We live in a world with more and more information, but less and less wisdom. Bombarded by media, opinions, “experts,” and outrage from every direction, all the time, we don’t know who or what to trust. How can Christians cultivate wisdom in this environment, where foolishness abounds? In this breakout, Brett McCracken will guide you through a proposed framework for finding truth, and becoming wise, in a post-truth age.

What does heroism look like? Disney and Marvel broadcast their perspectives, but the Bible gives its own compelling answer: true heroism looks like Jesus. Captured in its pages are the stories of people who bear great risk and opposition to obey a higher calling. We can readily call to mind the names of male heroes in the Bible. But the names and stories of its female heroes can be harder to recollect. Come explore the Bible’s portrayal of female bravery in the story of the Exodus and its implications for the church today.

Drawing from his recently published two-volume book on justification, Mike Horton will explore the basis for the evangelical doctrine of justification in Scripture, engaging contemporary challenges, interact briefly with the development of the doctrine historically, and share why it’s still important today. For those unsure of the importance of this topic and this breakout, Tim Keller called Horton’s work on justification one of the most important books he’s read in the last 10 years.

In a world of ministry burnout, disqualifying sins, and online bickering, is there any hope for the next generation of pastors? Yes. Join us as we lean into building each other up through gospel doctrine and gospel culture.

Come and hear about a justice issue that affects 3.14 billion people, why we ought to care, and how to get involved. This is not a new problem, but one that is as important today as it has been in previous generations. Come and be challenged and gain new perspective on our purpose and calling in life.

Lament is the biblical language of pain and protest, exile and empathy. It’s the voice of God’s people as they navigate a broken world in need of redemption. Pursuing racial reconciliation and ethnic harmony requires a common language to cut through historical misunderstandings, strong emotions, and layered solutions. Lament doesn’t solve every problem, but it can be a helpful starting point. It can be a useful tool for gospel unity and racial harmony.

Faith is the Christian’s heartbeat because, as Hebrews 2:8 tells us, everything is subject to him. Yet our anxieties remind us, we “do not yet see everything in subjection.” Our world is full of real dangers, real pain, real tragedies, and real evil. This breakout will explore both the dangers and also the truths in our anxiety, giving practical ways to place our confidence in Christ in the midst of our fears.

What role does my local church have in the spread of the gospel to all the nations of the world? Every pastor and church leader needs a clear answer to this question, and a clear plan for how the part they (and their church) will play in accomplishing the Great Commission. This breakout will explore practical steps every pastor and church leader must take in shepherding their local church for God’s global glory.

In this house, we believe that Black Lives Matter, Love is Love, Women’s Rights are Human Rights . . .” So begins the text of thousands of yard signs across the United States. In this breakout, Rebecca McLaughlin will work through these opening statements of the 21st-century secular creed, exploring how the Bible relates to these modern mantras, suggesting ways we can engage with non-believers around them, and arguing that the ideological soil in which all the claims on these yard signs are planted is ultimately Christian soil.

Hebrews is one of the NT books that quotes or alludes to the OT the most. Moreover, some of the ways in which Hebrews cites its OT quotations are unusual, to say the least. In this workshop, although we cannot hope to cover all the terrain, we shall fasten our attention on half a dozen OT quotations in Hebrews in order to understand a little better how the OT is used in Hebrews -- and to gain some insight into how we should read the OT, too!

Jesus is great. His people talking with each other about racism? Not so much. What gives? In this breakout, we’ll think about why it’s so hard for Christians to honestly talk about race and racism with one another. After all, if we can’t even talk with one another, what hope do we have for loving one another? But if we can understand more about why these conversations are so difficult, perhaps we can find fresh strength to do good to all people, especially those who are of the household of faith. Join us as we look to the founder and perfecter of our faith for refreshment, boldness, and clarity.

Numerous cases have emerged in the last few years of pastors who are domineering, authoritarian, and abusive to their flocks. In a calling that is supposed to exhibit Christ-like gentleness, how is that we have so many pastors who mistreat their own people? And why is it so often covered up? This panel will explore the problem of spiritual abuse, how to spot it, and how to develop leaders who will fight against it.

Why does it matter that the local church gathers for corporate worship? Unusual circumstances (such as a global pandemic) aside, the normal pattern for the church is to meet together to glorify God. In this breakout, we will consider how God sovereignly gathers his people by his grace. When we recognize that God is the one who calls and leads the worship service, it transforms how we approach Sunday morning.

Sadly, far too many people have come to associate the church as a place of abuse rather than as a refuge for the abused. Join us for this timely yet sensitive conversation on how the gospel brings hope and the church can offer help to those who are victims of abuse.

Life-on-life discipleship is slow and faithful work. Jesus spent the majority of his ministry years investing in 12 disciples. They ate together, traveled together, and did ministry together. Discipleship is how the early church began, and it is how the church will continue to thrive. This breakout session will consider the practical ways we can cultivate a culture of faithful discipleship in the local church.

Our Lord was crystal clear, to love God “with all your heart” is your top priority. It all starts here—in your heart—for growing in repentance, faith, renewal, holiness, and prayer, for smoking out hypocrisy and seeing your real motives, for honest relationships with your spouse, family, friends, and Christ. Interested? You should be. If you want to be a true follower of Christ he demands nothing less than all your heart.

Legalism is surely one of the great enemies of the gospel. And yet, we are not always careful to define exactly what counts as legalism. Does the gospel rule out our effort or discipline? Does grace mean that we can’t talk about morality or law-keeping? Do all sermons have to preach Christ in the same way? Join Mike Kruger and Jen Wilkin for an important conversation about the role of grace in the Christian life.

For two years, we’ve been working on a new tool to promote data-informed, Spirit-driven approach for church leaders who are serious about taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. This breakout will give you one of the first glimpses of this tool along with biblical, practical exhortations to take drastically needed and new steps in the Great Commission.

Drawing upon his 20 years of teaching the art and science of preaching at the seminary level, Julius Kim will reveal the various ways preachers can improve their ability to maximize attention, retention, and hopefully, transformation in their hearers. In addition to the important intersection of gospel-centered interpretation and receiver-oriented communication, he will discuss what brain science can teach us about preparing and delivering sermons that are wise and winsome.

We are increasingly encouraged to think of our physical bodies as being both accidental and also incidental—just the random lump of flesh we have to carry around with us. But the Bible offers a compelling account of what it means for our bodies to have been “fearfully and wonderfully made”; what it means for them to now be offered to Chris as a living sacrifice; and of our future hope of resurrection in the age to come.

Even in churches in which men and women are getting a regular diet of biblical theology and redemptive history in what is being preached from the pulpit, often what is being offered in small-group Bible study is driven by felt needs, has little biblical or theological rigor, or is oriented around self-improvement. But when biblical theology infiltrates Bible study, it puts the emphasis is on what Christ has done rather than on what we must do. It helps participants put the various parts of the Bible together so it begins to make sense. And it makes being united to Christ by faith urgent and necessary.

This breakout exhorts pastors and church leaders toward “multi-directional” leadership in contrast with “one-directional leadership.” One-directional leaders are skillful in spotting and thwarting threats to the sheep that come from one direction of the field. Multi-directional leaders can fend off threats from more than one direction. We are to hold up the Scriptures and fearlessly proclaim truths that get to the root of our sins, failures, and dysfunctions, no matter what political or theological categories get crossed.

England in the 18th century was a dreary, drunken, irreligious, immoral, and cruel society. A spiritual awakening began at mid-century that eventually culminated in startling, broad, and deep moral and societal change that became Victorian England. The Wesleys were the public face of this mighty movement. However, a handful of passionate ministers of local churches anchored and deepened the Spirit’s work over a few decades. The spiritual seeds they planted grew in the lives of men and women who became heroic reformers of the nation. What were the characteristics of their work that eventually bought such fruit as literally saved the nation? Could it happen again in our own nation?

Join us for a conversation about a rapidly growing gospel movement in China, even under the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing persecution. Though China may feel far away, our secularizing, digital, urbanized cultures have more in common than we may think. Consider with us how we can learn from the Chinese house church about the role of suffering in the life of the church and what Chinese pastors have to say to American Christians.

Catechesis was a top priority in the Reformation. And it will be vital for church renewal in our own day as well. Learn how modern-day catechesis can help your family resist the world’s false hopes and rejoice in the Lord’s sure promises.