Description: The screen-based digital world is posing significant discipleship challenges for Christians and churches. In this workshop session, Brett McCracken discusses principles for growing in spiritual health and Christian wisdom in a rapidly changing technological landscape. 

Trainer: Brett McCracken 

Title: Senior Editor and Director of Communications, The Gospel Coalition 

Bio: Brett McCracken is a senior editor and director of communications for The Gospel Coalition. He is the author or editor of several books, most recently Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age (Crossway, 2025) and The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World (Crossway, 2021). Brett lives in Santa Ana, California with his wife Kira and three children.

Description: Deepening divides increase the intensity of the call for pastors and church leaders to focus on our witness to a greater kingdom and greater good than partisanship can offer, while continuing to engage in the real life in the real world. The breakout worked to set a vision for leading our churches through the minefield of political division.

Trainer: Bill Riedel

Bio: Bill Riedel is the founding pastor of Redemption Hill Church in Washington, DC. He and Alissa, along with their three teenage children, have lived on Capitol Hill since 2010. Bill currently serves as the Chair for the EFCA Board of Directors.

Description: Vision isn’t hard, but cultivating a shared vision fueled by disciplemaking clarity can be. Most church teams are hindered by undeveloped clarity and an undefined ministry model. The Great Commission has functionally been reduced to: Go into all the world and make worship attenders, baptize them into the name of small groups and teach them how to volunteer several hours a month. In our hearts, we know that reaching a post-Christian culture requires more and that the people of God empowered by the Spirit of God are capable of more. 

In this workshop, we’ll explore how the Funnel Fusion master tool can help to diagnose current reality as well as identify necessary shifts to empower your people to be a gospel influence beyond the confines of your ministry environments and into the places where they live, work, study and play. 

Trainer: Shane Stacey 

Title: Co-Founder, Clarity House 

Bio: Shane is the Co-Founder of Clarity House, a training and consulting organization that equips church teams across the country to lead with a shared vision fueled by disciple-making clarity. For the past 28 years, Shane has served in and alongside local churches as a pastor, coach, and consultant. 

Before launching Clarity House, Shane served as the Executive Director of Denominee, where he helped over 40 denominational and network teams lead with greater synergy, bringing increased value to the churches they serve. He also spent a decade with the Evangelical Free Church’s national team, helping local and regional leaders build disciple-making cultures rooted in a way of life in Christ. 

Shane is currently a non-vocational leader at River City Church in Minneapolis, MN, where he lives with his wife, Heather. Together, they have three young adult children: Isaac, Gavin and Ruth.

Description: In this session, we will be exploring the missional gap between where your church is and where you want it to be when it comes to the priorities of evangelism and church multiplication. Using scripture, diffusion of innovations theory, and other resources we will explore ways to embrace and intentionally move your church in the direction of positive change. At the end of this session, you will receive a list of resources that can keep you moving on this journey.

Trainer: Scott Sterner

Title: Executive Vice President of National Ministries for the EFCA

Bio: Scott Sterner has more that 20 years of pastoral experience within two EFCA churches, as well as more than a decade of service in church planting and leadership roles with the EFCA Forest Lakes District and ReachNetwork—the collaborative, district-based church planting effort of the EFCA. Scott holds a master's degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and attends Door Creek Church (EFCA) in Madison, WI. Scott and his wife, Carrie, have five children and four grandchildren.

Description: This session is designed for pastors and leaders who want to foster unity within their congregations or engage with Spanish-speaking communities. Join a panel discussion to explore the vibrant Hispanic culture, its diversity, and recent growth trends in the church. Understanding these dynamics will strengthen fellowship and enhance ministry within the Body of Christ.

Facilitator: Marc Ramirez

Title: District Superintendent EFCA Southeast

Bio: Marc, an experienced pastor with over 20 years of leadership in the church and corporate world, has a heart for people and a passion for church health. He currently serves the EFCA as the District Superintendent of the Southeast and now resides in Port Orange, FL. He previously served for 18 years as the associate pastor and then senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Dallas, PA, where he implemented a visionary strategy that led to significant growth in church attendance and staff development. Before entering full-time pastoral ministry, he gained valuable corporate management experience working for 12 years in the Supply Chain field. Marc is supported in his ministry by his wife, Stephanie, they have two married daughters living in PA and their son Marc Jr is finishing his senior year at Liberty University.

Panelist #1: Jonathan Pierson

Title: Jonathan Pierson, Campus Pastor

Bio: Jonathan has served the Hispanic community for many years — from the mission field in Venezuela to various Hispanic churches within the Chicagoland area before joining the Park Hills staff in 2023 as the campus pastor of their Winnebago campus. Jonathan graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2007 with a BA in Biblical Studies and pursued further studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he graduated in 2016 with an MA in Theological Studies and is currently working on his DMin with ProMeta. Jonathan has a passion for teaching and preaching the Word of God and seeing people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. He is married to Erimar Pierson and they have two children.

Panelist #2: Alex Rivero

Title: Pastor Alex Rivero

Bio: Alex Rivero, a native of Venezuela, has been involved with the EFCA since 2002 serving as the Hispanic and the Executive Pastor at The Bridge EFCA in Newbury Park, CA. Joined the EFCA West team in 2014 serving as the All-People Ministries Director. Married to Nancy in 1991, three adult children, and two grandkids. He is a graduate of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (M. Div.). Finishing his second Master's degree in Christian Leadership from ProMeta. Currently enrolled in a DMin program with Kairos University / ProMeta. Love playing pickleball.

Panelist #3: Gissella Concha

Bio: Gissella Concha is a dedicated servant of Christ from Santiago, Chile, with a deep passion for fostering unity within Hispanic communities. Having given her life to the Lord at 15, she and her husband, Hugo, were called to serve in the United States in 2003, where they became involved in ministry to Hispanic congregations. Over the years, Gissella has played a key role in connecting with and service the Hispanic community through her work with the EFCA, including supporting ESL ministries and translating resources into Spanish. Her experiences in both ministry and culturally engagement uniquely position her to speak on the vibrant and diverse Hispanic culture, as well as its growth and influence within the church.

Description: This session will address various reproductive technologies available today, seeking to understand them in light of biblical principles and theological commitments regarding our bodies, marriage, and the needs of children. Attendees will be encouraged to come to a prayerful conviction regarding the use of reproductive technologies, particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Trainer: Dr. Matthew Eppinette

Title: Executive Director of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity (CBHD)

Bio: Matthew Eppinette, MBA, PhD, is the Executive Director of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity (CBHD), a research center alongside Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Trinity Law School. He has more than two decades of experience in the field, writing, teaching, and speaking on a wide variety of bioethics issues. In addition, he has co-written and co-produced six documentary films that address issues in bioethics. Matthew and his wife, Ginger, currently reside in Suburban Chicago.

Description: On the road to Emmaus, the disciples said their "hearts were burning within them" as Jesus spoke. At Pentecost, those who heard Peter's message were "cut to the heart." How can we grow as zealous, faithful, and effective communicators of God's Word and truly be empowered by God's Spirit? This session begins with a fresh reminder of our evangelical convictions and leads us to ask the right kinds of questions - questions that shape the way we teach and preach. Further, we'll explore practical tools to sharpen our skills and deepen our impact. Whether you're a preaching pastor or serve in any Bible teaching ministry, this session is designed to encourage and equip you to teach the Scriptures in a way that truly moves hearts..

Trainer 1: Quintin Stieff

Title: Lead Pastor, Valley Church, West Des Moines, IA

Bio: Quintin is the lead pastor of Valley Church in Des Moines, Iowa where he has served since 1990 when the church was planted. He’s married to The Awesome Ruth, and they have 3 adult children, 2 sons-in-law, 3 grandchildren… and 7 West African “grandchildren” through legal guardianship. 

His BA is from Indiana University in History and Religious Studies, and he graduated with an MDiv from TEDS in 1986… when dinosaurs were still roaming the campus.

He’s a conference and retreat speaker, in both the US and internationally, focusing on leadership, strategic vision, church-community engagement, evangelism, and outreach.

Trainer 2: Graeme Shanks

Title: Lead Pastor, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, Edinburgh, Scotland

Bio: Originally hailing from Glasgow, Graeme is married to Alex and they have 4 girls Chloe, Grace, Eve and Martha. Having qualified as a solicitor and worked in Commercial Property for a few years upon graduation he joined the staff team of Bruntsfield Evangelical Church in 2012 and has been lead pastor since 2017. He has studied at both the Cornhill Training Course and later at Edinburgh Theological Seminary. In his spare time he enjoys most sports and is a long-suffering fan of Airdrieonians and West Ham United.

Description: A 2020 Lifeway poll found that 99% of protestant pastors and churchgoers who participated in the poll believed someone with a disability would feel welcome and included at their church. Yet 86.5% of special needs families who attend church and completed the poll said that their churches need more education and training about disability. This workshop provides assessment tools that can be used to assess how disability-inclusive and accessible your church is. Strategies for supporting and including people with disabilities in the life of a congregation will also be presented.

Trainer 1: Jolene Philo

Title: EFCA Disability and Special Needs Ministry Team Member

Bio: Jolene Philo grew up caregiving family and raised a son with medical special needs. As a teacher, she created an inclusive classroom for children with disabilities for 25 years. She has written several non-fiction books for caregiving families including Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman. 

Trainer 2: Beth Castile

Title: EFCA Disability and Special Needs Ministry Team Member

Bio: Beth Castile currently serves on the EFCA Disability & Special Needs committee as a resource and support for others in Special Needs Ministry. She directed the special needs ministry at Valley Church in West Des Moines for almost 9 years and helped begin and implement the Wonderfully Made Family Camp (WMFC) for special needs at the Central District’s church camp. Beth continues to lead the WMFC each summer. 

Description: Focus on investment principles and strategies for the challenging years of new employment as well as handling family needs (mortgage, saving for kids’ college, etc.) while still setting aside for the future.

Trainer 1: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Trainer 2: Timothy Rowley

Title: FCMM President

Bio: Timothy is committed to the holistic wellness and financial health of pastors, church staff, and missionaries across the EFCA. He served as a student and executive pastor for twenty-five years, and has worked in financial services with Charles Schwab, MassMutual, and Northwestern Mutual. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Timothy, Cristina and their two boys, Judah and Silas, recently moved to Minneapolis, MN in January. Before their move, they were part of Grace Bible Church on the Texas-Mexico border, seeing the church grow from a few hundred to over 2,000 in weekend attendance and multiple campuses.  

Description: Under IRS guidelines, ministers are compensated differently than other church staff. This review will cover the essentials and suggest some important principles for organizing pay, including why a church should pay ministers the equivalent of employer-paid FICA.

Trainer: Jerry Rich

Title: FCMM Vice President

Bio: Before his 14 years with FCMM, Jerry served as a solo pastor, assistant pastor, hospital manager, administrative pastor, and executive pastor. He cares deeply about integrity and stewardship in finances, along with pastoral care and teaching. Jerry, and his wife Linda, have three adult children and six grandchildren. They are actively involved as members of South Suburban Church in Apple Valley, MN.

Description: Pointers on how a church can best use the Retirement Plan as a benefit, and how staff members can get started.

Trainer 1: Jerry Rich

Title: FCMM Vice President

Bio: Before his 14 years with FCMM, Jerry served as a solo pastor, assistant pastor, hospital manager, administrative pastor, and executive pastor. He cares deeply about integrity and stewardship in finances, along with pastoral care and teaching. Jerry, and his wife Linda, have three adult children and six grandchildren. They are actively involved as members of South Suburban Church in Apple Valley, MN.

Trainer 2: Timothy Rowley

Title: FCMM President

Bio: Timothy is committed to the holistic wellness and financial health of pastors, church staff, and missionaries across the EFCA. He served as a student and executive pastor for twenty-five years, and has worked in financial services with Charles Schwab, MassMutual, and Northwestern Mutual. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Timothy, Cristina and their two boys, Judah and Silas, recently moved to Minneapolis, MN in January. Before their move, they were part of Grace Bible Church on the Texas-Mexico border, seeing the church grow from a few hundred to over 2,000 in weekend attendance and multiple campuses.  

Description: Focus on investment and planning principles for the later working years to prepare well.

Trainer: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Description: It's no secret that our culture's view of Jesus Followers and the Church are no longer positive or even neutral. Join Pastor Larry Osborne as he explores what we can do as individuals and as local churches to reach an increasingly secular culture for Jesus and the truth. 

Trainer: Larry Osborne

Bio: Larry Osborne is a Kingdom Ambassador and Teaching Pastor at North Coast Church in Vista, California. During his tenure as lead pastor, North Coast grew from 70 adults to over 13,000 in total weekend attendance with 7 local campuses—and now 11 campuses.

His rare mix of theological and practical wisdom has made him a mentor and major influencer to thousands of pastors, including many of the largest churches in the nation. Many of the innovative concepts he pioneered at North Coast Church are now common practice, including sermon-based small groups, teaching teams, video venues and multisite campuses.  

His ten books include Sticky Church, Sticky Teams, Lead Like A Shepherd, Thriving in Babylon and Accidental Pharisees.

Larry and his wife, Nancy, reside in Oceanside, California, and consider it their greatest joy in life that all three of their kids love Jesus, married up, and live nearby with their eight grandchildren. 

Description: Retirement--whether it is in your near future or decades away, there is great value both for you and those with whom you serve to think and work ahead. At this workshop we'll look at how to make the most of transitions, talk about contribution and legacy, highlight realities that come with retirement and aging and consider next steps. 

Trainer: Terri Miller 

Title: ReachGlobal Europe Area Leader--Resourcing and Training 

Bio: Terri Miller serves as a member of ReachGlobal’s Europe Divisional Leadership Team and as the Global Church Representative of the National Association of Evangelicals. She has called four different continents “home”, having lived in Minneapolis, Johannesburg (South Africa), Wheaton (IL), Hefei (China) and Moscow (Russia). Terri enjoys teaching and training, exploring new cities, a great conversation and a good book. She lives with her husband, Matt, a professor of history, in Minneapolis and has three adult children. 

Description: Most churches agree that disciplemaking is important. Yet few churches have a shared picture of the kind of disciples of Jesus they are designed to develop and deploy– that their local community desperately needs more of. Without this clarity, ministry activity and program participation become the unintended scorecard of mission success.  

In this workshop, we’ll explore how having a shared picture of your dream disciple can become a linchpin to: 

• Focus  your leadership team 
• Energize your congregation 
• Inform your disciplemaking pathway 
• Shape your training culture 
• Maximize your collective gospel impact 

Trainer: Shane Stacey 

Title: Co-Founder, Clarity House 

Bio: Shane is the Co-Founder of Clarity House, a training and consulting organization that equips church teams across the country to lead with a shared vision fueled by disciple-making clarity. For the past 28 years, Shane has served in and alongside local churches as a pastor, coach, and consultant. 

Before launching Clarity House, Shane served as the Executive Director of Denominee, where he helped over 40 denominational and network teams lead with greater synergy, bringing increased value to the churches they serve. He also spent a decade with the Evangelical Free Church’s national team, helping local and regional leaders build disciple-making cultures rooted in a way of life in Christ. 

Shane is currently a non-vocational leader at River City Church in Minneapolis, MN, where he lives with his wife, Heather. Together, they have three young adult children: Isaac, Gavin and Ruth. 

Description: The late-modern world is incredibly effective at "discipling" young people today. Local churches need to rethink how we impart the faith to the next generation in order to seek deeper transformation and renewal. This begins by capturing the imagination with the biblical story through creative hands-on learning opportunities that embody, embed, and enact doctrinal truths so that the glorious reality of the kingdom of God is vividly known.

Trainer: Brent Kompelien

Title: Senior Pastor at New Life Evangelical Free Church, Hastings, MN

Bio: Brent serves as the Senior Pastor of New Life Evangelical Free Church in Hastings, MN. He previously spent six years doing church planting and urban missions in San Francisco, CA. He is passionate about understand the challenges of ministry in the late-modern world. He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MDiv '12, DMin '24) and is ordained in the EFCA. Brent and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters.

Description: God's people are comprised of all kinds of people "from every tribe, tongue and nation." God desires unity among this multiethnic people, but how can we find our way in our era of polarization? In this session we will discuss how the Bible guides su to take diversity seriously, including considering how our current climate presents great opportunity for modeling a truly "good news witness."

Trainer: Vincent Bacote

Title: Profession of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College

Bio: Vincent Bacote desires to help Christians build bridges between faith and life. He is Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. He is the author of books including Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News: In search of a Better Evangelical Theology (2020) and The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life and he has contributed to books including Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (2019), The Church's Social Responsibility (2015), and Black Scholars in White Space (2015). He lives in the Chicago area with his family.

Description: In the spiritual formation of individuals and collectives, in grief and celebration, in worship and outreach, art transforms the body of Christ richly. In this session, we will explore possibilities of how to nurture our communities through art. Come with anticipation and ready to share your ideas with like-minded creatives.

Trainer 1: Young-Ly Hong Chandra

Title: ReachGlobal Director of Art and Creativity

Bio: Young-Ly is a multi-disciplinary artist and art practitioner, who is passionate about following God’s movement through her making, and taking others into the journey of finding fullness of Gospel in practicing art. She has served with Reach Global for 19 years alongside Stephen, an international director for Asia. They have two grown sons -Jonathan, Joseph, and daughter in love Taylor.

Trainer 2: James Petersen

Title: ReachGlobal Executive Director of IMA Personnel

Bio: James Petersen served as a pastor in the EFCA for 25 years. During the last 10 years he has served at the EFCA National Office to provide personnel support to missionaries serving in the United States and around the world. He is an artist at heart and loves the creative process.

Description: The Church at Work engages pastors and church leaders who want to connect the importance of vocational discipleship with church practice. In this session, we will review three gaps that exist for many congregation members in understanding how faith in Christ should shape everyday work (paid or unpaid), and how churches can meaningfully address these gaps.

Trainer: Matt Rusten

Title: President, Made to Flourish

Bio: Matt Rusten serves as the President for Made to Flourish. Rusten received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry in faith, work, economics, and vocation from Fuller Theological Seminary. He regularly speaks and writes in the area of work, vocation, economics, and church practice. He has served in EFCA churches in North Dakota, the Chicago area, Kansas City, and Madison, Wisconsin. He and his wife, Margi, and their daughter, Olivia, and son, Owen, live in Kansas City.

Description: A lot of us are asking the same questions: Is it okay to use AI? And if it is... where do I start? In this session, we'll address the ethical tensions and walk step-by-step through how AI can streamline your workload, spark fresh ideas and shorten the gap between vision and execution, giving you more time to focus on what matters most. No hype, no fear, just practical help, real examples, and tools you can start using right away.

Trainer: Brandon Early

Bio: With humor, authenticity, and deep faith, Brandon Early has spent over two decades helping teens, preteens, and families discover and follow Jesus. In his role as Director of Christian Life at Valley Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, Brandon serves as a staff leadership coach and a vital member of the teaching team, providing a second voice to the church’s vision and spiritual guidance. As a sought-after speaker, Brandon engages audiences with stories that draw people into the Bible and leave them with understanding and practical steps to grow in their faith. Brandon and his wife Keri have been married for over 20 years and are raising three incredible boys. When he's not speaking or leading, you'll find him perfecting his Chicago-style pizza recipe or showing off his questionable ninja moves in impromptu sparring matches with his sons.

Description: Providing for post-employment life requires thoughtful preparation. A look at the various matters of planning for income, Social Security, Medicare, and timing may help inform some choices.

Trainer: Jerry Rich

Title: FCMM Vice President

Bio: Before his 14 years with FCMM, Jerry served as a solo pastor, assistant pastor, hospital manager, administrative pastor, and executive pastor. He cares deeply about integrity and stewardship in finances, along with pastoral care and teaching. Jerry, and his wife Linda, have three adult children and six grandchildren. They are actively involved as members of South Suburban Church in Apple Valley, MN.

Description: Focus on investment and planning principles for the later working years to prepare well.

Trainer: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Description: Missionaries transitioning to retirement often have different challenges than clergy that have been stateside their entire calling. In this session, we will cover retirement plan essentials for missionaries and examine the common challenges faced when moving back to the continental US and starting retirement.

Trainer: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Description: In our day, communities of believers are faced with a myriad of issues that pose deep and significant challenges to the practice of Christian community as well as our engagement with the world as people formed by the Gospel. But if missiologist Lesslie Newbigin is correct in his assertion that 'the local church is the only true hermeneutic of the gospel', we must discover a view of the church and the mission of God's people that stands the test. In this session you will become acquainted with three missiological tools — publics, thickness, and movement — which will help you lead your local congregation to more effective engagement with your community for the sake of the Good News.

Trainer: Mark Revell

Title: Director of Training, EFCA ReachGlobal

Bio: Mark Revell serves as Director of Training and Development for EFCA ReachGlobal. He is responsible for overseeing ministry training process for international missionaries with the EFCA. He also facilitates leadership development for ReachGlobal, and collaborates with teams and divisions to create a culture of learning across the organization.

Alongside his global role, Mark and his wife, Jodi, have made their home in Budapest, Hungary, since 2010. Over those 15 years, Mark served as ReachGlobal's local team leader, led a Hungarian non-profit that operations a community center in one of Budapest's most densely-populated neighborhoods, and had the joy of serving two established Hungarian churches and planting a third.

Alongside his work with EFCA, Mark is a research scholar at the Oxford Center for Christian Mission (UK), where his research interest is realted to church planting in Hungary.

Description: In this session, we'll explore how to engage others with the EFCA's Statement of Faith to promote spiritual growth and deepen understanding of essential biblical truths. Participants will learn how to use the statement as a tool to spark meaningful conversations, challenge assumptions, and foster a more robust faith. This workshop will equip leaders with strategies to help individuals connect theological concepts to their daily lives, encouraging a deeper and more personal walk with Christ.

Trainer: Keri Early

Bio: Keri has served in various ministry roles across public schools, churches, and Christian higher education. She is currently a member of the EFCA Prepared leadership team and an instructor for the program. In addition, Keri is an online adjunct professor at Moody Bible Institute. At her church, she is actively involved in adult ministries and also volunteers as a small group leader and teacher in student ministries. She and her husband, Brandon, have three sons and live in Clive, IA.

Description: There is a lot of confusion in our world when it comes to understanding gender--and for increasing numbers of young people, significant pain in their experience of their own gender. How do we practically, compassionately, and truthfully come alongside young people around us who might be struggling with their own gender identity? In this training session, we will think through these complex questions and offer biblical clarity, compassion, and wisdom for parents and church leaders who want to care well for those struggling with gender dysphoria.

Trainer: Jennifer Kvamme

Bio: Jennifer Kvamme is a student ministries catalyst at Centennial EFC in Forest Lakes, MN, where. she has served for more than 20 years, and author of More to the Story: Deep Answers to Real Questions on Identity, Attraction, and Relationships. She is wife to Greg, mom to three, and passionate about helping young people see the beauty of the gospel and apply it to all of life.

Description: In the EFCA, credentialing is critical because it is one of the primary ways of safeguarding doctrinal/theological integrity and denominational alignment. Additionally, credentialing is also one of the ways of ensuring accountability of pastors and ministers, especially in today’s culture where doctrinal integrity is questioned, and misuse of the pastoral role has caused harm. In this session, we will learn about credentialing, the process, and its importance, both for pastors and ministers and the church. All are welcome, as there is much to learn about credentialing in the EFCA. 

Trainer: Greg Strand 

Title: Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing 

Bio: Greg serves as Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing for the EFCA at the national office in Minneapolis, MN, a role in which he has served for twenty years. Greg provides oversight to the Board of Ministerial Standing, serves as chair of the Spiritual Heritage Committee and the Theological-Missiological Advisory Council, plans the annual Theology Conference, and helps pastors, leaders and churches think through issues biblically, theologically and pastorally. He also serves as adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology at TEDS and as a board member on the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding. Greg is husband to Karen, and father to three, father-in-law to three, and grandfather of eight. Greg likes to run, bike, hike and camp. He is a member at Northfield EFC, Northfield, MN. 

Description: Deconstructing faith. How do we view and respond to this? We must not let fear or experience or culture alone shape our answer. In this training session, we'll see how the Gospel, rightly portrayed and communicated, provides the needed response to those in the process of deconstructing their faith.

Trainer: Dr. Gloria Grell

Title: Director of Prepared

Bio: Gloria has served as a pastor's wife, missionary, Ministry to Women leader, Director of Ministry to women with the Great Lakes District of the EFCA, and adjunct professor at Moody Bible Institute. She's currently the Director of Prepared, the EFCA equipping program for women in ministry. Gloria earned her Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She and her husband, Daniel, have five married children and fifteen grandchildren.

Description: This session provides a concise overview of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting its complex roots and ongoing challenges. Participants will explore the unique opportunities and obstacles faced by Christian agencies operating in this context.

Trainer: Adam

Title: EFCA ReachGlobal International Leader, Middle East North Africa

Bio: Adam serves as International Leader for EFCA ReachGlobal overseeing missionaries in the MENA division (Middle East & North Africa). He holds an MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and spent 15 years as an EFCA pastor in California. Adam currently resides in the Middle East with his wife, Libby.

Description: Gather with fellow believers as we lift our voices in unity, singing timeless hymns that have inspired faith for generations. Whether you’re a seasoned singer or simply love to listen, this session is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our shared heritage, deepen our worship, and experience the power of music to draw us closer to God and each other. All are welcome-let’s make a joyful noise together!

Trainer: Kevin David

Title: Executive and Worship Pastor, Ankeny Free Church, Ankeny, Iowa

Bio: Kevin David is Executive and Worship Pastor at Ankeny Free Church in Ankeny, IA, serving in full-time worship ministry for over 30 years in EFCA churches in Missouri, Iowa, and North Carolina. Kevin holds a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting. He is married to Julie, father to three girls, and is passionate about building healthy teams to focus worship on the loving, worthy, and Triune God.

Description: Pointers on how a church can best use the Retirement Plan as a benefit, and how staff members can get started.

Trainer 1: Jerry Rich

Title: FCMM Vice President

Bio: Before his 14 years with FCMM, Jerry served as a solo pastor, assistant pastor, hospital manager, administrative pastor, and executive pastor. He cares deeply about integrity and stewardship in finances, along with pastoral care and teaching. Jerry, and his wife Linda, have three adult children and six grandchildren. They are actively involved as members of South Suburban Church in Apple Valley, MN.

Trainer 2: Timothy Rowley

Title: FCMM President

Bio: Timothy is committed to the holistic wellness and financial health of pastors, church staff, and missionaries across the EFCA. He served as a student and executive pastor for twenty-five years, and has worked in financial services with Charles Schwab, MassMutual, and Northwestern Mutual. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Timothy, Cristina and their two boys, Judah and Silas, recently moved to Minneapolis, MN in January. Before their move, they were part of Grace Bible Church on the Texas-Mexico border, seeing the church grow from a few hundred to over 2,000 in weekend attendance and multiple campuses.  

Description: Missionaries transitioning to retirement often have different challenges than clergy that have been stateside their entire calling. In this session, we will cover retirement plan essentials for missionaries and examine the common challenges faced when moving back to the continental US and starting retirement.

Trainer: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Description: Under IRS guidelines, ministers are compensated differently than other church staff. This review will cover the essentials and suggest some important principles for organizing pay, including why a church should pay ministers the equivalent of employer-paid FICA.

Trainer: Jerry Rich

Title: FCMM Vice President

Bio: Before his 14 years with FCMM, Jerry served as a solo pastor, assistant pastor, hospital manager, administrative pastor, and executive pastor. He cares deeply about integrity and stewardship in finances, along with pastoral care and teaching. Jerry, and his wife Linda, have three adult children and six grandchildren. They are actively involved as members of South Suburban Church in Apple Valley, MN.

Description: Focus on investment principles and strategies for the challenging years of new employment as well as handling family needs (mortgage, saving for kids’ college, etc.) while still setting aside for the future.

Trainer 1: Jeff Englin

Title: FCMM Manager of Advisory Services

Bio: Jeff is credentialed as an Accredited Investment Fiduciary and has served as a wealth management consultant with special attention to investment advising. For eight years, Jeff provided limited consultation to FCMM Retirement Plan members while advising other employers as well. In 2016, he joined FCMM full-time and exclusively advises FCMM participants at no charge. Jeff, and his wife Alice, have two adult children and live in Albert Lea, MN.

Trainer 2: Timothy Rowley

Title: FCMM President

Bio: Timothy is committed to the holistic wellness and financial health of pastors, church staff, and missionaries across the EFCA. He served as a student and executive pastor for twenty-five years, and has worked in financial services with Charles Schwab, MassMutual, and Northwestern Mutual. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Timothy, Cristina and their two boys, Judah and Silas, recently moved to Minneapolis, MN in January. Before their move, they were part of Grace Bible Church on the Texas-Mexico border, seeing the church grow from a few hundred to over 2,000 in weekend attendance and multiple campuses.