The Empathy Advantage

In a culture driven too often by outcomes, empathy often gets sidelined, but it may be the most strategic advantage in your leadership toolbox. Discover how leading with empathy isn't weakness...it’s your competitive edge. In this dynamic session, we’ll explore how evangelistic empathy helps you reach your community, how engagement empathy deepens connection within your church, and how organizational empathy builds stronger, cross-generational teams by unlocking the strengths of every leadership season. Join the conversation and walk away with practical tools, fresh insight and a renewed mindset to lead with greater awareness, build stronger teams, and drive lasting Kingdom impact.

The Paradox of the Second Chair

Let’s be real—leading from the second chair is no joke. You've got the weight of responsibility… without the final say. You’re called to bring strategy and structure, but also shepherd hearts. You’re expected to lead the vision with excellence—just don’t forget to surrender the crown in humility. Welcome to the Executive Pastor paradox! Let's unpack the sacred tensions Executive Pastors navigate every day—from ownership vs. submission, to innovation vs. alignment, to drive vs. discernment. These aren’t problems to fix—they’re leadership crucibles God uses to refine your character. If you’ve ever felt the pull between building the church and bearing the cross, this talk is for you!

Vision, Momentum, Systems: Building and Sustaining a Movement in the Local Church

Every one of us wants to be as effective as we can making disciples, reaching our neighborhoods, and leading the healthiest churches possible. We have learned that in order to be effective we need 3 things: God given vision, God breathed momentum, and God honoring systems. In this session we will talk about how to partner with God, our congregations, and our staff teams to see growth and life change!

Trailblazers in Online Discipleship and Generosity

If you ask 100 leading churches their best practices in reaching, growing, and discipling their online audiences, what would they say? Warren Bird will talk through research that did just that, with findingsthat are both surprising and very practical. You’ll learn how to mobilize your church’s virtual attenders, disciple them, grow their generosity, and connect with them in-person.

Building a Comprehensive Generosity Development Plan

Let’s be honest — weekend generosity moments can feel stale. If your church is stuck in the “three ways to give” loop week after week, your congregation is probably tuning out — and you’re not alone. This breakout is all about bringing those moments back to life. You’ll learn 9 different types of generosity moments and 7 impactful ways to end them — all designed to inspire, not just inform. Along the way, we’ll introduce the “Wheel of Generosity”, a framework built on six key areas that fuel a thriving culture of giving. You’ll also get practical guidance on how to build stronger, more meaningful relationships with high-capacity givers — without making it awkward or transactional. You’ll leave equipped and inspired to start building your own comprehensive generosity development plan immediately — one that brings clarity, creativity, and consistency to your generosity efforts.

7 Shifts of Church Teams that Break the 2,000 Barrier

Growing a church beyond 2,000 in weekly attendance isn’t about one big change—it’s about a series of strategic pivots that align your entire team. In this practical session, Rich Birch unpacks seven high-impact shifts your church must make to move from plateaued to powerful. With insights drawn from working with thriving churches across North America, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable ideas to strengthen your team, increase engagement, and accelerate healthy growth. Ideal for Executive Pastors ready to lead with greater clarity and focus.

Leading Creatives Without Losing Your Mind (or Theirs)

Leading creative teams requires a unique blend of vision, flexibility, and relational savvy—especially when their process doesn’t always look linear. This breakout explores how to effectively hire and lead creatives when your mind—and theirs—operate differently. We’ll share practical strategies for building trust, casting clear vision, and fostering a culture where creativity and accountability thrive. Whether you naturally “get” creatives or not, you’ll leave with tools to build your creative team with the resources your church has and to lead them with clarity and confidence.

Extreme Prayer 

How to make prayer the foundation of your ministry.  In a world where everyone needs something and everything is important, we often leave out the most important part: prayer.  Come find out how Compass has built a foundation of prayer that is transforming the church, changing the staff, and bringing revival.  We will discuss that power of prayer in meetings, the crafting of purposeful prayers, the practice of listening prayer, and the incredible results of Inner Healing Prayer.