Church Ministries Conference Workshop Speakers Tip Sheet

The general purpose of a workshop is to bring people together around a specific subject.  It is important to remember what is done during the workshop: interaction and participation.  The aim is to encourage learning, collaboration, problem-solving, and the creation of new ideas.  
The workshops are not meant to be merely lectures or TED talks.  Be sure to include interaction in your time.  This interaction time is a common theme in the evaluation results. 

The specific purpose of the Church Ministries Conference (CMC) is to encourage and equip church volunteers through worship and biblical learning.  Remember, this audience is mostly volunteers and laypeople who want to help their churches.

Keep a couple of words in mind.

LOCAL CHURCH

How will your workshop help a local church?  Think about what someone could take back to their local church to help the body glorify God and love others.

TOOLBOX 

What will attendees take back to their church and/or ministry? Remember to present principles, not the exact program/activity you did.  Attendees are coming from a wide range of ministry settings, and what worked for you might not work for them.

BIBLICAL 

Whatever topic you are covering, your workshop should be grounded in God’s Word. Each topic can be grounded in the Bible in different ways.  Here are some general ways to show that and ground your time in the Bible.

HUMILITY

"Pursuing humility means choosing to accept the fact that your knowledge and abilities are limited. In light of that, you regularly seek help and graciously receive advice and correction." (Time for the Talk)  

A good verse to read and remember is Psalm 115:1 

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

Here are some general tips developed from past conference feedback:

• The 50 minutes of the workshops should have interaction and participation and include discussions, practical activities, and brainstorming exercises.  

• At the very least, include some time for people to ask questions.  Before you answer questions, see if others in the workshop have insights to share.

• Think about a specific take-home statement or principle for your workshop and make it VERY CLEAR.

• Share resources like books, podcasts, and other resources.  Baker Book House will be at the conference this year.  The workshop submission form includes a question about recommended books.  We will share this list with Baker Book House. 

We will have an evaluation QR code and a link for you to add to your note sheet.  This feedback helps us improve the conference and workshops.