60+ hours of practical youth ministry training you can access all year long.
Before we put this year’s breakouts listed online, you can use this list to get a feel for what Conclave breakouts are like.
10 Attributes of an Unshakable Ministry
The best ministries remain unshaken when unexpected trials arrive. We need to be intentional to build our ministries on unshakable ideas that will help them remain strong no matter what circumstances come. This session covers 10 essential areas to evaluate in your ministry to assess your shakability factor.
Leader: Chuck Peters, Lifeway Christian Resources, Nashville, TN
Room: E | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
How to Partner with Parents Instead of Trying to Replace Them
One of the most eƯective ways to impact students is to impact their parents. Let’s move beyond simply telling parents, “Church leaders should not be your teen’s primary disciple; you should be,” and explore eƯective ways to empower and equip parents to embrace this important, God-given calling.
Leader: Shane Pruitt, North American Mission Board, Dallas, TX
Room: F | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Stop Reacting: Build Systems That Actually Work
Always putting out fires? Build simple systems and rhythms that move your ministry from reactive to intentional.
Leader: Jody Livingston, LifePoint Church, Smyrna, TN
Room: G | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Ready for What’s Next: Youth Ministry to College Ministry
Take a deep dive into helping students carry their faith beyond graduation. We’ll discuss how to bridge the gap between youth ministry and college ministry, build a strong handoff, and prepare students to thrive spiritually from their first day on a college campus.
Leader: Blake Grundy, Louisiana State University BCM, Baton Rouge, LA
Room: 2 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Make It About Jesus: Preaching That Connects with Students
It’s easy to rely on games, hype, or entertainment—but week after week, preaching God’s Word plays a central role in shaping students’ lives. This breakout will help you reclaim the importance of preaching and give you a clear, practical framework for working through the text and applying it in a Christ-centered way that connects with students’ real lives.
Leader: Joe Yarbrough, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Hixson, TN
Room: 3 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
The Four Conversations Every Youth Pastor Is Always Having
Students want to belong. Parents want to trust you. Volunteers want a compelling invitation. Senior leadership wants to believe in you. Same youth pastor, four completely different conversations. In this breakout, we’ll walk through what it takes to know, lead, and serve every audience in your ministry well.
Leader: Chris Hargrove, Biltmore Baptist Church, Arden, NC
Room: 4 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Financial Freedom for Ministers: Stewardship, Savings, and Success
This session covers practical strategies for ministers on budgeting, paying off debt, saving for retirement, and navigating ministerial tax issues. Gain tools to steward your finances well, achieve financial freedom, and ensure long-term financial stability for yourself and your ministry.
Leader: Chandler Cockrell, Guidestone, Dallas, TX
Room: 5 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Breakout TBD
Leader: Send Relief
Room: 6 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Leading Through Change Without Losing Your People
Every student pastor knows something needs to change, but leading that change without creating resistance is the real challenge. Whether adjusting programming, redefining discipleship, or raising expectations, learn to define the “why,” communicate vision effectively, and pace change in a way that builds trust.
Leader: Caleb Head, State Convention Baptists in Indiana, Martinsville, IN
Room: 11 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Tapping Into Their Influence: Equipping Students to Reach Their Friends with the Gospel
In a world where everyone can be an “influencer,” students have a unique opportunity to reach their peers with the gospel. This breakout will explore how to help students recognize the influence they already have, use it with gospel purpose, and become equipped and encouraged to share Christ with their friends where they live, learn, and connect.
Leader: Logan McKenzie, Broadway Baptist Church, Rainsville, AL
Room: 12 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
More Than a Game: The Church & Sports Betting
Sports betting is changing more than how students watch a game. It is shaping their views of money, risk, entertainment, and winning. As betting becomes increasingly normalized and marketed to young people, student ministry leaders need to understand its influence and be prepared to offer a thoughtful, gospel-centered response.
Leader: Jon LaMarque, Coosada Baptist Church, Coosada, AL
Room: 13 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
Big Ministry Attitude in a Small Ministry Setting
Leading a small ministry doesn’t require a small vision. Explore how faithfulness, a Christcentered focus, and investing in people can help small church ministries thrive. Discover how prayerful planning, self-awareness, and healthy teamwork can strengthen your ministry while avoiding burnout and the trap of comparison.
Leader: Samuel Dingler, Rentz Baptist Church, Rentz, GA
Room: 14 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
How Pain Writes Theology: Leading Students in Seasons of SuƯering
How do we walk with students through pain and suƯering when they’re silently asking, “Is God really good?” This session speaks from lived experience and honest faith.
Leader: Alecia Bryant, Lifeway Christian Resources, West Monroe, LA
Room: 15 | 3:00 – 4:15 PM Thursday
How to Properly Teach the Bible to Students
One of the most important tasks we have as Next Gen Leaders is to properly teach the Bible to students in a way that connects. Let’s talk about an effective and practical strategy to teach the Bible in a way that students can understand it and live it out.
Leader: Shane Pruitt, North American Mission Board, Dallas, TX
Room: E | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
When Change Happens to You
Change is often thrust upon you when you least expect it, in ways you never anticipated. Examples range from senior leaders announcing new initiatives to your wife telling you she is pregnant. Change happens. This seminar focuses on the personal impact of change and how to respond to it more effectively.
Leader: Jeff Iorg, SBC Executive Committee, Nashville, TN
Room: F | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Beyond Content: Cultivating Gospel Conviction and Courage in Students
Youth pastors are great at planning, preparing, and delivering biblical content. But how do we know if students are developing the conviction to live and share what they believe? Explore practical ways to cultivate gospel conviction, create opportunities for courageous faith, and build a ministry culture where evangelism is a natural expression of discipleship.
Leader: Zac Workun, Lifeway Christian Resources, Tulsa, OK
Room: G | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Better Together: You Need Your Volunteers (And They Need You!)
Great student ministries have a well-known secret: they share the work of ministry with a great team! This breakout will explore practical ways to recruit, train, and retain volunteers who are equipped to serve, committed to the ministry, and prepared to invest faithfully in the lives of students.
Leader: Marty Estes, Sand Ridge Baptist Church, Lexington, TN
Room: 2 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
From Busy to Effective: Building a Student Ministry that Disciples
Student ministry and its leaders are busy—but if we are honest, not all are effective. In this breakout, we will look at ways to cut through the noise, focus on what leads to life change, and build a ministry that prioritizes discipleship over busyness. You will walk away with a simple framework to align your time, energy, and leadership around what matters most.
Leader: Jacob Dunn, Valley Creek Baptist Church, Elizabethtown, KY
Room: 3 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Building Unbreakable Faith: Helping Teens Persevere Through Setbacks
Teenagers face growing pressure, making resilience essential for their spiritual and emotional growth. This session equips youth leaders with biblical strategies to help teens navigate failure, build perseverance, and deepen their faith. Learn how to guide students to find strength and hope in Christ, transforming setbacks into opportunities for trust and growth.
Leader: Ken Hall, Wynndale Baptist Church, Terry, MS
Room: 4 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Equipping Students to Defend the Faith: Student Ministry and Apologetics
In a culture increasingly hostile to the gospel, students must be equipped to explain and defend their faith. Apologetics should be a vital part of every student ministry that desires to prepare students to live out the gospel, respond to difficult questions, and remain faithful in the world around them.
Leader: Jacob Haywood, First Baptist Church, Portland, TN
Room: 5 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Breakout TBD
Leader: Send Relief
Room: 6 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Ministry Loops: Connecting Strategy and People Through Shepherding
Most ministries have a strategy, but a disconnect can develop between systems and the people they serve. Ministry Loops provides a framework for turning leadership pipelines and ministry strategies into intentional, repeatable shepherding moments, helping your systems support rather than replace the personal care of people.
Leader: Daniel Gibson, Missouri Baptist Convention, Jefferson City, MO
Room: 11 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Building Your Replacements: Multiplying Your Ministry
Healthy ministries multiply leaders. Discover practical ways to identify, develop, and empower others to take ownership and lead. Learn how to move from doing everything yourself to intentionally building a team prepared to share the ministry, expand its impact, and lead well whether you are present or not.
Leader: Travis Seagal, Coaling Baptist Church, Coaling, AL
Room: 12 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Strategic Parenting Ministry: How to Equip Parents to Lead Their Kids Spiritually
Most parents want to lead their kids spiritually, but many are unsure how. They don’t need more guilt; they need a clear strategy. Discover seven practical, biblically grounded, research-based practices that equip parents with a simple, repeatable roadmap for making faith formation part of everyday family life.
Leader: Jamie Willis, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
Room: 13 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Living Sent: Building a Disciple-Making Small Group Culture in Your Youth Ministry
Youth ministry doesn’t naturally drift toward disciple-making. It takes intentionality. This breakout offers practical, field-tested strategies to help transform your small group or Sunday School from a content-delivery environment into a disciple-making culture that equips students to confidently share the gospel in their everyday relationships.
Leader: Scott Sullivan, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Alpharetta, GA
Room: 14 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Where They Are: How to Reach Students on School Campuses for Jesus First and Your
Ministry Second
This session explores creative strategies for reaching students on school campuses, engaging both church kids and students far from faith. Learn how to meet students where they are and make a lasting impact beyond the walls of your church.
Leader: AJ Ruff, Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
Room: 15 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Friday
Larger Church Meet-Up
Serving in a larger church with multiple full-time youth ministry staff brings unique opportunities and challenges. This meet-up is designed for leaders serving on larger youth ministry teams to connect, share ideas, learn from one another, and discuss the realities of leading and serving alongside multiple ministry staff members.
Leader: Logan Grantham, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, GA
Leader: Chip Paul, Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Powder Springs, GA
Room: G | 12:15 – 1:30 PM Friday
Who You Say I Am
Borrowing from the title of the popular worship song, this session will explore what the Bible says about who we are as men and women of God, and how we are our most authentic selves when we embrace who God says we are.
Leader: Benjamin Quinn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
Room: 3 | 12:15 – 1:30 PM Friday
Human Development Through the Lens of Creation, Fall, and Redemption
Explore teen development through the biblical framework of creation, fall, and redemption. This breakout will consider the various areas of human development in light of God’s created design, the effects of sin and brokenness, and the hope of restoration through Christ.
Leader: Kristin Kellen, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
Room: 4 | 12:15 – 1:30 PM Friday
Immersing Students in the Big Story of God
Discover how to help students and parents cultivate spiritual wisdom and understanding by building a durable biblical framework. Learn how the big story of God equips students to process the messages of their culture and faithfully navigate life in a broken world.
Leader: Jason Engle, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
Room: 5 | 12:15 – 1:30 PM Friday
SEBTS 4th L&L TBD
Leader: SEBTS
Room: 6 | 12:15 – 1:30 PM Friday
Four Shifts Shaping Gen Alpha: What Youth Ministers Need to Know
Gen Alpha is entering student ministry in a rapidly changing world where AI, anxiety, pornography, and competing worldviews shape how they learn, relate, and form beliefs. This breakout explores four key shifts affecting this generation and offers practical ways to teach biblical truth, build trusted relationships, and partner with parents.
Leader: Shelly Melia, Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, TX
Room: E | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Every Girl Has a Story: Learning to Listen and Lead Well
This session invites leaders to see the world through teen girls’ eyes and learn how to speak hope into their struggles. We’ll talk about what weighs on them, often silently, and why truly seeing their pressures and battles is essential for meaningful discipleship.
Leader: Alecia Bryant, Lifeway Christian Resources, West Monroe, LA
Room: F | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Hey ChatGPT, Now What?
AI is already shaping how students learn, create, communicate, and seek advice. Student ministry leaders have an opportunity to help families move beyond fear toward wisdom. Explore the opportunities and dangers of AI, a biblical framework for navigating it, and practical ways to equip students and parents to use AI with wisdom, discernment, and purpose.
Leader: Josh Meadows, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, Springville, AL
Room: G | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
The Trap of Over-Imitation: Leading Well with Creativity and Originality
Student ministry has many helpful plug-and-play resources that make life easy. However, these resources may lead to complacency and stagnation. In this breakout, we’ll discuss practical ways to glorify God while keeping things fresh and original. We don’t have to “reinvent the wheel,” but we also must avoid “spinning our wheels.”
Leader: Steve McJunkins, Black Oak Baptist Church, Gary, IN
Room: 2 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
The Loneliness No One Warns You About in Youth Ministry
You’re not the only one. Learn why youth pastors feel isolated and how to build real support before burnout hits.
Leader: Jody Livingston, LifePoint Church, Smyrna, TN
Room: 3 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
The Rhythm of the Room: Crafting Every Moment with Purpose
Stop filling time and start building momentum. This breakout explores how to move beyond disconnected segments and intentionally craft each moment of your gathering for greater impact. Learn practical ways to engage the whole room and leverage every minute, from the countdown to the closing prayer, for meaningful discipleship.
Leader: Cam Wilkins, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Alpharetta, GA
Room: 4 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Borrowed Crowns: The Great Commission & Christian Leadership
The Great Commission and Christian leadership aren’t two topics. They’re one calling. Trace God’s mandate from Eden to Revelation and explore three convictions for leading your students with borrowed authority, shepherding them toward flourishing, and spreading God’s glory to every nation.
Leader: Patrick Schwartz, International Mission Board, Richmond, VA
Room: 5 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Showing Your Work and Teaching Students to Fish
Teaching God’s Word is central to student ministry, but how we teach can equip students to study the Bible for themselves. Using the pictures of “showing your work” and “teaching students to fish,” this breakout explores how to teach Scripture in ways that help students develop Bible study skills and grow in their own dependence on God’s Word.
Leader: Zach Mabry, Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters, Andrews, NC
Room: 6 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Bridging the Gaps
This breakout will help NextGen leaders identify discipleship milestones, navigate grade transitions, and partner with families from birth to high school graduation.
Leader: Paul Christensen, Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN
Room: 11 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Ministering through Personal Trauma
This breakout explores how to stay spiritually, emotionally, and ministry healthy before, during, and after personal trauma, including health crises, loss of a loved one, or other lifealtering events. Through personal stories and practical resources, we’ll discuss healing, resilience, and how God can use our experiences to prepare us to minister to others.
Leader: Aaron Sibley, First Baptist Church, Brandon, MS
Room: 12 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Building a Healthy Volunteer Culture in Student Ministry
Student ministry was never meant to be a one-person effort. Yet many youth pastors feel overwhelmed trying to do everything themselves. In this breakout, we will explore how to build a healthy volunteer culture that multiplies leadership and strengthens discipleship in your ministry.
Leader: Matt Green, Sherwood Forest Baptist Church, Rome, GA
Room: 13 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Taking the Gospel to School: Building a Gospel Club on a Public School Campus
What if your student ministry could take the gospel directly to students where they already are? Explore a practical model for establishing a gospel club on a public school campus and using it to clearly and consistently teach gospel truths to middle and high school students. Walk away with ideas you can adapt in your own community.
Leader: Kevin Hash, Versailles Baptist Church, Versailles, KY
Room: 14 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Beyond Table Setting: Cultivating Meaningful Internships for Spiritual Growth
Interns are more than extra hands. In this breakout, discover biblical principles for mentoring and empowering young leaders to serve with purpose. Learn how to move beyond taskbased involvement and create opportunities for interns to grow spiritually, use their gifts, and make a meaningful contribution to your ministry, regardless of church size.
Leader: Jason Holmes, First Baptist Church, Madison, MS
Room: 15 | 2:00 – 3:15 PM Friday
Leading Teen Girls with Truth and Trust
In a world constantly telling girls who they should be or who they can’t be, the church has a unique opportunity to disciple with truth and trust. This breakout will help you close relational gaps, build trust with girls and their parents, navigate hard conversations with confidence, and allow Scripture to shape the truths girls believe.
Leader: Amanda Mejias, Lifeway Christian Resources, Pensacola, FL
Room: E | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Fresh Calling: Leading with Passion Without Burning Out
Ministry is amazing, but it can also be exhausting. If you’ve ever felt stuck, drained, or unsure how to keep going, this session is for you. We’ll discuss how to stay passionate, lead with authenticity, and build a healthy rhythm that keeps you in ministry for the long haul. Veterans and rookies are invited!
Leader: Steve Spence, South Carolina Baptist Convention, Columbia, SC
Room: F | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Increasing Your Capacity for Greater Gospel Impact
Feeling busy but not always eƯective? This breakout explores practical ways to increase your capacity for greater gospel impact in every season of student ministry. Evaluate whether you have hit a leadership ceiling and discover actionable strategies to accomplish more in less time, lead more eƯectively, and serve faithfully without burning out.
Leader: Chris Trent, Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Alpharetta, GA
Room: G | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Flipping Volunteer Leadership Upside-Down: A Proven Strategy to Transform Your Ministry Through Empowering Your Volunteer Team
Student pastors often find themselves juggling problems, logistics, volunteers,
programming, preaching, and students all at once. This breakout provides a proven strategy
for empowering adult volunteers to take greater ownership, develop other leaders, and
strengthen your ministry while freeing you to focus more intentionally on students.
Leader: Tripp Atkinson, Church at The Mill, Moore, SC
Room: 3 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Leading and Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering
Ministry can be deeply rewarding and deeply painful. This breakout will help youth leaders trust God, stay spiritually healthy, and lead faithfully through suƯering, disappointment, criticism, and seasons when God’s plan is hard to understand.
Leader: Justin Schultz, Sandy Plains Baptist Church, Belmont, NC
Room: 4 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Sending Pipelines: Helping Students Say “Yes” to God’s Global Mission
Discover how to build a sustainable missionary sending pipeline in your youth ministry. Learn to create a culture where missions is a natural pathway for students, and explore practical tools for identifying, discipling, and launching the next generation to the nations.
Leader: Julie Peterson, International Mission Board, Richmond, VA
Room: 5 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Leading from the Second Chair: Empowering Your Influence as a Youth Worker or Volunteer
Are you a dedicated youth worker or volunteer who invests in students but often serves in a supporting role rather than as the primary leader? This session will explore biblical principles for leading from the “second chair” and help you understand how to maximize your influence and impact within your youth ministry team.
Leader: Dwayne Parker, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Jackson, MS
Room: 6 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Fooled or Formed: Who is Shaping Your Students’ Worldview?
Students are growing up in a culture increasingly hostile to the gospel and biblical truth. Faithfully teaching Scripture must include equipping students to recognize, explain, and defend a gospel-driven worldview. This breakout will explore the importance of worldview formation and practical ways to strengthen it in your ministry.
Leader: Cleve Mallory, Eastmont Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL
Room: 12 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
Parenting in Ministry: How to Parent Your Own Kids while Ministering to Everyone Else’s
Parenting your own kids while ministering to everyone else’s brings unique joys and challenges. This honest, practical breakout explores life in a ministry home, offering essential do’s and don’ts and five key tips for parenting well while faithfully serving in church leadership. Expect encouragement, practical wisdom, and meaningful conversation.
Leader: Jamie & Joy Willis, Lakewood Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA
Room: 13 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday
From Idea to Impact: Creating a Student Retreat Experience
A retreat is a vital and exciting event for student ministries. It’s full of vision, energy, and a desire for students to encounter Jesus. Yet many leaders struggle with where to begin when preparing for a retreat of their own. This session will walk through how to take a student retreat from a dream to a fully realized experience.
Leader: AJ Ruff, Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
Room: 14 | 9:00 – 10:15 AM Saturday