Jeff directs FIRE School of Ministry Chicago a training center for Christian leaders, teaches New Testament at Northern Seminary, co-leads a small urban congregation called Cross Culture Church, and is a mentor and advisor for emerging leaders in and around Chicago, Illinois. He holds an M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Wheaton College and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity from Loyola University Chicago. He has been a pastoral leader in churches in and around Chicago over the last 20 years, and has traveled to several nations to preach the gospel and train pastors, teachers and church planters, including Brazil, El Salvador, Holland, India, Nigeria and Kenya.

Jeff has a deep love for God's church, His people, and is committed to seeing the Body of Christ become the mature, Spirit-empowered demonstration of Christ's fullness that the Scriptures describe. His ministry is grounded in a constant focus on the dynamic presence of God and a consistent call for Spiritual awakening and revival. He is devoted to training leaders and building local churches on the foundation of Biblical truth and the powerful experience and expression of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Jeff's wife, Carol, is a native of southern India, and is a gifted teacher and Christian leader as well. Together, they have four children: sons Cadence ('01) and Isaac ('04), and daughters Acacia ('05) and Alina ('09).

Workshop Options:

Living Through Crisis – Sherry Johnson
Born and raised in So. California, Sherry now lives in New City, NY with her pastor-husband of 42 years. She has 3 grown children and soon-to-be six grandchildren. Sherry has a Masters in Education, a doctorate in Counseling Psychology, and is a licensed psychologist. Having served their church in various capacities, she has lead women's support groups on grief, divorce, depression, etc.

Sherry says, "I have been doing some reading on suffering and will likely incorporate thoughts from the verse: 'Godliness with contentment is great gain.' How do we make sense of our God who is compassionate, and yet allows significant and painful trials in our lives?" Her workshop will address this question as she shares about her tragic car accident that nearly took her life.

Ministering to the family – David Bechtold
David is the Children's and Family pastor at City Church in Madison Wisconsin

Unleashing the Prophetic – Ed Loughran
Ed is the lead pastor at Legacy Vineyard Church in Lockport, Il.. He will share and help you on how to release the prophetic in your local church and also within you. For more info see click here.

From Solitude to Community to Ministry – Jodi and Mike Bunn
Maintaining Spiritual Vitality and Balance in the Context of Missions/Ministry (Interactive Workshop)

JAARS is the technical and training center of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Mike evaluates new potential pilot/mechanics and trains them for missions flights. He also travels to promote aviation in missions and does recurrency training for active field pilots on furlough. Jodi helps to staff the Intercultural Communications Course which focuses on holistic preparation for new cross-cultural workers, and visits schools in the area to speak about Brazil, indigenous peoples and missions around the world.

Welcoming the Presence – Tom Alexander
This workshop will teach us how to create a culture to welcome the presence of the Lord in our churches.
Tom Alexander and his wife, Theresa, have been married for 32 years and have four children- Preston, Leslea, Stacey and Spencer. Theresa works as a Pediatric RN at Banner Desert Hospital.

For half of those years he was an Associate Pastor at Lake City Church, a large church in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1989 he and his family moved to San Jose, Costa Rica to attend language school. After finishing training they moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina where he taught in Seminario Biblico de Fe (Faith Bible Seminary) for ten years and pastored Comunidad Cristiana de Palomar, a church in the western suburbs of Buenos Aires.
Learn more.

Details

Todd was a drug addict and atheist for 22 years when in 2004 He was radically set free! Redemption and righteousness are the foundation and the keys to the new creation reality that we are to live in and from. God has simply opened Todd's eyes to this truth and that Holy Spirit wants to flow through every believer everywhere we go, at work, school, grocery stores, malls, gas stations, everywhere. His true joy is being able to reproduce in people the simplicity of this reality, in a 24/7 kingdom lifestyle! This is for every believer!

His heart is activating people into the simplicity of who they really are and destroying lies that hold people back from being who God created them to be. No one is excluded! Learn More.

Workshop Options:

Surviving or Thriving - Why You Might Be Out of Ministry Before You Know It – David and Louise Decker, Co-Directors, Deer Ridge Ministries, Freeport, IL

Dear Ridge Ministries was founded in 2003 by the Decker's and has served over 1,800 pastors, missionaries, and spouses, providing 5-day rest retreats of prayer, encouragement and renewal.

Ministering to Youth – Derrick Wright
Derrick is the Youth Pastor at City Church in Madison, Wisconsin.

Developing a healthy healing ministry in your local church – Dave Frederick
Dave is the Sr. Pastor at Vineyard Church of DuPage and Founder of The Growing Leader, publisher of Leaders Book Summaries.

We will talk about how to develop a healing ministry that doesn't make your church sick. We will look at key practices and attitudes to adopt and how to address the obstacles every church faces, and give very practical steps for how to move forward.

Frustrations on the Field – Tony Simon
This will be a workshop where we can talk quickly about what frustrations we have faced on the mission field and how we can overcome them. We can pray and minister to each other in groups. It would be nice to open it to pastors as well so they can hear what some of their missionaries are facing and going through on a daily basis. (This is not a time to complain!!!!!! but rather overcome and minister to each other.)

Leadership – Harry Schmidt/ Daryl Merrill
Learn more about Harry Schmidt
Learn more about Daryl Merrill

Details:

Sam Dharam is living his personal mission statement to "Encourage. Build. Equip" in over 60 nations worldwide. Formerly the National Director of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) India, he has served with them in missions for over 30 years, and has independently overseen more than 100 missions initiatives. He is a regular guest speaker and teacher in local churches, conferences and discipleship training programs.

9:00-9:05 Opening Song - Beth Benda and CHC team "Altared"
9:05-9:15 Invitation to next year's Convention "The Anointed" - Dan Hammer host and video
9:15-9:20 Recognition of Committee and special thanks.
9:20-9:30 Worship 10 minutes – Beth and Altared.
9:30-9:45 Testimonies from Convention.
9:45-9:55 The birth of the theme "Keep the fire Burning" - Tom Flaherty.
9:55-10:00 Challenge song
10:00-10:10 Why the challenge of - "Keep the fire burning?" -- Mike McCartney
10:10-10:30 Challenge and pledge card Commitment act of the pledge card and reflective prayer
10:30-10:35 Video – Jesus and Last Supper
10:35-11:00 Communion (Music by CHC - Altared)
11:00-11:30 Candle lighting to signify "Keep the fire burning" with worship by team
John Sprecher leads us in prayer for the FCA.
Elders and Board pray for John as our new leader.
John Sprecher shares closing thoughts.

11:30 Dismiss