Experience the “greater things” Jesus has in store for us – a life beyond good, aiming for greatness. Following Jesus’ mission leads to a flourishing life, not just settling for the ordinary. Let’s move beyond mere growth to creating a multiplying movement, building God’s Kingdom together. Jesus calls us to embrace the extraordinary and resist the temptation of building our own empires, focusing solely on advancing His Kingdom.
Francis Chan has been a pastor for over thirty years. He is a New York Times–bestselling author of several books, including Crazy Love, Letters to the Church, and Until Unity. He and his wife, Lisa, have been married for thirty years and coauthored You and Me Forever. Currently, Francis is in Northern California teaching and discipling the next generation of pastors and leaders.
Dan Owolabi is the CEO of Branches, a ministry dedicated to supporting high-impact entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners around the world. A sought-after keynote speaker, Dan has over 20 years of experience helping leaders develop genuine, effective influence. A former college athlete, educator, and church planter, he has worked with leaders in over twenty-five countries and five continents, helping them clarify their identity and leverage their influence to serve others.
Dan’s latest book Authentic Leadership, became an Amazon #1 New Release. He holds a graduate degree from Ashland University centering on American Leadership and is completing a doctorate in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Dan is a teaching pastor at Grace Church in Wooster, Ohio where he lives with his wife & two daughters.
Tara Beth Leach is a pastor, preacher of the Word, and a writer. She speaks widely at conferences, retreats, and universities across America on Women in Ministry, Church Leadership, and the call to be a Radiant Witness. She is the senior pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Naperville, Illinois. She is also the author of Emboldened, Radiant Church, and Forty Days on Being a Six. She also is co-host of a podcast called the Pastor’s Table. And she recently began to co-lead a New Thing Network for Chicago Female Church Planters. She is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University and Northern Theological Seminary. She has two beautiful and rambunctious sons, and has been married to the love of her life, Jeff, since 2006.
The Reverend Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is a dynamic and visionary preacher, scholar, and civic leader. His ministry unites people longing for change across generational and racial divides through the clear and compelling proclamation of the Gospel.
A fierce advocate for justice rooted in righteousness, Dr. Dates is the founder of several initiatives that reflect his vision for Gospel-centered change. He launched the Progressive Center for Counseling & Justice, a hub for trauma-informed care and systemic transformation; the Black Boy Literacy Campaign, a bold citywide movement to help 1,000 Black boys reach grade-level reading by age 10; and the Spend in the Black Commerce Corridor, which channels strategic investment into Black-owned businesses on Chicago’s South Side.
Dr. Dates resides in Chicago with his wife and college sweetheart, Kirstie, and their two children, Charlie II and Claire.
Aubrey Sampson (MA) co-planted and co-leads Renewal Church in West Chicago. She is the author of several books, including The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament and the upcoming What We Find in the Dark: Loss, Hope, and God’s Presence in Grief. Aubrey hosts the What We Find in the Dark Podcast and is passionate about helping the hurting find God’s Presence in their losses. She also coaches women in ministry with Propel Women.
Drew Hyun is the Founder and Pastor of Hope Church Midtown, as well as the Founding Pastor of Hope Church NYC, a family of diverse churches in and around NYC. Drew is also the Co-Founder of the New City Network, a network of urban churches that value multi-ethnicity, Spirit-filled ministry, emotional health, and mission. Drew loves cities, ESPN, and naps, and finds it a restful Sabbath when all three come together. He resides in New York City with his wife Christina and their son David and daughter Avery.
Derwin L. Gray is the Cofounding and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Gray met his wife, Vicki, at Brigham Young University (BYU). They have been married since 1992 and have two adult children. After graduating from BYU, he played professional football in the National Football League for five years with the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and one year with the Carolina Panthers (1998).
In 2008, Gray graduated from Southern Evangelical Seminary magna cum laude, with a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher Dr. Norman Geisler. In 2018, Gray received his Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary under Dr. Scot McKnight. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Gray is the best-selling author of Lit Up With Love: Becoming Good News-People To A Gospel-Starved World, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness, How To Heal The Racial Divide: What the Bible, Says, And The First Christians Knew, About Racial Reconciliation, Building a Multiethnic Church: A Gospel Vision of Love, Grace, and Reconciliation in a Divided World, Limitless Life: You Are More Thank Your Past When God Holds Your Future, and God, Do You Hear Me? Discovering The Prayer God Always Answers.
Jay Pathak is the National Director of Vineyard USA. He also serves as the Lead Pastor of the Mile High Vineyard, a family of neighborhood churches in Denver, that he and his wife Danielle, planted in 2001.
Jay co-wrote the book, The Art of Neighboring, with Dave Runyon. His passion for sharing his faith with the people around him is at the center of his calling.
Jay is a humble, empowering leader who is passionate about raising up leaders around him. His strengths, in particular, lie in strategically placing people on teams where they thrive. Additionally, he regularly thinks of ministry in context of culture and developing relationships and partnerships in the city, government, and across denominational lines.
Jay has led in various contexts throughout the Vineyard starting as an intern for Rich Nathan at the Columbus Vineyard in his early ministry days, and stretching into various positions of translocal leadership including serving on the Vineyard USA Executive Team for many years. He is a sought-after speaker and coach, while keeping strong ties to the local community.
Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., is the Dean and Professor of Leadership and Christian Ministry at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He also serves as Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University, where he teaches twice a year. Stetzer has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. He is Regional Director for Lausanne North America, the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. His national radio show, Ed Stetzer Live, airs Saturdays on Moody Radio and affiliates. Stetzer serves his local church, Mariners Church, as Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor.
Noemi Chavez pastors Revive Church, a multi-site in the greater Los Angeles area and Mexico. She is an international conference speaker and is cofounder of Brave Global, an organization that bridges relationships with girls that are on probation and in the foster care system and the local church as a preventative to human trafficking. Noemi also serves on multiple boards, some of which include Exponential, Exponential Español and Christianity Today. Noemi is committed to raising leaders and bridging generations to serve the future of the Church and their communities. In her spare time, Noemi enjoys reading and going on hikes with family and friends.
Jon Ferguson is co-founder of Community Christian Church, a church with 14 locations in the Chicagoland area, and NewThing, which is Community’s global church planting mission. He is the Chicago Network pastor at Community, overseeing COMMUNITY’S initiatives in Chicago, including three new locations in the last three years. He also serves as teaching pastor and leads the team of staff champions for adult, student, children and creative arts ministries across all COMMUNITY locations. He is an adjunct professor at Wheaton College Graduate School, and he co-authored The Big Idea, Exponential and Discover Your Mission Now!. He lives in Lincoln Park on the north side of Chicago with his wife, Lisa, and their two children, Graham and Chloe.
Dave Ferguson is the lead pastor of Community Christian Church, a multi-expression missional community that is passionate about “helping people find their way back to God.” Community has grown from a few college friends to reaching thousands of people in Chicagoland and around the world. Dave also provides visionary leadership for the international church-planting movement NewThing and is the President of Exponential. He is an award-winning author of books that include The Big Idea, Exponential, On The Verge, Finding Your Way Back To God, Starting Over, Hero Maker and most recently B.L.E.S.S. 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World. Dave and his best friend Sue have three terrific adult kids – Amy, Josh and Caleb.
In-depth equipping from pace-setting practitioners and access to top thought leaders that prepare you for the journey ahead.
Pre-conference cost: $29. You can purchase your conference ticket with the pre-conference, or upgrade your ticket if you already have a standard ticket.
AI 101: Get Up To Speed With The Basics of Artificial Intelligence For Ministry – Hosted by Exponential AI NEXT
Learn how artificial intelligence can support your ministry in practical ways. This workshop is designed for pastors and church staff who are new to AI and want to learn how it can be applied in a church setting. We’ll cover the basics, demystify the technology, and provide simple, actionable steps to integrate AI tools into your daily work. Join us to gain confidence and start using AI to enhance your ministry’s impact.
Speakers: Kenny Jahng
Building Your Church for the Digital Future – Hosted by Exponential Digital Church NEXT
Join the team from Lux Digital Church for a 2.5-hour deep dive into the ecclesiology, ideology, and practical strategies needed to prepare your church for an increasingly digital future. Whether your weekend attendance spans thousands across multiple campuses or you lead a small, close-knit community under a hundred, we all face the same challenge: reaching and discipling emerging generations of digital natives with the gospel. This session will equip you with insights and tools to help your church thrive in a hybrid world.
Speakers: Mark Lutz, Andy Mage
Effective Church Planting – Hosted by Outreach
Pre-launch or post-launch, God has the people for your church – but you have to reach them. In this session, we will show you the best cutting-edge marketing techniques to reach your community and grow your church. Marketing from a 360 spectrum. Using a multi-channel approach, reaching out and making use of all the tools available to you. from social media to direct mail to community events to servant evangelism.
Speakers: Tim Speweik
How Can We Do the Greater Things Without the Holy Spirit?
– Hosted by Dandelion Resources
If our great ideas, skills, and plans could have got us there, they would have got us there by now! But what we haven’t gone all in on is intentionally embracing the Holy Spirit’s empowering in all things. And what if the stories of the Spirit’s power and activity that we read about in Scripture are meant to be regularly recurring in the life of your church? We think those aren’t just encouraging tales from the past, but are God’s direction for today!
This pre-conference will show you how to expect and experience the naturally supernatural activity of God. You’ll learn diagnostic tools (for yourself and your ministry), ways to begin to transform your culture, wisdom on what not to do, and practical next steps. The goal is to help you expand your church’s expectation and experience of the supernatural activity of God.
Speakers: Alex Absalom, Hannah Absalom
Live a 100X Life: Pursing the Life of a Multiplier Without Losing Your Soul – Hosted by Exponential
Discover how to become a “healthy disciple-making leader who champions reproduction” and maximize your Kingdom impact. Explore practical strategies and Biblical principles for fostering leadership reproduction in your church and ministry, while prioritizing your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Speakers: Jason Stewart, Drew Hyun
Refined and Redefined: Navigating Your Calling as a Woman in Leadership – Hosted by Exponential Women NEXT
We know that Jesus called women to be messengers of the Good News! But we know the pathway into that calling isn’t always straight. Our yes to Jesus often includes delays, detours, and divine redirection. Join other women as we have a sacred and honest conversation about some foundational truths about our calling, trusting when it’s hard, and stepping forward in faith. Through scripture and personal testimony we’ll explore how God clarifies, redefines, and sometimes redirects our calling. Whether you’re walking in clarity or in a season of transition, you’ll leave reminded that His call is not only irrevocable, it’s redemptive!
Speakers: Katrina Boatright, Denette Schaer, Sue Ferguson
From Jerusalem to Antioch: How the Global Diaspora is Changing Church Planting – Hosted by Exponential Multiethnic Church Planting NEXT
Very few American church movements understand the push and pull factors of why, in our lifetime, there is such a large and powerful movement of people emigrating throughout the world. Some who pay attention tend to see it as global missions or “ethnic” and “immigrant” church planting. Others see it as “the nations are coming here so we can reach them.” We are on the cusp of a fundamental shift in thinking how church movements will happen in the United States. The speakers in this pre-conference will help participants understand this missiological and practical shift that aligns justice, global missions, and North American church planting models.
Speakers: Daniel Yang, Keith Draper
Unleashing Kingdom Impact Through Collaborative Church-Planting Networks – Hosted by Exponential
Leaders often strive for independence and autonomy in Kingdom work, but this rarely leads to Kingdom success. Many feel tired and frustrated, seeking ways to amplify their efforts. Collaboration brings greater Kingdom impact, connection, and enjoyment, much like the early church did through networks.
This pre-conference will highlight the power of collaboration for Kingdom impact. You’ll gain insights from speakers, case studies, discussions, and have opportunities to learn now to start, sustain, and scale small networks for Kingdom multiplication.
Speakers: Patrick O’Connell, Jon Ferguson
Register today and lock in these current discounted rates for you and your team to be trained to advance multiplication.
Per Registrant
5-9 registrants
10+ registrants
Bringing a group of 20 or more? Email here to learn more about group perks and benefits.
Check out the full conference schedule and more.
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Pre-Conference Sessions
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Registration Opens for Main Conference
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Main Session 1
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Workshop 1
3:30p p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Main Session 2
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Bible Study
8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Workshop 2
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Main Session 3
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch / Networking Lunches
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Workshop 3
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Main Session 4
7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Bible Study
8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Workshop 4
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Main Session 5
Connect with the largest collection of church resourcing organizations.
You must have the name and contact information for the primary registrant to complete registration. If you are registering additional members of your team but are not yet sure of who will attend, simply leave the email field blank and insert “TBD” in the fields for those additional registrations.
Bringing a group of 20 or more? Email here to learn about special pricing.
