Disciplemaking Conversations: Volunteer Alignment

A panel of leaders from around the country discuss disciplemaking trends and best practices focused on involving more volunteers in your ministry.

Wisdom From Award Winning Disciple Leaders

Featuring the 2025 DLN award winners in a panel discussion along with Q&A. Hear from:

Don Blackmore, Discipleship Pastor, Central Baptist Church, Jonesboro, AR
PJ Dunn, Discipleship Consultant, Georgia Baptist Mission Board

Getting Them Back After They Stray

Steve Parr, author of the book, “Why They Stay,” addressed what keeps kids connected to church into their adult lives.  As he has spoken on this subject across the country, the most common follow up question is: “My adult son/daughter grew up in church and no longer attends. How do we get them back?” Steve along with Tom Crites did a follow up study with adults who grew up in church, disconnected for a year or more, and returned. Steve discusses the discoveries made and the implications for the church.

Leading Your Church to Become a More Effective Disciple-Making Church with Craig Etheredge

Craig Etheredge is an author and local church pastor in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He holds a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the president and founder of discipleFIRST Ministries, which trains pastors and leaders nationally and internationally, and he is the co-founder of the CrossCreek Network, which plants disciple-making churches all over the world.

On-Ramp to a Life of Discipleship Featuring Matt Willis

A conversation with Matt Willis the missions and evangelism pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.  and the grandson of the author of MasterLife, Avery Willis. Matt and his wife, Allison have worked together to revise his grandfather’s classic Baptist discipleship tool, “MasterLife.” Matt sees the material as an on-ramp to a life of discipleship.

The Greater Work: Disciple-Making. Anytime. Anywhere – Bill Wilks

Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Clearly, this was no call to join a discipleship program but an invitation to a lifestyle of disciple-making. Bill Wilks will join us and discuss six practices of disciple-making that Jesus modeled for us with His discipleship group.

Bill is the Lead Pastor of NorthPark Church in Trussville, Alabama. He is also the author and lead trainer for D-Life.

Evangelism, Student Ministry, and Calling out the Called – Shane Pruitt

Shane serves as the National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Shane is also a traveling communicator, evangelist, and Bible teacher. Every year he speaks to over a hundred thousand people about the good news of Jesus Christ. Shane has written two books, 9 Common Lies Christians Believe: And Why God’s Truth Is Infinitely Better, and Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership.

Unleashing Older Adults for Ministry – Amy Hanson

Join Amy Hanson as we discuss engaging those over 55 in the ministry and work of the church is vital yet challenging. Statistics indicate that this age-group is pulling back from local church involvement yet they are hungry to contribute to the work of the Kingdom. Amy is a speaker, writer, and consultant with a passion to help older adults discover a life of Christ-centered meaning and purpose. She is the author of the book, Baby Boomers and Beyond: Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults over 50.

The Role of the Church in Family Discipleship with Chris Shirley

A discussion with Chris Shirley regarding the role of he church in helping families with disciplemaking skills. Chris is the author of Family Ministry and the Church: A Leader’s Guide to Ministry Through the Family (2018, Randall House) and Dean of the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Leadership Conversations with Jeff Iorg

Jeff Iorg, President of Gateway Seminary and one of our 2023 featured speakers at our annual conference will be joining us to discuss the value of your leadership to the local church and how you can make a greater impact.

Finding Ministry Balance

We all know we need to balance family and ministry, but doing it well requires intentionality! Join Stephanie Newton, church ministry leader, Pell City, Alabama as she discusses 10 accountability questions to ask when we need to intentionally transition back into balance. Download the Notes

Applying the New Scorecard to Your Groups Ministry

Ken Braddy, Director of Lifeway Sunday School, dialogues with us on how we can use his new scorecard in our church context.

Discipleship & Bible Competency

A discussion with Phil Tuttle, President & CEO, Walk Thru the Bible about the importance of understanding Bible competency in your disciplemaking model.

Encouragement – When to give it; when you need it.

The Oxford Dictionary defines encouragement as the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. Think about what encouragement could do for you or for others during the times in which we live.

Hear from Robert Mullins, Lead Pastor at Crossroads Community Church, greater Montgomery, Alabama area and the founder of Passion Tree Ministries. He has a passion to see people get connected to the Lord and have fun doing it! One of these expressions of his calling is encouraging and pastoring pastors.

Four Focuses with Bruce Raley

Discussion and ideas featuring Bruce Raley, Executive Pastor, First Baptist, Hendersonville, TN related to moving forward Post-Covid.

Ministry to the Lonely

PJ Dunn, SW Regional Discipleship Consultant at Georgia Baptist Mission Board and the founder of Table for One Ministries leads this 50 minute session focused on how to help your church minister to those who are feeling lonely and isolated.

Creative Leadership Training

Presented by Alan Raughton, seasoned and creative trainer of Sunday School and small group leaders; Pastor of Christian Education & Discipleship, First Baptist, Nashville, TN. Alan offers creative tips on ways to continue to sharpen the skills of those who lead Sunday School and Small Groups.

The Inspired Teacher: Helping Your Leaders Share Biblical Truth with Passion & Purpose

Allan Taylor, Executive Pastor of First Baptist Concord, Knoxville, Tennessee, discusses his new training series for Bible study leaders, The Inspired Teacher and how it could be used to inspire your teachers toward excellence!

Church Size and the Disciplemaking Process

Karl Vaters has been in pastoral ministry for 40 years and is the teaching pastor at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, Orange County, California.

His heart is to help pastors of small churches find the resources to lead well. He also believes that big and small churches have much in common and should work together. Join us as we talk with Karl about the work of disciplemaking in both the large and small church.