WHAT IS NXTGEN: THINKTANK
NXTGEN: ThinkTank is an exclusive pre-conference designed for youth and young adult movement leaders (ages 18-30) this fall. Our goal is to empower the next generation of leaders by organizing some time that is centered around them. We value your insights, perspectives, and the brilliance you bring to the conversation. Attendance for emerging leaders is limited, ensuring a focused and engaging experience. Expert facilitators from various ministry fields will guide thought-provoking discussions. We are thrilled to have you represent the next generation this fall and eagerly anticipate our collective collaboration. Let us join forces in advancing the church!
Sign up and join in. You will not want to miss this experience. Tickets are very limited.
OCTOBER 23, 2023
9:00am – 11:30am
3CROSSES CHURCH
20600 JOHN DRIVE
CASTRO VALLEY, CA 94546
SCHEDULE
- 9:00am – Welcome and opening prayer
- 9:05am – Introductions
- 9:40am – Panel Discussion: Building a Church that’s on Mission for the Next Generation
- 10:10am – ThinkTank Co-Lab: Building a Church that’s missional
- 11:15am – Closing remarks and prayer
DETAILED SCHEDULE
DAY ONE – Monday, March 6, 2023
- 12:30 PM SESSION #1
12:30 pm Opening Video
12:35 Spoken Word – Cory Ard - 12:40 PM WORSHIP
- 12:55 PM SPEAKER #1 –Â Luke Lezon
- 1:15 PM SPEAKER #2 – Faith Cho
- 1:35 PM Transition – Camilo Buchanan
- 1:45 PM BREAK
COFFEE - 2:05 PM SESSION #2
Video - 2:10 PM WORSHIP
CHICHI Spoken word during worship - 2:25 PM SPEAKER #3 –Â Grant Skeldon
- 2:45 PM Panel: Why to invest in the Church…instead of leaving it
Charlie, Gloriah, Jonathan R, Elijah E, Luke L - 3:40 PM BREAK
COFFEE - 4:15 PM SPEAKER #4 – Hannah Gronowski Barnett
- 4:35 PM Cam Buchanan
Vision Cast for time of Reflection, Worship & Ministry - 4:40 PM WORSHIP
- 5:00 PM Break for Dinner
DAY TWO – Tuesday, March 7, 2023
- 8:00 AMÂ SESSION #3
COFFEE - 8:30 AM WORSHIP
- 8:40 AM Welcome Day 2 – Aaron Barnett
- 8:45 AM Speaker #5 – Dave Ferguson
- 8:55 AM Transition Moment – Camilo Buchanan
- 9:00 AM Speaker #6 – Will Chung
- 9:20 AM BREAK
COFFEE
BRUNCH Conversations - 10:20 AM SESSION #4
Welcome Back – Aaron Barnett - 10:25 AM Speaker #7 – Christopher Dowd
- 10:45 AM WORSHIP
- 11:00 AM Â Vision Cast – Aaron Barnett
Belong Network - 11:30 AM DISMISS
- TARGET ATTENDEES:Â Young ministry leaders, worship leaders, future church planters, interns, residents, creatives and young professionals 18-30 years of ageÂ
- $49 Ticket Price *includes access to Exponential’s 2023 Global Conference ($249 value)*
What's Included With Your $29 Ticket
hear from today's top young leaders
AARON BARNETT
AARON BARNETT
As the NextGen Catalyst, Aaron leads the vision and development of Exponential’s NextGen initiatives. He is the Director of NXTGEN2Day and the galvanizer of Leadership Network’s GenerationNext. His desire is to reimagine what the local church could be and can do in his lifetime.
HANNAH BARNETT
HANNAH GRONOWSKI BARNETT
Hannah is the founder and CEO of Generation Distinct, speaker, preacher, and author, has always been wired to abolish cultural complacency, unleash lasting justice, and join the wild adventure Jesus invites us all to live. She is also a profile speaker for The Women’s Speaker Collective and a regular writing contributor for The Global Leadership Summit. Host of The Generation Distinct Podcast and The Hannah Gronowski Leadership YouTube Channel, she has also been recognized by her community with a Leader of Youth Award for her work mentoring teens and serving refugee children through World Relief. Hannah’s latest book, Generation Distinct: Discover the Wrong You Were Born to Make Right, released on September 15, 2020.
will chung
WILL CHUNG
Will Chung and his wife Andrea are the founding and lead pastors of Beloved Church in Buena Park, CA. They also have three beautiful children, Karis, Kairos and Zoey. The deepest desire of Will’s heart is to live in ever increasing union with God and to help others to do the same through wholistic discipleship. For more information about Will and Andrea you can visit: www.thebelovedchurch.com
LUKE LEZON
LUKE LEZON
Luke and Lindsey live in Orlando with their son, Judah, and their beloved bulldog, Knox. Upon graduating from Texas A&M, Luke has been a part of launching and leading a church plant, discipleship, and young adult ministries. Luke is an author, preacher, and pastor, with a love for all things coffee and sports.
GRANT SKELDON
GRANT SKELDON
Grant has a passion for finding and uniting diverse, dynamic young leaders to reach this generation. He serves as the Next Gen Director for Q Ideas with Gabe and Rebekah Lyons. Q educates and equips Christians to engage our cultural moment.
He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Relevant, The Gospel Coalition, and is the youngest leader to be featured on the cover of Outreach Magazine. His book, The Passion Generation has helped thousands of pastors and leaders to reach, raise, and retain the next generation.
Grant and his wife Cheyanne reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where he serves on the preaching team at Way Church.
faith cho
FAITH CHO
Faith Eury Cho has been a preacher since she was 19-years-old and has a burning passion to know the Presence of God, articulate the gospel, and champion the marginalized. She holds a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Global Studies from Liberty University’s Rawling School of Divinity and has been pastoring within the church for 18 years. Alongside her husband David, Faith planted and co-pastors Mosaic Covenant Church of NJ. In addition, she is the founder and CEO of The Honor Summit, a nonprofit organization that centers Asian American women’s voices in the mission of God. She is also an itinerant speaker and writer. However, her most precious role is being a mother to her 4 children— Moriah, Elias, River, and Adalynn.
CORY ARD
CORY ARD
Cory Ard is an artist, connector, and communicator who brings the transformative power of Jesus everywhere he goes. His story is one of true redemption. Cory was 5 months old when his father went to prison for attempted murder. Being raised through many hardships and abuse, he found himself running the streets and leading the fastest growing gang in Colorado Springs. At the age of 16, God radically saved him and transformed his life, and he has served the Lord ever since. Cory would call himself Urban Missionary, ministering in juvenile detention centers, to gang members, at risk youth wherever he can. He’s also a gifted Hip-Hop and spoken word artist, and worship leader at his home church Zeal. He has worked in full time ministry for the last decade of his life. God has given Cory a passion to minister from the power of his own testimony and to bring hope to the hopeless — He is living proof of the power of Christ. Cory currently resides in Colorado Springs with his wife, Ryann “Darling” Ard.
CHICHI ONYEKANNE
CHICHI ONYEKANNE
Chichi is a worship leader out of Fort Worth Texas that desires to usher in the presence of God every time he worships. God is Spirit and those that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. When the presence of the Lord shows up, freedom is there also. With his passionate and presence driven worship, he makes it easy for all to engage and enter in.
COMING SOON
GRANT SKELDON
Grant has a passion for finding and uniting diverse, dynamic young leaders to reach this generation. He serves as the Next Gen Director for Q Ideas with Gabe and Rebekah Lyons. Q educates and equips Christians to engage our cultural moment.
He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Relevant, The Gospel Coalition, and is the youngest leader to be featured on the cover of Outreach Magazine. His book, The Passion Generation has helped thousands of pastors and leaders to reach, raise, and retain the next generation.
Grant and his wife Cheyanne reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where he serves on the preaching team at Way Church.
DR CHRIS DOWD
DR CHRIS DOWD
Dr. Chris Dowd directs the Center for Church Advancement for Liberty University. This allows him to lead their church planting initiatives and teach both residentially and online. He is also currently a leading elder at Bedrock Community Church in Bedford, VA where he leads the teaching team and their network of church plants. He loves being married to Jessie and being father to Andrew and Jonathan. His research and writing interests include Church Planting, Church Ministry, and Theology, which fuels his passion for the local church. Since 1994, he has served in local church ministry as a communicator, a course charter, and a coach.
QUAY WORSHIP
QUAY WORSHIP
Quay Worship is a ministry of Lifebridge Church and is based in Orlando, Florida. A quay – pronounced /kē/, like a tool used to unlock new places and passageways – is defined as a concrete, stone, or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water, where a ship can unload what’s no longer necessary and be loaded with what is necessary for its mission.
Quay Worship is a collective that exists to exalt Jesus and unlock new expressions of worship for the global Church. It’s our hope that those who listen are able to unload their burdens, be filled with the peace and presence of Jesus, and be encouraged to pursue their mission with purpose.
COMING SOON
GRANT SKELDON
Grant has a passion for finding and uniting diverse, dynamic young leaders to reach this generation. He serves as the Next Gen Director for Q Ideas with Gabe and Rebekah Lyons. Q educates and equips Christians to engage our cultural moment.
He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Relevant, The Gospel Coalition, and is the youngest leader to be featured on the cover of Outreach Magazine. His book, The Passion Generation has helped thousands of pastors and leaders to reach, raise, and retain the next generation.
Grant and his wife Cheyanne reside in Nashville, Tennessee, where he serves on the preaching team at Way Church.
A Great Value for Young Leaders
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