Debi is the Executive Director of Adult Discipleship and Catalyst Ministry for the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, where she has been a part of Adam Hamilton’s staff for 16 years. She is passionate about church renewal and has written a new curriculum for local churches called CATCH: Connecting and Attracting Visitors and the companion book, Catch a New Life. She will be our keynote speaker and lead a workshop around this new curriculum.

 

As a church, we are called to be outwardly focused. In this CATCH program you will get a grand-scope view of the strategies and tools used at Church of the Resurrection to attract and connect with the un-churched in their community, plus get ideas

 

 

Many of our local church teachers are answering the call to lead various classes and groups such as Sunday School, ALPHA, Disciple, youth groups and more, but they don’t necessarily have the exegetical skills to teach others what the Bible really means. Come and learn how to get the most out of your Bible so you can teach others to do the same.

Led by Rev. Dr. Deborah Appler, Associate Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Moravian Theological Seminary, and an elder in the EPA Conference.

 

Change is hard for local churches today, especially when it comes to worship style.  And yet some are doing it remarkably well, and growing! You will see Ricky’s passion for various forms and styles of worship and he will share his learning around preaching, music, laity/clergy involvement, accomplishments, pitfalls and expectations from his transition experience.

 

“Creation care” is more than a trendy cliché in this 21st century; there is also a biblical imperative for us to protect the earth. As disciples of Jesus Christ, are we being the best stewards we can be of God’s good earth? Come and learn what we are called to do and how to develop a creation care effort within your congregation.

 

In the midst of the clamor, the noise, the distractions of our culture and this world, so many are longing to find ways to ‘go deeper’ with God; to be in intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It is essential that local churches develop meaningful opportunities to increase followers’ personal spirituality as they strive to satisfy this innate hunger.