INTERACTIVE TRACKS OVERVIEW

The Power of Authentic Communities in our Cities

The chaotic, fast paced, transient, and individualistic culture of our cities results in many people feeling fragmented, lonely and isolated. Compounded by the prevalence of social media and virtual connections, many long for authentic relationships and a sense of rootedness.

Everyday believers can offer real hope to a lonely culture as we live and minister interdependently as bands of friends and teams. In this track, we will explore what it takes to build a community shaped by the presence of Jesus. We will present real models of dynamic Christ-like communities within the marketplace, in urban neighborhoods, and among young adults, communities which are touching lives and bringing transformation.

This track is for Ministry and Marketplace Leaders who desire to model their faith and empower believers as they band together where they live, work, and play throughout our cities.


Renewing Cities Through Church Multiplication

Reproducing churches that develop leaders are essential for church planting movements. Both established churches and new church plants can struggle to disciple, serve and deploy these leaders.

The goal of this track is to explore best practices in urban leadership development and deployment of urban church planters. Effective case studies of reproducing churches that develop and send leaders and church planters will be presented and discussed.

This track is for current and potential Urban Church Planters, Church Parents and Church Planting Network Leaders.


Leading City Movements

The City Movement Track will look at several U.S. cities and hear from current practitioners on what is working (or not working) in the cities where they live and lead. This session will be highly interactive and will give participants a variety of working models to learn from.

The biggest issues that face our cities could never be solved by a single leader or organization. A movement of leaders is necessary, and a study of these movements in cities reveal that a movement often begins when three specific pieces are in place -- a neutral convener, a united group of leaders/organizations and a focus on building the Kingdom together.

Participants in this track are likely to be current City Movement Leaders and Teams, as well as those interested in learning what it takes to start or join a movement in their own city.


Dynamic Leadership: Alliance Building

One of the greatest barriers to the furtherance of Gospel Movements in our cities is a lack of understanding of how Christian leaders and their organizations can partner together in strategic and meaningful ways.

Alliance building – creating mutually beneficial relationships – is key to success in personal and professional leadership. Christian leaders in cities and communities who build alliances -- and then move beyond them to build alignment -- are able to greatly multiply their effectiveness.

The Dynamic Leadership Track will host a panel of leaders who are Alliance Builders. The panel will address how to create internal alliances, external alliances and how they differ from “networking”, which has been described as “just a synonym for leeching.” The session will be highly interactive and allow for plenty of lively discussion around tables for leaders to learn from each other about this important leadership skill and the results that are possible when it is done well.

Participants in this track are likely to be Pastors, Ministry Leaders, and Social Sector Leaders.

HIV Pandemic & City Movements 

The global HIV pandemic is the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world claiming 3 million lives annually and orphaning 6,000 children daily. The pandemic is spreading beyond sub-Saharan Africa to Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Our desired outcome is to build alliances within the City Gospel Movement involving thousands of churches collaborating together to address the needs of widows and orphans worldwide. We desire to see fifteen city movements that will birth their own alliance in partnership with World Vision to train leaders and mobilize resources.

This track is for Pastors, Non-profit Leaders, and Marketplace Leaders who have a vision to collaborate together to make a measurable difference in the lives of families, communities, and nations devastated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.


Redeveloping Haiti: Partnering for Strategic Impact

Haiti remains an extremely challenging place to realize long term positive change. As one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, Haiti has struggled with problems ranging from near-constant political upheaval, health crises, an annual barrage of hurricanes and the worst earthquake in the region in more than 200 years.

Viable answers to Haiti’s problems will only be found in sustainable solutions. Through wise partnerships between non-profit agencies, business, and church leaders we can see real change happen. By developing alliances that work toward job creation, micro lending, agriculture development, pastor training, education and housing problems we can facilitate new opportunities for the people of Haiti.

This track is designed for Non-profit, Church, Business and Government Leaders who desire to work together to implement strategic solutions that will empower Haitians to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining.


Scripture, Prayer & Service Movements

Too often the church is viewed as irrelevant as pertaining to the real needs of our communities.  True faith is always demonstrated by the application of scripture through works of prayer and compassion. 

A Gospel Movement of coordinated, annual efforts of scripture engagement, united prayer and evangelistic community service initiatives can prepare the way for biblical revival and a harvest of souls. The goal of this afternoon track will be to present scriptural and prayer-based initiatives from which a City Transformation Movement can be ignited, by the power of Jesus Christ.

This track is for City Network Leaders, Pastors, Prayer Leaders and Marketplace Leaders who all share a common vision to see cities transformed by the powerful grace of God.


Renewing Campus Movements

College ministry in urban centers has potential for far reaching cultural impact. But high costs, insufficient ministry models, and low coordination across campus movements undermine our ability to renew the campus.

The Campus Movements track will clarify what a gospel movement in urban campuses could look like, connect like minded practitioners in action learning around campus renewal, and address the barriers to cultural impact.

This track is for Collegiate Ministry Directors and Practitioners in cities who share vision for a Gospel shaped movement transforming the university and the culture.

Empowering Urban Youth Through Gospel Movements

Youth in our cities face many challenges. Inadequate educational resources, high incarceration rates, poverty and the negative impact of social media create a culture of extreme adversity and isolation. Youth need concerned adults who are passionate about God to infuse their lives with hope and encourage them to overcome obstacles through Christ. We need Gospel Movements in cities to empower today’s youth.

This track will seek to address what constitutes successful impact in Youth Ministry, how to build strategic partnerships and successful collaborations and how to train staff/volunteers who are effective in ministering to urban youth. Two case studies providing practical ministry models from New York City will be presented.

This track is for Youth Ministry Leaders and Practitioners who desire to further Gospel Movements in their city by investing in youth, creating successful and sustainable models of partnership with organizations to make lasting change.

Executive Marketplace Leaders & City Engagement

Executive-level marketplace leaders in our largest cities are career-focused individuals who spend the majority of their waking hours at work. The great need is to identify and unleash the spiritual gifts and passions of marketplace track leaders within their spheres of influence.

This track aims to help marketplace executives build a game plan so that they can make a leveraged impact in every sector in the life of our cities. We desire to see marketplace leaders in New York City and other cities gathering in cohorts of peers, discovering their passion and seeking the Lord for wisdom on how to use their talents, skills, and time for Kingdom purposes.

Participants in this track are senior-level marketplace leaders or managers who have a minimum of 30 years of work experience and been in positions of increasing responsibility in their fields or industries. These leaders see the potential to apply their gifts and resources, but do not know where to turn for experienced advice.