We’ve already told you about the main session speakers at our upcoming church planting conference, but you might not be familiar with the speakers for our breakout sessions. These experienced men are going to address in detail some of the real challenges that church planters face, so we hope you can join us to learn from them. Here is a brief introduction to them and a preview of the topics they will cover:

Tim Witmer—The Importance of Preaching in Church Planting
Tim is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary and pastor of a revitalized PCA church in a multicultural urban setting. He also started The Shepherd’s Institute, an organization committed to equipping church leaders. Tim is a human intersection of ministry and mission.  

Pete Greasley—How to Build a Church-Planting Church
Pete is the senior pastor of Christchurch in Newport, Wales, which has planted churches in the United Kingdom and Australia. He has a gift for discipling men into effective pastors and then sending them out on church plants. If you’re wondering what role you have in church planting after your church is established, Pete will give you vision. 

Craig Cabaniss—How to Build a Church Planting Team
Want to plant a church in a place where folks would rather spend their free time doing anything but attending church? Try San Diego. Want to launch a new church in the heart of the mega-church Bible Belt? Try Dallas. Craig has led teams that did both, and is going to share what he learned in the process.

Mike McKinley—Replanting!
Failing churches don’t need to close down, but revitalizing one is no easy task. Mike knows from experience what it means to plant a church through revitalization, and is going to tell us about the challenges and rewards we can expect if we attempt the same. 

Daniel Montgomery—Way Finding: A Map for Planting Your Church without Losing Your Soul
Daniel, the senior pastor of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky, says his vision statement is, ”Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.” For him, that means building a strong, culture-penetrating church and training church planters to reach new areas. He has tons of ideas for church planters and a gift for working them into practice.    

Shai Linne—Engaging the Urban Context with the Gospel
Shai does hip hop, but that’s not what he’s about. He’s about the gospel. He knows the city, but he’s passionate about the church. He understands the culture, but he’s shaped by sound doctrine. What he has to say isn’t being said many other places.