FAQs2021-12-02T13:24:06-06:00
Will there be people from my size church?2016-10-12T11:01:54-05:00

What you will find is people from a church of similar size to yours!

2016 Seminar Attendees Churches

 

 

 

Who is invited to this event?2016-08-07T10:15:27-05:00

This is primarily designed for Executive Pastors and others who lead and manage the local church. Board members and other church leaders also learn with the XPs. Senior Pastors also come, as well as those preparing or considering the role of the XP.

 

Where is the event held?2022-07-30T10:02:55-05:00

We hold it at the Dallas/Park Cities Hilton.

Hilton Dallas/Park Cities
5954 Luther Lane
Dallas, Texas 75225
214-368-0400

Read more about the hotel on this page.

What’s the benefit?2015-09-26T13:44:20-05:00

There is that often quoted saying, “Those who do not learn the lessons of history, they are prone to repeat its mistakes.” This event is for people who want to grow and learn. They want to network with other leaders. They want to know about cutting edge ministries and great historical practices.

This is a terrific place to find new ministry colleagues—people who are doing the same ministry function that you are. Most pastors do not have a sounding board, a colleague, or a friend in another church—this makes it hard to get objective advice! This seminar provides an environment where networking happens.

Weather in February2017-08-30T16:27:21-05:00

Weather

  • January—Every four years, Dallas has snow or ice for a couple of days and the entire city stops for at least 24 hours. Otherwise, temperatures can swing from mild to cold to cool. Bring a coat.
  • February—Temperatures may be cool to mild. Sweaters are needed during the day and evening. Every 6-10 years, Dallas can have one day of snow in February.
  • March—Temperatures swing from mild to warm.
Videos & Photos2021-05-16T23:13:22-05:00

Photos from 2019

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

In 2019, after Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Video of Larry Osborne

You can get a taste of the XP-Seminar large group time in this 60 second clip of Larry Osborne at the 2013 XP-Seminar.

Workshops

Personalized Discussion

Our breakout sessions are workshops of 10-30 people around pertinent topics to leading and managing the church.

National Leaders

On each day, we will have workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions in ministry.

Learn from your peers

Whether in the workshops or around the tables in the main room, they are your peers. They are church leaders who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Prior Years

Travel to Love Field Airport2019-06-11T15:06:13-05:00

The hotel is located just 10-20 minutes from the Love Field regional airport (DAL)

  • Love Field is a major hub for Southwest Airlines, 800-435-9792.
  • Rental cars,taxis, Uber and Lyft are available.
  • Fee-based shuttle service is available.
    • City Shuttle, 214-760-1998
    • Super Shuttle, 800-329-2000
    • Yellow Checker Shuttle, 214-841-1900
Travel to D/FW Airport2019-06-11T15:07:48-05:00

The hotel is located 25-45 minutes from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

  • DFW is a major hub for American Airlines, 800-433-7300.
    • Many other airlines are serviced at DFW.
    • Visit the DFW website for more airport information.
  • Rental cars, taxis, Uber and Lyft are readily available.
  • Fee-based shuttle services are available.
    • City Shuttle, 214-760-1998
    • Super Shuttle DFW, 972-456-3128
    • Yellow Checker Shuttle, 214-841-1900
Things to do in Dallas/Fort Worth2015-09-24T15:09:08-05:00

Local Attractions

  • American Airlines Center (Dallas Mavericks), 4 miles south
  • Cowboys Stadium (Arlington), 20 miles
  • Dallas World Aquarium (family fun), 6 miles south
  • Dallas Theological Seminary (education), 10 miles south
  • Deep Ellum District (music), 6 miles south
  • Galleria Mall (upscale shopping), 5 miles north
  • Hall of State/Fair Park (education), 9 miles south
  • Highland Park Village (very upscale shopping), 2 miles south
  • Hurricane Harbor (water park), 24 miles west
  • IMAX/Science Place (family education), 10 miles south
  • Malibu Entertainment (go-carts), 6 miles west
  • NorthPark Center (upscale shopping), 2 miles east
  • Old City Park (historical education), 8 miles south
  • Owens Spring Creek Farm (showcase farm), 13 miles northeast
  • Palace of Wax/Ripley’s Believe It (amusement), 18 miles west
  • Six Flags Over Texas (amusement park), 23 miles west
  • Sixth Floor Museum/JFK Memorial (education), 6 miles south
  • Southern Methodist University (education), 3 miles south
  • Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (education), 40 miles west
  • Texas Motor Speedway (rnnn rnnn), 37 miles northeast
  • West End Market Place (varied shopping and food), 5 miles south
  • West Village Shopping (upscale shopping), 4 miles south
Special XPastor Hotel Rates2022-07-30T10:05:57-05:00

Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities. The special rate will be available until January 30 or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability. Click on this link for the page about the Hilton.

Senior Pastors2016-10-12T11:01:54-05:00

Why should a Senior Pastor come?

“My senior pastor should have been here with me. You may want to encourage seniors coming with their executives. This seminar was helpful. Time well spent!”

Interact with other Senior Pastors

Senior Pastors are visionary leaders, preaching to change lives. Here is an opportunity for you to sit around a table with others like you to talk about ministry.

  • How do others handle the non-stop tension of ministry?
  • How do you stay fresh with God?
  • What is success in preaching? How do I measure it?
  • How do others handle the joy and pain of staff and volunteers?

Be with other Senior Pastors who have been in the role for 10, 20 and 30 years.

Come with your XP

The ideal path is to come with your XP. Both of you will learn from the sessions and workshops. Then, in the evenings, compare and contrast what you’ve learned. This is a great time to enhance your SP/XP relationship.

A great place to build a team

Senior Pastors often bring their staff teams or members of their governing boards to the XP-Seminar. By talking about church leadership and management, teams learn how to handle the tough questions of ministry. After interacting with others who have “been down the road before,” your team will be more prepared for future successes or crises.

A great place to “Get a feel for the XP role”

Many Senior Pastors have come to learn more about the XP role. Some of the questions that they ask are:

  • Should I have an XP?
  • What would it really do for me?
  • Is it worth the risk?

By interacting with other Senior Pastors—and by interacting with skilled XPs—you will better understand the role. Learn what type of XP is best for you and your church. Learn how to free up your schedule by utilizing an Executive Pastor!

Maps about Dallas and things near the hotel2022-07-30T10:11:18-05:00

Maps about Dallas and the Hilton Dallas-Park Cities

How many come?2016-10-12T11:01:54-05:00

The group is limited to 200 people. This allows anyone in the room to speak with one of the Keynote Presenters. It also allows for discussion around tables.

Food within Walking Distance2022-07-30T10:25:25-05:00

  • Burning Rice Barbecue Restaurant
  • Einstein’s Bagels
  • Flattery Pizza
  • Flying Fisk
  • Hilton: Grain, expensive
  • Hillstone (across Preston) expensive
  • Hoododdy Burger Bar
  • Il Braco Italian (across Preston)
  • Jia Chinese
  • Malai Thai-Vietnamese Kitchen
  • Montlake Cut seafood, expensive
  • Muchacho Tex-Mex (across Preston)
  • R & D Kitchen (across Preston)
  • Roti Mediterranean Cuisine
  • Saltada salads
  • Sclafinis New York Bagels & Sandwiches
  • Sevy’s,  expensive
  • Southpaws Grill, salads
  • Starbucks
  • Taco Joint Tex-Mex Cuisine
  • True Food Kitchen (across Preston)
  • Yolk, breakfast restaurant
  • Yonkers Pizza
Cancellations2021-12-14T12:25:05-06:00

We are looking forward to having you attend this great event but know that sometimes circumstances might change your plans.

  • If you have multiple people coming from your church and one person is unable to come, you can transfer—at no cost—the registration to another person from your church. Just let us know so we will have a nametag ready!
  • Due to the cost of materials, if you must cancel your enrollment:
    • Forty-five days and more before the event, there is a 20% cancellation fee—or you can apply the full entrance fee to next year’s event, an XPastor course or consulting with Fletch.
    • Forty-four days before the event, there is a 40% cancellation fee. Again, you can apply your entrance fee to a future event, a course or consulting.
    • Within eight days of the event, there is a 100% cancellation fee. Don’t be looking for much grace here … but sometimes miracles happen.
  • In case of issues beyond our control that interrupt or cancel the seminar (thermonuclear war, the second coming, a California earthquake causes the state to fall into the ocean), you will be credited with attendance at the next year’s event.

In many cases, if you need to cancel we can credit your account for another XPastor event—either a future XP-Seminar, an XPastor Course or Consulting with Fletch. Contact Tami for help. We will do everything we can to help and work with you!

Are there other hotels?2017-07-15T21:41:33-05:00

Other Hotels from the Hundreds in Dallas …

  • Baymont Inn & Suites Dallas Love Field, 2370 West Northwest Highway, Dallas. Ten minute drive from the Hilton meeting; shuttle service may be available, 214-350-5577
  • Comfort Suites, 2287 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, 214-350-4011
    Ten minute drive from the Hilton meeting. Reservations: 877-424-6423
  • Courtyard by Marriott, 10325 North Central Expressway, Dallas, 214-739-2500. Five minute drive from the Hilton meeting. Reservations: 888-236-2427
  • Embassy Suites Hotel-Love Field, 3880 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, 214-357-4500. Five minute drive from the Hilton meeting. Reservations: 800-EMBASSY
  • Red Roof Inn, 1550 Empire Central Drive, Dallas. Inn Phone: 214-638-5151. Ten minute drive from the Hilton meeting. Reservations: 877-467-7303
  • and hundreds more in Dallas!
About the Dallas/Park Cities Hilton2019-06-11T15:16:45-05:00

The XP-Seminar is held at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities. They provide special hotel rates for us.

The hotel has a fitness room, pool and internet connectivity. Standard rooms have a chair and ottoman and a work desk.

In-room amenities include cable TV with free premium channels and technology options, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, and complimentary weekday paper.

As is common with hotels in urban areas, there is a fee for daily (approx. $15-17) or overnight parking ($30). You will need to get a taxi, rental car or fee-based shuttle to get to the hotel.

2024 XP-Seminar2024-03-03T14:34:32-06:00

20th Annual XP-Seminar

A ChurchLaw&Tax Top Conference

Limited to 200 people                           2017-24 Seminars were sold out

Unsolicited Comments from Prior Attendees

You did a magnificent job organizing the XP-Seminar. It was my first time there and I’m sure you’ve evolved your protocols over the years—and it shows. Every time I asked a question of you, and there were several, you had the answer and you were so very helpful. God bless you on your path as you fulfill God’s calling on your life.

KD

It was another excellent conference.

SB

Our team had a great time. I can’t believe it will be 20 years next year! What an amazing ministry have built. We love encouraging and equipping leaders with you! 

Sponsor

Words can’t express the gratitude I have for you.

TS

As usual, it was well worth the time and done with excellence. There was much to learn, much to experience, and relationships were built.

BT

You two are the poster children for how to run a conference well … and how to communicate well … and how to be timely in all you do.

WB

Thanks again for a great XP event! It was informative and inspiring.

BH

I am watching online and am so glad to have found a place and a people that I can relate to and be encouraged by. I pray to be able to attend in person next year and participate in the workshop discussions.

JD

I attended my second XP -Seminar this year. I am a CPA that has had to meet CPE requirements my entire career, therefore lots of conferences. This conference was the finest I have ever attended. So many times conference titles are engaging and timely, but the context is a bust. Every single session met and exceeded expectations. From my seat it is a labor of love, and a true gift to people like me for the benefit of our church

TH

Am grateful for the conference last week.  God has used your ministry to XPs to help me greatly.  Glad to have now attended for three years.

MW

The XP-Seminar was just magnificent. My big mystery is that I don’t know when you eat–since you’re up there interviewing during most meals for 48 hours! 

Sponsor

Thank you for the uniquely profound ministry of the XPastor Seminar. There is something beautiful and enriching about the design and format of the conference that fosters connection and shared learning. The size, the meals, the round tables, etc. all make it very special and meaningful. I had a great experience listening, learning and making connections. Fletch has a unique gift of interacting with the presenters and the audience in a remarkable way that engages people in conversation and reflection.

GL

The information, networking, and interaction was great! I learned a lot from each speaker. Still going through material and trying to digest it. I look forward to next year!  Already suggested to our SP and Elders that they should come.

WD

Thank you for all the work that you put into XPastor this week. Over these last 12+ yrs, your ministry has been so instrumental in helping shape me as a husband, as a dad and as an XP. This year I had the opportunity to speak with several new XPs. It was great hearing their stories and being able to provide them input and insight!

BM

Loved the seminar! Well done!

MG

You guys are doing an incredible work in gathering and resourcing XPs. I heard story after story of the hope and insight your events have provided to leaders over the years.

SB

The seminar was extremely beneficial. 100% relevant and applicable to my role. Tons of takeaways. Looking forward to the keynote videos being posted. Glad I attended!

DW

This is my favorite conference of the year.

Sponsor

I don’t of anyone that is doing what David Fletcher is doing with the XP Seminar! It’s such a unique, niche gathering of like-minded professionals that get equipped with immediately helpful information from some of the best leaders in this field from around the country. It’s an absolutely don’t-miss-this seminar every year.

AH

Again, the XP-Seminar both met and exceeded expectations. What continues to impress me about is that each presenter brings forth fresh and creative approaches to ministry with humility and conviction. Everything is actionable. There’s never empty hype. Each presentation is rooted in reality, and it’s an encouraging reality that God is good, and the body of Christ has avenues for flourishing. Well done!

Senior Pastor

The conference was another home run. As much as I enjoyed and learned in prior years, this round I walked away with more actionable ideas.  This was both good for my soul and a great investment for my church.

MW

Thank you for such an amazing conference. I have been to a lot of conferences over the last 20 years and most are not worth the time, but this one was.

JS

Thanks for a great conference. It was my first and I was very glad I attended.

JM

You guys are amazing. Thank you for an awesome event last week. It really is a tribe and not a town. The chance to connect with so many church leaders and run into them repeatedly over three days was amazing. I can tell you that it was an amazing event and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Sponsor

I wanted to say how excellent the live stream was! I was so thankful to still be able to glean a lot from so much helpful content (while missing the in person connection that makes this my favorite conference of the year). I was super bummed to not be able to be in person this year, pesky flight cancellations!

JB

Already have plans to come back next year Lord willing. My trip report is 4 pages for just my top 3 takeaways. Without a doubt, this was the most beneficial conference I’ve attended to date. In all I took 18 pages of notes for my 13th XP-Seminar.

DP

I grew so much by listening to the speakers and talking with fellow XPs. The whole experience is a gold mine of knowledge, wisdom and experience. Totally worth it!

JD

Thank you for another power-packed conference.  Your ministry is needed more than ever as XPs are getting bombarded by the enemy from all sides regardless of church size.  The relationships you have with all the keynote and workshop speakers and their willingness to share ideas to strength the body of Christ is so much appreciated.

DM

That was a great conference. Definitely one of my favorite ones that I’ve ever attended!

SK

This was the best XP-Seminar ever.

Sponsor

Its the major leagues, not A or AA ball.

TS

Working on my trip report … up to 18 pages with several charts.

DP

Wow, what a week—I don’t think I’ve ever stayed up past my bedtime in such a professional way. There was so much that I learned from the incredible speakers and more that I learned in my conversations with all of you. I have a renewed sense of encouragement in how the Lord is working in the Church as you advance the kingdom.

BG

The XP Seminar is always my favorite conference for so many reasons.

Sponsor

Your ministry and yearly seminar have been an incredible lifeline for me. Grateful for you and all you do to minister to XPs in the trenches.

MW

This was a good reminder of how much we don’t know that we don’t know. I’ve been working through my notes and creating key takeaways for the past few hours. Much to think through to boil it down to 2-3 actionable items that could help us move our mission forward.

JS

2024 Featured Speakers

The Future of Theological Education

David Hogg is the President of Phoenix Seminary. Prior to joining the seminary, he taught at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina, and Beeson Divinity School in Alabama, where he also served as the Academic Dean. For more than a decade, Dr. Hogg has also served as a visiting professor at Biblický Teologický Semináři in the Czech Republic. As one of a few conservative evangelicals in medieval theology and history, his work has been published by, among others, Oxford University Press, NYU Press and Crossway. Dr. Hogg also presents his work in various contexts including conferences hosted across the United States and the UK.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr. Hogg was an Associate Pastor and then Senior Pastor over an 11-year period. Outside of these commitments, he has also preached in numerous locations throughout the southern United States, Canada, Britain, and the Czech Republic. Dr. Hogg and his wife Sarah have three boys and, as a family, represent three different nationalities.

David Hogg, President, Phoenix Seminary

Preventing
Child Abuse

Kimberlee D. Norris is a sexual abuse trial attorney: representing victims of abuse, serving as a consulting expert in abuse cases, and providing crisis management and allegation response counsel to child-serving organizations of all sizes. She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. An acknowledged authority in screening practices, Kimberlee has trained over 500,000 ministry staff members and volunteers since 2005. She earned a B.S. in Journalism from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctor in Law from Baylor School of Law, where she served on the law review.

Kimberlee D. Norris, Attorney at Love & Norris, Founder of MinistrySafe

Soul
Shepherding

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.

As a Spiritual Formation Pastor, he’s served in a mega-church and a church plant. He’s also trained over 1,000 lay counselors and taught courses in Christian psychology and spirituality at the graduate school level. He and Kristi train pastors and other men and women in ministry in their Soul Shepherding Institute and Spiritual Direction certificate program. Bill has been speaking in churches and conferences since 1987 and especially enjoys speaking with Kristi. You can listen to their weekly Soul Talks podcast or read their Soul Shepherding blog.

Bill Gaultiere
Co-Founder, Soul Shepherding

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 personally 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. You can listen to their weekly Soul Talks podcast or read their Soul Shepherding blog.

Kristi Gaultiere
Co-Founder, Soul Shepherding

Launching a
New Church Vision

Pastor David Hsu is the Senior Pastor of West Houston Chinese Church. He received his Master of Theology (Th.M.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. He joined WHCC as the English pastor in 1993. He was appointed as senior pastor in July 2002. He is married to Cheryl and has two children, Nathan and Hannah.

David Hsu, Senior Pastor, West Houston Christian Church

From Youth Pastor to Award Winning Filmmaker

Kurt Neale is an independent filmmaker, photographer and storyteller. He is the founder and President of Compelling Light, a non profit ministry. Kurt works to build relationships while unveiling the complexities of sensitive subjects, provoking self-reflection and focusing on the mysterious collision of love. He earned a BFA in Broadcast Film from SMU in 1974. Kurt married Julie in 1979, they have two grown children and one grandchild.

Some of his award winning films are, Ask: Can Love Survive Addition and Codependency and Normie: The Illusion of Normal. See his interview with Dr. Phil.

Kurt will share his journey from youth pastor to independent filmmaker. This is a compelling story for all who rotate off of church staff and find new avenues to use God given gifts.

Kurt Neale, Independent filmmaker, Founder and President of Compelling Light

2024 Keynote Speakers

Mike Batts
Managing Partner, BMWL

Rob Faulk
Partner, CapinCrouse

Ryan Fitzgerald
Director of Marketing, BELAY

Ally Haefner
Senior Associate Attorney, The Church Lawyers

Jason Hamrock
CEO, Missional Marketing

Kurt Hetherington
President, James Greene and Associates

Wendi Hodges
Senior Attorney, The Church Lawyers

David Lee
Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent Church Financing

Brad Leeper
Executive Vice-President, Generis Partners

Dave Milam
Vice President of Strategic Design, Visioneering Studios

William Vanderbloemen
CEO & Founder, Vanderbloemen

Bruce Woody
President, HH Architects

Short Rides 2024

Warren Bird
SVP of Research and Equipping, ECFA

JB Bowling
Vice President, Clark

Jenni Catron
Founder, 4Sight Group

Matt Davis
President, Pastoral Transitions

Dave Hess
Vice President, Financial Planning Ministry

30 Workshops Are Planned During the Seminar

Last year’s 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.

Come Early for Great Pre-Seminar Workshops

The Art of Culture

with XP Bobby McGraw

Building Healthy People Systems

with Jenni Catron

Multisite 4.0 Ministry

Duff, Badal & Beachum

New XPs

with David Fletcher

What if Financial Giving Drops

with Brad Leeper

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Senior Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

I love what Fletch is doing through the keynotes and workshops. This is a fantastic place. I’ve seen first hand the results of Fletch’s leadership in the local church level and in cross-cultural situations.

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The Seminar has a huge impact on my leadership and development in networking, mentoring and insight. I attend to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development and so much more. I believe in the Seminar and want to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided. 

Matt Branaugh, Editor at Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!

Dan Brubacher, XP at Connexus Church

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!

Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

The Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor has 1,300 free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We bring in outstanding national leaders such as Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

The short rides focus on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. Short rides are spaced throughout the Seminar and give quick insight into selected topics. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Our 19th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

Learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role.

It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

XP McKenzie Schreck
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

What Attendees Say

The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.

Enrich your life and ministry here!

I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, ‘What I should do as a new XP?’

Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.

—attendance limited to 200 people—

On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.

I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.

Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!

A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

After Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

Pre-Seminar Workshops
Tuesday—February 27, 2024

9:00-12:00 noon

Multisite 4.0 Ministry: How to Launch, Grow, and Sustain 4+ Sites with Keith Duff, Tim Badal & Jeff Beachum. Are you ready to take your multi-site ministry to the next level? Join us for this pre-seminar workshop, where you will learn from some leading churches in this field. You will hear from pastors who have been leading 4+ site churches for years, as well as an industry consultant who helps churches expand their reach by adding sites. This workshop is for anyone interested in the multi-site model, whether you are already multi-site, planning to go multi-site, or just curious about it.

No charge for XP-Seminar attendees.

Keith Duff
XP, Village Bible Church

Jeff Beachum
Portable Church

Tim Badal
SP, Village Bible Church

1:00-4:00 pm

Building Healthy People Systems with Jenni Catron. Building a system that fosters employee engagement, protects alignment, and accelerates growth is the secret weapon of successful organizations. Jenni will guide you through building a plan for engagement of your staff.

1:00-4:00 pm

The Art of Culture with Bobby McGraw. The Middle Way is an ancient paradigm that has powerful modern-day applications. Aristotle asserted that the Middle Way was, Where human beings are the happiest.

1:00-4:00 pm

New XP Workshop with David Fletcher. Fletch leads this time on the critical first year for an XP. Some XPs had prior roles at the church for many years and others are new to that culture. The key is learning your new role and responding to the dynamics of that role: Working with the Senior Pastor, working with staff leaders and the entire staff and working with the congregation.

1:00-4:00 pm

What If Financial Giving Drops? with Brad Leeper. Brad walks you through key questions: What if your board and team have ministry goals that cannot be funded either at budget or to handle a capital investment that accelerates mission? What if there is a giving resignation trend from economic conditions or giver fatigue?

Seminar Begins
Tuesday—February 27, 2024
Focus on XP Growth and Development

6:30 pm

XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Talk to old friends and meet some new ones.

7:00-7:30 pm

XP Leadership and Stewardship with Brad Leeper. Few know more about generosity and church culture than Brad. He and the Generis team were key movers in instigating a “culture of generosity” in the church landscape. Brad earned a Masters in Theology degree from Dallas Seminary and a B.S. in Economics from West Virginia University. He has diverse experience in church risk management, human resources, financial analysis, adult education, cross-cultural missions and strategic planning.

7:30-7:45 pm

Short Ride with JB Bowling. Listen to a fresh interview on some tough questions with JB and Fletch. JB is the Vice President of Clark and leads the Design & Business Development teams. George and Houston Clark first met JB 25 years ago, while working at his home church. JB went on to work for a few large churches, including Shadow Mountain Community Church as Production Director and Turning Point’s television broadcast. He was the Global Arts Director at LibertyLive.Church, leading the worship, production, and creative teams across three campuses.

7:45-8:30 pm

Sexual Abuse Risk—Learning from the Mistakes of Others with Kimberlee Norris, JD. As a national leader in sexual abuse crisis management, Kimberlee works non-stop to help ministry organizations navigate child sexual abuse issues. She explains predictable patterns in sexual abuse crises: ministry leaders cannot commit the same errors and expect different outcomes. Kimberlee describes frequent legal obstacles, how ministry leaders are stumbling, and offers guidance to avoid the most common mistakes.

8:30-8:45 pm

Documents To Die For a Short Ride with Dave Hess. Dave is a 22-year veteran of the United States Air Force, then served as an executive pastor. Now as Vice-President of Consultant Development with Financial Planning Ministry, his role is to help train and manage a team of 40 professionals who provide education on estate planning processes while assisting individuals and families with their specific planning needs.

8:45-9:15 pm

Busy ≠ Productive: 5 Productivity Hacks To Accomplish More & Juggle Less with Ryan Fitzgerald. Productivity isn’t just about task completion; it’s about optimizing all your resources. If you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed trying to grow your ministry’s impact while keeping up with the demands of church leadership, pastoral care, and your personal life, it may be time for a productivity overhaul. During this keynote, learn how to identify some of your roadblocks and explore strategies that harness—and maximize—productivity for your church. Before becoming the Director of Marketing at BELAY, a modern staffing company, Ryan Fitzgerald worked for North Point Ministries in Atlanta for 15 years. He also 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.

Wednesday—February 28, 2024
Focus on the Business Brain

7:00-8:20 am

Breakfast on Healthy Pastor Care with Bill & Kristi Gaultiere. The co-founders of Soul Shepherding will begin a special two-part keynote presentation on the pastoral heart. The Full breakfast is sponsored by Thrivent Church Financing. Thrivent has been serving churches for over 100 years with over 6,000 churches served, and many lessons learned.

8:20-8:50 am

Implementing a Church Vision with David Hsu. David is the Senior Pastor of West Houston Christian Church. He received his Master of Theology (Th.M.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. He joined WHCC as the English pastor in 1993. He was appointed as senior pastor in July 2002. He is married to Cheryl and has two children, Nathan and Hannah.

8:50-9:20 am

Why Your Accounting Department May Be the Highest Risk Part of Your Church Right Now and What You Can Do About It with Mike Batts. 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.

9:20-9:35 am

Short Ride with Warren Bird. Warren 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 over 30 books including Hero Maker with Dave Ferguson, How to Break Growth Barriers with Carl George and Unleashing the Word with Max McLean.

9:35-10:25 am

The Changing Marketplace of Church Insurance—Trends You Need to Know! by Kurt Hetherington. Huge verdicts from juries, increased construction costs, public adjustors, cultural shifts and a history of four years of the worst catastrophic claims … These are some of the critical causes that has put the insurance market on its head. Your church feels the impact. Be informed and understand how to mitigate, insulate and enhance your risk portfolio. Kurt is the President of James Greene and Associates an agency partner with Brotherhood Mutual, who is a national property and casualty insurance company with a heart for helping Christian ministries thrive. As a leader in the industry, Brotherhood Mutual provides innovative insurance coverage and risk management resources, specifically designed for ministries, to help them operate safely and effectively.

10:25-10:55 am

Banking and Budgeting: Key Considerations in an Uncertain Economy with Rob Faulk & David Lee. Join us for a look at the current banking and economic environment and how that may impact church budgets over the next few years, with insight and updates from a CPA and a banker. We’ll discuss practical steps to help you create margin in your church budget for increased interest costs, inflation, pastoral transitions, and other risks that will impact churches of all sizes. Rob serves as Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse LLP and David is a Senior Relationship Manager at Thrivent Church Financing.

10:55-11:25 am

Legal Cornerstones: The Essentials for All Churches with Wendi Hodges & Ally Haefner. Wendi is a Senior Attorney and Ally a Senior Associate Attorney, both with the Church Lawyers. The firm has been a sponsor of the XP-Seminar for many years and always brings the best in penetrating legal insights. Let’s discover what is essential for all churches!

11:25-11:55 am

Architecture and Design with Bruce Woody. Bruce 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.

Noon

Networking Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a room on either floor. Use this time to meet new colleagues and network with friends.

1:15-2:15 pm

Workshops: Session 1

2:15 pm

Afternoon snack on first floor

2:30-3:30 pm

Workshops: Session 2

3:45-4:45 pm

Workshops: Session 3

Dinner

Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We see scores of people do this every year.

7:00-7:30 pm

The Top 10 List to Enhance Church Communications, Marketing, and AI with Jason Hamrock. These days so much has changed in a church communications department, especially with the deployment of AI, and when any of those issues arise, it disrupts forward momentum and can cause major issues throughout the whole church staff. As CEO of Missional Marketing, Jason guides the vision for how Missional Marketing best serves church partners and strives to help churches digitally to capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. He was a Communications Director for 11 years at Central Christian Church of Arizona. He hosts the Missional Marketing podcast, which just passed 100 episodes and has thousands of downloads.

7:30-7:45 pm

Short Ride with Jenni Catron. Jenni is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

7:45-8:00 pm

Kingdom Outplacement: A New Paradigm In Letting Staff Go with Matt Davis. Many churches fit the profile of onboarding new leaders as being a transparent, elder-run, prayerful deliberation. Unfortunately letting leaders go in many ministry settings can feel obscure, dominated by legal and HR procedure, and we’re all usually left with more questions than clarity. Lessons learned during his own triage experience out of vocational ministry helped build the foundation for the services Pastoral Transitions offers to outgoing leaders. Co-hosting the Life After Ministry podcast, Matt and his wife Marilee talk about best practices in discovering what’s next for outgoing leaders.

8:00-9:00 pm

From Youth Pastor to Award Winning Filmmaker with Kurt Neale. Kurt is an independent filmmaker, photographer and storyteller. He is the founder and President of Compelling Light, a non profit ministry. Kurt works to build relationships while unveiling the complexities of sensitive subjects, provoking self-reflection and focusing on the mysterious collision of love. He earned a BFA in Broadcast Film from SMU in 1974. Kurt married Julie in 1979, they have two grown children and one grandchild. Some of his award winning films are, Ask: Can Love Survive Addition and Codependency and Normie: The Illusion of Normal. See his interview with Dr. Phil.

Thursday—February 29, 2024
Focus on the Pastoral Heart

7:45-8:30 am

Seeing Around the Corner: 2024 Design Trends, Breakfast with Dave Milam. Every year brings a parade of design trends that often create an avalanche of expense requests to upgrade your site. In this short session, Dave will reveal which trends matter and which trends should be ignored. Don’t miss this inspiring breakfast with Dave. He is the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios. Dave stands firmly at the intersection of ministry, design, and visual storytelling. Having 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.

8:30-9:15 am

Soul Shepherding to Get Through the Wall with Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, Co-Founders, Soul Shepherding, which is a ministry to help pastors and churches go deeper with Jesus in emotional health and loving leadership. Bill is a psychologist (Ph.D.), ordained pastor, and spiritual director. Kristi is a marriage and family therapist (Psy.D.) and spiritual director. They co-lead the Soul Shepherding Institute which features four 5-day retreats on Spiritual Formation, Spiritual and Psychological Development, Soul Care Ministry, and Relationally Healthy Leadership and includes an option to earn certificates in spiritual direction and coaching. They have trained over 200 spiritual directors and coaches with over 40 serving on their staff as Sr. Spiritual Directors that offer spiritual direction, leadership coaching, Enneagram coaching, and Sabbatical coaching. They are authors of a number of books, including Journey of the Soul, which was #1 on Amazon in Christian Counseling, Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke, and their latest book, Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith.

9:15-9:30 am

2024 Church Tech Trends, a Short Ride with Cary Yocum. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

9:45-10:45 am

The Future of Theological Education with Dr. David Hogg. David is the President of Phoenix Seminary. He taught at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Beeson Divinity School, where he also served as the Academic Dean. David has also served as a visiting professor at Biblický Teologický Semináři in the Czech Republic. As one of a few conservative evangelicals in medieval theology and history, his work has been published by, among others, Oxford University Press, NYU Press and Crossway. David was an Associate Pastor and then Senior Pastor over an 11-year period.

10:45-11:20 am

Be The Unicorn with William Vanderbloemen. William started Vanderbloemen because he understands that when your team isn’t whole it disrupts your mission. He has written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works, Search: The Pastor Search Committee Handbook, Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace and his latest blockbuster Be the Unicorn (2023).

11:20 am

Break for Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop.

11:30-12:30 pm

Lunch Workshops: Session 4

12:45-1:45 pm

Workshops: Session 5

2:00-3:00 pm

Workshops: Session 6

Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Thanks to our sponsors who help bring the XP-Seminar.

Each one is carefully vetted to align with our standards and practices.

2024 Platinum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their twentieth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the fourteenth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 51 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the fourteenth year, we welcome Middlebrook | Group, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits.

They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

For the thirteenth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

For over 50 years, the firm has served churches and denominations, domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com.

We welcome for the ninth year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. Brotherhood Mutual is a national property and casualty insurance company with a heart for helping Christian ministries thrive. As a leader in the industry, Brotherhood Mutual provides innovative insurance coverage and risk management resources, specifically designed for ministries, to help them operate safely and effectively.

The company looks toward the future, working with and anticipating the unique needs of more than 65,000 churches, Christian schools, colleges, camps, missions, non-profits, and related ministries. Additionally, Brotherhood Mutual provides access to payroll and tax filing services, employee health benefits, commercial auto insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and mission travel insurance.

We welcome for the eighth year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) is a national CPA firm exclusively serving churches, ministries, and other nonprofit organizations through audit & assurance, tax, and strategic advisory services. BMWL understands that you want to protect the financial health and reputation of your church. Their service model is built around that very idea.

BMWL will help your church protect your mission, maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemption, protect your exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, simplify your financial administration, and be better informed. Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the seventh year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling.

From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the seventh year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the sixth year, we welcome Thrivent Church Financing. For more than 115 years, Thrivent Church Financing has provided ministries with flexible financing solutions coupled with dedicated service. In our history, we have helped over 6,000 Christian churches achieve their missions, grow their ministries and meet their financial stewardship through mortgage loans for refinancing, new construction, renovation or capital improvement.

Thrivent Church Financing is part of Thrivent, a membership-owned fraternal benefit society of Christians and a holistic financial services organization that helps guide individuals, churches and non-profits to make the most of all God has given them. Known for our financial strength and stability, as well as our approach to helping Christians connect their financial decisions with their faith, Thrivent blends faith, finances and generosity to improve lives and build stronger families and communities.

We welcome Missional Marketing for the fifth year. Missional Marketing is a church-focused agency that brings a variety of communications solutions. Our ultimate goal is to help every church we partner with bring people to the church so they may hear the Good News. The strategy we use is to leverage content to capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. The solutions we bring revolve around offering: Communications consulting and outsourcing (yes, we get hired to be your Communications Director); Communications Project Management; Social Media strategy and management; Digital advertising with Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube; Website building and SEO for websites, Local (your church building), and YouTube; Leveraging the content that you create and the content we have created; Implement our sermon flywheel to connect with more people.

For the fourth year, we welcome BELAY, the incredible organization revolutionizing productivity with their virtual assistant, bookkeeping and social media manager for growing churches. Their first client was a pastor, so their ministry-minded, servant-hearted team knows how to help busy pastors and their growing churches with modern staffing that grows their teams without having to do everything on their own. Get the right help for your church so you can focus on your Kingdom work—and let BELAY handle the rest.

2024 Gold Sponsors

For the thirteenth year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

For the tenth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now accredits over 2,700 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at churchexcel.org.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

For the sixth year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay recently acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

We welcome Financial Planning Ministry for the fourth year. FPM is a trusted name in estate planning and strategic planned giving. Since 1982 more than 47,000 families and individuals have benefitted from their unique ministry efforts. They provide turnkey solutions for planned giving to over 160 ministry partners across the country.

Through the promotion of Christ-centered stewardship and estate planning, millions of dollars have been saved from probate while directing over $2.5 billion to Christian charities worldwide.

For the second year, we are excited to welcome The 4Sight Group. 4Sight is committed to and passionate about cultivating healthy leaders to lead thriving organizations. Their mission is to come alongside you and your team to provide the tools and resources you need to accomplish your purpose with clarity and confidence. Culture matters and The 4Sight Group brings the culture conversation to a practical level while providing a pathway and process to help leaders and their teams succeed together. 4Sight will provide you with their proven LeadCulture framework to take your leadership and the culture of your organization to the next level.

For the first year, we welcome Soul Shepherding. They equip pastors and leaders to thrive with Jesus in life and leadership. Their in-depth training and practical tools for soul care and ministry will help you grow in intimacy with Jesus, emotional health, and loving relationships with people you care for and lead.

For the first year, we welcome Pastoral Transitions. When a church faces the difficult decision to let a pastor or ministry leader go, the risk of hurt and misunderstanding can escalate significantly. Pastoral Transitions serves ministry leadership by offering compassionate care for departing leaders and their families. They provide a comprehensive roadmap to navigate ministry terminations and transitions gracefully, focusing on career guidance, coaching, and counseling. Their mission is to help outgoing leaders find their next path, upholding the church’s core mission to multiply unity, not divide, even in times of change.

2024 Silver Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the eighteenth year. Guidestone® is one of the leading providers of retirement, property and casualty, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. For more than 100 years, they have worked to enhance the financial security of those they serve—which today includes more than 200,000 individuals and 36,000 churches, mission-sending agencies, hospitals, educational institutions and related ministries across the globe.

For the eleventh year, we welcome Slingshot Group. Slingshot Group builds remarkable teams through staffing and coaching. Founded in 2007, Slingshot’s team of ministry practitioners is what sets them apart. Every one of Slingshot Group’s 60+ nationwide associates has ministry experience. They know exactly what it takes to hire and develop great staff for the local church and ministry-minded nonprofits.

We welcome for the seventh year Portable Church®. For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. We design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue.

Everything you need to launch a mobile church—an experiential worship space, engaging kids ministry areas, inviting welcome spaces, timesaving storage cases, etc.—all in a system refined to make it fast and easy for the weekly volunteer teams.

We welcome Cass Bank for the sixth year. The Word says, Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14). Cass Bank provides counsel to churches and ministries nationwide in the realm of financing and day-to-day banking needs. Our Kingdom-oriented services also include ministry credit cards, an online generosity platform called TouchPoint Giving and a best-in-class church management software solution called Touchpoint. At Cass, our great desire is to help churches thrive through sound counsel and tailored financial solutions in a highly relational context.

2024 Media Sponsor

We welcome Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax for the eleventh year. ChurchLaw&Tax, founded in the late 1980s by attorney Richard Hammar and James Cobble, publishes award-winning print and digital content, plus provides webinars, training, and a podcast that help church leaders lead their ministries with confidence.

Hammar, ChurchLaw&Tax’s senior editor, is a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide; Pastor, Church & Law, Fifth Edition; and Church Governance). He is joined by Matthew Branaugh, who has served as ChurchLaw&Tax’s content editor since 2008 and became an attorney in 2020. ChurchLaw&Tax is also led by an esteemed group of senior editorial advisors, including CPA Michael Batts, attorney and CPA Frank Sommerville, attorney Erika Cole, and CPAs Elaine Sommerville and Vonna Laue, as well as several distinguished advisors-at-large, including attorneys Sally Wagenmaker and Theresa Sidebotham, executive pastors Nicholas Smith and Tim Samuel, and XPastor’s founder, David Fletcher.

“A wild herd of wolves and other critters could not keep us from partnering with the XP-Seminar!”

Brad Leeper, President, Generis

2023 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

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

2024 XP-Seminar Attendees

2024 Workshops

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

2023 XP-Seminar2023-12-06T12:44:44-06:00

19th Annual XP-Seminar

A ChurchLaw&Tax Top Conference

Limited to 200 people                           2017-23 Seminars were sold out

Unsolicited Comments from Prior Attendees

As usual, it was well worth the time and done with excellence. There was much to learn, much to experience, and relationships were built.

BT

You guys are amazing. Thank you for an awesome event last week. It really is a tribe and not a town. The chance to connect with so many church leaders and run into them repeatedly over three days was amazing. I can tell you that it was an amazing event and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Sponsor

I am watching online and am so glad to have found a place and a people that I can relate to and be encouraged by. I pray to be able to attend in person next year and participate in the workshop discussions.

JD

Already have plans to come back next year Lord willing. My trip report is 4 pages for just my top 3 takeaways. Without a doubt, this was the most beneficial conference I’ve attended to date. In all I took 18 pages of notes for my 13th XP-Seminar.

DP

Am grateful for the conference last week.  God has used your ministry to XPs to help me greatly.  Glad to have now attended for three years.

MW

You two are the poster children for how to run a conference well … and how to communicate well … and how to be timely in all you do.

WB

This was the best XP-Seminar ever.

Sponsor

This was a good reminder of how much we don’t know that we don’t know. I’ve been working through my notes and creating key takeaways for the past few hours. Much to think through to boil it down to 2-3 actionable items that could help us move our mission forward.

JS

This is my favorite conference of the year.

Sponsor

The XP Seminar is always my favorite conference for so many reasons.

Sponsor

The conference was another home run. As much as I enjoyed and learned in prior years, this round I walked away with more actionable ideas.  This was both good for my soul and a great investment for my church.

MW

Thank you for another power-packed conference.  Your ministry is needed more than ever as XPs are getting bombarded by the enemy from all sides regardless of church size.  The relationships you have with all the keynote and workshop speakers and their willingness to share ideas to strength the body of Christ is so much appreciated.

DM

Again, the XP-Seminar both met and exceeded expectations. What continues to impress me about is that each presenter brings forth fresh and creative approaches to ministry with humility and conviction. Everything is actionable. There’s never empty hype. Each presentation is rooted in reality, and it’s an encouraging reality that God is good, and the body of Christ has avenues for flourishing. Well done!

Senior Pastor

It was another excellent conference.

SB

Thanks again for a great XP event! It was informative and inspiring.

BH

Thank you for such an amazing conference. I have been to a lot of conferences over the last 20 years and most are not worth the time, but this one was.

JS

Thank you for the uniquely profound ministry of the XPastor Seminar. There is something beautiful and enriching about the design and format of the conference that fosters connection and shared learning. The size, the meals, the round tables, etc. all make it very special and meaningful. I had a great experience listening, learning and making connections. Fletch has a unique gift of interacting with the presenters and the audience in a remarkable way that engages people in conversation and reflection.

GL

You did a magnificent job organizing the XP-Seminar. It was my first time there and I’m sure you’ve evolved your protocols over the years—and it shows. Every time I asked a question of you, and there were several, you had the answer and you were so very helpful. God bless you on your path as you fulfill God’s calling on your life.

KD

The seminar was extremely beneficial. 100% relevant and applicable to my role. Tons of takeaways. Looking forward to the keynote videos being posted. Glad I attended!

DW

The information, networking, and interaction was great! I learned a lot from each speaker. Still going through material and trying to digest it. I look forward to next year!  Already suggested to our SP and Elders that they should come.

WD

2023 Featured Speakers

Just Announced—David Kinnaman

David Kinnaman is the CEO of Barna. He is the author of the bestselling books Faith For Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than two million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies.

Lessons Learned in Leaving a Large Church

Todd Wagner is the founding pastor of Watermark Community Church and author of the book Come and See. After 22 years Todd stepped away from the leadership of the church he founded to pursue building and serving a network of leaders in business, ministry, public service, media and other areas of strategic influence. Todd will also have Q&A ask a part of his talk.

He is the President of Unhindered Ministries and the founder of the 1613Project which exists to encourage, equip and empower leaders and their organizations to remain steadfast in the face of ever increasing cultural pressure to compromise on the values and principles essential to the enduring health of civilization. Todd has been a keynote speaker at numerous national and international leadership conferences and a guest contributor to the Dallas Morning News, The Gospel Coalition, Fox News and other media outlets. His previously produced video podcast, Real Truth Real Quick, continues to be a favorite resource for tens of thousands on YouTube. Todd and his wife, Alex, alongside their six children and ever increasing number of grandchildren, live, laugh, and serve together in Dallas, Texas.

Why Diversity?

Dr. David Anderson, founder and President of Gracism Global, is one of the world’s leading authorities on bridging the deep divides of race, faith, culture, and wealth. Known as the bridge-building voice in the Nation’s Capital, Anderson hosts the daily radio talk show “Real Talk with Dr. David Anderson” on WAVA (105.1 FM) – the most listened to Christian talk station on the East Coast. As the founder and senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, Dr. Anderson reaches a multicultural congregation of over 10,000 weekly attendees from more than 60 nations, viewed online in over 100 countries, with locations in Columbia and Owings Mills, Maryland.

Dr. Anderson is the author of Letters Across the Divide, Multicultural Ministry, the award-winning Gracism: The Art of Inclusion, and I Forgrace You: Doing Good to Those Who Have Hurt You. He co-authored the acclaimed Multicultural Ministry Handbook: Creatively Connecting to a Diverse World and his newest book is, How to Think Like a Gracist. See EmbraceGracism.com.

Your Staff Wants a Coaching Leader

Dr. Nathan Baxter was an XP and SP for 28 years. Now Nathan is an executive leadership coach. He is fully engaged each week coaching executives and ministry leaders all across the country through Lead Self Lead Others. He and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track. He is now devoting more time to encouraging and equipping those who want to be more effective in coaching others through Real Coaching Success. Nathan has developed extensive resources for coaches and mentors, such as: Nathan and Dianne Baxter’s book Real Coaching Success: What it Takes to Be An Excellent Coach and Build Your Business; Free weekly devotion for coaches called Think.Coach.Pray; Free monthly webinars and many more.

Inspiring Keynotes from National Leaders in 2023

Managing Partner, BMWL

Jenni Catron
Founder, 4Sight Group

Rob Faulk
Partner, CapinCrouse

Ryan Fitzgerald
Senior Marketing Manager, BELAY

Jason Hamrock
CEO, Missional Marketing

David Lee
Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent Church Financing

Brad Leeper
President, Generis

Chris Lewis
Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent Church Financing

Dave Milam
Vice President of Strategic Design, Visioneering Studios

Holly Tate
SVP of Growth @ Leadr

William Vanderbloemen
CEO & Founder, Vanderbloemen

Bruce Woody
President, HH Architects

Short Rides in 2023

Kurian Babykutty
CEO, 40 Parables

Warren Bird
SVP of Research and Equipping, ECFA

JB Bowling
JB Bowling, Vice President, Clark

Dave Hess
Vice President of Consultant Development
Financial Planning Ministry

David Middlebrook
Founding Attorney, The Church Lawyers

30 Workshops Are Planned During the Seminar

Last year’s 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.

Come Early for Great Pre-Seminar Workshops

Building a Recession-Proof Team

with Jenni Catron

Middle Way Workshop

with XP Bobby McGraw

New XPs

with David Fletcher

What if Financial Giving Drops in 2023

with Brad Leeper

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Senior Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

I love what Fletch is doing through the keynotes and workshops. This is a fantastic place. I’ve seen first hand the results of Fletch’s leadership in the local church level and in cross-cultural situations.

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The Seminar has a huge impact on my leadership and development in networking, mentoring and insight. I attend to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development and so much more. I believe in the Seminar and want to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided. 

Matt Branaugh, Editor at Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!

Dan Brubacher, XP at Connexus Church

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!

Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

The Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor has 1,300 free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We bring in outstanding national leaders such as Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

On Wednesday at lunch, the short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Our 15th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

Learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role.

It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

XP McKenzie Schreck
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

What Attendees Say

The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.

Enrich your life and ministry here!

I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, ‘What I should do as a new XP?’

Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.

—attendance limited to 200 people—

On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.

I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.

Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!

A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

After Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

Schedule

Pre-Seminar Workshops
Tuesday—February 21, 2023

1:00-4:00 pm

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture with Jenni Catron. Research tells us that a strong and healthy culture leads to greater employee engagement and more growth for your organization. And yet, while 90% of leaders believe that an engagement strategy will have an impact on their success, only 25% of them actually have a plan. Special enrollment needed.

1:00-4:00 pm

The Middle Way Workshop with Bobby McGraw. The workshop uses table exercises and tailored content to create an experience that you will not forget. We discuss overall team dynamics and the impact of family of origin to uncover many problems teams face these days due to differences in individual orientation. Special enrollment needed.

1:00-4:00 pm

New XP Workshop. Fletch leads this time on the critical first year for an XP. Some XPs had prior roles at the church for many years and others are new to that culture. The key is learning your new role and responding to the dynamics of that role: Working with the Senior Pastor, working with staff leaders and the entire staff and working with the congregation. Special enrollment needed.

1:00-4:00 pm

What If Financial Giving Drops in 2023? Brad Leeper deals with changes in attendance, volunteer and group engagement, and staff demands that continue to stretch your Executive Pastor leadership. You will be equipped to handle giving changes in 2023. If giving remains stable, you will know how to expand 2023 giving beyond budget as well as secure capital giving to expand mission. Learn how to work with your senior pastor, campus pastors, staff and Board to create a strong tailwind in giving rather than a stiff headwind. Special enrollment needed.

Seminar Begins
Tuesday—February 21, 2023
Focus on XP Growth and Development

6:30 pm

XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Talk to old friends and meet some new ones.

7:00-7:30 pm

Brad Leeper, on XP Leadership and Stewardship in 2023: Danger Zone, Maintenance Mode or Prime Moment? As the local church shifts in how ministry is done, how are financial resources limiting or accelerating your mission?Few know more about generosity and church culture than Brad. He and the Generis team were key movers in instigating a “culture of generosity” in the church landscape. Brad earned a Masters in Theology degree from Dallas Seminary and a B.S. in Economics from West Virginia University. He has diverse experience in church risk management, human resources, financial analysis, adult education, cross-cultural missions and strategic planning.

7:30-7:45 pm

Two Hard Questions about LED Walls and Cinematic Cameras with JB Bowling. Listen to a fresh interview on some tough questions with JB and Fletch, touching on two questions that your tech teams are or will be talking with you about. JB is the Vice President of Clark and leads the Design & Business Development teams. George and Houston Clark first met JB 25 years ago, while working at his home church. JB went on to work for a few large churches, including Shadow Mountain Community Church as Production Director and Turning Point’s television broadcast. He was the Global Arts Director at LibertyLive.Church, leading the worship, production, and creative teams across three campuses.

7:45-8:15 pm

Thriving as a Team with Ryan Fitzgerald. Before becoming the Senior Marketing Manager at BELAY, a modern staffing company, Ryan Fitzgerald worked for North Point Ministries in Atlanta for 15 years. He also 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.

8:15-8:45 pm

Leading and Developing a High Impact Team by Holly Tate. Holly is SVP of Growth at Leadr. She is a growth strategist, entrepreneur, speaker, and member of the Forbes Communication Council. Before joining Leadr, Holly was a marketing and business development executive at Vanderbloemen, a global executive search firm for 8.5 years, most recently as the Vice President of Business Development & Marketing.

8:45-9:00 pm

Planned Giving: A Funding Tool for the Church by Dave Hess. Dave is a 22-year veteran of the United States Air Force, then served as an executive pastor. Now as Vice-President of Consultant Development with Financial Planning Ministry, his role is to help train and manage a team of 40 professionals who provide education on estate planning processes while assisting individuals and families with their specific planning needs.

Wednesday—February 22, 2023
Focus on the Business Brain

7:00-7:45

Some Things Have Changed but Some Things Remain Constant with Chris Lewis and David Lee. Full breakfast with Thrivent. Chris Lewis and David Lee are the East Coast and West Coast Senior Relationship Managers at Thrivent Church Financing. Together, they share more than 40 years of experience serving the local church. Thrivent has been serving churches for over 100 years with over 6,000 churches served, and many lessons learned.

7:45-8:40

David Kinnaman. David is the author of the bestselling books Faith For Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than two million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies.

8:40-8:50

Short Ride with Gloo

8:50-9:20

How Engagement Drives Attendance Post Covid with Cary Yocum. Over the past 15 years Cary 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.

9:20-9:35

Looking Forward with Warren Bird, 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 30 books including Hero Maker with Dave Ferguson, How to Break Growth Barriers with Carl George and Unleashing the Word with Max McLean.

9:35-10:25

How to protect your church from some of the biggest risks and pitfalls in 2023 with Kurt Hetherington. Kurt started his career with James Greene & Associates in 1994 and serves as President. He is also the Agency Director for American Church Group of Texas. The agency alliance is one of the largest independent agencies in America, serving the insurance and risk management needs of churches and related ministries. Both agencies represent Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. Kurt earned his CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) and CRM (Certified Risk Manager) designations, as well as CPIA (Certified Professional Insurance Agent). He is a past board member and president of Professional Insurance Agents of Arkansas (PIAAR). He served on the board of the Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame, and currently serves on the board of the Association of Christian Childcare Administrators. In 2013, he was the recipient of the Randy Henry Excellence in Service Award from the PIA of AR.

10:25-10:55

Key Steps to Good Church Governance with Rob Faulk. Effective church boards play a vital role in ensuring their ministry’s overall health. Learn how to help your board set effective goals, define their responsibility, address accountability, and identify and approach key issues. 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 denominations, colleges, universities and seminaries, rescue missions, and other nonprofits.

10:55-11:10

Discussion with Fletch, Dan Mikes & Morgan Mudge. Dan is a Sr. Relationship Manager in the Church and Ministries Division of Cass Commercial Bank with experience in more than $5.5 billion in church loans. Morgan is the Founder of Gyve and currently serves on the leadership team at Touchpoint as the Director of Advancement. He coaches on generosity with increasing first time givers, understanding giving trends and helping take next steps in generosity.

11:10-11:25

Legal Issues with David Middlebrook. David is one of the country’s leading practitioners in the area of religious nonprofit organizations. His clients include high-profile charitable and religious organizations, both domestic and international. He has an in-depth knowledge of risk management for charities, religious organizations, private schools, and universities. David is the founding shareholder of churchlawyers.com

11:25-11:55

Architecture and Design with Bruce Woody. Bruce 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.

Noon

Networking Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a room on either floor. Use this time to meet new colleagues and network with friends.

1:15-2:15

Workshops: Session 1

2:15

Afternoon snack on first floor

2:30-3:30

Workshops: Session 2

3:45-4:45

Workshops: Session 3

Dinner

Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We see scores of people do this every year.

7:00-7:30

Overcoming Pain Points with your Communications Department with Jason Hamrock. As CEO of Missional Marketing, Jason guides the vision for how Missional Marketing best serves church partners and strives to help churches digitally to capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. He was a Communications Director for 11 years at Central Christian Church of Arizona. He hosts the Missional Marketing podcast, which just passed 100 episodes and has thousands of downloads.

7:30-8:00

Building a Culture that Attracts and Retains the Best Talent with Jenni Catron. Jenni is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

8:00-9:00

Lessons Learned in Leaving a Large Church with Todd Wagner. Todd is the founding pastor of Watermark Community Church and author of the book Come and See. After 22 years Todd stepped away from the leadership of the church he founded to pursue building and serving a network of leaders in business, ministry, public service, media and other areas of strategic influence. Todd will also have Q&A as a part of his talk

Thursday—February 23, 2023
Focus on the Pastoral Heart

7:45-8:30

6 Secrets for Building in a Recession with Dave Milam. A shaky economy can often stall growth and block progress, especially when a big building project is on the line. These 6 secrets will help you safely navigate the perilous road of building during uncertain economic times and reveal the path to moving forward. Dave is the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios. He stands firmly at the intersection of ministry, design, and visual storytelling. Having 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.

8:30-8:45

Align Teams Awesomely Toward Action with Kurian Babykutty. Kurian is the CEO of 40 Parables. A Drucker-driven neuro-marketer, Kurian is a software engineer with an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurship from Babson College, Boston. For over a decade, he has leveraged his marketing background to help several ministry and church leaders with their messaging clarity and marketing campaigns. His life goal is to help the Church embrace change so that it can embrace Christ.

8:45-9:20

Your Staff Wants a Coaching Leader with Nathan Baxter. Dr. Baxter was an XP and SP for 28 years. Now Nathan is an executive leadership coach. He is fully engaged each week coaching executives and ministry leaders all across the country through Lead Self Lead Others. He and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track. He is now devoting more time to encouraging and equipping those who want to be more effective in coaching others through Real Coaching Success.

9:20-9:50

With All Your Heart with Mike Batts, Managing Partner of BMWL. What does it mean to do something with all your heart? We’ll talk about that … From his wealth of experience and many books, Mike brings great insight into current and upcoming trends in church financial leadership. Mike has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, such as the ECFA and the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations. In 2013, Mike was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame. He is author of Church Finance, Nonprofit Financial Oversight—The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees and Board Member Orientation.

9:50-10:40

Why Diversity? by David Anderson. Dr. David Anderson, founder and President of Gracism Global, is one of the world’s leading authorities on bridging the deep divides of race, faith, culture, and wealth. Known as the bridge-building voice in the Nation’s Capital, Anderson hosts the daily radio talk show “Real Talk with Dr. David Anderson” on WAVA (105.1 FM) – the most listened to Christian talk station on the East Coast. As the founder and senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, Dr. Anderson reaches a multicultural congregation of over 10,000 weekly attendees from more than 60 nations, viewed online in over 100 countries, with locations in Columbia and Owings Mills, Maryland.

10:40-11:20

Seamless Succession Planning with William Vanderbloemen. Pastoral Succession has been a taboo topic for far too long, but the truth is that every pastor is an interim pastor. Whether you are ready or not, succession is going to happen. Will you be ready for it? William 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 written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (2014), Search : The Pastor Search Committee Handbook (2016) and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace (2018).

11:20

Break for Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop.

11:30-12:30

Lunch Workshops: Session 4

12:45-1:45

Workshops: Session 5

2:00-3:00

Workshops: Session 6

Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

2023 Platinum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their nineteenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the thirteenth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 51 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the twelfth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

We welcome for the eighth year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. Brotherhood Mutual is a national property and casualty insurance company with a heart for helping Christian ministries thrive. As a leader in the industry, Brotherhood Mutual provides innovative insurance coverage and risk management resources, specifically designed for ministries, to help them operate safely and effectively.

The company looks toward the future, working with and anticipating the unique needs of more than 65,000 churches, Christian schools, colleges, camps, missions, non-profits, and related ministries. Additionally, Brotherhood Mutual provides access to payroll and tax filing services, employee health benefits, commercial auto insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and mission travel insurance.

We welcome for the seventh year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) is a national CPA firm exclusively serving churches, ministries, and other nonprofit organizations through audit & assurance, tax, and strategic advisory services. BMWL understands that you want to protect the financial health and reputation of your church. Their service model is built around that very idea.

BMWL will help your church protect your mission, maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemption, protect your exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, simplify your financial administration, and be better informed. Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the sixth year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling.

From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the sixth year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the fifth year, we welcome Thrivent Church Financing. For more than 115 years, Thrivent Church Financing has provided ministries with flexible financing solutions coupled with dedicated service. In our history, we have helped over 6,000 Christian churches achieve their missions, grow their ministries and meet their financial stewardship through mortgage loans for refinancing, new construction, renovation or capital improvement.

Thrivent Church Financing is part of Thrivent, a membership-owned fraternal benefit society of Christians and a holistic financial services organization that helps guide individuals, churches and non-profits to make the most of all God has given them. Known for our financial strength and stability, as well as our approach to helping Christians connect their financial decisions with their faith, Thrivent blends faith, finances and generosity to improve lives and build stronger families and communities.

For the fifth year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay recently acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

We welcome Missional Marketing for the fourth year. Missional Marketing is a church-focused agency that brings a variety of communications solutions. Our ultimate goal is to help every church we partner with bring people to the church so they may hear the Good News. The strategy we use is to leverage content to capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. The solutions we bring revolve around offering: Communications consulting and outsourcing (yes, we get hired to be your Communications Director): Communications Project Management: Social Media strategy and management: Digital advertising with Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: Website building and SEO for websites, Local (your church building), and YouTube: Leveraging the content that you create and the content we have created: Implement our sermon flywheel to connect with more people.

We welcome Leadr for the third year. Leadr is a people development software designed to help you engage and grow every person on your team. The leadership development pipeline is one of the biggest challenges organizations face and with Leadr, you can develop leaders at every level of your organization through Leadership Development, CoreHR, and LeadrHealth Plans. Leadr is the tool that empowers managers to transform people management into people development because people want to be led and developed, not managed. Since launching in May 2020, Leadr has partnered with nearly 500 churches across the United States and they’re just getting started.

For the third year, we welcome BELAY, the incredible organization revolutionizing productivity with their virtual assistant, bookkeeping, social media manager, and website specialist services for growing churches. Their first client was a pastor, so their ministry-minded, servant-hearted team knows how to help busy pastors and their growing churches with modern staffing that grows their teams without having to do everything on their own. Get the right help for your church so you can focus on your Kingdom work—and let BELAY handle the rest.

For the third year, we welcome Gloo. We aspire to enable the church to benefit from its collective might. Our mission is to serve the champion, help them scale and power their purposes with a great platform & marketplaces. Our purpose is to release globally the passion in every person to champion the growth of another … so they can both be all they were born to be.

For the first year, we are excited to welcome The 4Sight Group. 4Sight is committed to and passionate about cultivating healthy leaders to lead thriving organizations. Their mission is to come alongside you and your team to provide the tools and resources you need to accomplish your purpose with clarity and confidence. Culture matters and The 4Sight Group brings the culture conversation to a practical level while providing a pathway and process to help leaders and their teams succeed together. With a unique approach of leadership coaching and strategic consulting, 4Sight will provide you with a proven framework to take your leadership and the culture of your organization to the next level.

2023 Gold Sponsors

For the thirteenth year, we welcome Middlebrook | Group, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits.

They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

For the twelfth year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

For the ninth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now accredits over 2,600 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

We welcome Cass Bank for the fifth year. The Word says, Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14). Cass Bank provides counsel to churches and ministries nationwide in the realm of financing and day-to-day banking needs. Our Kingdom-oriented services also include ministry credit cards, an online generosity platform called TouchPoint Giving and a best-in-class church management software solution called Touchpoint. At Cass, our great desire is to help churches thrive through sound counsel and tailored financial solutions in a highly relational context.

We welcome Financial Planning Ministry for the third year. FPM is a trusted name in estate planning and strategic planned giving. Since 1982 more than 37,000 families and individuals have benefitted from their unique ministry efforts. They provide turnkey solutions for planned giving to over 130 ministry partners across the country.

Through the promotion of Christ-centered stewardship and estate planning, millions of dollars have been saved from probate while directing over $1.8 billion to Christian charities worldwide.

We welcome Bleat for the second year. Church leader, how good is your church at making decisions? Because a decision-making church is a disciple-making church!

Powered by 40 Parables, Bleat is a decision-making platform that helps church leaders listen to their sheep clearly and make better decisions faster.

Try Bleat today in 3 minutes to measure your church relevance.

2023 Silver Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the seventeenth year. GuideStone was founded more than 100 years ago to meet the financial needs of retired pastors, their families and, in many cases, their widows. Today, we serve more than 50,000 churches and ministries and 250,000 individuals, including pastors, ministers, church workers, missionaries, hospital employees, university and seminary staff, and countless others serving in ministry organizations around the world.

For the tenth year, we welcome Slingshot Group. Slingshot Group builds remarkable teams through staffing and coaching. Founded in 2007, Slingshot’s team of ministry practitioners is what sets them apart. Every one of Slingshot Group’s 60+ nationwide associates has ministry experience. They know exactly what it takes to hire and develop great staff for the local church and ministry-minded nonprofits.

We welcome for the sixth year Portable Church®. For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. We design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue.

Everything you need to launch a mobile church—an experiential worship space, engaging kids ministry areas, inviting welcome spaces, timesaving storage cases, etc.—all in a system refined to make it fast and easy for the weekly volunteer teams.

2023 Media Sponsor

We welcome Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax for the tenth year. ChurchLaw&Tax, founded in the late 1980s by attorney Richard Hammar and James Cobble, publishes award-winning print and digital content, plus provides webinars, training, and a podcast that help church leaders lead their ministries with confidence.

Hammar, ChurchLaw&Tax’s senior editor, is a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide; Pastor, Church & Law, Fifth Edition; and Church Governance). He is joined by Matthew Branaugh, who has served as ChurchLaw&Tax’s content editor since 2008 and became an attorney in 2020. ChurchLaw&Tax is also led by an esteemed group of senior editorial advisors, including CPA Michael Batts, attorney and CPA Frank Sommerville, attorney Erika Cole, and CPAs Elaine Sommerville and Vonna Laue, as well as several distinguished advisors-at-large, including attorneys Sally Wagenmaker and Theresa Sidebotham, executive pastors Nicholas Smith and Tim Samuel, and XPastor’s founder, David Fletcher.

“A wild herd of wolves and other critters could not keep us from partnering with the XP-Seminar!”

Brad Leeper, President, Generis

2023 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

5 Budget Busting Spaces You Think You Need, But Really Don’t

Wasting money on spaces that really don’t matter is one of the most dangerous pitfalls that a church can fall into. The truth is, anyone can justify why they need room for a specific ministry need, even placing the blame on God. When you step back and look, the ROI just isn’t there for the long haul, leaving you with spaces that become ineffective over time. It’s time to climb out of the pit and learn how to maximize your facilities without breaking the bank.

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

5 Common AVL and Integration Questions Answered

When it comes to Audio-Visual-Lighting and integration, there are at least five frequently asked questions. The answers can be expensive or not as expensive, so you want to know the issues! We heard two huge questions on Tuesday night with JB and Fletch, ones about LED Walls and Cinematic Cameras. You need to be up to date on major changes and issues in the AVL world. Sometime in the next one to ten years, you will need to make some major decisions in this area. You may also have AVL questions: are you unable to get a straight answer from your team? Bring those questions and we can talk through them.

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

6 Steps of Biblical Fundraising:
Applying Biblical Truths to Modern Day Fundraising

From Moses and David to Paul and Jesus. How people in the Bible funded their mission and how can we use these principles in the modern-day church to close the gap between your budget and your vision.

Morgan Mudge is the Founder of Gyve and currently serves on the leadership team at Touchpoint as the Director of Advancement. He coaches on generosity with increasing first time givers, understanding giving trends and helping take next steps in generosity. Morgan helps the church close the gap between their funding and their vision. He is active in his home church 2/42 Community in Brighton, Michigan and enjoys hunting and woodworking.

Morgan Mudge, Founder, Gyve

The 6 Tensions of an Executive Leader:
Practical Tools to Serve Fully and Stay Healthy

So often, the job of an executive leader in the church feels like an impossible one! We are called to pastor, to be church strategy experts, to run the business of the church, to manage the entire organization with excellence, to lead up with wisdom, and to lead ourselves with humility. Our job descriptions are ambiguous, and the expectation for our effectiveness is high. There are few books written or classes taught that cover these responsibilities, and even fewer sources for practical tools that we can use each week to get better. In this workshop, we will dive into each broad aspect of our job. We’ll talk about the scriptural imperative of what we are called to do, and we’ll drill down into some simple, practical tools that you can use next week as you lead your team.

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 (Ephesians 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, Vice President, Senior Leadership division, Slingshot

For over 15 years, Brian Taylor has served and equipped the local church. His background spans a broad spectrum of denominations, cultures, church sizes, and settings. As a worship pastor, he loves creating worship environments that are intentional, engaging, and Spirit-empowered. As a member of senior leadership teams, his mission has been to help clarify vision and strategy, cultivate healthy team culture, and develop strong leaders. He is also passionate about resourcing churches and leaders called to multicultural and multiethnic ministry, helping them embrace and empower diverse teams.

Brian brings all of this to his role as Vice President of Slingshot’s Worship & Creative Arts division, leading a stellar team serving churches around the country in the areas of Worship, Production, and Digital/Communications. He and his wife Lauren live just north of Dallas, Texas, with their two beautiful kids (four if you count their two dogs as Brian does). You will find him with a notebook and a good cup of coffee always nearby.

Brian Taylor, VP of Worship & Creative Arts, Slingshot

The 6 Traits Every New Leader Needs to Succeed

Leadership can be frustrating when you feel ill-equipped to face the daily challenges of leading yourself and leading a team. The pressure on leaders has only grown more acute with staff transitions, waning morale, and record levels of burnout. Leaders are feeling enormous pressure to lead and manage well. In this session, 4Sight coaches, Genea Browne and Jenni Catron will share the unique challenges that leaders are facing and six essential traits that you and your team need to succeed. You’ll be equipped with practical, hands-on tools to help you learn how to lead well on your journey to becoming an extraordinary leader.

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops. She is also a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry.

Jenni Catron, Founder, 4Sight

Genea Browne is an engaging executive coach with over 20 years of both ministry and marketplace experience. She is most passionate about guiding individuals and organizations to achieve alignment, growth, and excellence. She achieves this through intentional coaching on mission, vision, values, purpose and goals. In her most recent role as Executive Team Lead for Community Christian, a multi-site church in the Bay Area, she focused on leadership development, team culture and care, led the Community Group ministry for all locations, as well as developed and executed Human Resource strategies and systems. Genea’s career has also included developing and leading volunteer teams and working as the Director of Coaching for a leadership organization where she coached executive pastors and leaders nationwide. Genea has experience with both sides of ministry working as a staff member and also serving two consecutive terms on an elected Board at a large multi-site church in the Chicago area.

Genea Browne, Coach, 4Sight

7 Common HR Misses that Every Church Should Know

Welcome to the most practical church HR workshop you will ever attend! We won’t give you a general overview of ministry HR, but instead, we will teach you about the 7 most commonly missed things in church HR. From employee classification to handling of I-9s, we will give you the tools to fix the gaps in compliance and best practices.

Justin Romine is the SVP of Strategy at HR Ministry Solutions and has spent over 20 years as a pastor, consultant and as an executive in the corporate ranks serving Fortune 100 companies. He is passionate about providing solutions that inspire church health and coaching people towards their heart and God given purpose. He holds both a Masters and Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University and has contributed his writings to a variety of publications. He currently resides outside of Boise, Idaho with his wife and his two children.

Justin Romine, SVP of Strategy, HR Ministry Solutions

Aggressive Church Multiplication:
New Launch Strategies from the Best!

Within the Church, there are a group of aggressive and innovative leaders who are obsessed with a God-sized vision to take new ground for The Kingdom. It is so real they can taste it! They build their leadership teams around it, ensuring the vision becomes a reality with stealth-like execution!

Les McKeown shares that predictable success happens when there is harmony and balance between the visionary leader and the operational leader. Together they bring alignment to amazing strategies for creating new seats in new communities for the hearing of the Gospel!

In this breakout, Jeff Beachum will share several key elements on how effective church leaders are taking new ground and advancing the gospel with new venues. He will discuss capacity and real estate issues all churches face. Also, you will explore the difference between loving and hating the idea of engaging portable strategies, and how incredible environments can be created in portable settings!

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, Multiplication Specialist, Portable Church Industries

Aligning Your Sr. Pastor & Staff Teams toward Action

Most XPs know what to do. So what then is the problem? Getting their own team members aligned around an agreeable and actionable solution! But what if XPs and senior church leaders had a tool that could align their teams awesomely toward action, with minimal effort or follow up? Join this interactive session (be ready to engage with your mobile devices) to see examples of how church leaders are replacing the struggle of awareness with the success of alignment. Will you ride the tide of alignment or be left behind?

Kurian Babykutty is the Chief Evangelistic Officer at 40 Parables, a strategic MarTech partner for ministries. Kurian has been serving the ministry world since his early days as the Marketing Director at Generis and also later on as the Director of Innovation at OneHope. A Drucker-driven neuro-marketer, Kurian is a software engineer with an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurship from Babson College, Boston. For over a decade, he has leveraged his marketing background to help several ministry and church leaders with their messaging clarity and marketing campaigns. His life goal is to help the Church embrace change so that it can embrace Christ. To this effect he and his team at 40 Parables have created strategic marketing and engagement products such as CornerStone, Bleat etc. to help churches message and market as our Messiah did. Kurian lives in Dallas with his wife and two kids and his favorite parable is one about the foolish and the wise virgins. What’s yours?

Kurian Babykutty, Chief Evangelistic Officer, 40 Parables

The Basics of Estate Planning:
Leaving a Legacy

We can’t predict the future, but we can plan for it. Financial Planning Ministry (FPM) takes the mystery out of estate planning, guiding you and your family through a straightforward process allowing you to design a legacy plan that blesses your family and honors God. Take this opportunity to make decisions, pass on your values AND your valuables, and start planning for your future. Learn more about wills, trusts, guardianship, and health care directives as you work to create your own customized estate plan with FPM at no out-of-pocket cost to you and your family.

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 ten years Dave has served with Financial Planning Ministry. As Vice-President of Consultant Development, his role is to help train and manage 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 Consultant Development, Financial Planning Ministry

Church Communications as Evangelism, Outreach, 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 your church’s sermon content and digital presence 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

Church Financing 101

Financing is not a topic that most of us enjoy talking about. But your job may involve applying, negotiating and procuring a commercial loan. Chris and David plan on providing some very practical and relevant pointers that will assist you in your planning and facilitate your interaction with potential lenders. Chris Lewis @ Thrivent and David Lee @ Thrivent are both Senior Relationship Managers, providing growing ministries nationally with the capital for construction, expansion, acquisition and refinancing. Together, they have more than 40 years serving the local church, providing competitive financing solutions.

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

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.

Rick Spruill is managing editor for Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax, where he serves an award-winning team of editors, designers and content providers in creating and publishing ChurchLaw&Tax.com’s numerous digital resources, products and e-newsletters. A longtime journalist and editor, it has been Rick’s pleasure to create—and help others create—award-winning content for both print and broadcast audiences. A native Texan, Rick was raised Southern Baptist but has spent most of his adult life in non-denominational settings. Serving those who serve the Church is the most humbling, and rewarding, part of his job.

Rick Spruill, Managing Editor, Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax

Church Splits and Staff Infections

During this session, David Middlebrook will explore both church splits and staff infections. What can you do before, during and after one of these happens in your church?

David is one of the country’s leading practitioners in the area of religious nonprofit organizations. His clients include high-profile charitable and religious organizations, both domestic and international. He has an in-depth knowledge of risk management for charities, religious organizations, private schools, and universities. David is the founding shareholder of churchlawyers.com

David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Lawyers, Middlebrook | Group

Delegate to Elevate

Ryan and Melissa will share how to have the most practical conversation about delegation. It always sounds so simple, “just delegate it.” But, what does that really mean? What does it include and what does it exclude? Whether your team in all in-person, all online, or a hybrid, you can maximize your team with effective delegation. That effectiveness is tied to evaluation!

Melissa Tidwell has been part of the BELAY team since 2011 serving as part of the Solutions Team. She has over 20 years of church experience with a focus on finance and ministry team leadership. Melissa has been part of several church launch teams and has held a number of staff and volunteer positions at various churches. Her passion is to equip leaders with the right information and resources to make strong decisions that further the Kingdom.

Melissa Tidwell, Solutions Team, BELAY

Before becoming the Senior Marketing Manager 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, Senior Marketing Manager, BELAY

Developing the Next Generation of Church Leadership

Have you experienced frustration in trying to lead your Gen-Z team members? It’s one of the biggest challenges our leaders today are facing. Gen-Z is changing the game in workplace norms and expectations. They currently make up ¼ of the workforce in the US, and by 2025, that percentage will double. It’s our job as leaders to step up and develop this new generation as future leaders. When we look at the data of what motivates Gen-Z team members, it boils down to connection, engagement, and growth opportunities. So how do we practically meet these needs and prepare this generation to take on leadership roles? Leadr’s SVP of Growth, Holly Tate is passionate about helping this new generation harness their growth potential and wants to share her insights from research, experience, and countless development conversations with Gen-Z employees. Attend this workshop to learn: The latest data on what drives Gen-Z employees in the workplace; Practical tips for engaging and developing Gen-Z team members; How to prepare well for the future of your organization, beginning with pouring into Gen-Z.

Holly Tate is SVP of Growth at Leadr. She is a growth strategist, entrepreneur, speaker, and member of the Forbes Communication Council. Before joining Leadr, Holly was a marketing and business development executive at Vanderbloemen, a global executive search firm for 8.5 years, most recently as the Vice President of Business Development & Marketing, where she led partnerships, brand growth, demand and lead generation, sales and marketing alignment, and new industry initiatives for the company.

Holly is founder of performance marketing agency, The Ready Network, and an international speaker on marketing, communications, brand growth, leadership development, and workplace culture. She has spoken at conferences including Pushpay Summit, Texas Ministry Conference, Engage, Northwest Ministry Conference, That Church Conference, and ICMA (India).

As a member of the Forbes Communications Council, Holly contributes thought leadership on marketing and communications to Forbes online where her advice has been featured in 40+ articles.

Holly Tate, SVP of Growth. Leadr

The Donor Journey:
How to Engage Donors At Every Stage

It’s no secret that generosity is a journey. The challenge is keeping track of where all your members are on that journey, and developing an effective plan—specific to each stage—which will encourage givers to take the next step. Pushpay’s VP of Sales, Cary Yocum and Gibson Brueher will discuss the importance of tailoring your approach to nurturing at different stages, and how the latest digital tools and features can make supporting donors along their individual journey easier than ever.

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

Gibson Brueher was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He and his wife attend Church of the City in Nashville, Tennessee, where they serve in the Kids Ministry. He and his wife had their first baby, Oliver, in 2022 and have been blessed to be first time parents. Gibson serves at Pushpay as an Enterprise Account Executive. He is passionate about helping ministries equip their staff with tools to allow them to focus on ministry, and helping congregations more easily get connected to their church.

Gibson Brueher, Enterprise Account Executive, Pushpay

Field Guide to Leading a Building Project in 2023

A church-building project can be both sobering and terrifying. So whether you’re a well-seasoned contractor or an Executive Pastor who doesn’t know a hammer from a wrench (and went to seminary), this workshop will help you understand the nuts and bolts to lead a church building project in 2023. Plus, you’ll discover how to lay the groundwork to set your project up for success.

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

Good Stewardship Through People Development

According to Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report, 85% of employees are disengaged in their work, costing organizations huge sums of money in wasted payroll every year. This is painful in every organization but especially in the Church where good stewardship of people and resources is not just a good practice, but a calling and obligation. But just how does People Development help you steward the resources you have better, and how do you measure it? Matt Tresidder will walk you through team development and just how you can measure its financial impact on your Church.

Attend this workshop to learn: The latest data on the true costs of disengagement in your church: How you can use people development to engage and grow your team: How better engagement of church employees impact the over all bottom line and how to measure it.

Matt Tresidder is Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer at Leadr, the first people development software built for churches. Matt joined Leadr after six years at Pushpay, serving most recently as the VP of Sales. Born in New Zealand, Matt moved to Seattle with the Pushpay team where he met his wife Kiasa. Matt studied at Life Leadership College in Auckland, and is a recent graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA and the Wharton Business School Executive program. Matt is passionate about helping churches engage and grow leaders at every level of their organization.

Matt Tresidder, Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer, Leadr

How to Destroy a Church Financially Without Really Trying

Have you been amazed to see what seemed like highly successful churches or ministries suddenly go down in flames financially or otherwise? You might think someone had to really work at it to cause a church or ministry to fail as spectacularly as some have. In reality, it is the opposite. The lack of diligence by church leaders and board members is typically at the root of church failures. We will discuss some examples and talk about what could or should have been done to prevent or mitigate the incredible damage.

Mike is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, both nationally and locally, such as the ECFA and the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations.

In 2013, Mike was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the church community. Mike is author of Church Finance—The Church Leader’s Guide to Financial Operations, a go-to reference that provides practical guidance for church and nonprofit financial administration; and Nonprofit Financial Oversight—The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees; and Board Member Orientation—The Concise and Complete Guide to Nonprofit Board Service.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

How to Effectively Engage and Pastor Your Online Church

More and more churches are discovering the advantages of streaming their services online. This rush to online proved successful in providing an alternative to in-person services, but could be refined to produce an even bigger impact on the Kingdom. In this session, Pushpay leadership will dig into the current state of online churches and discuss practical tips to better pastor this new community. We will also discuss how to engage those in your online community that will likely never attend in person.

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

Scott Bolin is a Mid Market Account Executive and has been in leadership at large churches for over 10 years. He brings unique experience combining higher education with local church contexts and has consulted institutions globally. He is a co-founder of Theos Seminary, an online theology school serving students in over 20 countries. He is also the founder of Celebration Leadership Institute in Austin, Texas, where he serves as a board member and faculty member. Scott has been married to his wife Caitlyn for 7 years and they have 3 children: Remi, age 2 and Rocky and Rowan, twins who are 4 months old.

Scott Bolin, Mid Market Account Executive, Pushpay

How to Evaluate & Improve Your Culture

How healthy is your staff culture? Building a contagious culture will drive sustainable growth and innovation for any organization. Christa Neidig, Manager of Marketing and Business Development shares how you can stop losing employees, grow your team, and build a contagious company culture that will outlast the competition. Vanderbloemen serves teams with a greater purpose by aligning their people solutions for growth through executive search, compensation, succession, and diversity consulting. For over a decade, they have helped Christian organizations of all sizes and types find their key staff.

Christa Neidig is the Manager of Marketing and Business Development at Vanderbloemen. Vanderbloemen serves teams with a greater purpose by aligning their people solutions for growth through executive search, compensation, succession, and diversity consulting.

Christa Neidig, Manager of Marketing and Business Development, Vanderbloemen

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. He guides the vision for how Missional Marketing can best serve our church partners as we strive to help churches digitally capture attention, engage, educate, and persuade people to take action. He leads our 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

Leading Models to Fund a New Church or Campus

ECFA recently conducted the nation’s largest study of new churches including ones that are multisite. This workshop will look at the financial and governance implications: what are the most common ways to fund a new church or a new multisite campus? How can you predict what the costs will be? What growth patterns are most common? How does race factor into a new church’s or campus’s trajectory? Drawing findings from “The New Faces of Church Planting and Multisiting,” we’ll explore these findings and more. Workshop leader is Warren Bird, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and equipping at ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability), and co-author of 33 books for church leaders.

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 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

Lender’s Forum

Chris Lewis and David Lee @ Thrivent and Steve Hron and Dan Mikes @ Cass Bank have spent many years working with ministries by providing funding solutions for acquisition, construction, retrofitting and refinancing. They will be joining forces during this workshop for a Lender’s Forum, during which time they plan on discussing real life scenarios that are impacting ministries across the country. You won’t want to miss this open Q&A session, so come out and join us.

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

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

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

Dan is a Sr. Relationship Manager in the Church and Ministries Division of Cass Commercial Bank. He has extensive experience in Religious Institution Banking with more than $5.5 billion in loans to churches nationwide over 31 years. Prior to coming to Cass Bank, Dan served as the National Manager of the Religious Institution Banking Division at Bank of the West where he supervised all aspects of a nation-wide, Faith Based banking practice including business development, credit underwriting, loan administration, and marketing. 
Dan is known nationally as a leading Faith Based banking expert and has been interviewed and quoted by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Bloomberg, CNN, and San Francisco Chronicle, among others. He has also been published numerous times in religious periodicals including Your Church, Church Executive, and Christianity Today. Dan has a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a minor in Biblical Literature from Oral Roberts University and resides in the Dallas area.

Dan Mikes, Senior Relationship Manager, Cass Bank

Lessons Learned During and After the Pandemic Relating to Your Church Facility

Our discussion will focus on how lessons learned from the pandemic influenced church facility design. As churches have returned over the past year and a half to worship in their church facility, the design needs and expectations of both members and guests have influenced changes in today’s uses of spaces. Let’s take a fresh look at these influences that shape how churches can create flexibility and adaptability for a happier, healthier, and more meaningful experience. The topic will specifically address the importance facilities play in effectively communicating your message, and how HHArchitects has helped churches with innovative ideas and creating spaces for multi-uses to serve the church and community.

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

Optimizing Your Connected Ministry

Here’s the challenge, how can your ministry become more connected. Connected to other leaders, trends, ministries and more opportunities to serve our communities for GOOD! Where is the innovation? Come learn how other XP’s are using new ideas, talents and in market happenings to reach their community! Are you connected? Come plug in!

Christopher Nelson is Head of Strategic Partnerships at Gloo. He is a graduate of Dallas Christian College who has dedicated the last 12+ years of his career to helping social good organizations to use technology to better serve their communities. Christopher has been with Gloo for almost four years helping frontline champions to better use data, research and technology to help good take over in local communities.

Christopher Nelson, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Gloo

Org Charts that Work: Designing an Organization Chart that Aligns, Empowers, and Unlocks Your Team

Building a team that is aligned and achieving mission together is one of the greatest joys of leadership. How do you effectively design the team to support the needs of the organization as well as cater to the unique gifts of each team member?  How do you honor the commitment of current staff while expanding the team to meet the demands of the future? A well-designed organizational chart is not a necessary evil of organizational life; it is rather, a life-giving tool for clarity, alignment, good decision-making, and the engine for accomplishing mission. In this workshop, Jenni Catron will walk you through the anatomy of an effective org chart and give you the next steps for structuring a healthy team.

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops. She is also a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry.

Jenni Catron, Founder, The 4Sight Group

The Secrets to Senior Pastor Smart Succession:
18 Insider Keys to Navigating This Critical, Liminal Stage

Dave Travis has now helped over 180 large churches navigate succession seasons. Executive Pastors are critical helpers in this process. On reflection, Dave has boiled down to 18 key understandings to help you whether you are 10 years away, 5 years away, or it’s happening this year. Learn how you, as an Executive Pastor, can use these to help your Senior Pastor and Church as you think about this coming season. Attendees will also get a few bonus freebies, and Dave always has some stories to tell of disasters which, as long as they happened to someone else, are fun to hear! If you are a Senior Pastor, you can come as well. Last year Dave had to move clients to a waiting list for consultation due to demand. So come listen in to get a head start for your church whenever this season starts.

Dave Travis is the Director of Strategic Counsel to Pastors and Church Boards at Generis. Dave has a wealth of experience from pastoral ministry and the business world. He has worked as a pastor as well as consulted with many churches in different contexts. Through Leadership Network he has had the privilege of learning from many esteemed mentors. His involvement in this network has taken him all over the country to work with various ministries and with some of the country’s leading pastors. Dave earned a Masters of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech. He also did a short course at the Harvard Business School in Strategic Perspectives for Nonprofit Management. These accomplishments combined help Dave to offer a unique perspective for the churches with which he consults. Dave is the author of three published books and is a noted speaker and consultant to megachurches across the country.

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

Start Your People Off Right: Onboarding and Retention

Have you found it difficult to hold on to your people? It is no secret that retention has changed over the years, yet it is more important than ever. William Vanderbloemen shares what he has learned about onboarding new employees and retaining key staff to make for a great workplace. Don’t miss out on these tips for onboarding and retaining staff that will lead to long-term success. Vanderbloemen serves teams with a greater purpose by aligning their people solutions for growth through executive search, compensation, succession, and diversity consulting. For over a decade, they have helped Christian organizations of all sizes and types find their key staff.

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

Stewarding Your Ministry Benefits

Choosing a benefit strategy that fits your ministry comes with many choices, but we belong to a higher Kingdom calling to steward our resources and people well. Learn and apply out-of-the-box ministry benefit strategies.

Dixie Beard had been 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. Her 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 speaks at 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

Travis Pry, Senior Insurance Sales Consultant, GuideStone

Sustainability Factors for Long-Term Success

The rapidly changing church landscape requires church leaders to be more adaptive than ever. One key area for XPs to address is sustainability: the long-term viability and growth of the church. We’ll examine several important sustainability factors for your church to assess and consider, including differences in generational giving, online giving and fundraising, budgeting and forecasting, benchmarks, and alternative sources of income.

Ken Tan serves as a Partner at CapinCrouse. Ken has more than 13 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

The XP’s Role in Good Church Governance

Take a deeper dive into church governance as we expand on concepts and best practices discussed during the keynote session. We’ll discuss the XP’s role in helping to ensure good church governance, with best practices and practical steps you can take back to your church board.

Rob Faulk is a Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse. 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 denominations, 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

Your XP Leadership in Building Financial Strength for Your Church Mission

As 2023 unfolds in an ever-changing church environment, financial stewardship will allow your mission to flourish or limit what you can do. Your church giving will give you headaches and sleepless nights, an uneasy sense of this cannot keep up, or a thriving expression of your church mission through financial strength.

What are the core functions of an Executive Pastor in 2023 and 2024 giving patterns? What are the patterns of XPs that thrive in creating a stewardship culture? How does the XP have a greater voice in giving income than any other church leader?

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 multi-site 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

You Must Win!

Fletch goes for the jugular vein! To succeed in ministry, you must have personal wins that keep your body and spirit alive. This isn’t about crushing others but about establishing success in your soul. Your toes may get stepped on, so this workshop isn’t for the faint hearted. Establish a legacy that keeps you alive while fighting a spiritual war.

Dr. David Fletcher is often called The Dean of Executive Pastors. Fletch was a pastor for 35 years in churches from 1,000-8,000 members, single and multisite, churches with mergers, camps, schools, apartments and cafes. He founded XPastor in 2003 and its free articles from hundreds of authors have become a principal resource for leaders in a complex church world. With degrees from Dallas Seminary and executive education at the Kellogg School of Management and the Harvard Business School, he brings an objective perspective, vast experience, biblical principles and best practices. He teaches Doctor of Ministry students at Dallas Seminary and ETS India, and has written books and scores of articles for national publications.

David Fletcher, Founder, XPastor

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

Attendees

2022 XP-Seminar2022-07-08T08:55:00-05:00

Business Brain + Pastoral Heart

18th XP-Seminar—Dallas Texas
Again a ChurchLaw&Tax Top Conference

Inspiring Keynotes from National Leaders

Ed Stetzer
Keynote Speaker

Ed Stetzer, Ph.D., serves as Dean of the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College, and as Executive Director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six continents, has earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. He is Regional Director for Lausanne North America and publishes research through Mission Group.

Ed is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine, and is frequently cited in, interviewed by, and writes for news outlets such as USAToday and CNN. He is the Founding Editor of The Gospel Project, a curriculum used by more than 1.7 million individuals each week for bible study.

His national radio show, Ed Stetzer Live, airs Saturdays. He also serves as Visiting Professor of Research and Missiology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Visiting Research Professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has taught at many other colleges and seminaries.
He serves as teaching pastor at Highpoint Church located in Naperville, IL.

Bishop David G. Evans
Keynote on Succession

“It’s not where you start, but where you finish,” says Bishop Evans. He grew up in Philadelphia with a mother who was a Christian and a father who was an alcoholic. “Fortunately, I had a very strong grandfather,” says Evans.

Bishop Evans accepted the pastorate of Bethany Baptist Church in Lindenwold, New Jersey, with 29 members in 1990. Today, more than 27,000 attend Bethany. “Evangelism is the purpose of the church,” explains the Bishop. “That combined with a very strong healing and deliverance ministry and a tremendous economical development tool has been a big part of the miraculous growth of the church.”

In 1996, Bishop Evans was ordained as bishop and presiding officer of the Abundant Harvest Fellowship of Churches, an international fellowship with more than 175 churches in the United States, Africa, and India. Stemming from Bishop Evans’ many roles as a ministry and civic leader, building projects in progress include Harvest Senior Housing, Harvest Recreation Center, and Next Generation Medical Center.

Bishop Evans produces the Power of Revelation television program, and OnPointe, a live call-in radio talk show. In 2005, Evans released the critically-acclaimed book, Healed Without Scars. It has sold over 400,000 copies. Taking the lessons he’s learned from his own life, he provides encouragement and deliverance through the pages of the revelatory and deeply intimate writing.

More Great Speakers

Mark Ashcraft
Director of Design Strategy, HH Architects

Mike Batts
Managing Partner, BMWL

Nathan Baxter
Founder, Lead Self Lead Others

Jeff Beachum
Church Multiplication Specialist, Portable Church

Warren Bird
SVP of Research and Equipping, ECFA

Jenni Catron
Founder, 4Sight Group

Rob Faulk
Partner, CapinCrouse

David Fletcher
Founder, XPastor

Tim Foot
President & CEO, Slingshot

Dustin Gaines
Senior Associate, The Church Lawyers

Brad Leeper
President, Generis

Shelle Graves
Regional Investment Consultant, Thrivent Investments

Chris Lewis
Senior Relationship Manager, Thrivent

Dave Milam
Vice President of Strategic Design, Visioneering Studios

Michael Prior
President, Financial Planning Ministry

Matt Tresidder
CEO & co-founder of Leadr

William Vanderbloemen
CEO & Founder, Vanderbloemen

Bruce Woody
President, HH Architects

30 Workshops Are Planned During the Seminar

Last year’s 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.

Come Early for Great Pre-Seminar Workshops

Real Coaching Success

with Dr. Nathan Baxter

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture

with Jenni Catron

New XPs

with David Fletcher

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Senior Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

I love what Fletch is doing through the keynotes and workshops. This is a fantastic place. I’ve seen first hand the results of Fletch’s leadership in the local church level and in cross-cultural situations.

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The Seminar has a huge impact on my leadership and development in networking, mentoring and insight. I attend to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development and so much more. I believe in the Seminar and want to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided. 

Matt Branaugh, Editor at Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!

Dan Brubacher, XP at Connexus Church

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!

Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

The Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor has 1,300 free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We bring in outstanding national leaders such as Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

On Wednesday at lunch, the short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Our 15th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

Learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role.

It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

XP McKenzie Schreck
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

What Attendees Say

The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.

Enrich your life and ministry here!

I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, ‘What I should do as a new XP?’

Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.

—attendance limited to 200 people—

On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.

I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.

Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!

A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.

Learn the results at the XP-Seminar.

Read more

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

After Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

2022 Schedule
Our 18th year of powerful and motivating speakers

 

Special Pre-Seminar Workshops
Tuesday—February 22, 2022

1:00-4:00 pm

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture with Jenni Catron. Research tells us that a strong and healthy culture leads to greater employee engagement and more growth for your organization. And yet, while 90% of leaders believe that an engagement strategy will have an impact on their success, only 25% of them actually have a plan.

1:00-4:00 pm

The first year for an XP is critical. Some XPs had prior roles at the church for many years and others are new to that culture. The key is learning your new role and responding to the dynamics of that role: Working with the Senior Pastor, working with staff leaders and the entire staff and working with the congregation.

1:00-4:00 pm

Real Coaching Success with Dr. Nathan Baxter. Churches that coach their leaders and volunteers discover that their investment pays off. Research continues to show that people want coaching. Your staff wants to know how to be more effective in their jobs and ministries. Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach and trainer. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring his Real Coaching Success workshop to the 2022 XP-Seminar.

Seminar Begins
Tuesday—February 22, 2022
Focus on XP Growth and Development

6:30 pm

XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Talk to old friends and meet some new ones.

7:00-7:30 pm

Reveal of the XP Survey by Brad Leeper, President of Generis. Generis spearheaded a national XP survey in the fall of 2021. Now let’s hear the results! Few know more about generosity and church culture than Brad. He and the Generis team were key movers in instigating a “culture of generosity” in the church landscape. Brad earned a Masters in Theology degree from Dallas Seminary and a B.S. in Economics from West Virginia University. He has diverse experience in church risk management, human resources, financial analysis, adult education, cross-cultural missions and strategic planning.

7:30-7:45 pm

Practical strategies for Operationalizing a Great Vision. Jeff Beachum will share about “small is the new big.” Many church leaders are rethinking their strategies for growth. Large new builds are giving way to two or more right-sized campuses in targeted communities. Jeff Beachum will share some successful examples how churches are innovating—positioning themselves to impact new communities in new ways. Get ready for some eye-popping and money saving ideas about your next site. These strategies may be far less expensive, quicker, and generate more momentum than you thought.

7:45-8:15 pm

Do More With Less: How Fractional Hybrid Workforces Can Benefit Churches with Ryan Fitzgerald. Before becoming the Senior Marketing Manager at BELAY, a modern staffing company, Ryan 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.

8:15-8:45 pm

Make the Most of Every Meeting & Better Develop Your Team by Matt Tresidder, Co-founder at Leadr. Matt has keen insights about how to make your meetings more effective. Take your skills of developing other leaders to a new level. Matt has developed the first people development software built for churches. He joined Leadr after six years at Pushpay, serving most recently as the VP of Sales. Born in New Zealand, He is a graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA and the Wharton Business School Executive program. Matt is passionate about helping churches engage and grow leaders at every level of their organization.

8:45-9:00 pm

Where Is All that Money Going? by Mike Prior, President of Financial Planning Ministry. There is going to be a huge transition of wealth from one generation to the next, in the trillions of dollars. Let’s consider how your church’s vision can help guide those funds. Through partnership with over 130 ministries, FPM has established Will and Trust estate plans for over 37,000 members with charitable gift designations reaching over $1.8 billion. Mike holds a J.D. in law and a B.A. in Business Administration. He served as Executive Pastor of Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona before serving FPM, its partners and members for over 25 years

Wednesday—February 23, 2022
Focus on the Business Brain

7:30-8:20

Financial Viability in 2022 and Beyond with Shelle Graves. Full breakfast with Thrivent. Shelle is Regional Investment Consultant for Thrivent Investments. Whenever Thrivent talks, people listen. Their vast experience in loans gives them insight that few have. Thrivent has helped 6,000 Christian churches achieve their missions, grow their ministries and meet their financial stewardship through mortgage loans for refinancing, new construction, renovation or capital improvement.

8:20-8:35

Introductions and orientation with David Fletcher.

8:35-8:50

Successful Successions with Tim Foot, the new president of Slingshot. In years of experience with churches, Slingshot has help a great many churches with succession … then it was time for a leadership succession at Slingshot. Let’s glean from their learnings and apply it. With nearly 30 years of experience as a leader, pastor, coach, speaker, musician, and presenter in Australia and North America, Tim Foot brings a diverse background in church, nonprofit and for-profit environments. He believes: When the mission of the leader and the mission of the organization line up – that’s when the magic happens! Alignment is everything and the best investment you’ll ever make is in your leaders.

8:50-9:20

Finances … with Mike Batts, Managing Partner of BMWL. Mike will share an intriguing take on the nuts and bolts of church finances. From his wealth of experience and many books, Mike brings great insight into current and upcoming trends in church financial leadership. Mike has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, such as the ECFA and the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations. In 2013, Mike was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame. He is co-author of Church Finance, Nonprofit Financial Oversight—The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees and Board Member Orientation.

9:20-9:35

Research You Should Know About with Warren Bird, Vice President for Research and Equipping at the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Warren is one of the leading researchers on the church in America today. From his wealth of data, he brings a rich perspective on national trends that impact your church. 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 30 books including Hero Maker with Dave Ferguson, How to Break Growth Barriers with Carl George and Unleashing the Word with Max McLean.

9:35-10:25

When Outreach Takes You Outside the Box: Are You Covered? with Mike Kramer. More churches are turning to alternative initiatives to meet their community’s needs and fulfill their mission. Some are finding success by offering medical services, using tiny homes as emergency shelters, or staging concerts. But unusual outreach efforts like roasting coffee or operating a fitness center—even partnering with hunters to process donated wild game—can come with unique risks that may make the venture hard to insure. And if your church is headed back into the mission field, the risks have changed there, too. The essential question is this: How do you follow your calling while protecting church resources? What are the insurance stumbling blocks that Christian nonprofits encounter that for-profit businesses don’t? And what questions should you ask your insurance agent before considering an out-of-the-box outreach ministry? Michael Kramer, AIC, AIS, CISR, has been with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company for 17 years. As specialty sales manager, special markets, Michael finds creative insurance solutions for the innovative ways ministries engage with their communities.

10:25-10:55

Key Metrics for Churches with Rob Faulk, Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director of CapinCrouse. Rob brings experience as an XP and a CPA. He knows church and has the acumen to speak to the needed metrics for your church. He 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.

10:55-11:10

Discussion with Scott Charbonneau from GuideStone on insurance issues. There is high anxiety in the high calling of ministry today. These pressures are intense breeding grounds for stress. Stress, however, doesn’t have to be our foe. It can become our friend. Churches and ministry-minded individuals like you look to GuideStone for retirement, insurance and investment solutions which align with your values, offer award-winning performance and support your well-being.

11:10-11:25

Top 5 Legal Issues for Churches. Dustin Gaines from the Church Lawyers will highlight to most common legal issues for churches. The Church Lawyers always bring relevant and hot topics for XPs to consider! Dustin is a trial lawyer who focuses his practice on litigation matters related to churches, schools, and non-profit organizations. He has a diverse practice that focuses on general civil litigation matters and constitutional/religious liberties matters. As both an attorney and pastor, Dustin relates with pastors and will guide you to a resolution of your legal challenge from a pastor/attorney’s perspective.

11:25-11:55

Architecture and Design with Bruce Woody, President, and Mark Ashcraft, Senior Associate, from HH Architects. They give us the ideas to dream big. In pictures and words, they speak into our dreams and desires. A building is not just bricks and mortar, it is a place to realize your ministry vision. Let’s see some great work that will amp up our vision for building. Bruce shares from HH Architects’s credo, We Believe, We Serve, We Create. He likes to approach projects from the client’s perspective. Mark is passionate about sharing the strategic thinking behind faith-based design, how it shapes the user experience, and the importance of being ministry driven in those efforts.

Noon

Networking Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a room on either floor. Use this time to meet new colleagues and network with friends.

1:15-2:15

Workshops: Session 1

2:15

Afternoon snack on first floor

2:30-3:30

Workshops: Session 2

3:45-4:45

Workshops: Session 3

Dinner

Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We see scores of people do this every year.

7:45-8:45

Chocolate, cake and other desserts with Ed Stetzer, Keynote Part 1. This special dessert has just been added. Have dinner with a friend but be back in the ballroom by 7:45 for Ed’s keynote address. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six continents, has earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books.

Thursday—February 24, 2022
Focus on the Pastoral Heart

7:45-8:30

Is Your Church Building Killing Your Attendance? with Dave Milam. Full breakfast brought by Visioneering. Did you know there are hidden growth barriers built right into your building? These hidden traps will pull energy and momentum from even the best churches. Leaving your growth plateaued, your staff burned out, and your vision on hold while you try to figure out what’s going on. 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.

8:30-8:45

Time with Fletch, the Executive Indicator and Kurian Babykutty. Kurian is the CEO of 40 Parables, a strategic MarTech partner for ministries, and is thrilled to help ministries rethink their marketing!

8:45-9:20

Ed Stetzer, Keynote Address Part 2. Ed brings an amazing blend of local church leadership experience, academic teaching and mentoring, and social media presence. Heserves as Dean of the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College, and as Executive Director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six continents, has earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books.

9:20-9:50

David Fletcher on Cultural Awareness and Strategize the Win

9:50-10:25

A Different Take on Senior Pastor Succession with Bishop David Evans. David and Nick Smith are in a multi-decade succession plan at Bethany Baptist Church. Most churches think of a 2-year succession plan, not a 20-year one! Yet, when you hear the warmth of relationship between these two men, their dedication to each other and the church, you will say “where can I get that kind of relationship?”

10:25-10:40

Clarity and Care with Devin Greco, MidMarket Sales Manager with Pushpay

10:40-11:20

Staffing Turnover and Trends with William Vanderbloemen. William Vanderbloemen is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Vanderbloemen. He is a regular contributor to both Forbes and Fortune. He has written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (2014), Search : The Pastor Search Committee Handbook (2016) and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace (2018).

11:20

Break for Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop.

11:30-12:30

Lunch Workshops: Session 4

12:45-1:45

Workshops: Session 5

2:00-3:00

Workshops: Session 6

Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Thanks to our sponsors who help bring the XP-Seminar.

Each one is carefully vetted to align with our standards and practices.

2022 Platinum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their eighteenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the twelfth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 50 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the eleventh year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

We welcome for the seventh year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. Brotherhood Mutual is a national property and casualty insurance company with a heart for helping Christian ministries thrive. As a leader in the industry, Brotherhood Mutual provides innovative insurance coverage and risk management resources, specifically designed for ministries, to help them operate safely and effectively.

The company looks toward the future, working with and anticipating the unique needs of more than 65,000 churches, Christian schools, colleges, camps, missions, non-profits, and related ministries. Additionally, Brotherhood Mutual provides access to payroll and tax filing services, employee health benefits, commercial auto insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and mission travel insurance.

We welcome for the sixth year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) is a national CPA firm exclusively serving churches, ministries, and other nonprofit organizations through audit & assurance, tax, and strategic advisory services. BMWL understands that you want to protect the financial health and reputation of your church. Their service model is built around that very idea.

BMWL will help your church protect your mission, maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemption, protect your exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, simplify your financial administration, and be better informed. Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the fifth year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling.

From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the fifth year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the fourth year, we welcome Thrivent Church Financing. For more than 115 years, Thrivent Church Financing has provided ministries with flexible financing solutions coupled with dedicated service. In our history, we have helped over 6,000 Christian churches achieve their missions, grow their ministries and meet their financial stewardship through mortgage loans for refinancing, new construction, renovation or capital improvement.

Thrivent Church Financing is part of Thrivent, a membership-owned fraternal benefit society of Christians and a holistic financial services organization that helps guide individuals, churches and non-profits to make the most of all God has given them. Known for our financial strength and stability, as well as our approach to helping Christians connect their financial decisions with their faith, Thrivent blends faith, finances and generosity to improve lives and build stronger families and communities.

We welcome Leadr for the second year. Leadr is a people development software designed to help you engage and grow every person on your team. The leadership development pipeline is one of the biggest challenges organizations face and with Leadr, you can develop leaders at every level of your organization through Leadership Development, CoreHR, and LeadrHealth Plans. Leadr is the tool that empowers managers to transform people management into people development because people want to be led and developed, not managed. Since launching in May 2020, Leadr has partnered with nearly 500 churches across the United States and they’re just getting started.

For the second year, we welcome BELAY, the incredible organization revolutionizing productivity with their virtual assistant, bookkeeping, social media manager, and website specialist services for growing churches. Their first client was a pastor, so their ministry-minded, servant-hearted team knows how to help busy pastors and their growing churches with modern staffing that grows their teams without having to do everything on their own. Get the right help for your church so you can focus on your Kingdom work—and let BELAY handle the rest.

For the second year, we welcome Gloo. Since COVID began, people have been increasingly turning to the internet for answers and churches have been aiming to reach those people. Gloo Connect is bridging this gap by connecting real people to real churches. Over 16,000 have already connected to churches through Gloo Connect.

2022 Gold Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the sixteenth year. GuideStone® is one of the leading providers for retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. For more than 100 years, they have worked to enhance the security of more than 200,000 individuals and oversee $20.8 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2021. GuideStone offers its clients access to faith-based investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the twelfth year, we welcome Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits.

They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

For the ninth year, we welcome Slingshot Group. Slingshot Group builds remarkable teams through staffing and coaching. Founded in 2007, Slingshot’s team of ministry practitioners is what sets them apart. Every one of Slingshot Group’s 50+ nationwide associates has ministry experience. They know exactly what it takes to hire and develop great staff for the local church and ministry-minded nonprofits.

For the eighth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now accredits over 2,600 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

We welcome for the fifth year Portable Church®. For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. We design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue.

Everything you need to launch a mobile church—an experiential worship space, engaging kids ministry areas, inviting welcome spaces, timesaving storage cases, etc.—all in a system refined to make it fast and easy for the weekly volunteer teams.

For the fourth year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay recently acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

We welcome Financial Planning Ministry for the second year. FPM is a trusted name in estate planning and strategic planned giving. Since 1982 more than 37,000 families and individuals have benefitted from their unique ministry efforts. They provide turnkey solutions for planned giving to over 130 ministry partners across the country.

Through the promotion of Christ-centered stewardship and estate planning, millions of dollars have been saved from probate while directing over $1.8 billion to Christian charities worldwide.

We welcome Bleat for the first year. Church leader, how good is your church at making decisions? Because a decision-making church is a disciple-making church!

Powered by 40 Parables, Bleat is a decision-making platform that helps church leaders listen to their sheep clearly and make better decisions faster.

Try Bleat today in 3 minutes to measure your church relevance.

For the first year, we welcome Tithely. Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.

With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder nearly 30,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church. Learn more at tithely.com

2022 Silver Sponsors

For the eleventh year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

We welcome Cass Bank for the fourth year. The Word says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). We at Cass Bank counsel with churches and ministries in the area of finance.

Cass Bank serves ministries across the country. If you are looking for someone to assist you with your next construction project, acquire property, refinance current debt, or perhaps day to day ministry banking needs, please reach out to us for a discussion. We help churches thrive through sound counsel and tailored financial solutions.

2022 Media Sponsor

We welcome Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax for the ninth year. ChurchLaw&Tax, founded in the late 1980s by attorney Richard Hammar and James Cobble, publishes award-winning print and digital content, plus provides webinars, training, and a podcast that help church leaders lead their ministries with confidence.

Hammar, ChurchLaw&Tax’s senior editor, is a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide; Pastor, Church & Law, Fifth Edition; and Church Governance). He is joined by Matthew Branaugh, who has served as ChurchLaw&Tax’s content editor since 2008 and became an attorney in 2020. ChurchLaw&Tax is also led by an esteemed group of senior editorial advisors, including CPA Michael Batts, attorney and CPA Frank Sommerville, attorney Erika Cole, and CPAs Elaine Sommerville and Vonna Laue, as well as several distinguished advisors-at-large, including attorneys Sally Wagenmaker and Theresa Sidebotham, executive pastors Nicholas Smith and Tim Samuel, and XPastor’s founder, David Fletcher.

“A wild herd of wolves and other critters could not keep us from partnering with the XP-Seminar!”

Brad Leeper, President, Generis

2022 Workshops

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

Last year’s 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

6 Critical Conversations and 5 Core Principles That Set Up A Successful Senior Leadership Succession

You know there is a day coming where you will “hand off the baton.” But in the months and years before that baton moment, what do you need to do in order to experience a successful senior leadership succession / transition? In this session, we will unpack 6 very practical succession related tools that have been used successfully with hundreds of church teams. These are powerful tools that lead to conversations that any senior leader or board member can use to prepare proactively for a transition season … we’ll also share the 5 core principles we learnt from our own succession story at Slingshot Group.

Tim Foot has nearly 30 years of experience as a leader, pastor, coach, speaker, musician, and presenter in Australia and North America. He brings a diverse background in church, nonprofit and for-profit environments to his role as CEO of Slingshot Group. During his time at Slingshot, he and the teams he has led have placed and coached well over a thousand churches, organizations, and leaders. For Tim, this work is a perfect combination of strategic leadership and relational connection allowing him to invest in teams together with serving leaders. He believes; “When the mission of the leader and the mission of the organization line up – that’s when the magic happens! Alignment is everything and the best investment you’ll ever make is in your leaders.”

Todd Clark is a Senior Associate in Senior Leadership at Slingshot Group and he brings 25 years of ministry experience in churches sized between 400 and 23,000. Todd is a creative, socially-savvy, team-focused, results-driven leader with a unique blend of ministry experience. He served as a youth pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky and a founding and lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, California. Todd has most recently been a teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Arizona. Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) has nine locations and over 28,000 in weekly attendance.

The 7 Most Misunderstood Tax Issues for Churches and Clergy

Do you ever have second thoughts about that friendly advice you got about unrelated business activity and sales tax? Were you aware that selling debt-financed property can generate a big tax bill in some situations? Have you been intimidated into avoiding making grants to foreign churches or ministries because you think tax compliance is too complex? Has someone told you that allowing a local piano teacher to offer lessons in your church without paying rent for the space is private inurement? Do you wonder if love offerings taken up for a visiting speaker are taxable income to the speaker? If any of these questions apply to you, join us as we address The 7 Most Misunderstood Tax Issues for Churches and Clergy. We will be myth-busting with respect to issues related to: Unrelated business income, debt-financed property, foreign grant-making, love offerings, private inurement, private benefit and who qualifies as a minister for tax purposes.

Kaylyn Varnum is a CPA, partner, and the assistant national director of tax services for Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Kaylyn’s primary responsibilities include performing research and analysis related to technical tax issues at the federal, state, and local levels; providing tax advisory services related to exempt organization corporate structure planning; obtaining and maintaining federal, state, and local tax exemptions; and evaluating exempt organizations’ tax compliance. She has been a conference speaker on nonprofit taxation issues at both the local and national levels.

7 Numbers Every XP Should Know

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 eight years Dave has served as an estate consultant with Financial Planning Ministry. His role is to provide education on estate planning processes while assisting individuals and families with their specific planning needs.

10 Landmines Every XP Should Know About Your Financial and Giving World in the Next 10 Months to Finish the Year Exceeding Budget

Even though giving is stable now, what variables loom ahead that could disrupt your financial world to diminish your church mission? Explore the trends around inflation, crypto-currency, major giver patterns, new giver patterns, leveraging your digital giving platform and other speed bumps that could give you huge headaches. Or, give you massive wins to break from the crowd of those not prepared.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

10 Things Every Successful Hybrid Church Leader Should Know

It’s estimated that by the end of this year, 53% of the U.S. workforce will be remote. For comparison and perspective, just five years ago in 2017, roughly 5.2% of the workforce was remote. We moved an entire decimal place in just five years. Moreover, businesses and churches alike are discovering that traditional staffing models are becoming less effective—and that a remote workforce can staff churches for greater impact.

In order for pastors to focus on what really only they can do, they need high-caliber resources at their discretion. Put simply: We have yet to meet a pastor who went to seminary to learn how to do QuickBooks. So nearly 11 years ago, we saw an opportunity for us to serve church leaders buried in administrative things that they didn’t need to do—and that they weren’t called to do. Here, we’ll share how successful church leaders can evolve from “how things have always been done” to “this is now how things get done.”

Before becoming the Senior Marketing Manager 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.

Melissa Tidwell has been part of the BELAY team since 2011 serving as part of the Solutions Team. She has over 20 years of church experience with a focus on finance and ministry team leadership. Melissa has been part of several church launch teams and has held a number of staff and volunteer positions at various churches. Her passion is to equip leaders with the right information and resources to make strong decisions that further the Kingdom.

Changing Church Metrics

As we emerge from the pandemic, how we “do church” has changed. And that means we need to change what we measure. This session will explore the new ways churches are measuring their financial and operational health.

Rob Faulk, Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse, 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 denominations, 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.

The Church and Its 5 Real Estate Choices:
Tested Strategies for Extending Your Churches Kingdom Reach

Mapping out where the Church is headed in the foreseeable future is not for the faint at heart! Many leaders are implementing strategies in ministry that could significantly remedy the inefficiencies of existing church facilities, as well as impact the design of new builds and commercial buildouts into the foreseeable future. It’s about community impact! A church only has five real estate options to create a presence in a new community. In this session we will have a conversation outlining the pros and cons of each of those options, and strategies that effective and growing churches across the country are implementing with great success.

Jeffrey Beachum, in his role with Portable Church® as the Multiplication Specialist, comes alongside church leaders who are engaged in multisite and planting strategies. His primary purpose is to help churches determine strategies for choosing new communities to launch in, choosing the right property/facilities, preparing a timeline for launching, and developing a balanced affordable portfolio of real estate. He brings a rich background to his current role with Portable Church®. Armed with a business and marketing degree, Jeff worked in the commercial real estate appraisal profession both before and after serving more than a decade as a pastor in the local church. Following service on a denominational leadership team, Jeff led the Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors for several years as a Certified Association Executive. Using this cacophony of opportunities he is now helping church leaders build and grow the momentum of their multisite and planting strategies toward Kingdom Advancement.

Church Design Trends for 2022

Well, it’s happened – just when you felt like you were getting the hang of 2021, it became 2022. With the new year taking shape, we’ll take a deep dive into how car dealerships, Uber Eats, and the Metaverse will all collide in 2022 to drive trends in church design that will define our ministries for years to come.

Danae Dougherty is Managing Principal at Visioneering. Wanting to understand the holistic relationship between interior, building, and site design, Danae pursued an undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture and a Masters Degree in Architecture from UCLA. Her national project experience includes concept design to construction administration and everything in between. Project experience includes healthcare, commercial, education, retail, hospitality, non-profit and faith-based.

Nathan Elder is Director of Strategic Design with Visioneering. He is an innovative thinker and creative leader with a heart for the local church. From serving in rural to mega churches, Nathan understands the struggles facing churches today. With a background in creative arts and executive leadership, Nathan brings years of experience to help churches bridge the gap between ministry and design

ChurchLaw&Tax Roundtable Forums
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 2022, 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.

Matthew Branaugh is an attorney and content editor for Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax. Matthew helps lead an award-winning team of editors and designers with the planning, creation, and publishing of ChurchLawAndTax.com, numerous print and digital resources, and two free newsletters. In 2015, he earned first place from the Evangelical Press Association’s “Higher Goals in Christian Journalism” for his article examining church budgeting priorities and practices. More recently, he researched and wrote a comprehensive report evaluating the effects of local, state, and federal public accommodations laws on local churches. Matthew earned his law degree with honors from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also served as an associate editor for Denver Law Review and had his article detailing the potential nationwide effects of the #MeToo movement on abuse-reporting laws selected for online publication. Matthew grew up in the Evangelical Covenant Church. One of Matthew’s favorite parts of his job is the opportunity to meet and network with local church pastors and leaders across the country.

Church Mergers & Acquisitions … Do’s And Don’ts

Ministries all over the country are expanding their reach, “building their city” by way of mergers and acquisitions. A cost effective way to propel growth, however, it involves some definite do’s and don’ts. Whether you are buying the assets, absorbing debt or being gifted the real estate … each scenario requires different considerations. Join us to learn and share your experiences.

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.

Church Risk Management—Just Do It

In many churches, risk management can become an after-thought as the tasks and needs of day-to-day operations take center stage. But such an environment opens the door to unnecessary risk – an avoidable accident, allegation, or other misstep can occur, causing pain and draining energy, money, and resources. Even worse, if circumstances warrant, the church may be held liable, and staff members and board members may be held personally liable. After this 60-minute session, participants will be able to: Identify the significant risks churches and board members face, define the structure needed for effective risk management, recognize the roles staff and board members must fill, discover the process for effectively managing risk and apply the specific steps that can be taken now to do it.

Mike Batts is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, both nationally and locally, such as the ECFA and the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations. In 2013, Mike was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the church community. Mike is co-author of Church Finance, a go-to reference that provides practical guidance for church and nonprofit financial administration; and Nonprofit Financial Oversight—The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees; and Board Member Orientation—The Concise and Complete Guide to Nonprofit Board Service.

Creating a Healthy Culture of Feedback

According to Gallup, only 26% of employees strongly agree that the feedback they receive helps them do better work. Why is that? Because many churches don’t provide enough feedback or they provide feedback in unproductive ways. 
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to lead effective feedback conversations, create feedback loops through your organization, and cultivate a healthy culture where every team member is engaged and growing.

Matt Tresidder is Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer at Leadr, the first people development software built for churches. Matt joined Leadr after six years at Pushpay, serving most recently as the VP of Sales. Born in New Zealand, Matt moved to Seattle with the Pushpay team where he met his wife Kiasa. Matt studied at Life Leadership College in Auckland, and is a recent graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA and the Wharton Business School Executive program. Matt is passionate about helping churches engage and grow leaders at every level of their organization.

Dream Stream

Bob Nahrstadt is Senior Design Engineer at Clark. As a teenager, Bob became interested in AV, taking used stereo and speaker components and building his own hi-fi system in his parents’ basement. After college, Bob worked for over 10 years in high technology sales, specifically Fortune 500 business software sales. For five of those years, he was a volunteer technical director at a small church in Chicago, where he was introduced to Clark. Bob has had many roles since joining the team in 2004. He started out as a Business Development Manager from Clark’s Chicago office, then moved to Atlanta to head up the engineering department. Today he continues to provide the entire engineering team with support, but he specializes in the front-end design of our video systems, and travels to project sites for final commissioning and training.

Financing for Growth

Growing ministries utilize debt as an instrument to fulfill their vision, but understanding all the different options and best structure to meet the church’s objectives can be challenging. In this workshop we will be discussing commercial loans, general qualifying criteria and common pitfalls of financing. Join us to learn and share your experiences.

Teresa Loker is the Director of Church Loan Underwriting at Thrivent Church Financing. Teresa has been helping ministries nationwide with their financing needs for the last 25 years. She was previously with Bank of the West in their Religious Institution Lending Division. As the Managing Director of Credit, she oversaw a $1.3 billion church loan portfolio with direct management of the underwriting team. During her tenure, she was also a relationship manager and played a key role in business development. Her career experience also includes jobs in retail banking, commercial real estate and asset based lending. She is also fluent in Spanish.

David Lee is a Sr. 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.

Fraud Prevention

Whether in an urban setting or rural, your church needs to prevent against fraud. Nine percent of all fraud is in nonprofits. The median loss is $75,000 over 16 months. There is double loss when under 100 staff and double the loss with longterm employees engage in the fraud.

Ken Tan serves as a Partner at CapinCrouse. He joined the firm in 2019 and has more than 11 years of public accounting and large nonprofit experience providing both advisory and assurance services to various nonprofit entities, churches, and mission organizations. Ken managed the audits of public Fortune 100 and private multi-billion dollar companies for a Big 4 accounting firm before shifting his focus towards providing advisory and strategic planning for churches, nonprofits, and small to medium-sized businesses. In recent years, he has also served as the controller and corporate officer for a large faith-based multi-national mission agency. Ken is known for his relationship-based consulting and management style and his personal attention to client needs.

Funding Your Church Mission: 2022 Complexities

How will you make sure you have ample and growing financial resources for 2022 and beyond? What happens if the current stable giving tanks? If the stock market goes way down? What if inflation saps your budget? The workshop will cover: new patterns in major givers, engaging new givers, keeping your core givers and ending the year with more financial resources than you thought.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

Hiring For Things That You Don’t See On A Resume

It can be easy for a candidate to look good on paper, however most times, a resume just scratches the surface. A resume can reflect more of a candidate’s ability to reflect themselves in a flattering light but won’t always show you if they are a cultural fit or the actual value they provide. In order to make a good hire, it is important to look beyond the resume. In this workshop, William Vanderbloemen, CEO & Founder of Vanderbloemen will share the importance of hiring beyond a resume and how you can do that.

William Vanderbloemen is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Vanderbloemen. He is a regular contributor to both Forbes and Fortune. William has combined over 15 years of 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. Vanderbloemen has completed over 1,500 staffing assignments since its founding ten years ago, and has won several company culture awards from Forbes, Entrepreneur, Houston Business Journal, and Houstonia Magazine. William has written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (2014), Search: The Pastor Search Committee Handbook (2016) and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace (2018).

How to Budget your Next Project

Most projects start with a vision, idea, or dream and then quickly run into reality – specifically, the question of, “How are we going to pay for all of this?” We’ll talk through different models of funding, what hidden costs to expect, how to leverage a master plan for future growth, and the Growth Funding™ potential you may have hidden in your empty land. This practical workshop will help you develop a realistic next phase project budget.

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.

John Parker is the President of Visioneering Studios. As a Walt Disney Imagineer, John worked on award-winning projects—including California Adventures’ Soarin’ Over California. Today, John brings that same passion for creativity and immersive story to every Visioneering project.

How to Prevent the Senior Pastor from Falling

What specifically can be done to help leaders avoid moral failure? ECFA (the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) is exploring a series of action steps that staff and church boards could take in the areas of accountability and soul care to help minimize the risk of the senior pastor morally falling. How can the subject be addressed without being legalistic? What are the legal limits on elements that can be built into a written, specific plan of accountability and soulcare for a pastor? Join in a healthy discussion of six specific ideas led by Warren Bird and Matt Branaugh.

Warren Bird is the Vice President for 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 30 books including Hero Maker with Dave Ferguson, How to Break Growth Barriers with Carl George and Unleashing the Word with Max McLean.

Matthew Branaugh is an attorney and content editor for Christianity Today’s ChurchLaw&Tax. Matthew helps lead an award-winning team of editors and designers with the planning, creation, and publishing of ChurchLawAndTax.com, numerous print and digital resources, and two free newsletters. In 2015, he earned first place from the Evangelical Press Association’s “Higher Goals in Christian Journalism” for his article examining church budgeting priorities and practices.

Leading the Next Generation & Why Leadership Development is Critical Now

Take a quick mental inventory of your staff. What does the generational breakdown look like? According to Gallup, 46% of the workforce is now made up of Millenials and Gen Z. During this workshop we’ll break down the generational differences and how we’ll need to do better to develop this next generation into church leaders.

Holly Tate is the SVP of Growth at Leadr. She joined the Leadr team after spending 9 years helping churches hire and build their best teams at Vanderbloemen. Holly is driven by the relentless pursuit of growth in herself and inspiring others to discover their full potential in their personal and professional lives, achieving more than they thought they could. As SVP of Growth at Leadr, Holly’s passion for developing others is brought to life as she pours into the growth of the Leadr staff and shares the value of people development with organizations around the country. Holly is also a contributor for The Forbes Communications Council and Co-Founder of Statesman Beverage Co.

Making Peace With & Finding Opportunity In The Unknown

The Church has been forced to manage significant changes in the past three years. These recent events have highlighted the need to be adaptable and nimble—all the while the mission remains the same. Utilizing the experiences from BELAY, this workshop will challenge your thinking on embracing the unknown.

Melissa Tidwell has been part of the BELAY team since 2011 serving as part of the Solutions Team. She has over 20 years of church experience with a focus on finance and ministry team leadership. Melissa has been part of several church launch teams and has held a number of staff and volunteer positions at various churches. Her passion is to equip leaders with the right information and resources to make strong decisions that further the Kingdom.

Marketing Beyond Belief

Are you stumped beyond belief when people just don’t turn up? The parable of the great banquet showed us that even the invitees didn’t attend though the feast was ready. You are looking to spread the Gospel but can’t get enough people in seats or fill (Zoom and regular) rooms.

Before you throw more mud on the wall and hope it sticks, join this highly interactive workshop to know how to command compelling belief.

Kurian Babykutty is the CEO of 40 Parables, a strategic MarTech partner for ministries, and is thrilled to help ministries rethink their marketing!

Importantly, start your workshop experience today by dropping your website’s URL here to get a free audit on how believable your church’s website messaging is.

Need to Borrow Money Post-Pandemic?

Is your church considering a renovation, expansion, or property acquisition post-pandemic? This workshop will discuss how you can use a few simple financial metrics to find that delicate balance between faith and prudence. This includes the possibility that your church may only need a short-term line of credit instead of a long-term building loan. The workshop will also examine the possibility of an increase in interest rates in 2022 and how that may impact borrowing costs. Steve will present these topics and address other banking related questions.

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.

Morgan Mudge is the Founder of Gyve. He coaches on generosity with a focus on increasing first time givers, understanding giving trends and helping the church take its next steps in generosity. Morgan helps the church close the gap between their funding and their vision. He is active in his home church 2/42 Community in Brighton, Michigan and enjoys hunting and woodworking.

New Church HR Issues that Keep You Up at Night: “We are not in Kansas Anymore”

Once upon a time, the biggest issues facing churches were whether to allow staff to wear jeans on Sundays and if cran-grape juice was suitable for communion. In 2022, the church HR concerns and trends are a whole different ballgame for ministry leaders to scale. Some of the areas we will be talking about include: Covid mandates, LGBTQ+ & the gender movement, harassment training, mental wellness & coaching vs. final exams (putting staff first).

HR Ministry Solutions was founded in 2016 by Tiffany Henning, a 15 year veteran in Human Resources and ministry. She realized that in ministry when it came to staff, the way we were working isn’t working and sought to create a better solution. This faith-based 501c3 organization was launched with the mission of helping churches be as passionate about protecting and providing for their staff as they are for the people they are reaching. Since founding HR Ministry Solutions, Tiffany and her team of HR Pros have helped many ministries with HR compliance, labor law, and staff issues. They continue to expand their reach across the US with services and resources including workshops, conferences, webinars, and online learning modules for Church HR People and Ministry Managers.

The New Gold Standards of Retaining Your Staff

We are seeing significant changes in staff retention. As younger generations have entered the workforce, people have become less likely to spend a lifetime in one job and employees are more prone to change jobs than ever. Retaining that top talent is going to be more challenging and vital with the continuation of this trend. So how do you retain good people and key talent? In this workshop, Sarah Robins, VP of Sales and Client Relations at Vanderbloemen will share the new gold standards of retaining your staff.

Sarah Robins is the Vice President of Sales and Client Relations at Vanderbloemen. Prior to her time at Vanderbloemen, Sarah was a sales consultant for one of Houston’s largest homebuilders. In her role as Vice President of Sales & Client Relations, Sarah walks prospective clients through the Vanderbloemen process to help them discern next steps in their ministry’s search. She helps educate and equip pastors, church leaders, and lay leaders about how using Vanderbloemen’s executive search process can help them steward their time and resources during their pastoral search.

The Numbers Game—9 Church Metrics to Improve Retention

The shepherd doesn’t say, “I have around 100 sheep.” He knows he has exactly 100, and that is why he goes looking for the lost sheep when he only counts 99. Numbers matter because they represent lives. There are nine different dimensions to The Numbers Game that—when properly measured and tracked—offer you valuable intelligence about the health and vitality of your church’s community-building efforts. If you’ve never tracked these before, you’ll see why numbers are a valuable tool in making strategic ministry decisions.

David Coons, is a seasoned ChMS Sales Engineer, grew up in the church and has over two decades of service in the church, including Men’s Ministry, Video Ministry, Missions and Drama. In addition to being in Church leadership as a Deacon, Elder and Connections Pastor, he has been consulting with churches for the last 15 years with a focus on data and discipleship management. His wealth of knowledge both as a church leader and data professional will bring insights and experience to help you see your church metrics through an enhanced lens for your leadership team.

Org Charts that Work: Designing an Organization Chart that Aligns, Empowers, and Unlocks Your Team

Building a team that is aligned and achieving mission together is one of the greatest joys of leadership. How do you effectively design the team to support the needs of the organization as well as cater to the unique gifts of each team member?  How do you honor the commitment of current staff while expanding the team to meet the demands of the future? A well-designed organizational chart is not a necessary evil of organizational life; it is rather, a life-giving tool for clarity, alignment, good decision-making, and the engine for accomplishing mission. In this workshop, Jenni Catron will walk you through the anatomy of an effective org chart and give you the next steps for structuring a healthy team.

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops. She is also a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry.

Planning for Growth with Your Campus—Expectations Moving Forward

Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to succeed—Max McKeown. It’s important to be clear on the journey we are asking people to take with us. Maintaining focus on the why, the eternal mission of reaching future generations for Christ, not the what, buildings or specific programs, is what allows you to adapt without losing your missional focus. Ecclesiastes 3:1 gives us the guidance, For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

The message today seems to be a constant welcome to the new normal. It infers what was is no longer applicable, when in truth trends which were already in motion just accelerated. People are still looking for community, still hunger for the Gospel. There is still need for space to gather. We will discuss several of these accelerated trends and see their application in how we design space to encourage engagement within our communities and foster new growth within your church body.

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 30 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 Association. He is an active member of Texas Society of Architects, American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Mark R. Ashcraft, is a senior associate of HH Architects. He serves as the Director of Design Strategy for the firm and has been blessed to work with many ministries during his 20 year tenure. He is passionate about sharing the strategic thinking behind faith-based design, how it shapes the user experience, and the importance of being ministry driven in those efforts.

Real Coaching Success with Your Staff and Volunteers

Coaching your staff and volunteers can be a very rewarding investment but it doesn’t always yield a return on your time investment. This workshop will give you an overview of the best practices and principles contained in Dr. Baxter’s new book, Real Coaching Success (Amazon).

“I have put in my 10,000 hours of coaching others and a bunch of those hours didn’t go so well. If I can offer my colleagues a summary of what I learned over the last 30 years then I would love to help them avoid some of the wasted hours I experienced.”

Nathan Baxter is a former XP and SP and now is an Executive Leadership Coach and founder of RealCoachingSuccess.com, a company dedicated to encourage and equip coaches and mentors. Every month Nathan and his wife Dianne devote time training others to improve in their coaching and mentoring skills. They have successfully helped launch 22 coaching businesses and ministries and are working to launch a podcast to share their knowledge and experience with other coaches.

Reaching Your Community

As culture and community have pivoted during this long pandemic season, the Church’s call remains the same. Today more than ever, the church has the opportunity to use technology to connect with people. National advertising campaigns are spending millions of dollars to reach people exploring faith or looking for practical help. By understanding needs, churches can bring hope and healing to those outside of the walls of the church.

Kristy Shotwell serves Strategic and Network partners at Gloo.  She has supported churches and ministries in the technology space for ten years.

Stewarding Your Ministry Benefits

Choosing a benefit strategy that fits your ministry comes with many choices, but we belong to a higher Kingdom calling to steward our resources and people well. Learn and apply out-of-the-box ministry benefit strategies.

At GuideStone, Scott Charbonneau leads a team of experienced insurance professionals who are each dedicated to meeting your employee benefit needs by providing your ministry with quality, affordable health coverage options. Under Scott’s leadership, the Health Benefits team will help you craft the right plan and provide continued support that makes your job easier. Scott has served at GuideStone® since 2002. Scott has served in multiple capacities at GuideStone, giving him a vast knowledge of the retirement, property and casualty, and insurance solutions for your ministry. In addition to helping clients, Scott serves as a deacon and life connection teacher at First Baptist Church, Hurst, Texas, where his wife, Kellie, is the preschool minister. He is past president of the Hurst Heritage Foundation and a board member of StrongMarriages. He has served on mission teams, sharing God’s love in North Dakota, West Africa and East Asia.

Art Tennille is GuideStone’s Regional Relationship Manager based in Nashville, Tennessee. Formerly Art served as National Field Director for the former LifeWay Christian Stores. Art is a trusted mentor and servant leader who loves helping ministries and their teams steward their financial resources well and prepare wisely for their financial outcomes in retirement. He thrives on helping people see the practical steps they can take to positively impact their futures.

Time with Fletch

This is an open session to bring any question, any topic. Have a discussion with Fletch. There is no formal agenda, just a chance to raise questions for a round table discussion.

Dr. David Fletcher is often called The Dean of Executive Pastors. Fletch was a pastor for 35 years in churches from 1,000-8,000 members, single and multisite, churches with mergers, camps, schools, apartments and cafes. He founded XPastor in 2003 and its free articles from hundreds of authors have become a principal resource for leaders in a complex church world. With degrees from Dallas Seminary and executive education at the Kellogg School of Management and the Harvard Business School, he brings an objective perspective, vast experience, biblical principles and best practices. He teaches Doctor of Ministry students at Dallas Seminary and ETS India, and has written books and scores of articles for national publications.

Top 5 Legal Issues for Churches

Churches routinely have various legal problems, but which are the most common ones? Dustin Gaines and Mark Juba from The Church Lawyers will walk through the five most common issues for churches. Working on these issues will be your first step to keeping your church out of court.

Mark Juba’s practice at The Church Lawyers, Middlebrook | Goodspeed, PLLC, includes general nonprofit, corporate, corporate transactions, compliance, corporate governance, healthcare, privacy, internal and external investigations, government inquiries, mergers and acquisitions, employment, human resources, administrative law, litigation, and related matters.

Dustin Gaines is a trial lawyer who focuses his practice on litigation matters related to churches, schools, and non-profit organizations. He has a diverse practice that focuses on general civil litigation matters and constitutional/religious liberties matters. As both an attorney and pastor, Dustin relates with pastors and will guide you to a resolution of your legal challenge from a pastor/attorney’s perspective.

What Does Everyone Tend to Miss in Leadership Succession?

This workshop covers the potholes that many fall into in leadership succession. Three simple diagrams, and understanding them, will help you miss the potholes. One is the iceberg drawing. Always tell the cruise captain—Don’t hit the iceberg! After working with over 130 large churches in this area of succession and advising several nonprofits, he shares these central ideas that get overlooked to the organization’s peril. Come learn the drawings to share with your team.

Dave Travis is the Director of Strategic Counsel to Pastors and Church Boards at Generis. Dave has a wealth of experience from pastoral ministry and the business world. He has worked as a pastor as well as consulted with many churches in different contexts. Through Leadership Network he has had the privilege of learning from many esteemed mentors. His involvement in this network has taken him all over the country to work with various ministries and with some of the country’s leading pastors. Dave earned a Masters of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech. He also did a short course at the Harvard Business School in Strategic Perspectives for Nonprofit Management. These accomplishments combined help Dave to offer a unique perspective for the churches with which he consults. Dave is the author of three published books and is a noted speaker and consultant to megachurches across the country.

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

The XP-Seminar has been a career and a life changer for me. Thank you for taking the time to put on this event.

Tim Samuel
CPA & CFO, Bridgeway Community Church
Columbia, Maryland

2022 XP-Seminar Attendees

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders to come together, hear from national leaders and peers, and be life-long learners.

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—both personally and professionally.”

Pre-Seminar Workshops

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture

Pre-Seminar Workshop with Jenni Catron

Tuesday, February 22, 2022
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials. Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

Do you wish your team was more aligned and working effectively together?

Do you find yourself frustrated because staff are not making decisions based upon vision and values?

Is your leadership development strategy disjointed and inconsistent?

Research tells us that a strong and healthy culture leads to greater employee engagement and more growth for your organization. And yet, while 90% of leaders believe that an engagement strategy will have an impact on their success, only 25% of them actually have a plan.

In this pre-seminar workshop, you will be equipped to evaluate, design and develop the building blocks for an extraordinary culture and you will leave with a step-by-step process and tools that enable you to create a strategy that allows your organization to thrive.

In our time together, you will:

  • Begin to evaluate and define your team values.
  • Identify habits that influence behaviors.
  • Build a plan to implement values throughout the organization.
  • Learn how to create a values-based framework for leadership development.

About Jenni

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops.

She is a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them.

Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership.

A leader who loves “putting feet to vision.” She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry.

Jenni loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis, and hanging out with her husband.

New XPs

Pre-Seminar Workshop with David Fletcher

Tuesday, February 22, 2022
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials.
Limited to 20 participants.

The first year for an XP is critical. Some XPs had prior roles at the church for many years and others are new to that culture. The key is learning your new role and responding to the dynamics of that role:

  • Working with the Senior Pastor
  • Working with staff leaders and the entire staff
  • Working with the congregation

Your time at church is limited each week, so where should you invest it? It sounds like a simple question but the answers are diverse. How do you keep a handle on finances, facilities, legal, HR, staff dynamics, board issues, emergencies, critical but not urgent issues, staff handbooks and policies and running meetings? If this wasn’t enough, you want to lead in your own style, but do a careful dance with the SP to reflect his leadership and vision for the church.

This workshop will be an interactive discussion, led by Fletch. Bring your questions and issues. There will be a vital agenda of items that Fletch will present, coupled with discussion of how to make the role work for you. Fletch brings a perspective from 35 years of ministry and working with hundreds of XPs from around the country.

Key Issues

  • Leadership
  • Generosity
  • Strategic planning
  • Vision implementation
  • Time management
  • Developing staff relationships
  • Communication strategies
  • Board relationships

About Fletch

Dr. David Fletcher is often called The Dean of Executive Pastors. Fletch was a pastor for 35 years in churches from 1,000-8,000 members, single and multisite, churches with mergers, camps, schools, apartments and cafés. He founded XPastor in 2003 and its free articles from hundreds of authors have become a principal resource for leaders in a complex church world.

With degrees from Dallas Seminary and executive education at the Kellogg School of Management and the Harvard Business School, he brings an objective perspective, vast experience, biblical principles and best practices. He teaches Doctor of Ministry students at Dallas Seminary and ETS India, and has written books and scores of articles for national publications.

With his wife, Tami, he loves to walk the hills near their home in Austin, Texas—and Fletch loves scuba diving in rivers, lakes, missile silos and the world’s oceans.

Real Coaching Success

Pre-Seminar Workshop with Dr. Nathan Baxter

Tuesday, February 22, 2022
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials. Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

Churches that coach their leaders and volunteers discover that their investment pays off. Research continues to show that people want coaching.

Your staff wants to know how to be more effective in their jobs and ministries.

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach and trainer. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring his Real Coaching Success workshop to the 2022 XP-Seminar.

Coaches from around the country gather annually in Tulsa, Oklahoma to participate in his training and now we are bringing the workshop to Dallas.

What you will learn

  • Best practices to help your coaching be more effective.
  • Key components that must be in your church culture for coaching success.
  • How to create customized coaching templates to fit your ministry culture.
  • Importance of calibrating your coaching
  • Best practices for holding leaders accountable.

And

  • How to use his 5 most popular Coaching Tools; ‘Win-Plan Conversations’, Coaching Gap, Timeline exercise, M&M principle, Birkman® and other assessments.

Before the workshop

Participants will complete a short survey to identify specific needs related to improving as a coach. Also, they will be required to read Real Coaching Success by Nathan & Dianne Baxter.

About Nathan

Nathan was an XP and SP for 28 years, and now is an executive leadership coach. He is fully engaged each week coaching executives and ministry leaders all across the country through Lead Self Lead Others. Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

He is now devoting more time to encouraging and equipping those who want to be more effective in coaching others through Real Coaching Success.

Nathan has developed extensive resources for coaches and mentors, such as:

  • Nathan and Dianne Baxter’s book Real Coaching Success: What it Takes to Be An Excellent Coach and Build Your Business (check it out on Amazon)
  • Free weekly devotion for coaches called Think.Coach.Pray (enroll here)
  • Free monthly webinars
  • Real Coaching Success workshop slated for April 21-22, 2022 in Tulsa
  • An online coaching certification course in June 2022
  • A monthly podcast for coaches in August 2022.

I had reached a point of frustration in not knowing the next step in my personal leadership development and he helped me bridge that frustration gap and send me on my way into the next season of my journey. Each session and contact was like connecting with a friend.

Jim Kuykendall, Executive Pastor

2021 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T14:00:43-05:00

17th XP-Seminar—Dallas Texas
A ChurchLaw&Tax Top Conference

The 2017, 2018, 20 and 2019, 2020 and 2021 XP-Seminars were sold out

We limit attendance. Normally only for a tribe of 200. In Covid this is limited to 125. We are a tribe, not a town. Interact with our distinguished speakers and other attendees.

Covid Prevention Measures
Hotel meeting rooms at 50% occupancy as per the State of Texas

  • Contactless Check-In and Check-Out
  • Social Distancing Signage throughout the hotel
  • Sanitation Stations throughout the hotel lobby and in your Event Space
  • Lysol Wipe Stations throughout the hotel lobby and in your Event Space
  • Event Sets that respect social distancing guidelines

  • CleanStay Seal on the Guest Rooms to confirm no one has accessed the room after the housekeepers have deep cleaned and disinfected the guest room
  • Fitness Center is arranged to accommodate social distancing with available Lysol wipes and hand sanitizing
  • Team is in Mask and your Event team is in Mask and Gloves
  • EventReady Seal on your event room to confirm no one has accessed the event space after it has been sanitized
  • Plexiglass for buffets and Service Attendants

Speakers

  • Plexiglass for the speaker at the podium
  • Social distancing of speaker from front table
  • We don’t sing at XPastor events, and that goes for this year too.

XPastor

  • Masks required as per the State of Texas
  • Limited number of KN95 masks available for attendees
  • Spot temperature checks
  • No book table this year—look for extra books next year
  • Seminar notebook will be digital only this year
  • Spacing at tables to allow for social distancing
  • Encourage outdoor discussions when one-on-one
  • Encourage outdoor dining in the area

Inspiring Keynotes from National Leaders

Disruptive Innovation for a Post Pandemic Church
Mark DeYmaz

Mark is a thought-leading author, pastor, and recognized champion of the Multiethnic Church Movement. Mark planted the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas in 2001 where he continues to serve as Directional Leader. In 2004, he co-founded the Mosaix Global Network with Dr. George Yancey and today serves as its president, and convener of the triennial National Multi-ethnic Church Conference. In 2008, he launched Vine and Village and remains active on the board of this non-profit focused on the spiritual, social, and financial transformation of Little Rock’s University District.

Mark has written seven books including his latest, The Coming Revolution in Church Economics (Baker Books, 2019), and a contributing editor for Outreach magazine. He is an Adjunct Professor at Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Volunteer Erosion: How to Backfill Your Bench & Mobilize New Leaders Post-Pandemic
Tim Lucas

Tim is the founder and lead pastor of Liquid Church, named one of America’s 100 Fastest-Growing Churches by ​Outreach magazine (2019). He started Liquid “on accident” with a dozen twenty-something friends meeting in the basement of a 150-year old church. Since launching in 2007, Liquid has experienced rapid growth and thousands of changed lives. The innovative church has grown to 7 locations across New Jersey with 5,000 people in attendance and more than 2,400 baptisms to date.

Tim is the author of ​Liquid Church: 6 Powerful Currents to Saturate Your City for Christ. His innovative approaches to outreach have been spotlighted by ​CNN​, Fox News, ​The Today Show​ and the ​New York Times. Tim leads the ​Northeast Pastors Coaching Network​ ​to equip and mentor senior pastors, ministry leaders, and church planters to reach the next generation for Christ.

More Great Speakers

Mike Batts
Managing Partner
Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

Church Risk Management in a Cultural War Zone

JB Bowling
Director
Clark

Production Planning & Perspectives in the Post-COVID Church

Steve Case
Assistant Vice President
Senior Corporate Counsel
Brotherhood Mutual

Navigating Faith-Based Employment and Other Important Issues

Rob Faulk
Partner
CapinCrouse

Church Board Fires Pastor—Better Financial Reporting Can Prevent It

David Fletcher
Founder
XPastor

A New Normal or Changes in the Church Landscape? 

Chris Lagerlof
Senior Associate—Senior Leadership
Slingshot Group

The First 90 Days

Brad Leeper
President
Generis

Dave Milam
Vice President of Strategic Design
Visioneering Studios

Lisa Seal
Vice President of Revenue
BELAY

Be Comfortable with the Unknown

Aaron Senneff
Chief Technology Officer
Pushpay

William Vanderbloemen
Founder & CEO
Vanderbloemen

Staffing Trends During Covid and Beyond

Bruce Woody
President
HH Architects

Strong Vision, Strong Leaders, Strong Congregation

30 Workshops Are Planned During the Seminar

Come Early for a Great Pre-Seminar Workshop

Why Fall 2021 Is Different

with Brad Leeper & Dave Travis

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Senior Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

I love what Fletch is doing through the keynotes and workshops. This is a fantastic place. I’ve seen first hand the results of Fletch’s leadership in the local church level and in cross-cultural situations.

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The Seminar has a huge impact on my leadership and development in networking, mentoring and insight. I attend to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development and so much more. I believe in the Seminar and want to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided. 

Matt Branaugh, Editor at Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!

Dan Brubacher, XP at Connexus Church

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal.

Mike Batts, Managing Partner, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!

Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

The Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor has 1,300 free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We bring in outstanding national leaders such as Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

On Wednesday at lunch, the short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Our 15th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

Learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role.

It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

XP McKenzie Schreck
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

What Attendees Say

The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.

Enrich your life and ministry here!

I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, ‘What I should do as a new XP?’

Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.

—attendance limited to 200 people—

On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.

I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.

Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!

A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

After Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

The XP-Seminar has been a career and a life changer for me. Thank you for taking the time to put on this event.

Tim Samuel
CPA & CFO, Bridgeway Community Church
Columbia, Maryland

2021 XP-Seminar Attendees

We limit attendance to 200 people of our tribe

Workshops During the Seminar

5 Challenges of Replacing a Long-Tenured Pastor

What will it take to replace a long-tenured pastor? How long will it take? What will happen to the church during that transition? The fear of the transition often less to paralysis and the fear of talking about succession.

Come and hear how you can help your church prepare for the challenges ahead to avoid potential potholes in this journey.

Eric Albert is an Executive Search Consultant with Vanderbloemen. Eric has more than 22 years of pastoral ministry experience. He has served on staff at Forest Glen Christian Conference Center, The Woodlands United Methodist Church in the Woodlands and most recently at Second Baptist Church in Houston. He has experience in a variety of aspects of ministry including summer camps, worship planning, and teaching. As an Executive Search Consultant, Eric works directly with churches, guiding them through Vanderbloemen’s extensive search process to find the right staff for their church. He focuses on discovering the unique DNA of the church and matching that DNA with candidates who possess the skills and gifts they need to help the church accomplish its mission.

5 Steps To Creating A Culture of Leadership Development

We know that leadership development is important, but how do we bridge the gap from what we know to how we lead? In this session, you’ll learn from Matt Tresidder, co-founder of Leadr, the first people development software built for churches. Matt will share his own journey from leading a team of one to one-hundred and the lessons he learned along the way. He’ll teach you the five foundations he’s discovered that every church has that is effectively developing their people at every level of the organization. You’ll walk away with five steps you can implement today to engage and grow every person in your church.

Matt Tresidder is Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer at Leadr, the first people development software built for churches. Matt joined Leadr after six years at Pushpay, serving most recently as the VP of Sales. Born in New Zealand, Matt moved to Seattle with the Pushpay team where he met his wife Kiasa. Matt studied at Life Leadership College in Auckland, and is a recent graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA and the Wharton Business School Executive program. Matt is passionate about helping churches engage and grow leaders at every level of their organization.

7 Numbers Every XP Should Know

As an executive pastor, you track numbers like worship attendance, weekly offerings, personnel and operating expenses, and sometimes even rolls of toilet paper available. There are seven numbers that could financially influence the future Kingdom impact of the ministry you serve.

Do you know what those are and how you can leverage those numbers to move beyond weekly cash flow and capital campaigns? Learn how strategic planned giving can provide this leverage.

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 eight years Dave has served as an estate consultant with Financial Planning Ministry. His role is to provide education on estate planning processes while assisting individuals and families with their specific planning needs.

8 Significant Megachurch Trends from ECFA’s Megachurch 2020 Report

“Megachurch 2020” is the largest national study ever of trends in U.S. megachurches. It uncovered 24 specific research findings that include:

  • What works best in megachurches to increase spiritual vitality?
  • What have megachurches done to become so multiracial?
  • How does small group involvement increase spiritual formation and church growth in megachurches?
  • What decreases per capita giving in megachurches? What specifically increases it?
  • Does your governance and financial management model help or hurt per capita giving?
  • Are megachurches growing more by multiple services, multiple campuses, church planting, or church mergers?
  • What year in megachurches is the peak growth era under the same senior pastor?
  • What happens in a megachurch after the pastor who led during the church’s greatest growth era retires?

Warren Bird is the Vice President of Research and Equipping at the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. He is also an award-winning writer and researcher. Warren’s background includes pastoring and seminary teaching, and a 13-year run as research director at Leadership Network. Warren has authored or co-authored 30 books. He is a graduate of Wheaton College (BA, MA), Alliance Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Fordham University (Ph.D.).

The Church and It’s 5 Real Estate Choices: Considering Post-COVID Trends and the Implications on “Place and Space”

The cost of facilities over the long-run of 40-60 years is easily one of the Churches most expensive parts of their ministry. In his latest book, Entrusted—A Guide to Intentional Church Facility Stewardship, Tim Cool shares a startling reality in the chapter entitled The Real Cost of Ownership. The initial capital cost of a 30,000 square foot facility with a cost of $5.4 million results in a life-cycle cost to the church over 40 years close to $21 million.

The journey through 2020 and mapping out where the Church is headed in 2021 has not been for the faint at heart! Many leaders are spotting new trends in ministry that could significantly accelerate the inefficiencies of existing church facilities, as well as impact the design of new builds and buildouts into the foreseeable future. In this session we will have a conversation outlining the pros and cons and trends of each of the ways a church can have a physical presence in a community. We will also consider together what a “trend-resistant” facility might look like.

In his role with Portable Church® as the Multiplication Specialist, Jeff Beachum comes along side church leaders who are engaged in various forms of physical multiplication. While he speaks to organizational development issues, his primary purpose is to help churches determine strategies for choosing new communities, choosing right property/facilities, and developing a balanced affordable portfolio of real estate. Jeff brings a rich background to his current role with Portable Church®. Armed with a business degree, Jeff worked in the commercial real estate appraisal profession both before and after serving number of years as pastor in the local church. Following service on a denominational leadership team, Jeff led the Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors for several years before being called back to his home state of Michigan.

Cyber Criminals in the Church: A Whopper of a Tale

In today’s world, not even the church is immune to cyberattacks. Our ministries are vulnerable to phishing, data theft, and even extortion. David will provide examples of damage and recovery from organizations just like yours and the ongoing efforts of federal agencies to prevent future attacks.

Learn ways to help protect your organization from such criminal behavior now and items to be considered for the digital footprints to come.

David Middlebrook advises his clients on a wide range of legal issues including corporate structure and governance, employment and volunteer practices, intellectual property, and compensation practices. He serves as outside general counsel to a number of nonprofit organizations, while many others use his services as special nonprofit corporate counsel. David also serves his clients in the role of literary and music agent and is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on legal subjects affecting religious nonprofit organizations. He is an award-winning author and has published numerous articles on nonprofit topics.

Dream Stream: Four Ideas to Improve Your Live Stream

Bob Nahrstadt is Senior Design Engineer at Clark. As a teenager, Bob became interested in AV, taking used stereo and speaker components and building his own hi-fi system in his parents’ basement. After college, Bob worked for over 10 years in high technology sales, specifically Fortune 500 business software sales. For five of those years, he was a volunteer technical director at a small church in Chicago, where he was introduced to Clark. Bob has had many roles since joining the team in 2004. He started out as a Business Development Manager from Clark’s Chicago office, then moved to Atlanta to head up the engineering department. Today he continues to provide the entire engineering team with support, but he specializes in the front-end design of our video systems, and travels to project site for final commissioning and training.

 The First 90 Days

The first 90 days are a critical time for new hires to get onboarded and start well. Studies show that how you navigate this window of time will determine how quickly new staff members bring value to their new roles in the short term and add value to your team and organization in the long term.

This breakout will help you coach your new hire to contribute value sooner, build lasting trust, and establish a foundation of long-term leadership results in your ministry or organization. If you plan on hiring new staff in 2021 and beyond, this breakout is for you!

Chris Lagerlof serves as a Senior Level Associate in the Senior Associate and Nonprofit Division at Slingshot. Chris is a strategic thinker, project specialist and experienced leader. His passion is to help leaders and churches move forward by maximizing their focus, clarity and performance. Chris worked for 17 years as a Pastor and Champion of several ministries at Mariners Church in Irvine, California. Chris also served as a Regional Catalyst for Christ Together and National Catalyst for Vision360. Chris and his team at Slingshot leverage their relationships and experience to deliver expert staffing and coaching focused on helping churches and nonprofits find clarity and movement. Chris lives in Irvine with his two daughters, Tessa and Mandy. Chris likes to golf, cook, snowboard, travel and tailgate with his family and friends at UCLA football games.

Growing a Generosity Movement

How to integrate a growing generosity movement of disciples in 2021 including how to work with your staff, Board and senior pastor to make happen.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

Growing your Capacity for Strong Leadership: Recruiting and Developing Volunteer Ministry Team and Small Group Leaders

You’ve heard it said, “so goes the leader, so goes the church.” While that’s true for staff leadership, it’s also true for volunteer leadership across your ministries and small groups. When your church releases a sufficient number of well-equipped volunteer leaders, your ministries can flourish, but without enough equipped leaders, your ministry will grind to a halt.

Drawing from Ryan’s research work on church leadership teams and small groups as well as insights from the best practices in training and development, this workshop will help you recruit and raise up leaders who can take your ministry to the next level of effectiveness and fruitfulness.

Dr. Ryan T. Hartwig is dean and professor at Colorado Christian University, and the author of Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level, and Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership. Bringing a unique perspective as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner, he seeks to equip leadership teams and groups to thrive through his speaking, training, and consulting with church and non-profit organizations. Connect with Ryan at www.ryanhartwig.com or on Twitter at @rthartwig.

Hire Slow, Fire Fast: Increasing Your Talent Density & Retention

Give employees every opportunity to succeed with highly selective hiring, proper onboarding and thorough training. Because when done well, those three mission-critical elements may take more time and effort on the front end – but the returns are well worth it. In time, employees will grow and evolve, and leaders will become more adept at fitting more pieces into the jigsaw puzzle, thoughtfully placing each employee exactly where they should be.

The end goal is not to simply hire people for the sake of hiring them; the goal is to hire them because it will move the church toward its goals and, ultimately, toward growth. If reaching your church’s goals is the end game, then why would you settle for someone who is available instead of the best person for the job? Simply put: You can have your cake and eat it, too—and this is how.

As the Vice President of Revenue for BELAY, Lisa Seal utilizes her experience in growth management across several industries to work with sales professionals, empowering them to achieve—and exceed—their targets and help organizations grow. It is her mission to encourage others so they may achieve all that they dream.

How Does Your Retirement Plan Rate?

When it comes to your organization, the decisions you make today will either improve or hinder the quality of life for your employees during their retirement. Join us to see how your retirement plan rates.

We at GuideStone® are here to help you and your employees along the journey to and through retirement.

Dixie Beard is Senior Business Development Manager at GuideStone.

How the XP can help lead in the Senior Pastor Succession Process

For long term Senior Pastors, the succession process is the third most expensive decisions that a church makes. Not only that, but messing it up has consequences for the whole congregation. Succession is different from search!

Since Executive Pastors tend to carry great implementation duties, they can add significant value to the Senior Pastor Succession process to help the whole church move forward.

This workshop covers 5 dangers and 5 contributions the XP can do to secure good results.

Dave Travis has a wealth of experience from pastoral ministry and the business world. He has worked as a pastor as well as consulted with many churches in different contexts. Through Leadership Network he has had the privilege of learning from many esteemed mentors. His involvement in this network has taken him all over the country to work with various ministries and with some of the country’s leading pastors. Dave earned a Masters of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech. He also did a short course at the Harvard Business School in Strategic Perspectives for Nonprofit Management. These accomplishments combined help Dave to offer a unique perspective for the churches with which he consults. Dave is the author of three published books and is a noted speaker and consultant to megachurches across the country.

How to Spot Burnout Before It’s Too Late

See that employee that is a bright shooting star? How to keep them on track but without letting the fire burn them. We have all seen it happen. Maybe it has happened to you.

Learn ways to spot tell-tell signs of burnout and how to help install healthy bumpers for your staff for health and longevity.

Eric Albert is an Executive Search Consultant with Vanderbloemen. Eric has more than 22 years of pastoral ministry experience. He has served on staff at Forest Glen Christian Conference Center, The Woodlands United Methodist Church in the Woodlands and most recently at Second Baptist Church in Houston. He has experience in a variety of aspects of ministry including summer camps, worship planning, and teaching. As an Executive Search Consultant, Eric works directly with churches, guiding them through Vanderbloemen’s extensive search process to find the right staff for their church. He focuses on discovering the unique DNA of the church and matching that DNA with candidates who possess the skills and gifts they need to help the church accomplish its mission.

Impact Stories: Session 1
Online Only

Lenders have a unique vantage point as they have worked with borrowers. In this course, we will be having an open discussion on how ministries have adapted to the new ministry environment.

Feel free to attend both sessions or just one!

Chris Lewis is the 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.

Innovative Capital Funding

Innovative capital funding for your church: beyond the traditional campaign, exploring trends and options in funding your ministry expansion in 2021 and beyond. Includes how to develop major gifts in 2021 to fuel your ministry.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

The Missing Piece in Online Giving

We know that online giving is simply more effective than offline giving. We are meeting people where they are at and offering the convenience to schedule their stewardship. The missing piece, however, has been glaringly obvious and we can take steps to address it. You’re reaching your regular givers, but what are the effective strategies shown to help the non-givers? How can your systems become an extension of your stewardship plan?

This workshop will address a non-givers path of generosity, including a live demo of new solutions that make the first step in generosity more of a reality.

Steven A. Hron is Vice President of Cass Commercial Bank, Church and Ministries Division.

Andy Satkowiak is Development Manager. Andy leads the sales and church development of Gyve Generosity Services, a division of Cass Commercial Bank. He brings years of experience in ministry and consulting to help churches to solve new challenges and utilize generosity as a tool to fuel the mission of the church.

Nuts & Bolts of Commercial Development on 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, James Cortez, the CFO of Visioneering Studios, and Dave Milam, Vice President of Strategic Design, will walk you through the nuts and bolts of commercially developing your site while protecting your mission.

James Cortez is the CFO of Visioneering Studios. James brings a diverse background in real estate development, property transactions, and construction, as well as over a decade of experience in finance and accounting. He brings a unique focus on stewardship and process improvement while highlighting and fostering effective design and creativity.

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.

Outsourcing: How to Get In—and Get Out

In this session, Ken Tan, Principal at CapinCrouse, will draw on his experience with outsourcing to help you think about:

  • Why and how to enter an outsourcing agreement?
  • How to maintain control?
  • How to exit the relationship when necessary?

Ken has 11 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.

PPP: How to Move Forward From Here

Join us for an interactive session with insight for wherever you are in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) process, whether you’re in the first round of borrowing, in the process of loan forgiveness, or applying for a second round.

We’ll provide tips for applying for a PPP loan and loan forgiveness to help give you clarity on the process and finish what you have started.

Ken has 11 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.

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan: Setting Your Church Up For Success in 2021

In this session, learn how to future-proof your church’s goals so that regardless of what dominates headlines, you’ve developed an iron-clad plan for the growth, vitality and success of your church this year.

So cast your 2021 visions, and be ready for a new year full of promise and hope with 21 tips and techniques to add to your church’s toolkit to safeguard your goals—and crush them—this year.

Melissa Tidwell has been part of the BELAY team since 2011 serving as part of the Solutions Team. She has over 20 years of church experience with a focus on finance and ministry team leadership. Melissa has been part of several church launch teams and has held a number of staff and volunteer positions at various churches. Her passion is to equip leaders with the right information and resources to make strong decisions that further the Kingdom.

Planning for Growth with Your Campus—Expectations Moving Forward

Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to succeed—Max McKeown. It’s important to be clear on the journey we are asking people to take with us. Maintaining focus on the why, the eternal mission of reaching future generations for Christ, not the what, buildings or specific programs, is what allows you to adapt without losing your missional focus. Ecclesiastes 3:1 gives us the guidance, For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

The message today seems to be a constant welcome to the new normal. It infers what was is no longer applicable, when in truth trends which were already in motion just accelerated. People are still looking for community, still hunger for the Gospel. There is still need for space to gather. We will discuss several of these accelerated trends and see their application in how we design space to encourage engagement within our communities and foster new growth within your church body.

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 30 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 Association. He is an active member of Texas Society of Architects, American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Mark R. Ashcraft, is a senior associate of HH Architects. He serves as the Director of Design Strategy for the firm and has been blessed to work with many ministries during his 20 year tenure. He is passionate about sharing the strategic thinking behind faith-based design, how it shapes the user experience, and the importance of being ministry driven in those efforts.

Q & A with Mark DeYmaz

Mark is a thought-leading author, pastor, and recognized champion of the Multiethnic Church Movement. Mark planted the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas in 2001 where he continues to serve as Directional Leader. In 2004, he co-founded the Mosaix Global Network with Dr. George Yancey and today serves as its president, and convener of the triennial National Multi-ethnic Church Conference. In 2008, he launched Vine and Village and remains active on the board of this non-profit focused on the spiritual, social, and financial transformation of Little Rock’s University District.

Mark has written seven books including his latest, The Coming Revolution in Church Economics (Baker Books, 2019), and a contributing editor for Outreachmagazine. He is an Adjunct Professor at Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Real Coaching Success with Your Staff and Volunteers

Coaching your staff and volunteers can be a very rewarding investment but it doesn’t always yield a return on your time investment. This workshop will give you an overview of the best practices and principles contained Dr. Baxter’s new book, Real Coaching Success (Amazon).

“I have put in my 10,000 hours of coaching others and a bunch of those hours didn’t go so well. If I can offer my colleagues a summary of what I learned over the last 30 years then I would love to help them avoid some of the wasted hours I experienced.”

Nathan Baxter is a former XP and SP and now is an Executive Leadership Coach and founder of RealCoachingSuccess.com. A company dedicated to encourage and equip coaches and mentors. Every month Nathan and his wife Dianne devote time training others to improve in their coaching and mentoring skills. They have successfully helped launch 22 coaching businesses and ministries and are working to launch a podcast to share their knowledge and experience with other coaches.

Religious Freedom During COVID-19 and Beyond

The world has changed dramatically over the past year. In the midst of the global pandemic, ministries are caught in the crosshairs of determining how to protect their religious practices and their flock.

There were several Supreme Court decisions in 2020 regarding worship and in-person gatherings during the pandemic. Those rulings may have far-reaching ramifications for the future of religious freedom in America.

Steve Case, JD, CPCU, is Assistant Vice President and Senior Corporate Counsel at Brotherhood Mutual. Steve worked in insurance defense litigation for 7 years before joining Brotherhood Mutual in 2014. Instead of litigating matters after something happens, Steve now assists ministries with risk management, focusing on the areas of religious freedom, child protection, faith-based decisions, safety & security, and employment issues. He assumed his current role in March 2017 where he oversees the day-to-day activities of Brotherhood Mutual’s legal department, including the Legal Assist program. In 2017, he received his designation as a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter. Steve is a member of the Christian Legal Society, Defense Research Institute, Association of Corporate Counsel, and Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel.

Get Steve’s resources here

Top 5 Reasons Churches Go To Court
Online Only

Matthew Branaugh is an attorney and content editor for Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax. Matthew helps lead an award-winning team of editors and designers with the planning, creation, and publishing of ChurchLawAndTax.com, numerous print and digital resources, and two free newsletters. In 2015, he earned first place from the Evangelical Press Association’s “Higher Goals in Christian Journalism” for his article examining church budgeting priorities and practices. More recently, he researched and wrote a comprehensive report evaluating the effects of local, state, and federal public accommodations laws on local churches. Matthew earned his law degree with honors from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also served as an associate editor for Denver Law Review and had his article detailing the potential nationwide effects of the #MeToo movement on abuse-reporting laws selected for online publication. Matthew grew up in the Evangelical Covenant Church. One of Matthew’s favorite parts of his job is the opportunity to meet and network with local church pastors and leaders across the country.

What Has Changed in the Church Lending World? Session 2
Online Only

Lenders have adapted to the new environment, and continue to work with ministries. What you need to know as you consider financing options.

Feel free to attend both sessions or just one!

Chris Lewis is the 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.

Thanks to our sponsors who help bring the XP-Seminar.

Each one is carefully vetted to align with our standards and practices.

2021 Platinnum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their seventeenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the eleventh year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 45 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the tenth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

We welcome for the sixth year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies.

Brotherhood’s travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

We welcome for the fifth year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) is a national CPA firm exclusively serving churches, ministries, nonprofits, and their affiliates through audit & assurance, tax, and strategic advisory services. BMWL understands that you want to protect the financial health and reputation of your church. Their service model is built around that very idea.

BMWL will help your church protect your mission, maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemption, protect your exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, simplify your financial administration, and be better informed. Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the fourth year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling.

From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the fourth year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the third year, we welcome Thrivent. Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on their wise-with-money journey. Thrivent Church Financing has been working nationally with growing ministries for over 100 years by providing flexible financing solutions.

Currently serving more than 1,300 church clients, Thrivent offers flexible solutions, expertise and competitive terms to the financing needs of growing churches. Understanding the unique needs of each church, they offer a variety of loan features including long-term fixed rates and fully amortizing loans up to 30 years in duration. In turn, ministries can live out their wise-with-money journey.

For the first year, we welcome BELAY. Their first client was a pastor, so their ministry-minded, servant-hearted team knows how to help busy pastors and growing churches by staffing them with virtual assistants, bookkeepers, social media strategists, and website specialists. BELAY’s solutions allow you to grow your team through an outsourcing model. So why struggle? Ask for the best help so you can focus on your Kingdom work. BELAY will handle the rest.

2021 Gold Sponsors

For the tenth year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

Clark is providing Live-Cast of our main sessions

For the eighth year, we welcome Slingshot Group. Slingshot Group builds remarkable teams through staffing and coaching. Founded in 2007 by Monty Kelso and Stan Endicott, Slingshot’s team of ministry practitioners is what sets them apart. Every one of Slingshot Group’s 50+ nationwide associates has ministry experience. They know exactly what it takes to hire and develop great staff for the local church and ministry-minded nonprofits.

For the seventh year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now certifies nearly 2,300 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

For the third year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay recently acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

2021 Silver Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the fifteenth year. GuideStone® is one of the leading providers for retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. For more than 100 years, they have worked to enhance the security of more than 200,000 individuals and oversee $14.9 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2020. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the eleventh year, we welcome Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits.

They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

We welcome for the fourth year Portable Church®. For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. We design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue.

Everything you need to launch a mobile church—an experiential worship space, engaging kids ministry areas, inviting welcome spaces, timesaving storage cases, etc.—all in a system refined to make it fast and easy for the weekly volunteer teams.

We welcome Cass Bank for the third year. The Word says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). We at Cass Bank counsel with churches and ministries in the area of finance.

Cass Bank is a financially solid, 112-year-old bank that serves ministries across the country. If you are looking for someone to assist you with your next construction project, acquire property or refinance current debt, Cass Bank invites you to the opportunity to counsel with them.

We welcome Financial Planning Ministry for the first year. FPM is a trusted name in estate planning and strategic planned giving. Since 1982 more than 34,000 families and individuals have benefitted from their unique stewardship through estate planning ministry. They provide turnkey solutions for planned giving to over 120 ministry partners across the country.

Through the promotion of Christ-centered stewardship and estate planning, millions of dollars have been saved from probate while directing $1.6 billion to Christian charities worldwide.

We welcome Leadr for the first year. Leadr is a people development software designed to help organizations develop leaders at every level of their organization. Leadr software equips churches with the tools they need to grow, engage and lead high-performing teams. Since launching in June 2019, Leadr has partnered with nearly 200 churches across the United States.

2021 Media Sponsor

We welcome Christianity Today for the eighth year. Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the 2018 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

Our 17th year

of powerful 

and motivating

speakers …

Special Pre-Seminar Workshop
Tuesday—February 16, 2021

1:00-4:00 pm Why Fall 2021 is Different with Brad Leeper and Dave Travis. Fall 2021 will look different from now and your past seasons of ministry. How so? And what does that mean for our church, and (gulp!) for me as the Executive Pastor?

Tuesday—February 16, 2021

7:00 pm XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all. Spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!
7:30-8:00 pm Opening Salvo by Brad Leeper, President of Generis. Brad will get us started with a keynote address. He is a leader in the generosity community who has helped change the climate from “giving” to “generosity” in the last decade.
8:00-8:10 pm Ed Stetzer on The Importance of the XP Role. Ed is Dean of the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College, and as Executive Director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six continents, and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books.
8:10-8:20 pm Discussion with Fletch and JB Bowling of Clark, Understanding the Vital Tech People on Your Staff, Especially in this Crazy Environment.
8:20-8:50 pm Lisa Seal, Vice President of Revenue of BELAY on Be Comfortable with the Unknown. As the Vice President of Revenue for BELAY, Lisa utilizes her experience in growth management across several industries to work with sales professionals, empowering them to achieve—and exceed—their targets and help organizations grow.

Wednesday—February 17, 2020

7:30-8:20 Full breakfast with Thrivent and a market insight from David Royal, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. David leads all asset management activities for the Fortune 500 organization with $152 billion in assets. He heads a team of more than 100 investment professionals who manage Thrivent’s general account and who are behind Thrivent’s award-winning mutual funds.
8:30-8:50 Introduction to the 2021 XP-Seminar by Fletch.
8:50-9:20 Church Risk Management in a Cultural War Zone with Mike Batts. Mike is the Managing Partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. From his wealth of experience and many books, Mike brings great insight into current and upcoming trends in church financial leadership.
9:20-9:40 Follow-up discussion with Fletch and Warren Bird of Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Warren released vital research in 2020 on megachurches. Let’s get a taste for some of the financial issues with large churches. As time allows, we will have small group discussion on this topic.
9:40-10:30 Navigating Faith-Based Employment and Other Important Issues with Steve Case. He is the Senior Corporate Counsel of Brotherhood Mutual. Society is changing rapidly. There is a concern that this societal shift will place churches and ministries in the cross hairs of negative publicity, governmental scrutiny, and litigation. In addition to everything else going on in 2020, the Supreme Court has issued a number of decisions that impact religious freedom.
10:30-11:00 Follow up discussion with Fletch and Rob Faulk of CapinCrouse on Church Board Fires Pastor—Better Financial Reporting Can Prevent It. As time allows, we will have small group discussion on this topic.
11:00-11:20 Discussion with Chris Lagerlof and Fletch on The First 90 Days. Chris is Senior Associate—Senior Leadership at Slingshot Group. We will examine the core job issue, to build remarkable team through staffing and coaching.
11:20-11:50 Leadership Issues in 2021—Moving from Contentious Congregations to Strength in Ministry with Fletch. He will bring thoughts about the mask, meeting and vaccination controversies. Let’s move from the contention to strong leadership for ministry.
12:00 short-rideLunch with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic. As we eat, it is a time to hear a different perspective on church—innovative, creative, Jesus focused. Bruce Woody, President of HH Architects will talk with Fletch about key building issues that your church needs.
1:15-2:15 Workshops: Session 1
2:15 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:30-3:30 Workshops: Session 2
3:45-4:45 Workshops: Session 3
Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We see scores of people do this every year.

Thursday—February 18, 2021

7:45-8:30 Full breakfast brought by Visioneering. Fletch and Dave Milam talk on a dynamic idea: Once again, it’s time for the Church to become the community’s center. Imagine how commercial development on your site could impact your mission by increasing your church’s visibility and the bottom line.
8:30-8:45 Time with Fletch.
8:45-9:20 Disruptive Innovation for a Post Pandemic Church with Mark DeYmaz. He is a thought-leading author, pastor, and recognized champion of the Multiethnic Church Movement, planted the Mosaic Church, he co-founded the Mosaix Global Network. Mark has written seven books including his latest, The Coming Revolution in Church Economics, and a contributing editor for Outreach magazine. He is an Adjunct Professor at Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
9:20-9:35 Discussion with Fletch and Aaron Senneff, Chief Technology Officer at Pushpay on Leveraging technology to keep your people out of the crack.
9:50-10:40 Volunteer Erosion: How to Backfill Your Bench & Mobilize New Leaders Post-Pandemic with Tim Lucas. He is the founder and lead pastor of Liquid Church, named one of America’s 100 Fastest-Growing Churches by ​Outreach magazine (2019). The innovative church has grown to 7 locations across New Jersey with 5,000 people in attendance and more than 2,400 baptisms to date. Tim is the author of ​Liquid Church: 6 Powerful Currents to Saturate Your City for Christ. He has been spotlighted by ​CNN​, Fox News, ​The Today Show​ and the ​New York Times. Tim leads the ​Northeast Pastors Coaching Network​ ​to equip and mentor senior pastors, ministry leaders, and church planters to reach the next generation for Christ.
10:40-11:20 Staffing Trends During Covid and Beyond with William Vanderbloemen. He is the Founder & CEO of Vanderbloemen. William has helped thousands of churches during the pandemic with key information and webinars. He has a pulse on church staffing trends from his key interactions with leaders around the country.
11:20 Break for Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

2020 XP-Seminar2021-12-03T13:38:48-06:00

Our 16th XP-Seminar
Sold Out!

What a great time we had!

Inspiring Keynotes from National Leaders

The XP-Seminar is one of
Church Law & Tax’s Top Conferences for 2020

Dan Reiland

5 Crucial Skills for Executive Church Leaders

It’s great to dream about being in charge, “I know how I’d lead this church!” Then one day you ARE in charge, and you wonder, “What was I thinking?!” There are certain essentials for those who carry “big picture – the buck stops here” leadership roles in the local church, starting with 3 key responsibilities that set executive leadership apart, and 5 crucial skills necessary to thrive, not merely survive.

Dan is Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for twenty years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY.

He is best known as a leader with a pastor’s heart and a coach’s instincts. He truly loves the local church, and is described as one of the nation’s most innovative church thinkers. His passion is developing and empowering leaders who want to grow, are willing to take risks, and enjoy the journey.

Bryan L. Carter

The Challenge of Leadership

Bryan is the Senior Pastor of Concord Church in Dallas. Preaching, teaching, and leadership are his life passions. Respectfully described as a “difference maker,” he gets great joy out of helping people to reach their full potential in Christ.

He serves as a co-presenter/developer for “33 The Series,” a curriculum on authentic manhood published by Lifeway Christian Resources, and as a presenter for “The Art of Marriage” curriculum published by Family Life Ministries. Bryan also annually hosts the E. K. Bailey Expository Preaching Conference. He has served on the boards of Dallas Habitat for Humanity, Dallas ISD Education Foundation, HIS Bridgebuilders, and Mentoring Brother to Brother. Bryan also leads Harmony Community Development Corporation, an organization committed to improving the community of southern Dallas. He also served as a member of the Mayor’s Taskforce Against Domestic Violence.

Bryan has served as Senior Pastor of Concord Church since 2003, succeeding the church’s founding pastor, Dr. E. K. Bailey. Under Bryan’s leadership, Concord has tripled in size, currently serving more than 8,500 members.

Luke Norsworthy

The Fears of Leaders and Invitations for Growth

Fears keep us up late at night and sitting down in meetings. Some fear that the next change will cause core members to leave. Others fear that we will finally be exposed as an imposter. Fear in all its unique presentations both haunts and paralyzes us. We can see fear not as force for destruction, but as an invitation to growth. For us to be who we were created to be, we are required to go where we don’t want to go.

Luke is the Senior Minister of Westover Hills Church. Luke hosts the Newsworthy with Norsworthy Podcast, a weekly podcast discussing spirituality, Christianity, and anything else that seems news worthy. In more than 300 podcasts, Luke interviews leading thinkers such as N. T. Wright, Barbara Brown Taylor, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann and John Ortberg.

Luke’s first book God over Good was released in October, 2018. Richard Rohr says “Luke transparently shares the struggle many have with a faith focused on certain answers because that type of faith ends up delivering only more questions. But Luke doesn’t leave us there; he shows us a way to the other side of cynicism. God isn’t what we always expect, but God is always beautiful.”

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

As a leader, learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role. It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

McKenzie Schreck, Executive Pastor
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

More Speakers

Impact Assessment—Internal and External with Mike Batts. He is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales and Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, both nationally and locally.

Church Boards: Best Practices and Good Relationships with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). President Dan Busby and his team always bring top-level nationwide financial standards and outstanding resources. Dan’s recent book is Lessons From the Church Boardroom.

David Fletcher. Fletch doesn’t always bring a keynote address, although many folks want him to each year. He will take lessons-learned from 35 years of pastoral leadership and board experience and put the cookies on the bottom shelf. This will be practical and impactful.

Is there anyone better than Brad Leeper to get us talking about this year’s theme, The Ancient Art of Teamwork? Brad brings national expertise in the fields of generosity, church and congregational teams and analytics. At the heart of any culture of generosity is a deep sense of how each person part of the team and overall teamwork. Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners.

Foundations of Governance with David Middlebrook of Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers—what your church needs to know about constitutions and by-laws. Is yours up to date? Have you filed necessary paperwork? Are you following your existing by-laws or do they need to be amended? What special items need to be in these documents, such as dissolution, church conflict resolution, officers, etc.

Dave Milam is a visioneer, strategist and visual storyteller whose right brained style of delivery helps his listener connect in a uniquely immersive way. As a member of the Visioneering Studios team, Dave equips leaders by leveraging art and science to launch inspired vision into reality. Dave is the founding Pastor of One Life Church in Concord, North Carolina.

Troy Pollock is the chief ambassador at Pushpay, a software company based in Redmond, WA. As the first U.S. employee, he has been an integral part of the development, strategic planning, and growth at Pushpay the last seven years. Troy’s calling and desire is to help faith organizations ignite generosity and drive participation within their communities. He and Fletch began a discussion at last year’s XP-Seminar on the future of electronic giving and by popular demand, they continue their lively discussion!

Lunch with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic. As we eat, it is a time to hear a different perspective on church–innovative, creative, Jesus focused. Bruce Woody, President of HH Architects will talk with David about key building issues that your church needs.

The Most Fearsome Camel You’ll Ever Face by William Vanderbloemen. Millennials are officially the largest generation in the American workforce, and the generation gap causes challenges for churches and ministries. How can pastors and church leaders plan for succession with excellence without losing momentum? William is an author, speaker, and founder/CEO of Vanderbloemen, an executive search firm serving churches and Christian organizations with hiring and succession planning.

Gloo is powering Barna’s State of the Church 2020 with interactive dashboards and secure insights. Chris Nelson will describe this journey, equipping you with the resources to understand the state of your church. Get an early insider look at this historic project! Chris is the Director of Ministry Development at Gloo. He has been helping churches for over 8 years in a variety of roles so that they get the most out of their church technology. 

A Team Approach to Financial Planning by Teresa Loker. She is the Director of Church Loan Underwriting at Thrivent Church Financing. Teresa has been helping ministries nationwide with their financing needs for the last 25 years. She was previously with Bank of the West in their Religious Institution Lending Division. As the Managing Director of Credit, she oversaw a $1.3 billion church loan portfolio with direct management of the underwriting team. During her tenure, she was also a relationship manager and played a key role in business development.

Rob Faulk of CapinCrouse on Is Your Board Providing Adequate Financial Oversight? Church boards hold the fiduciary responsibility for overseeing the church’s financial situation, including not only financial information but measurements and controls they should be monitoring. Rob is a partner at CapinCrouse with 35 years of financial leadership experience in serving both for-profit and nonprofit entities, as well as eight years of direct ministry experience as Executive Pastor and CFO of large churches.

It goes well for the one who generously lends money,
and conducts his business honestly.
Psalm 112:5

The 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 XP-Seminars were sold out

We limit attendance to 200 people. We are a tribe, not a town. This enables everyone to talk to our distinguished speakers and sense the XPastor Community.

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

David Fletcher has been helping Executive Pastors for over a decade through XPastor.org. I love what he is doing through the keynotes and workshops—and I had a great time a couple of years ago when I was a speaker. To learn and grow, this is a fantastic place.

I’ve also seen first hand the results of his own leadership where he serves at the local church level and in helping train leaders in cross-cultural situations—which has added to his ability to structure a dynamic learning environment regardless of the societal factors. Don’t miss this opportunity!!

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The XP-Seminar has had a huge impact on my leadership and development as a person, as well as an executive pastor. Years ago, when I began the journey as an XP in my late twenties, it provided the networking, mentoring and insight that I needed to grow in this demanding role. I continue to attend the Seminar to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development, budgeting and so much more. The relationships I have built through XPastor grow every time I attend. I believe in this seminar and what it represents and would love to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. Daniel Rolfe’s talk last year helped shape my year. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

A LinkedIn Post after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!”

Matthew Branaugh, Editor, Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

From a first time attender …

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!
Mike Batts, Managing Partner Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants

From a Senior Pastor …

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.
Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Eddie Park, Church Planter

At the seminar, I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided by David Fletcher, the speakers, and participants. 

A Tweet after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal. #XPSeminar

Dan Brubacher

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

Now in its 16th year, the XP-Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions together.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor.org has hundreds of free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

XPastor’s online courses provide training to grow as a church leader. Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get cognitive input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We always bring in outstanding national leaders. Just to name a few of our past speakers: Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

Short Ride

The short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Workshops

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Location

Our 15th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

The keynote sessions are a content-rich time to learn. Take home deliverables for your church.

It’s never a dull moment at the Seminar. The days are full of vital information for your church.

By sitting around tables, discussion is easy. Get to know other church leaders.

Whether in the 25 plus workshops, through individual discussions or in the keynotes, bring a pad of paper, tablet or computer to take notes.

In 2019, after Carey Nieuwhof spoke on Spiritual Leadership, he takes a picture of William Vanderbloemen …

… while William was delivering his keynote address on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing.

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

Thanks to our sponsors who help bring the XP-Seminar.

Each one is carefully vetted to align with our standards and practices.

2020 Platinnum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their sixteenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the tenth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 45 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

We welcome for the fourth year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. Batts Morrison Wales & Lee (BMWL) is a national CPA firm exclusively serving churches, ministries, nonprofits, and their affiliates through audit & assurance, tax, and strategic advisory services. BMWL understands that you want to protect the financial health and reputation of your church. Their service model is built around that very idea.

BMWL will help your church protect your mission, maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemption, protect your exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, simplify your financial administration, and be better informed. Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the third year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling.

From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the third year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the second year, we welcome Thrivent Church Financing. Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on their wise-with-money journey. Thrivent Church Financing has been working nationally with growing ministries for over 100 years by providing flexible financing solutions.

Currently serving more than 1,300 church clients, Thrivent offers flexible solutions, expertise and competitive terms to the financing needs of growing churches. Understanding the unique needs of each church, they offer a variety of loan features including long-term fixed rates and fully amortizing loans up to 30 years in duration. In turn, ministries can live out their wise-with-money journey.

2020 Gold Sponsors

For the tenth year, we welcome Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits.

They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

For the ninth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

For the sixth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now certifies nearly 2,300 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

For the second year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay builds world-class giving and engagement solutions to help organizations grow their communities. We deliver a donor management system, including donor tools, finance tools and a custom community app, to help the faith sector connect with their congregation. Pushpay recently acquired Church Community Builder, the industry-leading church management software. Together, they serve more than 10,000 customers.

For the first year, we welcome Gloo. Gloo revolutionizes personal growth through data science and analytics—serving organizations dedicated to strengthening people and communities. Gloo, who is powering Barna’s State of the Church 2020 with interactive dashboards and secure insights, would like to invite you into this journey, equipping you with the resources to understand the state of your Church. Join us as an early insider to get a first look at this historic project!

2020 Silver Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the fourteenth year. GuideStone® is one of the leading providers for retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. For more than 100 years, they have worked to enhance the security of more than 200,000 individuals and oversee $13.8 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2019. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the ninth year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

For the seventh year, we welcome Slingshot. Slingshot Group partners with the local church and ministry-minded non-profits to find and develop next level people through relational search and coaching services. Founded in 2007 by Stan Endicott and Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group has 40 associates nationwide that serve in the following divisions: Senior Leadership, Students, Childrens, Worship Arts, and Communications. What sets Slingshot Group apart is their winsome and relational team who provide innovative solutions that facilitate the work of God on the journey of finding and developing the people you need.

For the sixth year, we welcome Church Community Builder. Church Community Builder is a technology company focused on equipping the church for more effective ministry. They exist to provide the church tools in technology to better know, grow, and keep your people—through comprehensive cloud-based software and apps. They focus on the tools, so you can focus on reaching, discipling, and empowering your people. Their inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

We welcome for the fifth year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies.

Brotherhood’s travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

We welcome for the third year Portable Church®. For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. We design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue.

Everything you need to launch a mobile church—an experiential worship space, engaging kids ministry areas, inviting welcome spaces, timesaving storage cases, etc.—all in a system refined to make it fast and easy for the weekly volunteer teams.

We welcome Cass Bank for the second year. The Word says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). We at Cass Bank counsel with churches and ministries in the area of finance.

Cass Bank is a financially solid, 112-year-old bank that serves ministries across the country. If you are looking for someone to assist you with your next construction project, acquire property or refinance current debt, Cass Bank invites you to the opportunity to counsel with them.

2020 Media Sponsors

We are thrilled to welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor for the fifteenth year! Leadership Network has been a trusted resource for XP’s and lead pastors of some of the world’s largest, fastest growing churches since 1984. Leadership Network provides you and your team with connections to peers, access to leaders, and an introduction to tools and processes that will propel you beyond your greatest strategic challenges.

The Leadership Network approach engages multiple models and voices across a variety of domains over time to help you move from ideas to implementation to impact. From multisite to generosity and stewardship, leadership development to leveraging data and analytics, Leadership Network helps you maximize your resources and effort. To learn more or connect with Leadership Network.

2020 Media Sponsors

We welcome Christianity Today for the seventh year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the 2018 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

“A wild herd of wolves and other critters could not keep us from partnering with the XP-Seminar!”

Brad Leeper, President, Generis

Our 16th year

of powerful 

and motivating

speakers …

Pre-Seminar: Tuesday—February 18, 2020

9:00-Noon Workshop on Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture with Jenni Catron. Do you wish your team was more aligned and working effectively together? Do you find yourself frustrated because staff are not making decisions based upon vision and values? Is your leadership development strategy disjointed and inconsistent?
Special enrollment needed.
9:00-Noon Workshop on Multisite Best Practices with Rich Birch. If your church considering launching a multisite campus this pre-conference is for you! Rich was an early multisite church pioneer who’s been in the driver’s seat for 13 launches will share best practices for readying your church for launch. Examine critical questions every church needs to wrestle before launching your first (or next) campus.
Special enrollment needed.
1:00-4:00 Workshop on Church Analytics with Brad Leeper. Data analytics is all the rage. Can data analytics have anything to say to an Executive Pastor in a church setting? Learn how to use your data and other available data to understand things about your church that might dramatically shift how you think and do ministry.
Special enrollment needed.
1:00-4:00 Workshop on Coaching with Dr. Nathan Baxter. Churches that coach their leaders and volunteers discover that their investment pays off. Research continues to show that people want coaching. Your staff wants to know how to be more effective in their jobs and ministries.
Special enrollment needed.
1:00-4:00 Workshop for New XPs with Rich Birch. Are you a new Executive Pastor wondering where you should focus your time? Have you wanted to maximize your efforts and energy in this role, in a desire to help your church soar? Are you looking for an edge on how your role can create the biggest difference in the life of your church?
Special enrollment needed.
1:00-4:00 Workshop for Women Leaders/Women XPs with Jenni Catron. Join Jenni for a pre-seminar workshop designed to help you connect with other like-minded women and equip you with the tools to keep leading confidently as a woman in the XP seat.
Learn: How to cultivate confidence; strategies that will transform your work-life balance; how to effectively use your gifts, strengths and influence and how to lead with all of who you are for the Glory of God and the good of others.
Special enrollment needed.

Seminar Begins: Tuesday—February 18, 2020

7:30 pm XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, get your free books from the huge selection, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all (spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!)
8:00 pm Opening Salvo! Gloo is powering Barna’s State of the Church 2020 with interactive dashboards and secure insights. Chris Nelson will describe this journey, equipping you with the resources to understand the state of your church. Get an early insider look at this historic project!

Wednesday—February 19, 2020

7:30-8:20 Full breakfast with Brad Leeper. Is there anyone better to get us talking about this year’s theme, The Ancient Art of Teamwork? Brad brings national expertise in the fields of generosity, church and congregational teams and analytics. At the heart of any culture of generosity is a deep sense of how each person is part of the team and overall teamwork. Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners.
8:30-8:50 Introduction to the 2020 XP-Seminar by Fletch. Also, he will take lessons-learned from 35 years of pastoral leadership and board experience and put the cookies on the bottom shelf. This will be practical and impactful.
8:50-9:20 Impact Assessment—Internal and External with Mike Batts. A church should have a clear sense of not only its mission and purpose, but also the strategies to carry them out and the effectiveness of those strategies.
9:20-9:35 Follow-up discussion with Fletch and Rob Faulk of CapinCrouse on Is Your Board Providing Adequate Financial Oversight? Church boards hold the fiduciary responsibility for overseeing the church’s financial situation, including not only financial information but measurements and controls they should be monitoring.
9:40-10:25 Foundations of Governance with David Middlebrook of Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers. What your church needs to know about constitutions and by-laws. Is yours up to date? Have you filed necessary paperwork? Are you following your existing by-laws or do they need to be amended? What special items need to be in these documents, such as dissolution, church conflict resolution, officers, etc.
10:25-10:40 Follow up discussion with Fletch and Dan Busby of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) on Church Boards: Best Practices and Good Relationships. Dan’s recent book is Lessons From the Church Boardroom.
10:45-11:20 The Challenge of Leadership from Bryan Carter. Bryan is the Senior Pastor of Concord Church in Dallas. Preaching, teaching, and leadership are his life passions. Respectfully described as a “difference maker,” he gets great joy out of helping people to reach their full potential in Christ.
11:20-11:50 The Most Fearsome Camel You’ll Ever Face from William Vanderbloemen. Millennials are officially the largest generation in the American workforce, and the generation gap causes challenges for churches and ministries. How can pastors and church leaders plan for succession with excellence without losing momentum? What are the key steps each church must take to ensure healthy leadership transitions? William is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Vanderbloemen Search Group.
12:00 short-rideLunch with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic. As we eat, it is a time to hear a different perspective on church—innovative, creative, Jesus focused. Bruce Woody, President of HH Architects will talk with David about key building issues that your church needs.
1:15-2:15 Workshops: Session 1
2:15 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:30-3:30 Workshops: Session 2
3:45-4:45 Workshops: Session 3
Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We saw scores of people do this last year.

Get in on Pushpay’s dinner at Nick & Sam’s Grill

Thursday—February 20, 2020

7:45-8:30 A Team Approach to Financial Planning by Teresa Loker. She is the Director of Church Loan Underwriting at Thrivent Church Financing. She has overseen a $1.3 billion church loan portfolio with direct management of the underwriting team. Full breakfast.
8:30-8:45 Time with Fletch. Hear ways to grow in the coming year. Don’t go home and get into the tyranny of the urgent. Plan your time and master your schedule. Make space for thinking and growth with other leaders. Fletch has helped so many leaders in this area. Learn from his years of experience.
8:45-9:20 5 Crucial Skills for Executive Church Leaders by Dan Reiland. Dan is Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for twenty years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY.
9:20-9:35 2020 Digital Giving Trends by Troy Pollock. Troy Pollock, the chief ambassador at Pushpay, and Fletch will discuss recent research and trends in digital giving and how to maximize technology to drive engagement in your church.
9:50-10:40 The Fears of Leaders and Invitations for Growth by Luke Norsworthy. Luke is the Senior Minister of Westover Hills Church. Luke hosts the Newsworthy with Norsworthy Podcast, discussing spirituality, Christianity, and anything else that seems news worthy. In more than 300 podcasts, Luke interviews leading thinkers such as N. T. Wright, Barbara Brown Taylor, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann and John Ortberg.
10:40-11:00 Top Church Design Trends for 2020 by Dave Milam of Visioneering Studios. Dave is a visioneer, strategist and visual storyteller whose right brained style of delivery helps his listener connect in a uniquely immersive way.
11:10 Break for Lunch. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

The XP-Seminar has been a career and a life changer for me. Thank you for taking the time to put on this event.

Tim Samuel
CPA & CFO, Bridgeway Community Church
Columbia, Maryland

What Attendees Say

“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”

“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”

“A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.”

“I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, ‘What I should do as a new XP?’” —attendance limited to 200 people—

“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.”

“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”

“I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.”

Enrich your life and ministry

We limit attendance to 200 people of our tribe

2020 XP-Seminar Attendees

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders to come together, hear from national leaders and peers, and be life-long learners.

We cap our attendees at 200 and we max out!

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—both personally and professionally.”

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

5 Best Practices in Training a Board Member

Do you think something’s amiss when volunteer parking attendants for church services or ministry events get more training for their work than the volunteer board members who govern the church or ministry? Join us for a session in which we discuss five best practices in training a board member. It doesn’t have to be as complicated or time-consuming as you might think.  And the outcomes could have a lasting and positive impact on the accomplishment of your mission.

Mike Batts is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales and Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, both nationally and locally.

Pastor Tax 101

At this session, you will be provided with an overview of the federal income tax benefits and rules applicable to ministers. Topics will include: Who is eligible?; Dual Tax Status; Exemption from Social Security Coverage; Housing Allowance Exclusion; Exemption from Income Tax Withholding; Honoraria and Minister Gifts; The Deason Rule; Accountable Plan Rules; and more.

Michele M. Wales, CPA, is a Partner and the National Director of Tax Services at Batts Morrison Wales & Lee.  She has supervisory responsibility for the firm’s tax practice, with expertise in federal, state, and local tax issues affecting nonprofit organizations. Michele has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting, and has also served as chief financial officer for a large nonprofit social services agency and controller for an airplane manufacturing company. She is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant. She has been a conference speaker on nonprofit taxation issues at both the local and national levels.

Where Are We At with Electronic Giving?

By now most churches have rolled out some form of electronic platform as a way for members to conveniently and safely give to the church’s mission. What is the current status of electronic giving? Has it been embraced across all generations? What are the trends with new technology and ways to ensure they are secure? This workshop will answer these questions and also address how can church leaders use donor analytics derived from an electronic giving platform to foster a culture of generosity, bring first time contributors to a path of generosity and help established givers organize and control their donations.

Steven A. Hron is Vice President of Cass Commercial Bank, Church and Ministries Division.

Dustin Bosscher is the Co-Founder of Gyve Generosity Services, a division of Cass Commercial Bank.

Key Metrics to Manage: Session 1

As a ministry executive, figuring out what needs to be measured is of critically high importance. Our time together will be spent learning about key financial metrics that every ministry executive should be paying attention to. We will be sharing 10 metrics that may help create a good environment for success. Come find out as we study these metrics together. Feel free to attend both sessions or just one!

Teresa Loker is the Director of Church Loan Underwriting at Thrivent Church Financing. Teresa has been helping ministries nationwide with their financing needs for the last 25 years. She was previously with Bank of the West in their Religious Institution Lending Division. As the Managing Director of Credit, she oversaw a $1.3 billion church loan portfolio with direct management of the underwriting team. During her tenure, she was also a relationship manager and played a key role in business development. Her career experience also includes jobs in retail banking, commercial real estate and asset based lending. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Chris Lewis is the 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.

The Fast-Changing Landscape of Retaining Talent

The most expensive hire you will ever make is the wrong person. So how can you discern who’s the right person and then build a culture that retains them? Staffing is one of the greatest challenges church leaders face. Building a thriving culture is hard work, but it’s crucial to retaining a high capacity church staff. How can you do that when you have a congregation that needs you and Sunday to prepare for each week? In this session, you will learn what the best churches across the country are doing to align vision, develop leaders, and build a culture where staff and volunteers are lining up to get on board.

William is an author, speaker, and founder/CEO of Vanderbloemen, an executive search firm serving churches and Christian organizations with hiring and succession planning. He is the author of NEXT: Pastoral Succession That Works and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace. William and his firm have completed over 1,200 staffing assignments for Christian organizations, with a specific focus on succession planning.

The 8 Key Indicators of Church Staff Health

In ten years of helping churches build their best teams, Vanderbloemen has identified eight key indicators that are benchmarks for church staff health. If you’ve ever felt like your team is misaligned or there’s something missing that you just can’t put your finger on, it’s likely one of these key indicators. In this session, you’ll learn how to spot these eight indicators and how to improve them to lead your team to health so that together, you can achieve your church’s mission.

Holly Tate is the Vice President of Business Development at Vanderbloemen, an executive search firm serving churches and Christian organizations with hiring and succession planning. The firm has completed over 1,200 staffing assignments for Christian organizations, with a specific focus on succession planning.

Key Metrics to Manage: Session 2

As a ministry executive, figuring out what needs to be measured is of critically high importance. Our time together will be spent learning about key financial metrics that every ministry executive should be paying attention to. We will be sharing 10 metrics that may help create a good environment for success. Come find out as we study these metrics together. Feel free to attend both sessions or just one!

Teresa Loker is the Director of Church Loan Underwriting at Thrivent Church Financing. Teresa has been helping ministries nationwide with their financing needs for the last 25 years. She was previously with Bank of the West in their Religious Institution Lending Division. As the Managing Director of Credit, she oversaw a $1.3 billion church loan portfolio with direct management of the underwriting team. During her tenure, she was also a relationship manager and played a key role in business development. Her career experience also includes jobs in retail banking, commercial real estate and asset based lending. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Chris Lewis is the 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.

Church Governing Documents | Challenges and Opportunities

A practical presentation and discussion of some of the issues frequently seen in our firm and ways that you can seek to bring clarity while minimizing risk in your governing documents. Issues such as the legal hierarchy of governing documents (and other documents), religious liberty including sexual orientation and gender identity, Robert’s Rules of Order, corporate members versus congregants/spiritual members, succession planning and others will be addressed.

David Middlebrook advises his clients on a wide range of legal issues including corporate structure and governance, employment and volunteer practices, intellectual property, and compensation practices. He serves as outside general counsel to a number of nonprofit organizations, while many others use his services as special nonprofit corporate counsel. David also serves his clients in the role of literary and music agent and is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on legal subjects affecting religious nonprofit organizations. He is an award-winning author and has published numerous articles on nonprofit topics.

Steven Goodspeed regularly engages in a broad range of projects, including general corporate matters, tax, exempt securities transactions, risk management, mergers and acquisitions and negotiating and drafting complex intellectual property, real property and employment agreements. He earned his dual-degree Juris Doctor and Masters in Business Administration from The University of Oklahoma College of Law and Price College of Business. Mr. Goodspeed has been a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys since 2008, specializing in the legal needs of private Christian schools and colleges. Mr. Goodspeed served as in-house General Counsel and Director of Human Resources for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Building a Great Experience, Together:
Working with Your AVL Integrator

This workshop will explore pivotal issues in the audio-video world. The first two questions to be answered are: Why an integrator and what does an integrator do? Getting the right answers to these questions then leads to a smooth process from start to finish. The keys are communication and setting the correct expectations. The areas of budgets and performance are essential for the discussion. These steps give you the ability to build rooms that your production team can thrive in. One size doesn’t fit all! Build for the future as technology will change.

Paul Green is the Creative Director at Clark and has been the lead designer on audio, video, and lighting projects for churches of every size for the last four years. He spent eight years on staff as lighting and production director at a church of 8,000 in San Diego and spent time on the road touring with major Christian artists. He is also a freelance show designer, working for nationally televised events.

Invitation Only:
Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Forum

Since the early 1980s, Church Law & Tax has focused on helping churches become aware of the threat of sexual misconduct and take action with their prevention efforts. Regrettably, child sexual abuse claims remain the top reason churches go to court each year; sexual harassment claims, though relatively uncommon in church workplaces, still occur in these settings. With the rise of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements, church leaders can no longer ignore these threats—in fact, leaders increasingly must demonstrate what they are doing to ensure sexual misconduct does not happen on their watch, even if no suspicious activity has arisen.

Through this forum, CLT Editor Matthew Branaugh will look closer at sexual misconduct as the CLT researches and writes upcoming articles and resources devoted to the subject in 2020. The executive pastors who join him will get some sneak peeks into content under development, plus opportunities to receive current CLT resources helping churches prepare well. Additionally, these XPs will have an opportunity to speak firsthand about how their churches are dealing with sexual misconduct, to identify vulnerabilities they need to address, and to share tips and insights that can help fellow leaders at other congregations.

Matthew Branaugh is the Editor of Church Law & Tax at Christianity Today. Matt leads an award-winning team of editors and designers with the planning, creation, and publishing of ChurchLawAndTax.com, ManagingYourChurch.com, five eNewsletters, and numerous print and digital resources. One of his favorite parts of his job is when he visits with church leaders from across the country. Matthew is currently pursuing a law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and is on schedule to graduate next May. He co-leads the Christian Legal Society chapter at Denver Law and recently had his article, “Mandatory Child-Abuse Reporting Laws and the #MeToo Movement: Federal and Colorado Examples and Six Paths Forward,” published by Denver Law Review Online Journal.

Ways to Help Your Ministry Leaders Love Their Work

Regardless of whether you are leading a church or any other organization for that matter, the abundant life you long for is a closer reality when the people you lead actually love their work. But how do you know if that’s the case? In this workshop you will learn how to know if you are really promoting what we call “WorkJoy” … and some helpful tips to make your team love their work even more.

Monty Kelso is a nationally recognized leader and clinician with decades of experience serving the local church. He has served as President of the staffing and coaching firm, Slingshot Group, since its founding in 2007. Monty and his team are leading influencers in the church today. His national network and passion for the church helps keep Slingshot innovative and relational in its solutions and services.

Get at the Core of the Church Growth Flywheel

Are you ready to see your church impact more people than you have ever before? Have you wanted to reach more people in your community but you weren’t sure where to start? Are you worried that your church isn’t reaching its full potential? Thousands of church leaders have read Rich Birch’s book, Church Growth Flywheel: 5 Practical Systems to Drive Growth at Your Church but in this session, he’s going to reveal the biggest takeaways that churches have learned from applying these lessons to their churches.

Rich has been involved in church leadership for over 20 years. He led in one of the first multisite churches in North America, The Meeting House in Toronto, which became the leading multisite church in Canada with over 4,500 people in six locations (today they are seventeen locations with somewhere over 6,000 people attending). In addition, he served on the leadership team of Connexus Community Church in Ontario, a North Point Community Church Strategic Partner. For seven years he served as a part of the four member Lead Team at Liquid Church in the Manhattan-facing communities of New Jersey. In his time with the church, it grew from one campus to six and attendance grew to over 3,500 people.

Trends and Strategy for the Multisite Church and its Real Estate

When a church engages in a multisite strategy and reaches four or more communities, scarcity of resources becomes a driving concern. Is your church trying to grow with Debt or Equity? Debt and debt service are vision killers! Keeping the momentum of multisite growth equal to the cost of expansion is critical. In this brief session, you will have a chance to examine the limited real estate options in which a new campus can land in, how to maintain a balanced real estate portfolio, and how portability can be the handiest tool on your multisite toolbelt!

Jeffrey Beachum at Portable Church® is the Multiplication Specialist. Jeff comes along side church leaders who are engaged in multisite and planting. While he speaks to organizational development issues, his primary purpose is to help churches determine strategies for choosing new communities, choosing right property/facilities, and developing a balanced affordable portfolio of real estate. Jeff brings a rich background to his current role with Portable Church®. Armed with a business degree, Jeff worked in the commercial real estate appraisal profession both before and after serving number of years as pastor in the local church. Following service on a denominational leadership team, Jeff led the Indiana Commercial Board of Realtors for several years before being called back to his home state of Michigan. Using this cacophony of opportunities Jeff has had, he is now helping church leaders build and grow the momentum of their multisite strategies or planting new churches.

Board Precision Tune Alignment

After 30 years of working with larger churches, Dave Travis is convinced that church boards are underutilized and under led. While some pastors see boards as a hassle and in the way, they can be your most strategic asset for future flourishing. In this workshop Dave will focus on four tools that help staff move boards toward greater alignment so that boards are engaged in the right way, doing the right things to help you go the right directions for the future.

Dave Travis has a wealth of experience from pastoral ministry and the business world. He has worked as a pastor as well as consulted with many churches in different contexts. Through Leadership Network he has had the privilege of learning from many esteemed mentors. His involvement in this network has taken him all over the country to work with various ministries and with some of the country’s leading pastors. Dave earned a Masters of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Management from Georgia Tech. He also did a short course at the Harvard Business School in Strategic Perspectives for Nonprofit Management. These accomplishments combined help Dave to offer a unique perspective for the churches with which he consults. Dave is the author of three published books and is a noted speaker and consultant to megachurches across the country.

Discover the Essentials to Creating a Great Strategic Plan

Too many churches jump from vision to tactics, omitting one of the most critical steps. If you skip strategy, you’ll run from idea to idea and never get traction. In this session you’ll learn the 6 components to creating a strategic plan that is clear, unifying, and designed for extraordinary results.

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops. She is also a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best. Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them. Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership. She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry.

Defend Your Church from Cybersecurity Threats

Data security breaches are constantly in the news, but the threat of phishing scams and ransomware attacks aren’t limited to large companies. In fact, ministries are increasingly under attack by savvy cyber scammers. That’s why it’s crucial for church executives to understand ministry-specific cybersecurity risks and how to proactively defend their digital assets and information. This presentation will equip you with the tools and knowledge to protect your ministry against cyber threats and to evaluate your cybersecurity coverage needs.

Christopher Harvey, CPCU, is Assistant Vice President – Network Architecture and CISO with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. He joined Brotherhood in 1998 as a senior network engineer. He became manager of network services in 2008 and assumed his current position in 2011. Chris holds a Management Information Systems degree from Ball State University. Chris is also a graduate of General Electric’s ISMP program and has technical certifications from Microsoft, Novell, Lotus, and IBM. Today Chris oversees two teams at Brotherhood Mutual (Office Services and Network Services) and fulfills the role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). He focuses on the stability, security, and performance of the company’s information systems. This includes primary oversite of networking, data security, communication services, computer equipment, and application servers.

Best Practices for Mentoring & Coaching Your Staff and Volunteers

Coaching your staff and volunteers can be a very rewarding investment but it doesn’t always yield a return on your time investment. This workshop will give you an overview of the best practices that Dr. Baxter continues to use and now trains others to use in his coaching certification course. “I have put in my 10,000 hours of coaching others and a bunch of those hours didn’t go so well. If I can offer my colleagues a summary of what I learned over the last 25 years then I would love to help them avoid some of the wasted hours I experienced.”

Nathan is a former XP and SP and now is an executive leadership coach. Every month, both corporate and ministry leaders from around the country fly to Tulsa for a two-day private coaching session with him. In 2008, Dr. Baxter founded Lead Self Lead Others and has coached with over 3,300 people—from CEOs to pastors to physicians. Also, he has recruited and trained eight Leadership Coaches who work with him to meet the demand for his services. Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

Building a Successful Team

Unity is strength … when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved–Mattie Stepanek. Who doesn’t like to succeed? We all like to hear job well done–especially when embarking on a building project. Before starting any project, one of the most impactful decisions you will make is determining the team who will shepherd it forward. The success of your project is directly linked to a successful relationship of the team driving it. So what does a successful team look like? We believe there are five motivational areas to consider when building your team.

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 30 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 Association. He is an active member of Texas Society of Architects, American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Mark R Ashcraft is a senior associate of HH Architects. He serves as the Creative Director for the firm and has been blessed to work with many ministries during his 18 year tenure. He is passionate about sharing the strategic thinking behind faith-based design, how it shapes the user experience, and the importance of being ministry driven in those efforts.

“Headline-Proof” Your Church–10 Integrity Tips

Your church is under the microscope. Especially in today’s era of soundbites and social media, perceptions have the power to bring your church’s mission to a screeching halt. Participate in this interactive discussion with Dan and Michael from ECFA for 10 integrity tips to help “headline-proof” your church and demonstrate the highest standards in board governance, financial management, and stewardship.

Dan Busby, President of ECFA, is co-author of the just-released Lessons from the Church Boardroom. He has written or co-authored 10 titles in over 60 editions including Zondervan 2018 Church and Nonprofit Tax and Financial Guide, and also Zondervan 2018 Minister’s Tax and Financial Guide. He has over 40 years of experience serving the Christ-centered church and nonprofit community and frequently speaks nationally on related issues.

What Effective Church Boards Do Best – and What to Do Now to Improve Your Board

Would your church board members describe themselves as thriving? Do you and they know specific ways to improve as a board? The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) recently conducted two surveys in which 2,543 board members reveal startling and practical insights, especially about “board effectiveness.” Get the highlights of what effective church boards do best, with plenty of time to discuss the implications. Receive a walk-through of several new tools, such as ECFA Tools and Templates for Effective Board Governance.

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Vice President of Research and Equipping for ECFA, an award-winning author of 31 books for church leaders, and a nationally recognized thought leader on issues of church leadership, growth and health.

Why Are You Still Here?

Just when you think you’ve hired the perfect person, the team is complete, we’ve finally got the culture we’ve wanted … BAM! Someone quits, someone implodes, someone’s spouse gets relocated, and you start all over. This workshop will provide practical and applicable tools and processes to build and maintain a healthy staff culture regardless of transitions, whether they are positive or not.

Jon Wright has worked as an entrepreneur and Executive Pastor. He leads the Generis Effective Ministry Team bringing 30 years experience in innovation and execution in multiple settings; corporate, non-profit, church, and global missions. He is passionate about the local church and endeavors to create healthy, dynamic teams that lead growing and effective ministries.

The Top 3 Things XPs Should Know About Church Benefit Strategies

Join the conversation as the church benefit experts from GuideStone® discuss best practices they’ve seen firsthand regarding retirement, medical plans and property and casualty. Learn several applicable takeaways from their collective experience across the nonprofit world that you can immediately implement in your day-to-day routine as an XP.

Greg Love is Director Retirement Solutions. Dixie Beard is Sr. Business Development Manager. Eddy Huskey is Relationship Manager. Jim Welch is Managing Director P&C.

6 Ways to Transform Your Church Property into an Asset

For many churches, only a fraction of their budget goes towards fulfilling their mission. Instead, the vast majority of resources are consumed by underutilized facilities and overhead costs. But what if that facility could be transformed into an asset instead of a liability? During this session, we will teach you how to rethink the use of your facilities by turning them into economic engines to help fund the future of your mission.

As the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios, Dave Milam stands firmly at the intersection of ministry, design, and visual storytelling. Having 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.

Derek Bartlett is the CEO of MBS Solutions. With a Master’s Degree in Christian Ministry and an MBA from Liberty University, Derek has taken his love for business and ministry and is using it to help churches all over the country rethink the way they leverage their property by transforming it from a liability to an asset. With 8 years of experience in ministry and a proven background for creating embedded ministry, Derek is using his experience and education to teach ministries how they can leverage their property to generate revenue and people-flow.

Digital Giving Trends

The state of church giving is in transition. In fact, charitable giving has experienced an overall decrease in the United States, and the percentage of giving going to churches in particular is down 29% compared to the 1980’s. Churches everywhere are feeling this dramatic slide. As a pastor, it’s hard to know whether your experience is the norm. You might look at your church’s giving habits and wonder if they’re similar to what other churches are experiencing. Troy Pollock, the chief ambassador at Pushpay, will discuss recent research and trends in digital giving and how to maximize technology to increase generosity and drive engagement in your church.

Troy Pollock is the Chief Ambassador at Pushpay. As the first U.S. employee, Troy helped shape Pushpay to be one of the fastest growing SaaS companies today. Troy pioneered the Customer Success Department from humble beginnings to an Award Winning team that partners with churches and non-profits internationally. After studying Communication & Sociology at SDSU and Theology at ORU, Troy helped pioneer a healthy church in Southern California, where he served as an Executive for 6 years. These experiences allowed Troy’s transition to Pushpay to facilitate his calling and desire to help faith organizations ignite generosity and drive engagement within their communities.

7 Church Design Trends That Will Supercharge Your Planning

Supercharge your planning and discover the emerging church design trends for 2020. In this workshop, you’ll get a peek into the future and see what your staff will be wanting before they even ask. Save money by learning how to avoid deadly mistakes and leverage your resources to design for the future.

As the Vice President of Strategic Design at Visioneering Studios, Dave Milam stands firmly at the intersection of ministry, design, and visual storytelling. Having 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.

The XP Role in Funding Your Church Vision, Capital and Operations

In all things financial, the role of XP will change in this new decade. Over the years, the XP role has evolved. It will continue to morph as cultural changes in church life and the marketplace, especially as it relates to how churches receive financial gifts. As we enter this new decade, an effective XP cannot rely on the practices and predictabilities of the last few years. Learn how to lead your church board, senior pastor, and staff to fully fund your church ministry. Leverage 2020 to create systems and approaches to foster increased financial resources over the next years. Don’t get left behind as things change in the area of church giving.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

Is Your Board Providing Adequate Financial Oversight?

Church boards hold the fiduciary responsibility for overseeing the church’s financial situation. In addition to fulfilling their duties, this also helps boards receive the financial insight they need to make informed strategic decisions. Learn the key financial information, measurements, and controls your board should be monitoring.

Rob Faulk is a partner at CapinCrouse. He has 35 years of financial leadership experience in serving both for-profit and nonprofit entities, as well as eight years of direct ministry experience as Executive Pastor and CFO of large churches. Rob previously served with a Big Six accounting firm, where he was the lead manager on the project that developed the COSO Internal Control framework.

Barna’s State of the Church

Gloo is powering Barna’s State of the Church 2020 with interactive dashboards and secure insights. The start of a new decade is a determinant moment. What will the Church look like in the future? Barna is launching its most comprehensive research project: State of the Church. The goal is to learn what is real and working, then know the best ways to move into the future. See how State of the Church will offer unique benefits for your church in the fast pace of culture and lead confidently in an age of complexity.

Chris Nelson is the Director of Ministry Development at Gloo. He has been helping churches for 8 years in a variety of roles so that they get the most out of their church technology. His experience includes consulting on the following church technologies: Data Management, Church Management, Giving, Websites, Messaging, Accounting and Social Media.

Technology and the Ancient Art of Teamwork: The Ephesians 4 Church

Churches today have an unprecedented array of technology available to them. But just using technology isn’t enough because, used ineffectively, technology can silo data, people, and ministries. In this session we’ll talk about how churches can leverage church management systems to improve communication, coordination, and care among staff, leaders, and congregants.

Jeff Otero is the Head of Design at Church Community Builder.

Leading a Church in a Time of Sexual Questioning: Grace-Filled Wisdom for Day to Day Ministry

Discover how to navigate your church through sexually turbulent waters with practical, theologically sound wisdom. Our responses to sexually charged questions are potentially explosive in our combative public discourse. Ultimately the gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake because the unchurched, especially millennials and Generation Z, are keenly watching how churches respond to LGBT+ people. Learn how we can practically lead churches to show grace and stand for truth in the messiness of a fallen world.

In 1997 Bruce founded Christ Fellowship where he serves as the senior pastor. He taught Systematic Theology at Dallas Seminary and began the Centers for Church Based Training, which creates strategies and curriculum to help churches disciple people and develop leaders. Bruce has authored many books, including: A Fresh Look at the Sermon on the Mount, When God Makes No Sense, A Fresh Look at Daniel, Your Church in Rhythm, Your Life in Rhythm, and Leadership Baton. His latest book (on on XPastor’s book table) is Leading a Church in a Time of Sexual Questioning.

Hot Topics for XPs

This is an open Q&A time with Fletch. At the beginning of the workshop, attendees suggest hot issues, everyone votes on their favorites and the topics with the most votes will be discussed. This format with Fletch is always a blast.

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

Church Analytics

Pre-Seminar Event with Brad Leeper

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials. Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

Data analytics is all the rage. Can data analytics have anything to say to an Executive Pastor in a church setting?

Learn how to use your data and other available data to understand things about your church that might dramatically shift how you think and do ministry. Data will be a surprising reality check for you as you lead in your role. We will explore not only giving data in ways that your church management system will not showcase, but will look at how available data will provide rare insights in your congregation awareness and community awareness. How might data inform: Multisite locations choices? Sermon series topics? Giver awareness? Giving trends? Spiritual intensity in your community? The insights are almost endless.

For those who prefer and who have a qualifying database, we can receive your data in advance and actually review the data analytics for your church while in Dallas.

About Brad

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal 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 multi-site 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.

Women Leaders/Women XPs

Pre-Seminar Special with Jenni Catron

Women Leaders/Women XPs

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials.
Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

  • Do you have a desire to grow and develop your leadership gifts?
  • Are you looking for a network of like-minded women in similar roles to connect with?
  • Do you want more practical tools you can use to improve both your life and your leadership?
  • Do you struggle with loneliness and isolation because you’re the only female in your leadership circle?
  • Do you sometimes feel inadequate because of the challenges of leadership?
Join Jenni for a pre-seminar workshop designed to help you connect with other like-minded women and equip you with the tools to keep leading confidently as a woman in the XP seat.
What you’ll learn:
  • How to cultivate confidence.
  • Strategies that will transform your work-life balance.
  • How to effectively use your gifts, strengths and influence.
  • How to lead with all of who you are for the glory of God and the good of others.

Jenni Catron is the founder of The 4Sight Group, a consulting group focused on developing healthy leaders and thriving organizations through coaching, consulting and culture workshops.

She is also a writer, speaker, and leadership expert committed to helping others lead from their extraordinary best.  Jenni’s passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. She speaks at conferences and churches nationwide, seeking to help others develop their leadership gifts and lead confidently in the different spheres of influence God has granted them.

Jenni is the author of several books including Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence and The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership. Jenni blogs here and contributes to a number of other online publications as well. Outreach Magazine has recognized Jenni as one of the 30 emerging influencers reshaping church leadership.

A leader who loves “putting feet to vision.” She has served on the executive leadership teams of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California and Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to ministry leadership, she worked as Artist Development Director in the Christian music industry. Jenni loves a fabulous cup of tea, great books, learning the game of tennis, and hanging out with her husband and their border collie.

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture

Pre-Seminar Special with Jenni Catron

Cultivate an Extraordinary Team Culture

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
9:00am – 12:00 Noon
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials.
Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

  • Do you wish your team was more aligned and working effectively together?
  • Do you find yourself frustrated because staff are not making decisions based upon vision and values?
  • Is your leadership development strategy disjointed and inconsistent?
Research tells us that a strong and healthy culture leads to greater employee engagement and more growth for your organization. And yet, while 90% of leaders believe that an engagement strategy will have an impact on their success, only 25% of them actually have a plan.
In this pre-seminar workshop, you will be equipped to evaluate, design and develop the building blocks for an extraordinary culture and you will leave with a step-by-step process and tools that enable you to create a strategy that allows your organization to thrive.
In our time together, you will:
  • Begin to evaluate and define your team values.
  • Identify habits that influence behaviors.
  • Build a plan to implement values throughout the organization.
  • Learn how to create a values-based framework for leadership development.

New XP Workshop

Pre-Seminar Special with Rich Birch

New Executive Pastor OnRamp!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials.
Limited to 20 participants.

Are you a new Executive Pastor wondering where you should focus your time? Have you wanted to maximize your efforts and energy in this role, in a desire to help your church soar? Are you looking for an edge on how your role can create the biggest difference in the life of your church?

This afternoon workshop session is designed for new Executive Pastors who are looking for help with best practices in this role. We’ll dive deep into seven systems that every successful executive pastor must see thrive in order for their church to move forward. As well, the session will be packed with practical insights from a wide variety of executive pastors from across the country. 

Rich has served on the senior leadership teams of three innovative and fast-growing churches. He brings his signature “uber practical” style to this workshop. Also, he has interviewed over 200 church leaders through his podcast, unSeminary, which gives him a unique vantage point when offering help to new Executive Pastors. 

Learn Key Leverage Points to Focus Your Leadership

  • Outreach—How can we attract people to your church through the use of social media, marketing, and communications?
  • Weekend Services—How do we plan, implement and evaluate your music, preaching, transitions, offertory, etc. so it connects with your community?
  • Connection—How can we take people from their first visit to feeling fully at home in your church?
  • Service—How do we mobilize people for volunteering and service with the church?
  • Giving—How do we develop people to give to the vision of the church without begging?
  • Leadership—How do we move people from places of serving into volunteer leadership within the church?
  • Planning—How do we evaluate the above systems for constant improvement and growth?

Practical Help with Lots of Q&A

We’ll dive deep into best practices for developing the people and processes that drive your church forward—but also leave lots of time to answer your specific questions. Come ready to grow and be challenged in your current role!

Rich has been involved in church leadership for over 20 years. He led in one of the first multisite churches in North America, The Meeting House in Toronto, which became the leading multisite church in Canada with over 4,500 people in six locations (today they are seventeen locations with somewhere over 6,000 people attending). In addition, he served on the leadership team of Connexus Community Church in Ontario, a North Point Community Church Strategic Partner.

For seven years he served as a part of the four member Lead Team at Liquid Church in the Manhattan-facing communities of New Jersey. In his time with the church, it grew from one campus to six and attendance grew to over 3,500 people.

He has a dual vocational background that uniquely positions him for serving churches to multiply impact. While in the marketplace, Rich founded a dot-com with two partners in the late 90’s that worked to increase value for media firms and internet service providers. He speaks at conferences like Orange, WFX and various regional multisite church events—and is a featured writer on Auxano’s Vision Room, ChurchLeaders.com and MinistryBriefing.

Rich’s first book, Unreasonable Churches: 10 Churches Who Zagged When Others Zigged and Saw More Impact Because of It, is an Amazon bestseller in the Church Leadership category. It’s designed to help church leaders think a new thought and take new risks in impacting their community. His second book is Church Growth Flywheel, where he pulled together his own hard-fought experience leading within one of the fastest growing churches in the country, as well as over 200 interviews with church leaders from prevailing churches.

Multisite Best Practices

Pre-Seminar Special with Rich Birch

Multisite Best Practices!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
9:00am – Noon
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials.
Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

If your church is considering launching a multisite campus, this pre-seminar workshop is for you! Led by Rich Birch, an early multisite church pioneer who’s been in the driver’s seat for 13 launches, will share best practices for readying your church for launch. During this session, we’ll cover critical questions every church needs to wrestle before launching your first (or next) campus, including:

  • What factors need to be present to move forward with a launch?
  • How are prevailing multisite churches structuring for multiplication?
  • Discover the key success for healthy launches. 
  • Why do some churches get stuck at 3 locations but others move to 5+?

This pre-seminar workshop is ideal for the Executive Pastor of a church looking to start their multisite journey. If you’ve already launched a campus or two, this workshop will help you as you prepare to launch your future locations.

Rich has served on the senior leadership teams of three innovative and fast-growing churches. He brings his signature “uber practical” style to this workshop. Also, he has interviewed over 200 church leaders through his podcast, unSeminary, which gives him a unique vantage point when offering help to Executive Pastors.

A Church Coaching Culture

Pre-Seminar Special with Dr. Nathan Baxter

How to Build a Coaching Culture for your Staff and Volunteer Leaders

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

$425 per person for the pre-session, session and post-session materials. Limited to 20 participants.

Each 3-hour pre-seminar workshop carries additional enrollment fees.

Churches that coach their leaders and volunteers discover that their investment pays off. Research continues to show that people want coaching. Your staff wants to know how to be more effective in their jobs and ministries.

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring this coaching resource to the 2020 XP-Seminar.

What you will learn

  • Key components that must be in your church culture for coaching success.
  • How to create a strategic rollout plan for introducing coaching.
  • Top five reasons why organizations fail at creating a coaching culture.
  • How to create customized coaching templates to fit your ministry culture.
  • The latest research that identifies the key components for healthy leadership cultures.
  • Practical tips for using assessments to develop your leaders.

And

  • How to use ‘Win-Plan Conversations.’
  • Importance of calibrating your coaching.
  • Best practices for holding leaders accountable.

Before the workshop

A reading list will be provided as an option for those that want to take a deeper look into leadership coaching.

Nathan is a former XP and SP and now is an executive leadership coach. Every month, both corporate and ministry leaders from around the country fly to Tulsa for a two-day private coaching session with him.

In 2008, Dr. Baxter founded Lead Self Lead Others and has coached with over 3,300 people—from CEOs to pastors to physicians. Also, he has recruited and trained eight Leadership Coaches who work with him to meet the demand for his services.

Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

Coaching with Dr. Baxter

I had reached a point of frustration in not knowing the next step in my personal leadership development and he helped me bridge that frustration gap and send me on my way into the next season of my journey. Each session and contact was like connecting with a friend.

Jim Kuykendall, Executive Pastor

Nathan has all the necessary tools and experience to meet you where you are, to speak your language quickly and, in a disciplined manner, guide you towards your objectives.

Doug Welsh, President, Strategic Sales Planning, Cincinnati, Ohio

Non Profit Organizations

  • John Sharp, Regional Director, Young Life, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dave Jewitt, Founder/Director, Your One Degree, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Adam Donyes, Founder/Director, LinkYear Kanakuk, Branson, Missouri
  • Dr. David Fletcher, Founder/Director, XPastor, Austin, Texas
  • Chris King, Founder, GPS Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dr. Scott Barfoot, Director of DMin Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Eric Hill, Founder/Director, Withyou, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jeff Anderson, Founder, Acceptable Gift, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. Baxter cares genuinely about helping people. He does what it takes to help folks understand and use the tools to find their way. As a result I have more focus in my life. The tools he uses and the approach he takes are better than many other similar consultants.

Randy Welsch, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ministry Leaders

  • Micah Davidson, Lead Pastor, Real Life Fellowship, Corpus Christi/Austin, Texas
  • Toby Slough, Lead Pastor, Crosstimbers Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dwight Yoder, Executive Pastor, Asbury Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Eric Bryan, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Fred Neal, Executive Pastor, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • Marc Evanger, Elder, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Keith Duff, Elder, Village Bible Church, Chicago, Illinois
  • Matt Roberson, Campus Pastor, The Met, Houston, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Terry Langenberg, Executive Pastor, New Beginnings Church, Bixby, Oklahoma
  • Thomas Thompson, Lead Pastor, Pulpit Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Tom Messer, Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Nathan knows what he is doing and does it well. He has good insight and recommends realistic behaviors to improve performance.

John Urbin, Business Unit Manager, Linde Process Plants, Inc.

Executives

  • Bob Skaggs, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Agency, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dustin Parker, President, Box Insurance Agency, Grapevine, Texas
  • Aaron Shelby, Executive Vice President, Legacy Texas Bank, Plano, Texas
  • Paul Fredette, President, Legacy Texas Insurance Services, Plano, Texas
  • Brandt Hamby, Managing Partner, Six Pillars Partners, Addison, Texas
  • Chris Cadeiux, Board Member, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Chuck McDaniel, President, Lockton Insurance, Denver, Colorado
  • Dwight Mankin, President, NCN, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Greer, Owner/Director, Ironman Buffalo Springs Lake, Lubbock, Texas
  • Mike Loomis, Owner, Loomis Consulting, Winter Park, Colorado
  • Ron Decker, Founder/President, Innovative Health Care Systems, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Ronnie Dunn, Client Partner, MicroStrategy, Dallas, Texas
  • Sean Kouplen, President, Regent Bank, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Hank Coleman, President, TriggerPoint, Austin, Texas
  • Dan Peckenpaugh, MD, President, HEB Emergicare, P.A., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
  • Rob Kenagy, MD, Senior Vice President, St. John Health Network, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Tom Ellis, Vice President/Partner, MHBT (Commercial Insurance), Dallas, Texas
  • 32 National Sales Directors, 25 Top Sales Directors, Mary Kay Cosmetics

Dr. Baxter’s coaching has allowed me to take my strengths, understand them and ultimately begin to incorporate them into my ever changing role as CEO. Working with Dr. Baxter is worth the investment because we have seen results in effectiveness in communication, efficiency in decision making.

Ron Decker, CEO, Innovative Healthcare Systems, Inc., Edmond, Oklahoma

2019 XP-Seminar2021-12-03T13:31:02-06:00

It was sold out … again

Only for a tribe of 200

Investing in the XP-Seminar was a catalytic decision for our organization. The value of an expanded network and broadened perspective helped us take major steps forward.

As a leader, learning to develop both the business brain and pastoral heart, and having the self-awareness of which to lean on in various situations, is crucial for anyone in the Executive Pastor role. It’s a gift to have a community like this to provide support, insight, and education through the ministry journey.

McKenzie Schreck, Executive Pastor
Capital Church, Salt Lake City

Carey Nieuwhof

Spiritual Leadership

Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He’s the author of several best-selling books, including his latest, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects But Everyone Experiences. He holds degrees in law, theology and history.

Carey speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth. He writes one of today’s most widely read Christian leadership blogs at CareyNieuwhof.com and hosts the top-rated Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast where he interviews some of today’s best leaders. His podcasts and blogs are accessed by millions of leaders each year. 

Carey’s previous books include Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow, Leading Change Without Losing It and Parenting Beyond Your Capacity, co-authored with Reggie Joiner.

He is passionate about helping people thrive in life and leadership, both personally and within their organizations. He and his wife Toni live north of Toronto, Ontario and have two grown sons. In his spare time, you’ll catch him barbecuing on his Big Green Egg, cycling or boating.

Mike Batts

Uncommon Financial Sense

Mike Batts is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales and Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. He advises nonprofit organizations on matters related to board governance, financial reporting, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and related topics. Mike actively engages in nonprofit legislative matters at the federal and state levels. He has served on and chaired the boards of nonprofit organizations, both nationally and locally.

Mike currently serves as the chairman of the board of ECFA, a national organization that accredits religious nonprofit organizations in the areas of board governance and financial integrity. He served as chairman of the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, a national commission convened by ECFA upon the request of the then-chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, to provide policy advice to Congress, the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and the nonprofit sector related to federal tax policy affecting religious and other nonprofit organizations. In 2013, Mike was inducted into the National Association of Church Business Administration Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the church community.

Mike is co-author, together with attorney and CPA Richard Hammar, of the book Church Finance, a “go-to” reference that provides practical guidance for church and nonprofit financial administration. Recently, Mike also authored the book, Nonprofit Financial Oversight—The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees. Mike is also author of the book, Board Member Orientation—The Concise and Complete Guide to Nonprofit Board Service, and he continues to create and provide other practical resources to serve the nonprofit community.

It goes well for the one who generously lends money,
and conducts his business honestly.
Psalm 112:5

merciful ★ compassionate ★ just ★ generous ★ honest
Psalm 112

More Great Speakers

Kathleen Turpin

Shining Light on …
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct

Kathleen Turpin (JD, CPCU, AIM) is the Vice President of Human Resources with Brotherhood Mutual. She joined Brotherhood Mutual in 1996 as a litigation specialist in the claims department. She became associate corporate counsel in 1998 and assumed her current position in November 2003.

Kathleen holds a degree in speech and psychology from Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois, and earned her law degree at the Indiana University School of Law. In 1999, she received designations as an Associate in Management and a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter. Turpin is a member of the Christian Legal Society, Indiana Bar Association, Association of Corporate Counsel, Society of Human Resources, and Northern Indiana Human Resources Association. She also serves on the board of directors of Greenville University. She attends Grace Point Church of the Nazarene, where she serves on the day care center board and is a junior high youth leader and past church board member.

Eric Rojas

Shining Light on …
The ABC’s of Campus Expansion, Adoption and Development—Done with Compassion

Eric is the Executive Pastor of Rolling Hills Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a coach, developer and overseer of the staff and ministries with 14 years of experience as an XP. During his 25+ years of ministry, Eric has served in churches in various pastoral roles.

He has written for publications such as Group Publishing’s Men’s Ministry in the 21st Century, Church Executive, Rev!, XPastor.org and had a monthly column in Church Solutions magazine. He also serves the church at large through consulting and seminars.

A man of faith, he never had a doubt (well maybe a little doubt) that the Cubs would one day win the World Series. Now that that day has come, he is now believing for five or six more World Series’ victories over the next decade.

Steven Goodspeed

Shining Light on …
Church Security | Let it Bang!?

Steven is a shareholder in Middlebrook & Goodspeed PLLC, The Church Lawyers and has practiced law for eighteen years. He regularly represents clients nationwide in the area of nonprofit and for-profit transactional law, focusing primarily on churches, religious organizations, camps, outdoor recreational organizations, colleges and universities.

Because of the breadth of Steven’s experience, he regularly engages in a broad range of projects, including general corporate matters, tax, exempt securities transactions, risk management, mergers and acquisitions and negotiating and drafting complex intellectual property, real property and employment agreements.

He earned his dual-degree Juris Doctor and Masters in Business Administration from The University of Oklahoma College of Law and Price College of Business in Norman, Oklahoma in 1999. Steven has been a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys since 2008, specializing in the legal needs of private Christian schools and colleges. He served as in-house General Counsel and Director of Human Resources for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas for over three years. Steven was selected by his peers in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine, as a 2012-2017 Top Attorney in the area of Religious/Nonprofit Law and was selected by 360West Magazine as a 2017 Top Attorney.

The 2017 & 2018 XP-Seminars were sold out
… enroll early for 2019

Our mantra from 2018

He has filled him with the Spirit of God—with skill, with understanding, with knowledge, and in all kinds of work … every skilled person in whom the Lord has put skill and ability to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary are to do the work according to all that the Lord has commanded. Exodus 35:31-36:1

We limit attendance to 200 people. We are a tribe not a town. This enables everyone to talk to our distinguished speakers and sense the XPastor Community.

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

David Fletcher has been helping Executive Pastors for over a decade through XPastor.org. I love what he is doing through the keynotes and workshops—and I had a great time a couple of years ago when I was a speaker. To learn and grow, this is a fantastic place.

I’ve also seen first hand the results of his own leadership where he serves at the local church level and in helping train leaders in cross-cultural situations—which has added to his ability to structure a dynamic learning environment regardless of the societal factors. Don’t miss this opportunity!!

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The XP-Seminar has had a huge impact on my leadership and development as a person, as well as an executive pastor. Years ago, when I began the journey as an XP in my late twenties, it provided the networking, mentoring and insight that I needed to grow in this demanding role. I continue to attend the Seminar to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development, budgeting and so much more. The relationships I have built through XPastor grow every time I attend. I believe in this seminar and what it represents and would love to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. Daniel Rolfe’s talk last year helped shape my year. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

At the seminar, I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided by David Fletcher, the speakers, and participants. 

A LinkedIn Post after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!”

Matthew Branaugh, Editor, Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

A Tweet after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal. #XPSeminar

Dan Brubacher

From a first time attender …

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!
Mike Batts, Managing Partner Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants

From a Senior Pastor …

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.
Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

Now in its 14th year, the XP-Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions together.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor.org has hundreds of free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

XPastor’s online courses provide training to grow as a church leader. Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get cognitive input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We always bring in outstanding national leaders. Just to name a few of our past speakers: Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

Short Ride

The short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Workshops

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Location

Our 13th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

What Attendees Say

“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”

“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”

“A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.”

“I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, What I should do as a new XP?” —attendance limited to 200 people—

“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.”

“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”

“I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.”

Enrich your life and ministry

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

Attendees

Tuesday—February 19, 2019

1:00-4:00 Pre-Seminar Coaching Workshop with Dr. Nathan Baxter—special enrollment needed.
1:00-4:00 Pre-Seminar Workshop for New XPs with Rich Birch–special enrollment needed.
2:00-4:30 Pre-Seminar Generosity Workshop with Brad Leeper—special enrollment needed.
7:30-8:30 XP-Seminar Registration and Dessert. We like to begin with an evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, get your free books from the huge selection, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all (spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!)

Wednesday—February 20, 2019

7:30 Full breakfast with Fletch and Troy Pollock … this will get the XP-Seminar kicked off with a focus on doing ministry that is merciful, compassionate, just, generous and honest. Fletch will also give an orientation to the Seminar.
8:30-8:40 Orientation by Fletch.
8:40-9:20 Shining Light on Church Security | Let it Bang!? by Steven Goodspeed. Steven is a shareholder in Middlebrook & Goodspeed PLLC, The Church Lawyers and has practiced law for eighteen years. He regularly represents clients nationwide in the area of nonprofit and for-profit transactional law, focusing primarily on churches, religious organizations, camps, outdoor recreational organizations, colleges and universities.
9:20-9:40 Follow-up discussion with Fletch and Rob Faulk of CapinCrouse on Church Financial Security and Fraud Prevention.
9:45-10:20 Shining Light on The ABC’s of Campus Expansion, Adoption and Development—Done with Compassion by Eric Rojas. Eric is the XP of Rolling Hills Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a coach, developer and overseer of the staff and ministries with 14 years of experience as an XP.
10:20-10:40 Follow-up discussion with Fletch and Dave Milam of Visioneering Studios on Expansion, Selecting a Site for Maximum Impact and Renovation Issues.
10:45-11:20 Shining Light on Uncommon Financial Sense by Mike Batts. Mike is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales and Lee. He has more than 30 years of experience serving nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways. He advises nonprofit organizations on matters related to board governance, finanal reporting, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and related topics.
11:20-11:40 Follow-up discussion with Fletch and Dan Busby, President of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, on Financial Standards for Your Church.
12:00 short-rideLunch with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic. As we eat, it is a time to hear a different perspective on church–innovative, creative, Jesus focused. Bruce Woody will be speaking on “Buildings and Church Security.” Be challenged to continue on in life and ministry in this lunch.
1:15-2:15 Workshops: Session 1
2:15 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:30-3:30 Workshops: Session 2
3:45-4:45 Workshops: Session 3
Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We saw scores of people do this last year.

Thursday—February 21, 2019

7:45 Full breakfast with a talk on ministry with David Fletcher and two leaders of Thrivent: Kari Boyce, Business Development Director and Chris Lewis, Senior Relationship Manager.
8:30-8:45 Time with Fletch
8:45-9:20 Keynote Session by Kathleen Turpin (JD, CPCU, AIM). Shining Light on Sexual Harassment and Misconduct. Kathleen is the vice president of Human Resources with Brotherhood Mutual. She joined Brotherhood Mutual as a litigation specialist in the claims department, became associate corporate counsel and now is VP for HR.
9:50-10:40 Keynote by Carey Nieuwhof. Shining Light on Spiritual Leadership. Carey is the founding pastor of Connexus Church, a growing multi-campus church north of Toronto and strategic partner of North Point Community Church.
10:40-11:00 Shining Light on Hiring: Behind the Scenes Lessons in Interviewing with William Vanderbloemen.
11:00 Break for Lunch—Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Platinum Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their fifteenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the ninth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 45 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the second year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling. From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

For the second year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. Visioneering is not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—they are storytellers. They come alongside partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Visioneering’s beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of their work. Visioneering Studios’ “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the first year, we welcome Thrivent Church Financing. Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on their wise-with-money journey. Thrivent Church Financing has been working nationally with growing ministries for over 100 years by providing flexible financing solutions. Currently serving more than 1,300 church clients, Thrivent offers flexible solutions, expertise and competitive terms to the financing needs of growing churches. Understanding the unique needs of each church, they offer a variety of loan features including long-term fixed rates and fully amortizing loans up to 30 years in duration. In turn, ministries can live out their wise-with-money journey.

For the first year, we welcome Pushpay. Pushpay exists to bring people together by strengthening community, connection, and belonging. As the leading provider of mobile app experiences and giving technology to churches, schools, and nonprofits, Pushpay helps organizations and their communities stay connected anytime, anywhere. Engagement is the key to community. In today’s world, “online” or “digital” is no longer cutting edge. Phones have evolved into smartphones, and these personal devices are linking people everywhere to the outside world on their own terms. Now you can harness this cultural shift to connect people with your organization, driving engagement and participation.

Gold Sponsors

For the thirteenth year, we welcome FellowshipOne, the industry’s premier church management software. FellowshipOne streamlines ministry details with the simple approach of aligning people, processes, and technology to maximize ministry efficiency and growth.

With the launch of FellowshipOne Insights, church leaders can have instant visibility into the attendance and giving trends in your church. This analytics tool offers unparalleled visibility into the effectiveness of your ministries. Lead your church into greater accountability based on data-driven analysis of where you are using your resources.

For the eighth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security.

With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

For the fifth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now certifies nearly 2,300 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

Silver Sponsors

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the thirteenth year. GuideStone® is one of the leading providers for retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. For more than 100 years, they have worked to enhance the security of more than 200,000 individuals and oversee $12.1 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2018. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the ninth year, we welcome Middlebrook | Goodspeed, The Church Lawyers. They are dedicated to providing outstanding and practical legal services to churches, ministries, and schools of all sizes across the nation with their Church Lawyers Team program. Their team of attorneys and paralegals have transactional, tax and litigation experience and are attuned to the unique legal needs specific to religious nonprofits. They handle everything from a new church-plant to complex and contested litigation matters, and provide services to organizations of all sizes. “Whether you are just starting out and want the proper foundation, need to stay on track and legally compliant or require an advocate in the courtroom, we are on your legal team.”

For the eighth year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

For the sixth year, we welcome Slingshot. Slingshot Group partners with the local church and ministry-minded non-profits to find and develop next level people through relational search and coaching services. Founded in 2007 by Stan Endicott and Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group has 40 associates nationwide that serve in the following divisions: Senior Leadership, Students, Childrens, Worship Arts, and Communications. What sets Slingshot Group apart is their winsome and relational team who provide innovative solutions that facilitate the work of God on the journey of finding and developing the people you need.

For the fifth year, we welcome Church Community Builder. Church Community Builder is a technology company focused on equipping the church for more effective ministry. They exist to provide the church tools in technology to better know, grow, and keep your people—through comprehensive cloud-based software and apps. They focus on the tools, so you can focus on reaching, discipling, and empowering your people. Their inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

For the fifth year, we welcome Worlds of Wow. They create ridiculously cool, fun environments for kids and families! They assist with stage design, theming for various ages and stages, indoor play and any other design idea you may have. They provide original artwork and graphics to bring your ideas to life! With over 13 years experience and more than 600 completed projects, they are the experts when it comes to theming and play. Whether you are a multisite, a mobile church or just giving your space a whole new look, they know what it takes from the very first conversation as we dream together to the very last nail put into place. WOW loves the creative process of working with you through the development of concepts, characters, elements and stories. It’s just their role to bring your vision to life. Themes are always original, never borrowed—from check in, to hallways, to large group rooms, our themes are designed to tell a story and create destinations where kids want to be! 

We welcome for the fourth year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies.

Brotherhood’s travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

We welcome for the third year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. BMWL is a national CPA firm dedicated exclusively to helping churches, Christian ministries, and nonprofit organizations cover their financial bases through professional audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services.  BMWL has a highly experienced and motivated team of professionals, all of whom share a common passion for serving organizations that make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of people.  The BMWL team helps organizations maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strengthen internal controls and financial oversight, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemptions, protect exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, and simplify financial administration.  BMWL is honored to serve clients across the United States.  Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

We welcome Cass Bank. The Word says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall. But in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). We at Cass Bank counsel with churches and ministries in the area of finance.

Cass Bank is a financially solid, 112-year-old bank that serves ministries across the country. If you are looking for someone to assist you with your next construction project, acquire property or refinance current debt, Cass Bank invites you to the opportunity to counsel with them.

Media Sponsors

We are thrilled to welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor for the fourteenth year!

Leadership Network has been a trusted resource for XP’s and lead pastors of some of the world’s largest, fastest growing churches since 1984. Leadership Network provides you and your team with connections to peers, access to leaders, and an introduction to tools and processes that will propel you beyond your greatest strategic challenges.

The Leadership Network approach engages multiple models and voices across a variety of domains over time to help you move from ideas to implementation to impact. From multisite to generosity and stewardship, leadership development to leveraging data and analytics, Leadership Network helps you maximize your resources and effort.

To learn more or connect with Leadership Network.

We welcome Christianity Today for the sixth year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the 2018 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

For the fourth year, we welcome the Historic Agency as a sponsor. Historic doesn’t call itself a marketing agency because they want to do more than just move product and grow numbers. They want to tell lasting stories.

With over five decades of experience, their team provides a suite of expert services fit to meet your unique needs. Whether you’re investing in brand & identity, communication strategy, assessments & coaching, or all things creative, they’ll align your short-term solutions with long-term strategy. “Let’s create something Historic together.”

Special thanks to the Historic Agency for their design and production of the XP-Seminar notebook—their excellence, creative design and attention to detail is readily apparent!

New XPs

Pre-Seminar Special with Rich Birch

New Executive Pastor OnRamp!

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
1:00-4:00 pm
Limited to 20 participants.

Are you a new Executive Pastor wondering where you should focus your time? Have you wanted to maximize your efforts and energy in this role, in a desire to help your church soar? Are you looking for an edge on how your role can create the biggest difference in the life of your church?

This afternoon workshop session is designed for new Executive Pastors who are looking for help with best practices in this role. We’ll dive deep into seven systems that every successful executive pastor must see thrive in order for their church to move forward. As well, the session will be packed with practical insights from a wide variety of executive pastors from across the country. 

Rich has served on the senior leadership teams of three innovative and fast-growing churches. He brings his signature “uber practical” style to this workshop. Also, he has interviewed over 200 church leaders through his podcast, unSeminary, which gives him a unique vantage point when offering help to new Executive Pastors. 

Learn Key Leverage Points to Focus Your Leadership

  • Outreach—How can we attract people to your church through the use of social media, marketing, and communications?
  • Weekend Services—How do we plan, implement and evaluate your music, preaching, transitions, offertory, etc. so it connects with your community?
  • Connection—How can we take people from their first visit to feeling fully at home in your church?
  • Service—How do we mobilize people for volunteering and service with the church?
  • Giving—How do we develop people to give to the vision of the church without begging?
  • Leadership—How do we move people from places of serving into volunteer leadership within the church?
  • Planning—How do we evaluate the above systems for constant improvement and growth?

Practical Help with Lots of Q&A

We’ll dive deep into best practices for developing the people and processes that drive your church forward—but also leave lots of time to answer your specific questions. Come ready to grow and be challenged in your current role!

About Rich

Rich has been involved in church leadership for over 20 years. He led in one of the first multisite churches in North America, The Meeting House in Toronto, which became the leading multisite church in Canada with over 4,500 people in six locations (today they are seventeen locations with somewhere over 6,000 people attending). In addition, he served on the leadership team of Connexus Community Church in Ontario, a North Point Community Church Strategic Partner.

For seven years he served as a part of the four member Lead Team at Liquid Church in the Manhattan-facing communities of New Jersey. In his time with the church, it grew from one campus to six and attendance grew to over 3,500 people.

He has a dual vocational background that uniquely positions him for serving churches to multiply impact. While in the marketplace, Rich founded a dot-com with two partners in the late 90’s that worked to increase value for media firms and internet service providers. He speaks at conferences like Orange, WFX and various regional multisite church events—and is a featured writer on Auxano’s Vision Room, ChurchLeaders.com and MinistryBriefing.

Rich’s first book, Unreasonable Churches: 10 Churches Who Zagged When Others Zigged and Saw More Impact Because of It, is an Amazon bestseller in the Church Leadership category. It’s designed to help church leaders think a new thought and take new risks in impacting their community. His second book is Church Growth Flywheel, where he pulled together his own hard-fought experience leading within one of the fastest growing churches in the country, as well as over 200 interviews with church leaders from prevailing churches.

Generosity

Pre-Seminar Event with Brad Leeper

Unveiling the Mystery of Your Church’s Donors

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
2:00-4:30 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

Get a rare and unique insight into your giving world. Using a new data analytic platform, we will capture your giving data in advance of the workshop.

Your data will then be available at the workshop where you can explore your giving reality and trends in a way that cannot be unearthed through most church management software platforms. The insights will help you see often-hidden trends and help you proactively navigate giving growth.

Not only will you see the reality of your giving but you will understand what it means and what to do about it.

Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Getting mad? How do you shut the back door and how do we emphasize the front door? Are you attracting new donors? This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Most of us have assumptions about giving and generosity …

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal at Generis, a team of coaches that accelerates generosity toward God-inspired vision. Brad works with churches across the country, and now internationally, to increase everyday church giving, project giving and legacy giving.

Imagine seeing a new perspective on your church’s financial health. See your church in a readable, understandable and helpful format. This is a must for your next steps of your church.

The Generosity Workshop will be held on Thursday, February 20 from 2:00-4:30 pm., right before the XP-Seminar. This is the place to get a handle on your church’s financial health.

This workshop will give you plenty of data to work with, in an eminently understandable format. Generis is just releasing a diagnostic tool and is offering free use of it for the workshop. This includes a 3-page summary report. Plus, you can talk through your report at the workshop and receive more personalized discussion in person or by phone.

Get a numerical analysis of:

    • People giving above a strategic amount
    • Lapsed donors
    • Banding of key donation levels … and much more.

Requirements:

    • Must have Church Community Builder (other software platforms to follow).
    • Attend the Coaching Workshop before the XP-Seminar.
    • Data analysis needs to be begun 14 days before the XP-Seminar.

Get expert advice from national leaders! Enroll today!

Suppose you see that giving is up ten percent. Is that more donations per attendee or more donors?

Knowing your metrics tells you where you are, where you are going and measures how you are doing getting there.

With a ten percent increase in donations, how many of those were new donors? Are you attracting new donors?

Increase your giving without requiring a capital campaign.

Even with a ten percent increase in donations, how many donors stopped giving? Are they still attending? When do people stop giving and how much later do they typically leave your church?

  • Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Did they leave mad?
  • How do you shut the back door and how can you emphasize the front door?
  • Are you attracting new donors?

This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Ministry Fund

Are giving increases a result of a growing donor constituent base or are you pressing into a small portion of donors to make budget growth? Learn why one is sustainable while the other is short lived.

Connecting and Growing First Time Donors

First time visitors are great!  However, are you able to on-board them as donors? Are you able to assimilate them into the fabric of the ministry? If not, learn why weekend attendance growth can be a false positive for healthy ministry growth.

Donor Churn

New faces in church are great, but what is the financial impact of losing the old ones? Minimizing donor churn can supercharge weekend attendance and annual giving growth. Monitoring donor trends is one way to surface ministry opportunities. Rule based push reporting can increase your ministry efficiency and connect with those that need pastoral care.

A Church Coaching Culture

Pre-Seminar Special with Dr. Nathan Baxter

How to Build a Coaching Culture for your Staff and Volunteer Leaders

Tuesday, February 19, 2019
1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

Churches that coach their leaders and volunteers discover that their investment pays off. Research continues to show that people want coaching. Your staff wants to know how to be more effective in their jobs and ministries.

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring this coaching resource to the 2019 XP-Seminar.

What you will learn

  • Key components that must be in your church culture for coaching success.
  • How to create a strategic rollout plan for introducing coaching.
  • Top five reasons why organizations fail at creating a coaching culture.
  • How to create customized coaching templates to fit your ministry culture.
  • The latest research that identifies the key components for healthy leadership cultures.
  • Practical tips for using assessments to develop your leaders.

And

  • How to use ‘Win-Plan Conversations’
  • Importance of calibrating your coaching
  • Best practices for holding leaders accountable.

Before the workshop

A reading list will be provided as an option for those that want to take a deeper look into leadership coaching.

About Dr. Baxter

Nathan is a former XP and SP and now is an executive leadership coach. Every month, both corporate and ministry leaders from around the country fly to Tulsa for a two-day private coaching session with him.

In 2008, Dr. Baxter founded Lead Self Lead Others and has coached with over 3,300 people—from CEOs to pastors to physicians. Also, he has recruited and trained eight Leadership Coaches who work with him to meet the demand for his services.

Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

Executives

  • Bob Skaggs, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Agency, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dustin Parker, President, Box Insurance Agency, Grapevine, Texas
  • Aaron Shelby, Executive Vice President, Legacy Texas Bank, Plano, Texas
  • Paul Fredette, President, Legacy Texas Insurance Services, Plano, Texas
  • Brandt Hamby, Managing Partner, Six Pillars Partners, Addison, Texas
  • Chris Cadeiux, Board Member, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Chuck McDaniel, President, Lockton Insurance, Denver, Colorado
  • Dwight Mankin, President, NCN, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Greer, Owner/Director, Ironman Buffalo Springs Lake, Lubbock, Texas
  • Mike Loomis, Owner, Loomis Consulting, Winter Park, Colorado
  • Ron Decker, Founder/President, Innovative Health Care Systems, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Ronnie Dunn, Client Partner, MicroStrategy, Dallas, Texas
  • Sean Kouplen, President, Regent Bank, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Hank Coleman, President, TriggerPoint, Austin, Texas
  • Dan Peckenpaugh, MD, President, HEB Emergicare, P.A., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
  • Rob Kenagy, MD, Senior Vice President, St. John Health Network, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Tom Ellis, Vice President/Partner, MHBT (Commercial Insurance), Dallas, Texas
  • 32 National Sales Directors, 25 Top Sales Directors, Mary Kay Cosmetics

Ministry Leaders

  • Micah Davidson, Lead Pastor, Real Life Fellowship, Corpus Christi/Austin, Texas
  • Toby Slough, Lead Pastor, Crosstimbers Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dwight Yoder, Executive Pastor, Asbury Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Eric Bryan, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Fred Neal, Executive Pastor, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • Marc Evanger, Elder, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Keith Duff, Elder, Village Bible Church, Chicago, Illinois
  • Matt Roberson, Campus Pastor, The Met, Houston, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Terry Langenberg, Executive Pastor, New Beginnings Church, Bixby, Oklahoma
  • Thomas Thompson, Lead Pastor, Pulpit Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Tom Messer, Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Nathan knows what he is doing and does it well. He has good insight and recommends realistic behaviors to improve performance.

John Urbin, Business Unit Manager, Linde Process Plants, Inc.

Non Profit Organizations

  • John Sharp, Regional Director, Young Life, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dave Jewitt, Founder/Director, Your One Degree, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Adam Donyes, Founder/Director, LinkYear Kanakuk, Branson, Missouri
  • Dr. David Fletcher, Founder/Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Chris King, Founder, GPS Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dr. Scott Barfoot, Director of DMin Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Eric Hill, Founder/Director, Withyou, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jeff Anderson, Founder, Acceptable Gift, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. Baxter cares genuinely about helping people. He does what it takes to help folks understand and use the tools to find their way. As a result I have more focus in my life. The tools he uses and the approach he takes are better than many other similar consultants.

Randy Welsch, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Dr. Baxter’s coaching has allowed me to take my strengths, understand them and ultimately begin to incorporate them into my ever changing role as CEO. Working with Dr. Baxter is worth the investment because we have seen results in effectiveness in communication, efficiency in decision making.

Ron Decker, CEO, Innovative Healthcare Systems, Inc., Edmond, Oklahoma

Seminar Workshops

Leading Me: Five Ways to Maintain Your Spiritual Health and Enjoy Longevity in Ministry

A church is only as healthy as its leaders. It is critical that you build routines, habits and guardrails into your life that protect you from burnout, lead to growth, and create longevity in ministry.  Join Todd Clark as he helps you discover ways you can remain a healthy, effective and motivated leader. Learning to “lead you” is what allows you to continue to lead others.

Todd Clark has 28 years of ministry experience in churches sized between 200 and 25,000. Todd is a passionate, creative, team-focused, leader with a unique blend of ministry experience. He served as a youth pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky and a founding and lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, California. Todd has recently been a teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Arizona. He is the Vice President of Senior Search at Slingshot Group and an adjunct Teaching Pastor at Parkview Christian Church in Chicago where he teaches 15-18 weekends each year.

Todd is the founder of “Eat Art,” a nonprofit photography organization committed to artfully ending hunger. You can connect with Todd on Twitter (@toddclark) or on his blog, www.livecurious.ly.

Strategic Shifts Every Leader Needs to Make

Why do some leaders scale and grow with their organizations while others flounder or flame out? How can some leaders grow from managing a small team to overseeing hundreds of employees and volunteers? What do these leaders do differently at critical moments? In an era of urgency and expediency there is little room for leaders to develop the wisdom that is only gleaned through time and experience. Today’s leaders are plagued by urgency and unrealistic expectations for immediate impact. This session will equip you with the critical perspective shifts you must embrace to think differently and continually be lifting the lid on your leadership capacity.

Jenni Catron is a leadership coach and founder of The 4Sight Group, an organization that consults on leadership, team culture and organizational health. Her passion is to lead well and to inspire, equip and encourage others to do the same. 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.

Know Before You Go: Is My Church Ready for a Big Project?

Is it time for you to take the first step? Your gut churns with anticipation—you’ve envisioned this trek a thousand times. But now you’re here, and it’s a bit more intimidating than you imagined. Determining whether your church is ready for a big project, such as buying property, expanding or renovating your existing facilities, or building your very first permanent location, can be one of the best, or worst, experiences in your ministry career.

You’ve heard horror stories from your fellow pastors who rushed in unprepared and now have lost credibility with their congregation because they paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for a set of plans that are rolled up on a shelf collecting dust because they couldn’t afford to build it. This workshop will reveal some key indicators that will help you determine if you’re ready to take the plunge, and will provide insight into the process of determining how much you can afford (budget), what you should build (scope), and when you should build it (schedule).

Jody Forehand, MBA, LEED AP, DBIA, is President of Visioneering Studios Real Estate. Jody has been working with churches nationwide since 2003 helping them with development advisory services, real estate consulting, and coordinating the design and construction of everything from multi-site tenant improvement projects in repurposed retail locations to new ground-up campuses on greenfield sites. Jody also holds general contractor’s licenses in several states and a real estate brokers license in North Carolina.

Unleashing Your Church Board’s Potential: How Your Board Compares to Others

What are ten of the best practices of a healthy church board? How do they compare with boards at other Christ-centered ministries? The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) conducted several major surveys on this issue, including one now in process. From that survey, the “first findings” will be revealed in this workshop. For example: “Roughly what percent of a typical board meeting is spent on the future, as opposed to reviewing the present or past?” The workshop will show how church boards and other nonprofits replied and propose a good benchmark for your board to shoot toward.

Dan Busby, President of ECFA, is co-author of the just-released Lessons from the Church Boardroom. He has written or co-authored 10 titles in over 60 editions including Zondervan 2018 Church and Nonprofit Tax and Financial Guide, and also Zondervan 2018 Minister’s Tax and Financial Guide. He has over 40 years of experience serving the Christ-centered church and nonprofit community and frequently speaks nationally on related issues.

Warren Bird, Ph.D., ECFA Vice President of Research and Equipping, is a bestselling author and nationally recognized authority on church trends. He has authored or co-authored 31 books including Hero Maker and How to Break Church Growth Barriers.

Leveraging Your Facility for a Remarkable Guest Experience

Learn how to maximize your facility to create the most remarkable guest experience. Pastoring the newcomer begins when they first come on your property. There is no reason why your guests can’t have a terrific first impression of your church. This workshop will reveal seven practical tips to leverage the facility that God has already given you. You church can become a warm and welcoming place for guests.

Dave Milam is a visioneer, strategist and visual storyteller whose right brained style of delivery helps his listener connect in a uniquely immersive way. As a member of the Visioneering Studios team, Dave equips leaders by leveraging art and science to launch inspired vision into reality. Dave is the founding Pastor of One Life Church in Concord, North Carolina and in 2016 released a book entitled “Ten Count: True Stories of Defeat and Triumph Among Today’s Christian Leaders.”

Christianity Today Forum

This invitation-only forum will discuss key topics of church ministry. Rob is a Publisher at Christianity Today, overseeing its Church Law & Tax, Small Groups and Christian Bible Studies brands. He has 15 years of experience in brand strategy and content development and 8 years of pastoral roles at Park Community Church and MissioDei in Chicago.

Maximizing Member Data

Ministry and data go hand-in-hand. Every ministry generates data and data can benefit every ministry. Data is readily available to leaders in every church and is useful for evaluating and improving your church’s ministries. In this interactive session we will discuss casting vision for the value of gathering and using data, gathering data in sustainable ways, and using data to inform decision-making.

Dr. PJ Dunn is Director of Serve Ministry & IT at First Euless (soon to be Cross City Church) in Euless, Texas. He also leads Table for One Ministries, which exists to build community for single adults through discipleship. Jeff Otero leads the Product Team at Church Community Builder, a church management software company in Colorado Springs. Jeff’s team is responsible for product management, product design, and product marketing.

Hidden Money—Financing Strategies in Uncertain Economic Times

Join this conversation to learn tricks of financial professionals. Share your successful practices about current economic conditions and expectations. Understand how these factors impact your ministry’s plans for the future. How are the Fed’s actions impacting your budget and planning? What actions can you take now that will increase your cash flow even without increasing income? How do you plan to fund future initiatives and what can you do now to maximize the value of each dollar?

Kari Boyce is Business Development Director of Thrivent. She began her career in fixed income capital markets working as an institutional sales and trading assistant, working her way to Managing Director for FI Institutional Sales Administration. Bringing this experience and passion to the church world, she has been working with churches and faith-based nonprofits in lending and leadership consulting since 2006.

Chris Lewis is Senior Relationship Manager of Thrivent. Born in Brazil, where his parents served as missionaries, he 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 obtained his undergraduate degree in Business Management from Harding University in 1996.

The New XP

What is needed in the first 90 days, the first six months and the first year of being an XP? There are special challenges when entering the role.

Are you preparing to make the transition or already in the midst of it? Many new XPs have been in their church for years before entering the role. Others move to the city and become the XP in a new environment. Still others transition from business to ministry life.

This breakout session will help you identify and overcome potential challenges and leverage your “rookie smarts” and “fresh eyes” as you begin your new season of ministry leadership.

Jon Wright has worked as an entrepreneur, founding and leading a product development company for 15 years and served for 7 years as Executive Pastor of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He and his wife, Julie, also led a Missionary Training Center in Germany for several years. He has 30 years experience in innovation, execution and entrepreneurial creativity in multiple settings; corporate, non-profit, church and global missions.

Jon has been part of the XPastor conferences since 2009 and has led breakout sessions and XPastor Online Course webinars. Jon joined XPastor+Generis as a consultant in 2018. Talk to Jon about “The Collective.”

Church Analytics

This workshop will focus on what your giving data says about you and your church. Let’s examine what that data means and what to do about it. Like a properly designed medical test, understanding what to look for in your church giving patterns can reveal hidden insights into how your giving flows and does not flow. Using real data from churches, we will examine data points rarely looked at by church leaders. Good news: whatever that data might be, you can take steps to elevate the giving direction by year’s end.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Mentoring Your Staff

Mentor your staff and help them move their lives and leadership forward—helping them strengthen their gifts, talents and abilities while keeping balance in their lives.

Dr. Nathan Baxter, founder of Lead-Self Lead-Others, has been leading teams and helping people move their stories forward for over twenty years. Before starting his Executive Coaching career, he served for 28 years in full time ministry, filling the roles of Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

What Does Your Kid’s Ministry Space Say to Your Visitors?

This workshop will examine check-in centers, hallways, classrooms and multi-functional rooms. What do these areas of your kid’s ministry say to your visitors? Does it welcome them, provide comfort and ease of navigation? Check-in centers should be safe, simple and fun. Check-in centers provide wonderful opportunities for a great first impression, as they are one of the first things your visitors will see. In the hallways, it’s great to have wayfinding signs so that visitors can easily navigate your facility. Classrooms and group rooms can become adventurous destinations where kids come ready to learn and explore.

We know you want to reach families in your community with your unique message and vision. One of the most effective ways to draw families to your church is by providing a welcoming environment for parents and their children. In this workshop we’ll cover ways to make your environment just as friendly and welcoming as your church family! Open your doors for visitors with love, comfort and excitement!

Todd Parks has over 21 years of ministry experience. He is a visionary servant leader who sees not only what is but what can be. Prior to joining Worlds of Wow, Todd served as an Executive Ministry Consultant where he helped over one hundred churches build incredible teams through church staffing, consulting, compensation analysis, and succession planning. Todd is a Business Development Manager with Worlds of Wow, a company that creates cool and fun environments for kids and families.

Hidden Money—Tactical Action that Can Uncover Unknown Funding Sources

What does a lender think when they look at your giving statistics? What can you do to improve those stats without asking for more money? Let’s discuss how you can increase the generosity of your congregation through process and intentionality in your regular work flow. Thrivent’s mission is to help Christians be wise with money and live more generously. We’ll look at practical tools, trends and resources for ministries and hear your success stories.

Kari Boyce is Business Development Director of Thrivent. She began her career in fixed income capital markets working as an institutional sales and trading assistant, working her way to Managing Director for FI Institutional Sales Administration. Bringing this experience and passion to the church world, she has been working with churches and faith-based nonprofits in lending and leadership consulting since 2006.

Chris Lewis is Senior Relationship Manager of Thrivent. Born in Brazil, where his parents served as missionaries, he 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 obtained his undergraduate degree in Business Management from Harding University in 1996.

The XP-SP Relationship … and all those other people on staff

Are you spinning lots of plates? Juggling lots of balls? Never a boring day? If you could master one thing that would make the biggest ministry impact in your church, what would that be? There are budgets, and policies, and security, and strategy, and vision, and programs, and buildings, discipleship and all of the other things that fill the days of the Executive Pastor. What about the relationship between the Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor? Join us as we talk through the breakthroughs, set-backs and keys to a vibrant and healthy XP-SP relationship. In addition, we’ll dig into the keys to good staff relations between the Executive Pastor and student ministry, facilities, creative/worship arts, kids ministry and more.

Eric Rojas is the XP of Rolling Hills Community Church in Nashville. He is a coach, developer and overseer of the staff and ministries with 14 years of experience as an XP. During his 25+ years of ministry, Eric has served in churches in various pastoral roles.

Eric Ferris is the Executive Teaching Pastor of the 5,000+ member Vineyard Cincinnati Church. Eric earned a Biblical Studies Degree at Wheaton Graduate School. Eric is known for bringing clarity in complexity, love for the local church, and a straightforward approach to life and ministry.

How Churches Can Leverage the Coming Big Data Revolution

Big Data tools are being used in retail, healthcare, education and other fields. They are just entering the realm of affordability and usefulness for churches. How should we understand the tools available now? How are forward thinking churches using the tools NOW? Which tools are coming this year and how do you need to prepare your team and church to leverage them for kingdom use?

Dave Travis is the Director of Strategic Counsel for Pastors and Church Boards at Generis. He also serves as a Senior Consultant at Leadership Network where he has worked with large churches for almost 25 years. For the past four years he has tracked with Leadership Network’s involvement with Big Data tools and their real-life applications for churches. A former engineer, pastor and denominational official, he now works primarily to help churches and pastors make plans for “What’s Next?”

The Seven Deadly Sins of Interviewing

How do you determine if a candidate is the right fit for the job and your team’s culture during an interview? After 10 years of helping churches find their key staff and over 10,000 face-to-face interviews, William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen, will teach you how to avoid the common mistakes pastors make when interviewing as well as set up a successful interview process for hiring the right team members for your church.

William is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Vanderbloemen Search Group. He is a regular contributor to both Forbes and Fortune. William has combined over 15 years of 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. Vanderbloemen has completed over 1,000 staffing assignments since its founding nine years ago, has grown to nearly forty full-time employees, and has won several company culture awards from Forbes, Entrepreneur, Houston Business Journal, and Houstonia Magazine.

William has written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (2014), Search : The Pastor Search Committee Handbook (2016) and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace (2018).

Nine Key Lessons for Leading Millennials

There’s a growing generation gap in churches, and church leadership best practices are evolving in the midst of the changing workforce. Church leaders who understand and cultivate the value millennials bring to church staffs have a higher likelihood of experiencing long-term growth.

In this session led by Sarah Robins, Vice President of Sales & Client Relations at Vanderbloemen, you’ll learn practical steps to leading and motivating millennials so you can take your church staff to the next level.

Church Budgeting When Resources are Scarce

Many churches are experiencing financial pressures that are causing them to reduce their budgets. The challenge becomes ensuring leadership and the board understand what expenses can be cut while still maximizing ministry. This workshop will show the participants how to: 1) Prepare a clear and compelling analysis of fixed, semi-fixed, and variable budgeted expenses; 2) Clearly explain to church leadership and the board which areas of the budget can be easily reduced, and which cannot; 3) Execute a strategy to effectively reduce budgeted expenses while maximizing ministry effectiveness. Rob Faulk, a CPA, former Executive Pastor and church CFO will show that, while challenging, these objectives can both be achieved.

Rob Faulk serves as Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse. He has more than 35 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 previously served with a Big Six accounting firm, where he was the lead manager on the project that developed the COSO Internal Control framework. Rob holds a MA in Ministry Management from Azusa Pacific University Graduate School of Theology.

Preparing for a Faith-Based Loan

Is your church growing? Looking to expand facilities? Looking to go multi-site? If you potentially need a loan to accomplish these objectives, this workshop will provide a great summary on areas you can focus on as an XP to prepare for a faith-based loan. We will discuss interest rates, evaluate the current lending environment, explain certain bank ratios that apply to ministry and suggest ways to make your lending request stand out to a bank. Our discussion will be centered around a hypothetical church case study that may just look a little bit like your church!

This workshop is brought to you by Steve Hron, Vice President of Lending at Cass Bank. Steve has been serving churches and other nonprofits for over 27 years with their financing needs. Cass Bank began in 1906 and is a long time provider of banking services to religious organizations and non-profits, including financing for churches. Cass Bank loans help build, acquire, and renovate ministry facilities or refinance current debt.

Handling Challenging Counseling Situations

Counseling isn’t an area that many senior leaders signed up for. The challenge of bearing the burdens for others is a task at times. Nicholas Smith brings best practices and discussion about how to deal with difficult people and situations, whether it’s a church member, another leader or someone off the street. We all need the safety of a counselor on this life journey. Nicholas gives ideas on some of the harder situations in counseling. It might be someone who drops by the church and you are the only pastor there. It might be a friend or relative. It might be with a fellow pastor in the community or even a fellow staff member.

Pastor Nicholas Smith is the Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, working hand-in-hand and assisting pastor-teacher Bishop David G. Evans. He is a long-time friend of XPastor, with some outstanding articles on the site.

Dream Bigger—
From Maintenance to Multiplication

Throughout history, every move of God has required men and women to grow dramatically and step out in great faith. We need to continually elevate the standards of our faith, evaluate the expectations of ourselves and deepen our belief in the goodness of God. It’s time to reimagine the capacity of the local church, not only in your specific content but around the world! Yes, we have accomplished much in ministry but what are we dreaming about next? Leaders, we won’t lead well or last long without great faith! Join me for a discussion around ten leadership questions that we must all resolve in order to take our churches to the next level.

Daniel Rolfe is the Senior Pastor at Mountain Springs Church. Born in Suffolk, England, Daniel has the coolest accent at the XP-Seminar.

Designing a Strong Retirement Plan–Preparing Employees Today for Retirement Tomorrow

The retirement landscape is changing as it relates to helping your employees prepare well for retirement. In this session, we’ll discuss how effective retirement plan design can optimize retirement outcomes. Additionally, we’ll tackle the many challenges and disruptive trends facing the retirement and investment services industries.

This workshop will be led by Greg Love. He serve as Senior Manager for Retirement Solutions for GuideStone Financial Resources and specializes in retirement plan design and employee education. He graduated from the University of West Alabama and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing the Master of Business Administration degree from Dallas Baptist University. Greg holds the Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor professional designation, as well as, Series 6 and 63 security licenses. Greg has vast experience within the local church and maintains a passion to see local churches thrive, make disciples and impact the globe for Christ.

5 Keys to Church Growth They Didn’t Teach You in Seminary

Are you ready to see your church impact more people than you have ever before? Are you tired of workshops that are long on theory but short on practical help? Have you wanted to reach more people in your community but you weren’t sure where to start?

In this workshop, Rich breaks down some practical help for Executive Pastors wanting to see their church grow not only from his own experience leading within fast-growing churches but also from over 300 interviews with leaders from within prevailing churches.

Rich has served on the senior leadership teams of three innovative and fast-growing churches. He brings his signature “uber practical” style to this workshop. Also, he has interviewed over 200 church leaders through his podcast, unSeminary, which gives him a unique vantage point when offering help to new Executive Pastors.

Architecture that Works

Ministry is about creating connections … connections between people and connections with the Lord. How does architecture influence how those connections are formed? We will discover how to shape the user experience through the design of space and open pathways to those connections. Learn how to focus your ministry with architecture that works.

Bruce Woody is the President and CEO of HH Architects. Bruce will share from HH Architects’s credo, “We Believe, We Serve, We Create.” Based in Dallas, this architecture and planning firm has done work around the country. This award winning firm has a commitment to quality and thorough understanding of planning for growth. It has attracted a wide range of clients with needs on both a small and large scale. For 48 years, they have provided Architectural, Interior Design, Strategic Positioning and Master Planning services to clients ranging from churches to municipal entities to schools to corporate buildings. They approach projects from the client’s perspective. Building upon your image and identity, they strive for creative solutions that meet the project’s scope, schedule, and budget. They have developed an expertise in designing to a highly complex set of requirements and constraints, and through this process, they provide the facility that meets and exceeds all of the owner’s expectations.

Mark R Ashcraft, is a senior associate of HH Architects. He serves as the Creative Director for the firm and has been blessed to work with many ministries during his 18 year tenure.

Engaging Millennials and Gen Z in the Church

For years now, Millennials have been joked about and dismissed as being noncommittal, lazy and entitled. But God has raised up a generation with high expectations and a longing to experience authentic community and cultural impact. Shaping the future of the church, through the future of the church, must be a strategic priority for every church leadership team in 2019. In this session we will practically explore the engagement of Millennials and Gen Z in discipleship, leadership development, community, serving, generosity and mission.

Darren Young is the Director of Executive Pastor Leader Groups with Leadership Network. He will facilitate a panel discussion with Grant Skeldon and Monica Zuniga. Grant is the Director of the Initiative Network. He is a sought after speaker and the author of #1 hit book, The Passion Generation. Under Grant’s leadership, the Initiative Network seeks to unite and train millennials to be Christ-loving, city-changing, church-investing, disciple-making local missionaries. Monica is the founder of We Are Unveiled—an organization that exists to transform women’s ministry in the body of Christ. Through her organization, as well as the several non-profits that she consults with, her prayer is to awaken a generation of individuals to the full life found only in Jesus Christ.

Perspectives From The Pew: Consumer Expectations In Church Tech

This workshop will take a look at the church-tech industry from the end-users perspective. Along the way, we’ll look at some of the major changes in consumer tech over the past two decades and will assess how those changes have impacted – for good and ill – the perception of technology in the church space.

Troy Pollock is the Vice President of Community at Pushpay. As the first U.S. employee, Troy helped shape Pushpay to be one of the fastest growing SaaS companies today. Troy pioneered the Customer Success Department from humble beginnings to an Award Winning team that partners with churches and non-profits internationally. After studying Communication & Sociology at SDSU and Theology at ORU, Troy helped pioneer a healthy church in Southern California, where he served as an Executive for 6 years. These experiences allowed Troy’s transition to Pushpay to facilitate his calling and desire to help faith organizations ignite generosity and drive engagement within their communities.

The Disruption of Church Technology

Giving, either monetarily or simply your name, is important. It’s also vulnerable. The most important thing to your church and ministry is trust and that your technology works as advertised. Data breaches and downtime of your solutions can be costly for your church, both in terms of your reputation, as well as the high fees associated with data breaches. Learn how to evaluate your tech stack to make sure you’re making the right decisions before you sign that next contract.

Clare Hegg is the Director of Product Marketing for Pushpay. She has worked in the high tech world for the better part a decade. She spent that time building expertise in mobile apps, donor development, big data and analytics, artificial intelligence and digital transformation at companies like Oracle, Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Socrata. Clare now leads product marketing at Pushpay, enabling churches to bring people together by strengthening community, connection, and belonging.

Use Ministry Information to Care for Your Church and Lead Effectively

Spiritual development is a process. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how to bring clarity, map out your unique approach to creating disciples and gauge your progress. You’re surrounded by data, but what story is your data telling you? Are you using that story to make informed strategic ministry decisions? Does it help your team care for and meet the needs of your church family? Does it help you coach and develop your staff and ministry leaders? You can! Begin creating a culture that empowers you to view the information you need, when you need it. Define what’s important. Build the systems. Act on the information.

This workshop will be led by Mark DeMoss. Mark has 20 years of church staff experience leading in various roles of guest experience, volunteer development, business administration, campus development, and executive pastor in dynamic churches. Mark is the author of the XPastor article entitled, Strategic Alignment Unleashes the Church. He is passionate about the church and seeing lives changed by Jesus. Mark has seven years of experience in church consulting with the team at FellowshipOne.com. He and his wife, Debra, reside near Dallas, Texas.

2018 XP-Seminar2021-10-25T09:03:59-05:00

Hebrews 8:10

“For this is the covenant that I will establish … I will put my laws in their minds and I will inscribe them on their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10

Limited to a Tribe of 200 People

Sold out … and then some!

Fly, Drive, Walk … but get there

Our Featured Guest

Richard R. Hammar
The 5 Legal Threats Every XP Needs to Know

Attorney, CPA and Author

Richard R. Hammar is an attorney, CPA, and author specializing in legal and tax issues for churches and pastors. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and attended Harvard Divinity School. He is senior editor of Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team and author of several of its books, including Pastor, Church & Law, the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Reducing the Risk, the biannual Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and the Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches.

He also is the senior editor of the Church Law & Tax Team’s Church Law & Tax Report, a bimonthly newsletter reviewing significant legal and tax developments for churches and clergy, and Church Finance Today, a monthly newsletter for church treasurers.

Richard has contributed articles to numerous journals and publications, including Leadership Journal, Christian Century, and Enrichment; is a frequent speaker at legal and tax conferences; has taught church law at a number of seminaries; and is often asked to consult with attorneys, CPAs, and church and denominational leaders on legal and tax issues.

He has been a lecturer at the annual Washington Nonprofit Legal and Tax Conference since 1992; addressed a National Institute of the American Bar Association on the tort liability of charitable and religious organizations; has been a featured speaker at the annual Program on Philanthropy and Law sponsored by the New York University School of Law; and has taught continuing education seminars at several institutions, including Princeton Theological Seminary and Emory University

Richard has been inducted into the church management “hall of fame” by the National Association of Church Business Administration, and has served on the boards of several prominent charities, including the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

Our Featured Guest

Rich Birch

Trends Impacting Our Churches
Some You See, Some You Don’t!

In this conversation, Rich explores cultural trends impacting all of our churches that we need to be aware of. You’ll be challenged with this a new thought and consider how you could leverage these trends for your church. Rich is a pastor, entrepreneur and thought leader.

Rich founded unSeminary, “stuff you wish they taught you in Seminary” … a place to collect some thoughts about the local church and doin’ stuff right in the local church. He says, “I really am not a ‘know it all’ or ‘expert’ but really just somebody who has made a lot of mistakes in leadership and is attempting to pass along some learning so you don’t have to pay the ‘stooopid tax.'”

Rich has been involved in church leadership for over 20 years. He led in one of the first multisite churches in North America, The Meeting House in Toronto, which became the leading multisite church in Canada with over 4,500 people in six locations (today they are seventeen locations with somewhere over 6,000 people attending). In addition, he served on the leadership team of Connexus Community Church in Ontario, a North Point Community Church Strategic Partner.

For seven years he served as a part of the four member Lead Team at Liquid Church in the Manhattan facing communities of New Jersey. In his time with the church it grew from one campus to six and attendance grew to over 3,500 people.

He has a dual vocational background that uniquely positions him for serving churches to multiply impact. While in the marketplace, Rich founded a dot-com with two partners in the late 90’s that worked to increase value for media firms and internet service providers. He speaks at conferences like Orange, WFX and various regional multisite church events—and s a featured writer on Auxano’s Vision Room, ChurchLeaders.com and MinistryBriefing.

Rich’s first book, Unreasonable Churches: 10 Churches Who Zagged When Others Zigged and Saw More Impact Because of It, is an Amazon bestseller in the Church Leadership category. It’s designed to help church leaders think a new thought and take new risks in impacting their community.

‘But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,’ says the Lord. ‘I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.’ Jeremiah 31:33

We limit attendance to 200 people. We are a tribe not a town. This enables everyone to talk to our distinguished speakers and sense the XPastor Community.

Why Come?

Gene Getz, Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

David Fletcher has been helping Executive Pastors for over a decade through XPastor.org. I love what he is doing through the keynotes and workshops—and I had a great time a couple of years ago when I was a speaker. To learn and grow, this is a fantastic place.

I’ve also seen first hand the results of his own leadership where he serves at the local church level and in helping train leaders in cross-cultural situations—which has added to his ability to structure a dynamic learning environment regardless of the societal factors. Don’t miss this opportunity!!

Clint Smith, XP of NORTH Church

The XP-Seminar has had a huge impact on my leadership and development as a person, as well as an executive pastor. Years ago, when I began the journey as an XP in my late twenties, it provided the networking, mentoring and insight that I needed to grow in this demanding role. I continue to attend the Seminar to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development, budgeting and so much more. The relationships I have built through XPastor grow every time I attend. I believe in this seminar and what it represents and would love to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel, CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. Daniel Rolfe’s talk last year helped shape my year. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park, Church Planter

At the seminar, I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided by David Fletcher, the speakers, and participants. 

A LinkedIn Post after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

I’ve attended four XP-Seminars and can vouch for its Christ-centered, ministry-minded approach. I highly recommend the good work David Fletcher is doing!”

Matthew Branaugh, Editor, Church Law & Tax Team, Christianity Today

A Tweet after the 2017 XP-Seminar …

Blessed to interact personally today with gurus @drfletcher, @DanReiland, @Mike_Bonem, and @philtaylorxp. Each is the real deal. #XPSeminar

Dan Brubacher

From a first time attender …

We are off-the-hook impressed with the XP-Seminar … no wonder you have such a strong following!
Mike Batts, Managing Partner Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants

From a Senior Pastor …

I loved the entire XP conference. Probably the best overall conference I’ve attended in 21 years of Senior Pastor ministry.
Rod MacIlvaine, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

Now in its 14th year, the XP-Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions together.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor.org has hundreds of free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

XPastor’s online courses provide training to grow as a church leader. Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get cognitive input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We always bring in outstanding national leaders. Just to name a few of our past speakers: Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin, Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Thom Rainer.

Short Ride

The short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here.
Horse not provided.

Workshops

On each day, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Location

Our 13th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, 2017 or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

What Attendees Say

“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”

“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”

“A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.”

“I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, What I should do as a new XP?” —attendance limited to 200 people—

“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.”

“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”

“I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.”

Enrich your life and ministry

Check out more photos and video of past XP-Seminars

The XP-Seminar has been a career and a life changer for me. Thank you for taking the time to put on this event.

Tim Samuel
CPA & CFO, Bridgeway Community Church
Columbia, Maryland

We limit attendance to 200 people of our tribe.

2018 XP-Seminar Attendees

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders
to come together, hear from national leaders
and peers, and be life-long learners.

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—both personally and professionally.”

Our 14th Year of Powerful and Motivating Speakers …

Tuesday—February 20, 2018

7:30-8:30 Registration and Dessert. Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, get your free books for the huge selection, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all (and spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!)

Wednesday—February 21, 2018

7:30 Full breakfast sponsored by FellowshipOne with a discussion between Chris Nelson and David Fletcher. We get the XP-Seminar kicked off with a focus on doing ministry. This year’s topic is one which every XP lives in everyday: “Business Brains + Pastoral Heart = Your XP Calling.”
8:30-9:30 Workshops: Session #1 Yes, alumni will notice that Wednesday workshops are in the morning this year. Saddle up early!
9:45-10:45 Workshops: Session #2
11:00-12:00 Workshops: Session #3
12:15 short-rideLunch with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic. As we eat, it is a time to hear a different perspective on church–innovative, creative, Jesus focused. Dr. Gene Getz has written over 60 books, started an entire movement of Fellowship Churches and so much more in his 86 years on this planet. Yet, he has asked God for another very active 5-year plan for ministry–that will take him to age 91! Be challenged to continue on in life and ministry in this lunch with Gene.
1:30

Keynote by Richard Hammar, The 5 Legal Threats Every Executive Pastor Needs to Know. Having written over 100 books, Richard is the national expert on church law and tax issues. Society is exceedingly complex and churches consider fiduciary issues everyday.
2:30 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:45 Keynote by Rich Birch. Trends Impacting Our Churches—Some You See, Some You Don’t!
Rich is a Pastor, Entrepreneur and Thought Leader. Rich founded unSeminary. Get ready for “stuff you wish they taught you in Seminary.” Rich brings to the table a mix of business and ministry, sometimes unconventional and always innovative. His experience and interviews with so many pastors gives him enormous expertise on “doing ministry.”
4:00 “Business Brains + Pastoral Heart = Your XP Calling” by David Fletcher. Being in ministry for 35+ years and an XP for 18 of those years, David has insights on the role of the XP and church leaders. What does it take to successfully minister to the needs of a congregation? What do they expect and need from an XP? Be ready to take home some challenges about doing ministry.
5:15 Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We saw scores of people do this last year.

Thursday—February 22, 2017

7:45 Breakfast–a great time to network
8:45 Keynote on “Having a Security Mindset in Your Church.” This isn’t as simple as guns or no guns. Mike Kramer of Brotherhood Mutual will bring years of firsthand experience about case studies on church safety and security. David Fletcher will pose challenging questions on the topic for small group discussion. Brotherhood Mutual is giving to each attendee their $40 book on Church Safety: “The guidebook is a great tool to engage leadership and start the safety and security discussion at your church, as well as a step-by-step manual with instructions on creating a church safety and security team and plan. With more than 20 checklists, sample policies, training scenarios, and a sample plan, you’ll have practical help with a ministry focus.”
9:45 Keynote on “the Pastoral Heart.” What is this thing of shepherding and how does it relate to XPs? Can an XP be all business and no pastoral presence? Some see shepherding as weddings, funerals and pastoral counseling. It is far deeper than that–it is actively bringing the ethic of Jesus’ Kingdom, as laid out in the Sermon on the Mount, to the leadership and management of the church.
11:00 Break for Lunch—Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

“A wild herd of wolves and other critters could not keep us from partnering with the XP-Seminar!”

Brad Leeper, President, Generis

Thanks to our 2018 Sponsors!

We want to thank Generis for their fourteenth year as a sponsor. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

Generis is a church consulting firm passionate about helping ministries of all sizes bridge the gap between vision and resources by engaging the hearts of givers and accelerating generosity. Generis has served over 13,500 churches, helping them raise more than $13.5 billion for Kingdom expansion.

For the twelfth year, we welcome FellowshipOne, the industry’s premier church management software. FellowshipOne streamlines ministry details with the simple approach of aligning people, processes, and technology to maximize ministry efficiency and growth.

With the launch of FellowshipOne Insights, church leaders can have instant visibility into the attendance and giving trends in your church. This analytics tool offers unparalleled visibility into the effectiveness of your ministries. Lead your church into greater accountability based on data-driven analysis of where you are using your resources.

For the twelfth year as a sponsor, we welcome Evangelical Christian Credit Union. ECCU is an alliance of Christian people and organizations committed to fueling Christ-centered ministry worldwide. While their mission extends far beyond banking, they have been providing ministry-centric financial services and resources for over 50 years to churches and their members, missionaries, and many others.

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the twelfth year. GuideStone® is one of the leading providers for retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, they have worked to enhance the security of more than 230,000 individuals and oversee $12 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2017. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the eighth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 45 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America.

HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the seventh year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving nonprofit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed.

Since 1972, the firm has served domestic and international outreach organizations, universities and seminaries, foundations, media ministries, rescue missions, relief and development organizations, churches and denominations, and many others by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security.

With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. CapinCrouse is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA. Learn more at CapinCrouse.com

For the seventh year, we welcome Clark. Clark is the leading provider of custom audio, video, lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change.

Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values.

For the fifth year, we welcome Slingshot.  Slingshot Group partners with the local church and ministry minded non-profits to find and develop next level people through relational search and coaching services.  Founded in 2007 by Stan Endicott and Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group has 40 associates nationwide that serve in the following divisions:  Senior Leadership, Students, Childrens, Worship Arts, and Communications.  What sets Slingshot Group apart is their winsome and relational team who provide innovative solutions that facilitate the work of God on the journey of finding and developing the people you need.

For the fourth year, we welcome Church Community Builder. Church Community Builder is a technology and services company focused on equipping church leaders for better ministry. We exist to give you the tools you need to know, grow, and keep your people—through comprehensive software and church leader coaching. We focus on the tools and processes so you can focus on reaching and empowering your people. Our inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

For the fourth year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. With its mission of Enhancing Trust, ECFA now certifies over 2,100 Christ-centered churches and ministries based on its high standards in financial management, governance and gift administration.

ECFA is also a leading provider of church resources, including the free ChurchEXCEL subscription at ECFA.church.

Check out the XPastor page and free items at ECFA.

For the fourth year, we welcome Worlds of Wow. They create ridiculously cool, fun environments for kids and families! They assist with stage design, theming for various ages and stages, indoor play and any other design idea you may have. They provide original artwork and graphics to bring your ideas to life! With over 13 years experience and more than 600 completed projects, they are the experts when it comes to theming and play. Whether you are a multi-site, a mobile church or just giving your space a whole new look, they know what it takes from the very first conversation as we dream together to the very last nail put into place. WOW loves the creative process of working with you through the development of concepts, characters, elements and stories. It’s just their role to bring your vision to life. Themes are always original, never borrowed from check in, to hallways, to large group rooms, our themes are designed to tell a story and create destinations where kids want to be! 

We welcome for the third year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies.

Brotherhood’s travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

We welcome for the third year, Ziegler. Since their first financing in 1913, Ziegler has become a recognized leader in providing creative, tailored solutions to religious institutions.

Ziegler offers fixed-rate financing for multidenominational churches, religious schools, colleges and universities, and other organizations in the healthcare and senior living sectors. Ziegler is headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S.

We welcome for the second year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. BMWL is a national CPA firm dedicated exclusively to helping churches, Christian ministries, and nonprofit organizations cover their financial bases through professional audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services.  BMWL has a highly experienced and motivated team of professionals, all of whom share a common passion for serving organizations that make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of people.  The BMWL team helps organizations maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strengthen internal controls and financial oversight, improve overall risk management, maximize tax exemptions, protect exempt status, provide board member governance orientation and training, and simplify financial administration.  BMWL is honored to serve clients across the United States.  Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

For the first year, we welcome Visioneering Studios. They are the only nationally-licensed, faith-based design-build firm that specializes in commercial, nonprofit and worship environments. We are not just developers, designers, architects, and builders—we are storytellers.  We come alongside our partners, who lead movements and organizations that have unique stories crafted by a unique people, place, and passion, to be trusted stewards of their story and space.

Our beliefs positively impact the relational nature and integrity of our work. Visioneering Studios’s “look to launch” services include: Real Estate and Development Advisory Services (Visioneering Studios Real Estate), Master Planning, Architecture and Interior Design (Visioneering Studios Architecture), National Construction and Construction Services (Visioneering Studios Construction).

For the first year, we welcome Vanderbloemen Search Group. Vanderbloemen helps churches and ministries build great teams by finding their key staff. Vanderbloemen is an industry leader in executive search for the church, having worked with ministries in nearly every state and several countries. God has uniquely called and positioned your church to do what only you can do, and having the right team members in the right roles is vital to fulfilling that calling. From finding the right worship leaders to children’s ministers and senior pastors, Vanderbloemen helps discover your church’s DNA and then conducts a nationwide search for whom God is calling to your church. Whether you’re planning your next hire, reorganizing your staff, analyzing your compensation structure, or need help with succession planning, build your best ministry team with Vanderbloemen.

2018 Promotional Sponsors

We welcome Leadership Network for the thirteenth year, www.leadnet.org. Leadership Network’s role is to foster innovation movements that activate the Church to greater impact for the Glory of God’s name. What began in 1984 with 20 leaders now serves over 200,000 leaders all over the world.

Our programs work with entrepreneurial innovators—leaders starting and doing new things. We focus on the practical parts of ministry action. We use what we call a “peer protocol” which means that our approach is to put leaders with leaders and let them learn from one another.

We work with multiple innovations—such as multisite, city impact and generosity—and multiple leaders—including senior pastors, executive pastors and campus pastors—using multiple models and approaches. We help the church teams move from ideas to implementation to impact. Learn more about the programs offered at leadnet.org/programs

We welcome Christianity Today for the fifth year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the 2018 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

For the third year, we welcome the Historic Agency as a sponsor. Historic doesn’t call itself a marketing agency because they want to do more than just move product and grow numbers. They want to tell lasting stories.

With over five decades of experience, their team provides a suite of expert services fit to meet your unique needs. Whether you’re investing in brand & identity, communication strategy, assessments & coaching, or all things creative, they’ll align your short-term solutions with long-term strategy. “Let’s create something Historic together.”

Special thanks to the Historic Agency for their design and production of the XP-Seminar notebook–their excellence, creative design and attention to detail is readily apparent!

Workshops

Most workshops will be offered twice. No pre-registration for the workshops is necessary–but it is advised to get to the room as soon as possible as some rooms fill up fast.

Thanks again for the conference. Thanks for the privilege (and I mean that term, privilege) of sharing a slice of life from my experience with the conference participants. You continue to provide a necessary, stimulating, and exciting energy to many of us in ministry.

–Paul Utnage, XP of Catalina Foothills Church, Tucson, Arizona

Workshops on “Business Brains”

Basics of Tax Compliance

All XPs need help with the basics of tax compliance for churches.  Mike and BMWL have compiled excellent materials on this vital topic. This will cover the basics of federal tax compliance for churches. They have such a wealth of experience that this workshop will be done in two parts, back to back.

This workshop will be led by Mike Batts. Mike is the president and managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, a CPA firm dedicated exclusively to helping churches, Christian ministries, and other nonprofit organizations cover their financial bases through professional audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services. Mike has more than 30 years of experience serving churches and ministries in a variety of ways. He advises churches on matters related to board governance, financial reporting, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and related topics. Mike recently co-authored, together with attorney and CPA Richard Hammar, the book Church Finance, published by Christianity Today. Church Finance has become the “go-to” reference in America providing practical guidance for church financial administration.

Building a Vision-Centered Staff

This workshop is both ‘business’ and ‘ministry.’ It often feels like everyone on staff is running in different directions. Work is duplicated, ministry opportunities are overlooked and communication is a mess. Silos form to solve the problems, but can complicate ministry. As an XP, your role as a staff leader is crucial to eliminating these distractions and uniting your team with one central purpose. At Northside, recently we have been intentionally seeking to unite our staff with our vision, becoming disciples who are making disciples. It has been a slow, sometimes bumpy ride, but so worth every investment. If you are interested in creating or honing a workplace that starts as vision-centered, this workshop will be a great discussion.

Julie Eastman is the Executive Minister at Northside Christian Church. With a Masters in Administration degree, she works closely with their Lead Pastor to develop the overall leadership and direction of the church staff in order to carry out its God-given vision of becoming disciples who are making disciples. Her role also includes assessing current church health, the development of strategic planning, goal and budget setting, with an eye on overall staff operations. One of her favorite parts of the role is the opportunity to act as a catalyst in the formation of needed teams and ministries to carry out their vision.

Executive Pastor 101

Reviewing the basics of the XP role is a good idea for seasoned veterans and newbies alike. Question Zero from the Harvard Business School is one good place to begin: “What exactly are we trying to accomplish here?” There are a lot of things to master, but not many people to ask. In this session, we will dialogue together about the role. We’ll talk through the best areas on which to focus, common pitfalls and practical resources for XPs. Don’t expect a lecture from David but his synthesis with you on the salient issues that face XPs today.

Architect and Pastor Alliances

Bruce Woody will share what a great alliance of architect and pastor can look like. Their credo says it all—“We Believe, We Serve, We Create.” When you are looking for an architect, what are the guidelines that you will need? How can you build a relationship working towards a common goal? The keys are removing barriers, opening pathways to connecting, and setting the ministry up with Strategic Positioning towards growth.

Bruce is the President and CEO of HH Architects. Based in Dallas, this architecture and planning firm has done work around the country. This award winning firm has a commitment to quality and thorough understanding of planning for growth. It has attracted a wide range of clients with needs on both a small and large scale. For 45 years, they have provided Architectural, Interior Design, Strategic Positioning and Master Planning services to clients ranging from churches to municipal entities to schools to corporate buildings. They approach projects from the client’s perspective. Building upon your image and identity, they strive for creative solutions that meet the project’s scope, schedule, and budget. They have developed an expertise in designing to a highly complex set of requirements and constraints, and through this process, they provide the facility that meets and exceeds all of the owner’s expectations.

Pulse on Capitol Hill

With all that’s happening on Capitol Hill these days, who has time to keep up? This informative ECFA workshop will highlight the most significant changes impacting churches, from recent tax and legislative developments to charitable giving trends, judicial activities affecting religious freedom, and other areas of interest.

David Fletcher heard Dan Busby give a “Pulse” in March 2017 … it was an enthralling 45 minutes. Bring your questions for some discussion after Dan and Michael’s presentation.

Dan Busby is the president of ECFA, an organization that accredits Christ-centered ministries in the areas of governance, financial management and stewardship/fundraising. ECFA’s seal enhances trust of givers, which increases generosity, providing greater resources to help fulfill the Great Commission. ECFA accredits over 2,200 churches and nonprofits. These organizations have annual revenue of nearly $26 billion, receiving charitable contributions of nearly $17 billion. Dan has over forty years of experience serving the Christ-centered church and nonprofit community and frequently speaks nationally on related issues. He is a prolific writer with 55 volumes of five book titles published including a 2015 release, TRUST: The Firm Foundation for Kingdom Fruitfulness. His latest book,co-authored with John Pearson, Lessons From the Nonprofit Boardroom, a 2017 release. Dan received a masters of business administration degree from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas. The University also named him as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2014. Dan served as a member of the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, a national legislative advisory commission convened to address legislative proposals for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Times named him as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Leaders from 2010-2015.

Michael Martin serves as ECFA’s vice president and legal counsel—and a newly minted CPA. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in government, summa cum laude, from Oral Roberts University and a juris doctor from Regent University School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Regent University Law Review. Michael is passionate about helping churches and ministries with legal and tax-related issues and compliance with ECFA standards. In addition to authoring and reviewing articles and other resources featured in ECFA publications, he assists with member compliance and leads ECFA’s church initiative. Beginning with the 2013 edition, Michael co-authored the Zondervan Minister’s Tax & Financial Guide and the Zondervan Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide with ECFA President Dan Busby and ECFA Executive Vice President John Van Drunen.

How Risk Management and Internal Controls can Improve Performance

There are two often hidden issues at a church—risk management and internal controls. Both are vital and need your attention. Using the COSO Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Control frameworks, this workshop will explore how well-designed and implemented risk management and internal control processes lead to improved operational performance and governance.

Rob serves as Partner and Church and Denomination Services Director at CapinCrouse. He has more than 35 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 previously served with a Big Six accounting firm, where he was the lead manager on the project that developed the COSO Internal Control framework. Rob holds a MA in Ministry Management from Azusa Pacific University Graduate School of Theology.

Leveraging Technology to Know, Grow, and Keep Your People

Shannon Neely

The people in your church matter. Your ministry is about more than managing data – it’s about connecting with your people and helping them connect with each other, so they can grow in their faith.  Join us as we discuss using the power of technology to build community, engage people, and help grow disciples.  In our time together you will learn how you can:

  • Know first-time guests and stay connected with fully engaged members
  • Provide opportunities for people to connect with each other and grow deeper in their faith
  • Follow up with people so they feel valued and keep coming back to your church

Shannon Neely has been advancing the local church through Church Community Builder for the last five years, where she serves both churches and denominations. Shannon is often a speaker on behalf of Church Community Builder at various national conferences and seminars. Prior to joining the ChMS team, she was leveraging technology to develop brand management and online marketing campaigns for various companies. Her paths have always involved furthering the church in some capacity through church planting, worship leading, mentoring young women, commencing homeless outreach of college students in Santa Cruz, lay counseling for grief and loss sufferers, serving high school and college populations, and employing short-term missions to Mexico, Germany, and Chile. And now, she enlists all her experiences to encourage the church to engage technology in order to follow Christ’s command to “go and make disciples.” She is passionate about Jesus, His church, and her local church, Rock Harbor in Bakersfield, California, where she is involved in mentoring junior high and high school girls and playing the keys every Sunday morning on the worship team.

Retirement Planning for your Staff

Jeff Robinson

Thirty years ago, most workers retired with a traditional pension plan. Employers managed everything. Employees made no decisions, but retired with a set amount of money. The rise of 403(b) and 401(k) retirement plans in the 1980s and 1990s shifted responsibility from employers to employees. This workshop will help you think through the different options out there as you consider what would best benefit your employees in their retirement years.

Jeff Robinson joined GuideStone in 2002. His background includes 29 years in the financial services area. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. His professional credentials include: the CFP®; CLU; ChFC; CEBS; FLMI; and the Series 6, 7, 26 and 63 investment registrations.

How To Establish Your Staff Values & Build A Winning Team Culture

Building a winning team culture is hard work, but it’s crucial to retaining a high capacity church staff. The foundation to a winning culture is establishing staff values that unify your team. They are more than words in an employee handbook – they guide the daily rhythms of your team. In this session, you will learn how to establish your staff’s values, develop leaders, and build a winning culture where staff and volunteers are lining up to get on board.

William is an entrepreneur, pastor, speaker, author, and CEO/Founder of Vanderbloemen Search Group. He is a regular contributor to both Forbes and Fortune. William has combined over 15 years of 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. Vanderbloemen Search Group has served over 800 churches since its founding eight years ago, has grown to thirty-five full-time employees, and has won several company culture awards.

William has written: Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (2014), Search : The Pastor Search Committee Handbook (2016) and Culture Wins: The Roadmap to an Irresistible Workplace (March 2018).

21st Century Giving: How to Use Technology to Fuel Church Growth

Gary Kehr

Tom Mays

As a successful XP, you should not only understand your giving trends, but all of the tools available to grow top-line revenue. Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of electronic giving, including how it is priced, the advantages and disadvantages of “flat rate” pricing models, how to use it both to reach millennials and existing givers, how to automate your giving, and how to better incorporate social media platforms. Additionally, we will present an overview on how to use that giving to prepare for your next expansion. If you are considering buying a property, refinancing existing debt, or even embarking in a building project, we will show you what lenders are looking for, how to prepare your ministry for those expectations, and what to expect when applying for a loan in today’s changing market.

This workshop will be brought by Gary Kehr, Regional Director Lending, and Tom Mays, both with Associate Vice President, both with the Evangelical Christian Credit Union.

Communication Strategies that Shape Culture and Grow the Church

Ted Vaughn

Communicating in an effective and compelling manner has never been more important to sustainably growing your church and shaping a healthy culture. From your digital presence to the print collateral you distribute, intentionally connecting the right message to the right people at the right time is critical to ensuring your voice not become white-noise and be pushed into the background. In this session, we’ll review the fundamentals of a good brand and communication strategy and consider innovative new solutions and best practices that make communicating with excellence more possible (and affordable) than you might think.  From social media to storytelling, come learn strategies and solutions that can take your brand and communication to new levels of excellence and impact.

After 22 years of local church leadership, Ted serves multiple congregations in America, Africa, and the UK as a consultant and strategic advisor in areas of brand, vision, strategy, and organizational alignment.  His most recent staff position (2009 – 2014) was as Chief Creative Officer for the Rock Church in San Diego, CA, a young, urban, and forward-thinking church of roughly 16,000 weekly worshippers.  With an additional 14-years of leadership experience in mainline denominations, Ted has unique insight and passion for the local church of all stripes and sizes.  Today Ted coaches vision clarity, strategic planning, and organizational alignment through Leadership Capital and is a partner in Historic Agency helping churches and non-profits grow their brand and digital communication strategies.

Christianity Today Forum

This invitation-only forum will discuss key topics of church ministry. Rob is a Publisher at Christianity Today, overseeing its Church Law & Tax, Small Groups and Christian Bible Studies brands. He has 15 years of experience in brand strategy and content development and 8 years of pastoral roles at Park Community Church and MissioDei in Chicago.

Workshops on “Pastoral Heart”

Developing Elders

Phil Taylor is the XP of Mosaic Church and is a frequent part of XPastor.  He has just released Eldership Development: From Application To Affirmation. What does it take to develop the next group of elders for your church? This workshop will show you the actual process that one church uses to develop their elders over a two year period. Think of it like a case-study. You’ll see the prerequisites and the application that potential elders fill out, and even the questions asked during the interviews. You’ll get an in-depth look at the two-year process, all the way to the final moment when you affirm the new elder on stage in a gathering. Phil will explain from experience why he made the decisions he made on everything from book assignments to awkward questions in an application.

Also, Phil has also written Defining The Executive Pastor Role and more in his Backstage Pastor Series of books are in the hopper. Phil has served the church for over twenty years. He is passionate about bringing vision into reality and has spent the last eleven years serving alongside of gifted communicator-visionary Lead Pastors of Acts 29 Network churches in New York and now Florida. He serves as the Executive Pastor of Leadership and Development at Mosaic, a multi-site church in West Orlando and at Walt Disney World. He is passionate about serving the XP community around the world through writing, speaking and coaching.

Church Analytics

This workshop will focus on what your giving data says about you and your church. Let’s examine what that data means and what to do about it. Like a properly designed medical test, understanding what to look for in your church giving patterns can reveal hidden insights into how your giving flows and does not flow. Using real data from churches, we will examine data points rarely looked at by church leaders. Good news: whatever that data might be, you can take steps to elevate the giving direction by year’s end.

Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Forum for Churches Under 2,000 in Worship

Mike McDonough

This forum will be for XPs in churches with under 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs. Executive Pastor Mike McDonough will lead the discussion.

Forum for Churches Over 2,000 in Worship

This forum will be for XPs in churches with over 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

Nick Smith is the Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey, where he assists pastor/teacher Bishop David G. Evans. This is a dynamic church with mega-thousands of worshippers. Nick brings pastoral warmth to his staff and leadership style. He is one of our favorites! There are always great take-aways with Nick.

Make Your Church the Primary Giving Destination of More Givers

In an increasingly complex giving environment, churches battle factors that constantly reinforce not to give to a church. This workshop will cover not only the mounting pressures but will give you practical skills to overcome the threats. You will know how to make the complex simple. Turn threats into strengths to have your church as the primary giving destination–not just one of many.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Maximize

You’ve heard the adage: strengthen the culture and effectiveness of your staff for a variety of reasons—reasons that don’t need to be repeated because they’ve been rehashed dozens of times. Yet can you maximize—not just strengthen—the effectiveness of your staff during seasons of change, whether small or great change? The answer is, absolutely yes. Change does not need to diminish effectiveness. Aim to maximize. In this workshop, learn to implement four crucial skills that maximize the immediate impact of staff members’ leadership upon your church ministry.

Paul has been an XP and SP, serving in ministry for decades. He has served with some of the most noted pastors in the nation. Paul has been a noted contributor to the XPastor world, giving mentoring to many upcoming XPs. Currently he is the XP of Catalina Foothills Church in Tucson, Arizona and earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Seminary.

Mentoring Your Staff

Mentor your staff and help them move their lives and leadership forward—helping them strengthen their gifts, talents and abilities while keeping balance in their lives.

Dr. Nathan Baxter, founder of Lead Self Lead Others has been leading teams and helping people move their stories forward for over twenty years. Before starting his Executive Coaching career, he served for 28 years in full time ministry, filling the roles of Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

Multi-Site Strategies

It seems every church is going multi-site these days, so shouldn’t you? To quote Lee Corso, ESPN’s college football prognosticator, “Not so fast, my friend!” Multi-site is a strategy and a tool, but not a magic bullet for church growth. In fact, if done incorrectly, it can be harmful to your church. So, what is the purpose of a multi-site location? When, Where, and Why should I launch a multi-site? What role should contextualization and demographics play in selecting a multi-site location? This workshop will discuss general trends, provide insights into what gives a multi-site the best chance for success, and highlight potential pitfalls.

Jody Forehand, MBA, LEED AP, DBIA, is President of Visioneering Studios Real Estate. Jody has been working with churches nationwide since 2003 helping them with development advisory services, real estate consulting, and coordinating the design and construction of everything from multi-site tenant improvement projects in repurposed retail locations to new ground-up campuses on greenfield sites. Jody also holds general contractor’s licenses in several states and a real estate brokers license in North Carolina.

Rowing in the Same Direction

As leaders, we understand the crucial importance of leading a team that’s rowing in the same direction, with everyone on the same page. Do the ministries on your team determine their own vision, language and ministry plan, or do you have a shared ministry plan that answers not only the “why we do ministry” question (mission statement), but also the “how we do ministry” question?  Not having a united mission and plan leads to confusion among your staff and within your church. A shared ministry plan, on the other hand, provides clarity and simplicity as your church seeks to carry out the mission Jesus gave us. Developing a shared plan can revolutionize your team and ministry effectiveness, while providing a great measuring tool for accountability. This seminar offers practical steps to help you create a unified team rowing together in the same direction.

Dave Brandolini is the Executive Pastor at Austin Ridge Bible Church, in Austin, Texas. He brings 14 years of XP experience to his role, which began at Christ Community Chapel in Hudson, Ohio. Prior to that, Dave served 18 years as a student ministries pastor. He loves working alongside his lead pastor to shape the vision and philosophy of Austin Ridge, and helping teams to row in the same direction is his passion.

Tune Up Your Small Groups Program

This workshop is based on “Lessons Learned From A Study of Hundreds of Church Small Groups.” Over the past year, Dr. Ryan Hartwig, a professor from Azusa Pacific University and author of Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership, has led a research team studying church small group ministry philosophies and practices, and what thriving small groups do and don’t do. Combing through a rich data set, Ryan and his research team have learned what’s really happening in small groups across the country, what differentiates thriving groups from those that struggle, and what support group leaders need as they seek to lead transformational small groups.

Ryan will offer a sneak peek into his team’s research findings and share implications for pastors and leaders, and those who architect and direct small group ministries. Learn data-driven, practical tips you can implement right away to take your small group ministry to the next level of health and effectiveness.

The XP During a Senior Pastor Transition

The Executive Pastor role is dynamic, rarely the same from one season to the next. Few changes are bigger or more unsettling than a transition in lead/senior pastors. In this workshop, we will look at ways that the XP role changes during and after a pastoral transition. We’ll explore some of the things to do and to avoid and whether it is possible to remain as XP after a transition.

Mike Bonem is an author, consultant, speaker, church leader, businessperson, husband and father. He loves to help ministries and their leaders grow in effectiveness to reach their God-given potential. Mike’s books include Thriving in the Second Chair, In Pursuit of Great and Godly Leadership and Leading from the Second Chair. He has spoken across the country and internationally on topics related to ministry leadership and congregational effectiveness. Mike has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a breadth of experience in ministry and business, including 11 years as an executive pastor, consulting with Fortune 100 companies, and leading a start-up business. More information is available at www.MikeBonem.com.

Ministry Planning … Does It Really Matter?

We know that without vision people and ministry perish and that a vision, without a strategy or plan is just a dream. Join us as we look at how to design and implement a ministry planning process that will serve as a blueprint to help the ministries at your church think differently and create a “bigger” and “better” way of executing ministry in the preferable future. Our time will focus on designing a ministry planning process and schedule, integrating the churches vision, mission and values into the life of every ministry, building a culture of accountability and synergy to outcomes, designing a ministry planning retreat, implementing standards of excellence within the organization and providing you with several tools to implement great ministry planning in your church.

Chris is a Lead Associate with Slingshot Group, where he focuses on helping Kingdom-minded leaders and organizations thrive. Chris is a strategic thinker, project specialist and experienced leader. His passion is to help leaders and churches move forward by maximizing their focus, clarity and performance. Chris worked for 17 years as a Pastor and Champion of several ministries at Mariners Church in Irvine, California. Chris and his team at Slingshot leverage their relationships and experience to deliver expert staffing and coaching focused on helping churches find clarity at the senior leadership and multisite level. Chris also serves as the Executive Catalyst for Mission Orange County, which exists to Mobilize and multiply churches in Orange County to collaborate within their cities to impact every man, woman and child with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The New XP

What is needed in the first 90 days, the first six months and the first year of being an XP? There are special challenges when entering the role. Are you ready or in the midst of it already? Some new XPs have been in their church for years and enter the role. Others move to the city and become the XP. Still others transition from business to ministry life.

Craig McLain is the Executive Pastor of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota–an active and growing non-denominational church of over 5,000 members and attendees with two campuses in the Southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. He works closely with the Senior Pastor to define and deliver organizational leadership and vision for Grace Church while leading the efforts of staff to accomplish the church’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities. Professionally, Craig has an extended background in both the public and private business sectors. Most recently, he served as the Vice President of Global Business Development for a medical device company. Prior to that he was one of the founding executives of a company that provides innovative technologies to the Life Science industry. Craig has just finished his “first year” and has plenty of stories to share and lessons learned.

Focus Discussion on Small Groups

This invitation-only forum will discuss key topics about Small Group Ministry in local churches. Ryan is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Azusa Pacific University, an evangelical university near Los Angeles with over 10,000 students. He teaches group, organizational, and leadership communication courses, and his engaged scholarship, training, and consulting work aims to help nonprofits and churches thoughtfully leverage effective group and organizational communication practices, processes, and structures to fulfill their missions.

How to Be a Better Coach to Your Staff and Volunteer Leaders

Pre-Seminar Special with Dr. Nathan Baxter
Tuesday, February 20, 1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

We all know that one of our key roles is coaching our leaders towards higher levels of effectiveness. But not all coaching results in change and that can be frustrating. Why not learn from an expert?

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring this coaching resource to the 2017 XP-Seminar.

What you will learn

  • How to create customized coaching templates to fit your ministry culture.
  • The latest research that identifies the key components for healthy leadership cultures.
  • Practical tips for using assessments to develop your leaders.

And

  • How to structure 20 minute coaching conversations that bring the best results.
  • Best practices for holding leaders accountable.
  • The 10 Commandments of Coaching

Before the workshop

A reading list will be provided as an option for those that want to take a deeper look into leadership coaching.

About Dr. Baxter

Nathan is a former XP and SP and now is an executive leadership coach. Every month, both corporate and ministry leaders from around the country fly to Tulsa for a two-day private coaching session with him.

In 2008, Dr. Baxter founded Lead Self Lead Others and has coached with over 3,300 people—from CEOs to pastors to physicians. Also, he has recruited and trained five Leadership Coaches who work with him to meet the demand for his services.

Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

I had reached a point of frustration in not knowing the next step in my personal leadership development and he helped me bridge that frustration gap and send me on my way into the next season of my journey. Each session and contact was like connecting with a friend.

Jim Kuykendall, Executive Pastor

Dr. Baxter Has Coached …

Nathan has all the necessary tools and experience to meet you where you are, to speak your language quickly and, in a disciplined manner, guide you towards your objectives.

Doug Welsh, President, Strategic Sales Planning, Cincinnati, Ohio

Non Profit Organizations

  • John Sharp, Regional Director, Young Life, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dave Jewitt, Founder/Director, Your One Degree, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Adam Donyes, Founder/Director, LinkYear Kanakuk, Branson, Missouri
  • Dr. David Fletcher, Founder/Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Chris King, Founder, GPS Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dr. Scott Barfoot, Director of DMin Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Eric Hill, Founder/Director, Withyou, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jeff Anderson, Founder, Acceptable Gift, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. Baxter cares genuinely about helping people. He does what it takes to help folks understand and use the tools to find their way. As a result I have more focus in my life. The tools he uses and the approach he takes are better than many other similar consultants.

Randy Welsch, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ministry Leaders

  • Micah Davidson, Lead Pastor, Real Life Fellowship, Corpus Christi/Austin, Texas
  • Toby Slough, Lead Pastor, Crosstimbers Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dwight Yoder, Executive Pastor, Asbury Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Eric Bryan, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Fred Neal, Executive Pastor, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • Marc Evanger, Elder, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Keith Duff, Elder, Village Bible Church, Chicago, Illinois
  • Matt Roberson, Campus Pastor, The Met, Houston, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Terry Langenberg, Executive Pastor, New Beginnings Church, Bixby, Oklahoma
  • Thomas Thompson, Lead Pastor, Pulpit Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Tom Messer, Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Nathan knows what he is doing and does it well. He has good insight and recommends realistic behaviors to improve performance.

John Urbin, Business Unit Manager, Linde Process Plants, Inc.

Executives

  • Bob Skaggs, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Agency, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dustin Parker, President, Box Insurance Agency, Grapevine, Texas
  • Aaron Shelby, Executive Vice President, Legacy Texas Bank, Plano, Texas
  • Paul Fredette, President, Legacy Texas Insurance Services, Plano, Texas
  • Brandt Hamby, Managing Partner, Six Pillars Partners, Addison, Texas
  • Chris Cadeiux, Board Member, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Chuck McDaniel, President, Lockton Insurance, Denver, Colorado
  • Dwight Mankin, President, NCN, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Greer, Owner/Director, Ironman Buffalo Springs Lake, Lubbock, Texas
  • Mike Loomis, Owner, Loomis Consulting, Winter Park, Colorado
  • Ron Decker, Founder/President, Innovative Health Care Systems, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Ronnie Dunn, Client Partner, MicroStrategy, Dallas, Texas
  • Sean Kouplen, President, Regent Bank, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Hank Coleman, President, TriggerPoint, Austin, Texas
  • Dan Peckenpaugh, MD, President, HEB Emergicare, P.A., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
  • Rob Kenagy, MD, Senior Vice President, St. John Health Network, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Tom Ellis, Vice President/Partner, MHBT (Commercial Insurance), Dallas, Texas
  • 32 National Sales Directors, 25 Top Sales Directors, Mary Kay Cosmetics

Dr. Baxter’s coaching has allowed me to take my strengths, understand them and ultimately begin to incorporate them into my ever changing role as CEO. Working with Dr. Baxter is worth the investment because we have seen results in effectiveness in communication, efficiency in decision making.

Ron Decker, CEO, Innovative Healthcare Systems, Inc., Edmond, Oklahoma

Pre-Seminar Event

Generosity—
Unveiling the Mystery of Your Church’s Donors

With Brad Leeper

Tuesday, February 20, 2:00-4:30 pm

Limited attendance.

Enroll in the Generosity Workshop and receive for free the XPastor Online Course “MS202–Generosity.”

Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Getting mad? How do you shut the back door and how do we emphasize the front door? Are you attracting new donors? This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Most of Us Have Assumptions

Brad Leeper will lead the workshop. He is the President and Principal at Generis, a team of coaches that accelerates generosity toward God-inspired vision. Brad works with churches across the country, and now internationally, to increase everyday church giving, project giving and legacy giving.

Imagine seeing a new perspective on your church’s financial health. See your church in a readable, understandable and helpful format. This is a must for your next steps of your church.

The Generosity Workshop will be held on Thursday, February 20 from 2:00-4:30 pm., right before the XP-Seminar. This is the place to get a handle on your church’s financial health.

This workshop will give you plenty of data to work with, in an eminently understandable format. Generis is just releasing a diagnostic tool and is offering free use of it for the workshop. This includes a 3-page summary report. Plus, you can talk through your report at the workshop and receive more personalized discussion in person or by phone.

Get a numerical analysis of:

    • People giving above a strategic amount
    • Lapsed donors
    • Banding of key donation levels … and much more.

Requirements:

    • Must have Church Community Builder (other software platforms to follow).
    • Attend the Coaching Workshop before the XP-Seminar.
    • Data analysis needs to be begun 14 days before the XP-Seminar.

Get expert advice from national leaders! Enroll today!

What You Need to Know

Suppose you see that giving is up ten percent. Is that more donations per attendee or more donors?

Knowing your metrics tells you where you are, where you are going and measures how you are doing getting there.

With a ten percent increase in donations, how many of those were new donors? Are you attracting new donors?

Increase your giving without requiring a capital campaign.

Even with a ten percent increase in donations, how many donors stopped giving? Are they still attending? When do people stop giving and how much later do they typically leave your church?

  • Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Did they leave mad?
  • How do you shut the back door and how can you emphasize the front door?
  • Are you attracting new donors?

This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Ministry Fund

Are giving increases a result of a growing donor constituent base or are you pressing into a small portion of donors to make budget growth? Learn why one is sustainable while the other is short lived.

Connecting and Growing First Time Donors

First time visitors are great!  However, are you able to on-board them as donors? Are you able to assimilate them into the fabric of the ministry? If not, learn why weekend attendance growth can be a false positive for healthy ministry growth.

Donor Churn

New faces in church are great, but what is the financial impact of losing the old ones? Minimizing donor churn can supercharge weekend attendance and annual giving growth. Monitoring donor trends is one way to surface ministry opportunities. Rule based push reporting can increase your ministry efficiency and connect with those that need pastoral care.

2017 XP-Seminar2021-10-25T09:05:28-05:00

The 2017 XP-Seminar was a sold out success …

We limit attendance to 200 people, so that we are a “tribe” not a “town.”
This enables everyone to talk to our distinguished speakers and have a sense of the XP-Community.

Dr. Thom Rainer

Dr. Thom Rainer

Our Featured Guest

Dr. Thom Rainer

Electric Leadership

Our featured guest this year is the renowned thinker, writer and church leader, Dr. Thom Rainer. You have undoubtedly read some of his 26 books, several of which are featured on our free book table (did you know that every attendee gets two free books at the Seminar?)

Thom serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, a 5,000 employee organization headquartered in Nashville. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he received his degree in business administration. He received his M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary, where he served as Dean for twelve years.

Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. This will be an unforgettable time with Thom.

Featured Speakers

6 Legal Issues a Church Should Consider Before Building, Even 7

David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony are with The Church Law Group. Every year they bring imperative topics from the field of law, HR, safety, fiduciary responsibility and more. This will be a growing time and invariably you will take away homework and a full to-do list. There are so many “aha moments” with David and Matt. They are electrifying!

6 Parts of the Biblical Basis and Role of the XP, Even 7

Is this role grounded in Scripture? We don’t find the title “XP” there but certainly see strong leaders in similar functions. What are the elements of the XP role? David Fletcher has been a pastor for over thirty years, taught pastors at three seminaries and founded XPastor to help you be the best you can be. Catch some of David’s electric energy about the XP role.

6 Vital Aspects of the XP-SP Relationship, Even 7

Mike Bonem wrote Leading from the Second Chair, Leading Congregational Change, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership, and the newly released, Thriving in the Second Chair.  He brings experience from his XP role and now as a consultant to churches across the states.

6 Keys For the Soul of the XP, Even 7

Phil Taylor is the XP of Mosaic Church and is a frequent part of XPastor.  He has written Defining The Executive Pastor Role and has a series of books on the XP in the hopper. What do you do when you feel dry and your soul is withering? Leading a church can be 24/7 but it needs balance and spiritual refreshment. Phil will bring power to your soul so you can continue strong in ministry.

6 Ways to Build Up Ministry, Even 7

Darrell Owens is the Lead Pastor at Christ the Rock Community Church. He has worked with an inner city ministry to youth, as an international trainer for Promise Keepers and alongside two pastors leading large congregations. In our Short Ride, Darrell will share his experience and convictions regarding the Pastor Function in the XP role.

19 Workshops by Noted Leaders

Dan Busby—Questions Every XP Should Regularly Ask a Finance Team

Dan Reiland—Essentials to Strengthen the XP and Senior Pastor Partnership

Mike Batts—Effective Church Financial Oversight

Dr. Warren Bird—Learning from the Nation’s Best Internship Programs

Brad Leeper—How to Make Your Church the Primary Giving Destination of More Givers

… and many more

Why Come?

Gene Getz
Pastor and Author of 60+ Books

David Fletcher has been helping Executive Pastors for over a decade through XPastor.org. I love what he is doing through the keynotes and workshops—and I had a great time a couple of years ago when I was a speaker. To learn and grow, this is a fantastic place.

I’ve also seen first hand the results of his own leadership where he serves at the local church level and in helping train leaders in cross-cultural situations—which has added to his ability to structure a dynamic learning environment regardless of the societal factors. Don’t miss this opportunity!!

Clint Smith
XP of NORTH Church

The XP-Seminar has had a huge impact on my leadership and development as a person, as well as an executive pastor. Years ago, when I began the journey as an XP in my late twenties, it provided the networking, mentoring and insight that I needed to grow in this demanding role. I continue to attend the Seminar to increase my knowledge in church law, HR, staff development, budgeting and so much more. The relationships I have built through XPastor grow every time I attend. I believe in this seminar and what it represents and would love to give back any way I can.

Tim Samuel
CFO of Bridgeway Church

The Seminar enables me to create future opportunities. Daniel Rolfe’s talk last year helped shape my year. It connects me with church leaders from around the country so that I can innovate and save money for my local church.

Eddie Park
Assistant XP, EvFree Fullerton

At the seminar, I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided by David Fletcher, the speakers, and participants. 

The Annual Event

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers.

Now in its 13th year, the XP-Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions together.

Why XPastor?

XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches, both coast-to-coast and around the world.

XPastor.org has hundreds of free, insightful online articles and annually receives hundreds of thousands of visits.

XPastor’s online courses provide training to grow as a church leader. Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Grow with Friends

Meet peers from similarly-sized churches. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you. We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity.

Get cognitive input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We always bring in outstanding national leaders. Just to name a few of our past speakers: Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin and Dr. John Townsend.

Short Ride

short-ride

The short ride is our live case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. In the XP role, there are the executive and pastoral functions. This year we will examine some of the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story will show you how one pastor is doing just that. Tap into some power here. Horse not provided.

Workshops

DSCN1845
On each afternoon, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Location

Hilton-Dallas-Park-Cities-photos-Exterior-Hotel-Exterior
Our 12th year at the Hilton Dallas/Park Cities! Enjoy a special rate at the Hilton. The special rate will be available until January 30, 2017 or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. Guests wishing to arrive early or stay late may do so, based on availability.

Click here for the special XPastor room rate at the Hilton.

What 6 Attendees Say, Even 7

6 things even 7 300“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”

“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”

“A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.”

“I love that the conference is small. I liked the clarity I received regarding, What I should do as a new XP?” —attendance limited to 200 people—

“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial. The Open Forum Workshop was great. It’s so helpful to dialogue and process out loud with other XPs.”

“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”

“I appreciated hearing from two Senior Pastors regarding their partnerships with their XPs. And, it was great to hear from David, Mike and Paul about navigating challenges. Those kinds of stories are unique in seminars where typically it’s all success.”

Learn how to better lead and manage your church

seminar panorama

Thanks to our 2017 Sponsors!

We want to thank Generis for their thirteenth year as a sponsor. Generis has worked with more than 2,000 churches over the past 25 years, during which they have helped raise over $5 billion. They are experts when it comes to capital campaigns, fund-raising, and creating a generous culture within your congregation. Generis’ team of highly experienced consultants meets churches where they are and partners with them to create a strategy unique to their culture in order to fund their God-sized visions. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

We are very pleased that MinisterSearch is joining us for the thirteenth year. Many of you have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XPastor Seminars and events. MinisterSearch is the most experienced and successful pastoral search firm in the country. During their 15 years leading hundreds of pastoral searches, MinisterSearch has developed an unparalleled process that helps churches to identify their specific needs, to find candidates that they otherwise could not find, and to clearly discern who the right candidate is. David Lyons says, “We have spent years developing a very in-depth process that helps churches find the right candidates–who stick. We identify more than 100 different points about the church and candidate that need to align. If they don’t, we continue searching.”

For the eleventh year, we welcome Fellowship One, which partners with more than 4,000 ministries and 83 of Outreach Magazine’s Top 100 Largest and Fastest Growing Churches. The industry’s premier church management software, Fellowship One enables ministry leaders to offer exceptional member care and engage their communities. New this year, the exclusive patent pending technology used by Fellowship One Giving is transforming donation management. Join their free webinar to learn more at www.fellowshipone.com/giving.

For the eleventh year as a sponsor, we welcome Evangelical Christian Credit Union. ECCU is an alliance of Christian people and organizations committed to fueling Christ-centered ministry worldwide. While their mission extends far beyond banking, they have been providing ministry-centric financial services and resources for over 50 years to churches and their members, missionaries, and many others.

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the eleventh year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 219,000 individuals and reported $10.1 billion in assets as of December 31, 2015. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the eighth year, we welcome The Church Law Group, a practice division of Anthony & Middlebrook, P.C. that focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith based organizations and their leaders throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.

For the seventh year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For 45 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches and schools on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the sixth year, we welcome Clark. Clark (formerly Clark ProMedia) is the leading provider of custom audio, video and lighting (AVL) solutions for churches. Clark’s mission is to help you communicate your story, personally connect with your audience and inspire change. Twenty years of experience enables Clark to partner with your organization, transforming your environment into a space that uniquely reflects your core values. We welcome co-founder Houston Clark.

For the sixth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving not-for-profit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed. Since 1972, the firm has served mission-focused not-for-profit organizations, churches, and higher education institutions by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. Learn more at capincrouse.com

For the fourth year, we welcome Slingshot.  Slingshot Group partners with the local church and ministry minded non-profits to find and develop next level people through relational search and coaching services.  Founded in 2007 by Stan Endicott and Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group has 40 associates nationwide that serve in the following divisions:  Senior Leadership, Students, Childrens, Worship Arts, and Communications.  What sets Slingshot Group apart is their winsome and relational team who provide innovative solutions that facilitate the work of God on the journey of finding and developing the people you need.

For the third year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. ECFA enhances trust in Christ-centered churches and ministries by establishing and applying Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™ with its members. Founded in 1979, ECFA’s membership includes 40 of the 100 largest churches in the U.S. plus many other leading churches that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, transparency, stewardship, and governance.

For the third year, we welcome Church Community Builder. Church Community Builder is a technology and services company focused on equipping church leaders for better ministry. The Church is called to equip God’s people to do His work, and Church Community Builder exists to support you with a better how—through practical coaching, software, and ‘tribe’-based learning. We focus on the tools and processes so that you can focus on empowering people. Our inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

We welcome for the second year, Ziegler. Since their first financing in 1913, Ziegler has become a recognized leader in providing creative, tailored solutions to religious institutions. Ziegler offers fixed-rate financing for multidenominational churches, religious schools, colleges and universities, and other organizations in the healthcare and senior living sectors. Ziegler is headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S.

We welcome for the second year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies. Its travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

We welcome for the first year, Batts Morrison Wales & Lee. They are a national CPA firm dedicated exclusively to helping churches, Christian ministries, and other nonprofit organizations cover their financial bases through professional audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services.  BMWL has a highly experienced and motivated team of professionals, all of whom share a common passion for serving organizations that make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of people.  The BMWL team helps organizations maintain strong donor trust and confidence, produce highly effective financial reports, strategically budget for improved financial condition, adapt structure for better risk management, maximize tax exemptions, protect exempt status, and provide board member orientation and training.  BMWL is honored to serve clients across the United States.  Please visit nonprofitcpa.com to learn more.

We welcome for the first year, Bank of the West. They are a national leader in religious institution banking. They understand religious organizations and how they operate. Their unmatched excellence in religious institution lending is based on their experience, knowledge and commitment. Over the past 25 years, they’ve committed more than $3.5 billion to the religious community, nationwide. Their commitment is carried forward by a dedicated staff of 30 full-time professionals, bringing you expertise in Religious Institution Financing, Equipment-leasing and Cash Management. They’re experienced in every aspect of lending, from refinancing existing debt to underwriting large-scale, multi-phased construction projects. Their knowledge and experience allows them to help religious institutions fulfill their vision, which results in long-lasting, successful relationships.

Promotional Sponsors

We welcome Leadership Network for the twelfth year, www.leadnet.org. Leadership Network’s role is to foster innovation movements that activate the Church to greater impact for the Glory of God’s name. What began in 1984 with 20 leaders now serves over 200,000 leaders all over the world.

Our programs work with entrepreneurial innovators—leaders starting and doing new things. We focus on the practical parts of ministry action. We use what we call a “peer protocol” which means that our approach is to put leaders with leaders and let them learn from one another.

We work with multiple innovations—such as multisite, city impact and generosity—and multiple leaders—including senior pastors, executive pastors and campus pastors—using multiple models and approaches. We help the church teams move from ideas to implementation to impact. Learn more about the programs offered at leadnet.org/programs

We welcome Christianity Today for the fourth year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the biannual Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville. We welcome Sam Ogles, Assistant Editor.

For the second year, we welcome the Historic Agency as a sponsor. Like any great novel or timeless work of art, well-built brands endure year after year. We want the same for you and your story. Whether print, digital, physical environments, or video, Historic can help craft and communicate your message in compelling ways that stand the test of time and reach a larger audience. Our people, strategy, and process set Historic apart. We are intentional. We begin with culture. We craft to endure.

Schedule

Our 13th Year of Powerful and Motivating Speakers …

Tuesday—February 21, 2017

7:30-8:30 Registration and Dessert. Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all (and spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!)

Wednesday—February 22, 2017

7:45 Full Breakfast sponsored by Clark. This is a fantastic time to start the Seminar and learn the latest. The folks at Clark always bring the best and the latest in the world of innovative audio, video and lighting solutions. Their mission is to help you communicate your story in a way that personally connects with your audience. This breakfast will talk about how to share your story using existing and upcoming tools, trends and styles!
8:45 Welcome by our Emcee, Eddie Park. On a 4-year learning gig at EvFree Fullerton with David Fletcher, he is an Assistant Executive Pastor overseeing teaching and discipleship. Eddie provides church-wide strategic leadership and oversees EvFree’s internship program along with developing his amazing preaching skills. Eddie is a “poster child” millennial and one you should schedule time with to get a vision of the church of tomorrow.
9:00 6 Legal Considerations For Your Church, Even 7, with David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony from The Church Law Group. Every year they bring imperative topics from the field of law, HR, safety, fiduciary responsibility and more. This will be a growing time and invariably you will take away homework and a full to-do list. There are so many “aha moments” with David and Matt. This one session may save you the entire cost of the Seminar in unspent future legal bills. They are electrifying!
10:00

Dr. Thom Rainer

Thom on Theology, Ministry and the Church. Our featured guest this year is the renowned thinker, writer and church leader, Dr. Thom Rainer. You have undoubtedly read some of his 26 books, several of which are featured on our free book table! Thom serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, a 5,000 employee organization headquartered in Nashville. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he received his degree in business administration. He received his M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary, where he served at Dean for twelve years. Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. This will be an unforgettable time with Thom.
11:00 6 Parts of the Biblical Basis and Role of the XP, Even 7 with Dr. David Fletcher. Is this role grounded in Scripture? We don’t find the title “XP” there but certainly see strong leaders in similar functions. What are the elements of the XP role? David has been a pastor for over 30 years, taught pastors at three seminaries and founded XPastor to help you be the best you can be. Catch some of David’s electric energy about the XP role.
11:30 Break
11:45 short-rideLunch sponsored by Church Community Builder with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic: Not Just Equipping but also Pastoring. At XPastor we talk a great deal about the Executive Function of the XP. There is also the Pastor Function. How do you balance equipping others, leading the church, with the vital aspects of pastoring a congregation. This first-person story with SP Darrell Owens will show you how one pastor is doing just that, with a dynamic tension mixed in! Tap into some power here.
1:30-2:30 Powerhouse Workshops: Session #1
2:30 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:45-3:45 Powerhouse Workshops: Session #2
4:00-5:00 Powerhouse Workshops: Session #3
5:15 Take an XP/SP friend to dinner! Schedule it early with someone from your state or similar-sized church. We saw scores of people do this last year.

Thursday—February 23, 2017

7:45 Breakfast–a great time to network
8:45 6 Vital Aspects of the XP-SP Relationship, Even 7, by Mike Bonem. Mike wrote Leading from the Second Chair, Leading Congregational Change, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership, and the newly released Thriving in the Second Chair. He brings experience from his XP role and now as a consultant to churches across the states.
9:45 6 Keys For the Soul of the XP, Even 7 with Phil Taylor. Phil is the XP of Mosaic Church and is a frequent part of XPastor. He has written Defining The Executive Pastor Role and has a series of books on the XP in the hopper. With insights from a church plant and his current thriving ministry in Orlando, Phil brings resources and insights about the XP. What do you do when you feel dry and your soul is withering? Leading a church can be 24/7 but it needs balance and spiritual refreshment. Phil will bring power to your soul so you can continue strong in ministry.
11:00 Break for Lunch—Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops—Powerhouse Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Powerhouse Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Powerhouse Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

“Powerhouse Workshops”

Most workshops will be offered twice. No pre-registration for the workshops is necessary–but it is advised to get to the room as soon as possible as some rooms fill up fast.

5 Essentials to Strengthen the XP and Senior Pastor Partnership

Dan Reiland will share practical insights and field level wisdom from twenty-eight years of experience with two senior pastors who are strong visionary leaders. There will be candid conversation centered around five essentials to help your partnership flourish.

Dan Reiland serves as Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church® in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for 20 years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY. He and Dr. Maxwell still enjoy partnering together on a number of church related projects. Dan is best known as a leader with a pastor’s heart; he truly loves the local church, but is also described as one of the nation’s most innovative church thinkers.

His passion is developing and empowering leaders, who want to grow, are willing to take risks, and enjoy the journey. In addition to leading the staff of 12Stone Church, Dan coaches many pastors across the country every year. Dan’s leadership blog can be accessed at http://danreiland.com. His semi-monthly e-newsletter, The Pastor’s Coach is distributed to over 40,000 subscribers, www.injoy.com. He is also the author of Amplified Leadership – released January 2012.

7 Questions Every XP Should Regularly Ask A Finance Team

You may be charged as an XP with the overall responsibility for your church’s finances. More than likely, you’re not involved in the day-to-day details but rely on a capable team to provide you with information necessary for decision making. Walk away from this workshop with 7 key questions you should be regularly asking your finance team to strengthen stewardship at your church.

Dan Busby is the president of ECFA, an organization that accredits Christ-centered ministries in the areas of governance, financial management and stewardship/fundraising. Dan has over forty years of experience serving the Christ-centered church and nonprofit community and frequently speaks nationally on related issues. He is a prolific writer with 55 volumes of five book titles published including a 2015 release, TRUST: The Firm Foundation for Kingdom Fruitfulness.

Dan received a masters of business administration degree from Emporia State University, Emporia Kansas. The University also named him as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2014. Dan served as a member of the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, a national legislative advisory commission convened to address legislative proposals for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Times named him as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Leaders from 2010-2015. These organizations have annual revenue of nearly $25 billion, receiving charitable contributions of nearly $17 billion.

Brand and Communication Strategies for Today’s Local Church

Ted Vaughn

It’s never been more difficult to get the attention of those we most want to reach; both inside and outside our church. Learn how effective brands engage and retain their audience and which communication strategies your church should be taking advantage of in 2017.

After 21 years of staff leadership in multiple contexts, Ted serves multiple congregations in America, Africa, and the UK as a consultant and strategic advisor in areas of brand, strategy, and staffing. His most recent staff position (’09-’14) was as Chief Creative Officer for the Rock Church in San Diego, California—a young, urban, and forward-thinking church of roughly 16,000 weekly worshippers. With an additional 14 years of executive leadership experience in mainline denominational churches, Ted has unique insight into local church leadership, healthy cultures, staffing, branding, and strategy. Today Ted leads the Communication and Tech Arts divisions for Slingshot Group (slingshotgroup.org) and is a partner in Historic Agency (historicagency.com).

Coaching Your Staff

What does it look like to coach your staff to excellence? There are so many books, blogs and other leadership insights to glean from. Join these two practitioners in an interactive, discussion-based learning environment. Clint Smith has served as the Executive Pastor of NORTHchurch in Oklahoma City for thirteen years. He founded and owns Full Capacity Coach LLC. Clint is committed to personal growth, leader development and passionately serving the local church.

Jim Moss is fully committed to seeing people discover and live out God’s unique mission for their lives. He currently serves as the XP of City Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is one of the founding pastors and has seen the church grow from zero to nearly 500 in less than six years. Jim also founded 320Coach with a focus on executives and entrepreneurs.

Effective Church Financial Oversight

Geared for non-accountant church leaders, this session focuses on financial oversight, including liquidity, cash flow, financial position, compliance, and key internal controls. Participants will discuss nontraditional, simple, and efficient ways to obtain and analyze critical financial information to facilitate better-informed leadership decisions for the direction of their church.

This will be led by Mike Batts. Mike is the president and managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, CPA firm dedicated exclusively to helping churches, Christian ministries, and other nonprofit organizations cover their financial bases through professional audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services Mike has more than 30 years of experience serving churches and ministries in a variety of ways. He advises churches on matters related to board governance, financial reporting, tax compliance and strategy, risk management, corporate structure, international activities, and related topics. Mike recently co-authored, together with attorney and CPA Richard Hammar, the book Church Finance, published by Christianity Today. Church Finance has become the “go-to” reference in America providing practical guidance for church financial administration.

Executive Pastor 101

What we wish we knew when we were new: Congratulations, you just became an XP! There are a lot of things to know, but not many people to ask. In this session, we will cover the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for new executive pastors. We’ll talk through the best areas on which to focus, common pitfalls and practical resources for XPs. There will also be time explore the questions you have about being a freshman XP.

Finding, encouraging and building new givers

Some say that giving is the last step in the assimilation process of a new person. Can we overcome that being the last step? Yes! You will learn the mind of a potential giver, what prevents them from giving, what prevents them from giving sooner and how to develop the rhythm of giving so they give more sooner and stay with you as a financial giver. Increase your giving streams with this usually untapped source.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Forum for Churches Under 2,000 in Worship

This forum will be for XPs in churches with under 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

Kent Lawrence is the XP of Grace Bible Church of Dallas. Kent brings a warm pastoral spirit to his role, effectively leading a medium-sized church. He is one to get to know!

Forum for Churches Over 2,000 in Worship

This forum will be for XPs in churches with over 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

The Future of Social Security

This workshop will look at various considerations for the future of Social Security and your involvement.  Get answers to churches’ frequently asked Social Security questions. Some pastors have opted out but is this the right choice? We will explore the benefits of staying in Social Security and the relative merits of opting out.  If you rely on Social Security, what are the potential pitfalls ten or twenty year from now? Don McLeod is a Regional Director with GuideStone Financial Services.

Hiring to New Levels

While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David Lyons has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we …? If you are going to hire staff in the next twelve months, then this workshop will help you. David Lyons is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch.

How to Grow Disciples Utilizing Online Tools

Every day we use data and metrics to explain events, evaluate progress and tell stories. Data and metrics don’t necessarily give you all the answers and, by themselves, can’t make you better.

However, used well, they can help you assess church engagement and measure the intangibles of discipleship.  From Church Community Builder, Chris Mavity and Shannon Neely will lead this discussion.

Keeping the “Human” in Human Resources

Although this is a day of HR complexities and compliance, it’s still possible to put people first as we navigate delicate situations, departures of teammates, and development of staff spiritually and professionally. This session will look at some very practical practices of how to “pastor” people as an executive.

This will cover staff engagement steps Mitch has taken as a result of their Best Christian Workplace Survey, how they let people go and bless them as they leave, with many staying healthy and active in our church family. It will deal with how to handle a divorce on our staff, crisis communication, re-org/reporting structures and new hires.

Dave Michener is the Executive Pastor of Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland.

Make Your Church the Primary Giving Destination of More Givers

In an increasingly complex giving environment, churches battle factors that constantly reinforce not to give to a church. This workshop will cover not only the mounting pressures but will give you practical skills to overcome the threats. You will know how to make the complex simple. Turn threats into strengths to have your church as the primary giving destination–not just one of many.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Mentoring Your Staff

Mentor your staff and help them move their lives and leadership forward—helping them strengthen their gifts, talents and abilities while keeping balance in their lives. Dr. Nathan Baxter, founder of Lead Self Lead Others has been leading teams and helping people move their stories forward for over twenty years. Before starting his Executive Coaching career, he served for 28 years in full time ministry, filling the roles of Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

The Nation’s Best Internship & Residency Programs

Whatever your church size and budget, you can launch and sponsor a strong internship and/or residency program. Gleaning from a Leadership Network survey of over 300 churches, plus follow-up interviews/visits with the top 20, you’ll get best-practice ideas that you can tailor to your context. Warren conducted the internship study, which is available for free download at leadnet.org/intern.

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital Development for Leadership Network, co-author of 29 books for church leaders and a former pastor. He always brings the very latest of research in church ministry.

Overtime in Review

The new Department of Labor overtime rule was in the news. It is blocked, for now, but there are still thorny issues of ministerial exempt versus administrative exempt. This workshop will look at: Why is the ministerial exemption not tied to salary? How should churches handle administering overtime? What fiduciary responsibilities must a church must perform? What are the implications for an external audit? Can an audit help in identifying areas that need improvement?

Stan Reiff is a Partner with CapinCrouse and serves as the Professional Practice Leader – Consulting. His professional experience includes over 20 years in ministry operations, public accounting, government accounting, and missionary work.

Shelf Life + Denial = Expiration

There is no secret formula to the life-expectancy of a church leader. No matter how much you may try to preserve your position, there will come a day when you are no longer your church’s first or best choice for the future. It’s real and natural—and even biblical. Become the first in your church to recognize it. Take proactive measures to preserve your role. Learn the things you can do to extend your effective ministry. Monty Kelso is the President of Slingshot Group.

Attendees

We limit attendance to 200 people of our tribe.

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders
to come together, hear from national leaders
and peers, and be life-long learners.

Those who have enrolled for the 2017 XP-Seminar:

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—
both personally and professionally.”

Special Pre-Seminar Workshop

How to Be a Better Coach to Your Staff and Volunteer Leaders

Pre-Seminar Special with Dr. Nathan Baxter
Tuesday, February 21, 1:00-4:00 pm
Hilton Dallas/Park Cities

We all know that one of our key roles is coaching our leaders towards higher levels of effectiveness. But not all coaching results in change and that can be frustrating. Why not learn from an expert?

Here’s a fantastic opportunity to be with a gifted and national-level coach. XPastor has partnered with Dr. Nathan Baxter to bring this coaching resource to the 2017 XP-Seminar.

What you will learn

  • How to create customized coaching templates to fit your ministry culture.
  • The latest research that identifies the key components for healthy leadership cultures.
  • Practical tips for using assessments to develop your leaders.

And

  • How to structure 20 minute coaching conversations that bring the best results.
  • Best practices for holding leaders accountable.
  • The 10 Commandments of Coaching

Before the workshop

A reading list will be provided as an option for those that want to take a deeper look into leadership coaching.

About Dr. Baxter

Nathan is a former XP and SP and now is an executive leadership coach. Every month, both corporate and ministry leaders from around the country fly to Tulsa for a two-day private coaching session with him.

In 2008, Dr. Baxter founded Lead Self Lead Others and has coached with over 3,300 people—from CEOs to pastors to physicians. Also, he has recruited and trained five Leadership Coaches who work with him to meet the demand for his services.

Nathan and his coaches work with leaders to help them create a personal and professional growth strategy. He loves to follow up with each person to help keep them on track.

I had reached a point of frustration in not knowing the next step in my personal leadership development and he helped me bridge that frustration gap and send me on my way into the next season of my journey. Each session and contact was like connecting with a friend.

Jim Kuykendall, Executive Pastor

Dr. Baxter Has Coached …

Nathan has all the necessary tools and experience to meet you where you are, to speak your language quickly and, in a disciplined manner, guide you towards your objectives.

Doug Welsh, President, Strategic Sales Planning, Cincinnati, Ohio

Non Profit Organizations

  • John Sharp, Regional Director, Young Life, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dave Jewitt, Founder/Director, Your One Degree, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Adam Donyes, Founder/Director, LinkYear Kanakuk, Branson, Missouri
  • Dr. David Fletcher, Founder/Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Chris King, Founder, GPS Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dr. Scott Barfoot, Director of DMin Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Eric Hill, Founder/Director, Withyou, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jeff Anderson, Founder, Acceptable Gift, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. Baxter cares genuinely about helping people. He does what it takes to help folks understand and use the tools to find their way. As a result I have more focus in my life. The tools he uses and the approach he takes are better than many other similar consultants.

Randy Welsch, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ministry Leaders

  • Micah Davidson, Lead Pastor, Real Life Fellowship, Corpus Christi/Austin, Texas
  • Toby Slough, Lead Pastor, Crosstimbers Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dwight Yoder, Executive Pastor, Asbury Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Eric Bryan, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Fred Neal, Executive Pastor, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • Marc Evanger, Elder, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Keith Duff, Elder, Village Bible Church, Chicago, Illinois
  • Matt Roberson, Campus Pastor, The Met, Houston, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Terry Langenberg, Executive Pastor, New Beginnings Church, Bixby, Oklahoma
  • Thomas Thompson, Lead Pastor, Pulpit Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Tom Messer, Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Nathan knows what he is doing and does it well. He has good insight and recommends realistic behaviors to improve performance.

John Urbin, Business Unit Manager, Linde Process Plants, Inc.

Executives

  • Bob Skaggs, Northwestern Mutual Insurance Agency, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dustin Parker, President, Box Insurance Agency, Grapevine, Texas
  • Aaron Shelby, Executive Vice President, Legacy Texas Bank, Plano, Texas
  • Paul Fredette, President, Legacy Texas Insurance Services, Plano, Texas
  • Brandt Hamby, Managing Partner, Six Pillars Partners, Addison, Texas
  • Chris Cadeiux, Board Member, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Chuck McDaniel, President, Lockton Insurance, Denver, Colorado
  • Dwight Mankin, President, NCN, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Greer, Owner/Director, Ironman Buffalo Springs Lake, Lubbock, Texas
  • Mike Loomis, Owner, Loomis Consulting, Winter Park, Colorado
  • Ron Decker, Founder/President, Innovative Health Care Systems, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Ronnie Dunn, Client Partner, MicroStrategy, Dallas, Texas
  • Sean Kouplen, President, Regent Bank, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Hank Coleman, President, TriggerPoint, Austin, Texas
  • Dan Peckenpaugh, MD, President, HEB Emergicare, P.A., Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
  • Rob Kenagy, MD, Senior Vice President, St. John Health Network, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Tom Ellis, Vice President/Partner, MHBT (Commercial Insurance), Dallas, Texas
  • 32 National Sales Directors, 25 Top Sales Directors, Mary Kay Cosmetics

Dr. Baxter’s coaching has allowed me to take my strengths, understand them and ultimately begin to incorporate them into my ever changing role as CEO. Working with Dr. Baxter is worth the investment because we have seen results in effectiveness in communication, efficiency in decision making.

Ron Decker, CEO, Innovative Healthcare Systems, Inc., Edmond, Oklahoma

2016 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T11:09:01-05:00

The Next Step in Churches

Featuring Mel McGowan
From the Magic Kingdom: Lessons Learned from Disney

A former Disney Imagineer brings vital insight to church design

Mel McGowan is the President and Founder of Visioneering Studios. This firm is a national “Envision.Design.Build. firm” with offices around the country. Mel had a decade-long tenure with the Walt Disney Company, helping to design the renovation and expansion of California Adventure at the California Disney Resort. He also has a background in film and urban design—and continues to work on many civic designs around the country. He brings a rich perspective on “sustainable Christ-centered community” and has written Design Intervention: Revolutionizing Sacred Space.

In Exodus, God gave His people complete instructions for designing and building a tabernacle. From specifying the colors of linen to the dimensions of each alter, God cared about the details of that environment and His connection to the people inside. God still seeks relationship with His creation, and our gathering places can still reflect it—if we’ll consider a Design Intervention. From the Old Testament temple to today’s most innovative building, churches create effective environments by using their unique story to share The Story. Design Intervention is a global journey through this revolution in sacred space.

Also check out Mel’s video interview with Christianity Today.

Highlights

Survival Skills for Managing Moral Failures Among Your Leaders

Paul has been an XP and SP, serving in ministry for decades. He has served with some of the most noted pastors in the nation. Paul has been a noted contributor to the XPastor world, giving mentoring to many upcoming XPs. Currently he is the XP of Springhill Presbyterian Church in Bozeman, Montana and earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Seminary.

There are two types of skills that help manage moral failures on your team: tangible and intangible. Tangible skills are the organizational decisions and processes that must be followed to have success. But there are intangible skills that many people ignore, to their later dismay.

Golden Buildings and the Architect-Client Process

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody will share some of their “golden projects.” These are the church buildings that have special merit—things that architects really hit a home run for and with the client. Look for lots of concrete illustrations of the client-architecture process and its results.

This is a “tour de force” of great architecture. Bruce is the President and CEO of HH Architects.

SCOTUS on Marriage—Legal Considerations For Your Church

The majority opinion of the Supreme Court of the United Stated held that “The Fourteenth Amendment requires a State to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-State.” This was the Oberfefell v. Hodges case, argued on April 28 and decided on June 26, 2015.

In response, one Senior Pastor said, “Our church will never do any kind of marriage again—go to the Justice of the Peace.” An Executive Pastor said, “We won’t rent out our facility to any outside group.” Some changed the constitutions of their church to address the issue and others have done nothing. This imperative presentation contains material that you must consider as you audit your church policies and practices.

Every year, David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony from The Church Law Group bring the XP-Seminar imperative topics from the field of law, HR, safety, fiduciary responsibility and much more. This will be a growing time and invariably you will take away homework and a full to-do list.

The Constant of Change and a Track for Lead Pastors

You asked for Mike to return again! We heard from him, Mr. “Lightning in a Bottle,” at the 2014 XP-Seminar about his transition to EvFree Fullerton and the resulting phenomenal growth. But you wanted more of Mike. In 2015, he spoke on being a catalyst and directional leadership. This year he will address The Constant of Change–giving us a continued insight into a dynamic leader.

On Thursday afternoon, Mike will lead a workshop only for Senior Pastors/Lead Pastors. Before becoming the Lead Pastor of EvFree Fullerton, he served as the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church and Mariners Church. XPs, this is a prime opportunity to bring your SP!

The New SP and XP Team

Two years ago, Jon became the new SP of Maple Grove Church. He soon added XP Jim Hobbs to the team. Let’s learn the “start-up lessons” from Jon about his experience. You never know when you will get a new SP or join a new team. His observations and perspective will give insights to new and experienced XPs and SPs. Read Jon’s story of when he was a Campus Pastor to gain some perspective on his prior ministry.

Emcee

Eddie Park

Eddie Park

Our emcee this year will be Eddie Park. On a 4-year learning gig at EvFree Fullerton with David Fletcher, he is an Assistant Executive Pastor overseeing church business and operations. Eddie provides church-wide strategic leadership and oversees EvFree’s internship program, along with developing skills in teaching and communication.

Eddie is an information addict, avid life-hacker, and leadership junkie. His passion is to change lives and organizations with the highest level of Christian leadership.

At the 2015 seminar, I was exposed to some of the most experienced church leaders from all over the nation. I never thought I would ever be prepared for senior leadership until I came to the seminar and received the invaluable wisdom and resources provided by David Fletcher, the speakers, and participants.  ~Eddie Park

More About the Seminar

The Annual Event
XPastor’s unique format combines nationally-known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers. Now in its 12th year, the XP-Seminar brings together Executive Pastors, Senior Pastors and other church leaders from around North America. We have pertinent and penetrating sessions together.

Why XPastor?

  • XPastor is the market leader with proven capacity in reaching church leaders. XPastor brings together influential decision-makers from churches both coast-to-coast and from around the world.
  • XPastor has hundreds of free, insightful online articles and receives 500,000 visits annually.
  • XPastor’s online courses provide training to grow as a church leader. Learn from peers who are in cutting-edge churches around the globe.

Why Come to the Seminar?

Learn and grow with your peers. Meet leaders from similarly-sized churches as yours. You are a key decision maker in your church, so grow with others like you.

Get cognitive input in the large group presentations and your questions answered in the small group discussions. We always bring in outstanding national leaders. In prior years, we heard from Sam Chand, Gene Getz, Will Mancini, Reggie McNeal, Larry Osborne, Ken Sande, Jim Tomberlin and Dr. John Townsend.

We have a wide assortment of denominations and church polity. There are concentrations of attendees from California, Washington and Texas—the rest are from around the U.S. Read their stunning online comments but know that we cap our event at 200 people!

Short Rides

short-rideWe will feature a short ride with a case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. Horse not provided.

Afternoon Workshops

On each afternoon, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders are church leaders who speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial.”

“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”
“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network.’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”
“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”
“A few of the beneficial things for me: The structure of the conference. The speakers are accessible. The large room is comfortable. The free material is amazing. Chatting between speakers.”
“I love that the conference is small.”
—attendance limited to 200 people—

Sponsors

We want to thank Generis for their twelfth year as a sponsor. Generis has worked with more than 2,000 churches over the past 25 years, during which they have helped raise over $5 billion. They are experts when it comes to capital campaigns, fund-raising, and creating a generous culture within your congregation. Generis’ team of highly experienced consultants meets churches where they are and partners with them to create a strategy unique to their culture in order to fund their God-sized visions. Brad Leeper has served in church leadership roles and has real-life experience to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper.

We are very pleased that MinisterSearch is joining us for the twelfth year. Many of you have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XPastor Seminars and events. MinisterSearch is the most experienced and successful pastoral search firm in the country. During their 15 years leading hundreds of pastoral searches, MinisterSearch has developed an unparalleled process that helps churches to identify their specific needs, to find candidates that they otherwise could not find, and to clearly discern who the right candidate is. David Lyons says, “We have spent years developing a very in-depth process that helps churches find the right candidates–who stick. We identify more than 100 different points about the church and candidate that need to align. If they don’t, we continue searching.”

For the tenth year, we welcome ACTIVENetwork’s Fellowship One, which partners with more than 4,000 ministries and 83 of Outreach Magazine’s Top 100 Largest and Fastest Growing Churches. The industry’s premier church management software, Fellowship One enables ministry leaders to offer exceptional member care and engage their communities. New this year, the exclusive patent pending technology used by Fellowship One Giving is transforming donation management. Join their free webinar to learn more at www.fellowshipone.com/giving.

We welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the tenth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 219,000 individuals and reported $10.1 billion in assets as of December 31, 2015. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets.

For the tenth year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. ECCU is an alliance of Christian people and organizations committed to fueling Christ-centered ministry worldwide. While our mission extends far beyond banking, we have been providing ministry-centric financial services and resources for nearly five decades to churches and their members, missionaries, and many others.

For the seventh year, we welcome The Church Law Group. The Church Law Group focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.

For the sixth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects.

For the fifth year, we welcome Clark. Sixteen years ago, Clark (formerly Clark ProMedia) began focusing on Audio, Video and Lighting systems for churches. Today, its offerings go beyond Technology and include Strategic Facilities Planning and Project Management. More than 20% of Outreach Magazine’s top 50 churches have relied on Clark to turn their visions into realities. We welcome co-founder Houston Clark.

For the fifth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. As a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving not-for-profit organizations, CapinCrouse provides professional solutions to organizations whose outcomes are measured in lives changed. Since 1972, the firm has served mission-focused not-for-profit organizations, churches, and higher education institutions by providing support in the key areas of financial integrity and security. With a network of offices across the nation, CapinCrouse has the resources of a large firm and the personal touch of a local firm. We welcome Nathan Salsbery, Partner with CapinCrouse.

For the third year, we welcome Slingshot.  Slingshot Group partners with the local church and ministry minded non-profits to find and develop next level people through relational search and coaching services.  Founded in 2007 by Stan Endicott and Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group has 40 associates nationwide that serve in the following divisions:  Senior Leadership, Students, Childrens, Worship Arts, and Communications.  What sets Slingshot Group apart is their winsome and relational team who provide innovative solutions that facilitate the work of God on the journey of finding and developing the people you need.

For the second year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. ECFA enhances trust in Christ-centered churches and ministries by establishing and applying Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™ with its members. Founded in 1979, ECFA’s membership includes 30 of the 100 largest churches in the U.S. plus many other leading churches that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, transparency, stewardship, and governance.

For the second year, we welcome Church Community Builder. Church Community Builder is a technology and services company focused on equipping church leaders for better ministry. The Church is called to equip God’s people to do His work, and Church Community Builder exists to support you with a better how—through practical coaching, software, and ‘tribe’-based learning. We focus on the tools and processes so that you can focus on empowering people. Our inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

We welcome for the first year Frontiers.  There are 1,108 Muslim people groups who don’t know Jesus Christ. By partnering with churches and passionate people, our hope is that by 2025 that number will have fallen to zero. It’s audacious, but it’s attainable with your help.

We welcome for the first year, Ziegler. Since their first financing in 1913, Ziegler has become a recognized leader in providing creative, tailored solutions to religious institutions. Ziegler offers fixed-rate financing for multidenominational churches, religious schools, colleges and universities, and other organizations in the healthcare and senior living sectors. Ziegler is headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S.

We welcome for the first year, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Its comprehensive property and liability coverage for ministries fills gaps left by standard insurance policies. Its travel service, Faith Ventures®, helps missionaries reach the world without fear of being sidelined by illness, injuries, or lawsuits. And its payroll service, MinistryWorks®, takes the pain out of payroll administration. More than 50,000 ministries across America trust Brotherhood Mutual, so they can focus on ministry.

Promotional Sponsors

We welcome Leadership Network for the eleventh year, www.leadnet.org. Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to help leaders move from ideas, to implementation, to impact. Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. To stay updated with the latest articles, resources and opportunities for innovative churches, sign up for the free, weekly newsletter at www.leadnet.org. Leadership Network is here to help leaders move from ideas to implementation to impact. Want to become involved?

For the twelfth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States.

We welcome Christianity Today for the third year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Team publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the biannual Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, and Church Finance, a new book co-authored with Michael Batts. The Church Law & Tax Team is led by an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that include attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville. We welcome Sam Ogles, Assistant Editor.

For the first year, we welcome the Historic Agency as a sponsor. Like any great novel or timeless work of art, well-built brands endure year after year. We want the same for you and your story. Whether print, digital, physical environments, or video, Historic can help craft and communicate your message in compelling ways that stand the test of time and reach a larger audience. Our people, strategy, and process set Historic apart. We are intentional. We begin with culture. We craft to endure.

Schedule

Tuesday—February 16, 2016

7:30-8:30 Registration and Dessert. Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all (and spouses are welcome to join you for this dessert time!)

Wednesday—February 17, 2016

7:45 Full Breakfast sponsored by Clark. This is a fantastic time to start the Seminar and learn the latest. The folks at Clark always bring the best and the latest in the world of innovative audio, video and lighting solutions. Their mission is to help you communicate your story in a way that personally connects with your audience. This breakfast will talk about how to share your story using existing and upcoming tools, trends and styles!
8:45 Eddie ParkWelcome by our Emcee, Eddie Park. On a 4-year learning gig at EvFree Fullerton with David Fletcher, he is an Assistant Executive Pastor overseeing church business and operations. Eddie provides church-wide strategic leadership and oversees EvFree’s internship program along with developing skills in teaching and communication.
9:00 SCOTUS on Marriage—Legal Considerations For Your Church with David Middlebrook & Matt Anthony from The Church Law Group. Every year they bring imperative topics from the field of law, HR, safety, fiduciary responsibility and much more. This will be a growing time and invariably you will take away homework and a full to-do list.
10:00 From the Magic Kingdom: Lessons Learned from Disney by Mel McGowan. A former Disney Imagineer brings vital insight to church design. Mel McGowan is the President and Founder of Visioneering Studios. This firm is a national “Envision-Design-Build firm” with offices around the country. Mel had a decade long tenure with the Walt Disney Company, helping to design the renovation and expansion of California Adventure at the California Disney Resort. He also has a background in film and urban design—and continues to work on many civic designs around the country. He brings a rich perspective on “sustainable Christ-centered community” and has written Design Intervention: Revolutionizing Sacred Space.
11:00 The New SP & XP Team by Jon Platek. Two years ago, Jon became the new SP of Maple Grove Church. He soon added XP Jim Hobbs to the team. Let’s learn the “start-up lessons” from Jon about his experience. You never know when you will get a new SP or join a new team. His observations and perspective will give insights to new and experienced XPs and SPs. Read Jon’s story of when he was a Campus Pastor to gain some perspective on his prior ministry.
11:30 Break
11:45 short-rideLunch sponsored by GuideStone with A Short Ride on a Hot Topic: Survival Skills for Managing Moral Failures Among Your Leaders by Paul Utnage. GuideStone is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage. Paul Utnage has been an XP and SP, a noted contributor to the XPastor world and mentor to many upcoming XPs. Currently he is the XP of Springhill Presbyterian Church in Bozeman, Montana and earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Seminary. There are two types of skills that help manage moral failures on your team: tangible and intangible. Tangible skills are the organizational decisions and processes that must be followed to have success. But there are intangible skills that many people ignore, to their later dismay.
1:30-2:30 Workshops: Session #1
2:30 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:45-3:45 Workshops: Session #2
4:00-5:00 Workshops: Session #3
5:15 Take an XP/SP friend to dinner!
7:00 Optional evening at LIDE–Life In Deep Ellum hosted by Visioneering, Slingshot, and Clark. Coffee, dessert, entertainment in a fantastic church gallery setting. LIDE is truly a revolutionary church with a great story. Join us for this ‘hang-time.’ Shuttle from the hotel is available, sign up at the Clark table.

Thursday—February 18, 2016

7:45 kevin-foxFull Breakfast sponsored by Brotherhood Mutual–one of the nation’s leading insurers of churches, Christian schools, and related ministries. Kevin Fox, National Director of Agency Alliances, will answer the burning questions of “when should I call my insurance carrier?” and “how can a carrier help me before ‘the big one?’—being prepared for a disaster of epic proportions”.
8:45 Bruce WoodyGolden Buildings and the Architect-Client Process by Bruce Woody. This long-time friends of XPastor will share some of their “golden projects.” These are the church buildings that have special merit—things that architects really hit a home run for and with the client. Look for lots of concrete illustrations of the client-architecture process and its results. This is a “tour de force” of great architecture. Bruce is the President and CEO of HH Architects.
9:45 The Constant of Change by Mike Erre. You asked for Mike to return again! We heard from him, Mr. “Lightning in a Bottle,” at the 2014 XP-Seminar about his transition to EvFree Fullerton and the resulting phenomenal growth. But you wanted more of Mike. In 2015, he spoke on being a catalyst and directional leadership. This is an outstanding opportunity to get inside the ongoing thinking of an SP. Now Mike has left EvFree and on to something new–lightning came out of the bottle!
11:00 Break for Lunch—Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30 Lunch Workshops—Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6
Have a safe trip home

Workshops

The following workshop will be offered on Wednesday and/or Thursday afternoons of the XP-Seminar. Most will be offered twice. No pre-registration for the workshops is necessary, but it is advised to get to the room as soon as possible as some rooms fill up fast.

Mentoring and Coaching Your Staff

Mentor your staff and help them move their lives and leadership forward—helping them strengthen their gifts, talents and abilities while keeping balance in their lives.

Dr. Nathan Baxter, founder of Lead Self Lead Others has been leading teams and helping people move their stories forward for over twenty years. He has developed a unique coaching practice and resources that help people break out of plateaus. He has had the privilege of working with executives from fields as diverse as manufacturing, real estate, medical, banking, non-profit, direct sales, church, legal, insurance and energy. Nathan has also provided training for leaders around the world including Ukraine, Mali West Africa, South America, India and Mexico. As a certified consultant with Birkman International, Lead Self Lead Others also provides personalized leadership coaching using the Birkman Feedback Tool. Nathan earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Masters of Divinity Degree with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry and Leadership Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. Before starting his Executive Coaching career, he served for 28 years in full time ministry, filling the roles of Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

How Data and Metrics Help You Lead Well and Make More Disciples

Data and metrics aren’t just for businesses. Every day, we consciously and unconsciously use both to explain events, evaluate progress and tell stories. Data and metrics don’t necessarily give you all the answers and, by themselves, can’t make you better. However, used well, they can help you assess church engagement and measure the intangibles of discipleship. Please join us if you want to discover how data and metrics apply in a church context and how they help you close the gap between the ministry you have today and the ministry you want to become.

Steve Caton has been part of the Leadership Team at Church Community Builder since 2008. He leverages his unique background in team building, technology, revenue generation and leadership to encourage church leaders who seek to decentralize their processes and equip their people to make and grow disciples. Steve is a contributing author on a number of websites, including the Vision Room, ChurchTech Today, Innovate for Jesus and the popular Church Community Builder Blog. He has also co-written a number of eBooks, including The Ephesians 4 Church. While technology is what Steve does on a daily basis, impacting and influencing the local church is what really matters to him … as well as enjoying the brilliant blue skies and deep powder of Colorado with his wife and two sons!

Dave Bair brings a unique talent for system and process implementation to the Leadership Team at Church Community Builder. His history of consulting with major corporations to implement change has enabled him to build an impressive coaching framework to guide church leaders towards operational effectiveness. In addition for finding Dave at DaveBair.co you may occasionally spot him piloting his hot air ballon in the western sky.

Trends in Internships and Residencies

Seems like the new path today for developing future staff is through interns and residents (as in the medical model of in-the-trenches mentoring). Where do churches find these people? How are they funded? Who supervises them? What are the marks of an outstanding program?

Warren Bird is the Research Director for Leadership Network, co-author of 26 books and former pastor. He always brings the very latest of research in church ministry. In 2015, Warren and Ryan Hartwig published Teams That Thrive—this is a game changer to increase the effectiveness of your church teams. David Fletcher hosted a Teams That Thrive workshop in August and then the entire ministry staff of EvFree Fullerton walked through the book for three months. The book and discussion was of immense help in honing teams at the church.

How Church Missions Teams Impact Your Weekend

Bob Blencoe

Bob Blincoe

The future belongs to churches that send, says J.D. Greear of Summit Church. Find out how church leaders are aligning their missions program with every part of the life of their congregations by sending long-term teams to plant churches in non-Christian countries. Biblically-based and practical, this workshop will enable leaders to envision sending their own church-based teams and stay in the driver’s seat, even while partnering with a mission agency.

Bob Blincoe is President of Frontiers, based in Phoenix.

5 Keys to Establish Church Financial Accountability

Dan Busby

Dan Busby

This workshop will focus on key financial accountability issues that can make or break a church, including: adequate and quality staffing of the finance function, balancing policies vs. flexibility, handling restricted gifts with integrity, clearly communicating financial results, and developing an internal and external accountability structure.

Dan Busby is the president of ECFA, an organization that accredits Christ-centered ministries in the areas of governance, financial management and stewardship/fundraising. ECFA’s seal enhances trust of givers, which increases generosity, providing greater resources to help fulfill the Great Commission. ECFA accredits over 2,000 churches and nonprofits. These organizations have annual revenue of nearly $25 billion, receiving charitable contributions of nearly $17 billion. Dan has over forty years of experience serving the Christ-centered church and nonprofit community and frequently speaks nationally on related issues. He is a prolific writer with 55 volumes of five book titles published including a 2015 release, TRUST: The Firm Foundation for Kingdom Fruitfulness. Dan received a masters of business administration degree from Emporia State University, Emporia Kansas. The University also named him as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2014. Dan served as a member of the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, a national legislative advisory commission convened to address legislative proposals for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Times named him as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Leaders from 2010-2015.

What’s Wrong with My Staff and Why Do I Need A Technical Director Anyhow?

David Cherry

David Cherry

This workshop will examine how to deal with and conquer the frustration of staff not reproducing themselves.  Plus, we will look at creating an environment for exponential growth by incorporating passionate people. This involves stewarding well your church resources (people, money and facilities).  The bottom line is to help you see what you can do as an Executive Pastor to propel your church forward with great efficiency, effectiveness and excellence.  David Cherry has served as Pastor of Technical Ministries in a large church for more than 20 years and now is the Business Development Manager for Clark, Inc.

How To Lead Organizational Change

Your boss has a bold new vision. He’s looking to you to implement it. Just how do you get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow? Rob Cizek explores the steps leaders take to effectively change organizations. For the last few years Rob’s life has been about changing Northshore from a program church to a relational discipleship church. He has learned a lot of transferable principles for organizational change. Rob will provide a roadmap for XPs who are under a mandate to lead change … and tips he has learned from the trenches while implementing change.

Rob Cizek is Executive Pastor at Northshore Christian Church, a non-denominational church of 1,500 and Christian academy of 1,000 in the Seattle area. He oversees daily operation of the organization and its ministries. He also organizes a networking group for executive pastors in the Puget Sound area. In his former business live, Rob was an Emmy Award winning newsroom producer.  He brings clarity and insight to the role–and has many helpful articles on XPastor.

I Resigned as Senior Pastor, Now What?

The Senior Pastor Forum will feature Mike Erre. When Mike came to EvFree Fullerton as the Lead Pastor, the church had about 2,000 in worship. The church had been without a Lead Pastor or Executive Pastor for two years. The tenure of the two prior pastors was long, leaving a deep sense of history and culture. Chuck Swindoll had been the pastor for 23 years, followed by Dale Burke for 14 years. Both men were national leaders and authors. Mike served well but sensed that God was moving him on. Interact with Mike on how the decision was made and the big question of “Now what?”

Mike Erre was Lead Pastor at Mariners Church in Mission Viejo, California, for two years. Before Mariners, he had been the Lead Teaching Pastor at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, California for almost a decade. Mike holds an M.A. in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology. He has authored five books:

  • Astonished: Recapturing the Wonder, Awe, and Mystery of Life with God
  • The Jesus of Suburbia: Have We Tamed the Son of God to Fit Our Lifestyle?
  • Why Guys Need God: The Spiritual Side of Money, Sex and Relationships
  • Death by Church: Rescuing Jesus from His Followers, Recapturing God’s Hope for His People
  • Why the Bible Matters: Rediscovering Its Significance in an Age of Suspicion

Thinking of Going Multisite? Recently Became Multisite? Let’s Talk!

Lutheran Church of Hope started its first satellite campus in September 2006; since then, they have started three more (June 2008, September 2011 and October 2014). Today they worship just over 3,000 (about 30 percent) at a campus outside their main location. Each of the campuses has unique characteristics and formats while still maintaining the overall DNA. While they had plans in 2006, 2008 and 2011, they also had to change several things as a result of what they learned, many times the hard way. This breakout will discuss how each of the campuses functions today and some of the lessons learned along the way. We will also have a time for those in the room to share their experiences and also answer any questions.

Read about Chris in the workshop below.

Forum for Churches Over 2,000 in Worship

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

This forum will be for XPs in churches with over 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

David Fletcher is the founder of XPastor and the XP of EvFree Fullerton. Chris Gunnare is the Executive Minister (COO/CFO) of Hope Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. Hope Lutheran is an amazing Lutheran church with more than  9,000 in attendance at multiple sites. They are innovative and reaching people for Christ!

Forum for Churches Under 2,000 in Worship

Kent Lawrence

Kent Lawrence

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

This forum will be for XPs in churches with under 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size church as yours. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

David Fletcher is the founder of XPastor and the XP of EvFree Fullerton. Kent Lawrence is the XP of Grace Bible Church of Dallas. Kent brings a warm pastoral spirit to his role, effectively leading a medium-sized church. He is one to get to know!

A Practical Diagnostic of Your Giving Culture

Review an XP checklist of general giving best practices to assess your culture. Learn where you are thriving and where you can elevate your systems. You will identify your top vital next steps to help fund your mission.

Brad Leeper is the President and Principal of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, he is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

Working with the Team

What does it take to work with your Senior Pastor, Board and Staff team to develop a giving culture to abundantly fund ministry? Brad Leeper has worked with hundreds of churches around the nation, helping them instill a culture of generosity.

If you haven’t read the free eBook from Generis, download it now! The 2015 Year-End Giving Guide equips churches to accelerate a generosity culture through a successful year-end project. This free resource will give you the tools you need to frame the message, tell the story and measure their success through a successful year-end giving project. Click here.

Hiring to New Levels

While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David Lyons has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we …? If you are going to hire staff in the next twelve months, then this workshop will help you.

David Lyons is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. Beside being the leader of one of the oldest church search firms in the nation, he continually does innovative things … like the television show that he was a part of—ask David about it! He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

Retirement Planning for Your Staff

Jeff-Robinson

Jeff Robinson

Thirty years ago, most workers retired with a traditional pension plan. Employers managed everything. Employees made no decisions, but retired with a set amount of money. The rise of 403(b) and 401(k) retirement plans in the 1980s and 1990s shifted responsibility from employers to employees. This workshop will help you think through the different options out there as you consider what would best benefit your employees in their retirement years.

Jeff Robinson, Regional Director of Retirement Relationship Management, has the privilege of serving GuideStone participants working in Georgia, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington DC. He joined GuideStone in 2002 and his background includes 26 years in the financial services area. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. His professional credentials include: the CFP®; CLU; ChFC; CEBS; FLMI; and the Series 6, 7 and 63 investment registrations.

Safeguards for Church Funds: Understanding the Theology of Fraud

Nathan Salsbery

Nathan Salsbery

Now this is a fascinating topic! Fraud has always been a risk and reality within the church and continues to be present in many churches in varying degrees. By reflecting upon scriptural accounts of fraud, occurrences of fraud throughout church history, and contemporary case studies and best practices, participants will be equipped with practical tools to help improve prevention and detection of fraud within their church.

Nathan Salsbery is a Partner and National Director of Talent Development for CapinCrouse. Nathan also served as associate pastor at his church for nearly ten years. In two of the churches where David Fletcher has served, they had been using CapinCrouse for years. This firm brings amazing talent to a wide variety of financial and fiduciary issues. David gives them two thumbs up every year for their external audits and professional advice. These are folks to learn from!

Raising Up Coaching and Development

Jim Moss

Jim Moss

Clint Smith

Clint Smith

Jim and Clint believe and practice the idea of developing people, not just ministry. Over the past several years, these two XP’s have discovered what it looks like to develop and maintain healthy leaders, both paid and non paid. In this workshop, you will learn practical ways to develop volunteer leaders, invest in staff members and take your team to the next level without a hire as the solution.

Clint Smith has served as the Executive Pastor of NORTHchurch in Oklahoma City for twelve years. Clint founded and owns Full Capacity Coach LLC. He is committed to personal growth, leader development and passionately serving the local church. Jim Moss is fully committed to seeing people discover and live out God’s unique mission for their life. He currently serves as the XP of City Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is one of the founding pastors and has seen the church grow from zero to nearly 500 in less than six years. Jim also founded 320Coach with a focus on executives and entrepreneurs.

Mega-Ideas for a Mega-Church Staff

A growing church creates growing opportunities. Each opportunity has a way of creating a new role that needs to be filled. How do we hire to create a balanced staff to opportunity ratio? Do we need to adjust the current staff’s duties? This session will answer these questions and many more!

Nick Smith is the Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey, where he assists pastor/teacher Bishop David G. Evans. This is a dynamic church with mega-thousands of worshippers. Nick brings pastoral warmth to his staff and leadership style. He is one of our favorites! There are always great take-aways with Nick.

So I just became an XP, now what?

Enjoy a free flowing discussion on things new XP’s should care about. Any new job can be difficult, but when the job description is a constantly moving target and your scope of authority is … everything, it can be hard to know where to start. We’ll discuss your early days on the job, including where your focus should be, who you absolutely need to spend time with, and what resources are critical in your first couple of years.

Phil is the XP of Leadership and Development at Mosaic, a multi-site church in West Orlando and at Walt Disney World. He blogs at www.backstagepastors.org and his first book, Defining The Executive Pastor Role is available on Amazon. He is passionate about serving the XP community around the world through writing, speaking and coaching.

Brand and Communication Strategies for Today’s Local Church

Ted Vaughn

Ted Vaughn

It’s never been more difficult to get the attention of those we most want to reach; both inside and outside our church. Learn how effective brands engage and retain their audience and which communication strategies your church should be taking advantage of in 2016.

After 21 years of staff leadership in multiple contexts, Ted serves multiple congregations in America, Africa, and the UK as a consultant and strategic advisor in areas of brand, strategy, and staffing. His most recent staff position (’09-’14) was as Chief Creative Officer for the Rock Church in San Diego, California—a young, urban, and forward-thinking church of roughly 16,000 weekly worshippers. With an additional 14 years of executive leadership experience in mainline denominational churches, Ted has unique insight into local church leadership, healthy cultures, staffing, branding, and strategy. Today Ted leads the Communication and Tech Arts divisions for Slingshot Group (slingshotgroup.org) and is a partner in Historic Agency (historicagency.com).

Attendees

  • Steve All, Pastor/Administrator, GraceLife Church, Prineville, North Carolina
  • Damon Andrews, Executive Pastor, The Church at Canyon Creek, Austin, Texas
  • Matt Anthony, Attorney, Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Tim Arrington, XP of Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Greg Atkinson, Secret Shopper, Worship Impressions, Rock Hill, South Carolina
  • John Atkinson, Senior Consultant, The 127 Group, Leander, Texas
  • Todd Austin, General Manager, Clark, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Dave Bair, Leadership Team, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Scott Barfoot, Director – DMin Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Luke Barker, Pastor of Finance, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Nathan Baxter, Executive Leadership Coach, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dixie Beard, Director, Business Development, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Gino Beltran, Director of Marketing, Visioneering Studios, Irvine, California
  • Tim Beltz, Executive Pastor of Finance & Operations, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Leadership Network, Suffern, New York
  • Bob Blincoe, President, Frontiers, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Lambert Boyd, Director of Operations, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • John Boyle, Director of Ministry Operations, Calvary Bible Church, Boulder, Colorado
  • Dave Brandolini, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Steve Bray, Executive Pastor, Fountain City Wesleyan Church, Richmond, Indiana
  • Aaron Broberg, Next Generation Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Austin, Minnesota
  • Darren Brown, Executive Pastor, Burke Community Church, Burke, Virginia
  • David Burggraff, Executive Pastor, Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, North Carolina
  • Dan Busby, President, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Westchester, Virginia
  • Carlos Cambre, Sr., Executive Pastor, Destiny Christian Church, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
  • Mark Carlson, Executive Pastor, Church on the Ridge, Snoqualmie, Washington
  • Bob Carvalho, Chief Financial Officer, Cielo Vista Church, El Paso, Texas
  • Steve Caton, Leadership Team, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Ignacio Cerda, Intern, Iglesia Stonebriar en Español, Frisco, Texas
  • Terrence Chavis, Chief Financial Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • David Cherry, Business Development, Clark, Austin, Texas
  • Linda Chiles, Regional Manager, New Business Sales, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Tom Clagett, Executive Director/Pastor, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Houston Clark, Co-Founder and Principal, Clark, Dallas, Texas
  • Bryant Collier, Executive Coordinator, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Errol Coner, Executive Pastor, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Jeff Cooper, Executive Pastor, Bible-Based Fellowship Church, Tampa, Florida
  • Trey Corry, College Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Patrick Curles, Executive Minister, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Montgomery, Alabama
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Larry Davies, Executive Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Easton, Pennsylvania
  • Dave Eberhart, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas
  • Bryan Eck, Lead Team Pastor, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Tom Ellis, Executive Vice President, MHBT, Inc. Dallas, Texas
  • Ken Engelking, Executive Pastor, Morning Star Church, Salem, Oregon
  • Mike Erre, Resident Teaching Pastor, Coast Hills Church, Aliso Viejo, California
  • Marc Evanger, Executive Director, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Gerald Farley, Vice President, Generis, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Kyle Fleischmann, Executive Pastor, New Life Bible Fellowship, Tucson, Arizona
  • David Fletcher, Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Tami Fletcher, Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Chris Fowler, Leadership Team, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Kevin Fox, National Director of Agency Alliances, Brotherhood Mutual, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Justin Frazier, Executive Pastor, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, Texas
  • Terry Geter, Executive Director of Operations, Mosaic Church, Oakland, Florida
  • Joel Gilbert, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Rockville, Maryland
  • Cory Goetz, Executive Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Austin, Minnesota
  • Jason Golden, Executive Pastor, Venture Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
  • Jeff Gonzalez, Executive Pastor, Vale Church, Bloomington, Illinois
  • John Gordon, Executive Pastor, Wayside Chapel EFCA, San Antonio, Texas
  • Matthew Greene, National Sales Director, Brotherhood Mutual, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Chris Gunnare, Executive Minister, Hope Lutheran Church, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Todd Hauge, Former Elder/Treasurer, Mesa, Arizona
  • Bill Hawks, Executive Pastor, Highland Colony Baptist Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi
  • Jeremy Heavey, Pastor of Community Life & Operations, Gracespring Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Nick Henderson, Executive Pastor, River Valley Christian Fellowship, Bastrop, Texas
  • Jim Hobbs, Executive Pastor, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Jack Holloway, Executive Administrator, Franklin Christian Church, Franklin, Tennessee
  • Kyung-Ho Hong, Executive Director, Young Nak Celebration Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Daniel Houck, Executive Pastor, Victory Christian Center, Lowellville, Ohio
  • Steve Hron, Director, Ziegler, Greenwood Village, Colorado
  • Josh Hughes, Executive Pastor, Four Oaks Church, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Jon Hurst, Assistant Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Brett Inman, XP of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Chris Johnson, Executive Pastor, Antioch Church of the Y, Lebanon, Ohio
  • Hunter Johnson, Director of Administration, Crossroads Church of Denver, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
  • Adam Kane, Executive Pastor, Hope Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Gary Kehr, Vice President, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Ed Kelley, Executive Pastor, Bay Area Community Church, Annapolis, Maryland
  • Monty Kelso, President, Slingshot Group, Irvine, California
  • Hyo Kim, Associate Pastor, Young Nak Celebration Church Jefferson, Whittier, California
  • Brad Kinney, Director of Operations, Watkinsville First Baptist Church, Watkinsville, Georgia
  • Mike Knab, Associate, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Rodney Lara, Senior Associate Pastor of Family Life Ministries, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Kent Lawrence, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Brad Leeper, President, Generis, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Bill Leick, Director of Church-Based Teams, Frontiers, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Rusty Lewis, Vice President, Generis, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Bruce Lininger, Executive Pastor, The Chapel, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Mark Lydecker, Executive Pastor, Living Faith Christian Church, Farmingdale, New York
  • David Lyons, Founder and President, MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Mike Makidon, Director of Strategic Initiatives – Español, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Michael Martin, Vice President, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Westchester, Virginia
  • Ed Martinez, Executive Director, New Hope Church, Manvel, Texas
  • Reggie Mason, Executive Pastor, Calvary Chapel Newport News, Yorktown, Virginia
  • Ryan McCreery, Associate Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Waco, Texas
  • Samuel McFarland, Frontiers, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Mel McGowan, President and Founder, Visioneering Studios, Irvine, California
  • Brad McKerley, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
  • Marc McMurrin, Executive Director Operations, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida
  • Sean Metcalf, Executive Pastor, Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Dave Michener, Executive Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Jim Mitchell, Senior Associate Pastor, Chief of Staff, The Chapel, Akron, Ohio
  • Matt Morgan, Executive Pastor, Sanctuary, Marietta, Georgia
  • Jim Moss, Executive Pastor, City Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Doug Napier, Executive Pastor, Maryland Community Church, Terre Haute, Indiana
  • Kim Neal, Executive Minister, Convent Avenue Baptist Church, New York, New York
  • Zack Nigliazzo, Children’s Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Sam Ogles, Assistant Editor, Christianity Today, Westminster, Colorado
  • Frank ONeill, Executive Pastor, Shelter Rock Church, Manhasset, New York
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Eddie Park, Assistant Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Doug Parks, CEO, Intentional Churches, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Todd Parks, Partner, MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Lee Pennington, Director of Operations, Centerpoint Fellowship Church, Millbrook, Alabama
  • Jon Platek, Senior Pastor, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Matt Porter, Executive Pastor, Westmoore Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Ricky Pounders, Executive Pastor, Capshaw Baptist Church, Harvest, Alabama
  • Caleb Price, Music/Admin. Assistant, Collective Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Scott Rachels, Senior Leadership Lead Associate, Slingshot Group, Irvine, California
  • Steven Ragan, Executive Pastor, Riverside Baptist Church, Greer, South Carolina
  • Samuel Raj, Executive Pastor, Buckhead Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Bart Rendel, President, Intentional Churches, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Jerry Rich, Director of Client Services, FCMM Benefits & Retirement (EFCA), Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Bo Richardson, Executive Pastor, Rose Heights Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Jerry Roberts, Associate Pastor, Hope Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Jeff Robinson, Regional Director–Retirement Relationship Management, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Darrell Roland, Executive Pastor, Northeast Bible Church, Garden Ridge, Texas
  • Nathan Salsbery, Partner and National Director of Talent Development, Capin Crouse, Greenwood, Indiana
  • Tim Samuel, Chief Financial Officer, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • Gaby San Paolo, Director of Operations, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Kim Seebach, Executive Pastor, Centerpoint Church, Murrieta, California
  • David Simerson, Lead Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Austin, Minnesota
  • Damon Simpson, Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Porter, Texas
  • Paul Singleton, Intern, Church Project, Dallas, Texas
  • Arian Smith, Communications Director, Clark, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Caleb Smith, Executive Pastor, Epikos Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Clint Smith, Executive Pastor, NORTHchurch, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Kenny Smith, Executive Pastor, Church of the Crossing, Aledo, Texas
  • Lorenzo Smith, Lead Pastor, Collective Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Marty Smith, Executive Pastor, Resonate Church, Fremont, California
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Karen Strong, Senior Director, The Falls Church Anglican, Falls Church, Virginia
  • Jack Sweany, Executive Minister, University Christian Church, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Billy Tarka, Creative & Communications Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Bobby Taylor, Worship Arts Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Phil Taylor, Executive Pastor of Leadership and Development, Mosaic Church, Oakland, Florida
  • Chris Thompson, Creekside Campus Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • David Thoroughman, President and CEO, MortarStone, Reno, Nevada
  • Michael Tolle, Executive Pastor, Ministries, Lakeside Christian Church, Lakeside Park, Kentucky
  • Tom Truex, Church Administrator, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Kevin Urichko, Executive Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida
  • Paul Utnage, Executive Pastor, Springhill Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, Montana
  • Ted Vaughn, Client Strategy Partner, Historic Agency, Gilbert, Arizona
  • Keith Vessell, Pastor of Discipleship, First United Methodist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Matt Watson, Next Generation Pastor, Burke Community Church, Burke, Virginia
  • Kevin Wethington, Executive Director–Ministry Support, Lakeside Christian Church, Lakeside Park, Kentucky
  • Jason Wiesepape, Lead Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Tim Willows, Associate, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Brian Wilson, Attendee, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Jerry Wilson, Ministry Development Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Bruce Woody, President, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas

Pre-Seminar Event

Generosity: Unveiling the Mystery of Your Church’s Donors

Tuesday, February 16, 2:00-4:30 pm

$250 when you also enroll in the Seminar. Limited attendance.
Enroll in the Generosity Workshop and receive the XPastor Online Course MS202–Generosity for free!

Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Getting mad? How do you shut the back door and how do we emphasize the front door? Are you attracting new donors? This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Generosity
Most of us have assumptions about our donors

Generis-2015-600Brad is President and Principal at Generis, a team of 20 coaches that accelerates generosity toward God-inspired vision. He works with churches across the country, and now internationally, to increase everyday church giving, project giving and legacy giving. Over the last eleven years, Brad and David have teamed up on many workshops and presentations. If you know Brad, then you know there won’t be a sales pitch. This workshop will stand alone and you will have plenty of data to work with.

We are using an amazing tool from MortarStone. This tool is free for the session and for ten days afterward.

Suppose you see that giving is up ten percent. Is that more donations per attendee or more donors?

Knowing your metrics tells you where you are, where you are going and measures how you are doing getting there.

With a ten percent increase in donations, how many of those were new donors? Are you attracting new donors?

Increase your giving (without requiring a capital campaign to do so).

Even with a ten percent increase in donations, how many donors stopped giving? Are they still attending? When do people stop giving and how much later do they typically leave your church?

mortarstoneWe will examine these pivotal concepts

  • Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Did they leave mad?
  • How do you shut the back door and how can you emphasize the front door?
  • Are you attracting new donors?

This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Samples of Data

From the scores of metrics, you will see charts like these from MortarStone:

Ministry Fund

Are giving increases a result of a growing donor constituent base or are you pressing into a small portion of donors to make budget growth? Learn why one is sustainable while the other is short lived:

mortarstone-ministry-fund

Connecting and Growing First Time Donors

First time visitors are great!  However, are you able to on-board them as donors? Are you able to assimilate them into the fabric of the ministry? If not, learn why weekend attendance growth can be a false positive for healthy ministry growth.

mortarstone-first-time-donors

Donor Churn

New faces in church are great, but what is the financial impact of losing the old ones? Minimizing donor churn can supercharge weekend attendance and annual giving growth. Monitoring donor trends is one way to surface ministry opportunities. Rule based push reporting can increase your ministry efficiency and connect with those that need pastoral care:

mortarstone-donor-churn

Comments from MortarStone

MortarStone conceived donor analytics platform for churches in 2012 wanting to answer the questions: What does a healthy church look like from a metrics standpoint? And how can we apply these indicators to a Web app to help other churches?

Almost three years later, we are now tracking giving from over 1.75MM donors and more than $4 billion donations from some of the largest and fasted growing churches in America.

Our heart is to help the local church find the true value in their data. We don’t believe that your team should have to guess what reports to run or spend hours on repetitive month-end analysis. We developed an economical software solution that makes the data more manageable—and its insights more actionable.

  • In-depth, click-of-a-button reporting on the Key Performance Metrics.
  • Enriched donor profiles to facilitate identification of high-potential donor engagement and analyze donors based on their real-life interests and affinity for your church
  • Analyzing trends over time by leveraging existing historical data

Our team doesn’t equate data with bureaucracy or report running. Rather, we see data as a versatile asset that can direct leadership teams’ strategies and empower communities that the local church serves—given the right tool.

2015 XP-Seminar2021-10-25T09:17:32-05:00

Featured Guest, Will Mancini on Church Unique

What’s after “strategic planning,” “church growth” and “missional”?

Will Mancini

Will Mancini

Will Mancini wants you and your ministry to experience the benefits of stunning, God-given clarity. As a pastor turned vision coach, Will has worked with an unprecedented variety of churches from growing megachurches and missional communities, to mainline revitalization and church plants. He is the founder of Auxano, creator of VisionRoom.com and the author of Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision and Create Movement.

Will’s pastoral experience includes leadership development responsibilities at Clear Creek Community Church and Faithbridge UMC. Both churches have experienced dramatic impact in the same city but represent very different church cultures and unique ministry models. Will’s style blends the best of three worlds: process thinking from the discipline of engineering, communications savvy as an ad agency executive, and practical theology as a pastoral leader. His education includes a ThM in Pastoral Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Penn State. As you walk the vision pathway with Will, we invite you check-out his blog as an additional resource: willmancini.com; twitter: willmancini; facebook.com/claritywill; instagram: will_be_clear

Seminar Highlights

Special Keynote and Track for Lead Pastors

You asked for Mike to return! We heard from him, Mr. “Lightning in a Bottle,” at the 2014 XP-Seminar on his transition to EvFree Fullerton and the growth of 2,000 worshippers in a year. But you wanted more of Mike—speaking about being a catalyst, directional leadership and renewing a historic church. Both XPs and SPs should enjoy!

Mike will bring a keynote on Thursday morning on setting vision and implementation. That afternoon, he will lead a workshop only for Senior Pastors/Lead Pastors. Before becoming the Lead Pastor of EvFree Fullerton, he served as the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church and Mariners Church. XPs, this is the year to bring your SP!

Keynote on Leadership, Change and God’s Audacity

Daniel has been an XP for many years and a long-time presenter at XPastor. Now, God has given an enormous challenge to Daniel as a lead pastor of Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs. How do you respond to God when He brings audacious events and ministry assignments into your life?

God is working and has invited you into it, but we all wonder if we can keep up with His work. Leaders are those people who are following God’s direction, sensing His will about change, and then taking others with them on the path.
Dr. David Fletcher
Dr. David Fletcher

A Case Study by David Fletcher

David is the Founder and Host of XPastor and serves as the Executive Pastor at EvFree Fullerton. David has been a pastor for over 30 years in churches of up to 8,000 people in attendance. He founded XPastor in 2003 and has seen it grow into a global tool for churches of all sizes. Detail on this case will be presented soon.

Legal Issues

For many years, the XP-Seminar has presented the outstanding legal perspectives of attorneys Matt Anthony and David Middlebrook. David and Matt are nationally-noted attorneys who have helped thousands of churches across America. When Matt and David present at the XP-Seminar, it is “shock and awe.”  Society is litigious and the law is complicated.

This year we will be covering Employment Law: General and Executive Level Employee Contracts, Worker Classification (Employee vs. Independent Contractor). Structuring and Compliance of Internship Programs. Termination of Employment. Wrongful Discharge Claims. Separation Agreements. Confidentiality Agreements.

Yee-haw, that’s a mouthful of big words!

New Short Rides

This year we will feature a financial update on retirement assets with Matt Peden, Director of Portfolio Management at GuideStone Capital Management and a short ride with a case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. Horse not provided.

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz

Tim was the XP, Executive Elder, Board Member, and organizational strategist at Mars Hill from 2007-2011.  He will share in a positive and meaningful way the collective takeaways from the vantage points of organizational, pastoral, leadership, and multisite matters. Personal reflections and “so what does this means to my church?” will provide closure to this tragic situation.

Mars Hill has just updated their site with a great history of the church.  Be sure to click on “2015” to see all the churches launched, “with her final breath, Mars Hill gave birth to 11 newly independent churches where, by God’s grace, the gospel will continue to be preached, his name will be glorified, and thousands will be saved by Jesus.”

Afternoon Workshops

On each afternoon, we have three sets of workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions to practical ministry. Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders are church leaders who speak from their amazing areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”
“Thank you so much for the obvious work that was put into the conference. It was my first time attending and it was very beneficial.”
“On our flight home, my XP said to me, ‘So was the conference worth it for you?’ I answered, ‘Yes it was.’ He agreed as well.”

“The most important part to me is the ability to ‘network’ I loved being able to ask questions, probe and encourage the other folks I spent time with outside of the scheduled events.”

“Thank you for continuing to offer this most wonderful vehicle for growing, learning and stretching in service to Him!”

“A few of the beneficial things:
→The structure of the conference
→The speakers are accessible
→The large room is comfortable
→The free material is amazing
→Chatting between speakers”

“I love that the conference is small.”
—attendance limited to 200 people—

2015-fingerprint

Schedule

Tuesday, February 17

7:30-8:30 Registration & Dessert
Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all.

Wednesday, February 18

7:45
Gary Kehr

Gary Kehr

Full Breakfast sponsored by ECCU—always a fantastic time to start the Seminar and learn the latest.  

  • What’s happening nationally on the church building scene?  Are people building again?  What types of buildings are they doing?  Large boxes, renovations, inner-city spaces? As churches get ready for a building project, what do they need to consider with regards to their bank?  What does a banking relationship look like in 2015 and beyond?   How should churches prepare with financial data—external audits, generosity analyses, donor capabilities?
8:45 Welcome
Dr. David Fletcher, the Founder of XPastor and an XP, will open our time together.  We come from scores of churches across the U.S., Canada & even Malaysia, devoted to growing as leaders.  There are many medium-sized and large churches represented, with an average church size of 3,200 people in worship.  We are peers talking to peers about best practices, cutting edge ministry and resolving age-old issues of church life.
9:00

Keynote on Legal Issues: Employment Law

David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony are nationally-noted attorneys with the Church Law Group and present our annual “shock & awe.”  Society is litigious and the law is complicated.  We will look at Employment Law: General and Executive Level Employee Contracts, Worker Classification (Employee vs. Independent Contractor). Structuring and Compliance of Internship Programs. Termination of Employment. Wrongful Discharge Claims. Separation & Confidentiality Agreements.  Yee-haw, that’s hard hitting!
10:00
Will Mancini

Will Mancini

Keynote on Uniqueness in Ministry: What’s after “strategic planning,” “church growth” and “missional”?

Will Mancini–pastor, author, thinker, strategist.  He’s in the trenches every day.  As a “clarity evangelist,” Will has served as vision architect for hundreds of churches across the country—Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and non-denominational and many more.  His clients include notable organizations like Leadership Network and Upward Unlimited and pastors like Chuck Swindoll and Max Lucado. Will’s style blends the best of three worlds: the process thinking from the discipline of engineering, the communications savvy as an ad agency executive, and the practical theology as a pastoral leader.

Will is the author of Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture and Create Movement and Building Leaders.
11:00

Q&A with Will
11:30

Break
11:45

short-ride

Matt Penden

Matt Penden

Lunch & The Short Ride on a Hot Topic, sponsored by GuideStone.  This year we will feature a financial update on retirement assets and one short ride with a case study on church leadership issues. To the point. Clear. Impactful. Horse not provided.

Financial Investment Update with Matt Peden, Director of Portfolio Management at GuideStone Capital Management.

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill with Tim Beltz.  Tim was the XP, Executive Elder, Board Member, and organizational strategist at Mars Hill from 2007-2011. He will share in a positive and meaningful way the collective takeaways from the vantage points of organizational, pastoral, leadership, and multisite matters. Personal reflections and “so what does this means to my church?” will provide closure to this tragic situation.
1:30-2:30 Workshops: Session #1
2:30 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:45-3:45 Workshops: Session #2
4:00-5:00 Workshops: Session #3
5:15 Take an XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 19

7:45
Chris Fowler

Chris Fowler

Full Breakfast sponsored by Church Community Builder.

  • What were the origins of church databases and their growth.  As the Harvard Business School asks in Question Zero, “What exactly are we trying to accomplish here?”  Where are church databases going?  What are the current obstacles that you are trying to overcome?  What will churches want in 3, 5 or 10 years?
8:45

Keynote on Leadership, Change and God’s Audacity

Daniel has been an XP for many years and a long-time presenter at XPastor.  Now, God given an enormous challenge to Daniel as a lead pastor of Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs.
9:45

Keynote on re>knew: Candid Thoughts on the American Church and Your Role In It

Mike is the Senior Pastor of EvFree Fullerton.  He has served as the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church and Mariners Church.  Since coming to Fullerton, there has been tremendous growth under his dynamic leadership.  Restoring a historic church is both exciting and challenging.  Where is your church in this dynamic tension in the America today?
11:00

Break for Lunch

Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30

Lunch Workshops

Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6

Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the eleventh year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. Generis believes it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it.  Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. Check out a great article from Brad Leeper: “Trends in 2014 for Church Tithing, Giving and Stewardship.” We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper, and also Stewardship Strategist, Gerald Farley.

ministersearch-logoWe welcome MinisterSearch for the eleventh year. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch is the most experienced and most successful pastoral search firm in the country. Leading over 400 pastoral searches, they have developed a process like no other that helps churches identify their specific needs, find candidates they couldn’t find on their own, and clearly discern who the right candidate is. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, the team at MinisterSearch can help. We welcome the founder, David Lyons.

ACTIVE_FellowshipOne_2016For the ninth year, we welcome ACTIVE Network’s Fellowship One. The industry’s premier church management software, Fellowship One, provides churches with technology offerings and church management expertise that enable you to offer exceptional member care and engage your community. ACTIVE Network partners with more than 4,000 churches and 83% of the largest and fastest growing churches in the U.S. benefit from their connection to the ACTIVE Network.

eccu-logoFor the ninth year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. ECCU is an alliance of Christian people and organizations committed to fueling Christ-centered ministry worldwide. While our mission extends far beyond banking, we have been providing ministry-centric financial services and resources for nearly five decades to churches and their members, missionaries, and many others.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the ninth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $11.8 billion in assets as of March 31, 2013. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s website at www.GuideStone.org.

churchlaw-logoFor the sixth year, we welcome The Church Law Group. The Church Law Group focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients. One member of the team is a former Assistant District Attorney. Several of the attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. We welcome David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony.

HH-logo-2014For the fifth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects. HH Architects offers a unique skill set of experience and expertise from having served as a ministry partner on a wide variety of projects which includes: Master Plans, Church Relocations, Worship Centers & Sanctuaries, Education Facilities, Dining Facilities, Sports & Recreation Facilities and Parking Garages. We welcome Scott Nelson and Bruce Woody.

CapinCrouse-Logo-2015For the fourth year, we welcome CapinCrouse. With more than 1,000 not-for-profit clients, CapinCrouse is the country’s leading accounting and advisory firm primarily serving the Christian not-for-profit community. Since 1972, CapinCrouse has been serving not-for-profit entities including mega-churches, institutions of higher education and secondary schools, and international missions agencies by providing a full range of audit, review, tax, and advisory services. CapinCrouse is dedicated to helping our clients operate with financial integrity so they can dedicate themselves to fulfilling their mission.  We welcome Stan Reiff, Partner with CapinCrouse.

clark-logoFor the fourth year, we welcome Clark. Sixteen years ago, Clark (formerly Clark ProMedia) began focusing on Audio, Video and Lighting systems for churches. Today, its offerings go beyond Technology and include Strategic Facilities Planning and Project Management. More than 20% of Outreach Magazine’s top 50 churches have relied on Clark to turn their visions into realities. We welcome co-founder Houston Clark.

worlds-of-wow-logoFor the third year, we welcome Worlds of Wow as a sponsor! Worlds of Wow creates ridiculously cool, fun environments that impact kids and families of all ages. “Since 2004, we’ve been using indoor playgrounds and themed environments to assist churches in reaching families and growing membership. Our spiritually focused team will partner with you to maximize budget and wow factor.”  We welcome Reagan Hillier, President of WOW.

portable-church-logoFor the second year, we welcome Portable Church Industries as a sponsor. Portable Church redefines the possibilities for mobile churches worldwide through their creative, functional and portable transportation and equipment solutions. They are a collective of Designers, Consultants, Project Managers, Producers, Builders and Experts. Together, they create customized, all-inclusive solutions for church plants and multi-site churches. Their unique solutions ensure that set-up and tear-down aren’t the biggest experience mobile churches have on a Sunday. We welcome Scott Cougill, CEO of Portable Church.

ecfaFor the first year, we welcome the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.  ECFA enhances trust in Christ-centered churches and ministries by establishing and applying Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™ to accredited organizations. Founded in 1979, ECFA provides accreditation to leading churches that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, transparency, stewardship, and board governance. We welcome Dan Busby, President of ECFA.
CCB-logo2For the first year, we welcome Church Community Builder. CCB is a technology and services company focused on equipping church leaders for better ministry. The Church is called to equip God’s people to do His work, and Church Community Builder exists to support you with a better how—through practical coaching, software, and ‘tribe’-based learning. We focus on the tools and processes so that you can focus on empowering people. Our inspiration is “the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11b-12).

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the eleventh year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States.

leadership-network-300We welcome Leadership Network for the tenth year, www.leadnet.org.  Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to help leaders move from ideas, to implementation, to impact.  Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing.  Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. To stay updated with the latest articles, resources and opportunities for innovative churches, sign up for the free, weekly newsletter at www.leadnet.org. Leadership Network is here to help leaders move from ideas to implementation to impact. Want to become involved?

christianity-today-logoWe welcome Christianity Today for the second year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Group publishes the award-winning Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the award-winning ChurchLawAndTax.com and ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Group is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide, Pastor, Church & Law, the biannual Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, the Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches, and several eBooks) as well as an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that includes attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

Workshops Level 1—Operations: Staffing, Facilities, Finances, Communications

Missional Spaces and Missional Leaders: The Journey of the Rock Church, San Diego

Mingo Palacios

Mingo Palacios

Ted Vaughn

Ted Vaughn

David Cherry

David Cherry

Houston is a co-founder and Principal of Clark. Houston and his team design and implement some of the most innovative audio, video, theatrical lighting and streaming solutions. After more than fifteen years of experience, they continue to shape the evolution of contemporary and modern worship by transforming venues of every shape and size into highly relevant communication platforms for the Gospel.  Ted is a strategic partner with Clark; David is in Business Development with Clark, and Mingo Palacios is the Microsite Pastor of The Rock.

The conversation is directly connected to fostering innovative creativity in Worship and Church spaces but using the approach we’ve seen at The Rock.

Knowing When to Build or Expand

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Scott is a Principal with HH Architects and is blessed to serve as a ministry-partner/problem-solver with many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. With a passion for helping churches succeed, Scott leads HH Architects Strategic Positioning services, helping clients to create solutions to their growth, facility, and financial questions. Bruce is the President and CEO of HH Architects.

The excitement of seeing new faces walking through your church’s door each week can soon elicit a different emotion for church leadership … we are out of space, what should we do next? Add more services, start/add a satellite campus, build bigger. Often, more than one option appears viable; however, the question remains, “Which option is the best stewardship of the church’s resources?”

Join us for a conversation on how church leaders are removing the guesswork from facility planning and learn how to develop expansion plans that create ministry balance for your campus.

1. Learn to identify growth constraints and develop plans for creating ministry balance (Worship, Education, Parking) on your campus.
2. Develop effective Ministry Plans based on People, Space, Time, and Money.
3. Understand the options for maximizing current church campuses as it relates to programming and facilities.
4. Learn to count “all the cost” for a project including Hard Cost, Soft Cost, and Development Cost.

Minister’s Housing Allowance

Don is the Eastern Regional Director for Retirement Relationship Management at GuideStone Financial Resources. He joined GuideStone in 1994 and serves as a Principal for the organization. He holds the Series 6, 26, and 63 securities licenses, is a Certified Financial PlannerTM licensee, and is a member of the Financial Planning Association. Don is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before his work at GuideStone, he served as a minister on the staff of several large churches.

No other area of staff salaries is as complicated as the Ministerial Housing Allowance. Though recently challenged in court, it seems this exemption will be with us for the foreseeable future. What do the IRS regulations require regarding who can receive this allowance? Are there guidelines for acceptable use and regular church board acceptance of the allowances? Problem cases have arisen over the years; Rick Warren had a major news-breaking case a number of years ago and another pastor wanted the allowance for a vacation home. Pastors also want this allowance to be carried forward for their retirement income. What is acceptable in this confluence of law, rules and policy?

What Counts? Measuring the Financial Performance of Your Church

Stan is a Partner with CapinCrouse and his professional experience includes over thirty years in ministry operations, public accounting, government accounting, and missionary work.

Understanding the church’s financial information better can help prevent a future crisis by making better decisions today. This session will introduce you to some ratios and reporting that help identify potential areas of financial weakness in your congregation.

Effective Ways to Release a Staff Member

Dr. Nathan Baxter, founder of Lead Self Lead Others, has been leading teams and helping people move their stories forward for over twenty years. He has developed a unique coaching practice and resources that help people break out of plateaus. He has had the privilege of working with executives from fields as diverse as manufacturing, real estate, medical, banking, non-profit, direct sales, church, legal, insurance and energy. Nathan has also provided training for leaders around the world including Ukraine, Mali West Africa, South America, India and Mexico. As a certified consultant with Birkman International, Lead Self Lead Others also provides personalized leadership coaching using the Birkman Feedback Tool. Nathan earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Administration from Oklahoma State University, a Masters of Divinity Degree with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry and Leadership Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. Before starting his Executive Coaching career, he served for 28 years in full time ministry, filling the roles of Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor.

Nobody lasts forever—sometimes it is a job transition that brings that concept to a staff member’s attention. How do you release someone from your employment professionally and with grace? This workshop will give you best practices for effective transitions and help you avoid the most common mistakes.

Launching Portable Campuses Well

Scott Cougill is CEO of Portable Church Industries, a collective of subject matter experts who have been assisting the portable church—church plants and multisites—effectively open more seats for the Gospel in thousands of communities over the past twenty years. Prior to Portable Church Industries, Scott was an Executive Pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles with approximately 2,000 attendees across two portable campuses. Scott brings much leadership experience to this area having served on the World Leadership Team of Youth for Christ International for eight years, overseeing their Asia Pacific Area from Chiang Mai, Thailand, and working in leadership roles in corporate America for fifteen years.

This workshop will focus on the best practices to launch a new campus in a rented facility. There are many challenges pastors face to secure, prepare, launch, sustain, and thrive in a rented facility such as a school or community center. With over twenty years of experience assisting churches, Portable Church Industries has identified the primary keys and primary mistakes pastors make when they launch in rented spaces.

Five Steps To Family-Friendly Environments

Reagan Hillier from Worlds of Wow, a leading provider of original themed environments and indoor playgrounds in churches, will share how to make your space attractive and engaging for families and kids.

Creating a destination for kids at your church can lead to double-digit growth in your children’s ministry and church attendance overall.

We’ll talk about how to accomplish this at your church in five simple (and not necessarily expensive) steps:  Security, Colors, Smiles, Energy and Sundays/Weekdays.

Hiring To New Levels

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we …?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next twelve months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous.”

Workshops Level 2—Ministry Strategy

Don’t Accept Ceilings in Generosity

Rusty Lewis

Rusty Lewis

Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners and Gerald has been a Strategist with Generis for many years. Based on experience and affinity, they are drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

With Generis, Brad is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta. Rusty is the Vice-President of Generis. This workshop will explore how to have a culture of generosity in a local church. What are the markers for it? How you can get a culture of generosity and how can you keep it?

Brad’s and Gerald’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars.

Master the Key Processes for Church Health and Growth

Allen Ratta

Allen Ratta

Allen served as a lead pastor of fast growing churches for over twenty years. In 2002 he founded ConnectionPower.com, using lessons learned from working with thousands of churches. With its unique ministry tool sets, the firm grew into a market leader in web-based Church Management Systems. In 2011 Allen and ConnectionPower joined the Active Network along with Fellowship Technologies and ServiceU. He now is helping individuals and churches through his books and SpiritualProgress.com and www.churchgrowth.net.

This workshop is based on Allen’s new widely acclaimed book, The Optimized Church. We will unfold an innovative process map that has no boards or committees or chains of command. Learn about an innovative way to lead your church. Discover the power of processes and key performance indicators to revolutionize the way you do ministry. See how many churches are structured for key areas of mission failure. Align and energize your team around its core purposes and processes.

The Secret to Leadership Team Membership: Differences That Make A Difference

Ryan Hartwig is an Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Communications at Azusa Pacific University. He, along with Warren Bird, co-authored Teams that Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership.

No matter what kind of team you lead, figuring out who should be on the team and who shouldn’t be on the team is crucially important but terribly challenging. Out of ease, some teams succumb to populating the team with people just like the leader. Other teams fight so hard for diversity they can’t find any common ground. What’s the answer? In this practical workshop, Ryan will guide you to discern who you need on your team, identify how to find those people, strategize how to remove people gracefully from the team, and learn how to coach your team to be able to effectively work together.

Workshops Level 3–Governance and Executive Functions

Two Organizational Models Every XP Should Own

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz is the Executive Pastor of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He previously served as the Executive Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, from 2007-2010. Tim brings extensive leadership, management, and executive experience to the church. He served 25 years as a career Coast Guard officer holding key command and staff positions. He commanded two units, served as the special assistant to the US Secretary of Transportation, and finished his career as the Resource Director for the western part of the world. He earned an MBA from Arizona State University and has led multiple businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Often XPs and senior church leadership teams repeatedly face the fundamental questions of: 1) How do we address recurring issues which seemingly have no solutions, and 2) In the face of no apparent solutions, how do we move forward? All too often, we use the same lens, year after year, in which to address these nagging matters. This workshop addresses these questions and offers two fresh organizational models in which to view and address ministry’s realities, issues, and problems.

Five Ways a Church Can Increase Trust With Wise Governance

Dan Busby

Dan Busby

Dan Busby is the president of ECFA, an organization that accredits Christ-centered ministries in the areas of governance, financial management and stewardship/fundraising. ECFA’s seal enhances trust of givers, which increases generosity, providing greater resources to help fulfill the Great Commission. ECFA accredits nearly 1,900 churches and nonprofits. These organizations have annual revenue in excess of $22 billion. He is a prolific writer with 48 volumes of five book titles published. Dan served as a member of the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, a national legislative advisory commission convened to address legislative proposals for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Times named him as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Leaders in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

This workshop will focus on the importance of retaining TRUST of a large church’s constituents. Trust is often a missing ingredient in today’s world. The impact of the trust deficit is impacting large churches. The tone for trust is set at the governance levels and flows down through the church’s organization chart. This workshop will include the following elements: Understand the six elements of a trusted church from a governance perspective: truth-telling, accountability, managing risks, appropriate transparency, understanding church finances, and Christ-centered governance.

Senior Pastor Forum

When Mike Erre came to EvFree Fullerton as the Lead Pastor, the church had about 2,000 in worship. The church had been without a Lead Pastor or Executive Pastor for two years. The tenure of the two prior pastors was long, leaving a deep sense of history and culture. Chuck Swindoll has been the pastor for 23 years, followed by Dale Burke for 14 years. Both men were national leaders and authors. Yet, years later, the congregation was aging. They were great folks but needed a new sense of empowerment from their directional leader.

The SP track will be on the afternoon of Thursday, February 19. The discussion will be open—meaning that the participants will bring questions and issues. The discussion will be on “all of those topics raised that we can get to!” Interact with other Senior Pastors. Senior Pastors are visionary leaders, preaching to change lives. Here is an opportunity for you to sit around a table with others like you to talk about ministry.

  • How do others handle the non-stop tension of ministry?
  • How do you stay fresh with God?
  • What is success in preaching? How do I measure it?
  • How do others handle the joy and pain of staff and volunteers?

Be with other Senior Pastors who have been in the role for 10, 20 and 30 years.

The Life and Work of the Executive Pastor

Michael Nichols

Michael Nichols

Michael is a writer, speaker, and executive pastor. He is currently the Executive Pastor at FBC Midlothian, a church of 2,000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Michael is the author of Creating Your Business Vision and the soon-to-be-released book, One-on-One Meetings That Work. As a facilitator of organizational growth and strategic planning, he has led growth in churches, businesses, colleges and universities, and non-profits for more than 25 years. Michael actively coaches individuals and teams to develop personal and organizational vision and plans and to effectively manage priorities and decisions.

Healthy organizations are the by-product of healthy leadership. This workshop will address how the LIFE of the Executive Pastor fits within the WORK of the Executive Pastor. You’ll receive simple tools and resources to help you and your team with vision, planning, priority management, decision-making, time away, personal growth, and challenges.

Forum for Churches over 2,000 in Worship

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

This forum will be for XPs in churches with over 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size churches. This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

David is the founder of XPastor and the XP of EvFree Fullerton. Chris is the XP of Hope Lutheran Church in West Des Moines.

Have What and How trumped your Why?

Jon serves as the Executive Pastor of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. A member of Grace since 1988, the Senior Pastor and Elder Board asked him to step out of the Marketplace in 2009, where he owned and operated a product development company, to serve the church in a full-time capacity. He enjoys developing and mentoring the next generation and is always on the lookout for new and creative ideas for “doing church” more effectively. With the gifts of ideation and execution, Jon always seems to extend the limits of what is possible.

When is the last time you actually took the time to ensure that your organizational structure is aligned around the “why” of your ministry, not just the “what” and “how”? In this session we’ll look at Biblical and business models to rediscover the “why” behind the mission, vision and strategies of our churches. We’ll then ask some hard questions to help determine whether or not our churches are organized to effectively execute on it.

Forum for Churches under 2,000 in Worship

Kent Lawrence

Kent Lawrence

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

This forum will be for XPs in churches with under 2,000 people in worship. Gather with your peers to talk through an open agenda. We will identify specific issues to the church in this size range and then “have at it.”

The discussion will be open to all, rapid and exciting! Bring your questions, issues and thorny problems! Meet people who serve in the same size churches.  This is a great way to form friendships with other XPs.

David is the founder of XPastor and the XP of EvFree Fullerton. Kent is the XP of Grace Bible Church of Dallas.

Attendees

2015-thumbprintThe Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders
to come together, learn from national leaders
and peers, and be life-long learners.

  • Damon Andrews, Executive Pastor, The Church at Canyon Creek, Austin, Texas
  • Matt Anthony, Attorney,  Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Gideon Ape, Associate Campus Director, Christ Fellowship, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Tim Arrington, Executive Pastor of Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Tim Badal, Lead Teaching Pastor, Village Bible Church, Sugar Grove, Illinois
  • Scott Barfoot, Director, Doctor of Ministries Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Brian Barndt, Executive Pastor, Grey Stone Church, Durham, North Carolina
  • Bruce Baxter, Executive Pastor, La Croix Church, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • Nathan Baxter, Executive Leadership Coach, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dixie Beard, Director of Business Development, Retirement Institutional Plans, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Dennis Behrman, Director of Product Marketing, Fellowship One/Active Network, Irving, Texas
  • Tim Beltz, Executive Pastor, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Chris Benson, Pastor, Grace for Life Ministry, Frisco, Texas
  • Robert Blincoe, President, Frontiers, Tempe, Arizona
  • Ken Blume, Executive Director, Ministry & Programs, Colonial Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri
  • Lambert Boyd, Director of Operations, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Matthew Branaugh, Editorial Director, Christianity Today, Westminster, Colorado
  • Dave Brandolini, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Frankie Broome, Adult Ministry Intern, Cornerstone, Chandler, Arizona
  • Sean Buchanan, Tribes Leader, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • David Burggraff, Executive Pastor, Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, North Carolina
  • Dan Busby, President, ECFA, Winchester, Virginia
  • Lou Butler, Executive Director, Foothills Bible Church, Littleton, Colorado
  • Darcy Caires, Jr., Pastor, Queens Presbyterian Church PCA, Astoria, New York
  • Mark Carlson, Executive and Operations Pastor, Church on the Ridge, Snoqualmie, Washington
  • Steve Caton, Leadership Team, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Terrence Chavis, Chief Financial Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • David Cherry, Clark, Dallas, Texas
  • Linda Chiles, Regional Manager of New Business Sales, Insurance Plans, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Fred Choi, Executive Director of Operations, Riverview Church, Holt, Michigan
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Houston Clark, Co-Founder and Principal, Clark, Dallas, Texas
  • Joshua Clay, Executive Pastor, New Kingdom Ministries International, Lafayette, Louisiana
  • Paul Clough, Lead Pastor, Christ Community Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Errol Coner, Executive Pastor, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Trey Corry, College Ministries Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Scott Cougill, CEO, Portable Church Industries, Troy, Michigan
  • Pat Coyle, Human Resources Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Bill Daniel, Church Executive, Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Larry Davies, Executive Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Easton, Pennsylvania
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Mark DiGirolamo, Executive Pastor, COO, Visalia First Assembly, Visalia, California
  • Rick Duesler, Director of Administration, Otterbein Church, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
  • Keith Duff, Executive Pastor, Village Bible Church, Sugar Grove, Illinois
  • Michael Dunn, Senior Pastor, Grace Christian Fellowship, Cortland, New York
  • Bryan Eck, Lead Team Pastor, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • David Eichler, Executive Pastor, Bakersfield First Assembly of God, Bakersfield, California
  • Bob Ellis, Executive Pastor, The Grove Community Church, Riverside, California
  • Tom Ellis, Executive Vice President, MHBT Inc., Dallas, Texas
  • Ken Engelking, Executive and Teaching Pastor, Morning Star Church, Salem, Oregon
  • Mike Erre, Senior Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Mark Evanger, Executive Director, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • David Fletcher, Founder of XPastor, Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Tami Fletcher, Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Sammy Flores, Campus Pastor, Christ Fellowship, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Stephen Forman, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
  • Chris Fowler, Leadership Team, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Justin Frazier, Executive Pastor, Discipleship, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, Texas
  • Mitchell Frevert, Seminary Student, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Aaron Giesler, Pastor of Ministry Development, Grace Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Jason Golden, Executive Pastor, Venture Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
  • Keith Gooding, Solution Advisor, Elexio, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
  • John Gordon, Executive Pastor, Wayside Chapel EFCA, San Antonio, Texas
  • David Green, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Burleson, Texas
  • Chris Gunnare, Chief Operating Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Karl Hanschen, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Doug Hart, Executive Pastor, Pathway Community Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Ryan Hartwig, Associate Dean, Assistant Professor, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
  • Bill Hawks, Executive and Education Pastor, Highland Colony Baptist Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi
  • Parris Hayashi, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church Pearlside, Pearl City, Hawaii
  • Will Heath, Owner, Succession Framework, Murphy, Texas
  • Jeremy Heavey, Community Life and Operations Pastor, Gracespring Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Benjamin Hedrick, Executive Pastor, Immanuel, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Bill Heydorn, Executive Pastor of Adults, Cornerstone, Chandler, Arizona
  • Reagan Hillier, President, World of Wow, Argyle, Texas
  • Jim Hobbs, Executive Pastor, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Thomas Hobby, Operations Manager, Victory Church, Westminster, Colorado
  • Russ Hollingsworth, Managing Director, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois
  • Frank Hopkins, Executive Pastor, Christ Fellowship, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Steve Hron, Director, Ziegler, Greenwood Village, Colorado
  • Andrew Hsieh, Relationship Manager, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Andrew Hummel, Communications Director, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Jon Hurst, Assistant Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Hunter Johnson, Director of Operations, Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, Englewood, Colorado
  • Neal Joseph, Coach and Associate, Senior Leadership, Slingshot Group, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Gary Kehr, Regional Director, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Edward Kelley, Executive Pastor, Bay Area Community Church, Annapolis, Maryland
  • Chris Kelly, Lead Pastor of Business, Mid-Cities Community Church, Midland, Texas
  • Ed Kirkland, Senior Pastor, Living Faith Christian Church, Farmingdale, New York
  • Mike Knab, Assistant Vice President, Sales Manager, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Rodney Lara, Sr. Associate Pastor, Family Life Ministries, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Kent Lawrence, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Brad Leeper, President & Principal, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Rusty Lewis, Vice President, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Greg Ligon, Vice President, Leadership Network, Dallas, Texas
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • Mark Lydecker, Executive and Outreach Pastor, Living Faith Christian Church, Farmingdale, New York
  • David Lyons, Founder & President, MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Emanuele Madanat, Executive Pastor, Providence Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Will Mancini, Author and Founder, Auxano, Houston, Texas
  • Ron May, Executive Pastor, Wildwood Church, East Moine, Illinois
  • Ryan McCreery, Pastor of Administration, CrossWay Bible Church, Blue Springs, Missouri
  • Mike McDonough, Pastor of Spiritual Development, Hernando Baptist Church, Hernando, Mississippi
  • Barry McKenna, Executive Director, Ward Church, Northville, Michigan
  • Brad McKerley, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
  • Don McLeod, Eastern Regional Director, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Cody McQueen, Teaching Pastor & West Campus Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • David Michener, Executive Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Bob Morter, Director, Crossroads Community Church, Vancouver, Washington
  • Jim Moss, Executive Pastor, City Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Ed Nalle, Executive Pastor, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Amy Napier, Pastor’s Wife, Maryland Community Church, Terre Haute, Indiana
  • Doug Napier, Executive Pastor, Maryland Community Church, Terre Haute, Indiana
  • Kim Neal, Executive Minister, Convent Avenue Baptist Church, New York, New York
  • Don Neff, Executive Pastor, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Doris Neff, Ladies Ministry Pastor, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Christopher Nelson, Consultant, Elexio, San Diego, California
  • Scott Nelson, Principal, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Rick Neves, Chief Operating Officer, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Michael Nichols, Executive Pastor, FBC Midlothian, Midlothian, Texas
  • Lendell Nolan, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Roswell, New Mexico
  • Craig Norton, Executive Pastor, Harvest Church, Watauga, Texas
  • Chris Ockerman, Director of Administration, Ward Church, Northville, Michigan
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Kim Pagel, Executive Pastor, New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Mingo Palacios, Microsite Pastor, The Rock, San Diego, California
  • Eddie Park, Intern (Executive Pastoral Ministry), EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Kyle Paterik, Finance Director, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Matt Peden, Director of Portfolio Management, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Derek Prezzano, Executive Pastor, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithton, New York
  • Steve Quinn, Executive Pastor, Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury, Texas
  • Lane Ransdell, Business Administrator, First Christian Church of Decatur, Decatur, Illinois
  • Allen Ratta, Author & Founder, SpiritualProgress.com & ChurchGrowth.net, Oceanside, California
  • Stan Reiff, Principal, CapinCrouse, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jerry Rich, Director of Client Services, FCMM Benefits & Retirement, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Bo Richardson, Executive Pastor, Rose Heights Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Jerry Roberts, Associate Pastor, Hope Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Tony Roberts, Director of Administration and Oversight, Coppell Bible Fellowship, Coppell, Texas
  • Jason Rogers, Former Executive Pastor Resident–HR Director, Former Mars Hill Church, The Colony, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Senior Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Gary Rothenberger, Executive Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, Texas
  • Tim Samuel, Chief Financial Officer, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • Josh Schuler, Senior Advisor, Trebuchet Group, Fort Collins, Colorado
  • Marty Scott, College Ministry Director, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Tommy Shelton, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Paul Singleton, Intern, Church Project—Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • Clint Smith, Executive Director, NORTHchurch, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Lorenzo Smith, Executive Pastor, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Ken Smith, Volunteer, Church at the Crossing, Aledo, Texas
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Steve Stege, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Frisco, Texas
  • Samantha Stockton, Human Resources/Leadership Training, Christ Fellowship, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Joe Stoll, Pastor, Genoa Church, Westerville, Ohio
  • Christopher Stout, Controller/Director of Stewardship, Mid-Cities Community Church, Midland, Texas
  • Matt Sturdevant, Executive Pastor, Hope Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • John Szablowski, Executive Pastor, The Bridge Bible Church, Bakersfield, California
  • Terry Taylor, Executive Pastor, Family Church, West Monroe, Louisiana
  • Chris Thompson, Campus Pastor, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • David Thoroughman, MortarStone, Reno, Nevada
  • Peter Torry, Executive Pastor, PFB/Purpose Church, Pomona, California
  • John Travis, Director of Operations, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Tom Truex, Church Administrator, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Paul Utnage, Executive Pastor, Springhill Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, Montana
  • Robert Vaughan, Chief Financial Officer, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Ted Vaughn, Clark, Dallas, Texas
  • Kevin Weiner, Event Coordinator, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Bob Westfall, Senior Pastor, New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Drew Wilborn, Executive Pastor, Antioch Fellowship MB Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Tim Willows, Sales Associate, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Jerry Wilson, Pastor/Sr. Director of Campus Development, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Ryan Wong, Deacon, Chinese Grace Bible Church, Sacramento, California
  • Curtis Woodliff, Executive Pastor, HighRidge Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Bruce Woody, President & CEO, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Jon Wright, Executive Pastor, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Michael Wright, Associate Pastor—Families, First Baptist Church, Keller, Texas
  • Richard Young, Executive Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Ontario, California

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—both personally and professionally.”

Special Pre-Seminar Session

Unveiling the Mystery of Your Church’s Donors

A special pre-seminar event on Tuesday, February 17
Limited attendance
2:00-4:30 pm

We will examine these pivotal concepts: Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Getting mad?  How do you shut the back door and how do we emphasize the front door?  Are you attracting new donors?  This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

5 Kinds of Church Audits … and counting

There are at least five different kinds of audits. In particular, I want to introduce you to what I call a generosity audit. This kind of audit examines your donations, new donors, the fall off by a donor, and many other factors. To get started, let’s review different types of church audits.

External Financial Audits: Most XPs are familiar with financial audits. An external financial audit is when you have an independent CPA firm analyze your financial records according to a number of standards. They produce an audit report and a management letter. Expect to pay between $7,500-$25,000 for such an audit. It is expensive but worth it.

Internal Financial Audits: This is when your finance committee, or others within your church, audits selected accounts and procedures. I like to collect accountants and CPAs, using their skills to report on highly specific areas of our church finances. It’s not official—so can’t be used for proof of credit worthiness to a bank, but it turns up great action items. And, it gives further transparency to the financial leaders within the church.

Facilities Audits: Bring in a competent Facilities Director from another church and ask for a 20-page analysis of your facilities planning, staff, long-term needs, campus, etc. I recently did this for the first time and the results were fantastic.

Communications/Tech Audits: Bring in a firm like Clark (they are sponsors of the XP-Seminar and you can meet Houston Clark, February 18-19 in Dallas). If you are doing a major building project, they may do this for free, otherwise expect to pay for their time. I’m about ready to do this to get an independent, outside view of how we are doing in this area.

Generosity Audits:  What do you really know about your donors? If giving is up ten percent, that could be due to more donors or more donations per attendee. Most of us don’t know how many donors left the church and/or how many new donors began to give. That would be great to know, whether your giving is up ten percent or down ten percent.

Generosity Audit
Most of us have assumptions about our donors

Generis-2015-600Brad is President and Principal at Generis, a team of 20 coaches that accelerates generosity toward God-inspired vision. He works with churches across the country, and now internationally, to increase everyday church giving, project giving and legacy giving. Over the last eleven years, Brad and David have teamed up on many workshops and presentations. If you know Brad, then you know there won’t be a sales pitch. This workshop will stand alone and you will have plenty of data to work with.

We are using an amazing tool from MortarStone. This tool is free for the session and for ten days afterward.

Suppose you see that giving is up ten percent. Is that more donations per attendee or more donors?

Knowing your metrics tells you where you are, where you are going and measures how you are doing getting there.

With a ten percent increase in donations, how many of those were new donors? Are you attracting new donors?

Increase your giving (without requiring a capital campaign to do so).

Even with a ten percent increase in donations, how many donors stopped giving? Are they still attending? When do people stop giving and how much later do they typically leave your church?

mortarstoneWe will examine these pivotal concepts

  • Why did donors leave you last year? Job transfer? Did they leave mad?
  • How do you shut the back door and how can you emphasize the front door?
  • Are you attracting new donors?

This session will give a different slant on your church’s data. It will tell you many things that are different than what is readily apparent.

Samples of Data

From the scores of metrics, you will see charts like these from MortarStone

Ministry Fund

Are giving increases a result of a growing donor constituent base or are you pressing into a small portion of donors to make budget growth? Learn why one is sustainable while the other is short lived:

mortarstone-ministry-fund

Connecting and Growing First Time Donors

First time visitors are great!  However, are you able to on-board them as donors? Are you able to assimilate them into the fabric of the ministry? If not, learn why weekend attendance growth can be a false positive for healthy ministry growth.

mortarstone-first-time-donors

Donor Churn

New faces in church are great, but what is the financial impact of losing the old ones? Minimizing donor churn can supercharge weekend attendance and annual giving growth. Monitoring donor trends is one way to surface ministry opportunities. Rule based push reporting can increase your ministry efficiency and connect with those that need pastoral care:

mortarstone-donor-churn

Comments from MortarStone

MortarStone conceived donor analytics platform for churches in 2012 wanting to answer the questions: What does a healthy church look like from a metrics standpoint? And how can we apply these indicators to a Web app to help other churches?

Almost three years later, we are now tracking giving from over 1.75MM donors and more than $4 billion donations from some of the largest and fasted growing churches in America.

Our heart is to help the local church find the true value in their data. We don’t believe that your team should have to guess what reports to run or spend hours on repetitive month-end analysis. We developed an economical software solution that makes the data more manageable—and its insights more actionable.

  • In-depth, click-of-a-button reporting on the Key Performance Metrics.
  • Enriched donor profiles to facilitate identification of high-potential donor engagement and analyze donors based on their real-life interests and affinity for your church
  • Analyzing trends over time by leveraging existing historical data

Our team doesn’t equate data with bureaucracy or report running. Rather, we see data as a versatile asset that can direct leadership teams’ strategies and empower communities that the local church serves—given the right tool.

Requirements

This event is limited to a few participants of the 2015 XP-Seminar.

If your church donation data is in an API compliant format, then this event is for you! For this session, we are limiting API compliant formats to The City (giving module customers), FellowshipOne and Church Community Builder.

Sign up by February 10 so that all the API links can be established–if you enroll past that date, they can’t guarantee that all of your data can be analyzed in time.

We will use a tool from MortarStone to help you grab every ounce of pertinent information from your church’s donation data. It’s all safe and you can easily break the link when you are done!

  • You will have access to a dashboard of your data to review for ten days after the seminar. Note: you will have an option of subscribing after that time. Your choice.
2014 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T10:54:19-05:00

February 19-20, 2014 in Dallas, Texas

Dr. John Townsend

Dr. John Townsend

Dr. John Townsend—featured guest

John has written or co-written 25 books, selling 5 million copies—including the 2 million best-seller Boundaries, along with Leadership Beyond Reason, Handling Difficult People, and his newest book, Beyond Boundaries.

Boundaries in Pastoral Leadership

A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. They impact all areas of our lives:

Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances.
Mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions.
Emotional boundaries help us deal with our own emotions and disengage from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others.
Spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God’s will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator.

Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Often Christians focus so much on being loving and unselfish that they forget their own limits and limitations.  When confronted with their lack of boundaries they ask:

  • Can I set limits and still be a loving person?
  • What are legitimate boundaries?
  • What if someone is upset or hurt by my boundaries?
  • How do I answer someone who wants my time, love, energy, or money?
  • Aren’t boundaries selfish?
  • Why do I feel guilty or afraid when I consider setting boundaries?

You need to know your boundaries, then you can help staff and key leaders in your church.  Hone your abilities in this vital presentation.
And more in the afternoon …

Seminar Highlights

Keynote–Lightning in a Bottle

Mike is the Senior Pastor of EvFree Fullerton.  He has served as the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church and Mariners Church.  Since coming to Fullerton, there has been tremendous growth under his dynamic leadership.

Mike is “Lightning in a Bottle.” How did the staff and congregation respond to his catalytic actions in the first six months?

How did David analyze whether to be his XP or not?

Kevin Peck

Kevin Peck

Keynote–Every Problem is a Leadership Problem

Kevin is the Lead Pastor of Austin Stone in Austin, Texas.  “As Lead Pastor, my role is to lead and develop our elders, deacons and other leaders so that God’s church would be led toward the vision of making Christ known in our city and throughout the nations.

Day to day I plan, write, teach and lead our teams to strive with all of God’s energy to accomplish the mission He has set before us. My life’s focus, and the focus of my role, is for God’s people to be equipped and God’s church to flourish.”

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Two Case Studies–David Fletcher

David is the Founder and Host of XPastor and serves as the Executive Pastor at EvFree Fullerton.

David has been a pastor for over 30 years in churches of up to 8,000 people in attendance. He founded XPastor in 2003 and has seen it grow into a global tool for churches of all sizes.

There will be a table discussion, with practical application on case studies from Austin Stone & EvFree Fullerton.

Legal Issues–Shock & Awe

For many years, the XP-Seminar has presented the outstanding legal perspectives of attorneys Matt Anthony and David Middlebrook. David and Matt are nationally-noted attorneys who have helped thousands of churches across America.

  • What needs a copyright or trademark?  Are you legal in the use of your music copyright?  Are you legal in the use of images of members/attenders on your website?
  • Who owns the sermon, the video clip, the worship song?  What options from church ownership to employee ownership are out there?
  • Podcasting sermons, websites & enews, any legal issues here?

When Matt & David present at the XP-Seminar, it is “shock & awe.”  Society is litigious and the law is complicated.

short-rideAfternoon Workshops

On each afternoon, we will have workshops led by some of the best church leaders from North America—people who are coming up with innovative solutions in ministry.

Hear from your peers! The workshop leaders are church leaders who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

The Short Rides

7 people. 7 topics. 7 minutes each.

This lunch format on Wednesday features “short rides” on hot topics. Terse. To the point. Clear. Impactful.

(Horse not provided)

People Patterns

All attendees receive three free uses of the People Patterns Giftedness Indicator.

“I want to thank you for putting together the XPastor Seminar and organization.  It was my first time at the conference and it is already proving extremely beneficial in my role here at my church.”

“Thanks for organizing another great conference.
I appreciate how you provide environments for the growth of leaders.”

“Thank you again
for a wonderful and transformational two days!”

“I had a great time sharing and connecting during the week with other XP’s which is always refreshing.”

Attendees

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and church leaders to come together, learn from national leaders and peers, and be life-long learners.

  • Steve All, Pastor/Administrator, Stough Memorial Baptist Church, Pineville, North Carolina
  • Greg Allen, President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Lewisville, Texas
  • Buck Anderson, Pastor, Leadership Development, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Matt Anthony, Attorney,  Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Tim Arrington, Executive Pastor–Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Michael Ash, Executive Pastor, Next Level Church, Fort Myers, Florida
  • Doug Ashley, Executive Pastor, Greenwood Community Church, Greenwood, Colorado
  • Tim Badal, Lead Teaching Pastor, Village Bible Church, Sugar Grove, Illinois
  • Dave Bair, VP of Coaching, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Jim Baker, Executive Pastor, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee
  • Scott Barfoot, Director, Doctor of Ministries Studies, Dallas Theological Seminar, Dallas, Texas
  • Brian Barndt, Executive Pastor, Grey Stone Church, Durham, North Carolina
  • Dave Barrett, Executive Pastor, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas
  • Micah Barnum, Life Stage 3 Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Nathan Baxter, Executive Leadership Coach, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Justin Beadles, Pastor, Countryside Baptist Church, Stillwater, Oklahoma
  • Paul Becker, Pastor of Administration, Memorial Park Church, Allison Park, Pennsylvania
  • Andrew Behm, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Jeremiah Betron, Co-Lead Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Nacogdoches, Texas
  • Warren Bird, Research Director, Leadership Network, Suffern, New York
  • Dana Bois, Executive Director of Operations, Heartland Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Robb Bourdon, Director of Administration, First United Methodist Church, Durango, Colorado
  • John Bradshaw, Executive Pastor, Experience Life, Lubbock, Texas
  • Matthew Branaugh, Editorial Director, Christianity Today, Carol Stream, Illinois
  • Kason Branch, Associate Pastor of Congregational Care, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Darren Brown, Executive Pastor, Burke Community Church, Burke, Virginia
  • Tyler Brown, Executive Pastor, First Christian Church, Florissant, Missouri
  • Sean Buchanan, Sales/Tribe Director, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • David Burggraff, Executive Pastor, Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, North Carolina
  • Dan Busby, President, ECFA, Winchester, Virginia
  • Mark Carey, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Steve Caton, Vice President of Acquisitions, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Terrance Chavis, Chief Financial Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Linda Chiles, Small Group Marketing Representative, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Roger Christian, Executive Pastor, Piedmont Church, Marietta, Georgia
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Houston Clark, Co-Founder & Principal, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Paul Clough, Lead/Executive Pastor, Christ Community Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Errol Coner, Executive Pastor, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Scott Cougill, CEO, Portable Church, Troy, Michigan
  • Pat Coyle, Pastor, Missions, Outreach & HR, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Bill Daniel, Church Executive, Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Mark DeMoss, Active Faith Senior Manager, Active Network/Fellowship One, Irving, Texas
  • Mark DiGirolamo, COO, Visalia First, Visalia, California
  • Chuck Donnels, Managing Principal, Gdirect, Mesa, Arizona
  • Greg Doty, Executive Pastor, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis, Annapolis, Maryland
  • Rick Duesler, Director of Administration, Otterbein Church, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
  • Keith Duff, Executive Pastor, Village Bible Church, Sugar Grove, Illinois
  • Bryan Eck, Lead Team Pastor, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Bob Eldridge, Director of HR, Heartland Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Tom Ellis, Executive Vice President, MHBT Inc., Dallas, Texas
  • Ken Engelking, Executive Pastor, Morning Star Community Church, Salem, Oregon
  • Mike Erre, Senior Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Marc Evanger, Executive Director, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Gerald Farley, Stewardship Strategist, Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • David Fletcher, Founder of XPastor, Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Tami Fletcher, Director, XPastor, Fullerton, California
  • Sammy Flores, Campus Pastor, Christ Fellowship Miami, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Russ Fortier, Manager of Training & Implementation, ACS Technologies, Florence, South Carolina
  • Scott Foster, Executive Pastor, Bethany Church, Long Beach, California
  • Justin Frazier, Associate Pastor, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, Texas
  • Joseph Friedland, Associate Pastor—Operations/Missions, Evangel Pentecostal Church, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Casey Fritz, Pastor over Ministries, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Penny Fuchihara, Executive Director, Willingdon Church, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Kendall Garrison, Student Ministries Pastor, Creekwood Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Aaron Giesler, Associate Pastor, Grace Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Troy Godwin, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Justin Gottlieb, Executive Pastor, Seven Mile Road, Melrose, Massachusetts
  • Walter Guillaume, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Chris Gunnare, Chief Operating Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Gus Gustafson, Chief Transformation Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Doug Hart, Executive Pastor, Pathway Community Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Ryan Hartwig, Assistant Professor of Communication, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
  • Jeff Helton, Executive Pastor, The People’s Church, Franklin, Tennessee
  • Nick Henderson, Executive Pastor, River Valley Christian Fellowship, Bastrop, Texas
  • Reagan Hillier, President, Worlds of Wow, Argyle, Texas
  • Jim Hobbs, Executive Pastor, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Jeremy Hoff, Administration Pastor, Shepherd Church, Porter Ranch, California
  • J.D. Holt, Pastor of Ministries, Fellowship Bible Church, Topeka, Kansas
  • Frank Hopkins, Executive Pastor, Christ Fellowship Miami, Palmetto Bay, Florida
  • Roy Horras, Elder, Judson Baptist Church, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Steve Hron, Senior Vice President, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Glen Hudson, Pastor of Congregational Care, Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska
  • Andrew Hummel, Communications Director, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Jon Hurst, Assistant Executive Pastor, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor—Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Mark Jevert, Executive Pastor, Gracespring Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Kevin Jones, Sales Director, Portable Church, Troy, Michigan
  • David Juve, Pastor of Operations, First Assembly, Fargo, North Dakota
  • Jim Kirk, Executive Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Englewood, Colorado
  • Mike Knab, Sales Associate, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Rodney Lara, Senior Pastor, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Chuck Larsen, Senior Pastor, Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska
  • Kent Lawrence, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Bernard Lee, Executive Pastor, DUMC, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Jordan Lee, Executive Pastor, Timberlake Church, Redmond, Washington
  • Brad Leeper, President & Principal, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jim Lehew, Associate Pastor, Emmaus Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Brad Levens, Executive Pastor, Creekwood Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • David Lyons, Founder and President, MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Randy Marsh, Ministry Development Officer, ECCU, Brea, California
  • Bill Maxon, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Elk Grove, California
  • Joseph Mazzola, Executive Pastor, Hunters Glen Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
  • Ryan McCreery, Pastor of Administration, CrossWay Bible Church, Blue Springs, Missouri
  • Brad McKerley, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
  • Dennis McMahan, Elder, Judson Baptist Church, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Marc McMurrin, Executive Director of Operations, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida
  • Cody McQueen, Teaching Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Darrin Mechling, Associate Pastor, MacArthur Blvd. Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Barbara Medlin, Managing Director Relationship Manager, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Harold Metzel, Founder, 10 Talent Stewardship, Greenville, Alabama
  • Dave Michener, Executive Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Jared Moore, Executive Pastor, Heartland Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Jim Moss, Executive Pastor, City Church Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Ed Nalle, Executive Pastor, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Don Neff, Executive Pastor, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Dorris Neff, Ladies Ministry Director, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Harry Nelson, Executive Director Investment Sales, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Scott Nelson, Principal, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Avery Nesbitt, Administrative Pastor, Victory World Church, Norcross, Georgia
  • Michael Nichols, Administrative Pastor, FBC Midlothian, Midlothian, Texas
  • Lendell Nolan, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Roswell, New Mexico
  • Frank O’Neill, Executive Pastor, Shelter Rock Church, Manhasset, New York
  • Ken Osness, Lead Associate, Slingshot Group, Irving, California
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Richard Palmer, Pastor of Christian Education, Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Kevin Peck, Lead Pastor, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas
  • Boyd Pelley, President, Churchteams, McKinney, Texas
  • Greg Perkins, Chief of Staff, Mountain View Community Church, Temecula, California
  • Derek Prezzano, Executive Pastor, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithtown, New York
  • Steve Quinn, Executive Pastor, Lakeside Baptist Church, Granbury, Texas
  • Lane Ransdell, Business Administrator, First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois
  • Stan Reiff, Principal, CapinCrouse, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jerry Rich, Director of Benefits, FCMM, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Jerry Roberts, Associate Pastor, Facilities & Administration, Hope Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Tony Roberts, Director of Administration and Oversight, Coppell Bible Fellowship, Coppell, Texas
  • Ray Robinson, Executive Pastor, Bouquet Canyon Church, Santa Clarita, California
  • David Rogers, Care Minister, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Daniel Rolfe, Acting Senior Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Gary Rothenberger, Executive Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont Texas
  • Larry Russell, CFO, Visalia First, Visalia, California
  • Tim Samuel, Chief Financial Officer, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • Luke Samuelson, Connect Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • John Schaefer, Volunteer Assistant to XP, EvFree Fullerton, Fullerton, California
  • Chris Seawood, Director of Operations, The Historic St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas
  • Kevin Shultz, Executive Pastor, Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska
  • Damon Simpson, Associate Pastor: Administrator, First Baptist Church, Porter, Texas
  • Lorenzo Smith, Executive Pastor, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Assistant Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Wayne Smith, Leadership Community Director, Leadership Network, Dallas, Texas
  • Tim Snow, Executive Pastor, University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington
  • John Stanley, Seminary Student, Grace Redeemer Community Church, Richardson, Texas
  • Crystal Tafuro, Lead Project Manager, The Shepherd’s Staff, Lewisville, Texas
  • Phil Todd, Executive Pastor, PaulAnn Baptist Church, San Angelo, Texas
  • John Townsend, Author, Leadership Coach & Psychologist, Cloud-Townsend Resources, Irvine, California
  • John Travis, Director of Operations, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Paul Utnage, Executive Pastor, Springhill Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, Montana
  • Bob Vander Plaats, President/CEO, The Family Leader, Urbandale, Iowa
  • Michael Volbeda, Assistant to Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Allison Waggoner, Executive Director Operations, Christ Church, Lake Forest, Illinois
  • Matthew Ware, Executive Pastor, Victory Church, Westminster, Colorado
  • John Wells, Jr., Senior Pastor, Mountain View Community Church, Temecula, California
  • Jason Wiesepape, Pastor, Campus Administrative Associate, Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Tim Willows, Marketing Associate, Ziegler, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Jerry Wilson, Senior Director of Campus Development, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Bruce Woody, President & CEO, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Jon Wright, Executive Pastor, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

“The topics were relevant to where I am at—
both personally and professionally.”

Schedule

Tuesday, February 18

7:30-8:30 Registration & Dessert
Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Coffee and a cookie dessert is open to all.

Wednesday, February 19

7:45

Full Breakfast sponsored by ECCU—5 Steps to Improving Your Chances of Qualifying for a Loan—Randy Marsh, Senior Relationship Manager of ECCU
8:45 Welcome
Dr. David Fletcher, the Founder & Host of XPastor will open our time together.  We come from scores of churches across the U.S., Canada & even Malaysia, devoted to growing as leaders.  There are many medium-sized and large churches represented, with an average church size of 3,200 people in worship.  We are peers talking to peers about best practices, cutting edge ministry and resolving age-old issues of church life.
9:00

Keynote on Legal Issues

David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony are nationally-noted attorneys with the Church Law Group in Dallas, Texas.

  • What needs a copyright or trademark?  Are you legal in the use of your music copyright?  Are you legal in the use of images of members/attenders on your website?
  • Who owns the sermon, the video clip, the worship song?  What options from church ownership to employee ownership are out there?
  • Podcasting sermons, websites & enews, any legal issues here?

When Matt & David present at the XP-Seminar, it is “shock & awe.”  Society is litigious and the law is complicated.
10:00
Dr. John Townsend

Dr. John Townsend

Keynote on Boundaries in Ministry

Dr. John Townsend has written or co-written 25 books, selling 5 million copies—including the 2 million best-seller Boundaries, along with Leadership Beyond Reason, Handling Difficult People, and his newest book, Beyond Boundaries.  He will be speaking to us about having clear boundaries in ministry—an essential for a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
11:00

Q&A with John Townsend
11:30

Break
11:45

short-rideLunch & The Short Rides on Hot Topics sponsored by GuideStone

  • 7 people. 7 topics. 7 minutes each.
    • Scott Barfoot, The Book.  Justin Beadles, The Return.  Scott Cougil, The Change.  Tom Ellis, The Log.  Bob Vander Plaats, The Need.  Jon Wright, The Class.  Harry Nelson, The Lunch
  • Terse. Clear. Impactful.
1:30-2:30 Workshops: Session #1
2:30 Afternoon snack on first floor
2:45-3:45 Workshops: Session #2
4:00-5:00 Workshops: Session #3
5:15 Take an XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 20

7:45
Mark Demoss

Mark Demoss

Full Breakfast sponsored by Active Network—FellowshipOne & ServiceU.  Mark DeMoss on The Swings and Roundabouts of Church Management Systems
8:45
Kevin Peck

Kevin Peck

Keynote on Every Problem is a Leadership Problem

Kevin is the Lead Pastor of Austin Stone in Austin, Texas.  ”As Lead Pastor, my role is to lead and develop our elders, deacons and other leaders so that God’s church would be led toward the vision of making Christ known in our city and throughout the nations. Day to day I plan, write, teach and lead our teams to strive with all of God’s energy to accomplish the mission He has set before us. My life’s focus, and the focus of my role, is for God’s people to be equipped and God’s church to flourish.”
9:45

Keynote on Lightning in a Bottle

Mike is the Senior Pastor of EvFree Fullerton.  He has served as the teaching pastor at Rock Harbor Church and Mariners Church.  Since coming to Fullerton, there has been tremendous growth under his dynamic leadership.  Mike is “Lightning in a Bottle.” How did the staff and congregation respond to his catalytic actions in the first six months? How did David analyze whether to be his XP or not?
11:00

Break for Lunch

Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and take it to a workshop
11:30-12:30

Lunch Workshops

Workshops: Session 4
12:45-1:45 Workshops: Session 5
2:00-3:00 Workshops: Session 6

Have a safe trip home

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Workshops

Dr. Warren Bird—Ten Commandments of Succession Planning

Warren is the Research Director for Leadership Network, co-author of 26 books and former pastor. He always brings the very latest of research in church ministry.

In the long run, every pastor is an interim pastor. Whether you’re looking way ahead or into next year, whether it’s you or someone you coach, this session will offer practical advice— uncovered from over 100 interviews—about what can be done NOW to prepare for a successful transition ahead. The material is from a forthcoming book by William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring

Nathan is a former SP/XP and now serves as the founder of Lead Self Lead Others. He has been leading teams and helping other leaders move their stories forward for over twenty years. He has developed a unique coaching practice and resources that help leaders and executives break out and prevent the leadership plateau. In his work with Lead Self Lead Others, he has had the privilege of working with entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world including executives from industries as diverse as manufacturing, real estate, banking, non-profit, direct sales, legal, and energy.

This workshop will provide training on best practices for mentoring both paid staff and volunteers using ministry performance evaluations.  Nathan will provide templates, tools, and training that can immediately be put to use in your unique ministry setting.  Through his research and consulting, he has become more convinced that leaders and workers do best if they are clear on what is expected of them and receive feedback on their performance.  These practices will help you improve your leadership culture.

Steve Caton & Dave Bair—Leveraging Software for Greater Productivity

Steve Caton and Dave Bair are both a members of the Leadership Team at Church Community Builder. Steve leverages a unique background in technology, fundraising and church leadership to help local churches decentralize their processes and equip their people to be disciple makers. Dave has many years of experience with large process and culture improvement projects in several industries such as manufacturing, oil refining, power generation, universities, and churches.

Software is powerful. It can be a tool to help distribute the workload of ministry and equip leaders to steward people more effectively. It can also be a major distraction and source of significant frustration. What keeps the tool from becoming a torment is often your decision criteria and implementation strategy.

In this session, we will cover some of the more popular tools available to churches today. More importantly, we will help you define the right purchasing criteria as well as the key ‘best practices’ for a successful implementation to make sure your software empowers your people and your ministry goals.

Rob Cizek—Church Alignment: Can Your Ship Take You Where You Need To Go?

Rob Cizek is Executive Pastor at Northshore Christian Church, a non-denominational church of 1,500 and Christian academy of 1,000 in the Seattle area. He oversees daily operation of the organization and its ministries. He also organizes a networking group for executive pastors in the Puget Sound area.

We all have big things we want to accomplish. Is your organizational structure working for or against you? This session will explore the good and bad ways churches structure themselves.

It will offer practical tips to ensure the way you are organized is helping, not hurting, your mission.

Houston Clark—Missional Spaces & Missional Leaders: the Journey of the Rock Church, San Diego

Houston is a co-founder and Principal of Clark. Houston and his team design and implement some of the most innovative audio, video, theatrical lighting and streaming solutions.  After more than fifteen years of experience, they continue to shape the evolution of contemporary and modern worship by transforming venues of every shape and size into highly relevant communication platforms for the Gospel.

The conversation is directly connected to fostering innovative creativity in Worship and Church spaces but using the approach we’ve seen at The Rock.

Kevin Jones

Kevin Jones

Scott Cougill and Kevin Jones—The Best Practices of Mobile Churches

Scott is the CEO of Portable Church® Industries and Kevin is the Sales Director. Scott is an experienced business executive with involvement spanning 26 years in the fields of sales, marketing, consulting and ministry. Prior to his role at Portable Church® Industries, he spent ten years as a ministry advocate—first as the Asia Pacific Director for YFC International; then as an Executive Pastor at Pacific Crossroads Church, a portable church, in West Los Angeles, California.

Kevin Jones is an experienced leader and has had the privilege of helping more than 1,000 churches launch through Portable Church® Industries. Prior to his role at there, Kevin worked in sales and management for several national companies.

Bryan Eck

Bryan Eck

Bryan Eck—“Yikes … Our Team Structure Needs To Change!”

Bryan Eck is the Lead Team Pastor (that is a fancy, hip, cool name for Executive Pastor—trademarked, of course!) at Irving Bible Church—located just outside of Dallas in a fast growing and widely diversified community.  The church has over 5,000 people that call it home.  Bryan has been on staff at IBC for over 6 years and has led a wide variety of ministries, including counseling ministries, recovery, and local/global missions.  His background is in not-for-profit management and was previously in New York City leading a homeless ministry and shelter, literacy programs for at-risk children and other ministries.

This workshop will take a honest and open look at a church when they realized that the Leadership Team and staff structure needed to change.  Find out what they should have done differently, when they realized they had a problem, and how they went through changing the organizational structure to fit with where God was leading them.  Come ready to share your structure and discuss some of the positives and negatives of different structural models of church leadership.

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher—People Patterns® and Growing Your Staff

David has been a pastor for over 30 years in churches of various sizes—from small to large, to one of the largest in the US. He is also the founder of XPastor. His first book, People Patterns, has just been published.

People Patterns explores the way that we lead in our relationships. Everyone leads others—Moms in the workplace or with their kids, Dads on the baseball field or on the job. We need balance in our leadership, knowing our strengths and limitations. How are you leading your staff? How are you growing them? Does each person on your staff know their strengths and limitations? David will show you how to better understand, motivate and grow your staff.

Dr. Ryan Hartwig & Dr. Warren Bird—Take Your Leadership Team to the Next Level: Six Moves to Create Exceptional Leadership Teams

Over the past two years, Dr. Ryan Hartwig, a professor from Azusa Pacific University, and Dr. Warren Bird, research director at the Leadership Network, have studied leadership teams from over 200 churches around the world. Combing through a rich data set, they’ve identified those team practices that differentiate the best teams from all the rest.

In this workshop, Ryan and Warren offer a sneak peek into their Thriving Together team model, which addresses key team communication, purpose, decision-making, membership, leadership, and meeting practices. Come learn practical tips you can implement right away to take your senior leadership team to the next level of health and effectiveness.

Reagan Hillier—5 Steps To Family-Friendly Environments

Reagan Hillier from Worlds of Wow, a leading provider of original themed environments and indoor playgrounds in churches, will share how to make your space attractive and engaging for families and kids.

Creating a destination for kids at your church can lead to double-digit growth in your children’s ministry and church attendance overall.

We’ll talk about how to accomplish this at your church in five simple (and not necessarily expensive) steps:  Security, Colors, Smiles, Energy and Sundays/Weekdays.

Gerald Farley

Gerald Farley

Brad Leeper & Gerald Farley—Don’t Accept Ceilings in Generosity

Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners and Gerald has been a Strategist with Generis for many years. Based on experience and affinity, they are drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

With Generis, Brad is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta. Gerald brings a similarly rich experience, having been an XP for many years. This workshop will explore how to have a culture of generosity in a local church. What are the markers for it? How you can get a culture of generosity and how can you keep it?

Brad’s and Gerald’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars.

David Lyons—Hiring To New Levels

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we …?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous.”

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Scott Nelson & Bruce Woody—Community Focused: Developing Spaces to Serve the Community Rather than the Congregation

Bruce is the President & CEO of HH Architects and Scott is a Principal.

The missional focus of many churches is evolving from serving “outside” the four walls of the church to developing the “four walls” to better serve their local communities. As a result of this new mind set, churches are evaluating and identifying the community needs prior to developing new facilities. Following this presentation, participants will be able to: (1) review approaches for creating multi-purpose spaces to serve both the community and the church,
(2) understand the challenges of “sharing” space with the community, and (3) develop effective Ministry Plans based on People, Space, Time, and Money—in order to meet church needs while utilizing space designed for the community.

Stan Reiff—Audits

Stan is a Partner with CapinCrouse and his professional experience includes over 20 years in ministry operations, public accounting, government accounting, and missions.

Learn to better understand how to read and interpret your financial statements. Learn how to take financial statement information and use it to make informed and wise decisions for your church’s ministry planning and future.

You will also understand the differences between independent auditors’ processes and reports, as well as when and how to select the right service/product.

Daniel Rolfe—What Could Happen If Your Church Created a Leadership Development Culture?

Daniel is Acting Senior Pastor of Mountain Springs Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado.  One of the most important things you can do for your church this year is to craft a leadership development culture. In many of our churches, we don’t have a leadership problem, we have a leadership development problem. Leadership development is an intentional process where an experienced leader infuses their heart, skill and passion into the lives of others. For a leadership development culture to be created, this passion for development must be systematized and then modeled from the highest levels within your team. You as the XP and all on your directional leadership team must embody the value of development.

Consider joining us at this workshop as we outline the 8 formational steps that we followed in forming our leadership development process. We’ll share terms, titles, timelines and more. Come with your own insights and questions.

Tim Samuel & Dave Michener—Money & Ministry: Two Sides to the “Coin”

Dave is the Executive Pastor of Bridgeway Community Church and Tim works closely with him as the Chief Financial Officer.

This workshop will be facilitated by an XP with a ministerial background and a business mind, as well as a CPA/CFO with a business background and a ministerial mind. They have found a way to make the marriage of money and ministry a happy one (most of the time.) This topic will include ministry evaluation that leads to excellent audit preparation, strategic decisions that lead to strategic spending and savings, and simple changes that can lead to big “cha-ching” for improved cash-flow.

Nicholas Smith—Implementing a Strategic Focus in Your Church

Nick is the Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey, where he assists pastor/teacher Bishop David G. Evans.

His responsibilities include overseeing the ministry aspect of the church, which includes Evangelism, Business, Family, Youth, Hope, Volunteer, Outreach and Education departments.

Does your church feel like it’s becoming a jack-of-all-trades? Do you need proven tips to implement a focused vision or idea? This session will share methods to implement ideas and vision in a strategic and effective manner. A focused church is an effective church.

Tim Snow

Tim Snow

Tim Snow—Best Practices for Board Leadership

Tim is the XP of University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington and has overseen the development of Union Church, a satellite congregation of UPC.

Successfully working with boards is crucial to the health and mission of our churches.   Their wise stewardship of the mission and partnership with senior staff is essential. How do we engage boards in appropriate leadership and discernment?  What are best practices that can serve well in the variety of ways our boards are structured?  How do we appropriately engage our boards rather than just perform decisions in front of them?  How do you build trust, empower high level engagement and help them stay out of the weeds?  In this workshop, we will explore best practices for board leadership and governance.

Jon Wright—From Ideation to Innovation

Jon serves as the XP of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.  A member of his church since 1988,  the Senior Pastor and Elder Board asked him in 2009 to step out of the Marketplace—where he owned and operated a product development company—to serve the church in a full time capacity.  He and his wife are also involved in an international orphan ministry, leading teams to serve orphan children in Ghana, Liberia, Myanmar and Ukraine.

We all have a Mission Statement, a vision path and  a strategic plan.  Most of us could quote them on command. But are we executing?  Are we actually reaching the lost, making disciples and impacting our communities for Christ … or are we just talking about it? Through stories of accidental success and colossal failure, this breakout will provide simple, practical and tactical steps to move your leadership team, staff and congregation from apathy to action, from clutter to clarity.

“All the workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable.”

The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the tenth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. Generis believes it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it.  Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. Check out a great article from Brad Leeper: End-of-Year Giving Communication. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper, and also Stewardship Strategist Gerald Farley.

ministersearch-logoWe welcome MinisterSearch for the tenth year. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch is the most experienced and most successful pastoral search firm in the country. Leading close to 400 pastoral searches, they have developed a process like no other that helps churches identify their specific needs, find candidates they couldn’t find on their own, and clearly discern who the right candidate is. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help. We welcome the founder, David Lyons.

eccu-logoFor the eighth year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. ECCU is an alliance of Christian people and organizations committed to fueling Christ-centered ministry worldwide. While our mission extends far beyond banking, we have been providing ministry-centric financial services and resources for nearly five decades … to Christian churches, parachurch ministries, schools, missionaries and other Christian workers.

ACTIVE_FellowshipOne_2016For the eighth year, we welcome ACTIVE Network’s Fellowship One, www.fellowshipone.com and ServiceU, www.serviceu.com. They’re back for the 8th year, but with a new name and an improved suite of products and services. ACTIVE Faith, the company that brought the industry’s premier church management software, Fellowship One, is changing the church market with more technology offerings, church management expertise, and educational opportunities, through their union with ACTIVE Network, an international technology leader, and ServiceU, a provider of stand-alone point-solutions for churches and other organizations.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the eighth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $11.8 billion in assets as of March 31, 2013. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s website at www.GuideStone.org.

churchlaw-logoFor the fifth year, we welcome The Church Law Group. The Church Law Group focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients. One member of the team is a former Assistant District Attorney. Several of the attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. We welcome David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony.

HH-logo-2014For the fourth year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects. HH Architects offers a unique skill set of experience and expertise from having served as a ministry partner on a wide variety of projects which includes: Master Plans, Church Relocations, Worship Centers & Sanctuaries, Education Facilities, Dining Facilities, Sports & Recreation Facilities and Parking Garages. We welcome Scott Nelson and Bruce Woody.
CapinCrouse-Logo-2015For the third year, we welcome CapinCrouse. With more than 1,000 not-for-profit clients, CapinCrouse is the country’s leading accounting and advisory firm primarily serving the Christian not-for-profit community. Since 1972, CapinCrouse has been serving not-for-profit entities including mega-churches, institutions of higher education and secondary schools, and international missions agencies by providing a full range of audit, review, tax, and advisory services. CapinCrouse is dedicated to helping our clients operate with financial integrity so they can dedicate themselves to fulfilling their mission.  We welcome Stan Reiff, Partner with CapinCrouse.

clark-logoFor the third year, we welcome Clark. Sixteen years ago, Clark (formerly Clark ProMedia) began focusing on Audio, Video and Lighting systems for churches. Today, its offerings go beyond Technology and include Strategic Facilities Planning and Project Management. More than 20% of Outreach Magazine’s top 50 churches have relied on Clark to turn their visions into realities. We welcome co-founder Houston Clark.

gdirect-logoFor the third year, we welcome Gdirect as a sponsor! Gdirect serves God’s kingdom by helping the local church Identify its business community.  They Connect and Engage Business Owners & Leaders with the church in reaching the unchurched in the Marketplace to grow the Kingdom. We welcome Chuck Donnels.

worlds-of-wow-logoFor the second year, we welcome Worlds of Wow as a sponsor! Worlds of Wow creates ridiculously cool, fun environments that impact kids and families of all ages. “Since 2004, we’ve been using indoor playgrounds and themed environments to assist churches in reaching families and growing membership. Our spiritually focused team will partner with you to maximize budget and wow factor.”  We welcome Reagan Hillier, President of WOW.

portable-church-logoFor the first year, we welcome Portable Church Industries as a sponsor. Portable Church redefines the possibilities for mobile churches worldwide through their creative, functional and portable transportation and equipment solutions. They are a collective of Designers, Consultants, Project Managers, Producers, Builders and Experts. Together, they create customized, all-inclusive solutions for church plants and multi-site churches. Their unique solutions ensure that set-up and tear-down aren’t the biggest experience mobile churches have on a Sunday. We welcome Scott Cougill, CEO of Portable Church.

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the tenth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States.

leadership-network-300We welcome Leadership Network for the ninth year, www.leadnet.org.  Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders.  Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing.  Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. To stay updated with the latest articles, resources and opportunities for innovative churches, sign up for the free, weekly newsletter at leadnet.org.  Leadership Network is here to help leaders move from ideas to implementation to impact.  Want to become involved?

christianity-today-logoWe welcome Christianity Today for the first year.  Christianity Today’s Church Law & Tax Group publishes the Church Law & Tax Report and Church Finance Today newsletters, the ChurchLawAndTax.com and  ManagingYourChurch.com websites, and numerous print and digital resources that help church leaders keep their congregations safe, legal, and financially sound. The Church Law & Tax Group is led by senior editor Richard R. Hammar, a Harvard Law School graduate, CPA, and author of more than 100 books (including the annual Church & Clergy Tax Guide Pastor, Church & Law, the biannual Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, the Essential Guide to Copyright Law for Churches, and several eBooks) as well as an esteemed group of Editorial Advisors that includes attorneys Chip Grange, David Middlebrook, and Frank Sommerville, and CPAs Michael Batts, Dan Busby, and Elaine Sommerville.

2013 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:42:16-05:00

February 20-21, 2013       Dallas Texas

The Seminar is the time for XPs, SPs and Church Leaders to come together, learn from national leaders and peers, and be life-long learners.

Larry Osborne

Larry Osborne

Dr. Larry Osborne—featured guest

Larry is one of the senior pastors at North Coast Church in northern San Diego County. North Coast is widely recognized as one of the most influential and innovative churches in America. He speaks and writes extensively on the subjects of leadership and spiritual formation.

Breaking Through Ceilings of Competency & Complexity

Sooner or later, every leader and every organization hits a ceiling of competency & complexity. Those who break through move on to new heights—those who don’t, flounder and die.

  • Why growth always increases complexity—and what to do about it.
  • How to recognize a genuine ceiling—and what to do about it.
  • Why the old ways suddenly stop working—and where to look for the best solution.
  • The two things that always need to change—and why they are resisted so fiercely.

Seminar Highlights

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Nathan has been a SP and an XP, and has helped hundreds of SP-XP teams around the country. From “mentoring” to “360 reviews” to “the SP-XP relationship,” Nathan brings wisdom and experience.

Elder Kason Branch

He began his career in AT&T’s prestigious Leadership Development Program. He is now the COO of Concord Church, responsible for leading 40 full time staff. Kason provides leadership to church-wide initiatives such as capital campaigns and facility expansion. Under his leadership is the Ministry Operations & Operations Support of Finance, Human Resources, Facilities Management, Security, Multimedia, and Marketing.
brian-carter

Rev. Brian Carter

Pastor Carter became the Senior Pastor of the historic Concord Church in Dallas. Dr. E.K. Bailey had been their famous pastor for many years. Pastor Carter took over and has taken the church to new heights, revitalizing this historic church, going from 3,000 to 6,000 in worship in 9 years. Case Study on Concord Church of Dallas.
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

David is the Founder and Host of XPastor, with its unique format of nationally known authors, current thinking from leaders, and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers. The Seminar brings together XPs, SPs and church leaders from around North America. This key event will train and motivate new and existing leaders.

Keynote on Legal & Compensation Issues

For several years XPastor has brought the outstanding legal perspectives of Matt Anthony and David Middlebrook. We all want to keep current with the best practices on challenging issues. David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys who have helped thousands of churches across America. They get rave reviews at XP-Seminars and bring vital information every year. This year they will address compensation practices and compliance:

  • What is the role of compensation studies?
  • Should you form an independent compensation committee?
  • What documentation is necessary for housing allowances?
  • What are the legal issues concerning 403(b) plans?

short-ridePeople Patterns

All attendees receive three free uses of the People Patterns Giftedness Indicator.

Seminar WorkshopThe Short Ride

7 people. 7 topics. 7 minutes each. New for XPastor will be a revised lunch format on Wednesday, featuring “short rides” on hot topics. Stay tuned as these will be announced soon. Terse. To the point. Clear. Impactful.

Workshops

We will have 20 workshops. Hear from some of the best church leaders from North America. You will hear from well known, big church leaders and also a great collection of medium-sized church leaders— people who are coming up with innovative solutions. Hear from your peers! Two afternoons of workshops. The workshop leaders are church leaders who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

“You do a conference well—the notebook, content, organization, website, and communication were ALL top notch. —I enjoyed the presentations and the people.”

Attendees

  • Matt Anthony, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Scott Barfoot, Director, Doctor of Ministry Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Andrew Behm, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Dr. Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Leadership Network, New York City, New York
  • David Bixby, Pastor of Operations, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Glen Blanscet, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Texas
  • Mike Bonem, XP Author & Speaker, Bellaire, Texas
  • Joel Botello, Executive Pastor, Westoverhills Assembly of God Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Kason Branch, Chief Operating Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Greg Brooks, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church At The Villages, The Villages, Florida
  • Dr. Tyler Brown, Executive Pastor, First Christian, Florissant, Missouri
  • Ben Brummett, Men’s Ministry Intern, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Paul Burr, Pastor of Ministry Operations and Development, Redeemer Bible Church, Minnetonka, Minnesota
  • Mark Carey, Senior Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Brian Carter, Senior Pastor, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Steve Caton, VP of Acquisition, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado church_web: http://www.churchcommunitybuilder.com/
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Director, Operations, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Houston Clark, Co-Founder & Principal, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Errol Coner, Executive Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Scott Cougill, Executive Pastor, Pacific Crossroads Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Mark DeMoss, Manager, Professional Services, Active Faith, Irving, Texas
  • Chuck Donnels, Managing Principal, Gdirect, Rocklin, California
  • Steve Downs, Executive Pastor, RiverLakes Community Church, Bakersfield, California
  • Bryan Eck, Lead Team Pastor, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Victor Erwin, Lay Leader, Pantego Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Gerald Farley, Stewardship Strategist, Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder of XPastor, Austin, Texas
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Akron, Ohio
  • Justin Frazier, Associate Pastor, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, Texas
  • Paul Gilbert, Executive Pastor, Four Oaks Church, Tallahassee, Florida
  • John Gordon, Executive Pastor, Wayside Chapel EFCA, San Antonio, Texas
  • J. P. Gradone, Executive Pastor, Central Church, Collierville, Tennessee
  • Chris Groff, Associate Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Chris Gunnare, Chief Operating Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Gus Gustafson, Chief Transformation Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Chip Hackney, Executive Pastor, Kainay Community Church, Fruitport, Michigan
  • Rick Hale, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Roswell, New Mexico
  • Steve Hartwick, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Corpus Christi, Texas
  • Parris Hayashi, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church Pearlside, Pearl City, Hawaii
  • Nick Henderson, Executive Pastor, River Valley Christian Fellowship, Bastrop, Texas
  • Brad Heykoop, Director of Operations, WaterStone Community Church, Littleton, Colorado
  • Kassi Hill, Pastor’s Wife, Silverdale Baptist Church, Bremerton, Washington
  • Paul Hill, Executive Pastor, Silverdale Baptist Church, Bremerton, Washington
  • Reagan Hillier, President, Worlds of Wow, Argyle, Texas
  • J.D. Holt, Pastor of Ministries, Fellowship Bible Church, Topeka, Kansas
  • Jeff Hook, General Manager, Active Faith, Irving, Texas
  • Brian Horn, Director, XPastor, Austin, Texas
  • Andrew Hummel, Communications Director, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Taylor Jackson, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church Houston, Houston, Texas
  • Gary Judd, Associate Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Ralph Kelley, Executive Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi
  • Dean King, Executive Pastor, River Pointe Church, Richmond, Texas
  • Scott Landon, Executive Director, Wheaton Bible Church, West Chicago, Illinois
  • Rodney Lara, Senior Pastor, Judson Baptist Church, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Brad Leeper, President & Principal, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Tim Leonard, Director of Family Ministries, Grace Church, Netcong, New Jersey
  • Greg Lingle, Executive Pastor, Mansfield Bible Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Mike Mann, Executive Pastor, San Ramon Presbyterian Church, San Ramon, California
  • Derek Maxson, Chairman, Sierra Bible, Sonora, California
  • Ron May, Executive Pastor, Wildwood Church, Eat Moline, Illinois
  • Brad McKerley, Executive Pastor, Southpointe, Leesburg, Florida
  • Cody McQueen, Life Stage 2 Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Dave Michener, Executive Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Brett Miley, Administrative Pastor, Evangelical Free Church, Bloomington, Illinois
  • Kevin Miller, Church Administrator, Foothills Christian Church, El Cajon, California
  • Sylvia Miller, Assistant to Senior Pastor, Foothills Christian Church, El Cajon, California
  • Fred Neal, Executive Pastor, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • Scott Nelson, Principal, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Michael Nichols, Executive Pastor, First Baptist, Midlothian, Texas
  • Cary Nick, Senior Pastor, RiverLakes Community Church, Bakersfield, California
  • Lendell Nolan, Pastor of Ministry, Grace Community Church, Roswell, New Mexico
  • Frank ONeill, Executive Pastor, Shelter Rock Church, Manhasset, New York
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Alex Poirier, Executive Pastor, Emmanuel Bible Chapel, Berwick, Pennsylvania
  • Derek Prezzano, Executive Pastor, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithtown, New York
  • Bo Richardson, Executive Pastor, Rose Heights Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Eric Rojas, Executive Pastor, Christ Community Church, St. Charles, Illinois
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Tim Samuel, Chief Financial Officer, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, Maryland
  • Luke Samuelson, Connect Director, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Joe Sanchez, Executive Pastor, 121 Community Church, Grapevine, Texas
  • Cody Sandahl, Associate for Discipleship, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • Brad Simmons, Church Planting Catalyst, Heart of Kansas Southern Baptist Association, Wichita, Kansas
  • Lorenzo Smith, Executive Pastor, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Eric Soon, Director, Professional Services, Active Faith, Irving, Texas
  • Mindy Sutton, Executive Director, Expansion, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • John Szablowski, Executive Pastor, The Bridge Bible Church, Bakersfield, California
  • John Travis, Director of Operations, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Mark Tulloch, Deacon, Faith Baptist Church, Huntsville, Ontario, Canada
  • Sutton Turner, Executive Pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington
  • Paul Utnage, XP, Springhill Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, Montana
  • Steve VanPoolen, Executive Pastor, Crossroads Bible Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Rick von Albrecht, Executive Pastor of Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Rick Wagner, Senior Pastor, Evangelical Free Church, Bloomington, Illinois
  • Matthew Ware, Executive Pastor and Worship Pastor, Victory Church, Westminster, Colorado
  • Garth Warren, Executive Pastor, Christ Church, Lake Forest, Illinois
  • Drew Wilborn, Associate Pastor, Antioch Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Jerry Wilson, Executive Director of Campus Development, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Ryan Wong, Sacramento, California
  • Bruce Woody, President, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Jonathan Wright, XP, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Rick Wright, Senior Associate Pastor, The Falls Church Anglican, Falls Church, Virginia

“The topics were relevant to where I am at both personally and professionally.”

Schedule

Tuesday, February 19

7:30 Registration & Dessert Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Dessert is open to all.

Wednesday, February 20

7:45

Full Breakfast sponsored by ECCU with special speaker Randy Marsh on “Financial Benchmarks That Keep Your Ministry on Mission.” Liquidity: How do you build that? – staying on mission – key indicators. Everyone wants to know how much cash is enough and how to keep it.
8:45

Welcome
9:00  

Keynote by David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys.

  • What is the role of compensation studies?
  • Should you form an independent compensation committee?
  • What documentation is necessary for housing allowances?
  • What are the legal issues concerning 403(b) plans?
10:00

Case Study of Concord Church: A Historic Church is Revitalized & Grows

  • Kason and David will explore a challenge that Concord faced
  • Each table will be given a chance to come up with their own “solution,” and then Concord’s solution will be examined
  • This is a classic “Harvard-style” case study.
11:00
Brian Carter

Brian Carter

The Role of the Senior Pastor, Rev. Brian Carter, Concord Church of Dallas

  • Taking a historic church and growing it to the next level
  • Building a new worship center in a recession
  • Vision? Dynamic change and growth? Empowerment?
12:15

short-rideLunch Sponsored by GuideStone & The Short Rides

  • 7 people. 7 topics. 7 minutes each
  • New for XPastor will be a revised lunch format, featuring “shorts” on hot topics
  • Terse. To the point. Clear. Impactful.
1:30 Workshops: Session #1 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
2:45 Break & Afternoon Snack
3:00 Workshops: Session #2 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
4:15 Break for the evening. Take a new or old XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 21

7:45 Light Continental Breakfast
8:45

Dr. Nathan Baxter

  • Nathan has been a SP and an XP, and has helped hundreds of SP-XP teams around the country
  • From “mentoring” to “360 reviews” to “the SP-XP relationship,” Nathan brings wisdom and experience
10:00

Keynote with Larry Osborne: Breaking Through Ceilings of Competency & Complexity

  • Why growth always increases complexity—and what to do about it
  • How to recognize a genuine ceiling—and what to do about it
  • Why the old ways suddenly stop working—and where to look for the solution
  • The two things that always need to change—and why they are resisted
10:45 Group Discussion and Q&A on Keynote
11:15
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

David will interview Larry about his new book, Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith.

Zealous faith can have a dangerous, dark side. While recent calls for radical Christians have challenged many to be more passionate about their faith, the downside can be a budding arrogance and self-righteousness that ‘accidentally’ sneaks into our outlook. Larry diagnoses nine of the most common traps that can ensnare Christians on the road to a deeper life of faith. Rejecting attempts to turn the call to follow Christ into a new form of legalism, he shows readers how to avoid the temptations of pride, exclusivity, legalism, and hypocrisy, Larry reminds us that attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christlikeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God.
11:30

Lunch options

  • Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and go to one of 6 lunch Workshops: Session 3
12:45 Workshops: Session 4 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
2:00 Workshops: Session 5 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
3:15 Conclusion (early enough for you to catch a flight home)

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Workshops

“All the workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable.”
The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Dr. Warren Bird—Senior Pastor Succession

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, author and former pastor. He always bringsthe very latest in research in church ministry.

We tried to host this workshop last year, but there was a family issue and Warren had to leave a day early. This workshop will be an evaluative discussion on Senior Pastor Succession. Bring your past experiences to share. Bring your ideas about best case scenarios. Bring your existing plans and policies for Senior Pastor Succession at your church.

Mike Bonem—Potholes or Sinkholes? Dealing with Bumps in the Road

Mike co-wrote an XPastor favorite, Leading from the Second Chair. He willjoin us for a live interview about his new book, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership.

We serve in the “second chair” out of a sense of calling and a desire to see our churches grow in their effectiveness for the Kingdom. As a result, we expect this role to be deeply fulfilling. But every Executive Pastor goes through seasons that are short on fulfillment and long on frustration. It may be characterized by relational conflict, differing visions, disappointing results, a gnawing unrest or something else. How do you know whether this season is a pothole or a sinkhole, a short-lived bump or a sign that it’s time to move on to a new place of service? This workshop will give you a place to reflect on these issues and some practical ideas for how to deal with them.

Joel Botello

Joel Botello

Joel Botello—Are My People Strategically Growing?

Joel is an XP at Westoverhills Assembly of God Church in San Antonio. He asks, “Are the people attending your church growing? If so, how do you know? Do you have a pipeline for developing individuals in to mature believers, disciples and leaders?”

This workshop will explore strategic growth. Such growth does not take place solely by attending church and listening to great sermons. Are there ways to advance the people God brings us? I believe there are and I will present the WHAG Pipeline as a measurable instrument for Growing Gods people.

Rob Cizek—Breaking Through with The Power Of Being Direct

A subtitle for this workshop could be, How To Gain Leadership Influence and Credibility By ‘Telling It Like It Is’. Rob (@RobCizek on Twitter) is the XP of Northshore Christian Church of Everett, Washington. He comes from the business world, having won awards for running newsrooms for broadcast television. As such, Rob brings a unique perspective to the XP role.

Speak the truth in love. It seems simple, but most people are bad at it. Being direct in our communication and leadership style will be appreciated and increase our credibility. Yet we’re afraid speak directly and clearly. Why? This session will provide you with things you can do to become more direct, and thus effective, in your leadership. 
 Being direct doesn’t mean being mean. Keep short accounts. Invite others to be honest with you. Directness with honesty is so rare that people will value it. And much more!

Houston Clark—Breaking Your Theology of Space

Houston is a co-founder & Principal of Clark. Last year George brought a workshop on different approaches to multi-site video, full of hands-on application.  This year the challenge is to rethink your Church Space.

George says, “I was sitting in a meeting, discussing the way the Church uses its space, when someone boldly said: “We’ve built spaces for us and then gone out and tried to bring the lost to them, instead of building a space for the community.” I had to agree. We both believe the Church is going to be sadly disappointed if they say, “we’ll  continue to build the same buildings for the next 20 years and they’ll still be culturally relevant.” Culture is seeking a more intimate, more authentic experience, so we have to build spaces which support that.”

Chris Gunnare—Delivering Five Star Service!

Chris is the Chief Operation Officer at the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, Iowa. The church has 9,500 in worship and Chris has come out of the business community to his present position.

This workshop will explore the concept that visitors at a church decide within first 10 minutes whether or not they will return. What does the first 10 minutes look like at your church? What does a visitor/guest see & feel when they first come to your church? This workshop will provide an overview of Hope’s programs and encourage conversation to share with others in breakout what works at their churches (best practices).

Reagan Hillier—Through the Roof in Kids & Student Environments

Reagan is the President of Worlds of Wow. He has years of experience in the amusement industry and has the know-how to bring theme park level quality and innovation to children’s ministry environments.

This workshop will focus on how to invest in your environments. “As an XP, you can maximize the investment of kids/student environments,” Reagan says. This workshop will show you how to do that. We will help you better understand the value of tailored ministry environments. Theming allows the walls of the ministry spaces to reflect the DNA of the church. Theming with your DNA also illustrate the commitment a church has to families. Environments matter! Whether we are talking about where we eat, where we buy coffee or where we go to church. The investment in physical spaces is a critical piece for today’s churches.

Jeff Hook

Jeff Hook

Mark Demoss

Mark Demoss

Jeff Hook, Eric Soon & Mark DeMoss, Active Faith—Return On Ministry

Jeff Hook, General Manager of Active Faith & Eric Soon, Director, Professional Services, ACTIVE Faith & Mark DeMoss, Manager, Professional Services, Active Faith will present this workshop on Return On Ministry.

Return on Ministry (ROM) is a ministerial twist on the corporate concept of ROI (Return on Investment). ROM emphasizes ministry effectiveness—rather than profits—through strategic process development and data analytics. ACTIVE Faith/Fellowship One’s Jeff Hook, Eric Soon, and Mark DeMoss, whose considerable combined business and ministry experience bring the best of both worlds together, will discuss all aspects of the art of measured Kingdom results.

Gerald Farley

Gerald Farley

Brad Leeper & Gerald Farley—Don’t Accept Ceilings in Generosity

Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners and Gerald has been a Strategist with Generis for many years. Based on experience and affinity, they are drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

With Generis, Brad is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta. Gerald brings a similarly rich experience, having been an XP for many years. This workshop will explore how to have a culture of generosity in a local church. What are the markers for it? How you can get a culture of generosity and how to keep it?

Brad’s and Gerald’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars.

David Lyons—Hiring To New Levels

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we … ?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous.”

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Scott Nelson & Bruce Woody—Buildings: “Ceilings of Complexity?”

Bruce is the President & CEO of HH Architects and Scott is a Principal. This workshop will bring their expertise to bear on your next building project.

Many churches talk about “getting back to normal” but most experts say back to normal no longer exists! The old normal has been replaced with a new paradigm of pervasive uncertainty. As a result of the new normal, today’s leaders are utilizing a Strategic Positioning process as the launching pad for their next church building. This process helps develop effective ministry plans that consider key factors as they relate to your ministry objectives. Strategic Positioning focuses on helping churches to quickly explore options that account for planning in four different areas: People, Space, Time, and Money, in an effort to make informed decisions as you prepare for future development. Experience how this process centers around an interactive work session with your key leaders allowing you to participate in “real-time” analysis of “what if” scenarios. This will enable you to arrive at value-based decisions after reviewing the pro’s & con’s of various scenarios before engaging in major capital expenditures.

Stan Reiff—What Counts? Measuring the Financial Performance of Your Church

Stan is a Principal with CapinCrouse and his professional experience includes over 20 years in ministry operations, public accounting, government accounting, and missionary work.

Understanding the church’s financial information better can help prevent a future crisis by making better decisions today. This session will introduce you to some ratios and reporting that help identify potential areas of financial weakness in your congregation.

Daniel Rolfe & Rick Clapp—Complexity: How Did We Spend Our Last $10 million?

Daniel is the Co-Lead Pastor of Mountain Springs Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He began his journey at Mountain Springs as the XP, and then they changed to a shared leadership model. He will be jonied by Rick, Executive Pastor for Mountain Springs.

Where have the last $10,000,000 of your church been spent? Do you know? How effective have those dollars been for the kingdom of God? Have those dollars hit the bullseye of your vision? Daniel and Rick, team up to discuss how they surveyed, measured, examined and applied the answers to those questions. The goal was that their church can spend time and money more effectively, sending out even more arrows that hit the target. Come hear their results and discuss how to apply them to your own unique inventory and vision.

Eric Rojas—How to Develop an Effective Employee Handbook

Eric is the XP of Christ Community Church, a multi-site, 5 campus church of 5,500 in the western suburbs of Chicago, where he has been on staff for almost 10 of his 25 years in ministry.

In this seminar we will look at requirements for an employee handbook for churches at various size levels. Included will be sections on employment, compensation, employee benefits, preformance standards, workplace guidelines, organizational structure, how to properly revise policies and communicate them, ongoing documentation and the importance of protecting the organization of the church. This breakout will have legal elements to it, but will also come from the perspective of ministry and  shepherding from an Executive Pastor.

John Travis & Andrew Hummel—Media and the Modern Church

John is the Director of Operations and Andrew is Communications Director at Reality LA, a young church of 3,000 in Hollywood, California.

In the modern world, both as individuals and as church bodies, we’re always communicating something—usually to many more people than we might expect. This workshop will explore how to know those audiences, understand the potentials and pitfalls of various media platforms, effectively leverage your unique resources, and travel a path of constant improvement. Using recent campaigns as case studies, John and Andrew will share some of their surprising successes and spectacular failures.

Paul Utnage—Helping the Staff Member Who Brings Turmoil to the Team

Paul is the Executive Pastor of Springhill Church in Bozeman, Montana. He says, “Problems occur. Crises happen. In the midst of these emotional seasons, people struggle—sometimes in unhealthy ways. In many cases people adapt to the pain without hindering their job performance. In other cases, individuals are snared by their internal turmoil. Job performance suffers and their emotional struggle becomes the “invisible elephant” in staff relationships. ”

This workshop will focus on the supervisor, that you have to do something to help the employee, team and ministry—and other staff members are expecting you to do something now. When should you ignore the problem? When should you fire the staff member? When should you provide coaching to the staffer on your own? When should you require outside counseling while they still work on the team? When should you put the staff member on paid leave of absence? You have options, but you need the skills that are necessary for each option. This workshop seeks to provide a framework for helping staff members who bring such turmoil to the team that performance suffers, momentum lags and teams bog down. You will acquire a process for helping your staffer and key skills for the journey.

Jon Wright—Cultivating and Maintaining the Spiritual Vitality of Your Team

Jon is the XP of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. This will be a brisk and practical walk through 1 Timothy, with plenty of interaction with Jon and other attendees.

Jon says, “As XP’s we’re often focusing on structure and strategy and the ‘spiritual’ can get overlooked. We often assume that the SP or the individual pastors will ensure this is happening but without an intentional process it rarely does. If we, or our teams, lose our passion and vision for God’s Word, Our Call and His Church, we will be ineffective in executing the vision for our own individual churches.”

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the ninth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. Generis believes it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. Check out a great article from Brad Leeper: End-of-Year Giving Communication. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper, and also Stewardship Strategist Gerald Farley.

ministersearch-logoFor the ninth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at MinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help. We welcome the President, David Lyons.

eccu-logoFor the seventh year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact. With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

ACTIVE_FellowshipOne_2016They’re back for the 7th year, but with a new name and an improved suite of products and services. ACTIVE Faith, the company that brought the industry’s premier church management software, Fellowship One, is changing the church market with more technology offerings, church management expertise, and educational opportunities, through their union with ACTIVE Network, an international technology leader, and ServiceU, a provider of stand-alone point-solutions for churches and other organizations.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the seventh year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $10.0 billion in assets as of December 31, 2011. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s website at www.GuideStone.org.

churchlaw-logoFor the fourth year, we welcome The Church Law Group.The Church Law Group focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States.  The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.  One member of the team is a former Assistant District Attorney. Several of the attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. We welcome David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony.

HH-logo-2014For the third year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects. HH Architects offers a unique skill set of experience and expertise from having served as a ministry partner on a wide variety of projects which includes: Master Plans, Church Relocations, Worship Centers & Sanctuaries, Education Facilities, Dining Facilities, Sports & Recreation Facilities and Parking Garages. We welcome Scott Nelson and Bruce Woody.
CapinCrouse-Logo-2015For the second year, we welcome CapinCrouse. With more than 700 not-for-profit organizations and 1,500 tax clients, CapinCrouse is the country’s leading accounting and advisory firm primarily serving the Christian not-for-profit community. Since 1972, CapinCrouse has been serving not-for-profit entities including megachurches, institutions of higher education and secondary schools, and international missions agencies by providing a full range of audit, review, tax, and advisory services. CapinCrouse is dedicated to helping our clients operate with financial integrity so they can dedicate themselves to fulfilling their mission.

clark-logoFor the second year, we welcome Clark. Sixteen years ago, Clark (formally Clark ProMedia) began focusing on Audio, Video and Lighting systems for churches.  Today, its offerings go beyond Technology and include Strategic Facilities Planning and Project Management.  More than 20% of Outreach Magazine’s top 50 churches have relied on Clark to turn their visions into realities.

gdirect-logoFor the second year, we welcome Gdirect as a sponsor! Gdirect serves God’s kingdom by helping the local church Identify its business community. We Connect and Engage church leaders, business leaders and the congregation with each other through the creation of socially driven church branded business directories.

worlds-of-wow-logoFor the first year, we welcome Worlds of Wow as a sponsor! Worlds of Wow creates ridiculously cool, fun environments that impact kids and families of all ages. “Since 2004, we’ve been using indoor playgrounds and themed environments to assist churches in reaching families and growing membership. Our spiritually focused team will partner with you to maximize budget and wow factor.”

Pomotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the ninth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States. We welcome the Editor, Ron Keener.

leadership-network-300For the eighth year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. Resources are available as free downloads at leadnet.org/papers. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches. Learn more at leadnet.org/books.

“This is my first conference since becoming the XP at our church. Attended an XPastor ‘Staffing Workshop’ in Phoenix that helped me make a decision toward an XP pathway. Thanks for your ministry!”

2012 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:35:04-05:00

chand_sam_285Cracking Your Church’s Culture Code
Dr. Sam Chand
Keynote Speaker

and a Case-Study of Grace Church with SP Jarrod Jones and  a keynote by Nicholas Smith on “A Church with Various Economic Levels” and Dan Reiland on his latest book, and Mike Bonem on his latest book and much more!

Why XPastor?

XPastor’s unique format combines nationally known authors, the most current thinking in church leadership, and pastors from cutting-edge churches. No one has the mix of thought and practice that XPastor offers. Now in its 8th year, the XP-Seminar brings gggether Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors from around North America. This will be a pertinent and penetrating conference. XPastor is the leader in equipping Executive Pastors. The Seminar is a key event to train and motivate both existing XPs and newly minted ones.

XPastor.orgHear from some of the best church leaders from North America. You will hear from well known, big church leaders and also a great collection of medium-sized church leaders—also people who are coming up with innovative solutions but not nationally known, yet! Hear from your peers!  Two afternoons of workshops! The workshop leaders are church leaders who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

This year our special guest will be Dr. Sam Chand

Sam Chand is a Dream Releaser. He serves pastors, ministries and businesses as a Leadership Architect and Change Strategist. Dr. Chand speaks regularly at leadership conferences, churches, corporations, ministerial conferences, seminars and other leadership development opportunities.

Dr. Chand consults with businesses and large churches on leadership and capacity enhancing issues. He was named in the 2011 top-30 Global Leadership Gurus list and serves on the board of EQUIP (Dr. John Maxwell’s Ministry), equipping five million leaders world-wide.

Sam has authored and published eleven books. XPastor is featuring his book,Cracking Your Church’s Culture Code: Seven Keys to Unleashing Vision & Inspiration.

All Seminar attendees will receive a free Church Culture Indicator from Dr. Chand. Plus, all attendees receive three free uses of the People Patterns 360 Indicator.

Dan Reiland & Amplified Leadership

Dan is a favorite at the XP-Seminar. This year we will be featuring his new book, Amplified Leadership. Just released in January 2012, this is hot off the presses. And, we will have 70 copies to give away. About the book:

If you want your ministry to reach its maximum potential, all that God wants for you, it is essential that you develop strong leaders. In Amplified Leadership, “pastor’s coach” Dan Reiland gives you a proven process for developing new leaders that are established spiritually and trained practically. Not just a checklist of things you should do, Amplified Leadership provides an intentional development process that starts with your relationships and ends with empowered leaders who are ready to make an impact.

Mike Bonem

Mike co-wrote an XPastor favorite, Leading from the Second Chair. He will join us for a live interview about his new book, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership.

About the book: “Is it possible for church leaders to use biblical and secular leadership concepts in a way that keeps Christ—not the marketplace—at the center of their mission? Drawing on biblical material and business wisdom, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership explores the critical leadership decisions and practices that shape the success of Christian organizations. These decisions are illustrated in compelling interviews with over forty leaders of churches, universities, denominational bodies, and international ministries.

Mike leverages his background as an MBA-trained manager and an experienced church leader to bridge the gap between the analytical and structured world of business and the faith-driven approach that is essential for healthy churches. Written to offer practical solutions for senior pastors, executive pastors, key laypeople, and leaders of other Christian entities, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership clearly shows the ways that secular practices can be imported into their organizations. Bonem addresses a variety of topics such as planning, finances, personnel management, measurement, team dynamics, and organizational change. In doing so, he points to the AND that every spiritual organization should strive to achieve.”

Insightful Keynotes to Help You in Ministry

Jarrod Jones

Jarrod Jones

Keynote From Jarrod Jones

XPastor has been tracking the exponential growth of Grace Community Church of Washingtonville, New York. Jarrod Jones is their new Lead Pastor. The 2012 Seminar will feature a two-part case study and Jarrod will also present his ministry vision.

Is Jarrod a “Truth Softener?”

From the title of a recent sermon series, Jarrod has a clear vision for the future, based on the truth of the Scriptures. Jarrod Jones became the Lead Pastor of Grace Community in 2009. Grace is a 28 year-old church whose founding pastor recently transitioned to ministry work in Florida.

truth_softener_250One of the 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the Nation. One of two in the Northeast!

Within a year of Jarrod becoming the Lead Pastor, Grace Community had grown 50% to over 1,000 people in worship. The question was, with a worship center that sat 390 people, and the church already holding three worship services, how should they expand? The church has added services and is looking at multi-site, and it is still growing rapidly.

We will have a case-study on the church. Then, Jarrod will share his vision for the church and ministry.

Jarrod Jones says,

“I’ve had a passion for revival in the Northeast.”
God is making that happen at Grace Community.

Seminar Nick SmithKeynote from Nicholas Smith

Nicholas Smith began ministry as one of the youngest XPs in the nation. Bishop David Evans of Bethany Baptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey, hand-picked Nicholas to be his long-term successor in ministry. Bethany Baptist is a mega-mega church, with over 20,000 members.

XPastor featured Bethany Baptist in a case-study in 2006. A Church and XP for Urban Life: Bethany Baptist Church and Nicholas Smith, a 20 Year Transition.

Nicholas is a gifted communicator, bringing key insights about the church and Scripture. He will bring a keynote address on A Church Culture with a Variety of Economic Levels, with special attention to Helping People Emerge from Dependent and Co-Dependent lives.

Keynote on Child Abuse and Sex Offenders

We all want to keep current with the best practices on challenging issues. This issue is one of the hardest when it hits your church.

Keynote by Matt Anthony and David Middlebrookon Child Abuse, Sex Offenders & Church Best Practices/Worst Practices. David wrote a book on the topic in 2001 and won the Gold Medallion from CBA. David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys who have helped thousands of churches across America. Their podcast on Hosting a Superbowl Party was viewed by over 100,000 people. Do you have the policies and practices in place regarding child abuse? Have you recently reviewed them?

“I look forward to attending with my SP so we can bounce ideas off each other.”

Take Aways & Format

Sam Chand is going to blow your socks off. He will share the seven key aspects of church culture. If you want to hurt your church culture, then just violate one of these principles.

Why is it that the best strategic plans and good leadership often are not able to move churches in the desired direction? Toxic culture is to blame. Leaders don’t sense the toxicity, but it poisons their relationships and derails their vision. Identify strengths and needs of your church’s culture, and then apply practical strategies to make their church’s culture more positive.

Sam has also made available his Church Culture Indicator to every Seminar participant,at no charge!

Jarrod Jones will encourage and excite you as he shares his passion for ministry. How is he helping to bring revival to what some call a “spiritually washed over area” of America?

Matt Anthony and David Middlebrook will give you insights on preventing child abuse and dealing with sex offenders. With real life stories, they will challenge you to examine your policies and practices. They bring the legal know-how to help you help your church.

Workshops are your time to talk at length to peers who are leading significant ministries around the country. Take-aways from the workshops are always key, and the Seminar will have over twenty to choose from.

You won’t agree with everything you hear—but you learn a great deal when challenged to think out of “your box.”

Take away self-knowledge and gain insight about your gifts by using the People Patterns Indicator, which is based on the 5 Functions of an XP. This is free to all attenders. Are you an Administrator of resources, Catalyst for ministry, Mentor of staff, Minister in the congregation or Overseer of church-wide ministry?

“I liked the interaction style.  Lecture-only leaves me bored at some conferences.”

Dr. Fletcher devised a 20-20-20 format to maximize growth and interaction:

Cognitive Learning

  • 20 minutes of hard-hitting lecture

Participatory Learning

  • 20 minutes of small group discussion

Interactive Learning

  • 20 minutes of large group discussion or an Interview

By using auditory, visual and kinestheticapproaches, the attendee forms relationships, learns concepts and takes home practical ministry ideas.

  • Practical teaching
  • Lots of choices; no time wasted
  • Extremely relevant throughout

“I connected with two colleagues on issues I can immediately apply to my church setting.”

Who Should Come?

The XP-Seminar is not just for XPs. Many Senior Pastors and church executives come to improve their ability to creatively and innovatively lead the church. Senior Pastors should read this page. This is the only seminar available to grow your executive staff team. Come as a team!

Hone your work as an XP. Prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership.

We cap our size at 200 attendees. That gives personal attention to everyone! Our speakers and attendees come from churches of different sizes. One XP is in a church of 700 and another is in a church of 5,000. Half of those attending the XP-Seminar come from churches with less than 1,800 in worship. Yet, we have had churches of 45,000 in worship. You can find your peers here! This is an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

“So great to be with like-minded people, i.e. Kingdom-minded and familiar with the XP world.”

“I learned quite a bit at the conference. I hope to steer our church into some strategic changes over the next 12-18 months.”

Attendees

  • Greg Allen, President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Lewisville, Texas
  • Matt Andersen, Dallas, Texas
  • Matt Anthony, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Scott Barfoot, Director, Doctor of Ministry Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Micah Barnum, Local Outreach Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Brent Berger, Administrative Pastor, Northside Christian Church, Spring, Texas
  • Ken Bevel, Senior Associate Pastor of Connections and Major Events, Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia
  • Dr. Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Leadership Network, New York City, New York
  • David Bixby, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Mike Bonem, XP Author & Speaker, Bellaire, Texas
  • Joel Botello, Executive Pastor, Westoverhills Assembly of God Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Tim Bowers, Staff Pastor, Grace Fellowship Church, Johnson City, Tennessee
  • Robert Bowman, Senior Associate Pastor, Central Baptist Bearden, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Kason Branch, Chief Operating Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Dave Brandolini, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • David Brenner, Attorney, Riddell Williams, Seattle, Washington
  • Fred Brooks, Lead Executive Pastor, SouthBrook Christian Church, Miamisburg, Ohio
  • Alyson Browne Johnson, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church of LIncoln Gardens, Somerset, New Jersey
  • Sean Buchanan, Key Account Relations, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Nathan Burns, Executive Pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Paul Burr, Executive Pastor, Redeemer Bible Church, Minnetonka, Minnesota
  • Kevin Callaway, Student at Dallas Seminary, Chase Oaks, Plano, Texas
  • Chris Calvert, Executive Pastor, The Bridge Church, Fresno, Caliofornia
  • Shawn Case, Executive Pastor/Ministry Operations & Support, SouthBrook Christian Church, Miamisburg, Ohio
  • Joe Casiglia, Executive Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, Troy, Michigan
  • Dr. Sam Chand, Author-Consultant-Coach, Stockbridge, Georgia
  • Terrence Chavis, CFO, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, Strategic Coaching & Solutions, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • George Clark, Co-Founder & Principal, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Houston Clark, Co-Founder & Principal, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Patrick Coelho, Executive Pastor, Westwinds Community Church, Jackson, Michigan
  • Errol Coner, Executive Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Scott Cougill, Executive Pastor, Pacific Crossroads Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Abe Daniel, Executive Pastor, Evergreen Christian Community, Olympia, Washington
  • Bob Daniels, Executive Pastor, Towne Ministries, Middletown, Ohio
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Chuck Donnels, Managing Principal, Gdirect, Rocklin, California
  • Greg Dowell, Associate Minister, Central Church of Christ, Amarillo, Texas
  • Bryan Eck, Executive pastor- Lead Team Pastor , Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Mickey Eckles, Senior Associate Pastor, Mid-Cities Community Church, Midland, Texas
  • Dr. Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Victor Erwin, Vice President, Barron Companies, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Gerald Farley, Stewardship Strategist, Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Bob Feitl, Executive Pastor, Gracespring Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder/Host of XPastor, The Chapel, Akron, Ohio
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Akron, Ohio
  • Justin Frazier, Associate Pastor, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, Allen, Texas
  • Luke Frazier, Administrative Pastor, Meadow View Community Church, Missoula, Montana
  • Bob Galley, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Centennial, Colorado
  • Paul Gilbert, XP, Four Oaks Church, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Sol Gomez, Executive Pastor/Weekend Experience, SouthBrook Christian Church, Miamisburg, Ohio
  • John Gordon, Executive Pastor, Wayside Chapel EFCA, San Antonio, Texas
  • J.P. Gradone, Executive Pastor, Central Church, Collierville, Tennessee
  • Josh Gray, Pastor, Meadow View Community Church, Missoula, Montana
  • Chris Gunnare, Chief Operating Officer, Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • Fritz Hager, XP, Bethel Bible Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Leah Hale, Business Develpment Associate, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Ryan Hartwig, Assistant Professor of Communication, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
  • Parris Hayashi, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church Pearlside, Pearl City, Hawaii
  • Aaron Hawthorne, Director, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Michael Heflin, Executive Pastor, PromiseLand West, Austin, Texas
  • Seth Hewitt, Student, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Brad Heykoop, Director of Operations, WaterStone Community Church, Littleton, Colorado
  • J.D. Holt, Pastor of Ministries, Fellowship Bible Church, Topeka, Kansas
  • Ron Horgan, Executive Pastor, Montreat Presbyterian Church, Montreat, North Carolina
  • Brian Horn, Lead Community Pastor, Harris Creek Church, McGregor, Texas
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tuscon, Arizona
  • Jamie Jackson, Executive Pastor, Church of the Open Door, Elyria, Ohio
  • Taylor Jackson, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church Houston, Houston, Texas
  • Hunter Johnson, Director of Ministry Integration, Cherry Creek Presbyterian, Englewood, Colorado
  • Jarrod Jones, Lead Pastor, Grace Community Church of Washingtonville, New York
  • Kerry Jones. Executive Director, Church of the Saviour, Wayne, Pennsylvania
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Chris Kelly, Associate Pastor of Business Administration, Mid-Cities Community Church, Midland, Texas
  • Mark Kent, Executive Pastor, Believers Church, Chesapeake, Virginia
  • Stephanie King, Manager Sales Implementation, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Claudia Kornaros, Sunnyvale, California
  • David Kornaros, Executive Coach, Sunnyvale, California
  • Vonna Laue, Partner, CapinCrouse, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Kent Lawrence, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • David Lee, Ministry Development Officer, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Brad Leeper, President & Principal, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Greg Lingle, Executive Pastor, Mansfield Bible Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • Lance Loveland, Fellowship One, Irving, Texas
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Todd Malone, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Longview, Longview, Texas
  • Ron May, Executive Pastor, Wildwood Church, East Moline, Illinois
  • Mark Matthews, Fellowship One, Irving, Texas
  • Jim McBride, Executive Pastor, Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia
  • Matthew McDaniel, Senior Pastor, Arlington Memorial Baptist Church, Akron, Ohio
  • Brad McKerley, Executive Pastor, Southpointe, Leesburg, Florida
  • Barbara Medlin, Managing Director, Relationship Management, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Harold Metzel, First Baptist Church, Carrollton, Texas
  • Alan Michael, Executive Pastor, RockPointe Church, Flower Mound, Texas
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Mark Miller, Director, Clark, Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Nancy Moore, Consultant, SIMA International, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Douglas Morton, Executive Pastor, Church of the Chimes, San Jose, California
  • John Mrazek, Executive/Ops Director, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Ed Nalle, Executive Pastor, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Doug Napier, Executive Operations Pastor, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Amy Napier, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Scott Nelson, Principal, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Brenda Newman, GDirect, Southlake, Texas
  • Lendell Nolan, Pastor of Ministries, Grace Community Church, Roswell, New Mexico
  • Frank ONeill, Executive Pastor, Shelter Rock Church, Lynbrook, New York
  • Dick Ostien, Associate Pastor, Christ Community Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Tom Oyler, Lead Pastor, Grace Fellowship Church, Johnson City, Tennessee
  • Kim Pagel, Executive Pastor, New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Dennis Park, Ministry Development Officer, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Jon Platek, Senior Associate Pastor, The Chapel, Akron, Ohio
  • Darin Poli, Executive Pastor, River Valley Church, Apple Valley, Minnesota
  • Derek Prezzano, Executive Pastor, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithtown, New York
  • Bill Price, Executive Pastor, Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Lane Ransdell, Business Administrator, First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois
  • Allen Ratta, Active Network, San Diego, California
  • Dan Reiland, Executive Pastor, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Eric Rojas, Executive Pastor, Christ Community Church, St. Charles, Illinois
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Gary Rothenberger, Executive Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, Texas
  • Luke Samuelson, Connect Director, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Jason Schmidt, Executive Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel of Orlando, Windermere, Florida
  • Paul Sewell, Director of Partnership Ministries, Operation Mobilization, Tyrone, Georgia
  • Brandon Shupp, Senior Director of Campus Development, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Brad Simmons, Director of Leadership Development, Heart of Kansas Southern Baptist Association, Wichita, Kansas
  • Jay Smidt, Senior Director, Operations, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Caleb Smith, The Bridge Community Church, Ruston, Louisiana
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Wayne Smith, Director, Leadership Network, Dallas, Texas
  • Tim Snow, Executive Pastor, University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, Washington
  • Matt Steen, Consultant, Church Simple, Lynbrook, New York
  • William Subash, Lead Pastor, The Crossroad Church, Irving, Texas
  • Bob Tidrow, Regional Manager Large Groups, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • John Travis, Director of Operations, Reality LA, Los Angeles, California
  • Mark Tuggle, Executive Pastor, Pulpit Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Rick von Albrecht, Executive Pastor for Administration, Christ Community Church, Tuscon, Arizona
  • Matthew J. Ware, Executive Pastor & Worship Pastor, Victory Church, Westminster, Colorado
  • Garth Warren, Executive Pastor, Christ Church, Lake Forest, Illinois
  • Bob Westfall, Senior Pastor, New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Josh Whitehead, Executive Pastor, Faith Promise Church, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Tim Whitehorn, Director, Active Network, San Diego, California
  • Drew Wilborn, Associate Pastor, The Antioch Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Derrick Wilson, Executive Pastor of Ministries, Milestone Church, Keller, Texas
  • Bruce Woody, President, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Work, Executive Pastor of Operations, Mission Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona
  • Jonathan Wright, XP, Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

“The topics were relevant to where I am at both personally and professionally.”

Schedule

Tuesday, February 21

7:30 Registration & Dessert
Evening welcome and social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones. Dessert is open to all.

Wednesday, February 22

7:45
David Lee

David Lee

Full Breakfast sponsored by ECCU with special speaker David Lee on
“Six Things Financially Healthy Churches Do Right”

It’s true. The economy affects ministry finances. But over the past three years, churches have also learned that their decisions can have profound impact on their financial health. In this session you’ll learn best practices from churches that have thrived and worst practices from those that have struggled.
8:45
Brian Horm

Brian Horm

Welcome by Brian Horn
XP of Harris Creek Baptist Church of McGregor, Texas. In two years, this church has gone from 180 to 1,100 in worship. Talk to Brian about this exciting church when you can!
9:00

Keynote by David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony
David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys and will be discussing “Child Abuse, Sex Offenders & Church Best Practices/Worst Practices.” David wrote a book on the topic in 2001 and won the Gold Medallion from CBA.
10:00

Dan Reiland will talk about his latest book,
“Amplified Leadership.”

Mike Bonem will share his latest book
“In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership.”

We will have 50+ copies to give away of each book!
11:00
Jarrod Jones

Jarrod Jones

Keynote by Jarrod Jones: “A Senior Pastor’s Vision for Ministry”
Within a year of Jarrod becoming the Lead Pastor, Grace Community had grown 50%. The church has added services and is looking at multi-site, and it is still growing rapidly. Jarrod leads one of the 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the Nation.
12:15

Lunch sponsored by GuideStone
Always a great time at the Seminar! Interactive discussion with Senior & Executive Pastors. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?” Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch. This year David will be interviewing Bob Westfall (SP) and Kim Pagel (XP) of New Covenant Bible Church of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
1:30 Workshops: Session #1 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
2:45 Break & Afternoon Snack
3:00 Workshops: Session #2 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
4:15 Break for the evening. Take a new or old XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 23

7:45 Light Conintental Breakfast
8:45

Keynote by Nicholas Smith
Nicholas will focus on “A Church Culture with a Variety of Economic Levels.” He will give special attention to the concept of how to help people emerge from dependent and co-dependent lives. Nicholas is a powerful communicator and brings a wealth of experience.
10:00

Keynote by Special Guest, Sam Chand on
“Culture—What I’ve Learned Working with Executive Pastors”
Author of “Cracking Your Church’s Culture Code: Seven Keys to Unleashing Vision and Inspiration.” Author of 11 books, consultant, worldwide ‘Leadership Guru,’ coach & so much more!
Diagnose the state of your church’s culture. Learn what it takes to put in place effective strategies for creating a more positive church culture.
11:30

Lunch options

  • Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and go to one of 6 lunch Workshops: Session 3
12:45 Workshops: Session 4 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
2:00 Workshops: Session 5 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
3:15 Conclusion (early enough for you to catch a flight home)

“I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar.”

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the eighth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends atGeneris Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. Generis believes it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. Check out a great article from Brad Leeper: End-of-Year Giving Communication. We welcome Generis’ Principal and President, Brad Leeper, and also Stewardship Strategist Gerald Farley.

ministersearch-logoFor the eighth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends atMinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help. We welcome the President, David Lyons.

eccu-logoFor the sixth year as a sponsor, we welcome theEvangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact. With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

ACTIVE_FellowshipOne_2016For the sixth year, we welcome Fellowship Technologies and ServiceU, both of which are now a part of ActiveNetwork. Active Network is a technology and media company powering the largest network of organizations, activities, and people. Fellowship One helps dynamic churches of any size or denomination to effectively care for people, efficiently manage resources, and enable real growth. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the sixth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $10.0 billion in assets as of December 31, 2011. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s website atwww.GuideStone.org.

churchlaw-logoFor the third year, we welcome The Church Law Group.The Church Law Group focuses on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States.  The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.

One member of the team is a former Assistant District Attorney. Several of the attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. Other attorneys in the group are trained specialists in the field of mediation.  The Church Law Group … restoring relationship to the Attorney-Client Relationship. We welcome David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony.

HH-logo-2014For the second year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects. HH Architects offers a unique skill set of experience and expertise from having served as a ministry partner on a wide variety of projects which includes: Master Plans, Church Relocations, Worship Centers & Sanctuaries, Education Facilities, Dining Facilities, Sports & Recreation Facilities and Parking Garages.
CapinCrouse-Logo-2015For the first year, we welcome CapinCrouse. With more than 700 not-for-profit organizations and 1,500 tax clients, CapinCrouse is the country’s leading accounting and advisory firm primarily serving the Christian not-for-profit community. Since 1972, CapinCrouse has been serving not-for-profit entities including megachurches, institutions of higher education and secondary schools, and international missions agencies by providing a full range of audit, review, tax, and advisory services. CapinCrouse is dedicated to helping our clients operate with financial integrity so they can dedicate themselves to fulfilling their mission.

clark-logoFor the first year, we welcome Clark. Sixteen years ago, Clark (formally Clark ProMedia) began focusing on Audio, Video and Lighting systems for churches.  Today, its offerings go beyond Technology and include Strategic Facilities Planning and Project Management.  More than 20% of Outreach Magazine’s top 50 churches have relied on Clark to turn their visions into realities.

gdirect-logoFor the first year, we welcome Gdirect as a sponsor! Gdirect serves God’s kingdom by helping the local church Identify its business community. We Connect and Engage church leaders, business leaders and the congregation with each other through the creation of socially driven church branded business directories.

Pomotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the eighth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends atChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States. We welcome the Editor, Ron Keener.

leadership-network-300For the seventh year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. Resources are available as free downloads atleadnet.org/papers. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches. Learn more at leadnet.org/books. We welcome the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Warren Bird.

“This is my first conference since becoming the XP at our church. I attended an XPastor ‘Staffing Workshop’ in Phoenix that helped me make a decision toward an XP pathway. Thanks for your ministry!”

Workshops

Two Afternoons of Workshops

Workshop leaders are executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

“I liked the honest transparency of speakers and willingness to share ‘trade secrets.'”

“Thank you for your foresight and tenacity for creating XPastor, including this conference.”

“I liked David’s way of defining terms, probing, acknowledging complexity and interviewing.”

It’s unique!
No church leadership conferences are like the XP-Seminar.
It’s more like a session of the Harvard Business School
than a churchy event.

“You do a conference well—the notebook, content, organization,
website, and communication were ALL top notch
—I enjoyed the presentations and the people.”

Workshops

“All the workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable.”

The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Growing Leaders: Practical Ways to Strengthen the Leadership Culture of Your Church for Staff and Volunteers

Nathan has taken his many years of experience as an XP and SP and developed one of the nation’s premier XP-SP team coaching services. Few have his experience in both realms! Nathan is a premier coach to XP & SP teams.

How do you grow the next generation of leaders? What are some of the practical steps and what are the pitfalls? Nathan will share from his extensive experience and have a lively discussion.

“Baxter’s sessions were incredible, both personally and for those we lead!”

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring Staff in their Own Spiritual Journey: Simple Tools to Use with Your Staff to Help Them Maintain Their Spiritual Vitality, Thursday Breakout Lunch

The purpose of this lunch is to provide XPs with practical tools and methods for helping their direct reports grow spiritually. Nathan will let you tour some of his systems that he uses to keep track of conversations as well as provide take-home templates that are easy to use and effective for guiding mentoring conversations. It is important that XPs provide professional development for staff but not at the expense of neglecting spiritual conversations. Oftentimes these conversations are neglected and we wonder why our leaders are not producing at the level they are capable of serving the church.

Dr. Warren Bird—Senior Pastor Succession

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, author and former pastor. He always bringsthe very latest in research in church ministry.

This workshop will be an evaluative discussion on Senior Pastor Succession. Bring your past experiences to share. Bring your ideas about best case scenarios. Bring your existing plans and policies for Senior Pastor Succession at your church.

Dr. Warren Bird & Dr. Ryan Hartwig—Make Your Senior Leadership Team Great

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, author and former pastor. He always brings the very latest in research in church ministry. Ryan is a professor at Azusa Pacific University who helps churches and ministry organizations to Think Deeply, Act Wisely, and Work Better Together.

If your church is like most, you have moved to a senior leadership team model. But do you know how to help that team work better, grow healthier, and be more effective? In this workshop, Ryan will discuss factors that research has shown impact leadership team health and effectiveness and offer practical tips to help you strengthen your team. Warren will discuss emerging trends among senior leadership teams, drawn from his extensive study last year of over 100 high-influence pastors. In addition, they’ll share details about their forthcoming study that will enable you to Strengthen Your Church’s Senior Leadership Team. Come learn how you can make your senior leadership team great.

David Bixby

David Bixby

David Bixby & Dave Brandolini—A 2 Headed Monster? Shared Leadership and the 5 Functions of the XP

David Bixby and Dave Brandolini are co-Executive Pastors at Austin Ridge Bible Church. They have divided the XP role into two components. Each person uses his gifts to complete part of the XP ministry.
This workshop will explore two things. First will be the content of the 5 Functions, those functions that are required for the XP role. The second aspect will be how they have divided the role by the 5 Functions. This will give an opportunity for each attendee to consider how they use their strengths and limitations in the 5 Functions. Improve your serve by understanding the needs of the role!
On todays church landscape many churches have moved to a shared leadership model. Teaching and leading responsibilities are shared in an effort to not build ministry around the gifting, personality and leadership abilities of one person. Some churches have also moved from one executive pastor to two as they seek build and model team leadership. This workshop will take a look at how Austin Ridge Bible Church is navigating the 3 lane highway and sharing the 5 roles of the XP.

Mike Bonem—In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership

Mike co-wrote an XPastor favorite, Leading from the Second Chair. He will join us for a live interview about his new book, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership.

About the book: “Is it possible for church leaders to use biblical and secular leadership concepts in a way that keeps Christ—not the marketplace—at the center of their mission? Drawing on biblical material and business wisdom,In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership explores the critical leadership decisions and practices that shape the success of Christian organizations. These decisions are illustrated in compelling interviews with over forty leaders of churches, universities, denominational bodies, and international ministries. Mike leverages his background as an MBA-trained manager and an experienced church leader to bridge the gap between the analytical and structured world of business and the faith-driven approach that is essential for healthy churches. Written to offerpractical solutions for senior pastors, executive pastors, key laypeople, and leaders of other Christian entities, In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership clearly shows the ways that secular practices can be imported into their organizations. Bonem addresses a variety of topics such as planning, finances, personnel management, measurement, team dynamics, and organizational change. In doing so, he points to the AND that every spiritual organization should strive to achieve.”

Kason Branch—Notes to a New XP

Kason is XP at Concord Church in Dallas. His Senior Pastor is Rev. Bryan L. Carter and has served as Senior Pastor since October 2003. He succeeded the church’s founder, the late Dr. E. K. Bailey. Concord was established in 1974 and has a membership exceeding 6,000 members.

Just two years ago, Kason was in business. Now as the XP at Concord, he can share the principles and practices about his own transition into full-time ministry. This workshop will help any newer XP to understand the transition into the role and how to best work in the first five years of XP ministry.

Dave Brenner

Dave Brenner

Tim Snow

Tim Snow

David Brenner & Tim Snow—When Pastors Do M&A: Practical and Legal Tips for Kingdom-Wise Mergers, Acquisitions, and Separations

David heads both the Nonprofit and Insurance Coverage practice groups at Riddell Williams, a 50-attorney firm in Seattle, Washington. He has represented regional governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and numerous churches over the past 25 years, along with an active litigation practice for other nonprofit and for profit corporations in the Pacific Northwest. Tim recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as a pastor with University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, with the last 18 as Executive Pastor. Over the past five years, he has overseen the development of Union Church, a satellite congregation of UPC.

More and more churches are engaged in the world of “mergers and acquisitions” and in some cases, “de-acquisitions.” The recent recession has caused strategic changes for many faith-based nonprofits, including churches that seek to survive by joining forces through merger or by being acquired by a larger body. For large churches embracing the currently popular satellite model for church growth, economic hard times have posed significant opportunity for expansion through existing congregations and facilities. Growing satellite congregations from the ground up is also a popular approach. And theological differences in mainline denominations have made for many recent individual church departures.

Each of these types of church expansion and change raise issues that are familiar to leaders and their attorneys in the corporate world but often overlooked in the church world where optimism sometimes trumps practical analytics. Based on long term experience and a particular recent example of a large church “acquisition”, David says, “When strategic change happens, a lot of aggravation can be saved by recognizing and dealing overtly with conflicts of interest on the part of the pastor and staff who may stand to benefit, the concerns of dissenting members who object to the deal, and preexisting arrangements for distributing church assets.” Tim adds from the perspective of a large congregation pastor, “Satellite churches, like any congregation, develop a life of their own. It’s very helpful to build in flexibility for the long term relationship between the ‘parent’ and ‘subsidiary’ from the outset.”

Join this pastor and attorney, who have worked together for many years, in considering practical ideas to address the organizational and legal risks that arise when churches do “M&A.”

Dr. Sam Chand—A Discussion with Sam

Sam Chand is our keynote speaker for Thursday, February 23. There will be a large group discussion with Sam at lunch.

Whether from one of his 11 books, or from the keynote, bring your questions!

Sam Chand Promo from Ryan Leak on Vimeo.

Rob Cizek—Develop A Culture Where Multiple Ministries Can Thrive

Rob (@RobCizek on Twitter) is the XP of Northshore Christian Church of Everett, Washington. He comes from the business world, having won awards for running newsrooms for broadcast television. As such, Rob brings a unique perspective to the XP role.

Churches with schools have one of the best ministry opportunities anywhere. Then why is there so much tension (and sometimes dissention) in church-school relationships? From managing finances … to sharing space … to staying on spiritual mission, these multi-ministry environments are a challenge. What is the best way to lead in these environments? How does ministry work when there are “competing” desires for limited resources? What are the priorities and how are decisions made? Rob’s church has a weekday school ministry of over 1000 students and staff. Rob will share from his experience and allow for plenty of time for discussion of your ministries. Be ready to learn the principles of multiple ministry!

George Clark

George Clark

George Clark & Aaron Hawthorne—Science and Psyche of Multi-Site Video

George is a co-founder & Principal of Clark. Aaron is the guy who famously and infamously popularized the three screen projection model used in so many churches today. More information on this dynamic workshop coming soon.

Join the most experienced technical panel and learn about different approaches to multi-site video teaching. Discover when to use each method and why.  Dig into the nuts and bolts of budgets, both startup and operational. This session is full of application.  It will conclude with Q&A to answer your real world challenges.

Dr. Bill Egner—Good Guy or Great Fit … and How Do You Know?

Bill is XP of Christ Chapel Bible Church of Fort Worth. In the 2009 XP-Seminar, we featured Bill in a keynote on the vital topic of “Hiring Examples.”

In this workshop, Bill will address a vital issue in churches. Have you ever caught yourself a couple of years down the road with a new employee saying “You’re not the person I hired!” Have you ever wondered why that “good guy” you had lunch with on a couple of occasions didn’t turn out to be the “great fit” you thought he’d be for your open role? How do you get it right when you can’t afford to get it wrong? Cultural fit—the match between a candidate’s and your church’s spiritual DNA—is one often overlooked factor for “right fit” hiring. But in truth, it’s only one of four key areas every church should be pressing into for new hires … especially pastors. Come and learn four key take-aways on what the Scriptures, Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, Willow Creek Community Church and best business practices have to teach us about getting it “right” in our hiring processes.

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl—New to the Culture … Adapt or Lead Change?

Bob is the “Dean” of XPs. One of the first XPs in the country, he has been serving for many years. Bob can relate his business or ministry experience to a wide variety of audiences. It is always a pleasure to have Bob at the Seminar.

This workshop is for XP’s new to their role—two years or less. It will examine the very real issues of learning, adapting and changing your new staff and church culture.  You have probably been hired to bring change, alignment, organization and structure to the staff and church, yet you find there are competing pressures, expectations and “sacred cows.” These can occasionally be easy to identify but most times only a careful journey into the unspoken and unclear will keep you from stepping on these land mines. This workshop will attempt to normalize your experiences, and encourage and equip you with practical tools for figuring out the balance.

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher—Church Leadership Yesterday, Today and in Twenty Years

David is the Founder & Host of XPastor. One of his passions is the area of leadership. This workshop will have a round table discussion of:

  • How have we led the church in the past?
  • What are the current paradigms? What is working and where are the trouble spots in leading the church? What are your current issues?
  • Where will church leadership be in twenty years?

These questions, and more, will be covered in this workshop. This will be an interactive discussion, so come ready to share your current leadership issues and experiences. This is a great opportunity to talk with David about leadership issues. It will be held both hours on Thursday afternoon; come at either workshop hour. Seating is limited to 12 people.

Michael Heflin

Michael Heflin

Michael Heflin—Blending the Business and Ministry Worlds for Maximum Impact

Michael is the XP of PromiseLand West in Austin, Texas. Michael has years of experience in the business world, running mid-size to large companies.

Then, God opened a door for him to be an XP. What did he bring with him from the business world? What did he leave behind? Michael will explore how to integrate the two worlds.

This workshop will focus on: Most churches have or are in the process of casting a vision for their congregation. Yet pastors feel shackled contemplating dramatic innovation to fulfill those visions. A handful of business world practices can transform your ability to lead people into the great unknowns of God’s dream for your church’s impact.

Vonna Laue—Addressing Financial Oversight from Congress to Your Congregation

Vonna is a partner with CapinCrouse, LLP. Her activities include review of audit procedures and processes, interaction with client personnel and the audit team, and involvement in complicated audit areas. She has served local organizations in a variety of positions and has published articles in national publications. Vonna has co-authored Essential Guide to Church Finance. In 2010, she was inducted into the Church Management Hall of Fame.

There are a variety of risks that your church faces. Those may come from legislation or regulators. They may also be the result of poor internal controls or financial reporting. This session will discuss what some of those risks are and how they can be addressed. We will also look at the role an audit or other external service may provide in mitigating risk.

Gerald Farley

Gerald Farley

Brad Leeper & Gerald Farley—A Culture of Generosity

Brad is the President and Principal of Generis Partners and Gerald has been a Strategist with Generis for many years. Based on experience and affinity, they are drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

With Generis, Brad is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta. Gerald brings a similarly rich experience, having been an XP for many years. This workshop will explore how to have a culture of generosity in a local church. What are the markers for it? How you can get a culture of generosity and how to keep it?

Brad’s and Gerald’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars.

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Dr. Josh Whitehead

David Lyons & Josh Whitehead—Hiring for a Church Culture

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch and Josh is the XP of Faith Promise Bible Church. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we … ?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David and Josh will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous.”

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Scott Nelson & Bruce Woody—A Culture with Buildings

Scott and Bruce are architects with HH Architects in Dallas. This workshop will bring their expertise to bear on your next building project.

Many churches talk about “getting back to normal” but most experts say back to normal no longer exists! The old normal has been replaced with a new paradigm of pervasive uncertainty. As a result of the new normal, today’s leaders are utilizing a Strategic Positioning process as the launching pad for their next church building. This process helps develop effective ministry plans that consider key factors as they relate to your ministry objectives. Strategic Positioning focuses on helping churches to quickly explore options that account for planning in four different areas: People, Space, Time, and Money, in an effort to make informed decisions as you prepare for future development. Experience how this process centers around an interactive work session with your key leaders allowing you to participate in “real-time” analysis of “what if” scenarios. This will enable you to arrive at value-based decisions after reviewing the pro’s & con’s of various scenarios before engaging in major capital expenditures

Allen Ratta

Allen Ratta

Allen Ratta—Optimizing Organizational Church Health: Creating a Process Oriented Culture

Allen has served as a lead pastor of fast growing churches for over 20 years. In 2002 Allen founded ConnectionPower.com, using lessons learned from working with thousands of churches. With its unique ministry tool sets, the firm grew into a market leader in web-based Church Management Systems. In 2011 Allen and ConnectionPower joined the Active Networks along with Fellowship Technologies and Service U.

In this session we present an entirely new way of looking at and doing “church” by walking through a highly visual process map that empowers you to lead in new ways. We explore how to translate the spiritual, biblical purposes that Christ has articulated for His Church into practical and real manifestations of obedience. Discover the key processes and metrics that are essential for organizational church health. Learn how to contextualize the work of the ministry in ways that provides maximum motivation for staff and volunteers.

Dan Reiland—Amplified Leadership

Dan is a favorite at the XP-Seminar. This year we will be featuring his new book, Amplified Leadership. Just released in January 2012, this is hot off the presses. And, we will have 70 copies to give away.

About the book: “If you want your ministry to reach its maximum potential, all that God wants for you, it is essential that you develop strong leaders. InAmplified Leadership, “pastor’s coach” Dan Reiland gives you a proven process for developing new leaders that are established spiritually and trained practically. Not just a checklist of things you should do, Amplified Leadership provides an intentional development process that starts with your relationships and ends with empowered leaders who are ready to make an impact.”

Daniel Rolfe—Shared Leadership

Daniel is the Lead Pastor of Mountain Springs Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He began his journey at Mountain Springs as the XP, and then they changed to a shared leadership model.

Against the backdrop of declining church attendance and resources, is a new leadership trend on the horizon? How has the emergence of giga-sized churches rendered our traditional senior pastor role? In the words of Henri Noewen, have we created a culture of ‘stardom and individual heroism’ with our weekend gatherings? In this workshop on Shared Leadership, we’ll have a conversation around the five implications and opportunities of shared leadership in your church.

Is now the time for you to reenvision the why and what of leadership authority?

2011 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:27:57-05:00

2011 XP-Seminar

The Best Fuel for Church Leadership

February 15-17, Dallas

The list of Seminar leaders is amazing, making the event worth its money.  These leaders are here to talk to you and with you!

Consider just these 8 leaders of our 20 workshops:
Tim Beltz—XP of Mars Hill Church, Seattle
Dr. Warren Bird & Jim Tomberlin
Mike Buster—XP of Prestonwood Baptist
Brad Leeper—VP of Generis
Reggie McNeal—author & thinker
Dan Reiland—XP of 12Stone Church
and many more

A Collision Course: Christ & Our Business Culture. Will your church succumb or triumph?

Sounds like scare tactics! Yet, consider the words that we use:

What We Do

  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Profit and loss
  • Income centers
  • Portfolios and net worth
  • Best business practices

Buildings

  • Daycare
  • Sports centers
  • Church schools
  • Loans and capital funding

Titles

  • Executive Pastor
  • Business Manager
  • Stewardship Pastor
  • Treasurer
  • Senior Pastor
Reggie McNeal

Reggie McNeal

Special Guest—Reggie McNeal

Changing the Scorecard: Moving from a Program-Driven Culture to a People-Development Agenda

Reggie is the well-known author of:

  • Revolution in Leadership
  • A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders
  • The Present Future
  • Practicing Greatness
  • Get A Life!
  • Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church

Reggie will be speaking about the focus of the 2011 Seminar, the difference between programs and disciples. This ties in with our theme of “Business or Christ?” Which are we trusting in?

Reggie says,“We are good at doing programs, so good that we tend to measure our church’s effectiveness in program participation. But in the face of increasing evidence that program involvement doesn’t yield disciples, how can we reshape our church agenda so that we are confident that people are actually growing? This discussion identifies key components of a people-development culture and makes suggestions about how we move in a direction that helps our people have lives that are fulfilled, not just filled full.”

Hear from some of the best church leaders from North America. You will hear from well known, big church leaders and also a great collection of medium-sized church leaders—also people who are coming up with innovative solutions but not nationally known (yet!).

Suffering from a “30 pieces of silver” syndrome?

If Jesus came back tomorrow, how much of your church would he recognize? It’s not easy to be in the world but not of it. XPs are at the cutting edge of this crucial conversation.

When you last “fired” someone, was the gospel of the kingdom primary or was covering your rear end by citing legal issues? So you have people sign a termination agreement? Why? Are you really going to take them to court like the agreement says?

As a church leader, are my plans so culturally conditioned that they are biblically worthless? What am I spending my church’s money on? Is there spiritual “return on investment”? Am I looking for eternal dividends or short term applause for my good work? All attendees receive one free use of thePeople Patterns Indicator.

Tracks for XPs, SP-XPs & Wives of Pastors

XP-SP Track—Wednesday

Paul Sartarelli

Paul Sartarelli

The XP-Seminar is bringing back the Sr. Pastor track! Invite your SP to come with you for premier discussion and shared experiences!

Wednesday features renowned Sr. Pastor, Paul Sartarelli, to lead a two hour session. This interactive discussion will explore Preaching with Great Strength & Having a Great XP. As a pastor in Ohio, Paul preaches to 5,000 people each week and also uses a multi-person preaching team. Before coming to The Chapel, he planted a church and grew it to 1,200.

Sr. Pastors of various size churches will appreciate Paul’s practical wisdom and vast experience. Read more.

XP-SP Track—Thursday

Dr. Baxter has taken his many years of experience as an XP and SP and developed one of the nation’s premier XP-SP team coaching services. Few have his experience in both realms! Nathan will lead two workshops on Thursday afternoon. The first workshop will be on The Importance of Self Leadership for Executive Pastors. It will provide you with practical steps for leading yourself well.

If you can’t lead yourself well, then it will be difficult for you to lead others well. The second workshop will be one Mentoring Tools for Maximum Performance in Ministry. Nathan will be sharing 4-6 mentoring tools that you will be able to put into practice the moment you return home.

Dr. Baxter shares from his recent learns from this past year after working with 32 teams of SP-XPs.

Wives of Pastors Track—Wednesday

Sue Sartarelli

Sue Sartarelli

The XP-Seminar is bringing back the Wives of Pastors track! This is forwomen only (apologies to the male spouses of XPs). On Wednesday afternoon, noted pastor’s wife and mentor to women, Sue Sartarelli, will have two sessions with pastors wives. Terrific times of discussion and interaction are coming!

The word on the street is that “everyone loves Susie!” She says: “Being the wife of a pastor can be challenging. It is like walking a tightrope before hundreds of people. The balancing act of a public role and private life takes work.” Sue will begin by working through: The Grandstand: an audience of One. After this, there will be a time for discussion of current issues of pastor’s wives. Any wife of a pastor is invited to register. Read more.

Paul Sartarelli

Paul Sartarelli

Keynote by Paul Sartarelli

Leading from the pulpit or how a prophetic voice can be even more effective (and biblical) than a CEO’s voice. Paul is a dynamic speaker and is concerned about the dire strength of the church in America.

Rodney Lara

Rodney Lara

Keynote by Rodney Lara

Life Without Sound Bytes: Living together in a mixed race church.

Rodney is the Senior Pastor of Judson Baptist Church of Oak Park, Illinlois. “Judson is a very unique church body where people of different races and experiences have intentionally come together to worship and serve the body of Jesus Christ in the Oak Park/Austin communities. We are on a journey, a journey on which every person is passionately, wholeheartedly, and recklessly pursuing full devotion to Christ.”

David says about him: Rodney is living it out. He is leading a multi-racial church. In a church of 300, he is showing how to bridge the gap, giving insightful leadership on a daily basis. As a former Captain in the US Army, he knows how to build a team and mentor others.

Keynote by Matt Anthony and David Middlebrookon

Mergers & Acquisitions: How to Avoid Collisions and Stay on the Road to Ministry Growth.

David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys who have helped thousands of churches across America (their podcast on “Hosting a Superbowl party” was viewed by over 100,000 people). Your church may not be thinking about doing a second site today, but what if another church wanted to merge with yours next month. Would you be informed and ready?

“You do a conference well—the notebook, content, organization, website, and communication were ALL top notch—I enjoyed the presentations and the people.”

“I look forward to partnering with you for years to come.”

“I look forward to attending with my SP so we can bounce ideas off each other.”

gas_gauge_300About the Seminar—A Unique Format

“I liked the interaction style.  Lecture-only leaves me bored at some conferences”20 minutes of hard-hitting lectur

David Fletcher devised a 20-20-20 format to maximize growth and interaction:

Cognitive Learning

Participatory Learning

  • 20 minutes of small group discussion

Interactive Learning

  • 20 minutes of large group discussion or an Interview

By using auditory, visual and kinestheticapproaches, the attendee forms relationships, learns concepts and takes home practical ministry ideas.

“I liked David’s way of defining terms, probing, acknowledging complexity and interviewing”

Workshops

Two Afternoons of Workshops

Workshop leaders are executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.”

Several Tracks to Choose

  • XP-101 Track
  • Christ & Business Culture?
  • Staff Wives Track
  • Sr. Pastor Track

“I liked the honest transparency of speakers and willingness to share ‘trade secrets'”

“Thank you for your foresight and tenacity for creating XPastor, including this conference.”

Its unique! No “church” events are like the XP-Seminar. It’s more like a session of the Harvard Business School than a “churchy” event.

Who Should Come?

The XP-Seminar is not just for XPs. Many Senior Pastors and church executives come to improve their ability to creatively and innovatively lead the church. Senior Pastors should read this page. This is the only seminar available to grow your executive staff team. Come as a team!

Hone your work as an XP. Prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership.

We cap our size at 200 attendees. That gives personal attention to everyone!

“I learned quite a bit at the conference. I hope to steer our church into some strategic changes over the next 12-18 months”

Our speakers and attendees come from churches of different sizes. One XP is in a church of 700 and another is in a church of 5,000. Half of those attending the XP-Seminar come from churches with less than 1,800 in worship. Yet, we have had churches of 45,000 in worship. You can find your peers here!

This is an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

Take Aways

Relationships are built around the table groups as people examine various topics. This is an opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, and get feedback from those in similar positions.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case studies, workshops and new colleagues?
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?

Grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own!

Each day, the morning sessions bring a church case study and experienced leaders to challenge our thinking. The case studies present models of ministry from which we derive principles that can be applied to our churches. You won’t agree with everything you hear—but you learn a great deal when challenged to think out of “your box.”

Each case study will be accompanied by a 10-20 page report, detailing the facts. But the facts tell only part of the story; the in-person dialogue with the principals allows you to ask the pivotal questions that will help your ministry.

The Basis of XPastor: The Five Functions

Attend a workshop and examine the 5 Functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job: Administrator of resources, Catalyst for ministry, Mentor of staff, Minister in the congregation and Overseer of church-wide ministry.

“So great to be with like-minded people, i.e. Kingdom-minded and familiar with the XP world”

Attendees

  • Alex Adema, Executive Pastor, Restoration Church, Bowmansville, New York
  • Greg Allen, Vice President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Matt Anthony, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Tim Arrington, Pastor to Seniors and Missions, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • William Askew, Jr., Church Planter, Destiny Church Pflugerville, Pflugerville, Texas
  • Jeff Barber, Executive Director, Park Cities Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Scott Barfoot, Doctor of Ministry Studies Director, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Micah Barnum, Outreach Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, Lead-Self Lead-Others, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Justin Beadles, Sr. Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Nacogdoches, Texas
  • Dixie Beard, Director of Business Development, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Tim Beltz, Central Operations Pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington
  • Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Leadership Network, New York City, New York
  • David Bixby, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Robb Bourdon, Business Administrator, First United Methodist Church, Durango, Colorado
  • Robert Bowman, Senior Associate Pastor, Central Baptist Bearden, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Kason Branch, Chief Operating Officer, Concord Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Dave Brandolini, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Frank Briggs, Sr. Pastor, Lighthouse Fellowship, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Bob Brueggen, Executive Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Davenport,Iowa
  • Nathan Burns, Executive Pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Mike Buster, XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
  • Randy Cates, Brookside Church, Omaha, Nebraska
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, XP Representative, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Patrick Coelho, CFO/Executive Pastor, Redemption World Outreach Center, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Scott Cougill, Executive Pastor, Pacific Crossroads Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Bobby Cullen, Executive Pastor, Lighthouse Fellowship, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Bob Daniels, Executive Pastor, Towne Boulevard Church of God, Franklin, Ohio
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Kevin Deck, Senior Associate, Victorious Life Church, Wesley Chapel, Florida
  • Jeff Dooley, Executive Pastor, Capshaw Baptist Church, Harvest, Alabama
  • Greg Dowell, Associate Minister, Central Church of Christ, Amarillo, Texas
  • Will Dungee, Executive Pastoe, Grace Community Church, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Dave Eberhart, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Marc Evanger, Executive Director, Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue, Washington
  • Gerald Farley, Stewardship Strategist, Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • David Fee, Business Operations Director, Rio Vista Community Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Bob Feitl, Executive Pastor, Gracespring Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Mack Ferrer, Executive Pastor Select, Arundel Christian Church, Glen Burnie, Maryland
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder/Host of XPastor, The Chapel of Akron, Ohio
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Akron, Ohio
  • Rick Friesen, Director of Ministry Relations, Peacemaker Ministries, Billings, Montana
  • Bob Galley, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Centennial, Colorado
  • Jeff Gehle, Associate Pastor, St. Matthew CPC, Burleson, Texas
  • Paul Gilbert, Executive Pastor, Four Oaks Community Church, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Robert Glahn, Executive Pastor, Cherrydale Baptist Church, Falls Church, Virginia
  • Paul Goodman, Executive Pastor, Grove City Alliance, Grove City, Pennsylvania
  • John Gordon, Executive Pastor, Wayside Chapel EFCA, San Antonio, Texas
  • Zack Grelling, Children’s Pastor, Grace Church of Glendora, Glendora, California
  • Fritz Hager, Executive Pastor, Bethel Bible Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Bart Hare, Executive Senior Pastor, Bay Community Church, Spanish Fort, Alabama
  • Sonny Hathaway, Executive Pastor, Northeast Houston Baptist Church, Humble, Texas
  • Bill Hawks, Executive and Education Pastor, Highland Colony Baptist, Ridgeland, Mississippi
  • Michael Heflin, Executive Pastor, PromiseLand West, Austin, Texas
  • Don Helton, Pastor to Students & Families, College Park Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Ron Hensley, Volunteer XP, OpenDoor Church, Joshua, Texas
  • Brian Horn, Associate Pastor, First Christian Church, Santa Maria, California
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Tom Jennings, Executive Pastor, Christian Life Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Valerie Jennings, Children’s Ministry, Christian Life Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Kerry Jones, Executive Director, Church of The Saviour, Wayne, Pennsylvania
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Monty Kelso, Slingshot Group, San Clemente, California
  • Dean King, Executive Pastor, River Pointe Church, Richmond, Texas
  • Robert Knoll, Trustee, Cibolo Creek Community Church, Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas
  • Andy Kumpel, Pastor of Community Life, Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Jim Kuykendall, Lead Pastor of Operations, Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Rodney Lara, Senior Pastor, Judson Memorial Baptist Church, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Kent Lawrence, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Michelle Lawrence, wife of XP, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Brad Leeper, Vice-President, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Greg Lingle, Executive Pastor, Mansfield Bible Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Donna Lively, Director of Insurance Solutions and Services, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Matt Lomenick, Ministry Operations Pastor, Rio Vista Community Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Bob Mackenzie, Exec Pastor, North Coast Calvary Chapel, Carlsbad, California
  • Judy Madden, Associate Pastor, St. Matthew CPC, Burleson, Texas
  • Ron May, Executive Pastor, Wildwood Church, East Moline, Illinois
  • Matthew McDaniel, Senior Pastor, Arlington Memorial Baptist Church, Akron, Ohio
  • Jeff McGukin, Executive Pastor, Valleydale Church, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Ron McDowell, Senior Manager, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Reggie McNeal, Leadership Network, Dallas, Texas
  • Cody McQueen, Life Stage 2 Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Scott Mescher, Sr. Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Salado, Texas
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Scott Milholland, Chief Operating Officer, Hope Church, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Bryan Miles, Founder, Miles Advisory Group, Cumming, Georgia
  • R. Allan Mink, Executive Pastor, St. Matthew CPC, Burleson, Texas
  • Nancy Moore, Consultant, SIMA International, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Spencer Morell, Family Pastor, Fredonia Hill Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, Texas
  • Ed Nalle, Executive Pastor, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Don Neff, Executive Pastor, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Doris Neff, Ladies Ministry Pastor, Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Scott Nelson, Principal, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Brenda Newman, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas
  • David Nicholson, Counselor, Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho, Dallas, Texas
  • Jim Nutt, President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Rick Owen, Senior Pastor, St. Matthew CPC, Burleson, Texas
  • Darrell Owens, Senior Pastor, Christ the Rock Community Church, Cooper City, Florida
  • Leslie Pair, Midway Church, Villa Rica, Georgia
  • Rex Pair, Executive Pastor, Midway Church, Villa Rica, Georgia
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Dulles, Virginia
  • Jeff Pelletier, Senior VP, Operations, Fellowship Technologies, Irving, Texas
  • Boyd Pelley, President, Churchteams, Arlington, Texas
  • Stephen Pickard, Architect, Good Fulton & Farrell Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Tim Pollard, VP for Distribution & Strategy, Peacemaker Ministries, Billings, Montana
  • David Rafeedie, Executive Pastor, Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church, Steinach, Manitoba
  • Lane Ransdell, Business Administrator, First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois
  • Dan Reiland, Executive Pastor, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Jay Richardson, Executive Pastor, Summit Church, Estero, Florida
  • Daniel Rolfe, Lead Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Luke Samuelson, Connect Director, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Paul Sartarelli, Senior Pastor, The Chapel of Akron, Ohio
  • Sue Sartarelli, Wife of Senior Pastor & Seminar Speaker, The Chapel of Akron, Ohio
  • Jason Schmidt, Executive Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel Orlando, Orlando, Florida
  • Chuck Schneider, Executive Pastor, Sagemont Church, Houston, Texas
  • Brad Simmons, Campus Ministries Director, Heart of Kansas Southern Baptist Association, Wichita, Kansas
  • Jay Smidt, Sr Director of Operations, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Clint Smith, Operations Pastor, North Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Daryl Smith, Marketing Operations, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Fullerton, California
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Stanley Smith, Business Administrator, Grace Church of Glendora, Glendora, California
  • Brian Snyder, Executive Pastor, Felwship Alliance Chapel, Medford, New Jersey
  • Justin Sprayberry, Executive Pastor, StoneWater Church, Granbury, Texas
  • James Stowe, Associate Pastor of Education, Crestwood Baptist Church, Kountze, Texas
  • Marti Thomas, Executive Pastor, Trinity Bible Church, Lafayette, Louisiana
  • Jim Tomberlin, MultiSite Solutions, Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Paul Utnage, Executive Pastor, Montgomery Community Church, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Ryan Visconti, Executive Pastor, Mesa, Arizona
  • Rick von Albrecht, Executive Pastor for Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Bryce Weigand, Principal, Good Fulton & Farrell Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Randy Welsch, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Anthony White, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas
  • Tim Whitehorn, Founder and CEO, ServiceU Corporation, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Bruce Woody, President, HH Architects, Dallas, Texas
  • Bill Yarger, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, The Woodlands, Texas
  • Dr. Gregg Zackary, Sr. Associate Pastor, Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas

Schedule

Tuesday, February 15

7:30 Registration & Dessert
Evening welcome and dessert social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones.

Wednesday, February 16

8:00 Full Breakfast on Saving Money, Sponsored by GuideStone
Breakfast is open to all attendees but you must sign up when you enroll or if you have already enrolled, send Tami an email
9:00
Brian Horm

Brian Horm

Welcome by Brian Horn
XP of First Christian Church of Santa Maria, California
9:15

Keynote by David Middlebrook and Matt Anthony
David and Matt are nationally noted attorneys and will be discussing “Mergers & Acquisitions: How to Avoid Collisions and Stay on the Road to Ministry Growth”
10:00 Break
10:15
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Case Study: Church Mergers & Acquisitions, Part II (Part I was presented in 2010).
An ongoing story of The Chapel merging with a daughter church. Call it a marriage or an acquisition. This is the ongoing story of a multi-site church in the process of acquiring another church.
11:00
Paul Sartarelli

Paul Sartarelli

Keynote by Paul Sartarelli, the Senior Pastor of The Chapel

“Leading from the pulpit or how a prophetic voice can be even more effective (and biblical) than a CEO’s voice”
11:45 Break
Noon Lunch
Always a great time at the Seminar! Interactive discussion with Senior & Executive Pastors. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?” Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Workshops: Session #1 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
Special tracks for senior pastors & wives of pastors
3:00 Break & Afternoon Snack
3:15 Workshops: Session #2 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
Special tracks for senior pastors & wives of pastors
4:30 Break for the evening. Take a new or old XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 17

7:30 Full Breakfast on People Patterns, Sponsored by ServiceU
8:45
Rodney Lara

Rodney Lara

Keynote, “Life Without Sound Bytes: Living Together in a Mixed Race Church, Rodney Lara
9:45 Break
10:00
Reggie McNeal

Reggie McNeal

Keynote with Special Guest, Reggie McNeal
Changing the Scorecard: Moving from a Program-Driven Culture to a People-Development Agenda

We are good at doing programs, so good that we tend to measure our church’s effectiveness in program participation. But in the face of increasing evidence that program involvement doesn’t yield disciples, how can we reshape our church agenda so that we are confident that people are actually growing? This discussion identifies key components of a people-development culture and makes suggestions about how we move in a direction that helps our people have lives that are fulfilled, not just filled full.
11:15 Break
11:30 Three lunch options today!

  • Interview and Q&A time with Reggie McNeal, Ballroom.
  • Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom and go to the second floor for Nathan Baxter on Mentoring Staff in their Own Spiritual Journey
  • Pick up lunch and go to the second floor for David Nicholson on Peacemaking
12:45 Workshops: Session 3 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
Special track with Dr. Baxter for for SP-XP teams
1:45 Break
2:00 Workshops: Session 4 (choose from a total of 20 workshops)
Special track with Dr. Baxter for SP-XP teams
3:00 Conclusion (early enough for you to catch a flight home)

2011 seminar driving

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600SponsorsFor the seventh year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture.

Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

ministersearch-logoFor the seventh year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends atMinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers.David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.

eccu-logoFor the fifth year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact.With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the fifth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $8.8 billion in assets as of September 30, 2009. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s website atwww.GuideStone.org.

ServiceUFor the fifth year, we welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar; TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations; and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management.Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

fellowship_one_2011_260For the third year, we welcome Fellowship Technologies. Fellowship One is the leading 100% web-based Church Management Software solution, that helps dynamic churches of any size or denomination to effectively care for people, efficiently manage resources, and enable real growth. Fellowship One is used by ministries around the world ranging from new church plants to mega-sized, multi-site, churches.

churchlaw-logoFor the second year, we welcome The Church Law Group. They focus on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.Three members of the team are former Assistant District Attorneys, Felony Prosecutors, and one is also a distinguished former State District Judge. Several of our attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. Other attorneys in the group are trained specialists in the field of mediation. “The Church Law Group … restoring relationshipto the Attorney-Client Relationship.”

slingshot_260For the second year, we welcome Slingshot Group! They are devoted to helping churches discover worship and arts breakthroughs through Strategy, Structure and Staffing. Our team’s many years of experience in worship and arts ministries along with our nationwide network of relationships are leveraged to help churches reach new heights in worship ministry. We consult closely with churches to assess the current state of their programs, philosophy and approaches to worship through written and verbal feedback from staff and lay leaders. We then give specific recommendations, practical solutions and pathways for progress specifically designed for each church, including the identification of the best worship leaders and staff to fit their situation. We know from experience how critical it is to hire the right people whose experience, calling and style align with the church and its vision for the future.

HH-logo-2014For the first year as a sponsor, we welcome HH Architects. For nearly 40 years, HH Architects has had the privilege of working with and planning campuses for many of the fastest-growing and top-attended churches and private Christian schools across America. HH Architects has worked with a broad range of churches on a wide variety of facilities, from first-unit buildings to 7,000+ seat Worship Centers, providing Strategic Positioning, Master Planning, Architectural, and Interior Design services for nearly all aspects of religious facility projects. HH Architects offers a unique skill set of experience and expertise from having served as a ministry partner on a wide variety of projects which includes: Master Plans, Church Relocations, Worship Centers & Sanctuaries, Education Facilities, Dining Facilities, Sports & Recreation Facilities and Parking Garages.For the first year as a sponsor, we welcome David Nicholson, Christian Counselor. Consider getting time with David to talk through challenges in your ministry! This is a nice bonus to the Seminar. At no charge, get some professional insight into personal or church issues. Email David directly to set up a time with David during the XP-Seminar. David is a licensed counselor and passionate about conflict resolution. Poorly handled conflict can destroy ministries, marriages, and can negatively impact the reputation of the church. Thanks to David for joining us!

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the seventh year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States. Read the bio on Ron Keener.

leadership-network-300For the sixth year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. Resources are available as free downloads atleadnet.org/papers. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches. Learn more at leadnet.org/books.”This is my first conference since becoming the XP at our church. Attended an XPastor ‘Staffing Workshop’ in Phoenix two years ago that helped me make a decision toward an XP pathway. Thanks for your ministry!”

Workshops

“All the workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable”

The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring Staff in their Own Spiritual Journey

Thursday Breakout Lunch.  Nathan has taken his many years of experience as an XP and SP and developed one of the nation’s premier XP-SP team coaching services. Few have his experience in both realms! The purpose of this lunch is to provide XPs with practical tools and methods for helping their direct reports grow spiritually. Nathan will let you tour some of his systems that he uses to keep track of conversations as well as provide take-home templates that are easy to use and effective for guiding mentoring conversations. It is important that XPs provide professional development for staff but not at the expense of neglecting spiritual conversations. Oftentimes these conversations are neglected and we wonder why our leaders are not producing at the level they are capable of serving the church.

Thursday Afternoon.  Nathan has taken his many years of experience as an XP and SP and developed one of the nation’s premier XP-SP team coaching services. Few have his experience in both realms! Come for one or both of these Thursday afternoon workshops!  The first workshop will be on The Importance of Self Leadership for Executive Pastors. It will provide you with practical steps for leading yourself well. If you can’t lead yourself well, then it will be difficult for you to lead others well. It is not uncommon to get stuck or “plateau” at various points in your life and ministry. An outside perspective is the best way to break through or avoid these plateaus, grow, and keep moving forward. The ultimate goal is not only living well, but finishing well. Dr. Baxter will cover the five areas of self leadership and the five core skills for leading others.

The second workshop will be one Mentoring Tools for Maximum Performance in Ministry. Nathan will be sharing 4-6 mentoring tools that you will be able to put into practice the moment you return home. During this session, he will first teach you how to use each mentoring tool and then have you give it a test run on one of your fellow XP’s. All of the tools he has developed are proven to be simple and effective for helping you develop and mentor leaders. During the hour, you will learn how to use: The Frustration Gap, 5 Areas of Self Leadership, 4 C’s for Increasing Commitment, Pressure Points of Motivation, 5 Core Skills of a Visionary Leader. Learn them, use them, and train your staff to do the same.

“My conversations with Nathan Baxter were great!”
Nathan is a premier coach to XP & SP teams

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz

Tim Beltz—The Church Planting and Multi-site Vision of Mars Hill Church and Acts 29 Network

Tim is the Executive Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. He will be leading an interactive workshop telling the story of Mars Hill Church and Acts 29 Network. This will explore the growth experience and the strategies to achieve a God-sized vision of 100 campuses and 1,000 church plants.

According to the September 2010 Outreach Magazine’s stats, Mars Hill is ranked #7 on the most campuses list and the 30th fastest growing church in the US out of roughly 400,000 churches. Acts 29 is a movement of church-planting networks that empowers men to lead churches and make disciples of all people groups.

Jim Tomberlin

Jim Tomberlin

Warren Bird

Warren Bird

Dr. Warren Bird & Jim Tomberlin—Five Mistakes to Avoid in a Church Merger

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, author and former pastor. Jim was with Willow Creek Community Church and launched the multi-site revolution. Now, he heads the premier consulting group on multi-site ministry.

This workshop involves lots of discussion as Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird first walk you around the landmines in church mergers, showing ways church mergers are similar and different from corporate mergers. Also two XP veterans of a merger will each share their stories, talking about the mistakes they made – and avoided. If you’re exploring a merger or acquisition, or just curious about the growing trend, this workshop will show you the options, helping you rank each with its likelihood of success. Jim Tomberlin is founder and chief strategist of MultiSite Solutions and an experienced coach of church mergers. Warren Bird is research director for Leadership Network and co-author of 23 books for church leaders.

Mike Buster

Mike Buster

Mike Buster—That Five Letter Word, BUILD

Mike is the XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church of Frisco, Texas. Mike will be speaking on:

“Our North Campus is expanding rapidly running 2,000 in attendance. We are entering into our 10th building project since 1998 and our 4th capitol campaign in as many years. It seems that churches are starting to expand once again and are considering building projects.”

Few XPs match Mike’s depth of experience and excellent consulting with church leaders.
Prestonwood Baptist is an internationally known and respected church.

Rob Cizek

Rob Cizek

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

David Fletcher & Rob Cizek—Understanding the Roles of Overseer and Administrator

David and Rob are XPs with plenty of experience. David’s church has 3 campuses with 4,500 in worship and Rob’s has a Christian School attached. These two will have a great time talking about a vital “basic” of the XP role.

“So, you are new to the role, it’s not quite what you expected and you’re trying to figure out how to make sense of it.” You need to balance leadership with managing, administration with pastoring, your Senior Pastor’s expectations with yours and everyone else’s … and have a job description that reflects that well. Together we will hammer out ways to bring clarity and understanding to this job that often requires more finesse and balance than any other on the team.

Dr. David Fletcher—Church Leadership Yesterday, Today and in Twenty Years

David is the Founder & Host of XPastor. One of his passions is the area of leadership. This workshop will have a round table discussion of:

  • How have we led the church in the past?
  • What are the current paradigms? What is working and where are the trouble spots in leading the church? What are your current issues?
  • Where will church leadership be in twenty years?

These questions, and more, will be covered in this workshop.This will be an interactive discussion, so come ready to share your current leadership issues and experiences. This is a great opportunity to talk with David about leadership issues. It will be held both hours on Thursday afternoon; come at either workshop hour. Seating is limited to 12 people.

Rick Friesen

Rick Friesen

Rick Friesen—Change Management & Corporate Sharks

Rick serves Peacemaker Ministries as Director of Ministry Relations.

The word “change” is often the church’s equivalent of the work “shark” at the beach. Poorly managed change is a common cause of difficult church conflict, and many leaders admit to feeling seriously under-equipped and under-trained in managing the change process. Unfortunately, following secular thinking on managing change will often cause more harm than good—the secular emphasis of results over relationships often leads to relational carnage. So where is the Christian leader to turn? In this workshop, Tim will a) explore how to determine whether change is really necessary, b) unpack a biblical view of change, and c) tie this to practical steps to implement change wisely and graciously while protecting the relationships God calls us to gently shepherd.

Monty Kelso

Monty Kelso

Monty Kelso—Architecting Worship, Art and Communication in the 21st Century

Monty has excelled internationally at both directing creative church communications, and leading and designing worship and programming. Monty has served as a clinician and consultant to numerous Worship and Arts conferences and entities, including the Christian Artists Seminar in the Rockies, Willow Creek Association, Christian Associates International, Campus Crusade, the Jesus Film project, Continental Ministries, Hope International University and National Outreach, Inc.

About this workshop, Monty says, “In the new millennium it is no longer ‘church as usual.’ The methods of the 90’s just don’t work today. This session is designed to help you grasp 21st century realities and their implications of how we design our weekend services.”

Brad Leeper

Brad Leeper

Brad Leeper—Resourcing Ministry

Brad is the Vice-President of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, Brad is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually.

With Generis, he is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta.

Brad’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars.

Donna Lively

Donna Lively

Donna Lively—Health Care Reform … The Continuing Saga

For the past six and a half years in her role as Director of Insurance Solutions and Services, Donna has led the growth of employee benefit division at GuideStone Financial Resources.   She brings twenty-five years experience in health and welfare benefit sales and sales leadership to her role and has held sales leadership positions at Aetna, CIGNA, and Humana, as well as several years spent as an employee benefits insurance broker/consultant.

About this workshop, she says: Join me for a continued look at the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). We will review what has taken place over the 12 months since PPACA became law, the impact the law has on your ministry and healthcare in America, and look into the not-so-crystal-ball to see what the future holds in relation to PPACA. Adequate time for discussion will be included during the presentation.

David Lyons

David Lyons

David Lyons—How to Hire Staff with a Ministry and Business Mindset

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we … ?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous”

Scott Nelson

Scott Nelson

Bruce Woody

Bruce Woody

Scott Nelson & Bruce Woody—Old Normal vs. New Paradigm: The Future of Your Next Building Project

Scott and Bruce are architects with HH Architects in Dallas. This workshop will bring their expertise to bear on your next building project.

Many churches talk about “getting back to normal” but most experts say back to normal no longer exists! The old normal has been replaced with a new paradigm of pervasive uncertainty. As a result of the new normal, today’s leaders are utilizing a Strategic Positioning process as the launching pad for their next church building. This process helps develop effective ministry plans that consider key factors as they relate to your ministry objectives. Strategic Positioning focuses on helping churches to quickly explore options that account for planning in four different areas: People, Space, Time, and Money, in an effort to make informed decisions as you prepare for future development. Experience how this process centers around an interactive work session with your key leaders allowing you to participate in “real-time” analysis of “what if” scenarios enabling you to arrive at value-based decisions after reviewing the pro’s & con’s of various scenarios before engaging in major capital expenditures.

David Nicholson

David Nicholson

David Nicholson—Cutting-Edge Conflict Resolution Resources

David is a licensed counselor and passionate about conflict resolution. Poorly handled conflict can destroy ministries, marriages, and can negatively impact the reputation of the church. Fortunately, high quality, research based instruments and programs exist to help us learn the attitudes, skills and strategies necessary to become conflict competent. In this session, participants will hear a review of these most recent developments, both from the secular and Christian perspectives. One program in particular will be highlighted, as participants will learn how to organize and expand their awareness of an issue, as well as how to improve their ability to understand another person’s perspective at a deeper level.

Consider making some time with David, to talk through challenges in your ministry! This is a nice bonus to the Seminar. Get some professional insight into your personal issues.

Jeff Pelletier

Jeff Pelletier

Jeff Pelletier—High Tech and High Touch: Can Both Peacefully Coexist?

Jeff is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fellowship Technologies, a provider of 100% web-based Church Management Software.

The idea that the use of technology in ministry creates an impersonal environment between the staff, the congregation and the community could not be further from the truth. In fact, the effective leveraging of technology can be a critical ministry component in ultimately caring better for those God has called us to steward. This workshop will highlight some practical uses that allow both the “High Tech,” as well as the “High Touch” to peacefully coexist.

Dan Reiland

Dan Reiland

Dan Reiland—Developing a Leadership Culture in your Church & Staff

Dan is the Executive Pastor of 12Stone Church and writes “The Pastor’s Coach” which is distributed to over 40,000 subscribers, www.injoy.com.

Why would a church want a culture with a bias for leadership? What does a leadership culture look like? Can any church accomplish that? Developing a leadership culture in your church involves a big picture plan that incorporates five distinct elements.

They are connected in a specific sequence that matters. When you add heart and passion to the mix, the results are amazing.

Paul Sartarelli

Paul Sartarelli

Paul Sartarelli–Preaching with Great Strength

Sr. Pastor, Paul Sartarelli, to lead two workshops, back to back. The first workshop will be: Preaching with Great Strength. This is a great time for those who regularly preach to talk with a master communicator. Can we preach with great strength in a business dominated culture? As a pastor in Ohio, Paul preaches to 5,000 people each week and also uses a multi-person preaching team. The second workshop will be: Having a Great XP. This interactive discussion will explore: Why the XP? How to have a terrible XP relationship! How to find and then cultivate an XP! Before coming to The Chapel, he planted a church and grew it to 1,200. Thus, preaching pastors and XPs of various size churches will appreciate Paul’s practical wisdom and vast experience.

Sue Sartarelli

Sue Sartarelli

Sue Sartarelli—The Grandstand: an audience of One

Wednesday Afternoon: Wives of Pastors Only.  The XP-Seminar is bringing back the Wives of Pastors track! This is for women only (apologies to the male spouses of XPs). On Wednesday afternoon terrific times of discussion and interaction are coming. Being the wife of a pastor can be challenging. It is like walking a tightrope before hundreds of people. The balancing act of a public role and private life takes work. Wednesday afternoon, noted pastor’s wife and mentor to women, Sue Sartarelli, will have two sessions with pastors wives. Any wife of a pastor is invited to register.

Sue will begin by working through: The Grandstand: an audience of One). She says, “This covers the expectations of others … our fears about ministry … who do I listen to anyway … where is God in all this question. Why and how can I have God be my audience when so many others want that spot … and I would rather let others have that spot. It also visits what I call the ‘comparison trap’ that women, especially ministry women, get caught in. Having others be our measuring stick rather than a Holy God.” After this, there will be a time for discussion of current issues of pastors’ wives.

Clint Smith

Clint Smith

Clint Smith—The Middle Man Role of the XP

Clint is the XP of North Church of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 2010, Clint was featured in one of the interviews during the seminar and brought refreshing insight into how their church increased their giving. This year, Clint will lead a workshop on the special role of the XP, middle man and yet leader.

For the workshop, Clint says: “Ever feel like you are stuck in the middle? I guess that is the nature of our roles as XP’s. Anytime someone has a problem, whether the building is falling a part or the staff is, there we are. Dealing with people and problems is such a huge part of our jobs yet we talk about it so very seldom. In this workshop, I will be dealing with the life reality of being the middle man and three key things that make me successful in this role.”

Rev. Nicholas Smith

Rev. Nicholas Smith

Nicholas Smith—The 5 Functions of the XP

Nicholas, the XP of Bethany Baptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey, will share the biblical basis of the XP as revealed through the Scriptures. Though young, Nicholas is a strong XP in a church of 18,000 members. Read the2006 case study on Bethany Baptist.

This session will introduce the foundational characteristics of an Executive Pastor: Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Minister, and Overseer. During the hour, we will assist XP’s in finding which functions they are strongest in and how best to operate in them.

For any Senior Pastors attending the session, we will help them discover what to look for in an XP.

Dr. Paul Utnage

Dr. Paul Utnage

Paul Utnage—Becoming Missional: A 70 year-old church reinvents itself

Paul is the XP of Montgomery Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he has implemented this topic! Paul says about this workshop: “Change is never easy, especially if you’re trying to transform a 70-year old traditional church into a missional congregation. Pastors often muse on Monday mornings, “If I could just plant a simple church with a missional movement from scratch, life would be easier.” Unfortunately most live with the baggage of decades-long tradition. Missional living is only a dream for them.”

This workshop will interact with principles of change that morph a traditional church into a missional church, especially those principles that force key leaders to act differently. What has to happen in the church? How should you act in new ways? We will consider principles such as:

  • Start by drawing with crayons.
  • Put Chicken Little onto the church board and fire the Senior Pastor’s wife.
  • Invite the local ice cream vendor to the party, and give Viagra as a door prize.
  • Celebrate winning 4th place, then 3rd place, then 2nd place, until winning is no longer the real issue (because you have changed the scorecard).
  • Date the ugly lady until she starts looking beautiful.

If you are attempting to develop a new missional outlook at your church—or if you are just attempting to change some other large aspect of ministry—the conversations and interactions in this workshop will benefit you, especially as a key leader of change.

2010 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:25:54-05:00

Is Your Church Surviving?

  • Learn how to trim your facility budget
  • Keep your staff healthy in tough times
  • Learn how to avoid legal problems

Is Your Church Thriving?

  • Grow your staff with wisdom
  • Move into your new building with style
  • Learn how to begin new multi-sites

“I look forward to attending with my XP so we can bounce ideas off each other.”

Cases & Keynotes

Splurge in Great Ideas and Explore New Thinking!

Keynote: “Strategic Thinking for Troubled Times” by noted author, consultant & professor, Dr. Aubrey Malphurs

Case Study on “A Rural Church with Five Campuses & 5,000 Attendees”with Jim Tomberlin & Pastor Rick Egbert (Jim launched multi-sites at Willow Creek)

Keynote on “Harvard Business School’s ‘Question Zero’ & the American Church Disfunction” by Dr. David Fletcher

Case Study on “A Daughter Church on Life Support” by Dr. David Fletcher

  • In the summer of 2009, the Pastoral Leaders and the Board of Trustees of The Chapel knew they had to make a decision. Years before, The Chapel had helped plant a daughter church, Valleyview Chapel of Wadsworth, Ohio. Valleyview had grown and their entrepreneurial pastor took out a mortgage and built a big building. Later, attendance fell and the pastor left. The Chapel stepped in to help the daughter church …

Mini-Cases: A new concept, three mini-cases on penetrating and pertinent issues

“I liked the interaction style.  Lecture-only leaves me bored at some conferences”

XPastor’s Unique Format

Totally unique! No “church” events are like the XP-Seminar. It’s more like a session of the Harvard Business School than a “churchy” event.

Dr. Fletcher devised a 20-20-20 format to maximize growth and interaction:

Cognitive Learning—20 minutes of hard-hitting lecture

Participatory Learning—20 minutes of small group discussion

Interactive Learning—20 minutes of large group discussion or an Interview

By using auditory, visual and kinestheticapproaches, the attendee forms relationships, learns concepts and takes home practical ministry ideas.

“I liked David’s way of defining terms, probing, acknowledging complexity and interviewing”

“Thank you for your foresight and tenacity for creating XPastor—including this conference.”

Workshops: Money-Saving & Ministry-Enhancing!

Two Afternoons of Workshops

The 2010 Seminar has 25 workshops. The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” Learn from current & past executive leaders:

Churches with 500-1,500—First Christian CMA, Christ Community, Liberty Church, Vanguard Church …

Mega-churches with 1,500-5,000—Austin Ridge, Montgomery Community Church, Neighborhood Church, Richland Bible …

Super-churches, “uber-churches” with 5,000-20,000—Bel Air Pres, Bethany Baptist, Christ Community, Saddleback, The Chapel, Willow Creek …

This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Make your choice on the fly, no need to sign up in advance. Feel free to mix and match between the tracks:

  • XP 101 Track
  • Surviving the Recession Track
  • Thriving in the Recession Track

XPastor’s Goal
The Seminar will pay for itself in the ideas you take home!

“I liked the honest transparency of speakers and willingness to share ‘trade secrets'”

A Note from David

At the 2010 XP-Seminar in Dallas, we will focus the case studies and keynote addresses on the critical value of “Surviing and Thriving in a Recession.” Our 25 workshops will cover areas of vital need in leading and managing today’s church. Receive tangible ways to save money.
From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to our 6th XP-Seminar, a two-day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. The Executive Pastor (XP) title is the most common, but many positions have a similar function—such as COO, Ministry Director or Senior Associate.
Looking forward to a great time together!

“You do a conference well—the notebook, content, organization, website, and communication were ALL top notch—I enjoyed the presentations and the people.”

Attendees

  • Dave Arnold, Pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
  • Geoffrey Athey, Executive Minister, Fairfax Church of Christ, Fairfax, Virginia
  • Scott Barfoot, Director Doctor of Ministry Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Micah Barnum, Serve Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Tim Baugh, Executive Minister, Golf Course Road Church of Christ, Midland, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, XP of Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Justin Beadles, Senior Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Nacogdoches, Texas
  • Andrew Behm, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • David Bixby, Executive Pastor, Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Matt Branaugh, Director of Editorial, Your Church/Christianity Today International, Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, Illinois
  • Bob Brueggen, Executive Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Davenport, Iowa
  • Nathan Burns, Executive Pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
  • Sam Carmack, Co-Pastor, Bear Valley Community Church, Colleyville, Texas
  • Bill Carp, Executive Pastor, Miami Vineyard Community Church, Miami, Florida
  • Steve Caton, Vice-President, Church Community Builder, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Bob Cavin, Executive Pastor, Mimosa Lane Church, Mesquite, Texas
  • Scott Chapman, Senior Pastor, The Chapel, Lake County, Illinois
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Pastor, Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dan Cupp, Executive Pastor, Forth Worth First Church of the Nazarene, Crowley, Texas
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Desmon Daniel, Executive Minister, Mt. Olive Institutional Missionary Baptist Church, Saginaw, Michigan
  • Roger Dermody, XP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Jim Dye, Senior Exceutive Minister-Administration, Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Matthew Eachus, Pastor, Temple Baptist Church, Waterford, New York
  • Craig Eason, Worhsip Pastor, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Bob Feitl, Executive Pastor, Richland Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Scott Fischer, Executive Pastor, Temple Baptist Church, Waterford, New York
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder/Host of XPastor, The Chapel of Akron, Ohio
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Akron, Ohio
  • Harry Fritzenschaft, Pastor of Operations & Life Groups, The Vineyard Church of Houston, Houston, Texas
  • Larry Fullerton, Executive Pastor, Black Rock Congregational Church, Fairfield, Connecticut
  • Bob Galley, Executive Pastor, Grace Community Church, Centennial, Colorado
  • Alfonzo Garza, Associate Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Midwest City, Oklahoma
  • Jim Gentry, Business Manager, McKinney Memorial Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Lesli Goetze, Slingshotgroup, San Clemente, California
  • Paul Goodman, Executive Pastor, Grove City Alliance, Grove City, Pennsylvania
  • Jack Guerra, Executive Pastor, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Fritz Hager, Executive Pastor, Bethel Bible Church, Tyler, Texas
  • Michael Hayes, Executive Pastor, City Church San Francisco, San Francisco, California
  • Steve Holt, Senior Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • John Hopper, Executive Pastor, BridgePoint Bible Church, Houston, Texas
  • Brian Horn, Associate Pastor of Adult Ministries, First Christian Church, Santa Maria, California
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Daniel Jackson, Executive Pastor, New Covenant United Methodist Church, The Villages, Florida
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Monty Kelso, Slingshotgroup, San Clemente, California
  • Tony Kroening, Managing Director, SIMA Minneapolis, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Jim Kuykendall, Sr. Associate Pastor, Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Rodney Lara, Senior Pastor, Justin Memorial Baptist Chuch, Oak Park, Illinois
  • Alan LeBlanc, Director of Business Administration, New Life Fellowship Church, Arlington, Texas
  • Brad Leeper, Senior Stewardship Strategist, Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Mark Lingerman, Administrative Pastor, Grace Community Church, Washingtonville, New York
  • Donna Lively, Director of Insurance Solutions and Services, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Yolanda Lopez, Executive Pastor, Bandera Road Community Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Dr. Aubrey Malphurs, Senior Professor, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Christopher Marinello, Business Administrator, Evangel Church, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
  • Randy Marsh, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Mark McCormick, Executive Pastor, Wilshire Avenue Community Church, Fullerton, California
  • Matthew McDaniel, Senior Pastor, Arlington Memorial Baptist Church, Akron, Ohio
  • Mike Mckay, XP, Central Wesleyan, Holland, Michigan
  • Alan Michael, XP, RockPointe Church, Flower Mound, Texas
  • David Middlebrook, Attorney, The Church Law Group, Grapevine, Texas
  • Dan Miller, Executive Pastor, Living Oaks Community Church, Newbury Park, California
  • Nancy Moore, Senior Consultant, SIMA Minneapolis, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
  • Rick Moore, Worship Arts Pastor, Word of Life Church, Springfield, Virginia
  • Fred Neal, XP, Harvest Community Church, Kittanning, Pennsylvania
  • David Nicholson, Elder, Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho, Dallas, Texas
  • Jim Nutt, President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Dallas, Texas
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Dennis Park, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Dale Peak, Administrator, Reston Bible Church, Reston, Virginia
  • Jeff Pelletier, Senior VP, Operations, Fellowship Technologies, Irving, Texas
  • Robert Pettofrezzo, Administrative Pastor, Community Bible Church, Jackson, Wyoming
  • Danny Posada, Executive Operations Pastor, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Derek Prezzano, Executive Pastor, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithtown, New York
  • David Rafeedie, Executive Pastor, Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church, Steinach, Manitoba
  • Lou Ranahan, Executive Director, Metropolitan Bible Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • Glenn Reph, Executive Director of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Danny Roberts, Executive Pastor, North Richland Hills Baptist, North Richland Hills, Texas
  • Erich Roehl, Executive Pastor, Neighborhood Church of Redding, Redding, California
  • Ruth Roehl, wife of, Executive Pastor, Neighborhood Church of Redding, Redding, California
  • Daniel Rolfe, Executive Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Eric Rojas, Executive Pastor, Christ Community Church, St. Charles, Illinois
  • Jerry Royal, Executive Pastor & Minister to Families, First Baptist Church, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Guy Shafer, Executive Pastor, Fellowship of Joy, Grand Prairie, Texas
  • Marty Shea, Senior Pastor, Village View Community Church, Summerfield, Florida
  • Clint Smith, Operations Pastor, North Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Nicholas Smith, Executive Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Frank Sommerville, Attorney with Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, Arlington, Texas
  • Curtis Songer, XP, New Community Church, Wexford, Pennsylvania
  • David Tebeau, Administrator, Church in the City, Rockwall, Texas
  • Mark Tidwell, Senior Executive Minister of Ministries, Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Jim Tomberlin, Consultant of Third Quarter Consulting, Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Philip Turner, Church Administrator of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Paul Utnage, Executive Pastor, Montgomery Community Church, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Rick von Albrecht, Executive Pastor for Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Mark Warren, Executive Pastor, Eastview Christian Church, Normal, Illinois
  • Steve Watkins, Executive Pastor, Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Bill Webb, Associate Pastor, Administration, First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas
  • John Wells, Executive Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Marietta, Georgia
  • Joey White, XP, First Baptist Church, Artesia, New Mexico
  • Tim Whitehorn, Founder and CEO, ServiceU Corporation, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Kelly Williams, Senior Pastor, Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Bill Wosley, Executive Dirctor, Lake Forest Church, Huntersville, North Carolina
  • Rick Wright, Senior Associate Rector, The Falls Church, Falls Church, Virginia
  • Gregg Zackary, Senior Associate Pastor, Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas
  • Tina Zackary, Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas
  • Julie Zuefeldt, Administrator, Bear Valley Community Church, Colleyville, Texas

Schedule

Tuesday, February 2

7:30 Registration & Dessert
Evening welcome and dessert social in the Beverly Ballroom. Join us for this informal time to pick up your materials, talk to old friends and meet some new ones.

Wednesday, February 3

8:00 Full Breakfast on Saving Money in Health Care, Sponsored by GuideStone
9:00
Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Welcome by Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado
9:15
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Clint Smith

Clint Smith

Keynote on “Harvard Business School’s ‘Question Zero’ & the American Church Dysfunction” by Dr. David Fletcher with Application with Clint Smith, North Church, Going from a 30% Budget Reduction to a Surplus
10:00 Break
10:15
Rick Egbert

Rick Egbert

Case Study “A Rural Church with Five Campuses & 5,000 Attendees” with Jim Tomberlin & Pastor Rick Egbert (Jim launched multi-sites at Willow Creek)
11:00
Scott Chapman

Scott Chapman

Keynote by Scott Chapman
Senior Pastor of The Chapel
11:45 Break
Noon

Lunch, Sponsored by ServiceU
Always a great time at the Seminar! Interactive discussion with Senior & Executive Pastors. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?” Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch. We will interview SP Kelly Williams and XP Rick Clapp from Vanguard Church and SP Steve Holt SP and XP Daniel Rolfe from Mountain Springs Church. Both teams are from Colorado, so put on your parkas and boots!
1:15 Break
1:30 Workshops: Session #1 (choose from a total of 25 workshops)
3:00 Break & Afternoon Snack
3:15 Workshops: Session #2 (choose from a total of 25 workshops)
4:30 Break for the evening. Take a new or old XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 4

7:30 Full Breakfast on Church Finances Sponsored by ECCU
David will interview David Tebeau, Administrator of Church in the City (formerly Church on the Rock, Rockwall).  Here’s a growing church doing some innovative things with handling their finances.
7:45 Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit (for those who missed the full breakfast)
8:45
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Case Study “A Daughter Church on Life Support” by Dr. David Fletcher

In the summer of 2009, the Pastoral Leaders and the Board of Trustees of The Chapel knew they had to make a decision. Years before, The Chapel had helped plant a daughter church, Valleyview Chapel of Wadsworth, Ohio. Valleyview had grown and their entrepreneurial pastor took out a mortgage and built a big building. Later, attendance fell and the pastor left. The Chapel stepped in to help the daughter church …
9:45 Break
10:00
Dr. Aubrey Malphurs

Dr. Aubrey Malphurs

Keynote on “Strategic Thinking for Troubled Times” by noted author, consultant & professor, Dr. Aubrey Malphurs
11:15 Break
11:30

In the ballroom on the first floor, we will have a catered lunch with affinity groups, seminar leaders or new friends. Or, pick up lunch outside the Ballroom, then go to the second floor for:

  • Nathan Baxter—Using the Birkman Indicator to Grow Staff
  • David Middlebrook—Your Bylaws Need to Change as Your Church Grows
12:45 Workshops: Session 3 (choose from a total of 25 workshops)
1:45 Break
2:00 Workshops: Session 4 (choose from a total of 25 workshops)
3:00 Conclusion (early enough for you to catch a flight home)

Workshops

“All three workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable”

The workshop leaders are a stunning collection of executives who speak from their areas of expertise. They talk to you as “one skilled leader to another.” This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

Dave Arnold—The PEACE Connector: Expanding Your Missions Reach Without Expanding Your Budget

Dave is the former XP of Saddleback Church and now is a Pastor at Saddleback Church and Director of Strategic Relationships for the PEACE Plan. This workshop will explore the vision of PEACE and open the possibilities to mobilize your members to missions without expanding your missions budget. It is not your seating capacity but your sending capacity that determines the reach of your church. Ordinary people inspired by God’s love doing extraordinary things wherever they are. As your members are exposed to missions opportunities, they will undoubtedly want to get connected and learn more about how they can serve. As they are engaged and equipped, their commitment to missions and the church will deepen. Your missions-minded people are your most dedicated members as they see the church for what it is in the world … the Bride of Christ.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring 101

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will help you as an XP learn the fundamentals of mentoring.  In just one hour, you will receive a year’s worth of work.  Nathan will help you identify your “big assignments” for developing yourself as a mentor. He will help you formulate a path of personal study and growth by identifying the major areas XPs must refine. He will also be giving a tour of the latest and best mentoring resources available.

Nathan will discuss how the Birkman Indicator® Tool has helped him grow his staff. He has taken hundreds through the Birkman and will share his thoughts at a breakout lunch on Thursday. You will be able to see sample reports from the powerful Birkman Indicator® Tool and hear examples of how XPs have used it to revolutionize the leadership culture of their church.

“My conversations with Nathan Baxter were great!”

David Bixby

David Bixby

David Bixby—Thriving and surviving Facilities transitions in an uncertain economy

David is the XP of Austin Ridge Bible Church of Austin, Texas. Austin Ridge Bible Church opened three new buildings in April of 2009. David will facilitate a discussion on the stages and phases of transition from a single building campus to a multi-building campus. Pinching pennies in an uncertain economy may seem prudent in the moment, but a long-term perspective could prove more economically sensible in the long run.

Walk through some of the lessons learned with Austin Ridge as they completed and moved into a new office facility and two new youth buildings. If you are contemplating a project, or in the midst of construction, bring your strategies and challenges to the table.

Dr. Warren Bird—Healthy Churches that Spend only 30% of Budget on Staffing

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, author and former pastor. The average church spends about 50% of its budget on staff costs. What if you could do the same quality and level of ministry but only spend 30% of your budget on staff for salary and benefits?

Warren has interviewed a number of churches that report a “lean staffing” approach to ministry, and will pass along what they’ve learned. Warren conducted a survey last year of executive pastors, co-sponsored with XPastor.org, and he also oversees the large-church salary survey project for Leadership Network—all available as free downloads. He has co-authored 21 ministry books, the most recent being Multi-Site Church Roadtrip (a companion volume to the 2006 Multi-Site Church Revolution) and Unleashing the Word (on reading Scripture aloud in church).

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell—Catalyst 101

Stacey is the XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado. Catalysts dare to take chances and think differently. “No” is never an answer to a question, only “what if …” Catalysts tend to look at the horizon and plan for the future. They dream of how people and systems and culture can be improved, streamlined and re-imagined. Everyone is a catalyst to some degree, in some area of their life or ministry!

So how do you leverage what you have and grow those areas so you can maximize your influence with leaders, ministries, and your overall church culture? In other words, how do you become a stronger catalyst that enables creativity, innovation, and freedom to occur around you? This workshop will give you the tools to more effectively be the catalyst God designed you to be!

Rick Clapp—Trying to Stay Together: Leading Your Staff and Church During Hard Times

Rick is the XP of Vanguard Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Vanguard’s heartbeat is to plant or help plant 5,000 churches over its existence, and Rick oversees all of Vanguard’s church planting initiatives.

Hard times are inevitable and are going to affect every church in America. Ecclesiastes 7:14 tells us, “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.”

Vanguard Church is attempting to journey through tough times together. How has your church and leadership responded to the hard times of this past year’s economy? When funds are low and stress loads are high, what is your church leadership’s “mode of operation?” Has your church leadership adopted a plan to follow when hard times come? How do you lead your staff through the reality of financial change? Rick will share how Vanguard is leading its staff and church through hard times. He will show the 7 step process Vanguard follows in order to make up budgetary shortcomes, changes made in communication to the entire church body, and how Vanguard has adjusted in an attempt not to lay off staff and stay together.

Roger Dermody—Big Vision & Big Hurdles: The Challenge of Leading with Prudent Faith

Roger is the XP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, California. We are in the midst of a global economic crisis, a national denominational crisis and on-going very real congregational needs. How do we as leaders of Bel Air thread the needle of faithfully following our sense of God’s call to bold new ventures? We are launching three new satellite campuses. Yet, at the same time, we need to make sure we don’t fly the proverbial “plane into the side of the nearest mountain?”

This interactive seminar will discuss the hits and misses experienced by Bel Air Presbyterian Church this past year, and learn from the shared stories and examples of other group participants.

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl—Understanding the Roles of Overseer and Administrator

Bob, XP of Richland Bible Church of Richland, Michigan, asks, “So, you are new to the role, it’s not quite what you expected and you’re trying to figure out how to make sense of it.” You need to balance leadership with managing, administration with pastoring, your Senior Pastor’s expectations with yours and everyone else’s … and have a job description that reflects that well. Facilitated by an XP with 20 years experience in three churches of 1,500 to 4,500; together we will hammer out ways to bring clarity and understanding to this job that often requires more finesse and balance than any other on the team.

Brian Horm

Brian Horm

Brian Horn—Without an XP but Doing the Work

Brian is the Associate Pastor of Adult Ministries, First Christian Church, Santa Maria, California. Even though some tasks may not be in your job description, sometimes you’ve just got to roll up your sleeves and get to work! In a church that doesn’t have an XP, the Senior Pastor may need help and not even know it. He may be leading in areas where his giftedness and time is limited.
How can the Associate Pastor effectively transition into the Executive Pastor role? This interactive workshop will examine steps that can help establish trust with the Senior Pastor and establish a healthy ministry partnership. Brian Horn, this workshop’s leader, is currently building this culture in his church in California, helping his Senior Pastor become comfortable enough to hand over the reins of leadership.

Brad Leeper—Resourcing Ministry in the Midst of a Recession

Brad is a Senior Strategist of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, Brad is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually. As a Generis Senior Strategist, he is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta.

Brad’s workshops have received high marks in previous XP-Seminars. If you are going to be resourcing your ministry soon, then you will need to know how to raise funds for the construction! “Brad Leeper’s Fundraising Workshop was so helpful!”

Donna Lively—Mitigating Cost: Wellness, Waistlines, and the Right Plan

Donna is the Director of Insurance Solutions and Services for GuideStone Financial Resources.

Learn why the combination of employee benefit wellness initiatives, focus on employee health responsibility and the correct plan selection are important to the financial and physical health of your organization and discover strategies to successfully implement these programs. Learn why the simplest programs are often the most effective and the key components that every program must include.

David Lyons—Hiring: What is Fit and Gifting?

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we … ?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous”

David Middlebrook—Your Bylaws Need to Change as Your Church Grows

David is a nationally noted attorney and author, licensed to practice law in Texas, Colorado and the District of Columbia. His practice emphasis is focused on religious nonprofit organizations, with clients including all types of charitable, religious and educational organizations. David also is a registered Congressional lobbyist where he works on behalf of religious nonprofit organizations for the protection of religious liberties.

Jeff Pelletier—The Role of Technology in a ‘Do More With Less’ Environment

Jeff is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fellowship Technologies, a provider of 100% web-based Church Management Software.

During turbulent and uncertain economic times, more people turn to the local church as a source of comfort and confidence. Attendance begins to rise, but unfortunately, giving may remain flat or even decline. The end result is the church is asked to do much more with far fewer resources. This workshop will highlight the role technology can play in helping to offset the resource imbalance created in a ‘Do More With Less’ environment.

Erich Roehl

Erich Roehl

Erich Roehl—The Budget Process: Having the Right People Determine the Right Investments in Ministry

Erich is the XP of Neighborhood Church of Redding, California.

This workshop will address what we learned in establishing a budget process (and there are many things!). We found what works for us (and continues to evolve). This will include an introduction to the Carver Policy governance, the role of staff and the role of board. Issues to consider are who should make the budget decisions and why, what about conflict of interest, how to streamline the expense approval process, how to get equal buy-in and accountability in financial decisions and how to maintain flexibility for unexpected expenses.

Eric Rojas—The 8 C’s to a Healthy Staff in a Recession

Eric is the XP of Christ Community Church of St. Charles, DeKalb & Blackberry Creek, Illinois.

In this session, we will look at how to build and maintain a healthy staff year after year. In a time like this we can’t give the financial support and advancement that we would like. Keeping your staff (of any size) healthy, happy and called is essential. Included in this session will be a look at the spiritual development of the staff, the hiring process in a recession, staff evaluation, staff recognition, goals, firing and lay-offs, morale boosters and busters and many more keys to a healthy staff.

Nicholas Smith—The 5 Functions of the XP

Nicholas, the XP of Bethany Baptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey, will share the biblical basis of the XP as revealed through the Scriptures. Though young, Nicholas is a strong XP in a church of 18,000 members. Read the2006 case study on Bethany Baptist.

This session will introduce the foundational characteristics of an Executive Pastor: Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Minister, and Overseer. During the hour, we will assist XP’s in finding which functions they are strongest in and how best to operate in them. For any Senior Pastors attending the session, we will help them discover what to look for in an XP.

Phillip Turner

Phillip Turner

Phillip Turner & Nicholas Smith—Thriving in the African-American Church

Reverend Phillip Turner serves as the Church Administrator of BethanyBaptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey. He partners with Bishop David G. Evans and assists in implementing the vision of the church, while also ensuring excellence in the operations of Bethany Baptist Church and Abundant Harvest Plaza.

This session will discuss the challenges in the African-American churches in the present recession. We will present proven solutions that will overcome the challenges of the environment. Tips will include meeting the spiritual and natural needs of the community. We will also discuss effective giving strategies during the recession.

Frank Sommerville—Legal Issues in the Church

Frank is a nationally noted attorney, author and a CPA. This is a roundtable discussion on the current and pressing legal issues in your church. Bring your questions and issues!

Frank led a legal roundtable at the 2007 & 2008 XP-Seminar and received high marks from the participants. This is a prime opportunity to discuss your issues with a nationally noted attorney. “Frank Sommerville always does a great job—the legal issues small group was very good”. “Frank started by asking us what we wanted to discuss so that he met our needs. Caused me to rethink many areas.”

Curtis Songer

Curtis Songer

Curtis Songer—How is New Community Church Surviving & Thriving?

Curtis is the XP of New Community Church of of Wexford, Pennsylvania.

Learn how a church moved from Surviving to Thriving in 4 short months. At New Community Church giving increased 15% during the last 4 months of 2009. What was even more shocking was that this increase in giving occurred on a significantly lower base of givers – attendance declined 11% during the same period. What happened? Were these shifts healthy? Can the attendance trend be turned around? And is the increase in giving sustainable? The answers lie in the fact that the traditional approach to surviving in a down-turned economy (a.k.a. cost reduction) is not enough to thrive.

Jim Kuykendall

Jim Kuykendall

Jim Tomberlin and Jim Kuykendall—Four Common Mistakes of Multi-Site Churches

The multi-site movement is transforming the church landscape across the nation. It is no longer a trend but has become the “new normal” for healthy growing churches of all sizes. Currently over 2,000 churches across America have multiple venues or campuses. Is it right for your church? If so, what are the common mistakes to avoid in going multi-site?

Learn from multi-site practitioner pioneer Jim Tomberlin and Jim Kuykendall. Jim Tomberlin implemented multi-site at Willow Creek and now runs Third Quarter Consulting. Jim Kuykendall is the XP of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Texas. Read the case study about Cross Timbers.

Paul Utnage—Working with Strong Personalities at the Top

Paul is the XP of Montgomery Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Executive Pastors often relate to prominent pastoral leaders whose personalities are so dominating that they create “cultural tsunamis” of their own.  Let’s face it, some people just have a strong personality—intense, yet perhaps even strong-headed, strong-willed, and strong-armed.  Often they aren’t aware of the waves they create as they swim through the normal wake of the church’s ministry.  If not confronted and loved by a healthy coworker—i.e. you, the XP—they may create dysfunctions, either sighed or shouted, that disrupt or hamper the church’s vision.

This workshop focuses upon principles of healthy relationships with strong personalities, especially with Senior Pastors and key associates. We’ll build some general principles that help us relate to these whirlwind leaders, and then focus upon a repertoire of principles for dealing with four specific strong personalities—the narcissistic pastor, the obsessive-compulsive pastor, the passive-aggressive pastor, and the shame-based pastor.

Steve Watkins

Steve Watkins

Steve Watkins—Risk Taking & Decision Making in a Tough Economy

Steve is the XP of Southern Hills Baptist Church, a pace-setting, growing church in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

None of us are immune to this economy, but how are we faring on our missional journey? Are we staying true to our mission as a church? Are we still taking ministry “risks?” Are ministry “decisions” being weighed on how much it will cost, rather than the impact it can make short-term or long-term?

In this workshop, we will explore and share opportunities and vehicles to internally take steps to be great stewards with what God has blessed us with. We will also share ideas to release our ministries by not holding onto our resources so tightly that our church and community notices we are in a recession. It’s a time of faith; are we listening to God? If so, He will provide.

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the sixth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

ministersearch-logoFor the sixth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends atMinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.

eccu-logoFor the fourth year as a sponsor, we welcome theEvangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact. With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services. Check out some great resources from ECCU:

  • Borrowing and the Church
  • Data Security
  • Essentials of Fundraising for Churches
  • Financial Statements Matter
  • How to Look Like a Borrower
  • Liquidity: How Much Is Enough?
  • Renting Versus Buying Your Church’s Facility
  • When to Build, or Not: Construction Projects Can Make or Break Your Ministry
  • When_to_Finance or Not: Is Your Ministry Ready for Debt
  • You’re a Church Treasurer: Now What?

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the fourth year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, medical, life and disability coverage, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, the organization has enhanced the financial security of more than 200,000 individuals and reported $8.8 billion in assets as of September 30, 2009. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s medical programs offer rate stability, the largest network of healthcare providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. GuideStone’s insurance agency affiliate, GuideStone Agency Services, makes available full lines of property and casualty coverage as well as risk management education and tools designed with the ministry in mind. For more information about GuideStone, visit the organization’s Web site atwww.GuideStone.org.

ServiceUFor the fourth year, we welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters.

ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar; TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations; and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management. Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

fellowship_one_2011_260For the second year, we welcome Fellowship One as a sponsor! Fellowship One is the leading 100% web-based Church Management Software solution, that helps dynamic churches of any size or denomination to effectively care for people, efficiently manage resources, and enable real growth. Fellowship One is used by ministries around the world ranging from new church plants to mega-sized, multi-site, churches. Read the bio of Jeff Pelletier.

churchlaw-logoFor the first year, we welcome The Church Law Group.  They focus on the specific legal needs of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, including numerous churches, ministries, faith-based organizations, and clergy throughout the United States. The Church Law Group is comprised of a talented and diverse group of acclaimed professionals sharing a singular calling and dedication to work with and further the successes of their clients.

Three members of the team are former Assistant District Attorneys, Felony Prosecutors, and one is also a distinguished former State District Judge. Several of our attorneys hold certifications from Cambridge University in Risk Management for Churches and Schools. Other attorneys in the group are trained specialists in the field of mediation. “The Church Law Group … restoring relationshipto the Attorney-Client Relationship.” Read the bio of David Middlebrook.

slingshot_260For the first year, we welcome Slingshot Group! Slingshot Group is devoted to helping churches discover worship and arts breakthroughs through Strategy, Structure and Staffing. Our team’s many years of experience in worship and arts ministries along with our nationwide network of relationships are leveraged to help churches reach new heights in worship ministry. We consult closely with churches to assess the current state of their programs, philosophy and approaches to worship through written and verbal feedback from staff and lay leaders. We then give specific recommendations, practical solutions and pathways for progress specifically designed for each church, including the identification of the best worship leaders and staff to fit their situation. We know from experience how critical it is to hire the right people whose experience, calling and style align with the church and its vision for the future.

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the sixth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States. Read the bio on Ron Keener.

leadership-network-300For the fifth year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network is a Dallas-based nonprofit that seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Leadership Network brings together innovative church leaders, creating an environment for collaborative discovery, dialogue and sharing. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including video, podcasts, concept papers, special research reports, and e-publications. Resources are available as free downloads atleadnet.org/papers.

In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches. Learn more at leadnet.org/books.

“This is my first conference since becoming the XP at our church. Attended an XPastor ‘Staffing Workshop’ in Phoenix two years ago that helped me make a decision toward an XP pathway. Thanks for your ministry!”

2009 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:19:49-05:00

At the 2009 XP-Seminar in Dallas, we will focus the case studies and keynote addresses on the critical value of “Growing a Great Ministry Staff.” Our 40 workshops will cover many other areas of vital need in leading and managing today’s church.

From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to the XP-Seminar, a two-day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. The Executive Pastor (XP) title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP—such as COO, Ministry Director or Senior Associate.

The XP-Seminar is not just for XPs, as many Senior Pastors and church leaders come to improve their leadership and management skills. This is the only seminar available to grow your executive staff team. With the Senior Pastor track, come as a team!

Hone your work as an XP or prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership.

Also check out the Female XP Forum immediately before the XP-Seminar!

“Great seminar—this directly addresses the responsibilities and challenges I face day to day. I’m grateful I found this seminar!”

Great Cases and Keynotes

Keynote Address by Bill Hendricks, President of the Giftedness Center

Bill has helped hundreds of people discover their unique giftedness and find the right place in business and the church. With great skill, he helps answer:

  • Is this job right for me?
  • Is it time for a change?
  • Why don’t they use me?
  • Should I hire this person?
  • Is this person management potential?
  • How can we hold onto our people? Can our team be more productive?

Bill is a dynamic communicator in person and in print—read his blockbuster article written for XPastor, Good Fit/Poor Fit: How Can You Tell.

Case Study #1: Hiring Practices of Willow Creek and Fellowship Little Rock with Bill Egner from Christ Chapel of Fort Worth, Texas

Bill has done extensive research on two significant churches in the nation. Both of these churches have influenced hundreds, if not thousands of churches.

Whether mentioned in TIME magazine or Christianity Today, with massive positive impact, they have changed the religious landscape in America.

One “influencer church” has a highly organized system based on “best business practices.” The other “influencer church” has a unique spiritual emphasis in the hiring process.

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Case Study #2: The Challenges of Explosive Staff Growth with Josh Whithead, XP of Faith Promise Church of Knoxville, Tennessee

Add this up: 30% staff growth for two years, a first time XP and under 30, reorganization and realignment of staff structure and compensation, very casual work environment and strategic use of consultants.

Now 40 Workshops!

As a way to categorize our workshops, we created six tracks. Feel free to “mix and match” workshops from the tracks. You will sign up for your workshop on the first day of the XP-Seminar.

This year will feature the XP-101 Track, Senior Pastor Track, Large Group Forums, Great Staff Track, XP Wives Track and a Vital XP Issues Track. The workshop leaders are an stunning collection of executives in church ministry and they will speak from their areas of expertise. The workshop leaders will talk from “one skilled leader to another.” Generally, there are structured presentations (except where noted) and then a group discussion. This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of your ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—and they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

More about the Seminar

Existing XPs, Senior Pastors and leading experts address the nature and role of the XP. Our speakers come from churches of different sizes. Nathan Baxter is an XP in a church of 700 and Warren Schuh was an XP of a church of 5,000. Half of those attending the Seminar come from churches with less than 1,400 in worship. Yet, we have had churches of 45,000 in worship. Find your peers here!

This seminar is ideal for new XPs, those desiring an XP position and XPs who want to grow! This is an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

The Basis of XPastor: The Five Functions

Attend a workshop to examine the five functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job:

  • Administrator of resources
  • Catalyst for ministry
  • Mentor of staff
  • Minister in the congregation
  • Overseer of church-wide ministry

So great to be with like-minded people, i.e. Kingdom-minded and familiar with the XP world.

You Will Receive in Workshops & Discussions

  • Define the need of the XP:
    • Learn how to explain why your church requires an XP.
    • Learn the signs of a Senior Pastor nearing burnout.
    • See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching.
  • Define the relationship of the XP and SP:
    • Get out of step with your SP and prepare to pack your bags.
    • The SP is generally the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance?
    • Who is the “boss?”
  • Basics of an XP job description:
    • How to write a job description that fits your church policy and polity.
    • What should an XP do in your church?
    • Have ongoing reviews of your job description.
  • How church size varies the role of the XP: Answer the questions, “Is this church too small for an XP?” and “Is this church too big for an XP?”
  • Mentoring before and after the seminar is available for any student who desires it.
    • Receive help on preparing your resume.
    • Based on relationships and interaction in the small groups and workshops, list leaders as references on your resume.
    • Continue mentoring by e-mail and telephone.
    • Receive advice on XP issues in your church.

Bring Your Wife!

This year we will have a special, one-day track for XP wives. The $200 rate covers the dessert on Tuesday, February 3 and all day on Wednesday, February 4. At the 2008 XP-Seminar, we had several wives come and they did an informal meeting together (perhaps in the future we will do XP Husbands track …). Tami Fletcher will lead a special For Wives Only on Wednesday afternoon.

We had 110 Church Leaders at the 2005 XP-Seminar, 150 at the 2006 & 2007 Seminars and 200 attendees at the 2008 Seminar.

I liked the honest transparency of speakers and willingness to share ‘trade secrets’

XPastor’s Unique Educational Format

Few, if any, seminars are run like the XP-Seminar. Dr. Fletcher has devised and put into practice a 20-20-20 format to maximize education and interaction. With 60 minutes as an example, a 20 minute hard-hitting lecture begins the session with cognitive learning. Then, 20 minutes of small group discussion deepens the learning with participatory learning. Finally, 20 minutes of large group Question & Answers, or an Interview, conclude the session with interactive learning. By using auditory, visual and kinesthetic approaches, the attendee takes away concepts, practical ideas and skills for ministry “back home.”

Relationships are built around the table groups as people examine the stated topic. This is an ideal opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, to present a slice of ministry, and to get feedback from people in similar positions.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case studies, workshops and new colleagues?
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?

Grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own!

Each day, the morning sessions bring a church case study and experienced leaders to challenge our thinking. The case studies present models of ministry from which we derive principles that can be applied to our churches. You won’t agree with everything you hear—but you learn a great deal when challenged to think out of “your box.”

Each case study will be accompanied by a 10-20 page report, detailing the facts. But the facts tell only part of the story; the in-person dialogue with the principals allows you to ask the pivotal questions that will help your ministry.

I liked David’s way of defining terms, probing, acknowledging complexity & interviewing

Afternoon Workshops

Choose from 40 workshops led by distinguished XPs and Church Leaders

Can it get any better than this? A track for new XPs, large group forums, a track for SPs, a track for XP wives, vital topics for XPs and church leaders.

Female XP Forum

leadership-network-300XPastor is pleased to announce this special forum desgined by our friends at Leadership Network

Leadership Network would like to invite you to a Female Executive Pastor Forum, February 2-3, Dallas TX. This forum will immediately preceed the XP-Seminar, so women can attend both events!

Sherry Surrat

Sherry Surrat

The goal for this roundtable-size gathering is peer learning from a very specialized group. You will exchange insights about your experiences and what you would like to learn from others in the room.

From our conversations with female pastors and ministry leaders, we at Leadership Network found an eagerness to connect with other women who lead in this unique role. We have also found a desire to freely discuss issues such as:

  • how to strengthen their partnership with the senior pastor
  • how to shape the culture of the church
  • how to find appropriate tools for staff development
  • risk taking
  • and more!

The agenda will be set by you a week or so beforehand, in terms of the specifics you want to talk about. Leadership Network’s expert facilitaters will lead the peer networking process that LN has refined over many years of experience.

Criteria

  • Your church’s weekend attendance is 1,000 or larger
  • You report directly to the senior pastor
  • You are your church’s closest staff match to the idea of executive pastor/minister/director.

Workshops

“All three workshops I attended were very relevant and applicable”

“The conference was very informative and gave me many items to take away. It will take me a while to digest it all and turn it into an action plan that will help me serve my church”

“Thanks for diving deep into the cases. Great interaction. This has been an amazing resource!

Thank you for your foresight and tenacity for creating XPastor, including this conference.

I look forward to partnering with you for years to come.”

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring Resources for the XP

XP-101

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will help you as an XP learn the fundamentals of mentoring.  In just one hour, you will receive a year’s worth of work.  Nathan will help you identify your “big assignments” for developing yourself as a mentor. He will help you formulate a path of personal study and growth by identifying the major areas XPs must refine.  He will also be giving a tour of the latest and best mentoring resources available. Read the 2005 case study on Liberty Church.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Using the Birkman® Tool to Grow Staff

Nathan will discuss how the Birkman Indicator® Tool has helped him grow his staff. He has taken hundreds through the Birkman and will share his thoughts at a breakout lunch on Thursday. You will be able to see sample reports from the powerful Birkman Indicator® Tool and hear examples of how XPs have used it to revolutionize the leadership culture of their church.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Forum of Medium-Sized Churches

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will lead this open forum. This forum is a regular favorite of every XP-Seminar. Now in its 4th year led by Nathan, this is a terrific time to talk with others of medium-sized churches. “Bring your questions and issues for our discussion.”

The great aspect of this forum is that you can meet with XPs from churches in your size range. You can talk through issues that are common to your size of church and develop lasting relationships with other XPs.

“My conversations with Nathan Baxter were great!”

Andrew Behm

Andrew Behm

Andrew Behm—From Corporate America to Full-time Ministry

Andrew is the XP of Fellowship Bible of Winchester, Virginia. He led a lunch workshop at the 2008 XP-Seminar and was extremely well received. His article, From Corporate America To Full-Time Ministry: My First 6 Months As An Executive Pastor, was also well received by the XPastor community.

Before he became an XP, Andrew came to the 2007 XP-Seminar with his Sr. Pastor. He returned in 2008 as the XP and David interviewed them at the Wednesday lunch.

The transition from corporate America to full-time ministry is filled with challenges and opportunities. Those who enter ministry via the business world have a lot to offer but there is also much to learn. It is important to realize that there are many basic business practices that are utilized by churches. Yet, churches operate in a very unique culture, vastly different from personal experience. The challenge and opportunity is to utilize experience of strategic planning, project implementation and team-building. This needs to be done in such a way as to be an excellent example of efficiency, quality and productivity. It must be done in a manner that captures the special character and qualities that define “who we are and what we are called to do” as Ambassadors for Christ.

Dr. Warren Bird—Ten Surprising Insights from a Survey of Executive Pastors

Warren is the Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at Leadership Network, a former pastor and co-author of 19 books.

In this workshop, we will cover Executive Pastors as a distinctive breed. “What do XPs identify as the main sources they use to learn and grow in their role? Where do XPs struggle most? What books have XPs read recently that they find helpful to the job? What are their main time-usage blocks, and does that change with church size and complexity?” These and other issues were covered in a January 2009 Executive Pastor survey conducted by Leadership Network, in partnership with XPastor.org.

The survey findings will be distributed at the XP-Seminar and discussed in this workshop.

Duane Britton

Duane Britton

Duane Britton—Leading from the Top Down: The Mixing of the Roles of a Boss and Spiritual Guide with the XP

Duane is the Senior Pastor of DOVE Christian Fellowship-Westgate of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

The confessions of a transformed Senior Pastor on the difficulties he faced in learning how to be a boss and spiritual guide without coming across as dictatorial to his staff. A Senior Pastor is looking for cooperation, support, and mutual respect as he tries to build a team while the XP is looking for latitude, recognition, and individuality. How can the Senior Pastor build a relationship with the XP where the XP feels that the Senior Pastor has shared his heart with him? Where the XP feels that they are a valued part of the management team? The role of managing a staff is not all joy but by using a few principles, the Senior Pastor can create harmony such as an orchestra conductor creates harmony among the various musicians.

Mike Buster—Cutting Utility Costs in Half

Vital XP Interests Track

Mike is the XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church of Frisco, Texas. Did you see the Newsweek article about Mike saving $80,000 in utility bills for Prestonwood? It’s not every day that an XP makes Newsweek!

We are so pleased to have Mike: this is the workshop that he was unable to present in 2008. This workshop will present practical tips and suggestions on how to cut your utility bill and make your church campus more “green.”

Keep the “green stuff” in the bank and help the environment too—not a bad combination!

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell—Catalyst 101

XP-101

Stacey is the XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado. Catalysts dare to take chances and think differently. “No” is never an answer to a question, only “what if …” Catalysts tend to look at the horizon and plan for the future. They dream of how people and systems and culture can be improved, streamlined and re-imagined.

Everyone is a catalyst to some degree, in some area of their life or ministry! So how do you leverage what you have and grow those areas so you can maximize your influence with leaders, ministries, and your overall church culture? In other words, how do you become a stronger catalyst that enables creativity, innovation, and freedom to occur around you? This workshop will give you the tools to more effectively be the catalyst God designed you to be!

Mark Carey—The First Years with Your First XP
Mark is the Senior Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church of Winchester, Virginia. Mark came to the 2007 XP-Seminar with a prospect XP. Mark had found his XP candidate from within his congregation and felt confident that Andrew was the right person for the role. He returned for the 2008 XP-Seminar with Andrew as the XP. David took the opportunity to interview them at the Wednesday lunch.

The task of finding the right XP can be challenging! It is even more so when it is the first XP for the Senior Pastor and the church. There are many issues that need to be considered when choosing an XP, such as:

  • Is it someone with ministry or corporate experience?
  • Are they from within or outside your church?
  • What is their Spiritual Gift make-up?

But the most important factor that needs to be determined is if the personalities of the Senior Pastor and XP are compatible. If the personalities are in conflict, it can be disastrous. But if they are compatible, it can be extremely productive and beneficial for the partnership as well as the church. It is important to remember that potential can be developed and skills can be refined but a harmonious relationship is the foundation to success. This workshop is a great time to talk about what traits make an XP and SP compatible.

Rob Cizek—How to Have Difficult Conversations

Great Staff Track

Rob is the Executive Pastor of Northshore Community Church of Everett, Washington.

Tough conversations. Nothing defines a leader quite like his or her ability to have the difficult talk. Handle tough situations well and watch your leadership capital increase. Handle them poorly and you may soon be out the door. Few things are more risky and problematic. However, tough conversations also present a powerful opportunity for growth and discipleship. In this session we’ll explore the best practices for having difficult talks … conversations that result in positive outcomes for the staff members you lead.

Check out Rob’s articles on XPastor:

  • How iPods Are Changing Church
  • Webcast Church Services Live … For Less Than You Think

Rob Curry—C.L.E.A.R. Planning: Moving Your Ministry Plan Beyond Ideas and Talk

Last year Rob moved from his Executive Pastor position in Ewing, New Jersey to be the XP at Cypress Bible Church just outside of Houston, TX.  Rob brings knowledge and experience from the area of Organizational Development.

This seminar will explore five vital elements in creating and carrying out your church’s strategic plan:  Catalyst, Listening, Evaluation, Action, Repetition. A great planning retreat, a compelling vision, and a moving state of the church address are vital but are only the beginning of movement toward ministry effectiveness.  After the initial “wow factor” has died down and the real work begins, how do you continue to move your ministry toward a desired future with the influence you have as an Executive Pastor?  We will touch on vital aspects of a strategic plan that build it to last but will concentrate on how to move toward fulfilling your church’s plan in your day to day work and interactions.  We’ll also discuss how plans get stuck and good sense practices to keep things moving such as simplicity, telling stories, “one ‘yes’ and 53 ‘no’s’”, and how “Followership” can make or break a plan.

has contributed the articles Deep Change in Organizational Culture, Elements of Effective Meetings and How About Followership?

Roger Dermody—Sabbaticals

Great Staff Track

Roger is the XP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, California. At the 2008 XP-Seminar, Roger and his Senior Pastor, Dr. Mark Brewer, were our featured guests on Sabbaticals.

Read the Sabbatical case study and related sabbatical policies from various churches.

Roger was enthusiastically received in 2008. This is a great opportunity to follow-up on this vital topic

Bill Egner—Hiring Practices from Two Pace-Setting Churches

Great Staff Track

Bill is the XP of Christ Chapel in Fort Worth, Texas. His case study will be featured in the morning. He has done extensive research on two significant churches in the nation. Both of these churches have influenced hundreds, if not thousands of churches. Whether mentioned in TIME magazine or Christianity Today, with massive positive impact, they have changed the religious landscape in America. One “influencer church” has a highly organized system based on “best business practices.” The other “influencer church” has a unique spiritual emphasis in the hiring process (we can’t release the church names until his research is completed this fall).

This afternoon workshop is designed for those who desire to go deeper into the case, to discuss the issues at length with the author. What is your hiring practice? Which of these “influencer churches” are you more like? Bring your questions for an intriguing session to discuss how pace-setting churches hire staff.

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl—3 Keys to a Successful Building Project

Vital XP Interests Track

Bob, XP of Richland Bible Church of Richland, Michigan, asks “Thinking about a building project? …already started one?” This workshop will give you practical tools and strategic principles that you can begin to use next week. Taught by an XP with 20 years of experience as an architect and construction manager, this session will focus on how to set up, organize and empower your team to get the building you need on time and within budget.

Bob Feitl—Aligning XP Title, Job & Expectations

XP-101

Bob, XP of Richland Bible Church of Richland, Michigan, asks, “So, you are new to the role, it’s not quite what you expected and you’re trying to figure out how to make sense of it.” You need to balance leadership with managing, administration with pastoring, your Senior Pastor’s expectations with yours and everyone else’s … and have a job description that reflects that well. Facilitated by an XP with 20 years experience in three churches of 1,500 to 4,500; together we will hammer out ways to bring clarity and understanding to this job that often requires more finesse and balance than any other on the team.

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher—The 5 Functions of an XP

XP-101

David, Founder & Host of XPastor, and XP of Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas will cover the basics of the 5 Functions. Every XP is strong in certain areas, do you know your leadership strengths? From David’s research of hundreds of XPs, he developed the 5 Functions.

There are 5 Functions to leading and managing a church—Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Minister and Overseer. To get a handle on the 5 Functions, more than 2,300 people have taken David’s free XP-Indicator. This workshop is foundational for new XPs and those who want to review the basics of what an XP needs.

“5 functions—would be very effective as a break-out small group with new XPs”

Dr. David Fletcher—The SP & XP Relationship

Senior Pastor Track

David, Founder & Host of XPastor, and XP of Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas will lead this workshop for SPs & XPs. “We will discuss the hallmarks of great working relationships.” David has worked as an XP in two churches and seen the dynamics of great SP-XP relationships. This roundtable discussion is specifically designed for SPs and will come from the perspective of an XP.

The Senior Pastor Track is an opportunity for SPs to examine and discuss leadership and management issues in the church. Considering an XP? Have a great XP or need to hone a relationship? Then this track will give you the chance to hear from established leaders, hear from peers and introduce your own ideas and questions.

David teaches doctoral classes at Dallas Theological Seminary and chairs the Doctor of Ministry department at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of India. This puts him in touch with leaders throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Be prepared to look at “macro” and “mega-cultural” issues that are changing the church—and how SPs and XPs together can be effective in reaching the world.

Tami Fletcher

Tami Fletcher

Tami Fletcher & Nancy Williams—For Wives Only

Tami is the wife of an XP and the Executive Assistant of XPastor. She has also worked as an Executive Assistant in two churches. Nancy has mentored women for many years and is the wife of an church elder.

In the movie Apollo 13, the experienced wives of astronauts gave the new wife some advice on how to deal with the press: “Just say that you’re ‘pleased, happy, and proud’” … even though that’s not what they were feeling on the inside.

As Pastor’s wives, there are times when we feel the same way. Who is it safe to share our hearts with during difficult times—either in our personal lives or in the lives of our congregations? This workshop—or actually a time to talk and pray with other wives over coffee—will look at developing safe relationships, either inside or outside your congregation, so that when hard times come, you won’t be alone.

Brad Leeper—Resourcing Ministry in the Midst of a Recession

Vital XP Interests Track

Brad is a Senior Strategist of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, Brad is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually. As a Generis Senior Strategist, he is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta.

This workshop has received high marks in previous XP-Seminars. If you are going to be building soon, then you will need to know how to raise funds for the construction!

“Fundraising workshop was so helpful!”

Gregory Love—Preventing Child Sexual Abuse at Your Church

Thursday breakout lunch

Gregory is a lawyer who specializes in matters related to child sexual abuse and is a partner in the law firm Love & Norris.  He is also a Founder and Director of MinistrySafe through which he assists ministries in the design and implementation of child sexual abuse safety systems.

Child sexual abuse is a reality in our society, and on the rise.  Not surprisingly, sexual predators seek access to children in places where protective barriers are low.  Today, the church presents a prime target for abusers because most churches have few, if any, protective barriers in place.  Often, the Executive Pastor is the person tasked with the responsibility of developing the church’s response to this challenge. This session will provide the XP with information about sexual abuse, sexual abusers, abuser characteristics and the grooming process.  The session will also evaluate current measures employed by churches compared to the measures a churchshould implement to protect children from sexual abuse.

David Lyons—Hiring: What is Fit and Gifting?”

Great Staff Track

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we … ?”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous”

Phill Martin

Phill Martin

Phill Martin—360 Reviews

Great Staff Track

Phill is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Association of the NACBA.

Empowering staff to minister at their highest level is a critical role of every XP. Every week, ministers may be told what they did and didn’t do correctly last week, but meaningful feedback is often missing. Ministers are left to filter through all the data that bombard them on a daily basis to develop a sense of self-awareness and to plan for personal and professional growth. The emerging use of 360 feedback tools with church staff is an exciting sign that church administrative leaders are learning strength-based leadership. To accomplish the goal of highly effective staff performance, honest feedback from a full spectrum of the minister’s professional community is needed. This workshop will examine the who, how and when of the 360 process, as well as point you to multiple resources to accomplish the task. Participants are encouraged to bring personal experiences with the process to include in the discussion.

Jeff Pelletier—Maximizing Return On Ministry: A Metric-driven Approach to Measuring Effectiveness

Vital XP Interests Track

Jeff is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Fellowship Technologies, a provider of 100% web-based Church Management Software.

Jeff believes firmly in the principle that “you can’t improve what you don’t measure.” Businesses track many different metrics in order to measure their success. Churches should also track metrics to help determine which ministries, activities, and efforts are working well and which are not. Measuring the results, and listening to the needs of the congregation, can lead to invaluable insights on how to improve and refine ministry efforts. But what sort of metrics should be tracked and how? And, how do these metrics fit into the church’s overall data-management strategy? This workshop will take a close look at the critical ministry data points churches should consider measuring, and how best to collect and utilize them.

Dan Reiland—Making the Most of Your Leadership Profile

Great Staff Track

Dan is the Executive Pastor of 12Stone church and writes “The Pastor’s Coach” which is distributed to over 60,000 subscribers, www.injoy.com.

This workshop takes an honest look at the differing profiles of local church leaders including non-leader, learned-leader, natural leader and born leader. Covering the aspects for each of these profiles we integrate characteristics, strengths, challenges and application for growth. The big idea is to “know thyself” as a leader and therefore tap into your potential to become a better leader. This workshop will deliver a practical tool that you can take home and work with your staff and key leaders as you develop them toward their potential.

Warren Schuh—Large Church Forum

Large Church Forum

Warren has served as an XP in two churches and in several leadership roles in non-profit organizations (such as Leadership Network). From his experiences, contacts around the country and gifts, he is ideal for leading roundtable discussions. This forum is a regular favorite of every XP-Seminar. Now in its 4th year, this is a terrific time to talk with others from large churches. Bring your questions and we will set the agenda for our time together.

“Warren’s morning session was fantastic”

“Warren’s large church forum was what I needed”

Warren Schuh—Governance for SPs & XPs

Senior Pastor Track

Warren has served as an XP in two churches and in several leadership roles in non-profit organizations (such as Leadership Network). From his experiences, contacts around the country and gifts, he is ideal for leading roundtable discussions.

The Senior Pastor Track is an opportunity for SPs to examine and discuss leadership and management issues in the church. Considering an XP? Have a great XP or need to hone a relationship? Then this track will give you the chance to hear from established leaders, hear from peers and introduce your own ideas and questions.

Paul Sewell

Paul Sewell

Paul Sewell—Knowing When it is Time to Leave

Great Staff Track

Paul is just leaving at the XP position at Oak Hill Baptist Church in Griffin, Georgia. Why? How do you know when it is time for you to leave?

Paul’s life was transformed by Christ at Oak Hill Church of Griffin, Georgia. He stepped out of engineering and became Oak Hill’s first XP. He anticipated a long career of serving the church that impacted his life. Yet after five years, Paul knew that it was time to leave. Why? How do you know when it is time to leave? What indicators can you look for? How does God’s “calling” fit into the decision? Where do you go from here?

By the way, you can read about the rebranding process that Paul lead at Oak Hill in David’s two articles on branding and image. Paul is a dynamic leader and always a favorite at XPastor events.

Paul Sewell—Personally Engaging in Christ’s Mission

XP Vital Issues Track

Paul is just leaving at the XP position at Oak Hill Baptist Church in Griffin, Georgia. Why? Because he took his personal engagement in Christ’s mission to another level.

While XP at Oak Hill Church of Griffin, Georgia, Paul personally engaged in Christ’s Mission. He and Oak Hill were not satisfied to just write a check and offer up a prayer for missions. By personally engaging in Christ’s Mission, the church was transformed. How can your church go from supporting missions to personal engagement? What are the key principles? What is the leadership structure? How does the XP navigate the obstacles?

Brad Smith

Brad Smith

Dr. Brad Smith—Global Trends and the US Mega-Church

Brad is the President of Bakke Graduate University, past President of Leadership Network, and church-planter.

What is the best way to chart a path through increasing interest for your church to be involved in the local community, marketplace and the world?

As President of Leadership Network and now Bakke Graduate University, Brad has facilitated leadership forums among US mega-churches and church leaders in 40 countries.

This workshop will give you some perspective and ideas from what Brad has heard from these leaders.

Clint Smith

Clint Smith

Clint Smith—Top Challenges of the Young/New XP

Clint Smith is both the new and the young XP of North Church of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

What do you do if you are a new and/or a young XP?

Being a Young/New XP can be difficult. During this workshop we will be discussing the top challenges that young and new XP’s face in ministry. The challenges include: developing a relationship with the Senior Pastor, earning the respect of those you are leading (even those older and wiser), holding your team accountable for success/failure, and learning your role.

I will present from my experiences and then open for intractive discussion so we can learn from everyones experiences.

Nicholas Smith—The Biblical Basis of the XP

XP-101

Nicholas, the XP of Bethany Baptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey, will share the biblical basis of the XP as revealed through the Scriptures. While the term “XP” is not seen in the Bible, the role and its work are seen. From Joseph to Elisha, the role is shown.

This workshop will focus on the biblical work and calling of the XP. Some XP’s are meant for the 2nd position, while for others it’s a transition period to the Senior Pastor role. Whether the calling is to Senior Pastor or like Joseph remaining a 2nd chair leader, this workshop will be beneficial. Though young, Nicholas is a strong XP in a church of 18,000 members. Read the 2006 case study on Bethany Baptist.

Frank Sommerville—Legal Issues in the Church

Vital XP Interests Track

Frank is a nationally noted attorney, author and a CPA. This is a roundtable discussion on the current and pressing legal issues in your church. Bring your questions and issues!

Frank led a legal roundtable at the 2007 & 2008 XP-Seminar and received high marks from the participants. This is a prime opportunity to discuss your issues with a nationally noted attorney.

“Frank Sommerville always does a great job—the legal issues small group was very good”
“Frank started by asking us what we wanted to discuss so that he met our needs.
Caused me to rethink many areas.”

Sherry Surrat

Sherry Surrat

Tammy Kelly

Tammy Kelly

Missy Hannon

Missy Hannon

Shery Surratt, Tammy Kelly & Missy Hannon—Leading From the Female Second Chair

Sherry serves as the Director for Women’s Initiatives at Leadership Network, where her passion for helping women reach their leadership potential shines through.

She joined Leadership Network in 2008 with an extensive background in ministry, most recently serving as Central Support Pastor for Seacoast Church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.

Join us for a panel interview with Tammy Kelly (Ginghamsburg, Willow Creek and The Chapel) and Missy Hannon (Living Hope), two Executive Pastors who speak from experience in leading as a woman in the XP role.

We’ll discuss topics ranging from how to strengthen your partnership with the Senior Pastor to shaping the culture of the church and growing in decision making confidence.

You’ll have the chance to ask your burning questions in an open discussion format. All Executive Pastors welcome!

Phil Taylor—Church Planting & the XP

Vital XP Interests Track

Phil is the XP of Terra Nova Church, a church plant in Troy, New York. Read about his “Climbing Down the Ladder” and “Letters from the Front Lines of Church Planting. Whenever possible, Phil attempts to promote and serve the XP community within the Acts 29 Church Planting Network of which he is a member. Phil will lead this session with assistance from other pastors involved in church planting.

Phil describes the workshop: “There are a growing number of Lead Pastors in church plants that are recognizing the need to partner with an Executive Pastor or someone with those skills. The XP in a church plant functions differently than in a larger, more established setting. This is due to a number of factors such as the initial size of the church, the entrepreneurial nature of church planting, the total lack of pre-existing systems, an undefined church culture, little or no staff and volunteers who almost all need extensive training. In addition, a church plant is a moving target. You build a system that works for your core group of 50, then you launch, grow to a 100 and your system is shot. So you build a new system and a year later you’ve doubled or tripled again, and the systems need to be trashed and rewritten. All of this happens with hardly any money and a staff of volunteers who are still a little fuzzy on the vision. Welcome to the world of church planting! Come to the workshop to discuss these and other issues related to the church planting XP.”

Also, Phil will be hosting a church planters meet and greet party at The Old Monk during the conference.

Jim Kuykendall

Jim Kuykendall

Jim Tomberlin and Jim Kuykendall:
Multi-Sightings—What’s on the Horizon?

Vital XP Interests Track

Currently over 2,000 churches across America have multiple venues or campuses with 30,000 predicted in a few short years. The strength of the multi-site strategy lies in its ability to adapt, innovate, develop, and replicate in any situation regardless of church size.

This workshop will look at the breakthrough ideas and best practices that are propelling the multi-site movement forward and just might work in your church. Led by multi-site pioneers Jim Tomberlin of Third Quarter Consulting and Jim Kuykendall of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Texas. Read the case study about Cross Timbers.

Joe Ward and Dave Arnold

Thursday Lunch—An XP Involved in the PEACE Plan

Joe Ward is the XP of Walnut Ridge Baptist of Mansfield, Texas. Joe has become passionate about the P.E.A.C.E. Coalition. Read about the P.E.A.C.E. Plan.

“I am working with Dave Arnold in the DFW area to try to engage business people and church leaders to get this coalition going. The coalition desires to bring together one billion Christians to “attack the five global, evil giants of our day.” It’s great when an XP is passionate about direct ministry!

Joe is bringing the Director of the P.E.A.C.E. Coalition, Dave Arnold. Dave is the former XP of Saddleback Church.

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Josh Whitehead—The Challenges of Explosive Staff Growth

Great Staff Track

Josh is the XP of Faith Promise Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. His case study will be featured in the morning. Add this up: 30% staff growth for two years, a first time XP and under 30, reorganization and realignment of staff structure and compensation, very casual work environment and strategic use of consultants. Faith Promise Church has a strong vision and during his three years leading, Faith Promise has almost doubled in weekly attendance to 2800 people.

This afternoon workshop is designed for those who desire to go deeper into the case, to discuss the issues at length with the author. Bring your questions for an intriguing session to discuss how Faith Promise Church has met the challenge of explosive growth.

Attendees

  • Glenn Able, Director of Business Development, GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Alex Adema, Executive Pastor, Restoration Church, Bowmansville, New York
  • Jim Adkins, Pastor, WestGate Church, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Daron Adkison, Executive Pastor, Fairfield Baptist Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Dave Arnold, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
  • Geoffrey Athey, Executive Minister, Fairfax Church of Christ, Fairfax, Virginia
  • David Ballbach, Administrative Pastor, Alderwood Community Church, Lynnwood, Washington
  • Jeff Barber, Executive Director, Park Cities Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, XP of Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Andrew Behm, XP of Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Larry Bennett, Senior Pastor, The Chapel in North Canton, North Canton, Ohio
  • Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital, Leadership Network, New York City, New York
  • Keith Bitkofer, Director of Small Groups, Men’s Ministry, Assimilation, Lebanon Area Evangelical Free Church, Jonestown, Pennsylvania
  • David Bixby, Pastor of Business Affairs, Westlake Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Mike Boblit, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Bob Bonner, Executive Pastor, Bethel Church, Richland, Washington
  • Mark Bolton, Teaching Pastor, New Community Church, Wexford, Pennsylvania
  • Robert Bowman, Senior Associate Pastor, Central Baptist Bearden, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Duane Britton, SP of DOVE Christian Fellowship-Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Robert Brunson, Executive Pastor, Highlands Presbyterian Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi
  • Nathan Burns, Executive Pastor, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Mike Buster, XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
  • J.D. Calkin, Executive Pastor, Spring Branch Community Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
  • Jamye Cappadonna, Executive Pastor, Grace Point Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Mark Carey, SP of Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Bill Carp, Executive Pastor, Miami Vineyard Community Church, Miami, Florida
  • Mary Carroll, Executive Pastor/General Counsel, Hosanna! Lutheran Church, Lakeville, Minnesota
  • Paul Casey, Executive Pastor, Central United Protestant Church, Richland, Washington
  • Joe Casiglia, Executive Director of Faith Lutheran Church, Troy, Michigan
  • Bob Cavin, Executive Pastor, Mimosa Lane Church, Mesquite, Texas
  • Rob Cizek, Executive Pastor, Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp, Executive Pastor, Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • John Clark, Senior Pastor, Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, Wenatchee, Washington
  • Jeannette Cochran, Executive Pastor, Seneca Creek Community Church, Gaithersburg, Maryland
  • Patrick Coelho, Executive Pastor, Redemption World Outreach Center, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Cynthia Conley, wife of Pastor of Ministry, Loudonville Community Church, Loudonville, New York
  • Michael Conley, Pastor of Ministry, Loudonville Community Church, Loudonville, New York
  • Michelle Cox, Executive Director, Life Center, Tacoma, Washington
  • Rob Curry, Executive Pastor, Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Stephen Cutter, Executive Pastor, Eden Road Community Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Mary Daciolas, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Larry Davis, Executive Pastor, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving, Texas
  • Roger Dermody, XP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Al De Simon, Executive Pastor, Lakeshore St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada
  • Brian Dodridge, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Lewisville, Lewisville, Texas
  • Steve Drechsler, Sales Consultant, Fellowship Technologies, Irving, Texas
  • Bill Egner, Executive Pastor, Christ Chapel, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Rob Faulk, XP, The Church at Rocky Peak, Chatsworth, California
  • Bob Feitl, Executive Pastor, Richland Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Dwyane Fleming, Senior Pastor, New Paradise Worship Center, Gresham, Oregon
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder/Host of XPastor, Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Austin, Texas
  • Harry Fritzenschaft, Pastor of Business Administration, The Vineyard Church, Houston, Texas
  • Paul Gilbert, Pastor of Ministry Development, Four Oaks Community Church, Tallahassee, Florida
  • Gary Hahn, Administrative Director of Woodburn Missionary Church, Woodburn, Indiana
  • Scott Hanson, Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Mike Hayes, Executive Pastor, City Church of San Francisco, San Francisco, California
  • Bill Hendricks, President, The Giftedness Center, Dallas, Texas
  • Hess Hester, Senior Pastor, Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Brian Horn, Pastor of Ministry Development, Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Kirk Horton, XP, Grace Baptist Church, Woodbridge, Virginia
  • Deryl Hurst, Executive Pastor, DOVE Christian Fellowship, Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Brett Inman, Executive Pastor for Ministry, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Daniel Jackson, Executive Pastor, New Covenant United Methodist Church, The Villages, Florida
  • Frank Johnson, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church of Woodbridge, Woodbridge, Virginia
  • Kerry Jones, Executive Director, Church of the Saviour, Wayne, Pennsylvania
  • Gary Judd, Associate Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Kathy Keith, Executive Director, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Mike Kersey, Executive Pastor, Forest Park Baptist Church, Joplin, Missouri
  • Mike King, Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Opelika, Alabama
  • Brent Kirkley, Executive Pastor, Grace Bible Church, Laredo, Texas
  • Deb Kluttz, Executive Pastor, Westview Community Church, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Les Krober, Executive Pastor, Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, Wenatchee, Washington
  • Beth Kuykendall, wife of Associate Pastor,  Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Jim Kuykendall, Associate Pastor,  Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • James Landymore, Executive / Youth Pastor, Mesa Baptist Church, Mesa, Arizona
  • Nancy Leafblad, Executive Director of Pastoral Ministries, Crosspoint Community Church, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
  • Brad Leeper, Senior Stewardship Strategist with Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • James Logan, Executive Minister, Convent Avenue Baptist Church, New York, New York
  • Scott Long, Administrative Pastor, Gateway Church, Findlay, Ohio
  • Gregory Love, Attorney with Love & Norris, Fort Worth, Texas
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Ryan MacDiarmid, Executive Pastor, Creekside Church, Rocklin, California
  • Randy Marsh, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Phill Martin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Church Business Administration, Dallas, Texas
  • Ron May, Executive Pastor, Wildwood Church, East Moline, Illinois
  • Clint McBroom, Executive Pastor, Cokesbury United Methodist Church, Pensacola, Florida
  • Ron McDowell, Senior Regional Manager with GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Derek McFarland, Executive Pastor, Mountain View Community Church, Culpeper, Virginia
  • Rich McGhee, Executive Pastor, Washington Heights Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio
  • Philip McVay, Senior Pastor, Cokesbury United Methodist Church, Pensacola, Florida
  • Gary Meek, Administrator/Ex. Pastor, Heartland World Ministries, Irving, Texas
  • Alan Michael, XP, RockPointe Church, Flower Mound, Texas
  • Bill Miller, Executive Pastor, Crossroads Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota
  • Daniel Nah, Executive Pastor, Cornerstone Bible Church, Brea, California
  • Tom Nealley, Ministry and Mission Director, Crossroads United Methodist Church, Ashburn, Virginia
  • Jim Nutt, President, The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Scot Overbey, Executive Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • David Parker, Lead Pastor, Central United Protestant Church, Richland, Washington
  • Jeff Pelletier, Senior VP, Operations, Fellowship Technologies, Irving, Texas
  • Dan Peterson, Executive Pastor of Ministries, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church, Maple Grove, Minnesota
  • Stephen Pickard, Architect & Senior Vice-President, pb2 Architecture & Engineering, Dallas, Texas
  • Bill Price, XP, Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Lane Ransdell, Business Administrator, First Christian Church, Decatur, Illinois
  • Dan Reiland, Executive Pastor, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Gerogia
  • Bruce Rhodes, Administrator, Greenford Christian Church, Greenford, Ohio
  • Mary Rhodes, wife of Administrator, Greenford Christian Church, Greenford, Ohio
  • Bo Richardson, Executive Pastor, Rose Heights Church of God, Tyler, Texas
  • Erich Roehl, Executive Pastor, Neighborhood Church of Redding, Redding, California
  • Daniel Rolfe, Executive Pastor, Mountain Springs Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Dave Rowland, Children’s Director, Woodburn Missionary Church, Woodburn, Indiana
  • Joe Sanchez, Executive Pastor, 121 Community Church, Grapevine, Texas
  • Ross Sawyers, Senior Pastor, 121 Community Church, Grapevine, Texas
  • Warren Schuh, President of WS Associates, Thousand Oaks, California
  • Chuck Self, Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Owasso, Oklahoma
  • Connie Self, Wife of Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church, Owasso, Oklahoma
  • Paul Sewell, Director of Partnership Ministries, Operation Mobilization, Tyrone, Georgia
  • Guy Shafer, Executive Pastor, Fellowship of Joy, Grand Praire, Texas
  • Tommy Shelton, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • James Shin, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Bible Church, Brea, California
  • Randy Shuffield, Executive Pastor, Crossroads Bible Church, Double Oak, Texas
  • Brad Smith, President, Bakke Graduate University, Seattle, Washington
  • Cathy Smith, Administrator, Calvary Christian Church, Winchester, Kentucky
  • Clint Smith, Executive Pastor, North Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Nicholas Smith, Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Sean Smith, X-Pastor, Community Covenant, Rehoboth, Massachusetts
  • Brian Snyder, Executive Pastor, Fellowship Alliance Chapel, Medford, New Jersey
  • Frank Sommerville, Attorney with Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, Arlington, Texas
  • Curtis Songer, XP, New Community Church, Wexford, Pennsylvania
  • Sherry Surratt, Director for Women’s Initiatives, Leadership Network, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
  • Phil Taylor, XP of Terra Nova Church, Troy, New York
  • Randy Tindall, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Jim Tomberlin, Consultant of Third Quarter Consulting, Scottsdale, Arizona
  • John Trimble, Executive Pastor, Crossroads Church, Loveland, Colorado
  • Philip Turner, Church Administrator of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Paul Utnage, Senior Associate Pastor, Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas
  • Thomas Vipperman, Director, The HR Companies of NC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Rick von Albrecht, Executive for Administration, Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Joe Ward, Executive Pastor, Walnut Ridge Baptist, Mansfield, Texas
  • Steve Watkins, Executive Pastor, Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dawn Wester, wife of Executive Pastor, Faith Evangelical Free Church, Austin, Minnesota
  • Patrick Wester, Executive Pastor, Faith Evangelical Free Church, Austin, Minnesota
  • Angela Wetherbee, wife of Administrator, Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Brian Wetherbee, Administrator, Grace Church, Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Scott White, Executive Pastor, Staff and Ministries, First Baptist North Mobile, Saraland, Alabama
  • Josh Whitehead, Executive Pastor, Faith Promise Church, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Tim Whitehorn, Founder and CEO, ServiceU Corporation, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Rick Wright, Executive Pastor, The Falls Church, Falls Church, Virginia
  • Wayne Young, Lead Pastor, WestGate Church, Jacksonville, Florida
  • Gregg Zackary, Develop Pastor, Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas
  • Tine Zackary, wife of Develop Pastor, Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, Texas

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the fifth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants. Check out a great article from Brad Leeper: End-of-Year Giving Communication.

ministersearch-logoFor the fifth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at MinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.

eccu-logoFor the third year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact. With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services. Check out some great resources from ECCU: Borrowing and the Church, Data Security, Essentials of Fundraising for Churches, Financial Statements Matter, How to Look Like a Borrower, Liquidity: How Much Is Enough? Renting Versus Buying Your Church’s Facility, When to Build, or Not: Construction Projects Can Make or Break Your Ministry, When to Finance or Not: Is Your Ministry Ready for Debt and You’re a Church Treasurer: Now What?

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the third year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, life and health, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, we have enhanced the financial security of more than 180,000 individuals and reported over $10 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2007. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s insurance products offer rate stability, the largest network of health care providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. For more information about GuideStone, visit their web site at www.GuideStone.org.

ServiceUFor the third year, we welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar; TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations; and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management. Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

fellowship_one_2011_260For the first year, we welcome Fellowship One as a sponsor! Fellowship One is the leading 100% web-based Church Management Software solution, that helps dynamic churches of any size or denomination to effectively care for people, efficiently manage resources, and enable real growth. Fellowship One is used by ministries around the world ranging from new church plants to mega-sized, multi-site, churches.

 

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the fifth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States.

leadership-network-300For the fourth year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network brings together entrepreneurial leaders who are focused on similar ministry initiatives. The ensuing collaboration—often across denominational lines—provides a strong base from which individual leaders can better analyze and refine their individual strategies. Peer-to-peer interaction, dialogue and sharing inevitably accelerate participants’ own innovations and ideas. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including audio and video programs, special reports, e-publications and online downloads. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches.

This is my first conference since becoming the XP at our church. Attended an XPastor ‘Staffing Workshop’ in Phoenix two years ago that helped me make a decision toward an XP pathway. Thanks for your ministry!

Schedule

Tuesday Evening, February 3

7:30 Evening welcome and dessert social in the Beverly Ballroom, sign up for the dessert when enrolling. Sponsored by Generis.

Wednesday, February 4

8:30 Registration—Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit
9:00
Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Welcome by Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado. Read Stacey’s articles on XPastor:
9:15

Case Study #1: Hiring Practices of Willow Creek and Fellowship Little Rock with Bill Egner from Christ Chapel of Fort Worth, Texas. Bill has done extensive research on two significant churches in the nation. Both of these churches have influenced hundreds, if not thousands of churches. Whether mentioned in TIME magazine or Christianity Today, with massive positive impact, they have changed the religious landscape in America. One “influencer church” has a highly organized system based on “best business practices.” The other “influencer church” has a unique spiritual emphasis in the hiring process.
10:30 Break
10:45
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Changing Hats: Moving from the Business World to the XP Role with David Fletcher. A lively discussion and interview with “newly-minted” XPs who came from the business world. All XPs can learn from the principles these folks will share.
11:45 Break
Noon
Andrew Behm

Andrew Behm

Lunch Discussion
Always a great time at the Seminar! Interactive discussion with Senior & Executive Pastors.

What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags.

The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?”

Mark Carey, Sr. Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church of Winchester, Virginia and his XP Andrew Behm will be featured.

Mark Bolton

Mark Bolton

Curtis Songer

Curtis Songer

We will also have Mark Bolton, Sr. Pastor of New Community Church of Wexford, Pennsylvania and his XP, Curtis Songer. Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Workshops: Session #1 (choose from a total of 40 workshops)
3:00 Break & Afternoon Snack
3:15 Workshops: Session #2
4:30 Break for the evening. Take a new or old XP/SP friend to dinner!

Thursday, February 5
Note the early start and end times today!!!

7:00 Full Breakfast on Church Finances
Sponsored by ECCU

Brian Snyder

Brian Snyder

David interviews Brian Snyder, Executive Pastor of Fellowship Alliance in Medford, New Jersey and Mike Boblit of ECCU. Fellowship recently acquired land and completed a master plan. Also, Mary Daciolas, Manager of Product Management at ECCU, will be interviewed on Remote Deposit Capture. It sounds technical but is a great way to save money and good ROI.7:45Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit (for those who missed the full breakfast)8:00

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Dr. Josh Whitehead

Case Study #2: The Challenges of Explosive Staff Growth with Josh Whitehead, XP of Faith Promise Church of Knoxville, Tennessee. Add this up: 30% staff growth for two years, a first time XP, reorganization and realignment of staff structure and compensation, very casual work environment and strategic use of consultants. Faith Promise Church has a strong vision and during his three years leading, Faith Promise doubled in weekly attendance to 2800 people. David Lyons of MinisterSearch helped with the staffing piece and David also will share his perspective on the growth.

9:15Break9:30

Keynote Address by Bill Hendricks, President of the Giftedness Center. Bill has helped hundreds of people discover their unique giftedness and find the right place in business and the church. With great skill, he helps answer: Is this job right for me? Is it time for a change? Why don’t they use me? Should I hire this person? Is this person management potential? How can we hold onto our people? Can our team be more productive? Bill is a dynamic communicator in person and in print—read his blockbuster article written for XPastor, Good Fit/Poor Fit: How Can You Tell.

11:15Break11:30

In the ballroom on the first floor, we will have lunch with affinity groups, seminar leaders or new friends.

Catered lunch included in Beverly Ballroom.

Or, we have three break-out lunch options this year. Pick up lunch outside the Ballroom, then go to the second floor for:

  • Nathan Baxter—Using the Birkman Indicator to Grow Staff
  • Gregory Love—Preventing Child Sexual Abuse at Your Church
  • Joe Ward & Dave Arnold—An XP Involved in the PEACE Plan

12:45Workshops:
Session 3 1:45
Break2:00
Workshops
Session 3:00
Conclusion—early enough for you to catch a flight home

I’m truly excited about the excellence of this seminar

2008 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:08:27-05:00

I came back raving about the XP-Seminar! It was the best one ever. Everyone was terrific. What a team! —Bob

Featured Guests

Dr. Mark Brewer

Dr. Mark Brewer

Dr. Mark Brewer—Sabbatical & Sayonara?

Mark is the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff of Bel Air Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, California. He will be featured in our second case study, “Does the Sabbatical mean Sayonara?” The dictionary says about sayonara: “a Japanese interjection for ‘Goodbye.'” This case study with Roger Dermody (XP) and Dr. Mark Brewer (SP) of Bel Air Presbyterian will examine the theological, practical and emotional aspects of a sabbatical.

Why do people think that you are looking for a new job when going on a sabbatical? Why have churches used sabbaticals as a quiet way to get rid of their pastors? We will examine the biblical roots of the sabbatical and see how they apply to pastors.

Roger Dermody

Roger Dermody

How does a church manage the pulpit while the preaching pastor is away? While the Senior Pastor is away, how much communication (or how much silence) should there be between the pastor and the church? Can the Senior Pastor do a mid-sabbatical visit to the church for a special event, to preach, to do a funeral or wedding? How many major decisions can be made during the sabbatical or does all significant new ministry and initiatives just stop? What are the aspects of re-entry by the Sr. Pastor and how can a church best work on re-integrating the Sr. Pastor into the church?

Mark had a history of staying at a church for 7 years and then moving on, and then his sabbatical came up after 7 years at Bel Air. Roger Dermody, the XP of Bel Air, was left to run the church while Mark was gone. What would happen? What were the pressures on Roger? Would Mark move on?

Ken Sande

Ken Sande

Ken Sande on Peacemaking

Ken has devoted his life to biblical conflict resolution. Beginning his career as an attorney, Ken saw a need for people to have a lasting resolution to conflict. A settlement at the courthouse was not giving peace and satisfaction to the litigants!

He wrote The Peacemaker, which became popular throughout the nation. Ken founded Peacemaker Ministries, to help churches and individuals resolve conflict biblically.

Have you ever had conflict in your church? Oops, we all have. Do you have two Christians that won’t talk to each other but will take communion together? When was the last time someone left your church because of gossip, or gossip was left smoldering in the church foyer? Ken will share principles and practices of how to resolve conflict biblically. The case study on Wednesday afternoon will give us all an opportunity to go deeper on this vital subject.

About the Seminar

From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to the XP-Seminar, a two-day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. The Executive Pastor (XP) title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP—such as COO, Ministry Director or Senior Associate.

The XP-Seminar is not just for XPs, as many Senior Pastors and church leaders come to improve their leadership and management skills. This is the only seminar available to hone your team of executive staff. With the new Senior Pastor track in 2008, come as a team!

Hone your work as an XP or prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. Currently there are no seminaries or seminars to prepare you to be an XP or enhance your XP role. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership. The mornings examine the role of the XP and the afternoons feature case studies of significant XP ministries.

31 workshops in 5 Tracks

As a way to categorize our new workshops, we created five tracks. Feel free to “mix and match” workshops from the tracks. You will sign up for your workshop on the first day of the XP-Seminar.

This year we will feature an XP-101 Track, a Women in Leadership Track, a Senior Pastor Track, Large Group Forums and a Vital XP Issues Track. This is an amazing collection of executives in church ministry, talking from their areas of expertise. The workshop leaders will talk as one skilled leader to another.  Generally, there will be a structured presentation (except where noted) and then discussion will be facilitated. This is your opportunity to discuss vital areas of your ministry with seasoned leaders. The workshop leaders are both practical and skilled—and they are “in the trenches” doing ministry.

We had 110 Church Leaders at the 2005 XP-Seminar, 150 at the 2006 and 2007 Seminars, and 200 at the 2008 Seminar.

I liked the honest transparency of speakers and willingness to share “trade secrets.”

XPastor’s Unique Educational Format

Few, if any, seminars are run like the XP-Seminar. Dr. Fletcher has devised and put into practice a 20-20-20 format to maximize education and interaction. With 60 minutes as an example, a 20 minute hard-hitting lecture begins the session with cognitive learning. Then, 20 minutes of small group discussion deepens the learning with participatory learning. Finally, 20 minutes of large group Question & Answers, or an Interview, conclude the session with interactive learning. By using auditory, visual and kinesthetic approaches, the attendee takes away practical ideas and skills for ministry “back home.”

Relationships are built around the table groups as people examine the stated topic. This is an ideal opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, to present a slice of ministry, and to get feedback from people in similar positions.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case study or workshops?
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?
  • Where can you grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own?

On Wednesday, the afternoon session will bring church case studies and experienced leaders to challenge our thinking. The case studies present models of ministry from which we derive principles that can be applied to our churches. Please don’t agree with everything you hear—but realize that you often learn a great deal when something challenges you to think out of “your box.” This year, we will examine two cases:

  • Resolving Conflict Biblically in the Church
  • Does ‘Sabbatical’ mean ‘Sayonara’?

Each Case Study will be accompanied by a 10-20 page report, detailing the facts. But the facts tell only part of the story; the in-person dialogue with the principals allows you to ask the pivotal questions that will help your ministry.

“I liked David’s way of defining terms, probing, acknowledging complexity & interviewing”

More about the Seminar

Existing XPs, Senior Pastors, academics and leading experts address the nature and role of the XP. The host is David Fletcher. Our speakers come from churches of different sizes, as Nathan Baxter is an XP in a church of 700+ and leads the pivotal discussion forum for churches of 300-1,400. Warren Schuh was an XP of a church of 5,000+ and guides the large group forum for XPs of churches with more than 1,400 in worship. Half of those attending come from churches with less than 1,400 in worship—one church had 45,000 in worship. Your church will find a peer here.

This seminar is ideal for new XPs, those desiring an XP position and XPs who want to grow! This is also an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Who has recently asked you about your XP ministry? Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

“So great to be with like-minded people, i.e. Kingdom-minded and familiar with the XP world.”

The Five Functions of XPs and Church Leaders

Define and examine the five functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job:

  • Administrator of resources
  • Catalyst for ministry
  • Mentor of staff
  • Minister in the congregation
  • Overseer of church-wide ministry

Learn in the Workshops About …

  • Define the need of the XP:
    • Learn how to explain why your church requires an XP.
    • Learn the signs of a Senior Pastor nearing burnout.
    • See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching.
  • Define the relationship of the XP and SP:
    • Get out of step with your SP and prepare to pack your bags.
    • The SP is generally the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance?
    • Who is the “boss?”
  • Basics of an XP job description:
    • How to write a job description that fits your church policy and polity.
    • What should an XP do in your church?
    • Have ongoing reviews of your job description.
  • How church size varies the role of the XP: Answer the questions, “Is this church too small for an XP?” and “Is this church too big for an XP?”
  • Mentoring before and after the seminar is available for any student who desires it.
    • Receive help on preparing your resume.
    • Based on relationships and interaction in the small groups and workshops, list leaders as references on your resume.
    • Continue mentoring by e-mail and telephone.
    • Receive advice on XP issues in your church.

Attendees

  • Blair Abbott, XP of Grace Evangelical Free Church, Lucas, Texas
  • Eddie Adams, XP of Abba’s House at Central Baptist Church, Hixson, Tennessee
  • Steve All, Pastor of Administration of Stough Memorial Baptist Church, Pineville, North Carolina
  • Craig Albracht, Staff Minister of Amarillo South Church, Amarillo, Texas
  • Greg Allen, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Mike Anderson, XP of Olathe Bible Church, Olathe, Kansas
  • Ray Anderson, XP of Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Rick Anderson, Vice-President of Leadership Transformation Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Jeff Barber, Executive Director of Park Cities Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Dave Barrett, XP of StoneWater Church, Granbury, Texas
  • Justin Bassett, XP of CityView Church, Keller, Texas
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter, XP of Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dixie Beard, Director of Business Development with GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Andrew Behm, XP of Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Gregg Bergman, XP of Blackhawk Church, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Praveen Kumar Bhagora, President, Faith Calvary Ministry, Merchantville, New Jersey
  • Warren Bird, Director of Research at Leadership Network, Suffern, New York
  • Ralph Bishop, Executive Director of Ministries of Mountain Brook Community Church, Birmingham, Alabama
  • David Bixby, Pastor of Business Affairs at Westlake Bible Church, Austin, Texas
  • Randy Boughton, XP of Agapae International Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Brad Bower, Business Administrator of the Family Church, West Monroe, Louisiana
  • Daniel Bowers, XP of Joy Community Fellowship, Pitman, New Jersey
  • Dan Boyd, Executive Pastor of LakeRidge United Methodist Church, Lubbock, Texas
  • Harvey Bream, XP of Savannah Christian Church, Savannah, Georgia
  • Dr. Mark Brewer, SP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Duane Britton, SP of DOVE Christian Fellowship-Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Bob Brunson, Director of Ministry of Highlands Presbyterian Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi
  • Tony Burgarello, Stewardship Director of Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona
  • Nathan Burns, XP of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Mike Buster, XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
  • Bryce Butler, Director of Operations of Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  • JD Calkin, XP of of Spring Branch Community Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
  • Jamye Cappadonna, Pastor of Strategic Operations of Grace Point Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Mark Carey, SP of Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Joe Casiglia, Executive Director of Faith Lutheran Church, Troy, Michigan
  • Bob Cavin, XP of Mimosa Lane Baptist Church, Mesquite, Texas
  • Robert Cheong, Pastor (Counseling) of Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Roger Christian, XP of Piedmont Church, Marietta, Georgia
  • Loyd Chumley, Waxahachie, Texas
  • Rick Clapp, XP of Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Alan Clother, XP of Abundant Life Church, Happy Valley, Oregon
  • Patrick Coelho, XP of Redemption World Outreach Center, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Glenn Cole, Executive Minister of Saint James United Methodist Church, Athens, Georgia
  • JB Collingsworth, Colleyville, Texas
  • Jim Crocco, XP of Bethany Community Church, Tempe, Arizona
  • Buck Cueni-Smith, Pastor of United Methodist Church, Lawson, Missouri
  • Rob Curry, XP of Cypress Bible Church, Cypress, Texas
  • Linda Dekker, XP of Crossroads Community Church, Schererville, Indiana
  • Bill Dehmlow, Executive Director of Operations of Colorado Community Church, Englewood, Colorado
  • Roger Dermody, XP of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Joel DeSelm, SP of Woodburn Missionary Church, Woodburn, Indiana
  • Mardi Dolfo-Smith, Senior Associate Pastor of Tenth Avenue Alliance Church, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Dave Eberhart, XP of Fellowship Bible Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
  • Dr. Sue Edwards, Assistant Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Ronald Elwardt, AP of Family Life of Camelback Bible Church, Paradise Valley, Arizona
  • Erik Ely, XP of East Lake Community Church, Irmo, South Carolina
  • Ryan English, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Gerald Farley, Consultant with Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Rob Faulk, XP of The Church at Rocky Peak, Chatsworth, California
  • Bob Feitl, XP of Richland Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Louis Ferguson, AP of Greater Bethany Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Scott Fischer, XP of Temple Baptist Church, Waterford, New York
  • Dr. David Fletcher, XP & Founder/Host of XPastor, Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Tami Fletcher, Executive Assistant of XPastor, Austin, Texas
  • Andrew Forman, XP of Pinnacle Community Church, Amarillo, Texas
  • Rob Freeborough, XP of Colorado Community Church, Englewood, Colorado
  • Harry Fritzenschaft, Pastor of Business Administration of The Vineyard Church of Houston, Texas
  • Jim Funck, Associate Pastor—Adults of Aversboro Road Baptist Church, Garner, North Carolina
  • Mike Gafa, Executive of Ministry Support of Beechwood Church, Holland, Michigan
  • Jay Ghormley, AP of Clay Road Baptist Church, Houston, Texas
  • Will Gilliam, XP of Paddlesack Fellowship, Kingsland, Texas
  • John Gordon, XP of Wayside Chapel, EFC, San Antonio, Texas
  • John Gray, XP of Chilliwack Alliance Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
  • Gary Hahn, Administrative Director of Woodburn Missionary Church, Woodburn, Indiana
  • Charlie Halley, Executive Director of Covenant Church, Winterville, North Carolina
  • Jay Hancock, XP of Carmel Baptist Church, Matthews, North Carolina
  • Scott Hanson, XP of Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Selmer Hanson, Church Administrator of Ellerslie Road Baptist Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Don Hay, XP of Trinity Baptist Church, Fairfield, Connecticut
  • Richard Hendrix, SP of Bethany Community Church, Tempe, Arizona
  • Hess Hester, SP of Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Ray Hill, XP of Grace Outreach Center, Plano, Texas
  • Brian Horn, Minister of Ministry Development of Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Kirk Horton, XP of Grace Baptist Church, Woodbridge, Virginia
  • Deryl Hurst, XP of DOVE Christian Fellowship-Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Cam Huxford, SP of Savannah Christian Church, Savannah, Georgia
  • C. Daniel Jackson, XP of New Covenant United Methodist Church, The Villages, Florida
  • Erik Jarvis, Associate Pastor of Fellowship Alliance Church, Medford, New Jersey
  • Ron Johnson, Chantilly, Virginia
  • Kerry Jones, XP of Church of the Saviour, Wayne, Pennsylvania
  • Trevor Joy, XP of Providence Church, The Colony, Texas
  • David Kasselman, Executive Minister of Central Church of Christ, Amarillo, Texas
  • Ron Keener, Editor of ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • David Kornaros, Administrative Pastor, Cornerstone Church, San Francisco, California
  • Les Krober, XP of Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, Wenatchee, Washington
  • Tony Kroening, Managing Director of People Management, Minnetonka, Minnesota
  • Jim Kuykendall, Associate Pastor of  Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Kent Lachney, Pastor of Administration and Stewardship of Parkwood Baptist Church, Gastonia, North Carolina
  • Garrett Lafferty, XP of First Assembly Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • LaMonte Lawson, XP of Mountain View Community Church, Temecula, California
  • Brad Leeper, Senior Stewardship Strategist with Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Ka-Tong Lim, SP of Dallas Chinese Fellowship, Plano, Texas
  • Peter Livingston, XP of Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri
  • James Logan, Executive Minister of Convent Avenue Baptist Church, New York, New York
  • David Lyons, Founder and President of MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Dr. Stephen Macchia, Founder and President of Leadership Transformation Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts
  • Paul Malson, XP of River City Community Church, San Antonio, Texas
  • Randy Marsh, Ministry Development Officer of the Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Todd MacLeod, XP of Allison Church, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
  • Ronny Marriott, Lead Pastor of Shady Oaks Baptist Church, Hurst, Texas
  • Jonathan Masters, Executive Pastor of Park Community Church, Chicago, Illinois
  • Ron May, XP of Wildwood Church, East Moline, Illinois
  • Gary Maze, Associate Pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, Mississippi
  • Jim McClurg, Executive Director of Bethany Community Church, Seattle, Washington
  • Ron McDowell, Senior Regional Manager with GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Kim McElfresh, XP of Free Christian Church, Andover, Massachusetts
  • Mike McElravy, XP of DOVE Christian Fellowship-Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Dr. Andy McQuitty, SP of Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Sean McKean, XP of The Church at Rock Creek, Little Rock, Arkansas
  • John Messer, XP of Calvary Church, Muscatine, Iowa
  • Alan Michael, XP of RockPoint Church, Flower Mound, Texas
  • Dianne Miller of Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Dr. Milfred Minatrea, noted author, Founder and Director of the Missional Church Center, Irving, Texas
  • Allan Mink, XP of St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burleson, Texas
  • Jack Monroe, XP of Bible Fellowship Church, Ventura, California
  • Kendall Moore, Executive Associate of Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, Mississippi
  • John Mrazek, Executive Director of Pikes Peak Christian Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Doug Murrell, XP of New Life Providence Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Jabulani Mwale, XP of Solid Rock Church of God, CoLouth, Ireland
  • Ed Nalle, XP of Reston Bible Church, Reston, Virginia
  • Tom Nealley, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
  • John Nesbitt, XP of West Shore Evangelical Free Church, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Jim Nutt, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Kurt Oheim, SP of Pinnacle Community Church, Amarillo, Texas
  • T.M. Onkar, Executive Director, Faith Calvary Ministry, Merchantville, New Jersey
  • Scot Overbey, XP of Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Rob Pacienza, Executive Pastor of Rio Vista Community Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Kim Pagel, XP of New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Rex Pair, XP of Midway Macedonia Baptist Church, Villa Rica, Georgia
  • Taylor Park, XP of First Evangelical Church, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Dale Peak, Administrator of Reston Bible Church, Reston, Virginia
  • Jeff Pelletier, Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Fellowship Technologies, Irving, Texas
  • Jeff Pickard, XP of Midpark Christian Assembly, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • David Powers, Executive Minister of McDonough Christian Church, McDonough, Georgia
  • Todd Prather, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Derek Prezzano, Administrator of Church Ministries of Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, Smithtown, New York
  • Bill Price, XP of Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester, Minnesota
  • Ron Ratzlaff, XP of Bethany Chapel, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Timothy Read, Executive Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, Virginia
  • David Reitsema, XP of Highline Community Church, Centennial, Colorado
  • Brian Robertson, XP of New Life Church, Gahanna, Ohio
  • Erich Roehl, XP of Neighborhood Church of Redding, Redding, California
  • Steve Roese, XP of Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
  • Gary Rothenberger, XP of Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, Texas
  • Stephen Ruckel, XP of Kempsville Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Ken Sande, Founder & President of Peacemaker Ministries, Billings, Montana
  • Mike Sanders, XP of Washington Heights Baptist Church, Ogden, Utah
  • Rodney Schell, XP of Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Warren Schuh, President of WS Associates, Thousand Oaks, California
  • Haley Schurz, Administrative Pastor of Miracle Life Family Church, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa
  • Paul Sewell, XP of Oak Hill Church, Griffin, Georgia
  • Zandile Shaba, Building Campaign Chair/Women’s Ministry Director of Miracle Life Family Church, Lusaka, Zambia, Africa
  • Tommy Shelton, XP of Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Sherman, Executive Director of Calvary Church, St. Peters, Missouri
  • Michael Simone, SP of Spring Branch Community Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Lamar Slay, Consultant with Partners in Church Consulting, Southlake, Texas
  • Clint Smith, XP of North Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Nicholas Smith, Assistant Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Wayne Smith, Director of the Strategic Church Initiative for Halftime, Leadership Network, Dallas, Texas
  • Brian Snyder, XP of Fellowship Alliance Church, Medford, New Jersey
  • Larry Sohn, SP of First Assembly Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Frank Sommerville, Attorney with Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, Arlington, Texas
  • Curtis Songer, XP of Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Daniel Sonnenberg, Assistant Pastor of Myrtle Grove Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, North Carolina
  • Mark Stevenson, Managing Director of People Management, Minnetonka, Minnesota
  • Crystal Tafuro, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Paul Taylor, SP of Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Phil Taylor, XP of Terra Nova Church, Troy, New York
  • Terry Taylor, XP of the Family Church, West Monroe, Louisiana
  • Barry Thompson, XP of Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Candyce Titus, Wife of Executive Pastor of First Assembly, Fargo, North Dakota
  • Winston Titus, XP, First Assembly, Fargo, North Dakota
  • Jim Tomberlin, Consultant of Third Quarter Consulting, Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Philip Turner, Church Administrator of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Paul Utnage, Senior Associate Pastor of Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas
  • David Van Der Ham, Ministry Development Officer of the Evangelical Christian Credit Union, Brea, California
  • Eric Wakeling, XP of Ministry of Calvary Church, Santa Ana, California
  • Joe Ward, XP of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, Mansfield, Texas
  • Keith Warren, XP of North Side Baptist Church, Weatherford, Texas
  • Steve Watkins, XP of Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Michael Welles, XP of Administration of Calvary Church, Santa Ana, California
  • Bob Westfall, SP of New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Darrell Whipple, Associate of The Shepherd’s Staff, Denton, Texas
  • Jeremy White, Lead Pastor of StoneWater Church, Granbury, Texas
  • Tim Whitehorn, Founder & CEA, ServiceU Corporation, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Doug Will, XP of Topeka Bible Church, Topeka, Kansas
  • Jennifer Williams, XP of CrossPoint Church: A United Methodist Community, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  • Kelly Williams, SP of Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Ashley Wooldridge, XP of Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the fourth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of people. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk—because they understand it. Brad Leeper and his counterpart, Gerald Farley have both served in church leadership roles and have real-life experiences to offer far beyond that of most industry consultants.

ministersearch-logoFor the fourth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at MinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their founder and president, at previous XP-Seminars and XPastor events. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.
eccu-logoFor the second year as a sponsor, we welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact. With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

 

 

 

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor for the second year. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, life and health, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, we have enhanced the financial security of more than 180,000 individuals and reported over $10 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2007. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s insurance products offer rate stability, the largest network of health care providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families.

Leadership TransformationsFor the second year, we welcome Leadership Transformations Inc. as a sponsor. LTi is a non-profit ministry which exists to encourage the spiritual formation of leaders and equip leadership teams to discern God’s unique will for their life and ministry. It offers leadership development, strategic planning, soul care, and assessments for church and ministry teams. LTI is introducing the Church Health Assessment Tool (CHAT). CHAT is a convenient, affordable, user-friendly online survey that allows you to get an accurate measurement of your church’s health in as little as 30 days. This 72-question assessment covers the cross-denominationally applicable church health principles outlined in Becoming a Healthy Church (Stephen A. Macchia, Baker Books, 2006). The report is designed to help you frame your strategic decision making for increased ministry effectiveness. It’s principle-based not program-based, so it won’t interfere with any of your current ministry programming.

ServiceUFor the second year, we welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar; TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations; and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management. Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

 

 

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the fourth year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 20,000 readers, reaching pastors, executive pastors and business administrators of larger and megachurches—throughout the United States.

 

leadership-network-300For the third year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network brings together entrepreneurial leaders who are focused on similar ministry initiatives. The ensuing collaboration—often across denominational lines—provides a strong base from which individual leaders can better analyze and refine their individual strategies. Peer-to-peer interaction, dialogue and sharing inevitably accelerate participants’ own innovations and ideas. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources—including audio and video programs, special reports, e-publications and online downloads. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches.

“It is great that you are putting on this important training event for
Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors. This definitely fills a significant ‘gap’ in training for churches in North America.” Scot Williams, Senior Pastor, Big Valley Grace Community Church, Modesto, California

Workshops

Thursday Workshops

Choose from 30 workshops led by distinguished XPs and Church Leaders

Can it get any better than this? A track for new XPs, large group forums, a track for SPs, a track for women in leadership (men are invited to attend to discuss the role of women in ministry leadership: “How can I better work with women leaders?”), vital topics for XPs and church leaders.

XP-101 Track

  • Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring Resources for XPs
  • Stacey Campbell—The XP Catalyst’s Sandbox
  • Bob Feitl—Aligning XP Title, Job & Expectations
  • Dr. David Fletcher—The 5 Functions
  • Nicholas Smith—The Biblical Basis of the XP

Women in Leadership Track

  • Dr. Sue Edwards—Mixed Ministry, Working as Brothers and Sisters in an Oversexed Society
  • Dr. Nathan Baxter—Practical Tips for Mentoring and Training for Women in Leadership
  • Dianne Miller—Your Church’s Positional Statement on Women in Ministry

Senior Pastor Track

  • Dr. David Fletcher—The SP & XP Relationship
  • Warren Schuh—Senior Pastor Roundtable
  • Paul Taylor—A Senior Pastor: From One SP to Another

Vital XP Issues Track

  • Mike Buster—Saving $80,000 in Utility Costs
  • Rick Clapp—XPs Empowering Volunteer Leaders
  • Bob Feitl—3 Keys to a Successful Building Project
  • Scott Hanson—A Catalytic Outreach: A Blueprint for Adopting a Public School and Community
  • Kerry Jones—Implementing Policy Governance
  • Jim Kuykendall—Multi-Site at Cross Timbers
  • Brad Leeper—Raising Funds for Your Vision
  • David Lyons—Hiring: What is Fit and Gifting?”
  • Dr. Stephen Macchia—Caring for the Soul of the XP
  • Dr. Milfred Minatrea—XPs & Missional Thinking
  • Doug Murrell—XPs in Cross-Cultural Ministry
  • Jabulani Mwale—XP International Perspectives
  • Steve Roese—Catalyst: Making Things Happen
  • Wayne Smith—XPs & Defining Leadership
  • Frank Sommerville—Legal Issues in the Church
  • Phil Taylor—Church Planting & the XP

Large Group Forums

  • Dr. Nathan Baxter—Forum for Medium-Sized Churches
  • Warren Schuh—Forum for Large Churches

You asked for more sessions, so we will have 5 tracks & 31 workshops!

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Mentoring Resources for the XP

XP-101

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will help you as an XP learn the fundamentals of mentoring. In just one hour, you will receive a year’s worth of work.  Nathan will help you identify your “big assignments” for developing yourself as a mentor. He will help you formulate a path of personal study and growth by identifying the major areas XPs must refine. He will also be giving a tour of the latest and best mentoring resources available.  You will be able to see sample reports from the powerful Birkman Indicator® Tool and hear examples of how XPs have used it to revolutionize the leadership culture of their church.

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Forum of Medium-Sized Churches

Large Group Forum

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will lead this open forum. This forum is a regular favorite of every XP-Seminar. Now in its 4th year led by Nathan, this is a terrific time to talk with others of medium-sized churches. “Bring your questions and issues for our discussion.” The great aspect of this forum is that you can meet with XPs from churches in your size range. You can talk through issues that are common to your size of church and develop lasting relationships with other XPs.

“My conversations with Nathan Baxter were great!”

Dr. Nathan Baxter—Practical Tips for Mentoring and Training for Women in Leadership

Women in Leadership Track

Nathan, XP of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma, leads and mentors women at Liberty Church. He also mentors women in the workplace through his Pink Strategies and Lead Self-Lead Others. “As your business grows, you must grow your ability to lead yourself and to lead others. All women in business run out of leadership talent at some point. When they do, we are able to assess their leadership ability and provide the specific training they are needing to enable them to keep the momentum going.” Nathan helps women become more successful in ministry and business—and so is an ideal choice to talk about the working relationships between men and women in ministry. Have a boss who is hard to understand? Do you oversee men who are unaccustomed to a female supervisor? Many men ask “do I manage women the same as I do men?” Bring your questions to this lively discussion.

The Journal Record of Oklahoma City writes about Nathan: “Three years ago Nathan Baxter’s wife, Dianne, asked him to mentor a handful of her friends on leadership and business. Enamored by the idea, the certified Birkman International consultant and executive pastor of Broken Arrow’s Liberty Church started a series of informal lessons backed by e-mailed assignments and other homework. To his surprise, the four ladies started forwarding those e- mails to friends, who forwarded the messages on to others. Seeing and fielding growing interest, Baxter created a regular curriculum for the women leadership training and mentoring program he organized as Pink Strategies.com. This joined with a similar program he’d created to coach ministers, called XPastor.org. Doubled clientele led the one-man organization to establish two audio courses this year for Pink Strategies while leading conferences and workshops in Florida, Texas, Georgia and California. A third course will get its start next month.”

“My conversations with Nathan Baxter were great!”

Andrew Behm

Andrew Behm

Andrew Behm—Lunch Discussion on “A Violent Assault”

Thursday Lunch

Andrew is the XP of Fellowship Bible Church in Winchester, Virginia. He has raised the topic of “preparing for the unthinkable.”

All of us are well aware of the recent shooting at the church in Colorado. What are other churches doing to prepare for the unthinkable, a violent assault? Come and discuss your plans or need for a plan!

Mike Buster XP, Prestonwood Baptist

Mike Buster
XP, Prestonwood Baptist

Mike Buster—Saving $80,000 in Utility Costs

Vital XP Interests Track

Mike is the XP of Prestonwood Baptist Church of Frisco, Texas. Did you see the Newsweek article about Mike saving $80,000 in utility bills for Prestonwood? It’s not every day that an XP makes Newsweek!

This workshop will present practical tips and suggestions on how to cut your utility bill and make your church campus more “green.” Keep the “green stuff” in the bank and help the environment too—not a bad combination!

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell—The XP Catalyst’s Sandbox

XP-101

Stacey is the XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado. Catalysts dare to take chances and think differently. “No” is never an answer to a question, only “What if….” They tend to look at the horizon and plan for the future. They dream of how people and systems and culture can be improved, streamlined, and re-imagined. But how is this translated throughout an entire church organization? How can one person create a culture of innovation?

A sandbox is basically free space with a few boundaries within which to create, play, take risks, and do whatever one wants. Through a sandbox mentality, XP’s can leverage their influence with leaders, ministries, and their overall church culture to help stir-up creativity and an ongoing passion for Christ. This workshop will explore this concept and give you the tools to more effectively be the catalyst God designed you to be!

Rick Clapp XP, Mountain Springs Church

Rick Clapp
XP, Mountain Springs Church

Rick Clapp—XPs Empowering Volunteer Leaders

Vital XP Interests Track

Rick, XP Vanguard Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado will help us understand the “Five E’s” of empowerment, with specific application to volunteer leaders. What do you do when you find yourself in desperate situations, where you know what you are trying isn’t working? Have you ever been frustrated as a church leader and couldn’t find help or leaders for your ministries? Do you have thoughts running through your head like, “no one really cares about volunteering, they just care about receiving?” Or maybe it seems like “All church has become is a pool of consumers looking for their next greatest fix” Maybe bitterness and anger have built up over time and you believe that “if I want something done, it’s easier to do it myself.”

There is a desire, deep down, in every person’s heart to contribute, maybe even lead, and leave something lasting with his/her life in the lives of other people (Eccl. 3:11). This truth or belief is foundational in empowering leaders. All of us like to be pursued. Many of us want to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. There is an unlocked potential in every church in America and around the world. The potential is volunteers, God’s people. We will discuss from Exodus 18 how you and I can develop a very practical process in our churches to help empower those God has entrusted to us and raise up new volunteer leaders.

Dr. Sue Edwards

Dr. Sue Edwards

Dr. Sue Edwards—Mixed Ministry, Working as Brothers and Sisters in an Oversexed Society

Women in Leadership Track

Sue is a Professor of Christian Education (with a specialization in Womens Studies) at Dallas Theological Seminary. The role of women is changing in the contemporary church. More women are in leadership roles. Sue has done extensive research on the role of women leaders and is positioned to lead this workshop with authority and experience.

The Women in Leadership Track will examine the unique challenges of being a woman leader in what is often a male role. What are the transitional issues? What are the plusses and minuses? How can one lead within the unique polity of a given church?

In 2000 George Barna reported that women comprise sixty percent of American churches, yet there has been a 22% slip in women’s church attendance since 1991. A 2004 DTS doctoral dissertation surveyed 377 female seminary graduates, learning that their most difficult leadership challenge relates to working with men. Men and women partnering together—it’s a complex and thorny topic but one that significantly affects the health and strength of the Church. We will explore Scripture’s mandate in 1 Timothy 5:1, 2, calling men and women to work together as sacred siblings. We will discuss practical methods to help them create safe relationships, not forgetting fences to protect from sexual misconduct, without segregation. Healthy churches, just like biological families, need both men’s and women’s ideas, gifts, and perspectives in order to thrive. In many ministries the male presence is strong but the mother’s touch is missing. In others, the female influence is so dominate that the father’s guidance is absent, and that lack skews ministry decisions and effectiveness. Join us to learn how to bring men and women leaders together, within biblical parameters, to change ministry ethos, attract unbelievers, and glorify God in the process.

Can men come to the Women in Leadership Track? Yes, they can. And, male leaders probably should come, even be required to come! Men need to learn from women about their perspective in church leadership. Do you know the struggles and joys of being a woman in church leadership?

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl—3 Keys to a Successful Building Project

Vital XP Interests Track

Bob, XP of Richland Bible Church of Richland, Michigan, asks “Thinking about a building project? …already started one?” This workshop will give you practical tools and strategic principles that you can begin to use next week. Taught by an XP with 20 years of experience as an architect and construction manager, this session will focus on how to set up, organize and empower your team to get the building you need on time and within budget.

Bob Feitl—Aligning XP Title, Job & Expectations

XP-101

Bob, XP of Richland Bible Church of Richland, Michigan, asks, “So, you are new to the role, it’s not quite what you expected and you’re trying to figure out how to make sense of it.” You need to balance leadership with managing, administration with pastoring, your Senior Pastor’s expectations with yours and everyone else’s … and have a job description that reflects that well. Facilitated by an XP with 20 years experience in three churches of 1,500 to 4,500; together we will hammer out ways to bring clarity and understanding to this job that often requires more finesse and balance than any other on the team.

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher—The 5 Functions of an XP

XP-101

David, Founder & Host of XPastor, and XP of Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas will cover the basics of the 5 Functions. Every XP is strong in certain areas, do you know your leadership strengths? From David’s research of hundreds of XPs, he developed the 5 Functions.

There are 5 Functions to leading and managing a church—Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Minister and Overseeer. To get a handle on the 5 Functions, more than 1600 people have taken David’s free XP-Indicator. This workshop is foundational for new XPs and those who want to review the basics of what an XP needs.

“5 functions—would be very effective as a break-out small group with new XPs”

Dr. David Fletcher—The SP & XP Relationship

Senior Pastor Track

David, Founder & Host of XPastor, and XP of Grace Covenant Church of Austin, Texas will lead this workshop for SPs & XPs. “We will discuss the hallmarks of great working relationships.” David has worked as an XP in two churches and seen the dynamics of great SP-XP relationships. This roundtable discussion is specifically designed for SPs and will come from the perspective of an XP.

The Senior Pastor Track is an opportunity for SPs to examine and discuss leadership and management issues in the church. Considering an XP? Have a great XP or need to hone a relationship? Then this track will give you the chance to hear from established leaders, hear from peers and introduce your own ideas and questions.

David teaches doctoral classes at Dallas Theological Seminary and chairs the Doctor of Ministry department at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of India. This puts him in touch with leaders throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Be prepared to look at “macro” and “mega-cultural” issues that are changing the church—and how SPs and XPs together can be effective in reaching the world.

Scott Hanson

Scott Hanson

Scott Hanson—A Catalytic Outreach: A Blueprint for Adopting a Public School and Community

Vital XP Interests Track

Scott, XP of Second Presbyterian Church of Memphis, Tennessee will
provide a visual tour and blueprint for adopting an impoverished urban
public school of primarily first generation Hispanics and Afro-American children.
It is an exemplary model and vision that captivated the imagination and hearts of church volunteers from all ages of this 169 year old urban Memphis church.  The vision moved people from the pews to adopt classrooms and teachers, and more. Today the vision has grown beyond the campus to developing a community and a future new church plant.  Learn the steps to growing a vibrant church/school partnership. The results can be astounding as demonstrated by state test proficiency scores skyrocketing from below average to the mid 90th percentiles.  The catalytic impact from this one initiative has been so pronounced to Memphis public schools that in 2006, after seeing an army of volunteers regularly descend upon two of her impoverished schools, the Superintendent of Memphis Public Schools boldly declared to her principals: “Because we lack resources, go befriend a church.”  Learn how adopting a school can just be a tipping point for a church desiring to be externally focused, and to make a difference in a community.

Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones—Implementing Policy Governance

Vital XP Interests Track

Kerry, XP of Church of the Saviour, Wayne, Pennsylvania will help us understand how to implement Policy Governance. His church recently implemented policy governance and Kerry will present the mechanics of that implementation. What is policy governance? Often called “Carver Policy Governance,” it is a method how a board can lead the church without micro-managing it. If you are considering this style of governance, or if you have implemented it (successfully or as a glorious failure), then share your perspective in this workshop.

Jim Kuykendall XP, Cross Timbers

Jim Kuykendall

Jim Kuykendall—Multi-Site at Cross Timbers

Vital XP Interests Track

Jim is the XP of Cross Timbers Church of Argyll, Texas. We featured Cross Timbers and their multi-sites at the 2007 XP-Seminar. Read the 2007 case study on Cross Timbers. This workshop is for those who want a follow-up or get the inside scoop from a multi-site church. Jim was on staff at Life Church in Oklahoma, another multi-site church, before coming to Cross Timbers.

Brad Leeper

Brad Leeper

Brad Leeper—Raising Funds for Your Vision

Vital XP Interests Track

Brad is a Senior Strategist of Generis Partners. Based on experience and affinity, Brad is drawn to innovative, growing churches and the challenges of helping them expand practically and spiritually. As a Generis Senior Strategist, he is well served by his experience as a consultant to churches across the nation, a staff leader in resource development for local ministries, a Campus Director for Campus Crusade for Christ, and his role as church elder in his own 4,000-member home church, Perimeter Church in Atlanta.

This workshop has received high marks in previous XP-Seminars. If you are going to be building soon, then you will need to know how to raise funds for the construction!

“Fundraising workshop was so helpful!”

David Lyons

David Lyons

David Lyons—Hiring: What is Fit and Gifting?”

Vital XP Interests Track

David is the Founder and President of MinisterSearch. While placing hundreds of people into ministry positions, David has seen the centrality of fit and gifting. Is one more important than the other? Can we compromise because “we know that person,” or “he or she is an insider” or “their gifts are just so strong that we… ”

If you are going to hire staff in the next 12 months, then this workshop with David will help you. He has led workshops at each of the previous XP-Seminars, to rave reviews. Bring your questions for the discussion portion of the workshop as well.

“The breakout session with David Lyons on Staffing was tremendous”

Dr. Steve Macchia

Dr. Steve Macchia

Dr. Stephen Macchia—Caring for the Soul of the XP

Vital XP Interests Track

Stephen is the Founder and President of Leadership Transformation Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts. LTi is a ministry which focuses on the spiritual formation needs of leaders and the spiritual discernment processes of leadership teams in local church and parachurch ministry settings nationwide.

Three of Steve’s books are critical to XPs Becoming A Healthy Church, Becoming A Healthy Disciple and Becoming A Healthy Team. Steve is wonderfully qualified to speak to XPs on caring for one’s soul while in the role!

 

Dianne Miller

Dianne Miller

Dianne Miller—Your Church’s Position Statement on Women in Ministry

Women in Leadership Track

Dianne has taught with Bible Study Fellowship and has been the Minister of Community at Northwest Bible Church of Dallas, Texas. Dianne took a small groups ministry from “zero to 60 mph in 7 seconds,” to use a car racing metaphor (although Dianne would prefer a basketball analogy!). She developed her leadership skills while implementing a church-wide program, shaping the leaders of over 50 small groups in the church. Want to know the challenges and benefits of being a woman leader? Bring your ideas to Dianne’s presentation and discussion.

Your Church’s Position Statement on Women in Ministry. Does you church have one? Why should you? Is it important or even revelant to your church’s current ministry impact? What are other churches “best practicies” in developing a statement? How is Your Church handling this issue? Come only if you have the courage to enter into this discussion.

The Women in Leadership Track will examine the unique challenges of being a woman leader in what is often a male role. What are the transitional issues? What are the plusses and minuses? How can one lead within the unique polity of a given church? Can men come to the Women in Leadership Track? Yes, they can. And, male leaders probably should come, even be required to come! Men need to learn from women about their perspective in church leadership. Do you know the struggles and joys of being a woman in church leadership?

Dr. Milfred Minatrea

Dr. Milfred Minatrea

Dr. Milfred Minatrea—XPs & Missional Thinking

Vital XP Interests Track

Milfred is a noted author & leader in the Missional Church Movement. This workshop will focus on “Connecting the Dots: Missional Strategy Beyond Activity.” Most churches invest significant human and financial resource in mission activity, offering multiple ministries in various arenas.

Frequently, new ministries continue to develop as needs are identified without significant attention being given to the underlying mission strategy. Neither congregational size nor activity level ensures mission investments that are Kingdom strategic.

The XP is uniquely positioned to ensure a missional focus that unifies rather than “silos” the various segments of congregational life; connecting the dots. In this workshop, participants will explore metrics of strategy rather than activity as the criteria for mission investment.

“Milfred was excellent, more time needed for his presentation”

“Milfred’s presentation gave me a fresh way to look at church”

 

Doug Murrell

Doug Murrell

Doug Murrell—XPs in Cross-Cultural Ministry

Vital XP Interests Track

Doug, XP of New Life Providence Church of Virginia Beach, Virginia will share about leading with intentionality—Acting as a catalyst to lead your ministry beyond race, socio-economic, gender, and age.

Cross-cultural ministry does not just happen.  Intentionality, pastoral care, an eclectic approach to the arts, and authentic community are the keys to breaking down walls.  Changes in leadership, music, outreach, and philosophy of ministry must be taken to create an environment where all are welcomed and equally befriended.

Jabulani Mwale

Jabulani Mwale

Jabulani Mwale—XP International Perspectives

Vital XP Interests Track

Jabulani is the XP of the Solid Rock Church of God, CoLouth, Ireland. He brings a rare mix of Irish-African perspective to the role of the XP.

There are many XPs in other nations, and they have lessons to share about cross-cultural ministry, common issues with other XPs, and unique challenges.

Steve Roese

Steve Roese

Steve Roese—Catalyst: Making Things Happen

Vital XP Interests Track & Wendesday Lunch

Steve is the XP of Irving Bible Church of Irving, Texas. The pace of day-to-day duties and change in ministry is relentless. Everyone wants to start something new. Everyone wants things to be simpler and more enjoyable. Everyone seeks the space to be innovative. Everyone wants to have fun AND make an impact.

“I believe it is one of the key roles of the Executive Pastor to catalyze a culture, to catalyze the space, to catalyze the heart so that the most innovative and creative team around is inside the church. In our session we will dream of what might be and then look at practical ways to make it happen.”

Warren Schuh

Warren Schuh

Warren Schuh—Forum for Large Churches

Large Group Forum

Warren has served as an XP in two churches and in several leadership roles in non-profit organizations (such as Leadership Network). From his experiences, contacts around the country and gifts, he is ideal for leading roundtable discussions. This forum is a regular favorite of every XP-Seminar. Now in its 4th year, this is a terrific time to talk with others from large churches. Bring your questions and we will set the agenda for our time together.

“Warren’s morning session was fantastic”

“Warren’s large church forum was what I needed”

Warren Schuh—Senior Pastor Roundtable

Senior Pastor Track

Warren has served as an XP in two churches and in several leadership roles in non-profit organizations (such as Leadership Network). From his experiences, contacts around the country and gifts, he is ideal for leading roundtable discussions. New for the XP-Seminars is this Senior Pastor Roundtable, just for SPs. “We will discuss the issues of church leadership, the role of the Executive Pastor (and similar roles), all from the perspective of the Senior Pastor.” Bring your slate of questions for an open discussion.

The Senior Pastor Track is an opportunity for SPs to examine and discuss leadership and management issues in the church. Considering an XP? Have a great XP or need to hone a relationship? Then this track will give you the chance to hear from established leaders, hear from peers and introduce your own ideas and questions.

Rev. Nicholas Smith

Rev. Nicholas Smith

Nicholas Smith—The Biblical Basis of the XP

XP-101

Nicholas, the XP of Bethany Baptist Church of Lindenwold, New Jersey, will share the biblical basis of the XP as revealed through the Scriptures. While the term “XP” is not seen in the Bible, the role and its work are seen. From Joseph to Elisha, the role is shown. This workshop will focus on the biblical work and calling of the XP. Some XP’s are meant for the 2nd position, while for others it’s a transition period to the Senior Pastor role. Whether the calling is to Senior Pastor or like Joseph remaining a 2nd chair leader, this workshop will be beneficial. Though young, Nicholas is a strong XP in a church of 18,000 members.Read the 2006 case study on Bethany Baptist.

Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith—XPs & the Steps of Leadership

Vital XP Interests Track

Wayne is the Director of the Strategic Church Initiative for Halftime, a division of Leadership Network in Dallas, Texas. From his para-church experience, as an XP, and as an elder at Irving Bible Church, Wayne knows great leaders. But what makes a great leader? What are the steps to becoming a great leader and how can you identify potential leaders?

Frank Sommerville

Frank Sommerville

Frank Sommerville—Legal Issues in the Church

Vital XP Interests Track

Frank is a nationally noted attorney, author and a CPA. This is a roundtable discussion on the current and pressing legal issues in your church. Bring your questions and issues!

Frank led a legal roundtable at the 2007 XP-Seminar and received high marks from the participants. This is a prime opportunity to discuss your issues with a nationally noted attorney.

“Frank Sommerville always does a great job—the legal issues small group was very good”
“Frank started by asking us what we wanted to discuss so that he met our needs.
Caused me to rethink many areas.”

Paul Taylor—A Senior Pastor: From One SP to Another

Senior Pastor Track

Paul is the Senior Pastor of Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He brings a wealth of experience in talking and coaching other Senior Pastors. This roundtable discussion will focus on how Senior Pastors balance being an active leader and delegating leadership and management. How can it all get done? Sunday comes around every week, with another sermon to give, and there is so much else to do.

The Senior Pastor Track is an opportunity for SPs to examine and discuss leadership and management issues in the church. Considering an XP? Have a great XP or need to hone a relationship? Then this track will give you the chance to hear from established leaders, hear from peers and introduce your own ideas and questions.

Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor—Church Planting & the XP

Vital XP Interests Track

Phil is the XP of Terra Nova Church, a church plant in Troy, New York. Read about his “Climbing Down the Ladder” and “Letters from the Front Lines of Church Planting. Whenever possible, Phil attempts to promote and serve the XP community within the Acts 29 Church Planting Network of which he is a member.

Phil describes the workshop: “There is a growing number of Lead Pastors in church plants that are recognizing the need to partner with an Executive Pastor or someone with those skills. The XP in a church plant functions differently than in a larger more established setting, such as the initial size of the church, the entrepreneurial nature of church planting, the total lack of pre-existing systems, an undefined church culture, little or no staff and volunteers who almost all need extensive training. In addition, a church plant is a moving target. You build a system that works for your core group of 50, then you launch, grow to a 100 and your system is shot. So you build a new system and a year later you’ve doubled or tripled again, and the systems need to be trashed and rewritten. All of this happens with hardly any money and a staff of volunteers who are still a little fuzzy on the vision. Welcome to the world of church planting!”

Also, Phil will be hosting a church planters meet and greet party during the conference.

Thanks for diving deep into the cases. Great interaction. This has been an amazing resource!

Thank you for your foresight and tenacity for creating XPastor, including this conference.

I look forward to partnering with you for years to come.

Schedule

Wednesday, February 6

8:30 Registration—Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit
9:00
Stacey Campbell

Stacey Campbell

Welcome by Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church of Greeley, Colorado
9:15
Dr. Mark Brewer

Dr. Mark Brewer

Roger Dermody

Roger Dermody

Case Study #2: Sabbatical: Siesta, Study or Sayonara? The dictionary says that sayonara means: “a Japanese interjection for goodbye. So if your Senior Pastor, or other staff member, goes on sabbatical, are they getting ready to leave the church? What should a sabbatical mean and accomplish? We will examine the biblical, practical and emotional aspects of a sabbatical with Roger Dermody (XP) and Dr. Mark Brewer (SP) of Bel Air Presbyterian of Los Angeles, California.
10:30 Break
10:45
Ken Sande

Ken Sande

Keynote Address: Executives Who Resolve Conflict Biblically
Ken Sande, President, Peacemaker Ministries & author of the best-selling book “The Peacemaker”
11:45 Break
Noon Lunch Discussion

hess-hester

Hess Hester

Always a great time at the Seminar! Interactive discussion with Senior & Executive Pastors. From Southern Hills Baptist Church (Tulsa, Oklahoma) we will have Hess Hester, Senior Pastor. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?”

Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #1: Peacemaking in the Church
1:45 Small Group Discussion: Resolving Conflict Biblically
2:15 Large Group Discussion with Ken Sande
2:45 Break
3:00 Case Study #2: Sabbatical. Large group discussion with Roger Dermody
3:15 Small Group Discussion: Issues of Sabbaticals
3:45
Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Keynote: Joseph: An Executive with Spiritual Leadership. Are my leadership skills based in Scripture, culture or dysfunction? Dr. David Fletcher, Founder & Host of XPastor.org
4:30 Break for the evening. Take some new or old XP/SP friends to dinner!

Thursday, February 7

7:00 Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit
8:00 Workshops: Session 1 (choose from a total of 30 workshops)
9:45 Break
10:00 Workshops: Session 2 (choose from a total of 30 workshops)
11:45 Break
12:00
Steve Macchia

Steve Macchia

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Dr. Nathan Baxter

In the ballroom on the first floor, we will have lunch with affinity groups, seminar leaders or new friends, catered lunch included in Beverly Ballroom. Or, we have two other lunch options this year. Pick up a lunch outside the Ballroom, go the second floor and join …

  • Dr. Nathan Baxter for a “Presentation of Mentoring Resources”
  • Dr. Stephen Macchia and Rick Anderson for a discussion of “The XP As Spiritual Leader.” Is an XP merely a functional leader, or are you also charged with spiritual leadership? Is there any difference, and if so, what? If you are supposed to be a spiritual leader, what does that look like? Come and explore together the reasons why ‘spiritual’ is the best descriptor of leadership for XP’s and take home some practical handouts to sharpen your edge as a spiritual leader. Presentation and discussion facilitated by Steve Macchia and Rick Anderson from Leadership Transformations, Inc.
  • Andrew Behm

    Andrew Behm

    Andrew Behm on preparing for the “unthinkable,” All of us are well aware of the recent shooting at the church in Colorado. What other churches are doing to prepare for the unthinkable, a violent assault? Come and discuss your plans or need for a plan!
1:15 Workshops: Session 3 (choose from a total of 30 workshops)
2:30 David Fletcher on “Ten Things to Take Home” (including free books)
3:00 Conclusion (early enough for you to catch a flight home)
2007 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:07:36-05:00

I came back to RBC just RAVING about the conference! It was the best one ever. Everyone was terrific—what a team! Bob

Featured Guests

Todd Wagner

Todd Wagner

Todd Wager

Todd is the Senior Pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas.  He will speak from a recent event in the church which became national news, “Care & Correction: When Your Church Issues Go National.”

The newspapers screamed headlines such as “Is Public Shaming by the Church Legal?” and “Church, ex-member battle over discipline.” The story ran from coast to coast and was fodder in blog discussions, hallway chatter, legal circles and church meetings. A seminal event in dealing with a church member had been captured by the national media. In the past, churches has been accused of being “too soft” on members who stray from the path, but now a church was attacked as being strident and invading personal privacy. ABC News said:

A female member of the Watermark Community Church, a non-denominational evangelical church in Dallas, Texas, reached out to her pastor after her husband had an alleged affair with another woman.   But when the husband, identified only as “John Doe,” failed to reconcile with his wife, he said the church’s minister, Todd Wagner, shamed him from the pulpit.

Mike Buster

Mike is the Executive Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.  Many churches considering a building project and in the midst of a new building.  Mike has reams of experience in building projects at Prestonwood, as well as advising many churches in how to best shape their new buildings.  Mike will speak on “Buster on Buildings: So Many Churches are Building.”
Milfred Minatrea

Milfred Minatrea

Milfred Minatrea

Milfred is an author and missional church specialist.  He will speak on the Minister Function: The Nine Cultural Checkpoints of Missional Churches.  Milfred Minatrea is the author of Shaped by God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches. You can also take the Missional Church Cultural Assessment on XPastor
Ron Moore

Ron Moore

bill-northrop

Bill Northrop

Ron Moore & Bill Northrop

Ron is the Senior Pastor and Bill is the Executive Pastor of South Hills Bible Chapel Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  They just finished a new building … and they thought the work was over with the construction. Church growth issues, staff issues, governing board issues. So many people want to build a bigger worship center, but the cost is far more than the building. What is the complete price of a new building for your congregation?

Egner BillBill Egner

Bill is the Executive Pastor of Christ Chapel in Fort Worth presents Case Study #4, Seemingly Little Decisions with Huge Implications—Three Options for Outreach.

Toby Slough & Jim Kuykendall

Toby Slough

Toby Slough

Toby is the Senior Pastor of CrossTimber Church of Argyle, Texas.  Many churches are growing by adding a video venue or a church acquisition.  Toby will speak on “”Catching the Wave of Multi-Site: One Church, Three Campuses, Four Locations, Seven Services.”  As one person saw the video venue experienced:

I walked in the darkened auditorium and saw Toby Slough pacing a sixteen foot path on the stage. On two side screens, I saw close-ups of Toby. There was a blink and Toby disappeared from center stage—then I realized that the life-size Toby was an image projected on a screen.

jim kuykendallAs the Founding and Senior Pastor of Cross Timbers Community Church, Toby Slough in just 5 years has seen the church go from birth to over 4000 in weekly worship. Part of the spiritual DNA of Cross Timbers is Toby infusing an alarming degree of authenticity into his sermons. He knows and talks about his strengths and weaknesses. Toby’s ability to talk about the needs and vacancies in his life can cause painful self-examination by a listener—leading to Christ-centered life change. God uses the sermons by Toby to bring the truth of the Bible into the lives of thousands of people each week. The “upside” is Toby’s approachability—he is “just” another guy who is wrestling with God in daily life.Cross Timbers has expanded from one building to a church of “three campuses and seven services” (even as this case was being drafted, CT went to eight services). To accomplish this, they employ what multi-site churches commonly call a “video venue.”

About the Seminar

Afternoon Case Studies

The key to the XP-Seminar is the format. After each 40 minute presentation, table groups examine the stated topic. This is an ideal opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, to present a slice of ministry, and to get feedback from people in similar positions.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case study
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?
  • Where can you grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own?

The afternoon sessions bring church case studies and experienced leaders to challenge our thinking. The case studies present models of ministry.

  • Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Texas. One church of 4500, 3 campuses, 4 locations, 7 services. This case study will explore a church as it has recently launched into multi-site ministry. Is multi-site for you? What is this wave and how expensive is it? Is the bang worth the buck? Toby Slough, Senior Pastor and Jim Kuykendall, Associate Pastor, will share their experiences.
  • South Hills Bible Chapel outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They just finished a new building … and they thought the work was over with the construction. Church growth issues, staff issues, governing board issues. So many people want to build a bigger worship center, but the cost is far more than the building. What is the complete price of a new building for your congregation?

We had 110 Church Leaders at the ’05 XP-Seminar. We had 150 leaders at the ’06 Seminar.

XPastor’s Unique Educational Format

Each Case Study will be accompanied by a 10-20 page report, detailing the facts. But, the facts only tell part of the story; the in-person dialogue allows you to ask the pivotal question that will help your ministry.

Hone your work as an XP or prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. Currently there are no seminaries or seminars to prepare you to be an XP or enhance your XP role. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership. The mornings examine the role of the XP and the afternoons feature case studies of significant XP ministries.

Existing XPs, Senior Pastors, academics and outside speakers address the nature and role of the XP. The host is David Fletcher with Nathan Baxter & Warren Schuh. The leaders come from churches of different sizes asNathan Baxter is an XP in a church of 700+ and leads the pivotal discussion sessions for churches of 300-1400. Warren Schuh is an XP of a church of 5000+ and guides the interaction times for XPs of churches with more than 1400 in worship.

This seminar is ideal for new XPs, those desiring an XP position and XPs who want to grow! This is also an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Who has recently asked you about your XP ministry? Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

More about the Seminar

The Five Functions of Church Leaders and Managers

Define and examine the five functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job:

  • Administrator of resources
  • Catalyst for ministry
  • Mentor of staff
  • Minister in the congregation
  • Overseer of church-wide ministry

More that You Will Receive

  • Define the need of the XP:
    • Learn how to explain why your church requires an XP.
    • Learn the signs of an Senior Pastor nearing burnout.
    • See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching
  • Define the relationship of the XP and Senior Pastor:
    • Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags.
    • The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance?
    • Who is the “boss?”
  • Basics of an XP job description:
    • How to write a job description that fits your church policy and polity.
    • What should an XP do in your church?
    • Have ongoing reviews of your job description
  • Various readings and books about the position: With assignments that pertain to practical ministry.
  • How church size varies the role of the XP: Answer the questions “Is this church too small for an XP?” and “Is this church too big for an XP?” And other topics applicable to the needs of the attendees.
  • Mentoring before and after the seminar is available for any student who desires it.
    • Receive help on preparing your resume
    • Based on a relationship, coursework and class interaction, list the instructors as references on your resume.
    • Continue mentoring by e-mail and telephone.
    • Receive advice on XP issues in your church.

From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to this two day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. It is ideal for Executive Pastors, Church Leaders and Senior Pastors. The Executive Pastor title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP. Senior Pastors and church leaders come to improve their leadership and management skills. This is the only seminar available to hone Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors.

Schedule

Wednesday, February 7

9:00 Registration—Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit
9:30 Welcome
9:45 “The 5 Functions of Leading and Managing the Church.” Dr. David Fletcher, Founder & Host of XPastor.org. David will put a new twist on the 5 Functions …
10:00 “Buster on Buildings: So Many Churches are Building.” Mike Buster, Executive Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas. Last year so many asked Mike to bring more perspective on building issues that we asked him to return …
10:45 Break
11:00 “The Minister Function: The Nine Cultural Checkpoints of Missional Churches.” Milfred Minatrea is the author of Shaped by God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches and is a missional church specialist. Take the Missional Church CulturalAssessment on XPastor.
11:15 Small Group Discussion—creation of one line statements of individual strengths within the Five Functions.
11:45 Large Group Discussion moderated by David Fletcher. Citation of Five Functions.
Noon
Mark Carey SP, Fellowship Winchester

Mark Carey

Mark Brewster SP, Orchards Community

Mark Brewster

Lunch Discussion-Interactive Discussion with Teaching Pastor Mark Carey of Fellowship Bible Church of Winchester, Virginia—and Sr. Pastor Mark Brewster and new XP Matt Walden of Orchards Community Church of Lewiston, Idaho. Mark Carey is looking for an XP, while Mark Brewster just hired Matt this year. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?” Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #1: Toby Slough (SP) & Jim Kuykendall (AP) of Cross Timbers Community Church of Argyle, Texas, “Catching the Wave of Multi-Site: One Church, Three Campuses, Four Locations, Seven Services.”
1:45 Small Group Discussion: “The Wave of Multi-Site”
2:15 Large Group Discussion with Toby Slough & Jim Kuykendall, led by David Fletcher
2:45 Break
3:00 Case Study #2: Ron Moore (SP) & Bill Northrop (XP) of South Hills Bible Chapel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; “And Now We Are In the New Building …”
3:15 Small Group Discussion: “Issues Brought on by New Buildings”
3:45 Large Group Discussion with Ron Moore & Bill Northrop, led by David Fletcher
4:30 Break for the evening. You are on your own for dinner and the evening.

Thursday, February 8

9:00 Continental Breakfast—coffee, breads & fruit
9:30 Welcome & Review of Wednesday
9:45 Break Out Groups

  • Large Group “Open Sessions”
    • Nathan Baxter, “Medium-Sized Churches” (Beverly Ballroom A)
    • Warren Schuh, “Mega-Churches” (Beverly Ballroom C)
    • Small Groups—by registration only (register at the Book Table)
    • Bob Feitl, “So You Are Building …” (Armstrong Room—2nd Floor)
    • David Fletcher, “Church Leadership in the Next Twenty Years” (Beverly Ballroom B)
    • Brad Leeper, “How Money is Raised for Your Vision” (Belclaire Room—2nd Floor)
    • David Lyons, “Hiring: How important is ‘personality’ or ‘chemistry’ vs. proven performance?” (Normandy Room—1st Floor)
    • Dr. John Reed, “Getting More Theological Education” (Beverly Ballroom B)
    • Dan Reiland, “Partnering with a Strong Personality” (Bordeaux Room—2nd Floor)
    • Frank Sommerville, “Legal Issues in the Church” (Miramar Room—1st Floor)
    • Barry Thompson, “Personal Transition” (Belfort Room—2nd Floor)
11:00 Break
11:15 Large Group Discussion moderated by David Fletcher
11:45 Break
12:00 Lunch with affinity groups, seminar leaders or new friends, catered lunch included in Beverly Ballroom or pick up a lunch outside the Ballroom and join Nathan Baxter for a “Presentation of Mentoring Resources” in the Belfort Room—2nd floor
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #3: Todd Wagner, Pastor of Watermark Community Church, “Care & Correction: When Your Church Issues Go National”
2:15 Small Group Discussion
3:00 Case Study #4:Bill Egner (XP) of Christ Chapel of Fort Worth, Texas. “Seemingly Little Decisions with Huge Implications—Three Options for Outreach”
4:00 Conclusion

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the third year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness ofpeople. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk- because they understand it.Brad Leeperand his counterpart, Gerald Farley haveboth served inchurch leadershiproles and have real-lifeexperiences to offer far beyond that of most industryconsultants. Also, thanks to the help that Brad Leeper from Generis gives during the conference. These folks have a great servant spirit-get to know them!

 

ministersearch-logoFor the third year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at MinisterSearch. Many have met David Lyons, their president, at the 2005 & 2006 XP-Seminars. MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons, the founder of MinisterSearch says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.

 

 

eccu-logoWe welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union as a sponsor. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact.

With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

 

 

 

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, life and health, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, we have enhanced the financial security of more than 180,000 individuals and reported $9.4 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2006. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s insurance products offer rate stability, the largest network of health care providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. For more information about GuideStone, visit their web site at www.GuideStone.org.

 

Leadership TransformationsWe welcome Leadership Transformations as a sponsor. LTi is a non-profit ministry which exists to encourage the spiritual formation of leaders and equip leadership teams to discern God’s unique will for their life and ministry. It offers leadership development, strategic planning, soul care, and assessments for church and ministry teams.

LTI is introducing the Church Health Assessment Tool (CHAT). CHAT is a convenient, affordable, user-friendly online survey that allows you to get an accurate measurement of your church’s health in as little as 30 days. This 72-question assessment covers the cross-denominationally applicable church health principles outlined in Becoming a Healthy Church (Stephen A. Macchia, Baker Books, 2006). The report is designed to help you frame your strategic decision making for increased ministry effectiveness. It’s principle-based not program-based, so it won’t interfere with any of your current ministry programming. See more at www.HealthyChurch.net.

ServiceUWe welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar, TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations, and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management. Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

 

 

Promotional Sponsors

 

church-executive-logoFor the third year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 18,000 hands-on business administrators, executives and managers of the largest Christian traditional and contemporary churches, parachurches and megachurches-throughout the United States.

 

 

leadership-network-300For the second year, we welcome Leadership Network as a sponsor. Leadership Network brings together entrepreneurial leaders who are focused on similar ministry initiatives. The ensuing collaboration-often across denominational lines-provides a strong base from which individual leaders can better analyze and refine their individual strategies.

Peer-to-peer interaction, dialogue and sharing inevitably accelerate participants’ own innovations and ideas. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources-including audio and video programs, special reports, e-publications and online downloads. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches.

“It is great that you are putting on this important training event for Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors. This definitely fills a significant ‘gap’ in training for churches in North America.” Scot Williams, Senior Pastor, Big Valley Grace Community Church, Modesto, California

Breakout Sessions

Dr. Nathan Baxter SP-XP Leadership Coach

Dr. Nathan Baxter

Medium-Sized Churches
Warren Schuh

Warren Schuh

Mega-Churches
Bob Feitl

Bob Feitl

So You Are Building …
Dr. David Fletcher Founder, XPastor

Dr. David Fletcher

Church Leadership in the Next Twenty Years
Brad Leeper

Brad Leeper

How Money is Raised for Your Vision
David Lyons President, MinisterSearch

David Lyons

Hiring: How important is ‘personality’ or ‘chemistry’ vs. proven performance?
Dr. John Reed

Dr. John Reed

Getting More Theological Education
Dan Reiland

Dan Reiland

Partnering with a Strong Personality
Frank Sommerville

Frank Sommerville

Legal Issues in the Church
Barry Thompson

Barry Thompson

Personal Transition

Attendees

  • Glenn Able (Executive Director-New Business Development), GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Buck Anderson (Director of Operations), Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Derek Avera (Ministry Development Officer), ECCU, Brea, California
  • Nathan Baxter (XP), Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Dixie Beard (Director—New Business Development), GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Andrew Behm (Lay Leader), Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Larry Bennett (SP), The Chapel in North Canton, North Canton, Ohio
  • Scott Benson (XP), The Crossing, Costa Mesa, California
  • Greg Bergman (XP), Blackhawk Church, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Randy Brandt (Business Administrator), First Baptist Church McKinney, McKinney, Texas
  • Mark Brewster (SP), Orchards Community Church, Lewiston, Idaho
  • Duane Britton (SP), Dove Christian Fellowship—Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Eric Bryan (XP), Fellowship Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Nathan Burns (XP), Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri
  • Mike Buster (XP), Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
  • Bron Caddell (Regional Director—Insurance Marketing), GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Stacey Campbell (XP), Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
  • Mark Carey (SP), Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • David Carothers (XP), Twin Cities Church, Grass Valley, California
  • Joe Casiglia (Executive Director), Faith Lutheran Church, Troy, Michigan
  • Bob Cavin (XP), Mimosa Lane Baptist Church, Mesquite, Texas
  • Tim Celek (SP) The Crossing, Costa Mesa, California
  • Steve Chappell (Pastor of Business Services), McKinney Fellowship Bible Church, McKinney, Texas
  • Roger Christian (XP), Piedmont Church, Marietta, Georgia
  • Rob Cizek (XP), Northshore Christian Church, Everett, Washington
  • Rick Clapp (XP), Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado Alan Clother (XP), Abundant Life Church, Portland, Oregon
  • Patrick Coelho (XP), Redemption World Outreach Center, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Chris Cole (Ministry Development Officer), ECCU, Brea, California
  • Mike Collins (XP), Grace Church, Greenville, South Carolina
  • Phil Covell (Elder), Fellowship Bible Church, Winchester, Virginia
  • Pat Coyle (Outreach Pastor/Executive Team), Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas
  • Chad Cunningham (X/AP), Cape Bible Chapel, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • Rob Curry (XP), Central Baptist Church, Ewing, New Jersey
  • Mike Davis (SP), Lucia Baptist Church, Stanley, North Carolina
  • Roger Dermody (XP), Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, California
  • Dave Eberhart (XP), River Oaks Community Church, Goshen, Indiana
  • David Egelkraut (XP), New Song United Methodist Church, New Berm, North Carolina
  • Bill Egner (XP), Christ Chapel, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Pamela Evans (COO), Life Community Church, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
  • Gerald Farley (Stewardship Specialist), Generis Partners, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Rob Faulk (XP), The Church at Rocky Peak, Chatsworth, California
  • Bob Feitl (XP), Richland Bible Church, Richland, Michigan
  • Les Fleetwood (XP of Adult Ministries), Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas
  • David Fletcher (XP), Host of XPastor, Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Kiti Fowlkes (Church Administrator), First Missionary Baptist Church, Clarksville, Tennessee
  • Shane Gardner (XP), Hope Church, Dubuque, Iowa
  • Jeff Gehle (AP), St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burleson, Texas
  • Gib Gerlach (XP), Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville, Florida
  • Steve Gibson (XP), Calvary Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Todd Halver (XP), Westover Church, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Preston Hancock (XP), Red Mountain Community Church, Mesa, Arizona
  • Scott Hanson (XP), Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Larry Henneke (Business Manager), Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Victoria, Texas
  • Hess Hester (SP), Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Brian Horn (Pastor Ministry Development), Grace Covenant Church, Austin, Texas
  • Don Hughes (Church & Ministry Leading Sales Director), ECCU, Brea, California
  • Deryl Hurst (XP), Dove Christian Fellowship—Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Craig Irwin (XP), Heartland Alliance Church, Mount Gilead, Ohio
  • Charles Jackson (XP), New Covenant United Methodist Church, The Villages, Florida
  • David Kasselman (Executive Minister), Central Church of Christ, Amarillo, Texas
  • Ron Keener (Managing Editor), ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Kent Kohn, Bethany Evangelical Free Church, West Salem, Wisconsin
  • Les Krober (XP), Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, Wenatchee, Washington
  • Jim Kuykendall (XP), Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • John Lacey (XP), St. Marks United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Scott Landon (Director of Finance and Administration), Wheaton Bible Church, Wheaton, Illinois
  • John Lee (Board Member), Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, Hamburg, New York
  • Namjung Lee (Associate Pastor), Sarang Community Church, Seoul, South Korea
  • Brad Leeper (Senior Stewardship Strategist), Generis Partners, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jospeh Linn (XP), Redwood Chapel Community Church, Castro Valley, California
  • Peter Livingston (XP), Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Doyle Lowry (XP), Kingsland Baptist Church, Katy, Texas
  • Jeff Lundberg, Sanctuary Covenant Church, Mounds View, Minnesota
  • David Lyons (President and Founder), MinisterSearch, Lewisville, Texas
  • Steve Macchia (Founder and President), Leadership Transformation Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts
  • Judy Madden (Director of Lay Ministry), St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burleson, Texas
  • Ron May (XP), Wildwood Church, East Moline, Illinois Greg McClain (SP), Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, Hamburg, New York
  • Matthew McDaniel (Teaching Pastor), Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Ron McDowell (Regional Director—Insurance Marketing), GuideStone Financial Resources, Dallas, Texas
  • Michael McElravy (XP), Dove Christian Fellowship—Westgate, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
  • Gary Meek (Administrataive Pastor), Heartland World Ministries Church, Irving, Texas
  • Bill Miller (XP), Crossroads Evangelical Free Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota
  • Milfred Minatrea (Missional Church Specialist), Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dallas, Texas
  • Buddy Mizelle (XP), Christ Community Church, Tucson, Arizona
  • Gilbert Montez (Executive Small Groups Pastor), The Village Church, Flower Mound, Texas
  • Phillip Moore (XP), The Ark Family Church, Conroe, Texas
  • Keith Moore (XP), Dogwood Church, Peachtree City, Georgia
  • Ron Moore (SP), South Hills Bible Chapel, McMurray, Pennsylvania
  • Steve Moore (XP), Victory Family Church, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
  • Jon Mullican (Minister of Administration), Highland Oaks Church of Christ, Dallas, Texas
  • Doug Murrell (XP), New Life Providence Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Jabulani Mwale (XP), Solid Rock Church of God, CoLouth, Ireland
  • Bill Northrop (XP), South Hills Bible Chapel, McMurray, Pennsylvania
  • Jim Nutt (President), Church Staff Solutions, Denton, Texas
  • Lance Olinski (Business Pastor), Family Worship Center, McKinney, Texas
  • Gary O’Neal (XP), Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
  • Scot Overbey (AP), Faith Bible Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Rick Owen (SP), St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burleson, Texas
  • Jeff Pickard (XP), Midpark Christian Assembly, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Steve Purdum (XP), Four Corners Church, Plano, Texas
  • Steve Raj (Associate Pastor – Outreach), Life Community Chuch, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
  • Rob Ray (Associate Pastor/Church Admin.), First Baptist Church, Millington, Tennessee
  • John Reed (Professor), Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
  • Mike Reed (XP), Northwood Church, Keller, Texas
  • Daryl Reese (Executive Director of Ministries), Creekside Open Bible Church, Martinez, California
  • Dan Reiland (XP), Crossroads Community Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
  • Clint Rhoney (Associate Pastor), Lucia Baptist Church, Stanley, North Carolina
  • Bill Rose (XP), The First PH Church, Goldsboro, North Carolina
  • Joel Rude (XP), Redwood Covenant Church, Santa Rosa, California
  • Mike Sanders (XP), Washington Heights Baptist Church, Ogden, Utah
  • Carl Sanderson (XP), Evangel Church, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
  • Warren Schuh (President), WS Associates, Thousand Oaks, California
  • Paul Sewell (XP), Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin, Georgia
  • Thomas Shelton (XP), Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • Phillip Shuford (XP), First Baptist Church at Weston, Weston, Florida
  • J. Simms (XP), Maranatha Church, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
  • Bill Slabaugh (SP), Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
  • Toby Slough (SP), Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle, Texas
  • Nicholas Smith (Assistant Pastor), Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
  • Timothy Smith (Managing Director/Founder), Aslon Group, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
  • Jeff Stewart (XP, Crossings Community Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Brad Sullard (Operations and Development), Center Point Church, North Richland Hills, Texas
  • Frank Summerville (Attorney), Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, Arlington, Texas
  • Steve Swadley (XP), McKinney Fellowship Bible Church, McKinney, Texas
  • Kim Swyden (XP), Henderson Hills Baptist Church, Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Phillip Taylor (XP), Terra Nova Church, Troy, New York
  • Tim Taylor (XP), Trinity Bible Church, Willow Park, Texas
  • Barry Thompson (XP), Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Sandy Springs, Georgia
  • Ron Thompson (SP), Twin Cities Church, Grass Valley, California
  • John Waak (SP), Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Victoria, Texas
  • Todd Wagner (Pastor), Watermark Community Church, Dallas, Texas
  • Matt Walden (XP), Orchards Community Church, Lewiston, Idaho
  • Jason Wallace (Young Adult Pastor), Trinity Bible Church, Willow Park, Texas
  • Jack Warren (XP), Fellowship Bible Church North, Richardson, Texas
  • Steve Watkins (XP), Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • John Westcott (Executive Minister), Uxbridge Church of the Nazarene, Uxbridge, Massachusetts
  • John Westurn (XP), Five Oaks Community Church, Woodbury, Minnesota
  • Tim Whitehorn (Founder and CEO), ServiceU Corporation, Cordova, Tennessee
  • Rick Whitter (SP), Maranatha Church, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
  • Larry Wilkins (XP), Cielo Vista Church, El Paso, Texas
  • Ken Williams (XP), WoodsEdge Community Church, The Woodlands, Texas
2006 XP-Seminar2021-10-07T09:04:46-05:00

Growing as Executives

Growing as Pastors

Thriving in Transition

Grow with your peers through tight-knit discussion, in-depth case studies and presentations by great practitioners.

About the Seminar

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

Hone your work as an XP or prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. Currently there are no seminaries or seminars to prepare you to be an XP or enhance your XP role. This seminar is an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gives advanced study on church leadership. The mornings examine the role of the XP and the afternoons feature case studies of significant XP ministries.

Existing XPs, Senior Pastors, academics and outside speakers address the nature and role of the XP. The host is David Fletcher with Nathan Baxter & Warren Schuh. The leaders come from churches of different sizes asNathan Baxter is an XP in a church of 700+ and leads the pivotal discussion sessions for churches of 300-1400. Warren Schuh is an XP of a church of 5000+ and guides the interaction times for XPs of churches with more than 1400 in worship.

This seminar is ideal for new XPs, those desiring an XP position and XPs who wanted to grow! This is also an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Who has recently asked you about your XP ministry? Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to this two day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. It is ideal for Executive Pastors, Church Leaders and Senior Pastors. The Executive Pastor title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP. Senior Pastors and church leaders come to examine the XP role. This is the only seminar available to hone Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors.

The Five Functions

Define and examine the five functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job:

  • Administrator of resources
  • Catalyst for ministry
  • Mentor of staff
  • Minister in the congregation
  • Overseer of church-wide ministry

Afternoon Case Studies

The key to the XP-Seminar is the format. After each 40 minute presentation, table groups examine the stated topic. This is an ideal opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, to present a slice of ministry, to get feedback from people in similar positions.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case study?
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?
  • Where can you grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own?

The afternoon sessions have case studies of churches and skilled leaders challenge the discussion topics. The case studies present models of ministry.

  • Gene Getz, Jeff Jones & Jack Warren on a successful Senior Pastor transition and introduction of the XP role.
  • Mary Jammerman on the XP role from an executive perspective
  • Alan Kraft & Stacey Campbell on the XP role from a pastoral perspective
  • Nicholas Smith on the XP role from a Catalyst and succession planning perspective-thriving in transition!

Each Case Study will be accompanied by a 10-20 page report, detailing the facts. But, the facts only tell part of the story, as the in-person dialogue allows you to ask the pivotal question that will help your ministry.

More that You Will Receive

  • Define the need of the XP:
    • Learn how to explain why your church requires an XP.
    • Learn the signs of an Senior Pastor nearing burnout.
    • See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching
  • Define the relationship of the XP and Senior Pastor:
    • Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags.
    • The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance?
    • Who is the “boss?”
  • Basics of an XP job description:
    • How to write a job description that fits your church policy and polity.
    • What should an XP do in your church?
    • Have ongoing reviews of your job description
  • Various readings and books about the position: With assignments that pertain to practical ministry.
  • How church size varies the role of the XP: Answer the questions “Is this church too small for an XP?” and “Is this church too big for an XP?” And other topics applicable to the needs of the attendees.
  • Mentoring before and after the seminar is available for any student who desires it.
    • Receive help on preparing your resume
    • Based on a relationship, coursework and class interaction, list the instructors as references on your resume.
    • Continue mentoring by e-mail and telephone.
    • Receive advice on XP issues in your church.

Featured Guests

Nathan Baxter
Nathan BaxterExecutive Pastor, Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Mike Buster
Mike BusterExecutive Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas
Stacey Campbell
Stacey CampbellExecutive Pastor, Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
Dr. Gene Getz
Dr. Gene GetzNoted Author & Pastor Emeritus, Fellowship Bible Church North, Plano, Texas
Ron Keener
Ron KeenerManaging Editor, ChurchExecutive Magazine
Dr. Martin Hawkins
Dr. Martin HawkinsAssistant Pastor and Elder for Dr. Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas, Texas
Mary Jammerman
Mary JammermanExecutive Pastor, Woodinvale Alliance Church, Woodinvale Washington
Jeff Jones
Jeff JonesSenior Pastor, Fellowship Bible North, Plano, Texas
Rick Kneeshaw
Rick Kneeshaw Executive Pastor, Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Alan Kraft
Alan Kraft Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church, Greeley, Colorado
Rodney Lara
Rodney LaraMinister of Family, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
John Purcell
John PurcellStaff Director, Perimeter Church, Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. John Reed
Dr. John ReedDirector of D.Min Studies, Senior Professor Emeritus, Dallas Theological Seminary
Nicholas Smith
Nicholas SmithExecutive Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey
Warren Schuh
Warren SchuhExecutive Pastor, Calvary Community Church, Westlake Village, California
Jack Warren
Jack WarrenExecutive Pastor, Fellowship Bible North, Plano, Texas
Doug Williams
Doug WilliamsChurch Elder, General Contractor of New Orleans Superdome et al

Attendees

150 leaders came to the ’06 Seminar

  • Brent Allen (SP), Old North Church, Canfield Ohio
  • Kristin Anderson (XP), McPherson Free Methodist, McPherson Kansas
  • Ray Anderson (XP), Grace Covenant Church, Austin Texas
  • Rob Angerman (XP), Grant Memorial Baptist Church, Winnipeg Manitoba
  • Steve Ayers (SP), Hillvue Heights Church, Bowling Green Kentucky
  • Allegra Baker (Dir. Admin), Grace Church, Jackson Michigan
  • Sam Bates (COO), Fellowship Bible Church, Little Rock
  • Nathan Baxter (XP), Liberty Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
  • Scott Beijer (XP), South Mountain Community Church, Draper Utah
  • Mike Beresford (SA), Smoky Hill Vineyard Church, Centennial Colorado
  • Mitch Bernay (XP), Country Bible Church, Blair Nebraska
  • Glen Blanscet (XP), First Baptist Church, Carrollton Texas
  • Todd Bolt (XP), LifePoint Church, Tampa Florida
  • Ed Boschman (XP), Laurelglen Bible Church, Bakersfield California
  • Gary Brandenburg (SP), Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas Texas
  • Dave Brandolini (DM), Hudson Community Chapel, Hudson Ohio
  • Stan Brasuell (XP), Fellowship of Frisco, Frisco Texas
  • David Britt (Dir. Finance), East Cooper Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant South Carolina
  • Duane Britton (SP), Dove Christian Fellowship Westgate, Ephrata Pennsylvania
  • Mark Brosseau (XP), Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
  • Chris Brown (SP), NewLife Community Church, Canal Winchester Ohio
  • Gary Brown (DM), Overland Park Church of Christ, Overland Park Kansas
  • Frank Burns (XP), South Shore Community Church, Sarasota Florida
  • Mike Buster (XP), Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano Texas
  • Stacey Campbell (XP), Christ Community Church, Greeley Colorado
  • Mary Carroll (XD), Hosanna!, Lakeville Minnesota
  • Joe Casiglia (XP), Faith Lutheran Church, Troy Michigan
  • David Chavanne (XP), Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco Texas
  • Rick Clapp (XP), Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs Colorado
  • Alan Clother (XP), Abundant Life, Happy Valley Oregon
  • Dan Cochrane (SP), CrossRoads Church, Red Deer Alberta Canada
  • Mike Collins (XP), Grace Church, Greenville South Carolina
  • Barbara Cooper (XP), First Baptist Church, Richmond California
  • Jim Corrao (XP), Northside Christian Church, Clovis California
  • Pat Coyle (AP), Grace Bible Church, College Station Texas
  • Brian Cress (XP), Westminster Chapel, Bellevue Washington
  • Andrew Cromwell (XP), Koinonia Christian Fellowship, Hanford California
  • Bolinton Dayo (Youth President), Redeem Christian Church of God, Lagos Nigeria
  • Paul Delaney (XP), Colonial Baptist Church, Randallstown Maryland
  • Roger Dermody (XP), Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles California
  • David Eberhart (CL), Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, Frisco, Texas
  • Nolan Egbert (Men’s Ministry), Westlake Bible Church, Austin Texas
  • Brad Evans (AP), Grace Bible Church, College Station Texas
  • Gerald Farley (Stewardship), Generis, Albuquerque New Mexico
  • Wayne Feay (XD), Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne Indiana
  • Bob Feitl (XP), Richland Bible Church, Richland Michigan
  • Thomas Fennell (XP), Old North Church, Canfield Ohio
  • David Fletcher (XP), Host of XPastor, Austin Texas
  • Kiti Fowlkes (Administrator), First Missionary Baptist Church, Clarksville Tennessee
  • Gene French (SP), San Diego Community Bible Church, San Diego California
  • Shane Gardner (XP), Hope Evangelical Free Church, Dubuque Iowa
  • Gene Getz (SP), Fellowship Bible Church North, Plano Texas
  • Ray Glenn (XP), Village Bible Church, Hot Springs Village Arkansas
  • Glenn Goode (Admin Pastor), Temple Baptist Church, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia Canada
  • Gary Hahn (BA), Woodburn Missionary Church, Woodburn Indiana
  • Mark Hale (XP), Hillvue Heights Church, Bowling Green Kentucky
  • Mike Hambley (SP), McPherson Free Methodist, McPherson Kansas
  • Tim Harkins (XP), Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, Carrollton Texas
  • Martin Hawkins (President), Southern Bible Institute, Dallas Texas
  • JC Hendrix (XP), Colorado Christian Fellowship, Aurora Colorado
  • Brad Hennessy (XD), Bethany Community Church, Seattle Washington
  • William Hester (SP), Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
  • J D Holt (XP), Christ the King Community Church, Bellingham Washington
  • Jim Hudson (XP), CrossWinds Church, Dublin California
  • Deryl Hurst (XP), Dove Christian Fellowship Westgate, Ephrata Pennsylvania
  • Tim Jack (XP), Crossroads Bible Church, Bellevue Washington
  • James Jackson (XP), Grace Community Church, Winchester Virginia
  • Mary Jammerman (XP), Woodinville Alliance Church, Woodinville Washington
  • Gary Jensen (XP), Austin Bluffs Community Church, Colorado Springs Colorado
  • Frank Johnson (XP), First Baptist Church of Woodbridge, Woodbridge Virginia
  • Jeff Jones (SP), Fellowship Bible Church North, Plano Texas
  • Ron Keener (Managing Editor), ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix Arizona
  • Richard Keiser II (XP), Family Life Christian Church, Galt California
  • Eric Kitchen (XP), NewLife Community Church, Canal Winchester Ohio
  • Darcy Kuhn, Northview Community Church, Abbotsford, British Columbia Canada
  • Leo Klus (XP), North Park Community Church, London, Ontario Canada
  • Rick Kneeshaw (XP), Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer Alberta Canada
  • Alan Kraft (SP), Christ Community Church, Greeley Colorado
  • John Lacey (XP), St Marks United Methodist Church, Lincoln Nebraska
  • Scott Landon (Dir. of Finance), Wheaton Bible Church, Wheaton Illinois
  • Rodney Lara (AP), Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Chuck Larsen (SP), Country Bible Church, Blair Nebraska
  • LaMonte Lawson (XP), Mountain View Community Church, Temecula California
  • Brad Leeper (SS), Generis Partners, Atlanta Georgia
  • Joseph Linn (XP), Redwood Chapel Community Church, Castro Valley California
  • David Lyons (President), MinisterSearch, Lewisville Texas
  • Herman Matherson (COO), The House of the Lord, Akron Ohio
  • Ron May (XP), Wildwood Church, East Moline Illinois
  • Stephen Mayner (XP), Emmanuel Baptist Church, Huntingtown Maryland
  • Michael McElravy (XP), Dove Christian Fellowship Westgate, Ephrata Pennsylvania
  • Michael McElyea (BA), Windsor Road Christian Church, Champaign Illinois
  • Robert McMillen (Director), Grace Community Church, Plano Texas
  • Buddy Mizelle (XP), Christ Community Church, Tucson Arizona
  • Brian Murphy (X Admin.), Union Center Christian Church, Endicott New York
  • Douglas Murrell (XP), New Life Providence Church, Virginia Beach Virginia
  • Jabulani Mwale (XP), Solid Rock Church of God, Dunleer, Co Louth Ireland
  • Walter E Nistorenko (XP), Evangel Church, Scotch Plains New Jersey
  • Bill Northrop (XP), South Hills Bible Chapel, McMurray Pennsylvania
  • Jim Nutt (President), Church Staff Solutions, Denton Texas
  • Kim Pagel (XP), New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids Iowa
  • John Pauls (SP), Austin Bluffs Community Church, Colorado Springs Colorado
  • Chris Philbeck (SP), Mount Pleasant Christian Church, Greenwood Indiana
  • Walt Pitman (XP), Grace Church Roseville, Roseville Minnesota
  • Jordan Polson (XP), CrossRoads Church, Red Deer Alberta Canada
  • John Purcell (XP), Perimeter Church, Atlanta Georgia
  • John Reed (Professor), Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas Texas
  • Jason Rehmel (Director), Northside Christian Church, New Albany Indiana
  • Dan Reiland (XP), Crossroads Community Church, Lawrenceville Georgia
  • Glenn Reph (XP), Northshore Baptist Church, Kirkland Washington
  • Jim Robeson (XP), San Diego Community Bible Church, San Diego California
  • Eric Rojas (AP), Christ Community Church, St. Charles Illinois
  • Mike Sanders (XP), Washington Heights Baptist Church, Ogden Utah
  • Tom Savage (XP), Longview Heights Baptist Church, Olive Branch Missouri
  • Dennis Schlappi (XP), New Castle Bible Church, Mackinaw Illinois
  • Warren Schuh (XP), Calvary Community Church, Westlake Village California
  • Bill Sears (XP), First Baptist Jackson, Jackson Mississippi
  • Paul Sewell (XP), Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin Georgia
  • Tommy Shelton (XP), Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas Texas
  • Craig Shields (XP), Union Center Christian Church, Endicott New York
  • Garner Simpkins (Pastor of Lay Leadership), Legacy Bible Church, Sherman Texas
  • David Sjoberg (AP), Grabill Missionary Church, Grabill Indiana
  • Mike Skor (XP), The River Church, Sacramento California
  • Nicholas Smith (XP), Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold New Jersey
  • Timothy Snow (XP), University Presbyterian Church, Seattle Washington
  • Mike Somers (XP), Crossroads Community Church, Camarillo California
  • Charles Stone (CL), First Baptist Church, Richmond California
  • David Strange (XP), Greenwood Christian Church, Greenwood Indiana
  • Brad Sullard (AP), Center Point Church, North Richland Hills Texas
  • Dale Swanson (XP), Victory Church, Oklahoma City Oklahoma
  • Kim Swyden (XP), Henderson Hills Baptist Church, Edmond Oklahoma
  • Terry Taylor (XP), Family Church, West Monroe Louisiana
  • Arlan TenClay (BA), Gun Lake Community Church, Wayland Michigan
  • Eric Thompson (XP), Lifepointe Christian Church, Raleigh North Carolina
  • Craig Tuck (XP), East Cooper Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant South Carolina
  • Phillip Turner (BA), Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold New Jersey
  • Kenneth Vanderhoff (SP), The Neighborhood Church, Tualatin Oregon
  • Jeremy Vanderlinden, Real Life Church, Valencia California
  • Steven Vinson (XP), Canyon Hills Church, Bakersfield California
  • Wendell Vinson (SP), Canyon Hills Church, Bakersfield California
  • Jack Warren (XP), Fellowship Bible Church North, Plano Texas
  • Steve Watkins (CL), Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
  • Bob Westfall (SP), New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids Iowa
  • John Westurn (XP), Five Oaks Community Church, Woodbury Minnesota
  • Meredith Wheeker (SP), Calvary Church, Souderton Pennsylvania
  • Jonathan Whitford (XP), Woodlands Church, Plover Wisconsin
  • Jeff Wiedenmeyer (XP), The Neighborhood Church, Tualatin Oregon
  • Joseph Wike (CL), Grace Church, Greer South Carolina
  • Doug Williams (CL), Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Steve Winter (XP), Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville Georgia
  • Tim Winters (XP), Shepherd of the Hills Church, Porter Ranch California
  • Jim Womack (XP), Dayspring Baptist Church, Mobile Alabama
  • Mike Woods (SP), Grace Community Church, Winchester Virginia

Schedule

Wednesday, February 1

9:00 Registration-Coffee, donuts & fruit
9:30 Welcome
9:45 The Five Functions of Leading and Managing the Church by David Fletcher
10:15 Mike Buster, Executive Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, The Administrator Function and a $20-50 Million Dollar Building Project. Small Group Discussion: “Administrator” & “Catalyst”
10:45 Break
11:00 Martin Hawkins, President, Southern Bible Institute, “The Minister Function”
11:15 Small Group Discussion-creation of one line statements of individual strengths within the Five Functions. Make your own XP-I chart & post on wall.
11:45 Large Group Discussion moderated by David Fletcher. Citation of Five Functions.
Noon Lunch Discussion. Interactive discussion with Sr. Pastors Jeff Jones & Alan Kraft. What does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?” Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case-study #1: Mary Jammerman, XP of Woodinville Alliance Church, From Executive to XP.
1:45 Small Group Discussion: “Executive Tensions in the XP Role”
2:15 Large Group Discussion with Mary Jammerman, led by David Fletcher
2:45 Break
3:00 Case Study #2: Alan Kraft, Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church & Stacey Campbell, XP of Christ Community Church-“From Pastor to XP”
3:15 Small Group Discussion: “Pastoral Tensions in the XP role”
3:45 Large Group Discussion with Alan Kraft & Stacey Campbell, led by David Fletcher
4:30 Break for the evening. You are on your own for dinner and the evening.

Thursday, February 2

9:00 Coffee, donuts & fruit
9:30 Welcome & Review of Wednesday
9:45 Break Out Groups: Large Group “Open Sessions:” Nathan Baxter-Medium-Sized Churches, Warren Schuh-Mega-Churches. Small Groups-by registration only. David Fletcher-Church Leaders, Mary Jammerman-Women in Ministry, Rick Kneeshaw-Organizational Development: Linking Vision & Mission, Rodney Lara-The African-American Experience, Brad Leeper-How Money is Raised for Your Vision, David Lyons-Hiring: How important is “personality or chemistry” vs. proven performance? John Purcell-The Leadership Model of Perimeter Church, Atlanta, John Reed-What Will More Education Do For Me? Doug Williams-Construction Issues
11:00 Break
11:15 Large Group Discussion moderated by David Fletcher
11:45 Break
12:00 Lunch with affinity groups, seminar leaders or new friends. Included catered lunch.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #3: Nicholas Smith, XP of Bethany Baptist Church: “The Church and XP for Urban Life.” Large Group Discussion with Nicholas Smith, moderated by David Fletcher.
2:00 Small Group Discussion
2:15 Break
2:30 Case Study #4: Gene Getz, Pastor Emeritus, Jeff Jones, Senior Pastor & Jack Warren, XP: “Exit of a Founding Pastor.”
4:00 Conclusion

Sponsors

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600For the second year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at Generis Partners. About Generis: True giving is a deeply transformative act. At Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness ofpeople. It’s about meeting churches where they are and helping them achieve their own true vision according to their unique culture. Whether that entails a video venue, multi-campus site, or raising a daunting amount of capital, Generis consultants are ready to share the Leadership’s risk- because they understand it.Brad Leeperand his counterpart, Gerald Farley haveboth served inchurch leadershiproles and have real-lifeexperiences to offer far beyond that of most industryconsultants. Also, thanks to the help that Brad Leeper from Generis gives during the conference. These folks have a great servant spirit-get to know them!

ministersearch-logoWe welcome MinisterSearch as a sponsor. Many met David Lyons, their president, at the 2005 XP-Seminar. About MinisterSearch: MinisterSearch empowers churches to have access to a larger, more qualified pool of candidates. They also help reduce the time spent searching for qualified and competent staff and increase the retention rate among pastors and ministers. David Lyons, the founder of MinisterSearch says, “As church leaders, it is critical to utilize all available resources as quickly as possible when filling a pastoral staff position. I have talked with countless pastors and lay leaders who, after months of searching for one or multiple positions, recognize that there must be a better way.” Whether you desire to fill a ministry position or find a new place of ministry, MinisterSearch can help.

eccu-logoWe welcome the Evangelical Christian Credit Union as a sponsor. The Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) is a trusted banking resource that shares your passion for kingdom impact.

With ECCU’s wisdom gained from more than 40 years of experience serving evangelical ministries, we are helping churches in all 50 states increase their effectiveness through biblically based banking, financing, and investing services.

guidestone_logoWe welcome GuideStone as a sponsor. GuideStone Financial Resources is one of the leading providers of retirement, life and health, investment management and executive planning services to the evangelical Christian community. Since 1918, we have enhanced the financial security of more than 180,000 individuals and reported $9.4 billion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2006. GuideStone offers its clients access to Christian-based, socially-screened investment funds for retirement, endowment and operational assets. GuideStone’s insurance products offer rate stability, the largest network of health care providers in the U.S. and a comprehensive suite of plan options providing quality care and protection for our participants and their families. For more information about GuideStone, visit their web site at www.GuideStone.org.

Leadership TransformationsWe welcome Leadership Transformations as a sponsor. LTi is a non-profit ministry which exists to encourage the spiritual formation of leaders and equip leadership teams to discern God’s unique will for their life and ministry. It offers leadership development, strategic planning, soul care, and assessments for church and ministry teams.

LTI is introducing the Church Health Assessment Tool (CHAT). CHAT is a convenient, affordable, user-friendly online survey that allows you to get an accurate measurement of your church’s health in as little as 30 days. This 72-question assessment covers the cross-denominationally applicable church health principles outlined in Becoming a Healthy Church (Stephen A. Macchia, Baker Books, 2006). The report is designed to help you frame your strategic decision making for increased ministry effectiveness. It’s principle-based not program-based, so it won’t interfere with any of your current ministry programming. See more at www.HealthyChurch.net.

ServiceUWe welcome ServiceU as a sponsor. ServiceU specializes in web-based, event management solutions designed specifically for churches, nonprofits, schools, universities, festivals, and theaters. ServiceU offers three core products, EventU: Scheduling of events and resources by providing an online calendar, TransactU: Online donations, online payments, and online event registrations, and TicketU: Online ticketing and box office management. Founded in 1997, ServiceU is a trusted provider of online event management software to the nonprofit market.

Promotional Sponsors

church-executive-logoFor the second year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchExecutive magazine. ChurchExecutive is a monthly how-to business information resource for 18,000 hands-on business administrators, executives and managers of the largest Christian traditional and contemporary churches, parachurches and megachurches-throughout the United States. Great appreciation goes to Rez Gopez-Sindac, Editor of ChurchExecutive magazine, for her participation in both 2005 and 2006.

For the second year as a sponsor, thanks to our friends at ChurchStaffing. Thanks for their putting the Seminar on their website with 5000+ visitors a day, 7000+ resumes, 1000+ jobs listed and weekly e-mails to thousands of pastors.

leadership-network-300Leadership Network brings together entrepreneurial leaders who are focused on similar ministry initiatives. The ensuing collaboration-often across denominational lines-provides a strong base from which individual leaders can better analyze and refine their individual strategies. Peer-to-peer interaction, dialogue and sharing inevitably accelerate participants’ own innovations and ideas. Leadership Network further enhances this process through the development and distribution of highly targeted ministry tools and resources-including audio and video programs, special reports, e-publications and online downloads. In addition, Leadership Network partners with two important publishers, Jossey-Bass and Zondervan to give leaders access to the thought leadership and best practices of effective 21st century churches.

“It is great that you are putting on this important training event for Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors. This definitely fills a significant ‘gap’ in training for churches in North America.” Scot Williams, Senior Pastor, Big Valley Grace Community Church, Modesto, California

Attendee Comments

“Things I loved”

  • Atmosphere-like-minded, like-challenged people
  • Large group discussions
  • Realizing that churches the same size as ours are in similar transitions
  • Networking-getting ideas from others
  • The more informal breakout sessions
  • Hearing the variety of leadership styles and issues
  • Real people talking about real issues
  • Gift books in back are great
  • Opportunity for informal discussion at dinner and at breaks
  • There were so many diverse backgrounds
  • Every session is planned with intention and excellence
  • The involvement of a variety of people to pray and encourage the participants
  • The mealtime discussions were invaluable
  • Willingness to share extra material via website following conference
  • The collegial culture
  • Talk around the table with senior pastors – hammering at these same roles, issues
  • The case study-and more specifically the discussions that result, are fantastic
  • Great to hear XPs and SPs
  • Feeling like I am not alone-seeing so many others in my role was energizing
  • Pace-fast and excellent
  • Seeing myself (weaknesses, strengths, situation) in the different stories
  • This is my first time to talk, interact with, or learn from other XP’s. This is great
  • The case studies were surprisingly good-they touched my heart as well as my head
  • Fellowship with other XPs-showed me that I’m not crazy

“My Comments”

  • Thanks for your great work in putting it all together and leading the effort. It was valuable time well spent. We are heading toward hiring an XP for the first time
  • Enjoyed our time together. Beneficial to hear thoughts and experiences of others. I’m new to the XP role
  • I would be interested in how XPs with pastoral background feel about business XPs. What can be done to bring the best of each background together? What would be the benefit? I think very positive
  • I’m intrigued by how coaching would impact staff and lay leadership. Thanks for the excellent work in this helpful seminar
  • Around my table there seemed to be a lot of interest in discussion of letting go of “C” performing staff. Perhaps a case study on this in the future would be helpful.
  • Need an evaluative tool (s) for the XP and SP
  • David and team-thanks again for resourcing, educating, and connecting us to more effectively impact God’s Kingdom
  • Thanks for the effort. Networking and connections and website are very helpful
  • I would be interested in the five-year vision of the XP
  • I credit XPastor.org with being a key driver in my moving into my current position
  • This whole experience was a great reality check for where my church is. I was concerned as one of the only women here whether I might offend or be less than welcome, but everyone was extremely gracious and welcoming.
  • The ecumenical denominational learning about different churches was wonderful too. The best part is the networking
  • I look forward to next year!

“Things I Would Change”

  • Offer mentoring-XP guys that would mentor young XP’s
  • Please record breakouts and post online in MP3 format for downloading
  • Have a panel of XPs and Senior Pastors field questions from the audience on a wide range of issues
  • Expand to a 3-day conference
2005 XP-Seminar2021-09-14T19:15:01-05:00

Our First XP-Seminar

January 12-13, 2005 in Dallas, Texas

About the Seminar

Dr. David Fletcher

Dr. David Fletcher

From across the U.S. & Canada, people are coming to this two day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. It is ideal for Executive Pastors, Church Leaders and Senior Pastors. The Executive Pastor title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP. Senior Pastors and church leaders come to examine the XP role. This is the only seminar available to hone Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors.

This two day seminar centered on leading and managing the church. It was ideal for Executive Pastors, Church Leaders and Senior Pastors. The Executive Pastor title is the most common one, but many positions function as an XP. Senior Pastors and church leaders came to examine the XP role. This is the only seminar available to hone Executive Pastors and Senior Pastors.

Hone your work as an XP or prepare to be an XP. Share your church experience and get quality feedback in the discussion sessions. Currently there are no seminaries or seminars to prepare you to be an XP or enhance your XP role. This seminar was an ideal ministry enhancement and resume builder as it gave advanced study on church leadership. The mornings examined the role of the XP and the afternoons featured case studies of significant XP ministries.

Existing XPs, Senior Pastors, academics and outside speakers addressed the nature and role of the XP. The host was David Fletcher. The leaders came from churches of different sizes as Dr. Fletcher is an XP in a church of 2000+. Nathan Baxter is an XP in a church of 500+ and will lead the pivotal discussion sessions for churches of 300-1500. Warren Schuh is an XP of a church of 5000+ and guided the interaction times for XPs of churches with more than 1500 in worship. Neil Tomba, Senior Pastor in a church of 2000+ in worship each Sunday, led the Sr. Pastor track discussions.

This seminar was ideal for new XPs, those desiring an XP position and XPs who wanted to carefully examine the role. This was also an excellent time to develop deeper relationships with other XPs, the seminar leaders and the special speakers. Who has recently asked you about your XP ministry? Where else can an XP and Senior Pastor come and be challenged about church leadership and management?

“It is great that you are putting on this important training event for executive pastors and senior pastors.
This definitely fills a significant ‘gap’ in training for churches in North America.”
Scot Williams, Senior Pastor, Big Valley Grace Community Church, Modesto, California

Define the Role of the XP

  • Learn how to explain why your church requires an XP.
  • Learn the signs of an Senior Pastor nearing burnout.
  • See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching

Define the relationship of the XP and Senior Pastor

  • Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags.
  • The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance?
  • Who is the “boss?”

Basics of an XP job description

  • How to write a job description that fits your church policy and polity.
  • What should an XP do in your church
  • Various readings and books about the position, with assignments that pertain to practical ministry.
  • How church size varies the role of the XP: Answer the questions “Is this church too small for an XP?” and “Is this church too big for an XP?” And other topics to applicable to the needs of the attenders.
  • Mentoring before and after the seminar is available for any student who desires it.
    • Have ongoing reviews your job description.
    • Receive help on preparing your resume.
    • Based on a relationship, coursework and class interaction, list the instructors as references on your resume.
    • Continue mentoring by e-mail and telephone.
    • Receive advice on XP issues in your church.

The Five Functions

Define and examine the five functions of an XP, what you need to know to do the job:

  • Administrator of resources
  • Catalyst for ministry
  • Mentor of staff
  • Minister in the congregation
  • Overseer of church-wide ministry

Afternoons Case Studies

The key to XP-101 is the case study format. After each 40 minute presentation, discussion groups broke out to examine the stated topic with peers. This was an ideal opportunity to honestly evaluate an issue, to present a slice of ministry, to get feedback from people in similar positions.

The afternoon sessions had case studies of churches, skilled leaders challenged discussion of the topics. The case studies presented models of ministry.

  • What new ideas can you take home from the case study?
  • How will the discussion give you new insight into your church?
  • Where can you grow as you interact with others in similar positions to your own?

Featured Guests

Nathan Baxter
Nathan BaxterExecutive Pastor, Liberty Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
David Chavanne
David ChavanneSr. Executive Pastor for Dr. Chuck Swindoll at Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas
Dr. Martin Hawkins
Dr. Martin HawkinsAssistant Pastor and Elder for Dr. Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas, Texas
Rez Gopez-Sindac
Rez Gopez-SindacEditor, ChurchExecutive Magazine
Rodney Lara
Rodney LaraMinister of Family, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
Dr. John Reed
Dr. John ReedDirector of D.Min Studies, Senior Professor Emeritus, Dallas Theological Seminary
Steve Roese
Steve RoeseExecutive Pastor for Dr. Andy McQuitty, Irving Bible Church, Irving, Texas
Dr. Andy Seidel
Dr. Andy SeidelExecutive Director Center for Christian Leadership, Dallas Theological Seminary
Warren Schuh
Warren SchuhExecutive Pastor, Calvary Community Church, Westlake Village, California
Neil Tomba
Neil TombaSr. Pastor, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas, Texas
Doug Williams
Doug WilliamsChurch Elder, General Contractor of New Orleans Superdome et al
Dr. Jerry Wofford
Dr. Jerry WoffordProfessor Emeritus UT Arlington, Adjunct Professor Dallas Theological Seminary

Attendees

110 XPs, Senior Pastors & Church Leaders Attended the 2005 XP-Seminar

  • Elwin Ahu, New Hope Christian Fellowship O’ahu, Honolulu Hawaii
  • Mike Bates, Salem Alliance Church, Salem Oregon
  • Nathan Baxter, Liberty Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
  • Norman Behymer, Council Road Baptist Church, Bethany Oklahoma
  • Glen Blanscet, First Baptist Church, Carrollton Texas
  • Tim Bowman, Calvary Church of the Quad Cities, Moline Illinois
  • Dan Boyd, LakeRidge United Methodist Church, Lubbock Texas
  • Dave Brandolini, Hudson Community Chapel, Hudson Ohio
  • Brian Brandt, Grace Community Church, Tyler Texas
  • Stan Brasuell, Fellowship of Frisco, Frisco Texas
  • Ray Brown, Resurrection Baptist Church, Schertz Texas
  • Stacey Campbell, Christ Community Church, Greeley Colorado
  • Matthew Carter, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin Texas
  • Mike Cassell, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • David Chavanne, Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco Texas
  • Duane Cilke, River of Life Church, Kansas City Missouri
  • Rick Clapp, Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs Colorado
  • Mike Cloud, Fellowship Bible Church Dallas, Dallas Texas
  • Tim Cornwell, Cornwall Church, Bellingham Washington
  • Ken Demeter, Evangelical Free Church, Turlock California
  • Roger Dermody, Bel Air Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles California
  • Judd Dickey, Firewheel Church, Richardson Texas
  • Lee Ellingson, Church of the Nazarene, Uxbridge Massachusetts
  • Bob Feitl, Richland Bible Church, Richland Michigan
  • David Fletcher, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Brian Foster, Central Baptist Church, Hixson Tennessee
  • Doug Fox, Cornerstone Community Church, Simi Valley California
  • Russell Freeman, Resurrection Baptist Church, Schertz Texas
  • Roger Gales, Heritage Christian Fellowship, San Clemente California
  • Jeff Goodwin, High Desert Church, Victorville California
  • Rez Gopez-Sindac, ChurchExecutive Magazine, Phoenix Arizona
  • JP Gradone, The Tabernacle, Sarasota Florida
  • Earl Grant, Resurrection Baptist Church, Schertz Texas
  • Mark Green, Burke Community Church, Burke Virginia
  • Gary Gulbranson, Westminster Chapel, Bellevue Washington
  • John Grunditz, New Life Evangelical Free Church, Watertown South Dakota
  • Ken Harp, Restoration Church, Euless Texas
  • Martin Hawkins, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas Texas
  • Larry Helms, Faith Family Church, Victoria Texas
  • Brad Hennessy, Bethany Community Church, Seattle Washington
  • Vlademir Hernandes, Igreja Batista Cidade Universitaria, Vinhedo Brazil
  • Keith Hileman, Trinity Fellowship Church, Richardson Texas
  • Brett Inman, Christ Community Church, Tucson Arizona
  • Chuck Jamison, Grace Community Church, Tyler Texas
  • Mary Jammerman, Woodinville Alliance Church, Woodinville Washington
  • Bob Johnson, Chapelwood United Methodist, Houston Texas
  • Kerry Jones, Church of the Saviour, Wayne Pennsylvania
  • Keith Kline, Lake Arlington Baptist Church, Arlington Texas
  • Rick Kneeshaw, Deer Park Alliance Church, Red Deer Alberta Canada
  • Jim Kuykendall, Cross Timbers Community Church, Argyle Texas
  • Rodney Lara, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Chuck Larsen, Country Bible Church, Blair Nebraska
  • Ron Larson, River of Life Church, Kansas City Missouri
  • LaMonte Lawson, Mountain View Community Church, Temecula California
  • Brad Leeper, Generis Partners, Atlanta Georgia
  • Tyler Liljekvist, Ventura First Assembly of God, Ventura California
  • Joseph Linn, Redwood Chapel Community Church, Castro Valley California
  • David Lyons, MinisterSearch, Lewisville Texas
  • John McCartt, Lavon Drive Baptist Church, Garland Texas
  • Rod Mitchell, Grace Bible Church, College Station Texas
  • Buddy Mizelle, Christ Community Church, Tucson Arizona
  • Bill Northrop, South Hills Bible Chapel, McMurray Pennsylvania
  • Stuart Norton, Fellowship Bible Church, Conway Arkansas
  • Gerry Owen, Springcreek Community Church, Garland Texas
  • Burt Palmer, First United Methodist Church, Houston Texas
  • Jalli George Papaf, Christian Prayer House Ministries, Ambajipeta, Andhra Pradesh India
  • Kevin Peck, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin Texas
  • Walt Pitman, Grace Church Roseville, Roseville Minnesota
  • John Reed, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas Texas
  • Glenn Reph, Northshore Baptist Church, Bothell Washington
  • Rusty Rice, Oakwood Baptist Church, New Braunfels Texas
  • Shay Reyner, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Durham North Carolina
  • James Robeson, San Diego Community Bible Church, San Diego California
  • Cordel Robinson, Austin Christian Fellowship, Austin Texas
  • Steve Roese, Irving Bible Church, Irving Texas
  • Charles Ross, New Bethel AME Church, Lithonia Georgia
  • Mike Sanders, Washington Heights Baptist Church, Ogden Utah
  • Mark Saunders, Bay Life Church, Brandon Florida
  • Rodney Schell, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas Texas
  • Warren Schuh, Calvary Community Church, Westlake Village California
  • Jay Scott, Valley Bible Church, Pleasanton California
  • Andy Seidel, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas Texas
  • Paul Sewell, Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin Georgia
  • David Sims, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dallas Texas
  • Nicholas Smith, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold New Jersey
  • Wayne Smith, Dallas Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Mike Somers, Crossroads Community Church, Camarillo California
  • Steve Stewart, Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin Georgia
  • Frederic Stubbs, Bay Life Church, Brandon Florida
  • Steve Swadley, McKinney Fellowship Bible Church, McKinney Texas
  • Ward Tanneberg, Westminster Chapel, Bellevue Washington
  • Terry Taylor, Family Church, West Monroe Louisiana
  • Tommy Thomas, People Management Mid-South, Nashville Tennessee
  • Barry Thompson, New Hope Baptist Church, Fayetteville Georgia
  • Neil Tomba, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
  • Craig Tuck, East Cooper Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant South Carolina
  • Phillip Turner, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold New Jersey
  • Paul Utnage, Westlake Bible Church, Austin Texas
  • Dominic Verdell, New Life Evangelical Free Church, Watertown South Dakota
  • John Wells, Mountain View Community Church, Temecula California
  • Harry Whyte, Waterloo Mennonite Brethren Church, Waterloo Ontario Canada
  • Jerry Wofford, Dallas Theological Seminary, Arlington Texas
  • Don Wolfe, New Life Center Foursquare Church, Everett Washington
  • Matthew Woodford, Naperville Baptist Church, Naperville Illinois

Schedule

Wednesday, January 12

9:00 Registration
Coffee, donuts & fruit
9:30 Welcome
9:45 The Five Functions of Leading and Managing the Church by David Fletcher
Presentation on “Administrator” & “Catalyst” with Andy Seidel as guest expert on Administration
10:15 Small Group Discussion: “Administrator” & “Catalyst”
10:45 Break
11:00 Presentation on “Mentor,” “Minister” & “Overseer” with Jerry Wofford as guest expert on Overseer
11:15 Small Group Discussion – creation of one line statements of individual strengths within the Five Functions. Make your own XP-I chart & post on wall.
11:45 Large Group Discussion with Nathan Baxter, Warren Schuh & Neil Tomba – moderated by David Fletcher.
Citation of people by strength of Five Functions.
Noon Lunch Discussion
Extended interactive discussion led by Sr. Pastor Neil Tomba. Paul Taylor, Senior Pastor of Liberty Church, will join Neil. The morning presented an XP’s view of leading and managing, but what does the Senior Pastor desire for the church? Get out of step with your Senior Pastor and prepare to pack your bags. The Senior Pastor is the one who casts vision, but the XP also has vision. What is the balance? Who is the “boss?”
Included in the Seminar is this catered lunch by Macaroni Grill.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #1: Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship – A Mega-Church without an XP. The case-study method, used by Harvard Business School and many others, has an in-depth study of one or two exemplary “cases” that serve as models for ministry. By comparing and contrasting ministries, effective patterns and practices can be observed. Interactive discussion will allow you the opportunity to share your story and learn from other attendees. These leaders are tough and innovative. You may not “buy” everything you hear, but you will be challenged to think!
1:45 Small Group Discussion: “My Recommendations to Oak Cliff”
2:15 Large Group Discussion with Dr. Martin Hawkins, Assistant Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, led by David Fletcher
2:45 Break
3:00 Case Study #2: Liberty Church – The Desire for a Volunteer Driven Church. Interview with Senior Pastor Paul Taylor by David Fletcher
3:15 Small Group Discussion: “How would I implement change at Liberty?”
3:45 Large Group Discussion “How the plan was implemented and the role of the XP” with Senior Pastor Paul Taylor & XP Nathan Baxter of Liberty Church, moderated by David Fletcher
4:15 Recap of the Day with Nathan Baxter, Warren Schuh & Neil Tomba – moderated by David Fletcher
4:30 Break for the evening. You are on your own for dinner and the evening. Suggestion: take an XP to dinner and extend the case-study discussion.

Thursday, January 13

9:00 Coffee, donuts & fruit
9:30 Welcome & Review of Wednesday
9:45 Small Group Discussion “Is it easy to describe your role?” Most XPs say ‘no!’ Build & enhance your job description. Improve your ability to handle tender topics … Power in the church: who has it and who wants it? How to use third party resources to objectify the discussion. The XP position: improve how you explain what you do and why you do it. So the Senior Pastor understands your role, but does the governing board or people of the church? Compensation: you may set the salary for others, but who sets yours? Can you articulate your accomplishments? Ministry: what is the balance of personal ministry for the XP? Do you know how to pull back? Enhance your skills at explaining why your church needs an XP. Learn the signs of Senior Pastor burnout. See the historical trend in America for the central role of great preaching. Create the “Wall of Words.”
11:00 Break
11:15 Large Group Discussion of the role of the XP with Nathan Baxter, Warren Schuh & Neil Tomba, moderated by David Fletcher
11:45 Break
12:00 Break-out Lunch: On the first morning of the Seminar you can sign up to meet in small groups with the instructors and facilitators. Or, you can meet with new colleagues from the Seminar. How can I get more education as an XP? By John Reed. XPs of medium sized churches with Nathan Baxter. XPs of mega-churches with Warren Schuh. Senior Pastors and XPs with Neil Tomba. Further discussion of the basics of being an XP with David Fletcher. Serving on a staff under an XP with Rodney Lara. Meet with other XPs & Senior Pastors as desired. Included in the seminar is this box lunch catered by Corner Bakery.
1:15 Break
1:30 Case Study #3: The Challenge of the Instant Mega-Church. Introduction of Stonebriar Church & David Chavanne by David Fletcher
1:45 Small Group Discussion
2:15 Large Group Discussion with David Chavanne, moderated by David Fletcher
2:45 Break
3:00 Case Study #4: Irving Bible Church with Steve Roese
3:30 Small Group Discussion
4:00 Large Group Discussion with Steve Roese, moderated by David Fletcher
4:30 Break
5:30 Texas Barbeque Dinner and Discussion with Elders of various churches. Does your governing board have Elders, Deacons, Trustees or a Bishop? Regardless of your church polity, the XP needs to interact with the governing board. This dinner will be our opportunity to hear from Elders about their perceptions of the XP role. Included in the Seminar is this dinner catered by Dickeys.
7:00 Conclusion

Sponsors

Generis-2015-600Thanks to our friends at Generis Partners for being a sponsor of the XP-Seminar. Generis says about itself: True giving is a deeply transformative act. And at Generis, we believe it’s less about raising capital and more about raising the spiritual consciousness of a people. When that happens, organizations – and individuals – are free to realize their ultimate purpose and potential. We know because we’ve witnessed this on a powerful scale. Since 1998, in fact, we’ve directed more of the top giving campaigns among the nation’s churches than anyone else. Also, thanks to the help that Brad Leeper from Generis is giving during the conference. These folks have a great servant spirit – get to know them!

Promotional Sponsor

Thanks to ChurchStaffing for being a sponsor and agreeing to publicize XP-101. Thanks for their putting the Seminar on their website with 3000+ visitors a day, 5400+ resumes, 750+ jobs on file and weekly e-mails to thousands of pastors.

Evaluations & Feedback

“Things I loved”

  • Meeting XPs from around the world.
  • Lunch with Sr. Pastors-their vulnerability and openness.
  • Really enjoyed the Oak Cliff case.
  • Understanding the 5 Functions.
  • David’s facilitating, drawing people out.
  • Networking. Case Studies. Pre-work. Planning. Organization. Communication.
  • The book recommendations after each segment.
  • The wealth of information provided.
  • Andy Seidel’s presentation was excellent!
  • Small group discussions were synergistic!
  • I enjoyed the dialogue between David and Neil.
  • The description of the XP role.
  • Senior Pastors, side-by-side with XPastors, answering questions about their relationships.
  • Openness, vulnerability of speakers.
  • Real live people talking & answering questions after we have discussed their cases.
  • Neil’s personal touch and sharing.
  • I love the case study approach.
  • I benefited from meeting with Senior Pastors.
  • Contact with a real catalyst helped to move categories of expectations.
  • A mix of seasoned pastors provided opportunity for real interaction.
  • Steve Roese’s perspective was very thought-provoking and challenging.
  • Our group discussion with peers was excellent, wide-ranging & specific. Great diversity.
  • Meals-today’s and yesterday’s were great.

“My Comments”

  • Excellent conference!
  • I am committed to helping you build this.
  • Thanks so much for creating this venue to help me do my job! I’m fairly new in the role and it has been a big help, especially the 5 Functions.
  • Let’s do this again.
  • The seminar was fabulous! I feel called to serve in an XP position and this seminar has taught me a great deal about the position.
  • Glad I came.
  • Time with Neil and the Senior Pastors was excellent.
  • I look forward to “determine your own agenda” for Thursday morning.
  • If you need another pair of hands to assist in subsequent seminars, consider me a volunteer.
  • What a fantastic opportunity! There is a great bond that is created when XPs from all over the nation (and Canada) come together to share and learn from one another.
  • Assumption that XPs are intelligent and can chart a mature course at this event. A high caliber of case study presentation.
  • Great to have David Chavanne share the inside dynamics of starting the third service at Stonebriar.
  • The Thursday morning discussion exceeded my expectations.
  • I thank God for the opportunity to be here these two days. It has been a great privilege. The time I spent here was very valuable.

“Things I Would Change”

  • Love to go deeper in the 5 Functions and more explanation of XP-Indicator.
  • Have more days for the conference.
  • Not a change; would you consider brining this conference to New Jersey?
  • Would love to have a resource list of key “volunteer” XPs who would say they are “experts” on three areas that would be available to help other XPs as a resource. Add a forum to the website.
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