

Even those who live by faith sometimes doubt. But those doubts don’t have to mean the end of your faith. Joshua Chatraw has years of experience walking with Christians through their doubt and disillusionment. With pastoral care and intellectual rigor, he engages the emotional journey of doubt and presents an invitation to reimagine a life of faith alongside doubt. Join Chatraw and his co-author Jack Carson, for a conversation about doubt and faith, inspired by their new book, Surprised by Doubt.

Does God Care about Gender Identity?

SPEAKER: Sam Ferguson
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Growing numbers of young people express confusion about their gender as culture reimagines what it means to be human as a gendered being. This raises questions for parents, pastors, and churches. This session evaluates beliefs and practices of the gender movement in light of Scripture. It then addresses discipleship, asking how the gospel and local church provide more compelling answers to questions about identity, gender, and our shared longings for transformation.

Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church

SPEAKER: Michael Kruger
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

While Scripture calls Christian leaders to be gentle, kind shepherds, we continue to hear of more cases of pastors who dominate their flocks with a heavy hand. So, how should we understand this issue of “spiritual abuse”? How big of a problem is it? This session will explore the definition of spiritual abuse, how it’s often misunderstood, and what steps churches can take to address it.

Shepherding Women in the Church

SPEAKERS: Courtney Doctor, Vanessa Hawkins, Melissa Kruger
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Women compose more than 50 percent of most congregations. Yet it can be hard for ministry leaders to know how to best support, encourage, and care for them. Whether you’re a pastor, director of women’s ministry, or a person who invests in the lives of the women in your local church, this session will discuss best practices for supporting and caring for the women you’ve been called to shepherd.

Knowing Faith Podcast

SPEAKERS: Matthew Barrett, JT English, Jen Wilkin, Jared C. Wilson, Kyle Worley
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Who doesn’t enjoy having a few laughs along with their exploration of the Bible? Join Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley for a live recording of the Knowing Faith Podcast. Knowing Faith seeks to explore the Christian story, Christian belief, and Christian formation with conviction and curiosity. The Knowing Faith team will be joined by authors and teachers Jared Wilson and Dr. Matthew Barett of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for a live podcast that will dig into the intersection of Sinai, salvation, and the role of the law.

Sponsored by: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Pilgrim’s Perseverance

SPEAKER: Ruth Chou Simons
HOSTED BY: Harvest House

Every pilgrim has a story about how God’s ways, his character, and his attributes help them press onward in their journey. Join Ruth to explore how beloved theological truths serve as guideposts of God’s grace and presence for every journey, from beginning to end.

Raising Kids in Ministry: Insight from Pastors’ Kids

SPEAKERS: Winfree Brisley, Megan Hill, Gavin Ortlund
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Are the kids going to be all right? Especially in ministry, we worry about raising kids who rebel wildly or who become perfectly behaved hypocrites, who buckle under the pressure of congregational expectations or who nurse life-long bitterness against the church. In this panel discussion, three grown-up pastors’ kids (some now the parents of pastors’ kids) discuss what their parents did well, what they wish was different, and how they’d encourage ministry families today with the hope of Christ.

Make Theologically Rich Worship Music Great Again: A Conversation with CityAlight

SPEAKERS: CityAlight, Brett McCracken
HOSTED BY: The Gospel Coalition

Listeners are resonating with the worship music of CityAlight because of its rare combination of musical excellence and doctrinal focus. How might CityAlight’s model inspire a new generation of worship leaders and songwriters? In this session, Brett McCracken will interview members of CityAlight to discuss the importance of congregational singing, the process of writing original worship music for the church, and tips for church leaders to facilitate theologically robust, artistically excellent musical worship in their congregations.

Developing and Sending Whole-Hearted Church Leaders

SPEAKERS: Ed Marcelle, Ronnie Martin, Dave Owens, Jamaal Williams, Brandon Woodard
HOSTED BY: Harbor Network

Developing leaders within our churches is a worthy but difficult pastoral responsibility. Sending those leaders out can be even harder. Over the years we have seen how partnership within a network of like-minded, like-hearted churches can help in the process of developing whole-hearted, well-equipped church leaders—and eventually sending out leaders to start new churches. This microevent will explore practical ways churches and networks help develop and send healthy leaders.