2026 Breakouts

Presented by Chelsye Rich, Preschool Director, FBC Bryan

Join us as we take a tour around the preschool space at FBC Bryan and discover how to plan and design new space or remodel existing space to meet the needs of the preschoolers in your church.

Located: Room 252

Presented by Monica Healer, Executive Director, Early Childhood Christian Network

Today's young children are showing increased emotional immaturity, and traditional behavior strategies aren’t always working. This session will help ministry leaders understand what’s behind challenging behaviors and how to respond with connection and support. Walk away with practical, developmentally appropriate tools to create calmer, more connected classrooms.

Located: Room 254A

Presented by Heather Smith, Children's Minister, Taylors Valley Baptist Church, Temple

Not quite kids and not quite youth: understanding the unique world of preteens and helping a lasting faith take root during these formative years.

Located: Room 256

Presented by Sam Midgett, Youth Pastor, Lakepointe Church

Tired of volunteers feeling unsure of what to do--and wondering who will still be serving next semester? Discover practical ways to train, care for, and empower your volunteers so they have the confidence to lead and the support to stay. You'll leave with clear next steps to build a team that knows what to do, why it matters, and how to make a difference in students' lives.

Located: Room 253

Presented by Leah McMullen, Missional Church/Community Ministry Specialist, Texas Baptists

Students often think of missions as an event or an annual trip. This breakout will explore hands-on ways to engage students in serving their community, sharing the Gospel, and living on mission where they are.

Located: Room 254B

Presented by Matt McClure, Youth Ministry Consultant

Getting a new student to walk through the doors of your ministry is hard. Getting them to come back might be even harder. In this breakout, we’ll talk about practical ways to create a ministry that attracts new students, but we won’t stop there. We’ll look at how to build an intentional guest system that helps students move from first-time guest, to returning guest, to feeling like, “This is my place.” We’ll cover practical ideas for outreach, the first-time guest experience, follow-up, relationships, and creating a culture where your students want to invite their friends. Because getting them there is only the beginning!

Located: Room 272

Presented by Jason Le Shana, Director, Baylor Collaborative on Faith and Disability, Baylor University

One in every four youth and emerging adults has a disability and/or mental health challenge. How can your youth ministry welcome and support these young people well? In this breakout session, participants will learn practical tools to support youth and emerging adults with disabilities, including ways to reflect on and overcome barriers, reimagine spiritual practices, and support the discipleship of all young people.

Located: Room 273

Presented by Kerry Ray, Director of Publishing, YM360

Leading a student ministry is an honor and a truly remarkable calling, but it comes with great responsibility and a unique, often daunting set of challenges. As a student ministry leader, you face the complexity of understanding, reaching, discipling, and connecting with students. But it doesn’t end there. You’re also expected to simultaneously juggle various responsibilities: preacher, mentor, spiritual guide, counselor, visionary, event coordinator, trip planner, games master, volunteer recruiter, lead trainer, parent whisperer, and the list goes on. The pathway from surviving to thriving as a student pastor can feel difficult, if not unattainable. But what if there were a way? In this session, we will unpack eight essential keys that every student pastor must get right to unlock the full potential of their ministry. These eight keys come with practical tools and insights that can revolutionize your ministry. Whether you’re full-time or bivocational, in year fifteen or month five, this session will equip you to navigate the challenges of leading a student ministry and help maximize your impact for the Glory of God.

Located: Room 274

Presented by Bobby Cooley, Adult Pastor, Kingsland Baptist Church, and Partnership & Ministry Strategy, Empowered Homes

Churches may only have families for an hour each week, but the greatest opportunities for discipleship happen during the other 167. This breakout will help ministry leaders think beyond Sunday and develop practical ways to equip parents for everyday faith at home. Discover how your ministry can better connect church and home by giving families simple tools, resources, and rhythms they can actually use.

Located: Room 254C

Presented by Kristen Ray, Controller/Assistant Treasurer, Texas Baptists

Does your budget reflect the mission of your church? Do you have controls in place to protect your church, employees, and volunteers? In this workshop, we will discuss how your budget can and should be a useful tool for your ministry and how a few safeguards can go a long way toward fraud-proofing your ministry.

Located: Room 255

Presented by Amy Davison, Author, Mama Bear Apologetics

We often think that apologetics is for adults with big questions, but by age 13 most kids have already decided which worldview they’re going to follow. The question is: do they know why Christianity is true or are they going to "follow their heart" right out of the church doors? In this session we’ll see why kids & teens should be the primary focus for apologetic engagement. Attendees will learn the purpose of apologetics, how to incorporate worldview training into each age and stage, and find practical resources to help anchor a child’s faith in the midst of cultural storms.

Located: Room 270

Presented by Zac Workun, Student Ministry Specialist, Lifeway Students

Starting out in student ministry can feel like being handed the keys while the car is already moving. This breakout is designed to help new ministry leaders focus on the effective fundamentals: building healthy rhythms, leading volunteers, partnering with parents, discipling students, and navigating the practical realities. Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of what matters most, practical tools they can use immediately, and encouragement to build a ministry that is healthy enough to last.

Located: Room 271

Presented by David Reyes, Manager of Talent Development, Southwest Airlines

This session explores the intersection of personal brand and personal faith, helping leaders understand how both can be developed in alignment rather than in tension. Drawing from leadership development practices and biblical principles, we will examine how our profession, personality, and passions shape what we project to others, and how those same elements can be grounded in our identity as followers of Christ. Participants will be challenged to reflect on how their visible leadership presence reflects their faith, and how they can intentionally align their influence, relationships, and growth with a Kingdom-centered purpose. The session offers a practical framework and reflective questions to help leaders integrate who they are, what they do, and what they believe into a cohesive and authentic expression of leadership.

Located: Room 275A

Presented by Brian Baldwin, High School Pastor/Missions, Choctaw Road Baptist Church, Oklahoma

Helping the Next Generation Have Natural Gospel Conversations: A simple strategy for equipping kids, students, parents, and leaders to move naturally from everyday conversations to gospel conversations.

Located: Room 275B

Presented by Joel Bratcher, Director, Aggie Baptist Student Ministry

Before we can win the battle to believe, we must win the battle to belong. Discuss student trends and strategies to help foster a sense of belonging in your church & college ministry.

Located: Room 284

Presented by Jonathan Williams, Executive Director of Gospel Family Ministries

What if one of the most important measures of your ministry isn't what happens in your church
this Sunday—but what happens in the families of your church thirty years from now? Family
ministry cannot simply be delegated to the children's pastor, student pastor, family pastor, or
NextGen team. The lead pastor sets the theological vision, ministry priorities, and culture that
determine whether faith is intentionally passed from one generation to the next. In this session,
Jonathan Williams will challenge lead pastors to think beyond attendance, programs, and
immediate results and embrace a vision to build churches that equip parents, unite generations,
develop spiritual fathers and mothers, and raise up a generation that will set its hope in God. This
is a revival vision, for if we want to see revival in our nation, we must first pursue revival in the
church, and if we want to see revival in the church, we must first seek revival in the home.

Located: Room 170

Presented by Nanette Johnson, Retired Preschool Minister

Preschoolers learn and connect through their senses. By becoming more aware of what we hear, see, smell, and feel, we can nurture meaningful connections that foster trust. Join us as we explore simple, practical ways to create sensory-rich environments that build connections beyond keeping children safe.

Located: Room 256

Presented by Sarah Johnson, Age-Level Strategist, WMU of Texas

Discipleship is not one-size-fits all. This session equips ministry leaders to understand how spiritual formation unfolds across developmental stages - from childhood through adulthood. Together we will explore how cognitive, emotional, and spiritual development shape faith, and how ministries can intentionally disciple people in ways that meet them where they are and guide them toward mature, resilient faith.

Located: Room 255

Presented by Lisa Keeling, Minister to Families & Kids, Tallowood Baptist Church

Embrace diversity in your children's ministry. Discover ways to include everyone in your ministry as well as helping your volunteers embrace those from other cultures and backgrounds.

Located: Room 275A

Presented by John & Stefanie Litzler, General Counsel and Director of Public Policy, Christian Life Commission, Texas Baptists; Kids' Minister, Canyon Church, Dripping Springs

Churches should top the list of places where foster children and foster families feel safe, supported, and genuinely welcomed. Drawing from the facilitators’ experience as foster parents, a children’s minister, and an attorney, this session will explore practical ways churches can care well for children in foster care and the families who welcome them. We’ll discuss common challenges foster families face in church settings, creating safe and supportive children’s ministries, navigating legal and ministry considerations, and developing a church culture where foster families can thrive.

Located: Room 275B

Presented by Miguel Garcia, Student Minister, FBC Temple

Campus ministry is about more than just finding a way to get into schools and hang out with students. What if we started by asking, “How can we serve our schools?” In this breakout, we’ll talk about why being involved on our campuses matters, some of the challenges of getting connected, and practical ways your student ministry can serve students, teachers, coaches, and staff. We’ll also share some simple ideas that have worked for us and talk about how consistently showing up and serving can build relationships and open doors.

Located: Room 253

Presented by Doug Franklin, President, LeaderTreks Youth Ministry

You can’t build a healthy youth ministry alone. But recruiting the right volunteers—and keeping them engaged, equipped, and energized—can feel like one more thing on an already full plate. Join Doug Franklin for practical ideas on recruiting new volunteers, empowering tired and overworked team members, and building a strong volunteer team that shares the ministry and invests deeply in students. You’ll leave with simple, actionable strategies you can start using right away.

Located: Room 272

Presented by Kalie Lowrie, Director of Communications, Texas Baptists

Communication is vital for connecting with your church members and visitors. Learn practical strategies to help streamline communication and break through the noise so your message is heard.

Located: Room 252

Presented by Scott Stevens, Vice President, Texas Baptist Missions Foundation

What is the speed of your life? Ministry can be a blur of meetings, events, and putting out fires. Add in family responsibilities, and the pressure to do it all accelerates. But Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Discover how to slow down and simplify your life around what really matters in each season of life.

Located: Room 254A

Presented by Oza Jones, Director of Evangelism, Texas Baptists

The SHARE Evangelism Framework is a practical strategy designed to equip ministry leaders, and students to develop a lasting culture of evangelism. Participants will discover practical tools for identifying opportunities, engaging their communities, sharing the Gospel with confidence, and mobilizing others to make disciples.

Located: Room 254B

Presented by Jon & Teresa Harper, Founders of the Word Ministries and Authors of Minute for Marriage

This session challenges ministry leaders to pursue their calling without sacrificing the marriage God has entrusted to them. In the demands of ministry, it’s easy to give our best to everyone else while giving our spouse what’s left. This session offers biblical and practical encouragement for building a healthy marriage while faithfully fulfilling your ministry calling.

Located: Room 254C

Presented by Dr. Christopher Yuan, Speaker, Author, and Creator of The Holy Sexuality Project

There are six passages in Scripture which touch on the issue of homosexuality and condemn same-sex relationships. And yet some claim they do not. So what does the Bible really say? With a deep understanding of Hebrew, Greek, contextual issues, and biblical exegesis, Dr. Christopher Yuan presents and analyzes the gay-affirming interpretations of these Old Testament and New Testament passages with clarity and compassion.

Located: Room 270

Presented by Ron Hunter, Executive Director & CEO of Randall House and D6 Family Ministry

Come hear about the five key indicators that caused kids and teens to stick with their faith into adulthood and how the four seasons of parenting can cultivate resilience in faith formation through everyday conversations. 

Located: Room 271

Presented by Joyce Porto, Missional Lifestyle Strategist for Multicultural, WMU of Texas

Today's NextGen is the most globally connected generation in history. They are growing as global citizens influenced whether through mission trips, social media, global trends, international music, streaming platforms, diverse cultural communities, AI, multicultural classrooms, global fashion and lifestyle, international influencers, different languages, global sports, and instant access to people and ideas from around the world. We will explore how Culture Intelligence equips NextGen pastors and leaders to understand, engage, and disciple this generation, building authentic relationships, sharing the Gospel and doing missions in ways that connect across cultures.

Located: Room 273

Presented by Kristopher Boswell, Managing Editor of Student and Event Resources, YM360

Student ministry and children’s ministry don’t need adults to simply fill chairs. Each of these ministry areas needs shepherds who intentionally know, notice, pursue, and model Jesus. This session helps volunteers understand the calling behind their role, what faithful shepherding looks like, and where their responsibility ends and God’s begins. Pastors will also be challenged to move beyond simply recruiting volunteers and towards intentionally equipping and shepherding the people who serve.

Located: Room 274

Presented by Morgan Moore, TXBSM Mental Health Specialist & Professional Counselor

As ministers we find ourselves on the front lines of the mental health crisis facing our young adults and youth. Our role in the midst of that crisis can be overwhelming and often confusing. Come learn how you can identify the different mental health challenges they may be facing, how to encourage them toward Christ and professional help, and how to identify your role in their mental health challenges.

Located: Room 284

Presented by David Reyes, Manager of Talent Development, Southwest Airlines

This session is an interactive masterclass for executive leaders who want to remain effective, adaptable, and teachable throughout their careers. The session explores the idea that leadership is not something a person eventually masters. Even highly experienced leaders must continue learning from challenge, feedback, relationships, reflection, and deliberate practice. Grounded in Kouzes and Posner’s Learning Leadership, the class helps participants examine how humility, curiosity, purpose, and intentional growth influence the way they lead.

Located: Room 170

Presented by Mary Ann Bradberry, Retired Executive Director of Early Childhood Christian Network

Current studies on child development have shown that young children learn best through play but are spending less and less time in true play. This session explores the elements of child-led play and its importance for forming young children's views about themselves, God and the world.

Located: Room 252

Presented by Angela Irby, Associate Worship Director, The Heights Church

Whether you’re starting from scratch or hitting the reset button, we’ll talk through the building blocks of a healthy Worship Kids ministry—and how to turn rehearsals into opportunities for worship, discipleship, and growth. Discover practical ways to move beyond simply teaching songs and begin cultivating young worshipers. We’ll cover music, discipleship, volunteers, rehearsal, and creating meaningful worship experiences for kids.

Located: Room 254C

Presented by Meghan Landi, Empowered Homes Director

We say parents are the primary spiritual influence in a child’s life, but does the way we lead our ministries actually reflect that belief? Too often, churches unintentionally carry the discipleship load while parents remain unsure of their role or how to lead faith at home. In this practical breakout, discover three keys to closing the gap between church and home: clarifying the church’s role, inspiring parents to take ownership of discipleship, and creating intentional rhythms that equip families through the ministry touchpoints you already have. You’ll leave with a simple framework and practical ideas to move parent partnership from something you talk about to something embedded in your ministry culture.

Located: Room 275A

Presented by Kerry Ray, Director of Publishing, YM360

Let’s be honest: a lot of great ministry to kids and students often gets lost in the noise of poor communication. Your ministry’s impact rises or falls based on your ability to communicate with the four audiences who shape everything you do: students or kids, parents, volunteers, and church staff. Each audience is unique and needs something different, and great ministry leaders know how to speak to each with clarity, consistency, and purpose. So, let’s cut through the noise together and level up your ministry’s potential for influence and impact. In this breakout, we will unpack these four critical audiences and explore a proven communication framework to help you capture your audience’s attention, earn parents' trust and support, empower your volunteer leaders, and build alignment and credibility with church leadership. If you’re ready to stop chasing people down and start leading them forward, this session is your next step.

Located: Room 253

Presented by Michael Murrie, Minister to Students, First Baptist Church, Garland

In recent years, an increasing number of church-going families have chosen private schooling or homeschooling for their kids. This choice has resulted in a distinct change in the makeup of the kids who attend our Kids Ministries and Student Ministries. As you look at your group, you'll likely notice that the percentage of your students who attend public school has dropped. What does this mean for our ministries? In this session, we'll examine the ramifications of this dynamic shift and discuss the implications for our ministries to kids, students, parents, and our communities.

Located: Room 254A

Presented by Eric Hernandez, Executive Director, EHM Apologetics, Inc.

Doubt is a reality many students face, whether through unanswered prayers, difficult circumstances, or challenging questions about faith. In this workshop, Eric Hernandez explores what the Bible teaches about doubt, the true nature of faith, and practical ways to strengthen confidence in God through knowledge, evidence, and a deeper understanding of Scripture.

Located: Room 270

Presented by Doug Franklin, President, LeaderTreks Youth Ministry

What if the students in your ministry didn’t just show up—but stepped up? Join Doug Franklin for a simple, practical approach to developing student leaders. You’ll learn how to move students from participation to real leadership through the five steps of the Leadership Pathway: Invite, Discover, Equip, Risk, and Sharpen. Walk away with a clear process and practical tools to help you identify, train, and develop student leaders in your youth ministry.

Located: Room 272

Presented by Sam Midgett, Youth Pastor, Lakepointe Church

Tired of volunteers feeling unsure of what to do--and wondering who will still be serving next semester? Discover practical ways to train, care for, and empower your volunteers so they have the confidence to lead and the support to stay. You'll leave with clear next steps to build a team that knows what to do, why it matters, and how to make a difference in students' lives.

Located: Room 274

Presented by Brett Levy, Lead Pastor, City Church, Georgetown

Located: Room 254B

Presented by Monica Followell, First Baptist Church Minister of Missions and Mission Able Executive Director in San Marcos, TX

Explore how to cultivate an intentional, missional mindset across every generation in your church. In this session, I'll share our story, key insights, and practical strategies that helped us foster a thriving outreach culture that engages children, youth, and adults alike.

Located: Room 255

Presented by David Sanchez, Author, Speaker, Adjunct NT Professor

This workshop will take attendees through a series of activities to help identify content on their social media feeds using the following food-like terms: Healthy, Filling, Fattening, & Harmful. Attendees will receive resources to reproduce this workshop in their own churches and small groups, as well as helpful supplemental materials related to smartphone use discipleship.

Located: Room 256

Presented by Brock Murphy, CEO, Parent ProTech

In this conversation, we'll explore the hidden agenda and backstory of today's tech giants. We will examine the good, the bad, and the ugly of the top platforms while highlighting practical tips to keep our students, educators, and families safe.

Located: Room 271

Presented by Laura Roodenburg, Ministry Relations Manager, Joni & Friends

In this session, participants will learn practical approaches of how to interact with individuals impacted by disability in ways that communicate dignity, respect, and belonging.

Located: Room 273

Presented by Brian Baldwin, High School Pastor/Missions, Choctaw Road Baptist Church, Oklahoma

Moving NextGen Ministry from Inspiration to Mobilization: Practical ways to move evangelism from something we teach about to something kids, students, families, and leaders actually live out.

Located: Room 275B

Presented by Gary Stidham, Director of Training, Collegiate Ministry, Texas Baptists

Want to identify practices that will propel your college ministry towards effective disciple-making? We'll discuss key observations from high-momentum college ministries and assess how you can add fuel to your own student movement.

Located: Room 284

Presented by Ron Hunter, Executive Director & CEO of Randall House and D6 Family Ministry

This session explores the difference between activity and outcomes, examines what Scripture and research reveal about durable faith, and offers pastors a better set of questions for evaluating discipleship. If we change the desired outcome, we may need to change the scoreboard.

Located: Room 170

Presented by Monica Healer, Executive Director of Early Childhood Christian Network

Today’s preschool leaders and educators are navigating parent engagement in a rapidly shifting generational landscape. This interactive learning lab equips ministry leaders to better understand Millennial and Gen Z parents while also supporting a multi-generational staff/volunteers, using real-life case studies, discussion, and hands-on problem-solving to build trust, clarity, and Gospel-centered partnerships with families.

Located: Room 254A

Presented by Mary Ann Bradberry, Retired Executive Director of Early Childhood Christian Network

"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them" (Acts 20:29-30). The enemy is alive and well and waging a war for the hearts and minds of today's children. And the tragedy is that we as Christians are unintentionally inviting him into our homes through our choices of media and entertainment and sacrificing our faith to fit into a culture that will not matter in eternity. Our children are being discipled. The question is "By whom?"

Located: Room 252

Presented by Debbie Potter, President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Children's Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio

Children’s ministry leaders are often the people children turn to when they have questions about Jesus, faith, the Bible, and life. Some questions are easy to answer; others can catch us completely off guard. When Kids Ask About Jesus is designed to equip children’s leaders to respond to those questions with confidence, biblical truth, and age-appropriate understanding.

Located: Room 255

Presented by Jay Miller, Kids Pastor, FBC Bryan

Join us as we take a tour around the children’s space at FBC Bryan and discover how to plan and design new space or remodel existing space to meet the needs of the children in your church.

Located: Room 274

Presented by Lisa Keeling, Ministry to Families & Kids, Tallowood Baptist Church

Holidays and celebrations are important points of connecting with each other and helping kids connect to God. We can pass on our faith by sharing the spiritual meaning of holidays and build intentional and meaningful traditions at church and at home.

Located: Room 275A

Presented by Kristopher Boswell, Managing Editor of Student and Event Resources, YM360

Recruiting student ministry volunteers is difficult. Replacing burned-out volunteers every year is even harder. This session focuses on creating a volunteer culture in your student ministry where leaders are known, equipped, appreciated, challenged, and cared for, so serving students becomes a long-term calling rather than a short-term assignment.

Located: Room 253

Presented by Gary Stidham, Director of Training, Collegiate Ministry, Texas Baptists

Want to help your high school graduates keep walking with Jesus and find meaningful Christian community as they enter college or the workforce? Join this roundtable discussion with veteran ministry leaders.

Located: Room 254C

Presented by Chris Hurt & Brittany Green, Student Minister / Girls Minister, FBC Frisco

Discover how fun and creativity can become a part of your student culture. This breakout will equip you with practical ideas and proven strategies to create engaging environments that help students have some fun and find joy in your weekly meeting.

Located: Room 256

Presented by Matt McClure, Youth Ministry Consultant

Getting a new student to walk through the doors of your ministry is hard. Getting them to come back might be even harder. In this breakout, we’ll talk about practical ways to create a ministry that attracts new students, but we won’t stop there. We’ll look at how to build an intentional guest system that helps students move from first-time guest, to returning guest, to feeling like, “This is my place.” We’ll cover practical ideas for outreach, the first-time guest experience, follow-up, relationships, and creating a culture where your students want to invite their friends. Because getting them there is only the beginning!

Located: Room 272

Presented by Brett Levy, Lead Pastor, City Church, Georgetown

Located: Room 254B

Presented by Dr. Christopher Yuan, Speaker, Author, and Creator of The Holy Sexuality Project

We all know someone who identifies as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. How can Christians better share Jesus with our loved ones and friends in the LGB community? What have we gotten wrong? How can we improve? Without any compromise of truth or grace, Dr. Christopher Yuan combines his life experiences and his theological and biblical language background to teach a fully gospel-centric approach. This will help us to think right (orthodoxy) before doing right (orthopraxy).

Located: Room 270

Presented by Eric Hernandez, Executive Director, EHM Apologetics, Inc.

Evangelism doesn’t have to be intimidating or difficult, but in a growing culture of doubt, it must be effective. This is the role of apologetics in evangelism. This session will provide you with the relevant tools for navigating better, more fruitful conversations with those you encounter.

Located: Room 271

Presented by Laura Roodenburg, Ministry Relations Manager, Joni & Friends

Creating an accessible church begins with intentionality. This session will explore the foundational principles of accessibility and equip participants to identify and remove barriers so people of all abilities can connect, belong, and grow as disciples within their church community.

Located: Room 273

Presented by Irene Gallegos, Director, Hunger and Care Ministries, Christian Life Commission, Texas Baptists

What if the next generation could help change Texas’ hunger story? As Texas leads the nation in the number of people facing food insecurity, explore how Proverbs can equip children and students to understand God’s heart for those in need and turn compassion into meaningful action.

Located: Room 275B

Presented by Joel Bratcher, Director; Rebecca Hernandez, Associate Director; Jeff Turner, Associate Director; Aggie BSM

From first-year freshmen from the Metroplex to master's students from India. Who is on your local campus and how can your church connect with them to share the love of Christ? A practical panel discussion with the staff of the Aggie BSM.

Located: Room 284

Presented by Jonathan L. Smith, Church Strong Team Lead, Texas Baptists

Located: Room 170