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on January 3, 2021 in Church Leadership

Last year, Robert Carnes and I made a list of some of the top conferences that were going to be happening for church leaders like you during 2020. Then something big happened (you know what I’m talking about). 

As a result, many of those conferences were canceled. The rest had to pivot hard to become digital events. But we pressed on and continue to make the best of some (still) uncertain times.

With that in mind, we’re revisiting the list of conferences and leadership events from 2020. Some of those conferences aren’t happening in 2021. Some are sticking with a virtual format. Some are even bravely planning for in-person events.

Regardless, we’ve got you covered with some of the latest information on these church leadership happenings. Realize that much of this information will continue to change. But we’ll just do our best to keep changing with them.

Also, if you are not familiar with Robert, you should be.  Check out his website here.  Also, his book The Original Storyteller: Become a Better Storyteller in 30 Days is a must-have for any preacher and communicator.

The following are The Top 12 Conferences for Church Leaders During 2021.  More events such as ReThink Leadership will be added throughout the year.

Disciple Making Summit

If you want to know how to make disciples, this church and event provides an excellent model.  How can we get back to being a movement of multiplying disciples? It is time to return to the power of multiplication. It is time we return to Christ’s original plan.  Join Pastor Ken Adams and a great lineup of speakers at the Disciple Making Summit 2021 come together in community with hundreds of other disciple makers to learn about what it means to leave a legacy that lasts through the concept of multiplying disciples.

Engage Conference

The Engage Conference promises to “make technology your greatest tool,” which is relevant since so many church leaders struggle to fully leverage the digital resources around them. This free three-day online conference features over 30 sessions on subjects like websites, social media, live streaming, and creative leadership.

C3 Conference

  • Dates: February 17-18, 2021
  • Location: Dallas, TX (or on-demand)
  • Cost: $199 in person (or $25 on-demand)
  • Theme: Break the Mundane
  • Website: https://www.c3conference.com

Presented by Fellowship Church in Dallas, this two-day conference will “talk about the raw and real of leadership.” The content will include intensive coaching, teaching, learning and relationship building. Besides the in-person gathering, leaders can also choose to watch the conference anytime with the 2020 on-demand content.

Courage to Lead Live

Their website describes Courage to Lead Live as “a leadership experience for faith-based leaders.” The annual event is organized by the organization by the same name, founded by Shawn Lovejoy. 

Church Leaders Conference

The Church Leaders Conference is held by Watermark Church in Dallas. Although the event was skipped in 2020, they’re back in 2021 to refresh, encourage, and equip more church leaders. The three-day conference will feature main stage sessions, smaller breakouts, and pre-event workshops.

The Outcomes Conference

    • Dates: April 27-29, 2021
    • Location: Jacksonville, FL
    • Cost: $749-1,099
  • Theme: Thrive

The annual Outcomes Conference promises “thought leadership, professional development, and collaborative community” for all attendees. The leadership event will feature general sessions, speaker roundtables, and more than 70 workshops. Members of the Christian Leadership Alliance get a discount on conference tickets.

Orange Conference

Normally, the Orange Conference happens each year at the Infinite Energy Arena outside of Atlanta. Last year, the pandemic forced this family ministry event to go virtual for the first time ever. And it’s not certain which way the event will go in 2021. Either way, the theme for this year is: Be Human.

Leadercast Live

Self-described as the “world’s largest leadership event,” Leadercast Live was equipped to handle a series of virtual events, since they’ve done so far years now. Organizers plan to host an in-person component to the hybrid event in 2021. Appropriately, the theme for 2021 is all about shifting the gears of your leadership.

First Impressions Conference

Greg Atkinson and his team have gathered a diverse group of 20 speakers, communicators, authors, storytellers, pastors, and guest service directors to teach, train, and encourage.

VOUS Conference

    • Dates: June 17-20, 2021
    • Location: Miami, FL
    • Cost: $189
  • Theme: The Other Side

The VOUS Conference is hosted by the Miami-based church of the same name. The theme for this year’s conference is The Other Side, because, as the website explains: “If we’re called to be like Jesus, we’re called to have a heart to reach the other side.”

The Global Leadership Summit

Similar to Leadercast Live, the Global Leadership Summit features life teaching that will be simulcast to localized hosting sites around the country and the world. Organized by The Global Leadership Network, the event focused entirely around leadership, which matters more than ever before. Topics covered will include: innovation, conflict management, leading in crisis, and vision casting.

Exponential Conference

  • Dates: October 18-21, 2021
  • Location: Orlando, FL
  • Cost: $199
  • Theme: Moving With The Spirit
  • Website: https://exponential.org/ 

Every year, the Exponential Conference primarily seeks to equip and encourage church planners around the world. Their mission is to help others “Become a Multiplying Church.” Their site also offers a wide-number of online resources, including digital access to the 2020 conference content.

During the 2019 college football season, fans were given a gift when legendary coach Urban Meyer joined Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff preview show as a studio analyst.  As a three-time national championship head coach, Coach Meyer’s ability to deliver complex leadership principles with brevity and concise terminology created a compelling experience for educated and “smart” fans.  Throughout the season, I captured Coach Meyer’s best leadership quotes from this weekly show.  I wanted to make them available to you in this new complimentary resource Urban Meyer 2019 Fox Sports Big Noon Kickoff Ebook.  

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