2024 Workshops

Pre-registration is not needed. Get to the room as soon as possible—some rooms fill quickly.

The XP-Seminar was a significant milestone for us. We decided to initiate my succession over the next seven years. I would never have started this process had I not attended the conference.

The outstanding workshops made me realize that the best way I can ensure the legacy of the church I planted is to skillfully and intentionally pass the baton to those who will lead in the next generation.

—A Senior Pastor

4 Unexpected Trust-Building Behaviors of Extraordinary Teams

In today’s volatile workplace, how do you attract and retain a great team? While creating a great team culture often feels elusive and frustrating, Culture Consultant Jenni Catron has found that a lack of trust is often at the heart of culture erosion. The good news is that there are some simple things we can do as leaders to begin rebuilding that trust or reinforcing it before it erodes. In this talk, Jenni addresses those behaviors and gives you suggestions to foster trust that builds healthy teams.

Jenni Catron is a leadership coach, author and speaker. Her passion is to cultivate healthy leaders to lead thriving organizations. She speaks at conferences and events nationwide, seeking to help leaders develop the clarity and confidence to lead well. As Founder and CEO of The 4Sight Group, she consults organizations on leadership, team culture and organizational health. With over 20 years experience in corporate and non-profit organizations, Jenni has a passion for helping leaders “put feet to their vision”.

Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. She loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis and hiking with her husband. Jenni can be found on social media at @jennicatron and at get4sight.com.

Jenni Catron, Founder and CEO, The 4Sight Group

5 Building Barriers that Kill Church Growth

Have you ever wondered why people may or may not be attending your church? It could easily be that your building is full of barriers killing the ability of your church to maximize growth. In this breakout, you will learn how to break through those barriers and discover creative ways to build bridges for more people to find community.

With over 20 years of experience serving rural to mega-churches, Nathan understands the struggles facing churches today. He has an extensive background in creative arts as well as executive pastoral leadership. As the Director of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios, Nathan serves churches across the country, helping them bridge the gap between ministry and building design.

Nathan Elder, Director of Strategic Design, Visioneering Studios

Basics of Church Financing (in a Higher Rate Environment)

Navigating church financing can be a challenge. This is especially true when construction costs and interest rates are high. Come discover how lenders are assessing these factors as part of the underwriting process.

Chris Lewis is a Senior Relationship Manager at Thrivent Church Financing. Born in Brazil, where his parents served as missionaries, Chris learned 3 languages: Spanish, Portuguese and English. In 2006, after assisting the church he was attending with a capital campaign, Chris discovered that there was a need for lenders to work with growing ministries. Over the years, Chris has worked with growing ministries by providing sustainable financing solutions for construction, acquisition and refinancing.

Chris Lewis, Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent Church Financing

David Lee is a Senior Relationship Manager at Thrivent Church Financing. David has over 30 years of banking experience in serving non-profit ministries (churches, Christian schools and parachurch ministries) with a focus on financing and treasury services. He’s served 25 years on pastoral staff at churches as well as on boards of non-profit organizations, seeing the unique challenges and needs of balancing ministry and business. Prior to joining Thrivent, he served 5 years as Director with Bank of the West in their Religious Institution Lending Division and 25 years with Evangelical Christian Credit Union in their Ministry Lending Division.

David Lee, Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent Church Financing

Be the Unicorn: 12 Data Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest

William will talk with you about aspects of Be the Unicorn. It is a fascinating book and Fletch has reviewed it on Amazon:

William Vanderbloemen’s latest book, Be the Unicorn: Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest, is a goldmine of information. He gets right at what the best leaders do and how they think. With a plethora of examples from business, non-profits and church life, he illustrates twelve traits and habits.

What turns my crank is that his observations are based on 30,000 interviews with leaders. This gives the book a razor-sharp edge on seeing things that effective leaders do well. William’s quotes and short case studies illustrate his twelve points with great clarity. Here is how I applied two of the habits and traits. Read the book to get the other ten.

The Authentic—17% of the Unicorns identified most with being Authentic. That is about double from any of the other categories. It is also a blow to me. That means that 17% of the people are strong in Authenticity, while I have to work all the time just to get an average grade. This fact underscores one of William’s tenets, that you won’t be strong at everything but good habits can help you become stronger. “The Unicorns hold a skill set that can be learned. What we’ve discovered in our research is that people have skills that can be developed by anyone” (p. xviii).

There is hope for me to continue to grow in this area! In working on this area, my wife and I began to change one small thing. A server in a restaurant, for example, might ask, “How are you?” We would each reply but then ask, “And how are you?” I asked this of an older Hispanic woman who was an assistant to the waiter. She stopped pouring the water. She looked around the room and replied, “Of all the people here, you are the only one to ask me that!” That made working on this trait all the sweeter.

The Solver—1% of the Unicorns identified most with being a Solver. That is my sweet spot and I enjoyed how William talked about my strengths! We all like it when someone speaks into what we do well. However, I also had to realize that there are not many Solvers out there. So my approach needs to be gentle, not going straight to solutions, but helping people get there at their own speed. “The ability to keep your head in a panicked, rushed situation will set you apart from the crowd” (p. 56) and “Solving problems in a group can be threatening, exhausting, and frustrating, but … lead to innovation that wouldn’t otherwise have happened” (p. 59).

Be the Unicorn is a helpful and practical book for all leaders. William provides action-oriented steps along the way to grow in areas of strength and lassitude. This book is a blockbuster for all who want to be the best that they can be.

William Vanderbloemen was a pastor for 15 years and is now CEO & Founder of Vanderbloemen, an executive search firm. William started Vanderbloemen because he understands that when your team isn’t whole it disrupts your mission. He has combined his ministry experience as a Senior Pastor with the best practices of executive search to provide churches with a unique offering: a deep understanding of local church work with the very best knowledge and practices of professional executive search to complete your team. Vanderbloemen has staffed over 2,500 missions of faith.

William is the author of Next: Pastoral Succession That Works, Search: The Pastoral Search Committee Handbook, and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace. He is also a regular contributor to several major publications including Forbes where he covers topics about having a strong faith and building a business, Fortune, and Outreach Magazine. He has also been published through Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Inc.

William Vanderbloemen, CEO & Founder, Vanderbloemen

Brace Yourself: How to Address the Shifting Church Giving Demographics for 2024

Brad always brings the latest and visionary thoughts about your financial future. Giving demographics are always changing and you need to stay on top of them. The pivotal question that you want to ask yourself is, “What should we do now to ensure healthy church finances for 2024?” As the title says, brace yourself for what you will hear in the workshop, changing church giving demographics and the emerging economy.

Brad Leeper is the Executive Vice-President of Generis Partners. His unique approach allows him to serve larger and growing churches with significant funding requirements. Brad has a strong understanding of the multisite church strategy and other pioneering church movements. He is drawn to larger, innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand in the area of generosity practically and spiritually.

Brad Leeper, Executive Vice-President, Generis Partners

Building the Foundation: Structuring a Production Department

We will explore the essential elements of establishing a robust production department within the context of a local church. The production department is pivotal in enhancing worship experiences, congregational engagement, and outreach efforts. We’ll delve into the core principles of structuring this department, including team roles, equipment, and workflow. We’ll also discuss the significance of a flexible and adaptable structure catering to the diverse needs of your production team. Join us as we uncover the key strategies for leading your team well.

JB Bowling is Vice President at Clark. He leads the Design & Business Development teams at Clark. JB has a background in church production and leadership. George and Houston Clark first met JB over 25 years ago, while working at his home church. JB went on to work for a few large churches, including Shadow Mountain Community Church, where he was the Production Director, overseeing the in-house production needs for Turning Point’s television broadcast. He was most recently the Global Arts Director at LibertyLive.Church, where he led the worship, production, and creative teams across three campuses. JB also has an established career in freelance audio.

JB Bowling, Vice President, Clark

ChurchLaw&Tax Roundtable Forum
Invitation only

Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax again joins the XP-Seminar for a series of invitation-only roundtable forums with executive pastors and business administrators. The forums spur great conversations regarding legal, tax, financial, and risk management issues confronting churches in 2023, and help identify topic ideas and trends for ChurchLaw&Tax to cover in the future. The forums also offer networking and fellowship among the participants, including helpful tips and ideas for solving ministry-related problems.

Attorney Matthew Branaugh is editor of Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax.com, an award-winning website devoted to helping pastors and church leaders with their legal, tax, financial, and risk management needs.

Matthew Branaugh, attorney and editor of Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax

Church Finance 101

In this session, we will discuss the essentials for overseeing and managing the finances of a healthy church. Our discussion will include measurements for church financial health, sound budgeting practices, managing debt, and strategies for improving your church’s financial health. Attendees will receive copies of Mike Batts’s Amazon best-selling books, Church Finance and Nonprofit Financial Oversight.

Danny Johnson is a partner and the assistant national director of quality assurance for BMWL. Danny manages and personally oversees multiple audits, including our largest and most complex client engagements. Danny is a contributing author of BMWL’s Nonprofit Feature Articles and Special Alerts, which provide news related to current developments and perspective on issues impacting nonprofits and their leaders. He has been a conference speaker on nonprofit accounting and auditing issues at both the local and national levels.

Danny Johnson, Partner and Assistant National Director of Quality Assurance, Batts, Morrison, Wales & Lee

Steve Cardwell is a senior manager for BMWL. As a senior manager, Steve serves as a supervisor or in‐charge auditor on numerous engagements. Steve is a contributing author of BMWL’s Nonprofit Feature Articles and Special Alerts, which provide news related to current developments and perspective on issues impacting nonprofits and their leaders. He has been a conference speaker on nonprofit accounting and auditing issues at both the local and national levels.

Steve Cardwell, Senior Manager, Batts, Morrison, Wales & Lee

Church Tax & Regulatory Update—Big Things that Need to be on Your Radar

Get the latest federal and state tax and regulatory updates for churches, including key changes, implications, and matters that could impact your ministry. In this session, Mike Batts will provide important updates in his well-known briefing format.

Mike Batts is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) and has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations—both nationally and locally. Mike is a member and former chairman of the board of ECFA, an organization that accredits Christian organizations in the areas of board governance and financial integrity. Mike regularly advises nonprofit organizations on matters related to board governance, financial oversight, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and other related topics. He has also actively engaged in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. Mike has authored several books, his most recent being Nonprofit Finance: The Field Guide for Financial Operations of Ministries, Schools, and Other Public Charities (Accountability Press, 2023). Mike is licensed or authorized to practice as a CPA in multiple states across the U.S.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

Creating a Successful Project: 7 Common Mistakes Churches Make When Planning Facilities

This session will provide key tips involved with planning church facilities and discussions on avoiding 7 common mistakes made when planning. We will explore the importance of understanding the design process/role of decision makers, creating a vision to promote the project, trends in buildings, significance of various unique spaces, and other building design items to consider.

Bruce Woody is President & CEO for HH Architects and a frequent speaker on both large and small-scale church/faith-based campus planning projects. Since joining the firm in 1990, he has served as Design Lead or Principal-in-Charge on the vast majority of the firm’s large-scale projects, many of which are award winning. Bruce is best known for his creative problem-solving skills and the passion he has for design, which is evident in each long-standing partnership he has developed through his 33 years with the firm. He currently serves on the boards of Sunny Glen Children’s Home and the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design Dean’s Advisory Council. He is an active member of Texas Society of Architects, American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Bruce Woody, President & CEO, HH Architects

Delegate to Elevate: How Learning to Let Go Can Expand Your Impact and Help You Avoid Burnout

As Executive Pastors, it’s easy to become the “catch-all” of every miscellaneous project, last-minute crisis, or new initiative in your church. It’s tempting to feel like you have to be your team’s own personal superhero—handling everything on your own. But that’s no way to work, or live, and it’s a recipe for burnout.

As a leader, unlocking the power of effective delegation, it will not only transform your life, but it will transform your organization. Because sometimes the secret to getting more done is actually all about doing less.

Before becoming the Director of Marketing at BELAY, a modern staffing company, Ryan Fitzgerald worked for North Point Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, for nearly 15 years. After six years advising and developing pastors around the world, he helped launch Decatur City Church, North Point’s sixth Atlanta-area location. While there, Ryan built the creative, communications, and operations teams and served as the lead pastor’s chief advisor and strategist. His experience at North Point has positioned him perfectly to help churches find the modern staffing solutions that help them go further faster with BELAY.

Ryan Fitzgerald, Director of Marketing, BELAY

As a Solutions Consultant at BELAY, Shelby Carr brings her background as an educator and nonprofit advocate to the table. She specializes in helping church leaders optimize their time through BELAY’s virtual staffing services. Married for six years to her husband Dave Carr, a pastor at 12Stone Church, Shelby is actively involved in student ministry alongside him. Shelby has a passion for others and loves to assist leaders as they climb higher toward their personal and professional goals.

Shelby Carr, Solutions Consultant, BELAY

A Field Guide for Commercial Development for Your Site

For years you’ve imagined that irresistible coffee hot-spot on the corner of your property that lures the community to your campus and increases the bottom line. But you’re not sure how to pull that off without losing your focus, your non-profit status, or your mind. In this workshop, Dave Milam, Vice President of Strategic Design of Visioneering Studios, will walk you through the nuts and bolts of commercially developing your site while protecting your mission.

Dave Milam is the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios. He stands firmly at the intersection of ministry, design, and visual storytelling. Dave served in the church for over 20 years. Dave has a heart for guiding pastors through unique challenges of ministry to awaken the beauty that God has placed within them and their facilities. His writing has been featured in LifeWay, Outreach Magazine, Influence, Christian Standard and other national periodicals.

Dave Milam, Vice President of Strategic Design, Visioneering Studios

Financial Fraud—A Banking Perspective

Cybercrime is more sophisticated than ever. Consider email compromise and takeover; check fraud of all types; credit card compromise. All have seen a dramatic increase in recent years. Now, the bad guys are even utilizing Artificial Intelligence to gain unprecedented access to your information. What can be done from a banking perspective to protect your organization from these threats? Join us for this workshop to learn more about financial fraud and how to protect yourself.

Steve Hron is a Vice President in the Faith and Ministry Financial Services division of Cass Commercial Bank. He has been serving churches, schools, and other nonprofits on a national basis for over 30 years. Cass Commercial Bank is headquartered in St. Louis. Steve offices out of the bank’s Colorado Springs location.

Steve Hron, Vice President in the Faith and Ministry Financial Services, Cass Commercial Bank

Vanessa has been with Cass Bank for 25 years and has extensive experience behind the scenes in bank operations. Her perspective will be enlightening with examples and best practice suggestions. Vanessa passionately serves the Church and Ministry community, providing counsel every day to those serving in a financial ministry capacity.

Vanessa McKinnis, Manager, Treasury Sales & Services, A.V.P., Cass Bank

Hiring and Firing

In this workshop we’ll discuss:

  • The values that help create an award winning staff team.
  • The keys to a successful hiring process.
  • How to ensure protection of your culture with your next hire.
  • How to best execute the critical reference calls.
  • The process of evaluation and coaching.
  • How to coach someone off of your team.
  • The keys to knowing the different types of firing.

A coach and developer at heart, Eric felt the call into ministry when he was in college and had the desire to use his gifts and abilities in God’s church. Having worked in ministry for over 35 years, Eric has been blessed with working as a youth pastor, adult ministries pastor, small groups pastor, associate pastor, worship pastor, men’s pastor, and sports pastor throughout those years—which has led him to his now-role of Executive Pastor at Rolling Hills Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. Named #24 in Outreach 100’s fastest growing churches for 2023, the role is challenging, yet very rewarding as more and more people come to know Jesus and are changed by Him. In addition to working in the local church, Eric loves serving the church at large through speaking, consulting and writing. His bi-weekly blog, Essential Godly Leadership, encourages and coaches all Christ-following leaders.

When he’s not working, you can likely find Eric spending time doing two things: being with his family or watching baseball! Originally from the Chicago area, he’s a dedicated (crazed you might say) Chicago Cubs baseball fan – and he was overjoyed when they won the World Series in 2016! He has been married to his wife, Rachel, for over 30 years and is a father to Luke (& his wife, Megan), Adam (& his wife, Sierra), and Chloe (& her husband Jacob). Rachel and Eric are also Mimi and Pops to 4 grandchildren. More can be found at erictoddrojas.com and essentialGodlyleadership.com.

Eric Rojas, Executive Pastor, Rolling Hills Community Church

How to Create a Strategy-Driven Budget

Effective budgeting is an ongoing process. Churches face a changing economic environment as well as shifting challenges, opportunities, and priorities. That means making sure your budget is aligned with your church’s strategic plan. We’ll examine how budget management is evolving. We’ll also discuss ways to assess and respond to current and coming realities and use practical strategies to set priorities and prepare for what’s ahead.

Rob Faulk serves as Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse LLP, a national CPA and consulting firm exclusively serving churches and other nonprofit entities. Rob has more than 40 years of financial leadership experience in serving both for-profit and nonprofit entities, as well as more than eight years of direct ministry experience as Executive Pastor and CFO of large churches. He serves some of the largest churches in the United States as well as colleges, universities and seminaries, rescue missions, and other nonprofits. Rob holds an MA in Ministry Management from Azusa Pacific University Graduate School of Theology and is a frequent conference speaker and author of articles on nonprofit financial matters.

Rob Faulk, Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director, CapinCrouse

How to Keep Staff in a Culture of Quitting

Do you ever feel like your team is one resignation away from disaster? Statistically, nearly 50% of pastoral leaders have considered quitting in the past year. We are facing a season where your top leaders could be looking outside of your church to fulfill their calling, and our greatest asset is our enduring team. How do you proactively spend more time quit-proofing your staff and less energy on open positions?

For over 20 years, Matt has served in local churches in roles ranging from Worship/Creative Arts Pastor, Executive Pastor, and Lead Pastor. After working in the marketplace, Matt began vocational ministry in church leadership with a natural passion for focusing every effort of the church on the Great Commission with intentional leadership, careful shepherding, and effective strategic planning. Most recently, Matt served as the Executive Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. Before his role as XP, he launched and was the Lead Pastor for Willow Creek’s South Lake Campus and the Executive Pastor for Willow Creek’s North Shore campus. In addition, he has coached many churches and nonprofits across multiple denominations, both in the US and abroad. These combine to give Matt a broad experience base that he loves to utilize to help individuals and churches find their sweet spot between the way God created them and the work He is calling them to do (Eph. 2:10). He relishes every opportunity to help build remarkable teams that move churches forward. Matt brings all this passion, excitement, and experience to his role as Vice President of Slingshot’s Senior Leadership division. This world-class team serves churches across the country in all areas of senior leadership, including Lead Pastors, Executives, Campus Pastors, Teaching Pastors, Discipleship Pastors, and more.

Matt Wright, VP Senior Leadership, Slingshot Group

How To Start a Coaching Ministry in Your Church

During this workshop you will learn how the practice of coaching can add additional resources to your church’s discipleship ministry. Topics include the following: detailed explanation of coaching; the steps to launching a coaching ministry; and the recommended resources to support the ministry. Also, you will be introduced to Real Coaching Success which is an organization dedicated to encouraging and equipping coaches. Led by Dr. Nathan Baxter, Founder of LeadSelfLeadOthers and RealCoachingSuccess.

All participants will receive a free copy of Real Coaching Success by Nathan and Dianne Baxter.

Dr. Baxter has been coaching leaders for over 30 years—as a youth pastor, Executive Pastor, Senior Pastor, and, for the past twelve years as a coach and founder of Lead Self Lead Others and Real Coaching Success. Nathan and his wife Dianne have successfully coached over 3,500 leaders, issued over two thousand Birkman® assessments and 360 performance evaluations, and designed and conducted hundreds of individual, church, and corporate surveys.  www.RealCoachingSuccess.com Nathan earned a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Dallas Theological Seminary. He served for 28 years as a Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

Dr. Nathan Baxter, Founder of LeadSelfLeadOthers.com and RealCoachingSuccess.com

How to Successfully Build a Communications Team Using Outside Help

When your communications team is in disarray or you do not have a clear and structured communications strategy, everybody feels that pain. In this workshop, we will unpack a helpful approach to building a communications team that is aligned with your church goals without being overwhelmed or frustrated. We will share real examples of what other churches, large and small, have done to shore up their communications team to thrive, stay healthy, and be successful. You will walk away with a strategy you can implement.

Jason is the CEO of Missional Marketing. Jason guides the vision for how Missional Marketing can best serve their church partners as they strive to help churches digitally capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. He leads their coaching team and has met with and consulted hundreds of churches all over the country. He was a Communications Director for 11 years at Central Christian Church of Arizona. He speaks at conferences throughout the year and hosts the Missional Marketing podcast, which just passed 100 episodes and has thousands of downloads. He joined Missional Marketing in 2015 and was named CEO in July 2017.

Jason Hamrock, CEO, Missional Marketing

How Would Givers Rate Your Church on Trust–and How Could ECFA Help Increase It?

“In the twenty-first century, trust has become the world’s most precious resource,” one business writer observes. If so, how would your church rate on various trust standards, especially with its givers? What are the trends on trust building (and trust diminishing) that you need to be aware of, especially with younger generations? The mission of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) is “enhancing trust,” and Warren Bird, their Senior Vice President of Research and Equipping, will help you identify specific ways to assess how well you’re doing, and where you might improve.

Warren Bird is the SVP of Research and Equipping at the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Warren is an award-winning writer and researcher. His background includes pastoring and seminary teaching, and a 13-year run as research director at Leadership Network. Warren has authored or co-authored more than 30 books including Hero Maker with Dave Ferguson, How to Break Growth Barriers with Carl George and Unleashing the Word with Max McLean.

Warren Bird, SVP of Research and Equipping, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

Leveraging Google and AI to Facilitate Better Communications and Church Growth

Your church is on a mission to make and grow disciples. In this workshop, we will provide a practical flywheel strategy for how you can leverage Google and the power of AI to reach more people in your community resulting in more disciples and a growing church.

Bart is the Lead Coach with Missional Marketing.

Bart Blair, Lead Coach, Missional Marketing

Measuring Church Engagement: Metrics that Matter

The church is evolving, and so is the way we measure engagement. Understand what metrics truly matter in assessing the vitality of your church and learn about practical ways to enhance your church’s health. Explore how the metrics you measure—such as attendance, giving, serving, app activity, and more— can not only help determine the health of your church, but can surface outreach opportunities and foster meaningful connections with your congregation.

Over the past 15 years Cary Yocum has been helping organizations build a complete and scalable customer journey to support growth. After 5 years as a Youth Pastor and 25 years as a worship pastor, Cary knows exactly what you’re going through. And as Pushpay’s VP of Sales, he knows how to guide growth for ministries at any stage.

Cary Yocum, VP of Sales, Pushpay

Merging Visions: Legal Strategies for Church Growth

Church growth can take a lot of different forms, but one form we are seeing more and more of is growth through Church Mergers. As Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird said in their book, Better Together, “mergers are another example of God doing a ‘new thing’ (Isa. 43:19), helping existing congregations to reach new levels of unity, maturity, and fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13).” Join us as we discuss strategies for Church mergers, questions to consider in evaluating a potential merger, and common roadblocks to successful mergers
.

Ally Haefner is an associate attorney at Middlebrook | Group, PLLC.  Before joining our firm, Ally’s main practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, including negotiating, drafting, and reviewing transaction contracts. In addition, Ally assisted clients with forming new businesses, advised employment-related matters, and drafted contracts for employment, statements of work, and service agreements. Ally also assisted clients with civil litigation matters, including drafting court pleadings and drafting and responding to discovery.

Before becoming an attorney, Ally worked in student ministries for a church in Arkansas overseeing adult volunteers, coordinating small groups, and planning retreat weekends. With this experience layered under her legal experience, Ally brings a unique understanding to assist our clients’ needs and challenges.

Ally Haefner, Senior Associate Attorney, The Church Lawyers

Wendi Hodges practices in a wide variety of areas, but focuses primarily on those of corporate, transactional, and nonprofit law. Wendi works with many organizations across the country and internationally, assisting with the incorporation process in multiple jurisdictions. She regularly assists clients in various commercial real estate matters, such as drafting conveyance deeds, loan documents, and negotiating commercial lease agreements. Wendi also has experience in employment law, drafting employee handbooks, at-will employment, and separation agreements. She has counseled a wide variety of for-profit and nonprofit entities and tax-exempt organizations, including public charities, private schools, churches, and religious organizations.

Wendi Hodges, Senior Attorney, The Church Lawyers

Minimizing Aftershocks: Understanding the True Cost of Poor Pastoral Transitions

Letting go of anyone on staff is likely one of the hardest parts of any XP’s job. Most of us would rather sit through a four hour budget review with the elders than to navigate a bad staff transition. Add in difficult circumstances surrounding this transition and you have the recipe for devastation in your community. The good news is: it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, as the body of Christ, we should do this differently—better. This workshop will help you understand not just the financial costs associated with poor pastoral transitions, but the fallout that takes place on the spiritual, emotional, and communal fronts. You’ll leave with a tactical roadmap for doing transitions better and strategies for best possible outcomes.

Matt Davis is the President of Pastoral Transitions. He served as a Teaching and Executive Pastor for more than two decades in Orange County, California. After going through his own pastoral transition out of ministry, Matt learned the difficulty of this season. He helped start Pastoral Transitions, a ministry committed to helping ministry leaders navigate pastoral transitions with grace. He also launched a nonprofit called The Jewish Road with his dad, where they help Christians make sense of the roots of their faith and help the Jewish people make sense of Jesus. Matt is thankful for the opportunity to help others tell their story—something that has been so instrumental in his own life journey. He is grateful to be doing life with his wife of more than 20 years, Marilee, and their amazing three teenagers, Noah, Jed, and Karis. They now live in Lexington, Kentucky, where they are surrounded by horses, beauty, and a connected community.

Matt Davis, President, Pastoral Transitions

The Ministry Marathon: Enduring the Grind, Avoiding Burnout and Finishing Well

The number of pastors exiting the ministry is staggering. Jesus said that the harvest is ready but the laborers are few and since the pandemic, more pastors than ever are exiting the harvest field. Too many pastors and ministry leaders are weary, hurting, lonely, and on their way to burn out. Ministry is exhausting but is there anything we can do to help prepare ourselves to endure and finish well? In this breakout we will discuss enduring the ministry marathon and finishing our race well.

Will Klotz serves as a Senior Client Relations Manager on the Client Relations Team at Vanderbloemen. Prior to joining Vanderbloemen, Will served as a church planter and lead pastor in the Washington DC area. Will also worked in business development in the energy industry earlier in his career. On the side, Will and his family started and ran a local BBQ company called Pastor’s Pig BBQ. Will grew up in Northern Virginia and holds a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary. Will, his wife Chelsea, and their 4 kids Caleb, Emilee, Anna, and Ava, live in the Houston area. They enjoy working out and exploring nature together. Will is especially passionate about helping churches and nonprofits build their teams and more effectively carry out their mission.

Will Klotz, Senior Client Relations Manager, Vanderbloemen

The Paces, the Faces, and the Places: Launching New Expressions of Your Church

Starting with the bottom line: The numbers of the unchurched living next to your church members are relentless and staggering! The Kingdom depends on your church to multiply! As a decision-maker, your church depends on you to be able to make well-informed decisions on strategy.

Putting your church through the paces—is it healthy enough to stand the rigors of launching new expressions of itself in new communities?

Because of your specific Kingdom-minded culture, DNA, and branding, what model might be best for you to launch with?

Do you know the places where each new expression in each new community would give you the best shot at success?

In this session you will go away confident about:

  • 5 Marks that your church is ready to launch new expressions of itself into new communities
  • 5 Models that your church might embrace to launch new campuses (multisite or plants)
  • 5 Places you can launch in any community leveraging now and next!

Jeffrey Beachum, in his role with Portable Church Industries as the Multiplication Specialist, comes alongside church leaders who are engaged in launching new expressions of their church (plants and multisites) in new communities and neighborhoods. His primary purpose is to help decision makers in the church determine strategies for choosing new communities, appropriate property and facilities, preparing a timeline for launching, and developing a balanced affordable portfolio of real estate. Jeff has been married to Aleta for 37+ years and enjoys hanging out with their 3 adult children, their spouses, and their grand-twins … and  of course Parker, their English Cream Golden Retriever!

Jeffrey Beachum, Church Multiplication Specialist, Portable Church® Industries

Planned Giving–The Missing Piece of Church Funding

As church leaders and pastors, we’ve all dealt with budget battles, fiscal fallouts, and donor downtrends. Too often we are forced to lean on weekly tithes, special offerings, and capital campaigns to meet the goals and vision of our church leadership. According to leading financial publications, approximately $84 trillion will transfer from Baby Boomers to Gen X and Millennials over the next 12 years. Planned giving offers the church an opportunity to tap into these resources to provide Kingdom funding for the future. Are you prepared to leverage this opportunity?

Dave Hess is a 22-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Following his retirement from the Air Force, Dave served two different congregations over a 12-year period as pastor of education, pastor of worship, and executive pastor.

For the past eleven years Dave has served with Financial Planning Ministry. As Vice President of Training & Development, his role is to assist in the training and management of a team of 40 professionals who provide education on estate planning processes while assisting individuals and families with their specific planning needs.

Dave Hess, Vice President of Training & Development, Financial Planning Ministry

Practical Steps to Protect Your Church Against Fraud

All organizations, including churches, are at risk for fraud. Fortunately, there are practical steps you can take to reduce that risk at your church. Learn about current fraud issues affecting churches, including adjustments you may need to make in response to changes in your operational environment, plus how to identify areas in your church that may be susceptible to fraud and apply best practices to reduce your risk.

Ken Tan serves as a Partner at CapinCrouse LLP, a national CPA and consulting firm exclusively serving churches and other nonprofit entities. Ken has more than 14 years of public accounting and large nonprofit experience, providing both advisory and assurance services to various nonprofit entities, churches, and mission organizations. Prior to joining the firm, he managed the audits of public Fortune 100 and private multi-billion-dollar companies for a Big 4 accounting firm, provided advisory and strategic planning for churches, nonprofits, and small to medium-sized businesses, and served as the controller and corporate officer for a large faith-based multi-national mission agency.

Ken Tan, Partner, CapinCrouse LLP

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Ministry

Child sexual abuse risk is not intuitive. In this session, Greg addresses common errors and misconceptions that lead to sexual abuse risk, followed by an overview of the abuser’s grooming process and common grooming behaviors. The session concludes with a description of the MinistrySafe 5-Part Safety System (Sexual Abuse Awareness Training, Skillful Screening Processes, Appropriate Criminal Background Checks, Tailored Policies and Procedures, and Monitoring and Oversight) and how to access Safety System resources.

Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris have a nationwide sexual abuse litigation practice representing victims of sexual abuse throughout the country. In addition, Love & Norris provide consulting services to secular and ministry organizations providing services to children. Representative clients include the United States Olympic Committee, Awana International, Church of the Nazarene, the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Gladney Center for Adoption, and many church and para-church schools, camps and ministries.

Gregory Love, Attorney with Love & Norris

Retirement and Health Care Strategies to Set Up Your Ministry for Long-Term Wellness

When faced with a multitude of benefits choices and challenges, it can be hard to find the strategy that best serves your ministry. Learn from industry experts on how to apply benefit strategies to steward your resources and help your ministry team stay physically and financially well.

Dixie Beard has been employed with GuideStone Financial Resources for over 30 years. She is a daughter of a Southern Baptist Minister and truly understands the work as well as the ministry involved with churches. Mrs. Beard’s work and ministry at GuideStone allows her to work with churches, para-church ministries, Christian schools and other Christian institutions to establish employee benefits primarily focusing on retirement planning. Her passion and desire are to help employees of evangelical organizations prepare financially for their retirement years. She has spoken at several women’s conferences, state convention meetings as well as state and local associational meetings. Dixie attended Howard Payne University and Dallas Baptist University and has her Series 6 & 63 Investment license along with the Charted Planning Retirement Counselor, CRPC®, certification.

Dixie Beard, Senior Business Development Manager, GuideStone Financial Resources

Rob Rudd is an experienced insurance professional who is dedicated to serving your organization’s employee benefit needs and building a lasting relationship with your ministry team. Rob came to GuideStone® in 2014 and served as a senior customer solutions specialist before transitioning onto the Relationship Management team. He is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in management and a Master of Arts in worship leadership. In addition to helping clients, Rob and his wife, Alisa, serve as deacons over men’s and women’s Bible Studies at Mosaic church in Richardson, Texas. Rob also serves on the Worship team and Alisa is on staff as Minister to Women. They have two sons and a daughter, Colt, Jude and Lyla.

Rob Rudd, Team Lead, Insurance Relationship Management, GuideStone Financial Resources

Soul Care Practices for Thriving Churches

As a pastor and church leader you know that stress, conflict, and discouragement are part of church ministry and that prioritizing soul care is important to improving your staff’s health, unity, and fruitfulness. But what are some practical and affordable ways to do this? Dr’s Bill and Kristi Gaultiere started the ministry of Soul Shepherding in 2009 to meet this need.

This workshop includes rich content and time to ask your questions on:

  • 5 unhealthy leadership rhythms to avoid.
  • Using the CHRIST stages map of spiritual growth for your church.
  • 7 essential (yet uncommon) soul care practices for healthy leaders and churches.

Bill is a psychologist and ordained pastor, specializing in ministry to pastors. He and Kristi are the authors of Journey of the Soul, which was #1 on Amazon in Christian Counseling. He was personally mentored for many years by Dallas Willard and Ray Ortlund Sr. His earlier book Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke tells the story of his spiritual renewal from anxious living and burnout and introduces the message and way of Soul Shepherding.

Bill and Kristi Gaultiere founded Soul Shepherding in 2009, which is a ministry to help pastors and churches go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership. Bill serves as CEO and Kristi as Chief Culture Officer. They oversee 20 operations staff and over 40 independent contractors. Bill is a psychologist (Ph.D.), ordained pastor, and spiritual director. Kristi is a marriage and family therapist (Psy.D.) and spiritual director.

Bill Gaultiere, Co-Founder, Soul Shepherding

Kristi is a psychotherapist and spiritual director for women in ministry and pastors’ wives. She co-leads Soul Shepherding with Bill. She was mentored by Jane Willard and Dr. Jan Stoop. As a pastor’s wife, mother, and ministry professional, Kristi offers empathy and wisdom from her experience personally and as a therapist who has spent many thousands of hours caring for people. Kristi enjoys speaking, training, teaching, consulting, counseling, and retreat leading with Bill.

Bill and Kristi Gaultiere founded Soul Shepherding in 2009, which is a ministry to help pastors and churches go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership. Bill serves as CEO and Kristi as Chief Culture Officer. They oversee 20 operations staff and over 40 independent contractors. Bill is a psychologist (Ph.D.), ordained pastor, and spiritual director. Kristi is a marriage and family therapist (Psy.D.) and spiritual director.

Kristi Gaultiere, Co-Founder, Soul Shepherding

The Wholistic Model of Senior Pastor Succession and Transition Your Church Needs to Know

Dave Travis started working on large church pastor succession in 1995 when he joined Leadership Network. After almost 30 years of working on the issues with over 400 churches, he has some approaches and models to share.

This workshop will address:

  • How a church can multiply its ministry momentum in this season.
  • The three biggest questions and issues that any approach to pastor succession must address.
  • The latest trends from churches over the past two years.

Since 2018, Dave has been the Director of Strategic Counsel to Pastors and Church Boards at Generis. After being mentored by Lyle Schaller, Peter Drucker, and Bob Buford, plus getting counsel from people like Jim Collins and William Bridges, Dave has learned a few things about Senior Pastor Succession. After retiring from Leadership Network in 2018 he has given himself full-time to helping his friends and churches with this process. He is a graduate of Georgia Tech, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, with additional courses from Harvard Business School, The Project Management Institute, Wicked Problem Solving, and others.
His real education has been the thousands of large church pastors he has served, including the other 400 he has counseled in pastor succession.

Dave Travis, Director of Strategic Counsel to Pastors and Church Boards, Generis

Thanks again for the conference. Thanks for the privilege (and I mean that, privilege) of sharing a slice of life experiences with the conference participants. You continue to provide a necessary, stimulating, and exciting energy to many of us in ministry—Paul Utnage, XP