Workshops

Click here for a printable Workshop schedule

1-1 Microcredit in a Box
Craig Maxwell | TBA

Interactive Session speaker
Darrell Whiteman

Darrell Whiteman will be our Interactive Session speaker at the Beyond These Walls Mission Conference.

2-1 Bring the World to Your Church
Stan Self

Discover the process that set McEachern United Methodist Church and a host of other churches on a path of being strategic and significant in their outreach efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. This workshop will teach the basic plan Jesus gave his church for reaching the world. Additionally, you will receive tools that will guide you in the process of engaging your entire congregation in reaching your community, nation, and world with the good news.

3-9 Accelerating the Spread of the Gospel through Leadership Training
Wes and Joy Griffin

Equipping indigenous leaders is the single greatest leverage point for accelerating the spread of the Gospel available today. Indigenous leaders know their language and culture. They are passionately and sacrificially committed. And, they say, “Equip us and we will reach our nations.” This session explores practical strategies for equipping indigenous leaders through the International Leadership Institute, an organization that annually holds over 300 conferences for 10,000 leaders around the world.

4-9 Beyond the Food Pantry: Creating Christian Community
Rev. Nancy C. Yarnell

We can do better! A food pantry in many cases is not an adequate response for families who don’t have money for groceries. A food pantry typically is not designed to meet spiritual, emotional or social needs. Being Christ to the World calls us to provide spiritual nourishment for the soul as well as food for the body – while promoting independence, dignity and community. By offering low-income food co-operatives to poverty-line families, a church provides enough food to make a significant difference (homeless prevention) and the opportunity for the low-income food co-op members to worship together and to learn important life-skills. No more “either…or.” Create a beloved community instead of a hand-out, and watch Christ come alive!

4-1 BLESS – Reviving Your Church While Transforming Your Community
Brett Dehart

Can you imagine the community being genuinely thankful for your church? Can you imagine city leaders valuing your church’s participation in the community- even asking for it? Can a declining church find new life by simply blessing its community? Yes, it is all possible. Come and hear the struggles and triumphs of Austell First United Methodist, a church that in less than three years went from little outward mission to being named its town’s “Business of the Year” for its community involvement. This workshop will focus on the theological basis for the BLESS vision as well as practical strategies for implementing it in your church. Turning churches outward is hard work and this workshop will prepare you for that challenge.

4-2 Businesstry in the Kingdom for Urban Missions
Lurone "Coach" Jennings

Workshop participants will learn strategies for intergrating business and ministry as an evangelism tool. Incubating small businesses, developing micro-lending opportunities, mini-grant funds, job creation and financial literacy classes to meet the stewartship issues of the church and the people.

4-7 Care Ministry in Disaster Response: A compassionate opportunity
Mary Hughes Gaudreau, LPC

Long after disaster news coverage ends, individuals, families, communities and congregations continue to deal with the emotional and spiritual effects of disaster. This course will offer a basic introduction to disaster spiritual and emotional care needs and ideas for response including ideas for a coordinated conference response.

1-9 Covenant Relationships with Missionaries
Fred Price

Missionaries who itinerate (visit local churches) are able to introduce individuals and congregations to different persons, settings and cultures, thus, introducing them to more of the ways God is at work beyond these walls. Come meet United Methodist mission personnel, and learn of how they connect experience our global connections.

3-1 Culturally Relevant Leadership for Urban Missions
Lurone "Coach" Jennings

This workshop will help ministry leaders have a better ministry working knowledge of the urban culture in order to be more effective as soul winners and culture warriors with relevancy. Sharing the gospel in the language of the people and the culture they respect and know is always better for the Holy Spirit to translate.

3-2 Developing mission leadership in local church
Dr. Warren Lathem

We will examine proven ways to lead local churches into a mutually gratifying involvement in international missions and discover the joy of long term mission partnerships.

2-2 Developing the VISION for Urban Missions
Lurone "Coach" Jennings

This workshop will help ministry leaders practice pray for vision development, have passion for the plight of the people and plan a practical strategy to execute the vision through ministry to influence transformation in lives and communities. Workshop participants will also experience how to write the vision down. From Heart to Head to Paper to Action.

1-5 Mission Praxis in Disaster
Melissa Crutchfield

This workshop will explore the ways in which individuals, congregations and Annual and Central Conferences can engage in responsible and effective mission in the wake of disasters or amidst chronic crises. From responding to disasters in the United States to working with and for global communities in their time of need, opportunities abound for us, as Christians, to support relief and recovery efforts in meaningful ways. Focusing on the Wesleyan message of “Do No Harm – Do Good – Stay in Love with God,” engaging in disaster response takes careful, thoughtful planning and deliberate yet sensitive action. This workshop will provide insight to help navigate these challenges and opportunities in both the domestic and international contexts.

1-2 Funding Strategies for Missions
Wes and Joy Griffin

Funding your mission outreach program is critical to success. Join Dr. Wes Griffin and the ILI Team to learn practical strategies for mobilizing your congregation to increase their giving to missions.

ILI’s Team has preached in over 100 missions conferences in the last ten years, annually seeing more than one million dollars pledged to fund the missions ministries of local churches.

1-3 Inspiring and Equipping Communities to End Poverty
Reverend Rob Rollins and Ms. Wilma Dunbar

The National Circles Campaign and the General Board of Global Ministries are collaborating with the Western North Carolina Conference and First United Methodist Church of Wadesboro, North Carolina using an innovative model designed to eliminate generational poverty in 3-5 years and situational poverty in approximately 18 months. Participants will learn how utilize their resources through community partnerships in order to assist low income families improve their situation, and retool, reposition and re-launch congregations for effective mission.

4-4 Loving the Persecuted Church in Persia
Dr. Bryce Norton

Did you know that over 200,000 disciples of Jesus are killed for their faith each year? Millions of Christians continue to suffer for their faith as did the early church. As God has blessed the US church with great peace and freedom, we need to remember to support our brothers and sisters around the world who are willing to die for Jesus…literally. As we come into contact with the persecuted church, we meet men and women of incredible faith who demonstrate the blessings God promises throughout Scripture….”blessed is the man who perseveres under trial…” (James 1). During this break out session, we will focus on the Persian church as we share how God continues to bless the persecuted church today in much the same way as He did 2000 years ago. The Persian church in one country has exploded from approximately 500 Muslim background believers several years ago to estimates of almost 1 million today! Come learn how you can be a part of this incredible harvest season for the Persian church!

2-9 Magnetic Missions - The Blueprint to growing a missions ministry
Craig Maxwell

Come and learn strategies to grow a thriving missions ministry that focuses on growing numerically, qualitatively, and spiritually. We will spend time sharing ideas on marketing strategies, including branding, that will suck volunteers into your program

1-4 Making the Most of Your Moment….. Before and After Your Mission Trip
Dr. Bryce Norton

As a mission team leader, God has appointed you as the shepherd for the group you will lead on your mission trip. As Americans, we tend to be focused on the preparation and tasks necessary to complete a project before traveling to the mission field. But we do not want to miss out on the God-given opportunities to help our mission team members grow in the image of Jesus as we spend time together preparing for the mission experience and after we return. In this breakout session, we will consider specific methods that will encourage spiritual growth before and after our time in the mission field.

2-3 Making the Most of Your Moment to Grow Disciples of Jesus while in the Field
Dr. Bryce Norton

You only have so much time in the mission field. You really want to finish your anticipated project. But God is in the business of growing disciples. God is not the least concerned about whether you finish the last coat of paint on the new chapel. In this breakout session, we will share some of the best practices which will increase the spiritual growth of your team members while on the mission field. As a result, you will return home with a group of more mature disciples for Jesus.

3-3 New People for New Places: To the Ends fo the Earth
Patrick Friday and Jong Sung Kim

The United Methodist Church, through the General Board of Global Ministries, is planting at least 400 new worshipping congregations during this Quadrennium in seventeen nations of the world where we have not been historically present. Learn of these pioneer evangelistic Mission Initiatives, and of the “400 Fund” and the Academies on Evangelization and Church Growth which facilitate these highly successful efforts.

2-4 No Longer Servants
Bob Lupton

Transitioning from the one-way service model of charity that produces dependency to developing empowering relationships with the poor.

4-5 Peter did. Wesley did. Billy Graham did. But is taking the Gospel to the streets really relevant in the 21st century?
Rev. Martin Durham
With inspirational testimonies from the UK and US 'streets', this workshop will explore the 'why' and 'how' of street ministry, with a challenge as to the necessity of taking the Gospel to the streets in our day.

2-7 Reach New Persons: Become More Missional
Winston Worrell

Reaching new persons with the Gospel of Christ can be an exciting and fulfilling responsibility of every Christian and every local congregation. This must, however, be understood and practiced within the context of the missional church. How do we help Christian leaders and local churches become more missional for Christ? Are you looking for creative ways to reach your community? How do we help congregations look outward beyond the walls of the church? This workshop helps Christian leaders and local congregations focus on these questions by looking at a wholistic approach to reaching new persons and becoming more missional for Christ. After looking at the biblical and theological grounding, we shall focus on some practical ways traditional churches are reaching out and becoming more missional around the world.

2-5 Short-Term Missions That Heal: Ministering across the wealth divide means giving up our savior complex
Daniel Rickett

Caring for others across the wealth divide starts with who others are not with what we have to give. Inability to value others as we value ourselves can subvert our good intentions, hurting the people we're trying to love. In this seminar Daniel Rickett explores how to establish healthy relationships across the wealth divide.

4-6 SOE 101
Laura Dill Warner

After three years and input from more than 400 STM leaders across the country, the US Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission were launched in October 2003. Today, more than 70 churches, agencies and schools have adopted the Standards. Whether you've been involved in short-term missions for decades or are brand new to your role, come and learn about the history, heart and benefits to the Standards.

1-6 Takin’ it to the Streets
Dr. Daniel F. Slagle

Finding it difficult to get folks excited about local missions? Wish you had a higher participation rate? Takin’ it to the Streets is the seminar for you. In the Fall of 2006, Faithbridge UMC decided to take their local mission efforts to the next level. The primary goal was to involve as many Faithbridgers as possible, making the greatest impact possible. That’s when the concept of Takin’ it to the Streets was born. On a single Saturday nearly 1500 Faithbridgers moved out into the community, demonstrating the love of Christ in practical ways, and over $300,000 were raised for missions. Since then, Takin’ it to the Streets has become an effective on-ramp for those needing a “first-time” experience in local missions. Over the last four years, thousands of individuals have discovered the joy of serving Christ right in their own backyard. Faithbridge mission leaders Dan Slagle and David Rains will share how this event revitalized the missions ministry of Faithbridge and how it can impact your church as well.

3-6 The Bridges
Stephen Soulen

Uniting the North Georgia Conference churches, agencies, and schools in international mission and ministry by:

• sharing the love of Jesus Christ in partnership with Conference leaders, church members and communities of other countries
• implementing sustainable projects and avoiding dysfunctional and dependency patterns of charity
• offering short-term and extended opportunities to serve the ministries of the local church abroad
• seeking personal and community transformation
• building a bridge that celebrates the sharing and collaborative efforts of the North Georgia Conference churches as well as receiving the gifts of ministry from those in other countries

Bridges seeks to encourage, enable and unite the North Georgia Conference in mission around the world. Each year a new “Bridge” will be shared at Annual Conference to give all churches an opportunity to share the joy of participating in a united cause. Discover the many ways your church can become involved!

1-7 The Christmas Store: The Faith Community Unified, Relevant, & Making a Difference
Elizabeth Montgomery

• Learn about the Christmas Store concept and the ways in which it connects churches ecumenically through their common love for Jesus Christ and the belief that He calls us to serve the least of these.
• Explore the ways in which this concept empowers those who are served by the store.
• Identify ways in which this concept can be a transforming spiritual force in the lives of both the servant and the served while making a significant impact on the community that has implications beyond Christmas
• Discern the ways in which you may adapt this concept to your church/community or with other types of programs.
• Experience the meaning that the application of this concept has for the local church.

1-8 The Externally Focused Church: Becoming an Externally Focused Church (Part 1 of a 3-Part Series)
Eric Swanson

If your church pulled out of your community, would your community weep? Would anybody even notice? Would anybody even care?

All around the nation there are pastors and Christian leaders who are thinking differently about church. Independent of one another, there is a growing awareness that effectiveness is not measured by what happens inside the church but rather by the impact the people in their church are having on their city or community. These are the externally focused churches. They are churches of all sizes that are internally strong and healthy but they are outwardly focused—churches that have not only built capacity but are releasing their capacity through the ministry and service of every member.

This seminar is designed for pastors and lay people and will address and explore:

• Biblical foundations and examples of externally focused ministry
• Practical models of churches of different sizes that are blessing their communities through good deeds and good news of Jesus
• How ministry and service to others relates to spiritual formations and growth
• How to mobilize the people of your congregation

Participants should come away with:

• A strong biblical and historical foundation of externally focused ministry
• Practical tools to discern the intersection of the needs of the community and the capacity of your church
• A list of ideas to get started or to take your externally focused ministry to the next level.

2-6 The Externally Focused Church: Evangelism and the Externally Focused Church (Part 2 of a 3-Part Series)
Eric Swanson

If your church pulled out of your community, would your community weep? Would anybody even notice? Would anybody even care?

All around the nation there are pastors and Christian leaders who are thinking differently about church. Independent of one another, there is a growing awareness that effectiveness is not measured by what happens inside the church but rather by the impact the people in their church are having on their city or community. These are the externally focused churches. They are churches of all sizes that are internally strong and healthy but they are outwardly focused—churches that have not only built capacity but are releasing their capacity through the ministry and service of every member.

This seminar is designed for pastors and lay people and will address and explore:

• Biblical foundations and examples of externally focused ministry
• Practical models of churches of different sizes that are blessing their communities through good deeds and good news of Jesus
• How ministry and service to others relates to spiritual formations and growth
• How to mobilize the people of your congregation

Participants should come away with:

• A strong biblical and historical foundation of externally focused ministry
• Practical tools to discern the intersection of the needs of the community and the capacity of your church
• A list of ideas to get started or to take your externally focused ministry to the next level.

3-7 The Externally Focused Church: Getting Started (Part 3 of a 3-Part Series)
Eric Swanson

If your church pulled out of your community, would your community weep? Would anybody even notice? Would anybody even care?

All around the nation there are pastors and Christian leaders who are thinking differently about church. Independent of one another, there is a growing awareness that effectiveness is not measured by what happens inside the church but rather by the impact the people in their church are having on their city or community. These are the externally focused churches. They are churches of all sizes that are internally strong and healthy but they are outwardly focused—churches that have not only built capacity but are releasing their capacity through the ministry and service of every member.

This seminar is designed for pastors and lay people and will address and explore:

• Biblical foundations and examples of externally focused ministry
• Practical models of churches of different sizes that are blessing their communities through good deeds and good news of Jesus
• How ministry and service to others relates to spiritual formations and growth
• How to mobilize the people of your congregation

Participants should come away with:

• A strong biblical and historical foundation of externally focused ministry
• Practical tools to discern the intersection of the needs of the community and the capacity of your church
• A list of ideas to get started or to take your externally focused ministry to the next level.

3-4 Value: The Key to Collaboration
Daniel Rickett

One principle drives strategic relationships. People cooperate when it is in their interest to do so. The problem is that we are not always clear about our own interests much less the interests of others. Partnerships succeed or fail on the perception of the value gained or lost in the relationship. In this seminar Daniel Rickett shows how to identify the value perceptions that will hold your partnership together.

2-8 What to Know Before You Go to Haiti
Paulette West

Discussion workshop on the best practices for volunteer teams and how to effectively plan before you go to serve in Haiti. Where can you find the information you need to plan? What resources are available to help with planning? Find out the what you need to know as you plan to go serve in Haiti with updates on projects and opportunities.

4-3 When God Calls Your Name: Discerning God’s Vision for your Life
Wes and Joy Griffin

God has a plan for each of us. This plan is revealed through discovering God’s vision for your life. Wes Griffin will use his personal experience to help you discern God’s call on your life. He will also provide practical instructions to help you move forward into the future that God has for you.