Conference Workshops
Wednesday 10am-12pm
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Unbinding the Gospel - Evangelism for Mainline Churches
by Martha Grace Reese
Location: Hoover Auditorium
Does the thought of evangelism cause you to break out in hives? The Unbinding the Gospel Series arises out of a major study of evangelism and evangelistic transformation in mainline congregations, funded by the Lilly Endowment. Topics discussed will include: key characteristics of highly evangelistic churches; new findings on how to help typical mainline churches become thriving evangelistic congregations, and how to go about introducing change in your congregation.
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New Life in the Pew: Getting New Folk to Come to Church
by Vance Ross
Location: South Auditorium
The change in the world happens when people change. Come and learn how to attract members of your community to come and be changed!
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Seeking God's Solution for The Last, The Least and the Lost
by Terry Teykl
Location: Orchestra Hall (Movie Theater)
For forty years, Dr. Teykl has taught local churches to “pray the price” and “fulfill the Great Commission.” Wounded souls, sickness or poverty are no match for the power of prayer.
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Principles of Starting a New Church
by David Bridgman & Marcus Atha
Location: Wesley Lodge South
Learn a few of the foundational principles of starting a new church or new campus out of your existing congregation. Revs. Atha and Bridgman have started new churches and coached new church starts. Bring your questions about this essential method God uses to reach more people for Christ.
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Rethink: Be a New Church through Vital Merger
by Dirk Elliott
Location: Fern Room, Hotel Lakeside
Churches struggling with today's challenges can still do effective ministry. One way is for churches to connect and share the best of themselves in a Vital Merger. Rev. Elliott, Director of Congregational Development, East Ohio Conference, will describe this process for rethinking ministry.
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Unbinding our Worship
by Bill Lyle
Location: Green Room, Fountain Inn
“How to” create deeper and wider services that reach the community and revive the congregation. Learn the secrets to enhancing traditional worship, employing contemporary worship and going beyond contemporary worship from a church that offers four different styles of worship each week.
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Models for Reaching Others
by Tom Hanover and Jon Morgan; Paul Risler; and Steve Cramer and Kevin Koske
Location: Lower Pavilion
This workshop will be co-led by West Ohio Conference pastors and will focus on models for reaching others through their home church. It will include the following:
Ministry Partnerships (Sulphur Grove at the Y) - Any church can develop creative partnerships for extending their ministry to people they might not meet otherwise. Every church can experience the life-changing transformations that make the risk and hard work worthwhile;
Ministry with the Next Generation - Central Avenue UMC draws around 200 college students a weekend with 70% of the congregation under the age of 40. Central's intergenerational ministry, as well as its new initiative to start a second site, is a place for worship and meeting the heart of the community; and
The Church in the Mall – The Church in the Mall, an outreach ministry of Centenary UMC in Granville, is a way of rethinking church as a community of people coming together who have never experienced church, encouraging one another on their spiritual journey. Located in the Indian Mound Mall in Heath, it is a safe and casual setting designed to promote community with one another as well as with God.
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Partnerships & Satellites
by Mike Slaughter, David Hood and Karen Smith; Tim Burden; and Bryan Bucher and Charlotte Hefner
Location: Wesley Lodge North
This workshop will be co-led by church leaders and the following topics will focus on churches that have become fruitful through partnerships and satellites:
Revitalizing the Urban Church - In 2008, Fort McKinley United Methodist Church averaged 40 people in worship. Now, since merging with Ginghamsburg Church, this congregation of 350-plus urban missionaries is bringing new life to its “at risk” community. The Ginghamsburg team will share the “how to’s” and lessons learned that turned a fading church into the dynamic faith and outreach center of its neighborhood;
The Partnership Model Moves Churches Forward - A larger, healthier church partners with a smaller church in a way that moves both churches forward with surprising results; and
Motherships and Satellites: Re-Inventing Healthy and Dying Congregations Simultaneously - An exploration of the journey Shawnee UMC and Bluelick UMC took to become a multisite congregation. Discussion will include the expected and unexpected costs and strategy for transformational change for both locations.
