The Gathering Seminars

Wednesday Schedule

  • 9:00am - 9:50am
We Are Aware: Discovering who we are and how we relate in life and work
Livstyle, LLC & Education and Clergy Development

We Are Family: Building a healthy marriage
Dan & Jane Seaborn

We Pray: Experiencing healing through prayer
Chris and Tammy Baldwin

We Render: Managing finances for minimum taxation and maximum ministry
Michele Wales

We Preach: Creating sermons that transform
Steve DeNeff & Safiya Fosua

We Are Visionary: Exploring the power of a global church
Dennis Jackson & The Global Partners Team


We Mobilize to Multiply: Exploring the power of a multiplying movement
Phil Struckmeyer

Track en Español: Los 7 secretos de los líderes que perduran: Evitando las trampas en el ministerio - Abel Ledezma
  • 10:00am - 10:50am
We Lead Together: Learning how leaders sharpen one another
John Maxwell & Kevin Myers

We Pray (part two): We are delivered
Chris and Tammy Baldwin

We Overcome: Facing our leadership fears and embracing the courage to minister - Laurel Buckingham

We Amplify Mission: How your church can amplify the mission for global impact
Dennis Jackson & The Global Partners Team

We Grow: What growing churches have in common
Scott Simmons & Kathy George

Track en Español: Balance Adecuado en la Vida del Pastor
Estaban Fernandez

Thursday Schedule

  • 9:00am - 9:50am
We Come Alongside: Encouragement and insights for clergy spouses
Becky Hunter

We Collaborate: Creating a culture of change, expectation and growth
Isaac Smith

We Flourish: Embracing best practices for resilient leaders
Russ Gunsalus & David Higle and Clergy Care Partners

We Are Tested: How ministry trials help pastors become more like Christ
Lenny Luchetti

We Love: Building a legacy of faith in a healthy ministry marriage
(please complete
this survey before attending)
Jim & Jerolyn Bogear

We Transition: Finishing well with a healthy hand-off
Laurel Buckingham, John Bray, and More

We Are Faithful: Staying faithful in the middle of fame
Todd & Sonja Burpo

We Disciple: Using a simple mobile app to understand and disciple your congregation - Life Data & Education and Clergy Development

We Are Changing: Ministering through cultural, demographic and ethnic change
Santes Beatty & Anita Eastlack

We Reach Out: Infusing evangelistic power into your congregation
Kevin Harney

Track en Español: El rey David: Las manos de sangre y elcorazón de Dios
Samuel Pagan

  • 10:00am - 10:50am
We Lead Together: Learning how leaders sharpen one another
John Maxwell & Kevin Myers

We Persevere: Leading the average size church
Panel

We Partner: Learning from Clergy Couples who pursue their callings while both lead - Karl & Anita Eastlack; John & Patty Bray; Kwasi Kena & Safiyah Fosua; Jeremy & Andrea Summers

We Serve [the community]: How Wesleyans serve their communities by sharing the gospel in word and deed
Mark Wilson, Colleen Derr, Mike Dwyer, Steve DeNeff, Keith Drury

We Are Made Real: From one pastor to another—how is the holiness you preach being realized in you? - Thaddeus Barnum

We Rest: Learning to live 24/6 in a 24/7 culture
Matthew Sleeth

We Lead Inside Out: Becoming lighthouses of God's grace, love and peace
Kevin & Sherry Harney

We Are a Team: Discovering the identity and dynamics of a team
LivStyle, LLC & Education and Clergy Development

We Are Light: Living at the crossroads of clergy, faith and film
Todd Burpo & Special Guest

We Are Just: Understanding God's heart for justice
Beth Cossin

Track en Español: Sanando la familia: Cómo hacer la paz con tu pasado
Irving Figueroa

RevTalks

Similar to TED talks: Two to Three, 6-15 minute speaking sessions in an hour-long segment.

Wednesday

  • 9:00am - 9:50am
Wesley Seminary
Bob Whitesel: The Secrets of Wesley's Method
Luis Guillermo Peñaranda: Multicultural Challenges in the 1st and 21st Centuries
Lenny Luchetti: Preaching from the Soul
  • 10:00am - 10:50am
Asbury Seminary
JD Walt, Joe Dongell

Thursday

  • 9:00am - 9:50am
Wesley Seminary (Part 2)
Ken Schenck: Digging Into the Bible for Free
Colleen Derr: The New Normal: Ministry to Today's Family
Kwasi Kena: Oral Learners: Throw Away Your Books and Teach
  • 10:00am - 10:50am
Asbury Seminary (Part 2)
JD Walt, Joe Dongell

General Sessions

11:30am - 1:00pm Wednesday, Thursday
7:00pm - 9:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

  • Tuesday
We Hope (Evening): With clergy around the globe, we bring God's message of hope here and around the world
Bob Roberts
  • Wednesday
We Serve (Morning): Across counties, suburbs and city blocks, we join together to serve our communities
Joanne Solis-Walker

We Inspire (Evening): We share a calling to inspire those in our care to realize and fulfill God's call in their lives
Ken Murphy
  • Thursday
We Love (Morning): As a family of clergy and as clergy couples, we experience and express the love of Christ
Joel & Becky Hunter

We Are Made New (Evening): As we follow God's call, His transforming love makes us new
Kyle Ray

Unique Network Opportunities

Please note: some of these network opportunities require an early RSVP and many of these occur at similar times.

Generous Church Encounter

Join us and learn how to unleash Generosity in your church and community by attending the Generous Church Encounter.

  • Date: Thursday, January 15
  • Time: 7:30am - 11:00am
  • Registration Full

WE Worship (Worship Arts Network)

Two worship arts events, designed by and for pastors and worship leader types. We're creating space for inspiration, worship, community, and vision to kindle your ministries. Join the Worship Arts Collective in a spirit-led movement of worship at these two events:


Wednesday, January 14; 7:30am - 11:00am

Collaborating, networking and creating with other worship arts ministers
Thomas Miller

Thursday, January 15; 9:00am - 11:00am

Learn how to create a worship song with your church worship arts team while creating a song in this workshop setting - Elizabeth Rhyno

  • Morning session: Vision-casting, brainstorming, and small writing groups
  • After lunch: Writing time in small groups, reconvene to share our songs
  • Special Guests: Jennie Lee Riddle (writer of "Revelation Song" and many others) will be sharing on the practicalities of co-writing and good song construction – fueled by a kindred heart for Wesleyan song to be loosed.
  • Click for more information and to RSVP

WE Lead (Wesleyan Women Clergy)

Join the Wesleyan Women Clergy Network with Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, and Heather Semple, Lead Pastor at Red Cedar Community Church.

  • Date: Wednesday, January 14
  • Time: 8:00am - 11:00am
  • Registration Full

WE Amplify (Second Chair Leaders)

Second Chair Leaders, join the "We Amplify" network on Second Chair Leadership featuring Dan Reiland, Executive Pastor of 12Stone Church, and other organizational leaders as they discuss the unique dynamics of leading from the second chair in a church or non-profit organization.

College Day

Join College Day at the Gathering for undergraduate ministry students at our Wesleyan College and Universities (Houghton, Indiana Wesleyan, Kingswood, Oklahoma Wesleyan and Southern Wesleyan)

Seminary Day

Join Seminary Day at The Gathering for seminary students.

  • Date: Wednesday, January 14
  • Time: 2:00pm - 5:30pm
  • Contact Dave Higle for more information.

New Pastor Orientation

Join New Pastor Orientation at The Gathering. This event is designed for pastors who are under their first appointment in The Wesleyan Church

  • Date: Wednesday, January 14
  • Time: 2:00pm-5:30pm
  • Contact Dave Higle for more information.

Retreat-inars, Recreation and Rest

We too rarely receive the gift of time away from our hectic lives to learn, play or rest. So we have designed a flexible afternoon schedule for you to enjoy as a bonus blessing. You can have an extended meal with family and friends; gather in a "Retreat-inar" to learn in a relaxed, informal atmosphere; engage in some recreational fun; or simply pause, relax and rest.

  • Reatret-inars
LGBTQ Ministry Dialogue —Join Dr. Jo Anne Lyon for an interview and conversation with Christopher Yuan. Hear his moving testimony of redemption, struggle with same sex attraction and his perspective on ministry in the LGBTQ community. Thursday, 2:30 pm

MinistryStyle Assessments —Take a FREE MinistryStyle assessment with LivStyle, LCC. Available for individuals, couples and teams.

Personal Check-up with Counselors — PastorServe is providing counseling at The Gathering for pastors and spouses.Register in advance or sign-up at the PastorServe booth for a confidential, off-site conversation. Spanish only counseling also available

Making Marriage and Ministry Complement and Not Compete — Join authors and speakers Kevin and Sherry Harney in a fun and interactive conversation about how to thrive in a ministry marriage. Thursday, 2:30 pm

24/6 Retreat-inar — Learn about God's gift of Sabbath rest and living a 24/6 life through Matthew and Nancy Sleeth's exercise.

Prayer Experience — Take the opportunity to pause, rest in God's presence, and be blessed by experienced prayer ministry colleagues.

Follow Up Table-Talks — Join our speakers and exhibitors to learn about being healthy and effective people of faith to transform lives, churches, and communities.
  • Recreation
Pick-a-Date Couple Excursion — We have partnered with Winning at Home to provide the chance for you and your spouse to rekindle and recreate your relationship. Enjoy the suspense and surprise with these fun and inexpensive mini-dates.

The Gathering Place — Visit The Gathering Place for a free, delicious cup of coffee and a stimulating conversation with friends, or grab a board game to add some fun.

Amusement Parks — Take the opportunity to use the "After 2:00pm" pass to The Magic Kingdom or take a shuttle to Universal Studios or Sea World. Pass and transportation information at Rosen Guest Services.

Outdoor Florida Adventures — If you are looking to get out in the sun, you only have a short drive to everglade airboat rides, alligator tours and fishing on the bayou.

Heaven is for Real Showing — Enjoy this special showing and question and answer time with Todd and Sonja Burpo. Wednesday, 2:30 pm

International Drive — Walk or hop the trolley to International Drive and visit the restaurants, mini-golf sites and shopping malls.
  • Rest
No explanation needed. Maybe a good ole' snooze by the pool or nap in your room is just what the doctor ordered.

Pre-Conference Events

Multiply: Making Disciples in a Changing Culture

Join Bob Roberts and hundreds of Wesleyan leaders who will gather for the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Pre-Conference Event. Click here for more information. (Registration Required)


International Conference of The Wesleyan Church

The ICWC, January 11-13, is the highest organizational conference of our global Wesleyan tribe. Enjoy a front row seat as you engage with our international family in worship, seminars, prayer, business sessions and informal connections. Click here for more information. (Registration Required)


Wesleyan Board of Trustee Conference

Trustees should contact their respective college or university for more information regarding the Board of Trustee Conference (Invitation and Registration Required)