Session Summaries and Biographies of Leadership Development Conference Session Leaders
The Stephen Ministry
Conference Write-Up: Is your church searching for ways to train and organize lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around your congregation. The Stephen Series provides congregations with the structure, training, and resources to set up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen Ministry). In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Don Powell
Leader Credentials: Don Powell is an ordained Baptist minister who has served churches as associate pastor, pastor, and served as minister to students at the University of Richmond. In 1976 he became Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care of CJW Medical Center, Chippenham Campus and retired from there in 2000. In retirement years he uses his expertise as a Stephen Leader in his home church, River Road Church, Baptist. He has been an avid bicyclist for more than twenty years having ridden several century rides and more recently has become interested in mountain biking. In addition to his involvement with the Stephen Ministry program at River Road, he has taken several mission trips to Brazil, to the New Orleans area, and has worked on several Habitat for Humanity housing projects.
Suggested Reading: Looking at the Stephen Ministry web site:
Helping Your Church Face Change
Conference Write-Up: Change is a frightening word for most people and creates strong emotional reactions in people. In this conference, a participant can expect to learn the dynamics of the change process and diagnostic models that a church leader can use in leading the church through a change process.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Ken Kessler
Leader Credentials: Ken has served for over thirty years in church and denominational ministry settings in Baptist life. His ministry connection has allowed him to serve with churches in very large, metropolitan contexts to smaller churches in transitional communities. His heartbeat is to help the local church find its own personal journey with God and develop the resources and energy to live into that journey. Ken presently serves as the Team Leader for the Empowering Leaders Team, Virginia Baptist Mission Board.
Suggested Reading:
Leading Change in the Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders by Gil Rendle
Pursuing the Full Kingdom Potential of Your Congregation. By George Bullard
Reaching People Under 40 While Keeping Those Over 60: Being Church for All Generations by Eddie Hammett
Ministry in Times of Disaster
Conference Write-Up: Is your church ready to engage in disaster relief ministry? Virginia Baptists work to provide relief to those who find themselves victims of disasters in Virginia, the U.S. and around the world. We work in partnership with the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Baptist conventions, agencies and other national and international partners to bring relief and hope to those in need. Come and learn more about this important ministry.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Terry Raines
Leader Credentials: Terry Raines serves as Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. The disaster relief ministries of the VBMB include mass feeding, clean up recovery, rebuild recovery, laundry, showers, temporary child care, communication, field offices, water purification and crisis care chaplaincy. In addition to his work with the VBMB’s disaster relief ministries, Terry also serves as chair of the executive committee of Virginia Capitol Area Regional VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) and with the disaster relief network of the North American Baptist Fellowship.
Toolbox for Launching Your Church's Mission Strategy
Conference Write-Up: Each congregation seeks to flesh out the Great Commission in ways that are unique to that context—utilizing the gifts God has given. No prescribed system works for every congregation, but there are some basic tools that can be foundational for every missions ministry. In this session, participants will understand how to help their churches develop an integrated missions strategy using a holistic, ongoing, and relational approach. Participants will wrestle with the following questions: 1) How does my church engage in missions? 2) Where does my church engage in missions? 3) How do we determine priorities? 4) How can we engage the whole church in missions?
Target Audience: congregational leaders looking to begin or enhance their missions ministry
Conference Leaders: Julie Carr & Melissa Fallen
Leader Credentials:
Julie Carr has a contagious passion for missions that has helped lead Huguenot Road Baptist Church into new areas of missions work. With countless experiences leading and coordinating local and international mission projects and partnerships, Julie brings a keen insight into the tools needed to accomplish God’s commandment to be witnesses around the globe.
Melissa Fallen is the Associate Pastor for Senior Adults and Pastoral Care at Huguenot Road Baptist Church and also serves as the Mission Strategy Team Coordinator there. Melissa has passion and commitment to foster holistic missions experiences for members of local congregations.
Suggested Reading:
Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation by Daniel Vestal
Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions With Cultural Intelligence by David A. Livermore
Simple Church –
making disciples is not always easy but it can be simple
Conference Write-Up: Derek Gordon discovered the book “Simple Church” last year and found it to be a road map for leading the congregation to discipleship. Following the first reading he gathered a number of leaders and attended a “Simple Church” conference with author Eric Geiger, and then led them to implement the process of being a “Simple Church.” Participants will spend time understanding the “Simple Church” process and the journey one church is taking to make disciples for the kingdom.
Target Audience: Those seeking to learn more about the book “Simple Church” and its impact on the local church.
Conference Leader: Derek Gordon
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Leader Credentials: In ministry since 1991, Derek Gordon currently serves as Minister of Church and Family Life at New Highland Baptist Church in Mechanicsville. He graduated from Averett College with a degree in Education and from Southwestern Seminary with a MACE degree. He has a passion for youth and education.
Suggested Reading: Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger
Preschool Conference: Jesus’ Hands
Conference Write-Up: How can we be Jesus’ Hands in our world today? This conference will be for new Preschool Sunday school leadership and for experienced Preschool Sunday school leadership. We will discover ways God created our preschoolers in his image and how they learn and grow. We will discover ways we, as teachers, can connect with preschoolers and their families.
Target Audience: Preschool Sunday School Leaders, new and experienced
Conference Leader: Susan Warren
Leader Credentials: Susan Warren has been a Children’s Minister for over 20 years. Susan has led Children’s ministry leadership conferences for Sunday school, children’s missions, children’s choirs, Vacation Bible School and many more. She has helped teachers and parents discover how children are created in God’s image and are His special gifts of wonder and amazement.
Suggested Reading:
Love, Laughter, and Learning
Teaching Preschoolers: First Steps toward Faith
How to Have a Perfect Staff…or Die Trying
Conference Write-Up: Sometimes congregations are guilty of thinking about “support” for their ministers in terms of a financial package. While compensation is important, other issues need attention. In this conference, Dr. Graham will address these topics: staff communication, staff evaluations, collaboration teams vs. strong individuals, purpose of staff meetings, developing covenant relationships with staff vs. contracts, and why 360 evaluations are more fair than other methods.
Target Audience: clergy and personnel chairs
Conference Leader: Maurice Graham, D. Min., LMFT
Leader Credentials: Maurice Graham has spent more than 30 years working with churches domestically as well as internationally. He has been doing family systems since the mid-1970’s and was licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the early 80’s. The last eight years he has specialized in working with clergy in leadership development. He was on the staff of Bon Air Baptist Church for nine years.
Suggested Reading: Pastoral Emotional Intelligence article from Rev. Magazine, May, 2008
Church Library Ministry Plugged In . . .
Conference Write-Up: While the formats and delivery system (Internet) of resources are changing, quality resources are still vital tools for learning, spiritual growth, and even meaningful relaxation. Participants will explore how the local church library can “plug-into” the ministries of their churches, current technology, and the needs of individuals.
Target Audience: church library workers & church staff interested in this ministry
Conference Leader: Nancy King
Leader Credentials: Nancy King has been involved with church library ministry for 30 years in her local church, association and state organization working to further ministry through resources. She has served as team leader for Dover Association, President of the Virginia Baptist Library Association and President of the Board of Directors for The Resource Center, Inc.
Suggested Reading:
Church Library Ministry Information Service, Broadman & Holman, LifeWay Item Number: 001243063
A Classification System for Church Libraries, Revised
LifeWay Item Number: 001253534
Children’s Ministry Without a Children’s Minister
Conference Write-Up: Conferees will gain an understanding of the 3-fold purpose of children’s ministry, the importance and value of the children themselves, and practical ways to go about building an intentional ministry to children. (This is a 2 hour conference).
Target Audience: pastors and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Amanda Lott
Leader Credentials: Amanda Lott has worked in children’s ministry for 19 years—10 years as a lay person and 9 years as a staff person, currently as Minister to Children at Huguenot Road Baptist Church. Her 10 years of lay ministry have given her unique insight and an abundance of experience in the “how-to” of day to day, lay-led ministry to children and their families. Participants in this conference will take home many answers to the “Who?”, “Why?”, and “How?” questions all ministries to children face.
Discovering the LifeWay Worship Project:
Looking Under the Hood!
Conference Write-Up: This session gives an overview of all of the printed, recorded and online resources available for the new Baptist Hymnal (just released this summer), and LifeWayworship.com. It will also include a chance to see sample materials and resources, and a brief discussion of Copyright Issues and my Church. The Worship Project is the beginning of a new approach to worship planning for smaller, as well as larger churches, and many of its features are available through the internet at little or no cost.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Tom Ingram
Leader Credentials: Tom Ingram has served as the Consultant for Worship and Church Music Ministries for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board since 1994 and has led conferences and retreats in churches and associations throughout Virginia. In addition, Tom has served as a college professor and both a part-time and full-time Minister of Music in several churches in Virginia. He is familiar with the needs of a wide variety of churches in worship styles and approaches to ministry.
Being a Steward: The Art of Recycling!
Conference Write-Up: Being a steward is being the image of God on earth. As humankind’s first responsibility it is still a valid call to service. Information will be provided for anyone interested in the area of stewardship. Participants will be introduced to many of the newest materials and emphases to assist them in teaching and practicing the principles and disciplines of stewardship.
Target Audience: clergy and lay leaders working in Stewardship Development
Conference Leader: Don Campbell
Leader Credentials: Don Campbell, Stewardship Development director for the BGAV, has been active in stewardship development since serving as a trustee on the SBC Stewardship Commission and with the BGAV for the past 20 years. He is also the pastor of Poroporone Baptist Church in Shacklefords, Virginia.
Don is a member of the Southern Baptist Stewardship Development Association and the Christian Leadership Alliance. He is a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and John Wesley College.
Suggested Reading:
Living Life for the Highest Purpose, a study in Christian Stewardship, Robert Sims
The Giving Myths: Giving Then Getting the Life You’ve Always Wanted, Stephen B.McSwain
Caring for the Caregivers of the Aged
Conference Write-up: The conference will focus on assisting those who care for the aging population in order to help them understand their need for respite and relief from caring. The dynamics of compassion fatigue will be discussed so that caregivers may recognize symptoms before fatigue sets in. We will also deal with how the church can more effectively minister to those who care for aging persons.
Target Audience: All those who serve the needs of the aged, family members and professionals.
Conference Leader: Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Boschen
Leader Credentials: Tim Boschen is a 1983 graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D. C., with a Doctor of Ministry degree. He is a retired Army Chaplain and has been a professional pastoral counselor for five years. He has over 30 years of ministry experience. He is the Executive Director of Chrestone, LLC, an agency that provides training and counseling for churches, clergy, and laity on a variety of issues affecting the lives of congregations and individuals. He is an adjunct professor of religion for Bluefield College and a serving pastor.
Suggested Reading:
For Clergy and Professionals: Help for the Helper: The Psychophysiology of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma by Babette Rothschild
For Non-professionals: The Fearless Caregiver: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One and Still Have a Life of Your Own (Capital Cares by Gary Barg)
How to Care for Aging Parents by Virginia Morris and Robert M. Butler
The Future Looks Different Than It Used To:
The Emerging Missional Church
and What It Means for the Church Overall
Conference Write-Up: Our society is undergoing massive changes. Sometimes we feel those changes. Other times we notice hints of them. But, when you look over several decades – YOU CAN’T MISS THEM! This means that the church is also changing. There really isn’t much debate about this at all – the church IS changing dramatically in the midst of all the cultural changes – even if some churches don’t think so. God’s activity through the emerging missional church is a significant part of that change. In this seminar we will explore what the missional church is, what they are like, where they are found, and what your church could do to be part of the missional movement.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader(s): Chris Backert, Doug Paul, and Brent Underwood
Leader Credentials:
Chris Backert: Chris is the pastor & lead catalyst for a new church plant in Richmond, VA. He also serves as the Director & Organizational Architect for a network of missional churches called Ecclesia. In addition, Chris works with the Baptist General Association of Virginia as an Emerging Church Strategist and in his spare time is attempting to finish his doctoral program at Fuller Seminary in Missional Church Leadership.
Doug Paul: Doug is the Directional Pastor for a community of skeptics and idealists in Chesterfield. He started Eikon Community this past spring in the hopes of reaching out to the de-churched and never-churched community in the Hull Street/288 corridor.
Brent Underwood: Brent serves alongside of Chris in a new church start reaching out to religiously disinterested, but spiritually curious people in the Richmond area. In the past he has served in several ministry capacities working with emerging generations.
Suggested Reading: The Shaping of Things to Come by Alan Hirsch & The Present Future by Reggie McNeal
Security Issues at Your Church
Conference Write-Up: We will discuss ways to secure your church using CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) as well as a variety of things congregations need to prepare for.
Target Audience: Ministers and Lay Leaders
Conference Leader: Deputy Jim McLaughlin
Leader Credentials: Deputy McLaughlin has been with the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years. His career spans from being a Reserve Deputy for 10 years, then a full-time Deputy for the last 14 years, and since 1998 he has been the Crime Prevention Specialist. He has numerous certifications in Crime Prevention such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, General Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Instructor of Project Lifesaver and is a Certified Crime Prevention Specialist.
Deputy McLaughlin is the past president of the Central Virginia Crime Prevention Association, and serves on their Board as the member at large. He’s on the Board of the Virginia State TRIAD, and treasurer for the Central Virginia Regional TRIAD. He’s a member of the Hanover/Ashland TRIAD, and is one of the founding members of the Hostage Negotiation Team, Search and Rescue Team, Project Lifesaver, and Mobile Command Post Team. Deputy McLaughlin was voted Deputy of the Year for 2005 by his peers.
How to Integrate New People into Your Church
Conference Write-Up: In this session you will hear about how one church integrates new people. The leader will share the following to give you ideas about how to assimilate people into your church:
1) What Bon Air’s mandatory membership class covers – service and participation responsibilities; how to get plugged in; Servant Profile info – spiritual gifts, talents and skills, passions, are they in a Sunday School class or small group and how to get plugged in. 2) Bon Air’s LINK ministry – each new adult member is linked with a current member whose responsibility is to make sure that the new person gets into a Sunday School class and/or a small group and makes 5 – 6 friends. 3) Dessert socials held at the senior pastor’s home – purpose to get people acquainted with other new members and hear about ways to get plugged in and how the church can serve them.
Target Audience: staff and lay ministers
Conference Leader: Kakki Aydlotte
Leader Credentials: Kakki Aydlotte is the Associate Pastor for Member Development at Bon Air Baptist Church. She retired after teaching in the public schools for 32 years. For a number of years her passion has been to help members find a meaningful place of service in and through the local church.
Measuring Congregational Effectiveness
Conference Write-Up: Participants in this session learn about two key measures, transformation and reproduction, that are used today to measure congregational effectiveness.
Target Audience: Ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Rev. Glenn Akins, Assistant Executive Director, Virginia Baptist Mission Board, Director for the Center of Ministry Innovation and Research
Leader Credentials: Glenn Akins has over 30 years experience working with churches and helping them address challenges such as relocating, serving in multiple locations, church planting, and staffing. He has led in the introduction of geographic information systems (GIS) to customize data retrieval and initiated and lead various studies that evaluate current church status and opportunities for change and growth. Rev. Akins has worked with churches local associations, and state conventions in North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, and Virginia. He is currently serving as the Assistant Executive Director for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Rev. Akins received a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri Baptist College, a Masters of Divinity/Religious Education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, engaged in extension work toward a Doctor of Ministry degree in church and community from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has also completed graduate studies coursework in Geography at the University of South Carolina.
Suggested Reading:
1. More Than Numbers: The Ways Churches Grow by Loren B. Mead
2. REVEAL: Where Are You? By Greg Hawkins & Cally Parkinson
3. 12 Keys to an Effective Church by Kennon L. Callahan
4. Growing True Disciples by George Barna
The Twentysomething Years
Conference Write-Up: Come learn about the issues college students and career young adults face in today’s complicated world. Discover techniques for ministering to people in their twenties who are striving to mature, strengthen their wings, and adjust to life on their own away from the family nest.
Target Audience: ministers and college/career lay leaders
Conference Leader: Susan Blanchard
Leader Credentials: Susan graduated from Union Theological Seminary in 1997 with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Christian Education. During her seminary years, Susan served as volunteer campus minister at J, Sargeant Reynolds. Upon graduation, Susan accepted the Baptist Campus Ministry position at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia where she served for seven years. Susan is passionate about collegiate ministry and is excited to help others discover techniques for assisting young adults as they develop more fully in their faith.
Suggested Reading:
Singles At The Crossroads by Albert Y Hsu
Quarterlife Crisis by Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner
Twentysomething by Margaret Feinberg
Through The Backside Bible study series
WMU for Today: Updates & Strategies
Conference Write-Up: This conference will help you discover how you can use your unique gifts and talents as well as engage others to live out God’s call through the initiatives and ministries of WMUV.
Target Audience: Women of all ages
Conference Leaders: Becky McKinney & Maria Lynn
Leader Credentials: Becky McKinney is a life-long resident of Virginia. Her gifts and compassion for children in crisis have been lived out through her work in the social work profession and as the Director of Programs for a nonprofit, Volunteer Emergency Families for Children. She presently serves as the President of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia and as a member of the Board and chair of the finance committee for national WMU. She is active in her local church where she teaches Sunday School and serves as WMU Director. Becky has been on numerous mission trips to other countries. She enjoys leading conferences and is most passionate about helping women and girls discover how God can use them to reach others for Christ.
Maria Lynn is the Adult Missions Coordinator for Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia. In that role, she promotes missions learning and involvement among adults, with an emphasis on engaging younger adults; develop new strategies for local church involvement using the World Missions Unlimited initiative; assist new church starts, local churches or associations; facilitate conferences and training sessions; and network with WMUV partners to identify opportunities for ministry and missions. Maria is a graduate of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.
How Your Congregation Can Strengthen Marriages
Conference Write-Up:
Learn proven strategies for marriage enrichment and preparation that work in churches. Review effective resources that are readily available and cost effective. Learn how to mobilize Marriage Mentor couples to help with all stages or marriage including preparation, enrichment, crisis, and support for stepfamilies.
Target Audience: Clergy, ministry leaders and lay mentor couples.
Conference Leader: Bob Ruthazer, CFLE
Leader Credentials: Bob Ruthazer has over 15 years in congregational and community marriage ministry experience. He is a Certified Family Life Educator and the founding Executive Director of First Things First, formerly Marriage Builders Alliance of Richmond. He and his wife Dianne are passionate for equipping others for marriage ministry and have trained hundreds of clergy, counselors and mentor couples. They also have taught healthy relationship skills to thousands of singles and couples. They are certified and experienced trainers in many of the “best practices” programs used around the world including C-PREP, PREPARE/ENRICH,C-PAIRS, FOCCUS/REFOCCUS, Marriage Savers and others. Participants will leave with a vision for strengthening marriages and familiarity of the latest resources they can use.
Suggested Reading:
A Lasting Promise by Scott Stanley
Can My Marriage Be Saved? by Mae Chambers
How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk by John VanEpp
5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Boundaries by Cloud & Townsend
Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
Intended for Pleasure by Ed Wheat
Real Sex by Lauren Winters
Mystery of Marriage by Mike Mason
Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts by Les Parrot
Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman
Marriage Savers by Mike McManus
The Gift of Pastoral Sabbatical
Conference Write-Up: The Gift of Pastoral Sabbatical Conference will present the process of working through granting your pastor or a member of the ministerial staff a sabbatical. We will define sabbatical and examine the biblical models for this gift. In addition, we will look at a sabbatical policy and talk about issues through which every congregation needs to work. The leader will also discuss what happens while the pastor is away and the benefits to both pastor and people.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders—especially deacons and members of Personal Committees or Teams
Conference Leader: Vallerie F. King
Leader Credentials: Rev. King has served as pastor of Emmaus Baptist Church in Quinton, VA for eight years. Prior to coming to Emmaus she served churches in Indiana, West Virginia, Illinois, and Northern Virginia. Rev. King is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In January of this year, Rev. King’s church granted her a sabbatical. She spent forty days at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, KY.
Suggested Reading:
Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline by Lauren F. Winner
Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Ministry by Eugene H. Peterson
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design:
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
Conference Write-Up: Unfortunately, churches are no longer immune to criminal activities. Learn the value of proactive crime prevention strategies which can reduce crime, the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life in a wide array of environments.
Target Audience: church members and staff
Conference Leader: Jim Eicher, CPTED Planner, Chesterfield County Police
Leader Credentials: Jim Eicher, one of two civilian CPTED planners in the state, has worked to "design out crime" in Chesterfield County for the last four years. Previously a planner with Henrico County, Mr. Eicher holds a master's degree in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University.
Is Your Church Meeting Licensing Requirements for Media?
Conference Write-Up: We will cover the different licenses needed for today’s worship along with some great resources.
Target Audience: ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Randy Lynn
Leader Credentials: Randy is the Director of Media at Bon Air Baptist Church. He has 25 years of experience in broadcasting. Randy has also run a company specializing in designing and installing audio, video and lighting systems for churches. He produces multi-media elements for contemporary worship services, oversees the AV systems and manages multimedia licensing for Bon Air Baptist Church.
Suggested Reading:
Church Guide to Copyright Law by Richard R. Hammer
Pass It On- Helping Hurting Kids
Conference Write-Up: Dana Blanton Brawley has an overwhelming love for teenagers and an even greater passion to see them overcome their circumstances and allow God to redeem their pain and use it for His glory. Participants in this conference will come away feeling better equipped to tackle the tough issues that teenagers face today.
Target Audience: Youth Ministers, Lay Leaders, Parents, Volunteers
Conference Leader: Dana Blanton Brawley
Leader Credentials: Dana Blanton Brawley has been working with teenagers for over 12 years. For the past seven years she served as Minister to Students at Salem Baptist Church in Sparta, VA. A year after Dana was called to serve at Salem BC, her first husband, a Virginia State Trooper, was killed in the line of duty. Living with a “hurting kid” in her own home developed a passion for helping teenagers cope with their pain and come to the realization that there is hope in Christ no matter what the circumstances.
Suggested Reading:
- Help! My Kids are Hurting!
A survival guide to working with students in pain
How to Help Your Hurting Friend
· Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers by Chap Clark
· Emergency Response Handbook for Youth Ministry by Group Publishing
- The Youth Worker's Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis by Rich Van Pelt and Jim Hancoc
Whole Church Formation
Conference Write-Up: Participants will be encouraged to think in terms of “whole congregation formation,” or formation that goes beyond age segmentation and which takes the life of the entire congregation into consideration for Christian education.
Target Audience: Ministers and lay leaders
Conference Leader: Nathan Taylor
Leader Credentials: Nathan Taylor has served as a high school teacher, a chaplain with seniors and Alzheimer’s patients, a Baptist deacon and currently serves as associate pastor for Christian formation and children’s ministry at Central Baptist Church, Richmond. He is a frequent contributor of online content for Smyth & Helwys Publishing. He is curious about what senior adult ministry can teach us about children’s ministry and vice versa.
My Rod and My Staff—They Comfort Me
Conference Write-Up: Participants will look at various ways the congregation can support the church staff as well as staff meetings, regularly scheduled staff retreats, evaluations of staff, recognition for services rendered, and team building.
Target audience: clergy, lay persons
Conference leader: Roberta Damon
Leader Credentials: Roberta Damon holds a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in psychology and counseling. She has served as a missionary in Brazil, a curriculum writer, a marriage and family counselor and a staff member of First Baptist Church, Richmond. Though retired, she still counsels at First Baptist and for Human Resources at the International Mission Board. Her people skills have been honed by years of experience.
Caring for the Caregiver: Managing "Compassion Fatigue"
Conference Write-Up: In this conference, Dr. Bagby will focus on helping those who are caring for others 24/7 deal with physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, manage their own grief/needs, and find sustenance for themselves while constantly providing care for their loved ones.
Target Audience: Family members, deacons, and other ministers caring for disabled/dependent family members at home or under institutional care
Conference Leader: Dan Bagby
Leader Credentials: Dr. Bagby is Professor of Pastoral Care at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. He served as a pastor for 26 years. Dr. Bagby has also served as a pastoral counselor, chaplain, and Hospice Consultant.
The Church and Personal Privacy-- Prayer Lists, Computer Use, and More
Conference Write-Up: Privacy issues are important to everyone these days and churches need to be aware of the practices and procedures which might make them vulnerable to legal liability for invasion of privacy. This conference will discuss church liability under the federal HIPAA law and under the general right of privacy enjoyed by all Americans. We will discuss privacy as it relates to prayer lists, web sites, church financial records, worship services, and staff rights to privacy with regard to salary, personnel issues and health concerns.
Target Audience: Ministers and lay leaders in Virginia Baptist churches.
Conference Leader: Vivian Stephenson Clingenpeel, J.D.
Leader Credentials: Vivian Clingenpeel graduated from the University of Richmond and received her J.D. from the University of Louisville. She practiced law in Louisville, Kentucky and Ann Arbor, Michigan before moving to Virginia. Mrs. Clingenpeel is a member of the Virginia State Bar and an adjunct faculty member at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond where she teaches Church and Law. Both her father and her husband have served as Virginia Baptist pastors and she has been a Virginia Baptist almost all of her life. Her great desire is to help our churches avoid legal liability by putting in place appropriate practices and procedures to help prevent injury to members or guests.
Children’s Sunday School Conference—
A Relational Approach to Teaching Children
Conference Write-Up: We cannot underestimate the power of building relationships with the children we teach. In this session, participants will focus on building relationships with children utilizing Sunday School curriculum. They will also explore creative and appropriate ways to minister to children and their families.
Target Audience: Children's Sunday School teachers
Conference Leader: Brenda Jennings
Leader Credentials: Brenda Jennings serves as the Director of Child Care for Mechanicsville Baptist Church in Richmond. She has worked with children for over 40 years and frequently serves as a conference leader.
