On April 29 - May 1, the Exponential Conference (www.exponential.org) will be taking place in Orlando, Florida. There are many people who cannot attend the event personally, so they are offering their main stage sessions via webcast. ACGC has signed up to be a webcast host for the sessions on April 29 & 30, and we would like to invite you to join us at the Denominational offices in Charlotte, N.C., for this event - free of charge. You have the option of attending just one or both days. The schedule and more details are below.
Tuesday, April 29
11:30 a.m. – Lunch provided by ACGC
Rethinking Evangelism
Evangelism and discipleship are inseparable. As leaders, we have a key role to help people see that evangelism is an integral part of discipleship. Scripture shows us that as we apprentice people in the ways of Jesus, we will make disciples who will make disciples who will make disciples. A strong discipleship culture in our church naturally produces evangelism.
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Session 1
Nicky Gumbel, Dave Gibbons, Vince Antonucci
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Session 2
Ed Stetzer, John Teter, Louie Giglio
Rethinking Outreach
Possibly the greatest approach to outreach we have is the “fellowship of believers” in Acts 2:42. The early church lived with everything in common, so much so that outsiders were drawn to become insiders. Like Paul tells the church of Corinth, we are to be the aroma of Christ to the world. To be effective evangelists today, we have to rethink how we function as a family of believers and challenge our churches to do evangelism as a community through both word and deed.
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Session 3
Jim Bergen and Choco DeJesus
Wednesday, April 30
8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.: Session 4
Larry Osborne, Alan Hirsch, Damian Boyd
Rethinking Witness
Everyone has a story that intersects with Jesus’ story - whether or not they realize (or acknowledge) it. While some of us have the gift of evangelism, all of us are called to be witnesses to the transformation Jesus has made in us. As church leaders, we have to rethink witness, equipping people to listen to others and share their God story versus a series of “canned” propositional truths. When people are equipped to genuinely engage in spiritual conversations and share their story, all people can become witnesses for the Good News.
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.: Session 5
Michael Frost, Hugh Halter, Danielle Strickland
12:00 – Lunch provided by ACGC
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Session 6
Craig Groeschel, Jeanne Stevens, Greg Nettle
Rethinking Preaching
In almost every context outside of the church, preaching is equated with bad news. Those far from God do not want to be “preached at” or talked down to. As church leaders, we know preaching is important to Jesus’ core mission. It’s one way we declare the good news of the gospel. Rather than pitting Jesus against society, we must learn to offer him as an attractive hope for the answers society is skeptically looking for. Rethinking preaching in ways that ultimately lead to a new perception of preaching as good news to those who don’t yet know him is crucial to effective evangelism.
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Session 7
James Meeks, Andy Stanley, Tim Keller, Matt Chandler
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Session 8
Tim Keller, Dave Ferguson, James Meeks, Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley
Please be sure to register by April 18.