Bro. John Wiegand (Silverton)

For “such a time as this” Esther had a calling to save her people from destruction. In this breakout we will learn about the calling that God has for all his children to engage in knowing him and making him known through discipleship and evangelism. This session will focus on an overview of a holistic approach to evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.

Bro. Ted Witzig Jr. (Morton)

In recent times, there has been tremendous change in societal attitudes toward sexual and gender identity and behavior. What does it mean to reflect God’s love, grace, and truth when considering LGBT issues today? In this breakout session we will start by grounding ourselves in God’s good design as found in the Word. Then, we will consider how we can walk in truth while caring for the struggling and loving as Jesus loves.

Christ’s invitation to belief and repentance can be summed up in his words “follow me.” A calling that we all have answered and have become his disciples. Let’s learn from one another about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus today. We will discuss the mindset of a disciple, the skillset of a disciple and how we can support a culture of discipleship in our church.

What motivates you to share the gospel? What challenges do you face when you think about sharing the gospel? We will discuss how we are navigating through the obstacles and the opportunities around us and within us to support a culture of evangelism in our church.

How do we practically reflect God’s love, grace, and truth when relating with individuals who are LGBTQ? In this discussion group we will discuss the opportunities and tensions for relating well to these individuals and their families. With the life of Jesus as our guide, we will consider how he taught and engaged people of all walks of life. And, how his compelling love changed people’s lives forever. 

Discuss what actions enhance our witness for Christ as well as actions that compromise our witness for Christ as we live as citizens on earth. Focused attention will be given as we consider living into situations that have strong opinions within our local and national communities

Bro. Jay Luthi (Lamont), Bro. Damon Knobloch (Morris North), Bro. Dan Pfister, (Bluffton North)

We will be digging deeper into discernment and how to do that well in our current culture. This session will include a presentation and Q&A on discernment with three elders.