Pastor’s conferences abound, but those specifically focused on the small congregation in rural areas or small towns are rare. America’s attention has been drawn to the mega-church. However, the mean of church attendance in the nation is 75. Ninety-percent of churches are less than 350. Some 70% of churches are single-cell congregations served by a part-time, bi-vocational pastor. In a sense, this is the backbone of America’s faith.

It is often assumed that large churches are healthy and more effective. However, recent studies indicate that church health is not a size issue. And further, that small churches can be extremely effective when equipped and refocused.

Download the program with full schedule>

This is the first multi-denominational Pastor’s Conference of its kind.
Come and be strengthened by dynamic experienced speakers
and fellowship with others who are like-minded and in similar circumstances.

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Tentative Schedule

Thursday
SandyCreekLogChurch5:30pm – Sandy Creek log church, the birthplace of a Great Awakening led by Shubal Stearns
7:30pm – Session at Sandy Creek Baptist Church, 4765 Sandy Creek Church Rd, Liberty, NC

Note: This evening session is open to the community! Hear the revival story of central North Carolina that birthed as many as a thousand churches. We will join in prayer for God to ‘do it again!’

Friday
Plenary sessions and workshop breakouts for registrants at Sunset Avenue Church of God, 900 Sunset Ave, Asheboro, NC
7:30am Registration Opens
8:30am General Session 1
9:50am Workshop Session 1
10:50am General Session 2
12:00pm Lunch provided on-site
1:30pm General Session 3
2:45pm Workshop Session 2
3:45pm Workshop Session 3
5:00pm Dinner on-your-own
7:00pm General Session 4 with Mitchell Tolle (community invited)
Note: Friday evening session at 7:00pm is open to the community! Hear keynote speaker, Mitchell Tolle, a well-known artist who at the height of his career was called by God to a distressed small church, which is now a thriving, revitalized congregation.

Saturday
Plenary sessions and workshop breakouts for registrants at Sunset Avenue Church of God, 900 Sunset Ave, Asheboro, NC
8:30am General Session 5
10:00am Workshop Session 4
11:00am General Session 6
12:30pm Dismissal

Cost for Friday day sessions and Saturday morning session: $50/person; $75/couple; $99/church
(one complimentary registration packet per registered individual, couple, or group)

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The conference will focus on five critical areas of concern that are paramount to the small church pastor:
  • Evangelism – the church becomes a comfortable, closed, close-knit family of friends. Evangelism is left to the pastor. New people have difficulty becoming insiders. Status quo becomes an unconscious goal.
  • Discipleship – the church assumes Christian values as synonymous with small-town values. It fails to see its own lack of scriptural integrity. It lacks a discipleship model that is effective.
  • Church Health – the small church, with intense close relationships, is easily afflicted with family and town issues that boil over into the arena of faith – and these are not easily managed. They are minimized when Christlikeness is emphasized along with humility and grace. Small churches need models that speak to vibrant spiritual life and healthy relationships. The need includes, yet extends beyond more effective tools (praxis), to congregational life and relationships (ethos). The missional culture of the church is not on the radar screen of many pastors and perhaps, most members.
  • Leadership – many pastors of small churches have never had parish leadership training. Bi-vocational, they lack opportunities to attend conferences. Many are boot-strap pastors who have little or no formal pastoral training.
  • Prayer – the church is to be house of prayer. The great moment for a pastor is not standing before people, speaking, in God’s behalf; but standing before God, speaking, praying, in the people’s behalf. Church attendance cannot replace a personal relationship with God.

Two other tracks will include:

  • Lay Specific – addressing the concerns of lay leaders, more effective engagement in supporting the pastor who is often bi-vocational, as well as more involvement in the mission of the church.
  • Pastoral Spouse – pastoral spouses face a special set of issues that need attention.
Sponsors:

Sponsors

Workshop topics will include:
  • Stir Up the Gift: Rediscovering the Moral Compass
  • Outreach to Children as a Tool for Church Growth
  • The Wise Use of Your Time
  • Balancing the Life of a Minister
  • The Freedom of Being Yourself
  • Preaching God’s Word with Power
  • Church Growth and Renewal
  • Effective Evangelism in the Smaller Membership Church
  • Help! I Pastor a Smaller Membership Church
  • Expository Preaching Jesus’ Style
  • I am the Pastor’s Wife
  • Women’s Ministry in Small Churches
  • Dream Big and Laugh A Lot!
  • Hospitality is More Than Baking A Cake
  • The Praying Church Made Simple
  • Seven Markers of a Praying Church
  • Praying from the Rooftop
  • Transformational Leadership
  • Transformational Vision
  • And more!
Suggestion hotels:

Hampton Inn Asheboro
1137 E Dixie Dr
Asheboro, NC 27203
336-625-9000

Fairfield Inn and Suites
920 Executive Way
Asheboro, NC 27203
336-626-9197

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