Accelerating Multiplication through Multisite and Mergers: Proven Strategies from Leading Practitioners – Hosted by Jim Tomberlin & Warren Bird

Many church planters today are starting churches with a vision to reproduce and multiply by utilizing a multisite and church-planting strategy. In this rich seven-and-a-half-hour Pre-Conference Lab, we are joined by numerous guests to share proven principles and best practices from leading multisite practitioners.

Speakers: Kadi Cole, Jim Tomberlin, Rich Birch, Jenni Catron, Warren Bird, Kayra Montanez

An Interactive Conversation About What’s Next: Brave Cities, Next Wave, Entrepreneurship, Experiencing Jesus, and Adding Value to Our Cities – Hosted by ArtSpeak Creative

We can look back over the past fifty years and find plenty of well-established strategies for ministry funding, leadership development, and community outreach. But are they still best practices today? What’s next for the Church? Join other ministry dreamers from across the country to gain leading-edge insights and collaborative strategies for the next unique challenges facing the 21st-century Church.

Speakers: Jason Bowman, Steve Pike, Bryan Lindgren, Kayla Lindgren, Preston Ulmer, David Hawkins, Hugh Halter, Taylor McCall

Building the Future: Essential Strategies for Planting, Leading, and Growing New Churches – Hosted by Stadia

Part 1: How do you start a church that reaches the lost?

New churches have the highest potential to reach people far from God. So how do you start churches that are focused on leaving the “99” to go after the “one”? Hear inspiring stories about life-changing churches and gain practical strategies for starting that kind of church.

Part 2: What kind of leaders plant thriving, growing, and multiplying churches?

With decades of experience helping planters explore their calling to plant churches, this panel of experts will guide you through the core competencies.

Part 3: How do you plant a church as a team, not as an individual?

The odds of a church growing and multiplying increase when the church is started with a team approach, but building that team requires discernment and intentionality far beyond bringing together a group of people. Together, we will foster a dynamic environment for discussion and mutual learning.

Part 4: How can my church raise up the next generation of church leaders?

Right now, there are potential church planters within your church. What can you be doing to identify, inspire, and develop them? Come learn from the experiences of churches that have created proven systems for raising up and multiplying new-church leaders.

Speakers: Tim Celek, Sam Chacko, Heidy Tandy, Leilani Sizemore

CHISPA: Encendiendo Una Cultura de Multiplicación – Hosted by Exponential Español

La realidad hoy en día es que la mayoría de las iglesias están estancadas o en declive. Menos del 7% de las iglesias se reproducen. ¡Es justo decir que la multiplicación no es la norma! Para ver que las iglesias colectivamente comienzan movimientos de la manera que Jesús quiere, primero debemos ver que las iglesias valoren y practiquen individualmente la multiplicación de líderes y la plantación de nuevas iglesias.

En este tiempo de pre-conferencia, traeremos la experiencia de los eventos CHISPA de Exponential Español a Exponential. Chispa establece las bases para poder llegar a ser una iglesia que se reproduce y multiplica; Adoptar una mentalidad del Reino, Multiplicar discípulos, multiplicar líderes y multiplicar misioneros.

Speakers: Obe Arellano

Digital Ministry Toolbox – Hosted by Exponential Digital Church NEXT

Join the Lux Digital Church team as we explore fully digital expressions of church, digital church planting, building robust and healthy online communities, and living out the great commission in a digital age.

Speakers: Mark Lutz, Andy Mage, Dalton Ruzicka

Discipleship Framework: Develop a Clear, Complete, and Customized Discipleship Strategy – Hosted by RightNow Media

When it comes to discipleship in our churches, three pivotal questions rise to the forefront of our efforts:

Do we have an intentional plan for making disciples?
Is that plan actually working?
Do we have the leaders needed to bring it to life?

For many of us, these questions reveal gaps in clarity, strategy, or execution. We’re pouring our hearts into fulfilling the Great Commission, but we aren’t confident in the outcomes of our environments. This hands-on process is designed to address those challenges head-on.

RightNow Media has partnered with Robby Angle, a small group expert and consultant to large and small churches, to provide a framework to guide you through this proven and systematic process. Join us in this interactive intensive to develop a more clear, complete, and customized approach to your church’s adult discipleship strategy. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution—it’s a strategy built with your specific context in mind.

What You’ll Gain:
Foundational Thinking: Learn a replicable approach to change-theory and spiritual formation.
Interactive Problem-Solving: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your current approach to leadership development, group formation, and equipping leaders.

Practical Takeaways: Develop a clear, actionable strategy tailored to your church’s size, culture, and context.
You will leave with a personalized, two-page roadmap that fits your unique church environment. Whether you’re stuck, need fresh ideas, or want to refine your approach, this workshop will move you from dreaming to doing—creating thriving cultures of discipleship in your local church.

Speakers: Robby Angle, Benjamin Crawshaw

Generation NEXT – Church Planting Simulator – Hosted by Exponential Generation NEXT

Every young person is a potential church planting team member. Come and experience what it could be like to serve on a church planting team. During this interactive hands-on precon discover how God could use your vocational calling and your spheres of influence to plant gospel communities and expand His Kingdom. This pre-conference is free for next generation leaders and leaders of the next generation.

Speakers: Chris Dowd, Carrie Williams, Eric Creekmore, Mark Lutz, Scott Woller, Jason Shepperd, Molly Soderstrom, Carl Johnson, Tyler Workman

Generative AI Bootcamp For Church Leaders – Hosted by Exponential AI NEXT

Get up to speed with generative A.I. in one pre-conference session.

Join us for a two-day, hands-on bootcamp designed to equip church leaders with essential skills in generative AI. Led by Rob Laughter, Creative Lead at The Summit Church, this workshop will cover practical applications of AI tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and more. With plenty of interactive, hands-on time, you’ll actively apply what you learn by creating visuals, generating multimedia, and exploring AI tools tailored to your ministry’s needs. The bootcamp concludes with a critical discussion on AI ethics, helping you develop a responsible approach for your ministry.

DAY ONE

1. Chatting with Large Language Models. Learn how to use language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to become more productive, more creative, and more effective in your ministry role. Learn how LLMs work, how various models differ, and how to use them strategically in your workflow. During hands-on application time, learn insider tips and tricks and apply what you’ve learned to your specific role.

2. Creating with AI Image Generators. Explore the essentials of creating images with AI models such as Midjourney, Ideogram, and DALL-E (ChatGPT). You’ll learn how to create various types of images—such as stock photos, logos, illustrations, and social media graphics. During a time of hands-on exploration, you’ll create some images for your own projects and get focused, tactical help on using the tools.

DAY TWO

3. Multimedia Models. Discover how to use the latest models for creating multimedia assets such as speech, music, sound effects, and video. Learn how to use text to speech models to create realistic sounding voices for voiceovers, announcements, social media content, and even podcasts. Learn about other multimedia models for generating all of the assets you need to produce a full creative project. During the application portion, use what you’ve learned to create something of your own with hands-on support.

4. AI Ethics and Responsibility. In our final session, learn to use your new superpowers for good by exploring AI ethics and responsibility. Learn about issues such as copyright and attribution, and develop a framework for setting personal boundaries and organizational policies for the use of AI in your ministry. During application time, develop a personal plan for responsible AI use, and begin drafting a policy for your church, ministry, or organization.

Speakers: Kenny Jahng, Rob Laughter

Get Your People Moving Again: Foundations of Missional Movement – Hosted by Forge America

Forge America has been at the forefront of the missional movement for nearly two decades. We’ve identified five essential paradigms that are crucial to address if we are to re-energize our congregations. Join us for a series of conversations designed to ignite a missional movement within your church’s context.

Speakers: Alan Bradford, Jacob Hoyer, Rowland Smith, & Terry Ishee

Global Diaspora Mobilization for Church Multiplication in Your Backyard – Hosted by Church Movements (CRU), GACX and Global Church Movements

God is moving the human tribe into cities and nations in unprecedented ways. Leaders understand the missional status of many of the world’s peoples in other nations, but we are ignorant regarding the status of the peoples of the world living in our communities.

Globally, 281 million people live in a country other than their country of origin. In the US that amounts to 60M people – 18% of the population.

In this pre-conference you will hear from leaders who partner with each other to inspire and equip the Body of Christ for church multiplication on the global diaspora frontier.

Come…

… learn how to reach Diaspora people groups effectively in Global North and western areas of the world – including among Gen Z

… discover how to become a “church of welcome” and help them find home again

… consider ways to awaken the church to the diaspora mission field

… connect with diaspora networks that focus on the evangelization of diaspora peoples

… explore different ways to expand your readiness for fruitful ministry among the diaspora in your community.

This is our shared burden. Will you invest in research, contribute to the conversation, and help launch strategic partnerships and future working groups with us?

Speakers: Daniel Yang, Dave Robinson, Gabor Grez, Erin Kay, Bryan Nichols, Terefe Anshebo, Dithson Noel

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.

We’ll also take time to help ourselves and others do all this with emotional health and prioritizing the fruit of the Spirit.

The goal is to help you expand your church’s expectation and experience of the supernatural activity of God.

Speakers: Hannah Absalom, Alex Absalom, Tammy Melchien, Jan Patterson, David Patterson

How to Plant a Church for the Next Generation – Hosted by NewBreed Training

The American Church is about to fall off a Generational Cliff. By 2033, 15 Million Baby Boomers will age out of church participation. The Church will decline more rapidly than ever before as our most loyal, generous, and active generation fades into history, and with their absence it’s likely that 1 in 8 of today’s churches will shut their door. Generational and technological change are upending the church. But the Church doesn’t have to fall victim to generational upheaval. All it takes is new churches being planted that resonate with the Next Generation. Armed with ground-breaking research on generational trends at the intersection of technology, leadership, and faith NewBreed Training will share insight into how Gen Z and Digital Technology are reshaping faith in America and how you can use those insights to plant churches to reach the Next Generation.

Speakers: Peyton Jones, Chestly Lunday, Andrea Jones, Ralph Moore

Launching Microchurches & Decentralized Networks: How to Cultivate Missional Movements Built for a Future That’s Already Here – Hosted by Tampa Underground

Want to be a different kind of church? Microchurch isn’t just a model or a trend, it’s a viable alternative operating system to church as we know it. Is Jesus inviting you to start a microchurch or cultivate a decentralized network of dozens? Do you want to help missional believers be the church they are called to be? Curious what pieces of the Underground story might translate to your context? Come explore microchurch, network, and missional movement dynamics with us!

Speakers: Lucas Pulley, Jeremy Stephens, Stacy Gaskins, Tomy Wilkerson

Moving Your Leadership and Influence from Good to Great to Greater: Writing a Greater Story Through Leadership Development and Mentoring – Hosted by Exponential Women NEXT

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 2 Corinthians 3:2

Throughout time God has been writing His story through the lives of women committed to Him! And he is writing his story through each of our lives! But writing a greater Kingdom story isn’t just about us and what happens through our ministry involvement, it is about those we mentor, develop and lead. This pre-conference will explore the reasons this has to be part of our mission, and provide equipping tools that can be put into practice right away to begin investing in and mentoring the next generation of women leaders! Your greater Kingdom story will be told through the legacy of leaders who come behind you.

Speakers: Sue Ferguson, Lori Ruffin, Kadi Cole, Rachel Ojo

Multiethnic Church Planting – Hosted by Exponential Multiethnic NEXT

Planting multiethnic churches isn’t a fad; it’s the future. It’s not simply the rapid shift in demographics, with no majority ethnicity in the U.S. by 2044. It’s that in order to demonstrate the gospel’s credibility to a culture increasingly torn apart by racial division, we need churches planted or co-planted by diverse leaders who are modeling genuine sharing of power, deep commitment to racial justice, and missional and evangelistic impact in their communities.

So we need to dramatically increase the number of church planters of color and to holistically support them, as well as train majority culture planters to become culturally competent and aware of their power. Towards that end, this pre-conference is led by church planting leaders of color.

During our time together, we’ll gather a community of practitioners who are able to:

recognize the urgency to plant multiethnic churches

form the inner life and missional competencies of multiethnic planters

integrate justice and evangelism in multiethnic church plants

build partnerships to provide funding and support in the journey

Speakers: Soong-Chan Rah, Chris Brooks, Corey Lee, Daniel Yang, Larry Acosta, Len Tang, Liz Rios, Lori Ruffin, Mozart Dixon, Dhati Lewis

Multiplication – 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: Bill Couchenour, Larry Walkemeyer, Jason Stewart, Kelly Stewart, Mac Lake, Will Chung, Drew Hyun

Next Generation Discipleship – Hosted by Great Commission Research Network

In this pre-conference session, you can expect engaging keynote sessions from speakers Daniel Yang and Billy McMahan, interactive workshops and breakout sessions by some current thought and research leaders of our time, networking opportunities with like-minded leaders, and practical strategies for effective discipleship in today’s world. Whether you’re a seasoned church leader or just beginning your journey in ministry, this preconference is designed to equip and inspire you to disciple the next generation with passion and purpose.

Speakers: Billy McMahan, Daniel Yang, Ed Stetzer, Tracee Swank, James Park, Jay Moon,
Eddie Moody

Principles & Practices of Church Economics – Hosted by Mosaix Global Network

As it has in the past and again in our time, the world is rapidly changing. For churches to get beyond mere financial survival, avoid stagnation or otherwise inevitable decline, pastors today must change with it… Like the people of Issachar, we should understand that 21st century churches will and must be funded differently than in the 20th century and adjust accordingly.

The fact is, tithes and offerings alone are no longer enough to provide for the needs of the local church, enable pastors to pursue opportunities, or sustain long-term ministry impact. For churches to not only survive but thrive in the future, leaders must learn to leverage assets, bless the community, empower entrepreneurial leaders, and create multiple streams of income to effectively fund mission. Indeed, our entire understanding of stewardship and sustainability must change.

A disruptive shift in church finance and funding is already taking shape; and the sooner you lean into it, the sooner your church will be able to navigate uncertain economic times, lead your church to overcome financial challenges, and more importantly, thrive in the years ahead.

In this track, you’ll learn the why, and how, and what of disruptive innovation from thought-leading practitioners who are today pioneering The Coming Revolution in Church Economics.

Speakers: Mark DeYmaz, Justin Knapp, Jose Nieves, Mont Mitchell, Marc Cortez

Simplifying Disciple-Making Environments – Hosted by Soma Churches

One of the reasons we are not seeing a movement of disciples who make disciples is because we have made complex what Jesus made simple. Far too many people falsely believe they are not capable of making disciples. Yet, Jesus was able to train uneducated, everyday men and women to become disciple-makers. During this pre-conference track we are going to consider how we might return to the simple way of Jesus that is reproducible, transferable and scalable.

– Simple Equipping Environments (Jeff Vanderstelt)
Description: Equipping disciples is much more than just giving people information. In this workshop we will consider how to design simple holistic equipping experiences that enable people to reproduce what they have been trained to do.

– Simple Disciple-Making Bible Study (Jeff Vanderstelt)
Description: Many people feel ill-equipped to lead a Bible study and many people don’t experience transformation in these studies. In this workshop we will learn a simple form of Bible study that includes space to listen to God that anyone can lead.

– Simple Relational Evangelism (Chris Synesael)
Description: Many people are overwhelmed when they think about sharing Jesus with their coworkers and neighbors. In this workshop you will learn how to help everybody become proficient in sharing Jesus with others.

– Simple Transformational Groups (Aaron Goodrich)
Description: We are more than just thinking beings. We are also feelers with deep waters in our hearts. We need to relate to others in more intimate spaces where we can speak out what is going on inside. In this workshop we will consider how to form smaller transparent groups that help one another experience deep transformation.

– Simple Regional Team: (Paul Dean)
Description: The apostle Paul had a team of ordinary people that he did life and mission with. Though ordinary, they found themselves teaming up to see regional mission turn into supernatural movements. In this workshop we will consider how we can also build simple regional teams out of ordinary people in our context and watch God bring about supernatural movements.

Speakers: Jeff Vanderstelt, Chris Syneseal, Aaron Goodrich, Paul Dean

The Greater Fullness of Jesus Leads to Greater Fruitfulness for Jesus: Discover How to Enhance Your Ministry’s Impact by Exploring the Powerful APEST Framework – Hosted by 5Q

Discover how to enhance your ministry’s impact by exploring leadership, discipleship, and mission through the powerful APEST framework. We’’ll help you identify areas where your ministry can grow and unlock new opportunities by embracing the dynamic nature of the fivefold gifts. We’ll focus on practical strategies that lead to tangible results, all rooted in a deeper connection with Jesus. Join us to equip yourself and your team for greater fruitfulness and lasting transformation.

Speakers: Lindsey Harwood, Simon Harris, Ceri Harris, Norm Dyck

The Future of Church Networks – Hosted by Catapult

Catapult was invited by Exponential to lead this new Pre-Conference exclusively for leaders of denominations and church-planting networks.

In this Pre-Conference we will unearth some of the largest shared questions and tensions facing church networks and denominations: What does financial sustainability look like? What do relational rhythms of gathering pastors of these churches look like? How can they be theologically aligned and missionally engaged? What do churches need from networks and how do we provide ongoing value? How do we avoid the mission of the network/denomination becoming the sustainability of the network/denomination itself? How does R&D happen that has an eye towards the present and the future?

Christendom in the 19th and 20th Century was largely defined by the rise, spread and solidification of denominations in the western church. Largely in response to some of the drawbacks of denominational life, the 21st century has seen the rapid growth of church networks. But 20 years into this phenomenon, many networks are now facing very similar questions to long-standing denominations.

In this Pre-Conference, we will:
– Share content created specifically for network leaders
– Share a new “master tool we’ve developed” to bring clarity to the tensions networks and denominations are feeling
– Interviews with special guest panelists
– Facilitate a conversation around these questions and more

Speakers: Doug Paul, Todd Milby, Andy Graham, Chris Curtis

Unleashing Kingdom Impact Through Collaborative Church-Planting Networks – Hosted by Newthing

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 keynote speakers, case studies, panel discussions, and have opportunities to connect with other passionate leaders

Speakers: Patrick OConnell, Dave Ferguson, Jon Ferguson, Will Plitt, Guilherme Franco, Moses Mukisa

Unlocking the Power of Movemental Christianity – Hosted by Movement Leaders Collective

It’s time to remember our forgotten ways and reimagine the church as the dynamic Jesus-Movement, as it was always meant to be.
Amid rapid cultural shifts, the North American church faces a crisis of relevance, influenced by consumerist and attractional models that dilute discipleship and stifle innovation. As our voice wanes, we risk obscurity, mirroring the declining European model. Yet, this challenge holds an opportunity for transformation. By drawing inspiration from the first-century church and embracing modern challenges, we can cultivate a collaborative, authentic, and innovative community.

Movements have always been the driving force behind transformative change, catalyzing shifts in social, spiritual, and systemic realms. In this pre/conference, we’ll explore how to overcome present and future challenges, pioneer new models, and unlock the power of high-impact multiplication movements. Join us to rediscover the essence of church as a movement, embracing creativity and connectivity to bring hope and change to our world.

This Pre-Conference blends personal reflection, input and teaching, group discussions, and practical exercises. Participants will gain tools and insights to foster generational growth, unlock movement potential, insight into system design, and develop long-term plans, and scale healthily. Join us to move beyond one-hit wonders to sustainable, multi-generational impact for the Kingdom of God.

Speakers: Alan Hirsch, Rich Robinson, Emma Cotterill, Brenna Varner, Brian Johnson