Topics
The Big Ideas our presenters will be addressing in our main sessions.
Unchristian – how you shape (and solve) Christianity’s image crisis
David Kinnaman
Christianity has an image problem. Millions of young people say that Christianity has forgotten its heartbeat; it has lost its mission to serve those outside the church. Christians are described as unChristian – as no longer like Jesus intended. This talk would examine the nature of the “image” problem as well as the real underlying issues, how Christians have contributed to the negative perceptions, and how to live as winsome, engaged, and biblical Christ followers in a skeptical culture.
The Truth About Mass Evangelism – why small is big when it comes to evangelism
David Kinnaman
Christians often take cues from the wrong sources, making evangelism a quantifiable, almost business-like transaction. Yet, mass evangelism rarely produces a massive number of disciples. This paradigm-shifting session explores the “think small” mentality, and helps you apply this biblical approach to your church and relationships. In fact, without this “think small” perspective, you can do more harm than good. Learn practical and inspiring examples of how to make a lasting, deep difference in people’s lives by simply doing what God puts in your path.
“I Can” Evangelism
Elisa Morgan
When Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” he meant it. There is no “Plan B”. We can all share our faith in real and everyday ways, “twinkling” like stars in a dark world that desperately needs the light of Jesus. Based on Philippians 2:15-17, Elisa will guide us past the “I Can’ts” (“I don’t know the answers, I have a tiny light…) of lifestyle evangelism towards the “I Cans” (I can be a friend, I can never give up). Together we’ll discover, “Yes, we can!”
Be the Brand
Elisa Morgan
Dave Kinnaman’s excellent book, unChristian describes the bad image of Christians in our world today. Learn to turn around this negative perception by “being the brand” of Jesus in your everyday.
The Cultural Context for Conversation
Todd Hunter
The modern world loved and valued its experts; you could even say we have come to demand them. In the Christendom world, the church sat at the center of society as the trusted expert on God, morality, society, etc. Both modernity and Christendom are giving way to postmodern and post-Christian realities. These shifts call for new ways of doing evangelism—more conversational, less one-way communication. It is not so much that “truth” is up for grabs these days…but “how people come to truth” is changing. Even when important things are shaking, the Kingdom of God is never at risk. God faithfully called and equipped his people in the pre-modern and modern world. We can be sure he will do the same in the postmodern world. In this session we will learn to stand in that flow—to contextualize without compromise.
Engaging Spiritual Seekers in Life-Changing Conversations
Garry Poole
Spiritual seekers need a safe place where they can explore the claims of Christianity at their own pace. Within this context, seekers can openly discuss spiritual questions, express their true thoughts and emotions, and discover for themselves what the Bible has to say about life today. In this session, you’ll learn about this innovative, counter-intuitive approach that effectively enables you and everyone in your ministry to engage seekers in life-changing conversations.
Busting The Myth of Pre Evangelism
Randy Siever
Pre-evangelism is an insider term, used mostly by evangelists like me in recent decades to describe any effort to find an “opening” for the verbal presentation of the Gospel. This would include the building of relationships with people you don’t know, praying for the lost, various random (but intentional) acts of kindness, etc. Apparently these don’t qualify as real evangelism – or do they?
The people we call Non Christians think of themselves more as Outsiders. Many members of the Kinnaman Cohort (ages 16-29) have this sense that we are “in” and they are “out”
In the Outsiders Interview we’ll hear directly from them. They’ll tell us how they feel about Christians, Church and Christianity.
You’ll discover insights that will help you relate to young people – Insiders and Outsiders.
In this excerpt taken from a recent Outsiders Interview, Mike (a non Christian Barista working in a coffee shop owned by a Christian) talks about the Christians who impact him and those who don’t.
Is This What Jesus Told You Guys To Do?
Jim Henderson and Matt Casper
In 2007 Matt Casper, who “happens to be an Atheist”, accompanied Jim Henderson on a whirlwind tour of some of the best and least known churches in America. After visiting the cream of the crop of churches Casper was confused. He turned to Jim and asked one simple question. Is this what Jesus told you guys to do? Jim leads Off The Map, which provides direct feedback from the people Jesus misses most (seekers, unchurched, lost, agnostics,atheists) to pastors, church leaders and ordinary Christians. Instead of assuming we know what people like Casper think of us and our attempts to connect with them, why not ask? Join Jim and Casper as they read from their book and take your questions. Maybe you can help Jim try and answer Casper’s Question.