About our Forums

Forums are curated, multi-perspective discussions tailored to go deeper into specific areas of ministry focus and calling.  They will be a mix of very brief statements and innovative ideas from a small handful of key collaborators. Then, they will turn to interaction and engagement between those attending the forum, the key collaborators with one another, and both attendees and the key collaborators together. They are an opportunity to survey a breadth of perspective around crucial gospel topics all while meeting, connecting, and discussing with others who share a similar passion.

Some of the developing forum topics include:

Forum A:  A Hopeful Witness for Plateaued and Declining Churches: Stories the Inspire and Principles that Translate

(Choir Suite) Jorge Acevedo, Kelly Legg, Brad McMullen, Ed Stetzer

We are all familiar with the often told tale of congregations that have lost the once vital place they held within their community.  Sometimes these circumstances have come to fruition because of loss of jobs and changing economic conditions.  Other times they have come because churches have found themselves struggling to connect with the people around them.  Still others have found themselves in a challenged place because of unwise decisions and unprepared leaders.  Yet, there are times when churches find themselves in these moments and they resolve that things should “not be as they are” and want to see the Spirit of God awaken something fresh in their midst.  This forum will highlight examples of congregations that have made the journey toward new vitality and how other churches can take those principles and apply them in their own setting. 

Forum B:  A Hopeful Witness in an Era of Polarization: Staying Grounded in Christ When the World is Captivated by Politics 

(New Chapel) Charlie B. Dates, Aaron Graham, Julio Guarneri, Jennifer Lau

Political division has left churches fractured and fatigued. Leaders struggle to disciple congregations who are more shaped by media narratives than the message of Jesus. It seems that most of our social fabric is entirely captivated by what is happening in the political realm, unable to see any other lens through which to interpret the world.  Of course, the kingdom of God revealed in Christ stands over and above these earthly conditions and we are called to “seek first” this rule and reign.  This session will offer practical tools and theological frameworks to help your church cultivate unity, resist polarization, and anchor its identity in the unshakable kingdom. 

Forum C:  A Hopeful Witness in a Post-Christian Era: Awakening a Missionary Church in a Society of Skeptics and Scoffers

(Worship Center) Beth Moore, Rici Be, Shannon Kiser, David Fitch

Whether among overlooked rural regions, growing urban neighborhoods, or distinct cultural and ethnic communities—countless people live without the presence of vibrant, joy-filled expressions of the church. The moment calls for more than maintaining institutions; it calls for a missionary imagination that sees every place and people as fields ready for renewal. This session will awaken your vision for how the church can incarnate the gospel in every corner of North America and thrive as a missionary movement once again.

Forum D:  A Hopeful Witness in a Soul-Breaking Moment:  Responding to the Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Crisis of our Times

(Room 327/330) Andrea Gallegos, Linda Gorham, Cyd Holsclaw, Corey Laughary

Anxiety, burnout, and disconnection have become defining features of life and ministry in North America. Yet the gospel speaks to the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—offering restoration that reaches far beyond mere survival. This session will explore how churches and leaders can embody a holistic gospel that brings healing, wholeness, and hope to a generation in the midst of a mental health crisis.

Forum E:  A Hopeful Witness in a Tech-Driven Era:  A Vital Church for the People of God in an Era of Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence

(Room 355) Jim Baucom, Gino Curcurruto, Ingrid Faro, Jason Moore

As artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation reshape every aspect of daily life, we face profound questions for the church.  What do we do when the jobs of congregants are eliminated by AI?  How do we staff a future church with AI options?  What kind of church can be “in, but not of” the technological world?  And even, what does it even mean to be human? 

This session will help you reflect theologically and practically on how followers of Jesus can live fully human lives—rooted in wisdom, creativity, and compassion—in a world increasingly shaped by machines.  Leaders and churches that have been pioneering a path through the murky waters of the technological transformation of the moment will help us identify the key issues, potential scenarios, and the key opportunities of this moment.