2022 Breakouts
60+ hours of practical youth ministry training in six breakout blocks.
Click on any of the dates and times below to see a list of some of the specific breakout sessions that we are offering at Conclave. Don’t worry – we offer MP3 audio recordings onsite for any of the sessions that you are unable to make!
-
TITLE: Small Budget, Big Youth Ministry
DESCRIPTION: Using limited resources to make a maximum impact on the lives of students.
LEADER: Josh Meadows, Spring Valley Baptist Church, Springville, AL
ROOM: 2
TITLE: Leading Student Ministry During a National Crisis
DESCRIPTION: A national crisis can be a ministry challenge for students. Each decade seems to have something that rattles our rhythm for ministry and how we approach life and ministry. In this season, we will unpack some ways to engage with others digitally, how to shift our ministry plans without drifting in our philosophy of student ministry, and how to move forward both redemptively and safely to make disciples.
LEADER: Dr. Jody Dean, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, LA
ROOM: 7
TITLE: Boundaries for Better Ministry: Self Care for Student Pastors
DESCRIPTION: Boundaries can save your ministry. Learn how caring for yourself through healthy boundaries is essential for the student pastor to have a lasting ministry.
LEADER: Dr. Tate Cockrell, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
ROOM: 8
TITLE: Are You a Professional or a Slacker?
DESCRIPTION: Has anyone ever asked you, “So, what do you actually do all day?” Some view student ministry as all games and pizza. Learn how to strengthen your executive skills and professionalism and avoid being viewed as a slacker. Time management, communication effectiveness, and task efficiency can improve your quality of life and your role on the team.
LEADER: Ricky Smith, Calvary Baptist Church, Columbus, GA
ROOM: 9
TITLE: The Hand Off: Transitioning Well with Children’s and College Ministers
DESCRIPTION: Transitions are an important but volatile time in the life of a student. How we help students adapt to new environments is essential. In this session, we will look at practical ways to help children and students move forward to the next area of ministry in your church.
LEADER: Jeff Borton, Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, TN
ROOM: 10
TITLE: Leading Above the Work Week
DESCRIPTION: The fast pace of ministry can lead us down a path of only chasing the daily grind of necessary tasks—never seeing far enough out to get your head above water. This almost always leads to burnout and job dissatisfaction. In this session, we’ll talk about what it takes to get above the daily grind and into a place of strategic, long-range thinking, as well as personal health, that contributes to longevity in your role.
LEADER: Zac Workun, Lifeway Christian Resources, Nashville, TN
ROOM: 11
TITLE: Overcoming Barriers of Gender, Sexuality, and Parental Concerns in Mobilizing Students
DESCRIPTION: Gender identifiers, new sexual norms, and parents’ roles are three of the rising cultural issues our students face. Research shows that these are major barriers to a students’ understanding and participation in missions. Leaders understanding these barriers and how to address them is the key to creating your missional pipeline and raising healthy missional students. Let’s talk about what we need to address, how to prevent these issues from turning into roadblocks, and some tools you need in your missions toolbox.
LEADER: Sarah Farley, International Mission Board, Atlanta, GA
ROOM: 16
TITLE: The Youth Pastor’s Family
DESCRIPTION: Your family may be just you and your spouse or maybe you, your spouse, and kids. Regardless, you want to have a family that loves Jesus, loves one another, and loves the church. In this breakout we’ll talk about the different seasons of the youth pastor’s family life.
LEADERS: Chris and Wendy Trent, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Duluth, GA
ROOM: 17
TITLE: Building a Volunteer Team
DESCRIPTION: I NEED HELP! Student ministry is a daunting task, and you can’t (and shouldn’t) do it alone! In this breakout, we will look at practical ways to build a volunteer team to help you reach students in your church and community!
LEADER: Ryan Keaton, First Baptist Church, Lexington, TN
ROOM: 18
TITLE: Ministering to the Smartphone Generation
DESCRIPTION: How do we help our students wisely navigate today’s digital world? How do we equip our parents to stay involved in the digital lives of their teenagers? How do we create some healthy boundaries with technology in our ministries? In this seminar, we’ll address these questions and talk about how to leverage the benefits of technology while avoiding some of the pitfalls. Whether you lead teenagers at church or in your home, this breakout will give you the tools you need to help teenagers make wise choices as they navigate today’s digital world.
LEADER: Jamie Willis & Chris Hargrove, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
ROOM: 19
-
TITLE: Every Student Making Disciples
DESCRIPTION: The mandate to make disciples is for all believers no matter age or stage. It is time for leaders to empower and release their students to live out The Great Commission. This breakout will help to develop a vision for and focus on the why, what, and how of making disciple makers.
LEADER: Dr. Todd Sanders, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK
ROOM: 11
TITLE: Preaching with Purpose
DESCRIPTION: Dr. Ed Newton will be sharing with us stories and insights about preparing our sermons and delivering them in a powerful way. He has many years of experience preaching to youth all across the world and is passionate about young people hearing the gospel preached to them. You’ll leave this mega breakout encouraged and inspired to reach the youth in your community.
LEADER: Ed Newton, Ed Newton Ministries, San Antonio, TX
ROOM: 12
TITLE: Vision for Life
DESCRIPTION: In this breakout, we will discover how to help students clarify their calling before they transition from college.
LEADER: Dave Rhodes
ROOM: 13
TITLE: Worship Leadership in Student Ministry
DESCRIPTION: Rush of Fools will be discussing what is important in worship ministry and how to engage your students.
LEADER: Rush of Fools
ROOM: 14
TITLE: 10 Things Leaders Need to Know About Reaching, Discipling, and Mobilizing Generation Z
DESCRIPTION: What do we need to know about the least-religious generation the States has ever seen? Less than 30% say religion is important to them, while over 80% say living a self-fulfilled life is very important. Yet they’re discovering the hard way that fulfillment can’t be found in self, while also trying to navigate a broken world. Think about what this generation has already faced during the formative years of life – the Great Recession of 2008, and COVID-19. They know brokenness all too well, so how can the church effectively communicate hope to a generation, and disciple a generation? In this interactive breakout, we discuss what is the same about this generation, what is unique about this generation, and the 10 things leaders need to know about reaching them.
LEADER: Shane Pruitt, North American Mission Board, Alpharetta, GA
ROOM: 15
-
TITLE: New Youth Pastor Lunch and Learn
DESCRIPTION: This exclusive luncheon is only for those who pre-registered and paid in advance. Gain insights from a veteran on how to lay a foundation for sustainable ministry.
LEADER: Seth Buckley, Spartanburg First Baptist, Spartanburg, SC
ROOM: 4
-
TITLE: Wives’ Breakout Part 1: Zooming Out
DESCRIPTION: When the spotlight is bright and it feels like everyone is watching, it’s easy to get squinty-eyed, hyper-focus on here-and-now minutia, and forget the eternal goal you are working toward. Sister, nothing will sap your strength and enthusiasm faster! Don’t let the perceived need to please others reduce your precious life to a performance or make your ministry into a chore. Join us backstage, take some deep breaths, and recapture the joy of your salvation by looking at your life from God’s perspective. Good news: Pleasing Him is surprisingly simple!
LEADER: Angela Sanders, AngelaSandersWrites.com, Oklahoma City, OK
ROOM: 2
TITLE: Great Commission Apologetics
DESCRIPTION: How do you teach apologetics? What method should you use? How do you teach apologetics that lead students to have a confident faith? How do you help them use apologetics in evangelism? In this breakout, you will find the answers to these questions to help you lead your students to use apologetics for the Great Commission.
LEADER: Jacob Dunn, Valley Creek Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, KY
ROOM: 7
TITLE: Small Budget, Big Youth Ministry
DESCRIPTION: Using limited resources to make a maximum impact on the lives of students.
LEADER: Josh Meadows, Spring Valley Baptist Church, Springville, AL
ROOM: 8
TITLE: Developing and Implementing Vision
DESCRIPTION: Are you having difficulty discovering or articulating the purpose of your ministry? Do you struggle to make changes to your ministry because it is met with too much resistance? What so many ministries are missing is a clear and specific vision communicated well to their people. In this session, we will discuss the development and implementation of that vision for your ministry.
LEADER:Justin and Bridget Caton , Taylor Road Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL
ROOM: 9
TITLE: Partnering with Parents
DESCRIPTION: Sometimes our student ministries can have a love/hate relationship with parents. We would love for them to stay out of the way, and we hate it when they complain and criticize. But what if we could actually partner with parents in such a way that it’s a win for everyone: for students, for parents and for the whole student ministry? In this seminar, we’ll look at what it means to have a healthy parent ministry that equips parents to be the spiritual leaders in their homes and empowers them to be some of your best volunteers. We’ll also talk about some practical steps you can implement to build a healthy ministry to the parents of teenagers in your church.
LEADER: Jamie Willis, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
ROOM: 10
TITLE: Together We Lead: How You Integrate Leadership with Administration
DESCRIPTION: Each week you have a team of volunteers to lead while resources have to be administered in the ministry. You find yourself managing events while your passion for equipping leaders is diminished. We will discuss how you lead from a biblical perspective but manage the administrative aspects that challenge your time and energy.
LEADER: Dr. Jody Dean, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, LA
ROOM: 11
TITLE: Theology and Student Ministry
DESCRIPTION: As students mature and take ownership of their faith, it’s crucial for them to learn what they believe and why they believe it. Beyond simply cementing their doctrinal convictions, the trajectory of their lives will largely be determined by what they believe about God. This session will explore why we should teach them theology, how we should teach them theology, and what we should teach them about theology.
LEADER: Dr. Scott Pace, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
ROOM: 12
TITLE: Boundaries for Better Ministry: Self Care for Student Pastors
DESCRIPTION: Boundaries can save your ministry. Learn how caring for yourself through healthy boundaries is essential for the student pastor to have a lasting ministry.
LEADER: Dr. Tate Cockrell, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
ROOM: 13
TITLE: Lost Boys? Becoming a Youth Ministry that Helps Guys Thrive
DESCRIPTION: Look around you. Studies show that young men are falling behind in dozens of cultural metrics. Worse, they’re falling behind in their faith. But this doesn’t have to be the case. This interactive workshop will help equip and empower you to build a youth ministry where your teenage guys aren’t left behind.
LEADER: Andy Blanks, Iron Hill Press, Birmingham, AL
ROOM: 14
TITLE: Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership
DESCRIPTION: Fewer and fewer young people are going into vocational ministry and missions. Many seminaries and bible colleges have seen continual decline in enrollment. Why is that? What can we as leaders do to turn this trend around? In this breakout out – we’ll look at what a biblical calling to ministry leadership is, practical ways to “call out the called”, and then we’ll talk about practical ways to disciple those called to ministry leadership.
LEADER: Shane Pruitt, North American Mission Board, Alpharetta, GA
ROOM: 15
-
TITLE: Wives’ Breakout Part 2: Zooming In
DESCRIPTION: Once in a while, we all need to take a step back, rest, refocus and readjust our grip on reality, but then it’s “go time.” Daughters of the Great I AM, we have an eternal Kingdom to advance, and we can’t do that in isolation. Our individual assignments may vary, but the calling is to the same. Simple, but messy, it takes us places we’d rather not be, introduces us to people we’d rather not spend time with, and demands action we’d rather not perform, but that’s where miracles happen. At the end of ourselves, we’ve nothing but God to offer. Come learn how to recognize opportunity in both the merry and mundane and live a life that echoes into eternity!
LEADER: Angela Sanders, AngelaSandersWrites.com, Oklahoma City, OK
ROOM: 2
TITLE: Engaging the Culture
DESCRIPTION: Students are bombarded with so many messages from culture that many are looking for answers to difficult questions. How can you lead your students to find answers to these questions? In this breakout, you will get equipped to provide answers to your students’ questions to help them follow Jesus and share their faith.
LEADER: Jacob Dunn, Valley Creek Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, KY
ROOM: 7
TITLE: Creating a Missions Culture
DESCRIPTION: Whether it is long term, short term, or missional living, the Church is called to be missional with the truth of the Gospel. How do we intentionally develop this mindset in the season of life that students find themselves in that will grow and become vibrant for a lifetime? During our time together, we will discuss practical steps every leader can take to build a culture of missions in your church.
LEADERS: Terrance Andrews, Westmeade Baptist Church, Decatur, AL
ROOM: 8
TITLE: 3 Questions to Ask About Middle Schoolers
DESCRIPTION: Middle Schoolers! They’re those loud, awkward, talkative, and incredible awesome group of students in your youth group that you are trying to figure out what to do with them. No matter how big the youth group, middle school students matter, and they play a huge role in our ministries. This group of students need people in their lives who can walk with them and lead them in these foundational years. When we figure out who they are, how we can help them grow, and a few practical steps on what to do now, it’ll help our ministry to these great people!
LEADER: Chris Hargrove, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
ROOM: 9
TITLE: Partnering with Parents
DESCRIPTION: Sometimes our student ministries can have a love/hate relationship with parents. We would love for them to stay out of the way, and we hate it when they complain and criticize. But what if we could actually partner with parents in such a way that it’s a win for everyone: for students, for parents and for the whole student ministry? In this seminar, we’ll look at what it means to have a healthy parent ministry that equips parents to be the spiritual leaders in their homes and empowers them to be some of your best volunteers. We’ll also talk about some practical steps you can implement to build a healthy ministry to the parents of teenagers in your church.
LEADER: Jamie Willis, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
ROOM: 10
TITLE: Counseling Students through Their Struggles
DESCRIPTION: What is our plan when students share their struggles with us? Learn some counseling techniques to help students through things such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, etc. Take home some tangible strategies that can benefit when helping your students through their struggle.
LEADER: Michael Bozeman, Pathways Professional Counseling, Birmingham, AL
ROOM: 11
TITLE: Event Planning that Matters
DESCRIPTION: Events in youth ministry are a powerful tool, achieving outcomes that our normal activities and processes simply cannot. But too many times we are so busy with juggling events that we can’t even breathe, let alone celebrate, before we start with our tasks for the next event. This breakout will discuss how we set up events, and more importantly our people, for success. We will be taking a deep dive into the practical and the philosophical. You will walk away with a paradigm shift and equipped with tools to ensure your events are driving the mission of your ministry forward.
LEADERS: Cameron Wilkins, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Duluth, GA
ROOM: 12
TITLE: Infusing Spiritual Life in Teenagers by Discipling the Congregation
DESCRIPTION: Adults cannot take teenagers places spiritually they have not been. This session will present plans for discipling parents, volunteers, and the congregation.
LEADER: Dr. Richard Ross, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX
ROOM: 13
TITLE: Longevity in Ministry
DESCRIPTION: Can you be too old to serve in youth ministry? We don’t think so, but if you feel called to serve in youth ministry for a lifetime, there are a few things you’re going to need to be prepared for along the journey. In this session, Chris & Jody will talk about life and ministry lessons they’ve learned that will help you experience longevity in youth ministry.
LEADERS: Jody Livingston, High Desert Church, Atlanta, GA and Chris Trent, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Duluth, GA
ROOM: 14
TITLE: Developing Student Leaders
DESCRIPTION: Every student ministry needs great student leaders. In this session, we will look at ways to reach, equip, walk, and celebrate with students called to lead their peers, who will ultimately lead the church, who will eventually lead the world. We will discuss research, practical tips, and biblical insight to help you think through how you can invest in the leaders you already have and how to develop new ones.
LEADER: Mac Johnson, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, TN
ROOM: 15
-
TITLE: Couples’ Breakout: Yours + Mine = His
DESCRIPTION: With so many marriages in trouble these days—even in ministerial circles—the temptation to grasp tightly what God has given us, protect it, analyze it, work on it, shine it up, and ration it out according to our own wisdom is strong. Although our intentions are good, we could, like the timid steward, find ourselves on the receiving end of rebuke one day if we aren’t careful. Marriage is a gift from God imagined and instituted for His glory. Come learn how to return to God what He has given you to experience the joy, freedom, confidence, inspiration, and energy that come with investing freely in the eternal!
LEADER: Todd & Angela Sanders, Falls Creek, Davis, OK/AngelaSandersWrites.com, Oklahoma City, OK
ROOM: 2
TITLE: Creating Events, Environments, and Experiences Your Students Won’t Want to Miss
DESCRIPTION: Do you ever look around and ask yourself, “Where is everybody?” Ever wonder why it feels so difficult for your ministry to gain any real traction with students? It’s probably not breaking news to learn that teenagers are busier and more distracted than ever. By most estimates, a “regular attendee” is defined as a student who shows up around 1.7 times each month. On top of that, recent studies suggest that teenagers are dropping out of the church in record numbers with 80% saying they’re doing so simply because they’ve lost interest or stopped seeing church as important to their life. In this breakout, we’ll look at some practical steps every youth ministry can take to address these issues, cut through the noise, evaluate current programming, and start creating things that teenagers won’t want to miss.
LEADER: Kerry Ray, YM360.com, Birmingham, AL
ROOM: 7TITLE: Developing and Discipling Internships
DESCRIPTION: We will discuss implementing an internship program and maximizing your time of discipleship with your intern.
LEADER: Spencer Jones, First Baptist Church, Trussville, AL
ROOM: 8
TITLE: Celebrating Redeemed Stories: Ministering to Single Parent Families
DESCRIPTION: Student Ministry is Family Ministry. Part of our job as student ministers is equipping parents to be the primary disciple-makers in the home. What do you do when divorce and family strife occurs in the home of a student? Learn from a mother-son duo, both in student ministry, on what we learned when brokenness entered our family story. We will share how we responded, what we saw God do in our family, and how you can minister to those with similar stories.
LEADER: Merrie Johnson and Mac Johnson, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Cary, NC/Brentwood Baptist Church Brentwood, TN
ROOM: 9
TITLE: Networking Across State Lines
DESCRIPTION: Have you ever wondered what others are doing in their ministries in other states, or even in other areas of your state? Join us as we seek to have conversations about ministry in different contexts. The goal of this breakout is simply to brainstorm and discuss what has worked, what didn’t work, and what might work in your ministry. Bring your ideas and share them with others on the front lines of student ministry.
LEADER: Stevie Franks, Grace City Church, Jackson, MS
ROOM: 10
TITLE: Counseling Students through Their Struggles
DESCRIPTION: What is our plan when students share their struggles with us? Learn some counseling techniques to help students through things such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, etc. Take home some tangible strategies that can benefit when helping your students through their struggle.
LEADER: Michael Bozeman, Pathways Professional Counseling, Birmingham, AL
ROOM: 11
TITLE: Effective Campus Ministry
Description: How often do you engage your local campus? In this breakout, you’ll find practical tools to effectively minister and engage with your local school.
LEADER: Corey Watson, First Baptist Church, Simpsonville, SC
ROOM: 16
TITLE: Effective Student Ministry in the Rural Church
DESCRIPTION: The rural church setting is truly amazing. Small, intimate, and strong. Churches dot this nation all over the rural countryside. Families are faithful and serve the community in all areas, especially in the church. Students are a huge part of this. We will look at ways we can minister to them effectively and efficiently, even without WiFi! Ministry may look different out in the country, but nevertheless, it is all about building the Kingdom.
LEADER: Tim Johnson, Fair River Baptist Church; Brookhaven, MS
ROOM: 17
TITLE: The Digital Church
DESCRIPTION: Technology continues to change the landscape of society, including the Church. Gen Z will have a much different “church” experience than even the generation before them. No technology can replace the importance of gathering physically as the Church. Still, there are many tools that we can utilize to create high-quality, disciple-making digital content for our students.
LEADER: Alex Butner, First Baptist Church, Garner, NC
ROOM: 18
TITLE: Conviction and Compassion in a Confused Culture
DESCRIPTION: Equipping students to balance biblical convictions and Christlike compassion for their LGBT+ neighbors.
LEADER: Kevin Hash, Versailles Baptist Church, Versailles, KY
ROOM: 19