The Atmosphere Of Prayer: What We Do Before Seeking The Lost

Developing a Heart to Seek the Lost through Intimate Prayer

Rev. Veronica Roesly, Barryton Church of God

(TBD)

The Atmosphere Of Prayer: What We Do Before Seeking The Lost

Standing In The Gap - The What and How of Intercessory Prayer

Phil Moffitt, Elder & Lay Leader, New Horizons Community Church, Jackson

This session will share the personal journey and corporate discovery of the unifying power of intercessory prayer for the lost. Those who are lost include the many who have never heard, those who have heard and walked away, and those who are open to the Gospel but not yet surrendered. This session will tell a story, share principles, and give some practices to start your church on this path.

The Atmosphere Of Prayer: What We Do Before Seeking The Lost

Practical Tools to Encourage Prayer for the Lost

Rev. Veronica Roesly, Barryton Church of God

If you had the tools, could you build a house? Possibly. If you had the tools, could you build a shed, or at least a doghouse? In most things, a willingness is necessary, but tools are how we get the job done. If you've sensed the need to seek and save the lost, what you need next are the tools! This session will show you ways your church can engage in some practical tools that motivate and inspire prayer for those who are far from God. Prayer walking, hosting prayer vigil nights, creating prayer cards, making connections with community leaders, and more!

Engaging The Lost In Our Worship Services

How to Effectively Evangelize in the Context of Worship

Rev. David Johnson, David Johnson Ministries International, Flint, Michigan

Having an understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit as the "universal translator" and that His power and presence are key to the effectiveness of the gospel of the Kingdom, is essential in helping those who are open and seeking Jesus. While recognizing the power of artistic expression to communicate gospel truth, we must maintain spiritual sensitivity and flexibility to maximize our effectiveness. Maintaining spiritual sensitivity and flexibility in our worship.

Engaging The Lost In Our Worship Services

Preparing Your Team to have Spiritual Discernment in Worship

Jenn Foss, Worship Leader, Good Church, Flint, Michigan and Minister Miosha Robinson, Good Church, Flint, Michigan

Experience and routine of worship can cause us to forget about those who are lost and have not experienced the call to worship. During this session, we will be discussing the preparation needed to become a spiritually discerning worship team.

Engaging The Lost In Our Worship Services

Creating Praise and Worship Via Digital Media

Jenn Foss, Worship Leader, Good Church, Flint, Michigan and Minister Miosha Robinson, Good Church, Flint, Michigan

Genuine worship is raw and authentic. It doesn't need the trappings of modern worship. However we can create an environment and experience that is inviting and welcoming to those who are just learning about Jesus, who He is and why He deserves our praise!

Intentional Disciple-Making To Reach The Lost

The Gospel and Its Transformative Mission

Rev. Bill Greiner, Lead Pastor, Eagle Ridge Church of God, Midland, Michigan

When we talk about sharing the Gospel, do we really know what that means? Some say, "Well, I share my testimony with people, but I'm not sure where the Gospel fits, exactly." This session we will look at creating Gospel clarity, because what you win them with... is what you win them to, and the Gospel you preach and teach will determine the disciples you make.

Intentional Disciple-Making To Reach The Lost

Getting Our Definitions Right

Rev. Tom Planck, Chief Catalyst, Healthy Growing Churches

Language matters. It creates culture in our churches and unity among our people. That is why it is important that we have great clarity in the definition of the important words you use around your church. The focus of this session will be to clearly define what we mean when we use the word "disciple" and the phrase "disciple making church." Getting our definitions right will accelerate multiplication thinking for you, your team, and your church.

Intentional Disciple-Making To Reach The Lost

Developing Your Church's Disicple-Making "Pathway"

Rev. Tom Planck, Chief Catalyst, Healthy Growing Churches

Disciple making that sees multiple generations of reproduction requires intentionality. It also needs a pathway, a disciple making pathway. A good "pathway" is strategic, comprehensive, and has a clear relational process for making disciples in your church. Join us for this session as we explore the nuts and bolts of developing and constructing a disciple making pathway for your church.

Effective Outreach: Truly Ministering To The Lost

Finding the Heart Beat of Your Community

Rev. Mark Robb, Lead Pastor, Connect Church, Big Rapids, Michigan

Having an awareness of the needs within your local community can set your church up to touch the lives of people who are lost and quite frankly, far from God. To seek and save the lost, it's deeply helpful to find the heartbeat of your community. In this session we will discuss strategies to determine the needs of your community and explore ways to plug into your local resources. You'll get to hear how our newest church plant in, Big Rapids, Michigan, is doing this very thing!

Effective Outreach: Truly Ministering To The Lost

Let's get back to the basics!

Rev. Leo Robinson II, Lead Pastor, Good Church, Flint, Michigan

What if we eliminated the phrase, "Community Outreach" from our language? Eliminating it with the thought that the church is already an equal and justifiably important part of the community. One network, one web, that exists to serve and catch community members in need... "the lost". Join this session to explore the following: On every level, at any given moment, is your church ready to receive the community into its doors? On every level, is the community ready to receive your church?

Effective Outreach: Truly Ministering To The Lost

Developing Relationships, Partnerships for Ministry in Your Community.

Rev. Dave Perry, Lead Pastor, Edgewood Church of God, Ithaca, Michigan

This session will highlight the worth and value of building and cultivating personal relationships with the people of your immediate community. We will look at how you and your church can be positioned to minister to those who may experience tragedy and trauma in a variety of circumstances and will look to those whom they have previously experienced an expression of care.

Next Gen Evangelism

The World They Live In: Understanding Gen Z and Gen Alpha

Rev. Rachel Bird, Next Gen Pastor, Pennway Church of God, Lansing, Michigan

To understand - and reach - Gen Z and Gen Alpha, we have to understand that the world they live in is dramatically different than it was when we grew up. Come learn the forces that shape their lives and the opportunities those forces present.

Next Gen Evangelism

NextGen Identity & Values (Gen Z and Gen Alpha)

Rev. Rachel Bird, Next Gen Pastor, Pennway Church of God, Lansing, Michigan

Gen Z and Gen Alpha have clear perspectives and values that have a lot to offer the church. Come learn how to avoid having the Good News get lost in translation, by understanding the identity and values that guide the way they think and live.

Next Gen Evangelism

Same Good News, A New Generation

Rev. Rachel Bird, Next Gen Pastor, Pennway Church of God, Lansing, Michigan

Old methods of evangelism often create more of a barrier than a bridge for younger generations. However, they are desperate for the Good News. Come learn how to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha with the same gospel, but in a format that connects with them.

Overcoming Internal Challenges

Be Fishing, Instead of Fighting

Rev. Mark K. Richardson, State Pastor, Church of God in Michigan

We are impacted by many challenges from the culture around the Church. We also face bigger challenges inside the church which hinder our mission of helping people find and follow Jesus Christ. The Lord said that we are to be fishers of people, and the evidence is plain if we are doing this or fighting among ourselves. During this session we will expose some of the internal challenges that hinder our mission of fishing for people, and we will focus on how we can overcome them.

Overcoming Internal Challenges

Moving Your Congregation from Calloused to Compassionate to Reach the Lost

Rev. April Crump, Lead Pastor, The Hub Owosso, Owosso, Michigan

If "callousing" is what happens to human hands or feet over time when pressed by with repetitive friction, how do we ensure the "church body" remains callous free (compassionate) in a culture that thrives on friction, resulting in a callousness of the heart? Callousness can develop in any church body and it will inhibit your churches efforts in reaching those who are far from God. In this session, we will explore ways of overcoming the callousness that can form towards those who need Jesus the most, and truly respond with the compassionate heart of Jesus.

Overcoming Internal Challenges

Small But Powerful: Overcoming the Small Church Mindset in a Big Church World

Rev. Kerrene Covington, Lead Pastor, Warner Memorial Church of God, Ferndale, Michigan

Ever felt like your congregation "CAN'T" because you're just too small? Want to stop believing greater things are impossible and start acting on what God says is possible!? This session will walk through how focusing on the important can give you a vision and a hope for being the people that God wants you to be in seeking out the lost ones in your community. God's plan has always been to work through any size of people at any time, anywhere He's invited.

Evangelism In The Power Of The Spirit

Establishing A Clear Biblical Foundation For Evangelism

Rev. Rhyan Glezman, Community Church of God, Clio, Michigan

Before navigating today's post-Christian era, where evangelizing the lost may feel unaccepted, we must have a clear biblical foundation of what evangelism is and is not. Then we can fruitfully engage in our surrounding areas of influence. For most Christians, evangelism is an intimidating word, but it does not need to be that way.

Evangelism In The Power Of The Spirit

Why the Lost Are Open to Spiritual Experiences

Rev. Rhyan Glezman, Community Church of God, Clio, Michigan

We were created to encounter spiritual experiences as God is spirit (John 4:24.) The problem is the spiritual experiences many lost people are chasing are not the Holy Spirit. If we are honest, the Holy Spirit is a stranger in many Churches today. Could this be why the world (the target of Christ transforming power) often sees the Church as lifeless and powerless?

Evangelism In The Power Of The Spirit

The "Secret Sauce" of Every Believer's Evangelistic Fruitfulness

Rev. Rhyan Glezman, Community Church of God, Clio, Michigan

I've won a number of chili cook-offs. People will ask me, "What makes your chili the best? What's your secret?" (If I told them, it would no longer be a secret!) But, what if there were ingredients in God's word for fruitfulness in our evangelizing as we have never (tasted) seen before? What if we're missing something that would transform us and the world around us? Our "sauce" may be missing that one thing that wins the day and changes someone's life, now and forever!

Created For Community: Corporate Evangelism And The Church

Corporate Evangelism in the Church

Rev. Kevin Spencer

In this session we will discover and/or rediscover what "Corporate Evangelism" is in the Church of God and why Corporate Evangelism is vital to the Body of Christ.

Created For Community: Corporate Evangelism And The Church

Corporate Evangelism: Reaching Outside

Rev. Kevin Spencer

In this session we will learn the concept of "Corporate Evangelism" through Reaching Out and why Corporate Evangelism is vital to Church Growth in the Body of Christ.

Created For Community: Corporate Evangelism And The Church

Depth Perception: Seeing Your Community Through Jesus' Eyes

Rev. Kevin Spencer

We conclude our 3 session series by learning about engaging your communities through Corporate Evangelism - The "Why “and the "What" of reaching out.

Equipped to Seek and Save

How to Share Your Jesus as a Lifestyle - it's easier than we think

Rev. Tom Bader, Lead Pastor, Chippewa Valley Church of God, Clinton Township, Michigan

Get in the habit of sharing Jesus every day. Learn to use everyday conversations to talk about Jesus. It can be as simple as asking, "How can I pray for you today." Learn how to use defining moments in your life to relate to others and help them discover how Jesus can help them, the same way he helped you. It's not only easy to share; it's fun, exciting and important.

Equipped to Seek and Save

Finding Your Destiny

Rev. Joshua Brandt, Lead Pastor, Pennway Church of God, Lansing, Michigan

Each of us was “fearfully and wonderfully” made by the God who created the mountains and the oceans. We each have a unique purpose and calling. Whatever you’re calling, there are steps to learning your unique place in the story of the Kingdom. Join us as we explore those steps together.

Equipped to Seek and Save

Next Steps | Credentials for Ministry

Rev. Joshua Brandt, Lead Pastor, Pennway Church of God, Lansing, Michigan

When God calls someone into ministry, there is often an overwhelming feeling of excitement and concern. How will we prepare ourselves? What steps should we take? In this session, we will talk through the steps to becoming a credentialed pastor in the Church of God. This session is for all those in the credentials process and those exploring their call to ministry.

CHOG Perspectives on Evangelism

The Life and Ministry That Set the Pace: The Evangelistic Cause of the Church of God Movement

Dr. Jason Varner, Associate Professor, Anderson University, History of Christianity and School of Theology, Church of God History

The Church of God Reformation Movement was birthed with a passion & mission to seek & save people to the heart of Jesus and His Kingdom. The early reformers went about calling people out of their sin and into holy living, out of their religion and into the true freedom of living for Jesus. This session will share some historical setting for their evangelistic fervor and give examples of the pace of an emerging radical group of people. The reformers simply wanted to take Jesus at his word and work with Him as he built His Kingdom. Are you feeling a present day call to a mission, a passion, to seek and save the lost?

CHOG Perspectives on Evangelism

Preparing Our Hearts to Love the Lost!

Rev. Larry Brown, Retired Pastor, First Church of God, South Haven, Michigan and Rev. Steve Starks, Lead Pastor, First Church of God, South Haven, Michigan

With distracted and divided hearts, it can be hard for us to love our lost neighbors. Thankfully, we have the help and power of the Holy Spirit who cleanses and fills our hearts to love God and others fully! This work of grace, entire sanctification, is key to being a people who effectively join Jesus in His mission, to "seek and save" the lost! This session will explore our holiness roots and recover the joy of our salvation!

CHOG Perspectives on Evangelism

Youth Track (Students)

Leading the Change

Pastor Trevor Moody, Pastor of Student Ministries, Hope Community Church, Niles, Michigan

Youth can and are stepping up to lead the change in their youth groups, families and friendships. It isn’t easy in today’s society. In this session we will work on ideas & helps to be even more bold in helping leading change where God wants.

Youth Track (Students)

Slowing Down Your Life to Hear from God

Rev. Matt Chesney, Director of Student Ministries & Outreach, Eagle Ridge Church of God, Midland, Michigan

How do we hear that “Still, small voice” - Sometimes people say things like “Oh, God told me to do this!” or “Make sure you talk to God before you decide,” but maybe you have never heard God’s voice… OR maybe you have once before but not since... Why does it seem easier for others (sometimes) to hear from God? In this session we will discuss the various ways that God communicates with us and how we can identify His voice among the many others fighting for our attention.

Youth Track (Students)

Life Directions - Answering the Call!

Kevin Kindy, Youth Leader, Floyd Church of God, Midland, Michigan

God’s call to people in the Bible seemed to be quite clear, easy to hear & understand. Is it today? How do we figure out what He wants from us now & for the future? What steps do we take, how can we be sure? We’ll look at Scripture and discuss ways to see God’s plan for our lives.

Youth Ministry Leaders Track

Living the Devotional Lifestyle

Rev. Mark Staton II, Lead Pastor, New Creation Church of God, Flint, Michigan, State Youth Team Member

I don't know about you but my life is filled with stuff...ministry, family, friends, tragedy, temptation, work, fellowship, finances, and so much more. As leaders how do we ensure that we do not slide down the slippery slope where our daily "devotional" fails to translate into a devoted life? Let's Chat!

Youth Ministry Leaders Track

Same Message, Different Method

Jessica Staton, New Creation Church of God, Flint, Michigan, Certified Trauma Practioner & Counselor, Youth Convention Task Force Member

In this session, we will explore the various ways to reach our youth and biblically engage with them. We’ll discuss the ability to navigate, incorporate and create media for their spiritual benefit, and examine the impact of current stressors* on our youth.
Note: *Themes of confidentiality, self-injury, safe spaces and suicide prevention may be discussed.

Youth Ministry Leaders Track

The Power of Sharing Your Faith-Story!

Rev. Jerry Graham, Retired Youth Pastor, Mason, Michigan

A discussion with youth leaders on living the life that brings the message of Christ to your everyday walk with God. Sharing Christ, building relationships & friendships that glorify God are a must in Youth Ministry!

Children's Ministry Leaders Track

Sharing the true and complete gospel with your kids

Rev. Sarah Coppernoll, Sr. Pastor, 1st Church of the Nazarene, Greenville, Michigan

So many parents/guardians/children's leaders know the importance of the A-B-C's of the gospel: admit your sinful condition, believe Jesus died and rose again, chose to trust in Jesus as Savior. But, there are many other letters in the gospel "alphabet." Beginning with D - disciple, it's what comes next in helping our kids live out their salvation.

Children's Ministry Leaders Track

How to reinforce the message of Jesus' love at home

Rev. Sarah Coppernoll, Sr. Pastor, 1st Church of the Nazarene, Greenville, Michigan

This session will offer practical ways to engage with children ages 4-10yrs old to help them grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ. Participants will come away with a conviction for why reinforcement is crucial to children's discipleship. Best for parents/guardians of children and leaders looking for ways to train Christian parents to continue to guide children to a deeper understanding of the gospel and how to respond to it in their young lives.

Children's Ministry Leaders Track

Making disciples of Jesus in your children's ministry

Rev. Sarah Coppernoll, Sr. Pastor, 1st Church of the Nazarene, Greenville, Michigan

Is there a minimum age on becoming a disciple? This session will examine the scriptural evidence of the call to children to not only be disciple themselves, but also be Disciple makers. Round table/open discussion will be utilized at this session. This will be a rich opportunity to hear and share ideas and stories of how empowered children can be seek and save their lost friends.