The first thing we did in the process of selecting who would be included as speakers was pray. Second, we asked ourselves what areas we are hearing of that youth ministers are in need of help.  It became clear that the areas that needed to be addressed were programming, connecting the word of God to the heart of students, small groups, strategy, and heart issues.  We began a national search and found Duffy, Steve and Michael.  To keep the cost low we narrowed our search to the most influential leaders in the local area and found Matt, Chad, Jon and of course, Bob.  We chose these individuals based on what they each bring to the table.  It is evident that each one loves God and teenagers and has much to say about youth ministry.  

Here is a little information on each one of the speakers: Steve Argue is a professor at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and leading voice in helping young leaders navigate through the waters of emergent ideas, Duffy Robbins has been a leader in offering practical ideas for youth ministers across the country for 3 decades, Joseph Myers is a visionary consultant for for churches across the country helping them understand interpersonal relationships, Michael Novelli has developed a great process for helping young people reconnect with the word of God, Chad Rehnberg’s passion is to connect the church to the disenfranchised, Jon McCallon is a programming genius, Matt Reagan is a visionary and will challenge the heart of everyone there, and Bob Russell’s wisdom is priceless.  

    Our choices were based on who embodied the things that we were trying to speak to and we felt these men fit that criteria. We believe that Christ working through the church is the hope of the world.  We believe that the hope of the world is a beautiful mosaic made up of men and woman and every color on the planet.  I apologize if race or gender were not part of the equation, and I admit that may have been short sighted on our part and it is something that we need to consider for next year.

    I will say that these are great men with a great message, and if you have questions about programming, small groups, connecting students to God’s word, or just need to be encouraged as a leader, then this is for you.  Thanks again for contacting us and I hope to see you there.  

Keep Scribbling,
Chris Ball
Scribblesessions.com

Why would/should I as a youth minister/chaplain attend your conference? I don’t intend to suggest that you add a woman or person of color as a “token” towards diversity. But youth ministry, as I understand it, includes women and youth of color.