August 8, 2015

Hebron Baptist Church, Dacula, GA –
Bob Mayfield, Sunday School & Adult Discipleship Specialist, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

Warren Baptist Church, Augusta, GA –
Dr. Ken Hemphill, Director of the Center for Church Planting and Revitalization at North Greenville University, Greenville, SC

August 15, 2015

First Baptist Church, Statesboro, GA –
Dr. Don Hattaway, President of the Georgia Baptist Convention

Second Baptist Church, Warner Robins, GA –
Dr. Thom Rainer, President of Lifeway Christian Resources

August 22, 2015

Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church, McDonough, GA –
Jason Britt, Lead Pastor at Bethlehem Church in Bethlehem, GA

Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, GA –
Josh Hunt, Sunday School/Small Groups Author and Speaker, Los Cruces, NM

August 29, 2015

Tabernacle Baptist Church, Cartersville, GA –
Allan Taylor, Minister of Education, FBC Woodstock, GA

First Baptist Church, LaGrange, GA –
Dr. Lawrence H. Phipps, Leader of “It’s Life Ministries”, Montgomery, AL

If you have any questions please contact our office 1-800-746-4422 ext. 285 or 770-936-5285.

9:30-10:45am…Age Level Teachers/Leaders Session

Growing Preschool Groups: Be inspired to reach out to Preschoolers and their families. You will be challenged to help lay a spiritual foundation for preschoolers and to multiply your ministry by mentoring other Preschool leaders.

Growing Children’s Groups: Discover strategies to connect with children to nurture their spiritual development with engaging teaching methods. Learn techniques to help lighten your load by guiding new Children’s Leaders.

Growing Youth/Student Groups: This conference will assist Student Leaders how to best build / grow a spiritual foundation in students’ lives so that they will continue to be on mission for the kingdom and understand best practices for growing Groups in your Student Ministry.

Growing Younger Adult Groups (age 20s – 40s): Our culture has rapidly changed and younger adults and singles need groups that understand these changes and the challenges that they bring to the table.

Growing Adult Groups (age 50s & up): For many churches, this might be the largest group of adults. It is vital that we not neglect them. Take the time to ensure we do a good job of reaching and discipling through these groups. This breakout will focus on the needs of older adults and the challenges of working with them.

Growing your Groups for Directors/Coaches: In this session you will learn the actions that you can take to aid you in leading your groups to grow both numerically and spiritually. If your groups are not growing spiritually, then they will not grow numerically. If they are not growing numerically, it could be because they are not growing spiritually.

Growing your Groups for Pastors/Church Staff (Plenary Speaker Leading): You are the primary leader for groups in your church, and what you think and do has a major impact on your groups. In this session you will be given some practical ideas on how you can influence your leaders and members that will lead to growing groups.

11:15am-12:15pm … General Session

How Groups Grow the Church (Plenary Speaker): This challenge should answer the questions: Why should groups be a priority in our church? How are groups emphasized in a growing church? and What is my role in making growing groups a priority in my church?

1:15-2:15pm…Special Interest Session #1

Safety and Security: Is your church doing enough to keep minors safe and secure? During this conference you will gain insight to help your church develop or improve a plan for safety and security.

Dealing with Difficult Situations: We encounter many difficult situations. It may be a parent that wants their child in an older class, a child with behavioral issues, a co-leader that doesn’t take their role seriously, or ministering to a child during a family crisis, as well as many others. Learn some strategies for dealing with these and other tough situations.

Spiritual Growth: Learn how to best equip your students to improve and grow in their own person faith. Rediscover some methods of assisting students to own their faith and share it in the 21st Century.

Reaching and Keeping Young Adults: Young adults are not being reached in many of our churches. This breakout session will help you better connect young adults through groups. Strategies and ideas will be discovered in this class to help you reach and keep young adults.

How to Lead a Bible Study that Engages Your Group: Teaching older adults the Bible can become a routine in itself. This breakout session provides new methods and ideas to improve our teaching/coaching and to enhance the growth of our groups.

Recruiting Leaders & Multiplication of Groups: For your church to grow, you have to be introducing new leaders and new groups. In this session you will hear ways others have been aided in discovering new leaders and be exposed to some proven methods for starting new groups.

Effective Ministry with a Busy Life: Doing ministry effectively with a hectic schedule can be difficult. This breakout will help you be more effective at managing your time.

Connecting with Young Adults 18-24: When young adults leave home for college or a career, they may also leave the church. This breakout will take a look at how to better retain our youngest adults as they move into a different stage of life.

2:30-3:30pm…Special Interest Session #2

Bible Teaching Through Activities for Preschoolers: Preschoolers learn in many ways. During this session you will learn ways to incorporate Bible thoughts into every activity in the Preschool classroom.

Fun Bible Learning Activities for Children: If you want children to enjoy coming to your group, it must be fun. During this session you will learn some fun ways to teach and review Bible stories and Bible verses.

Creative Teaching Ideas/Technology: Tech help is here! Are you prepared to transition your Students from VHS to iPhone?

Teaching Parents to Disciple Their Children: Parents are the primary discipler of their children. This topic needs to be addressed in the context of our teaching. This breakout session will help teachers/coaches connect with parents to be a better disciple maker of children.

Characteristics of Growing Gender Based Groups: Men’s and Women’s groups have unique dynamics. This breakout will help address the special needs that these groups have.

Tips for Productive Leadership Meetings: Every winner needs practice! The same is true for your group leaders. In this session you will learn the crucial elements for a successful leadership meeting, how to get them to attend, and what should be the content of the meeting.

How to Start Small Groups in a Traditional Church: Churches that struggle with enough space or seek to reach and disciple people through groups outside the traditional Sunday School can learn new ways to be effective by doing both.

Dynamics of a Successful Singles Group: Ministry to this group is diverse to say the least. This breakout session will explore the unique aspects of ministry to singles through groups.

3:30pm … Dismiss

If you have any questions please contact our office 1-800-746-4422 ext. 285 or 770-936-5285.

Schedule for All Conferences:

7:30 a.m. Breakfast and LifeWay Bookstore
7:45 a.m. Registration
8:55 a.m. General Session/Instructions
9:30 a.m. Age Level Teachers/Leaders Session
10:45 a.m. Break/Bookstore
11:15 a.m. General Session/Plenary Speaker
“How Groups Grow the Church”
12:15 p.m. Lunch/Bookstore
1:15 p.m. Special Interest Session #1
2:15 p.m. Break/Bookstore
2:30 p.m. Special Interest Session #2
3:30 p.m. Dismiss

If you have any questions please contact our office 1-800-746-4422 ext. 285 or 770-936-5285.

Growing Groups Conference is a new, all-day conferencing approach to Sunday School and Small Groups.

The conference includes: Plenary speakers; Age-group conferences; Topical breakouts; Music; LifeWay Bookstore; and lunch is included.

Cost: $25 until Monday before the event; $35 regular/walk up

Childcare: Childcare is not available. Children are not allowed to attend conference.

Refunds: Full refunds are available if requested 21 days prior to the conference. No refunds are available within 20 days of the conference.

Confirmation Information: The contact person will receive a confirmation e-mail once payment and registration form have been processed. Registrants should check with their contact person for additional information before coming to the conference.

Sunday School/Small Group Ministries Photo and Video Policy: Sunday School/Small Group Ministries regularly takes photos and shoots video during its events as a means to gather materials for promotional and production purposes. Accordingly, during your time at this Sunday School/Small Group Ministries event you and any of the other participants may be photographed, filmed or videoed. Therefore, every participant of a Sunday School/Small Group Ministries event, by registering for the event and/or attending the event, acknowledges and agrees that these photos, films and videos may be taken and used in Sunday School/Small Group Ministries products and promotional materials. If you are the primary contact person from your church, please notify all your participants about this agreement, policy and practice.

E-Mail Policy: Providing your email address will allow future periodic email updates from our office. Your information will not be shared with others.

If you have any questions please contact our office 1-800-746-4422 ext. 285 or 770-936-5285.