Christian conferences - to go or not to go?

What’s on

Westminster Chapel has just hosted both Ekklesia and the Everything Conference, “to connect and to learn from one another about transforming culture”; and coming up we have national conferences like Spring Harvest (1^st-5^th and 8^th-12^th April) and Big Church Festival (25^th-26^th May), denominational events like On Fire Mission (29^th April -2^nd May) and the Baptist Assembly (17^th-19^th May), more niche gatherings like The Forge (17^th-19^th April) for children and families workers, and Hutchmoot UK (9^th-12^th May) for creatives.

More explicitly on leadership there’s the national Leadership Conference (6^th-7^th May) at the Royal Albert Hall and, for members of Global Connections, there was a recent forum for CEOs.

Choosing which events to attend

Post-Covid, the appetite for in-person events continues to increase. For the extroverts among us, the diary can fill up quickly. To make sure you keep your commitments manageable while making the most of what’s on offer, ask yourself the following questions.

Q: Could it be an opportunity to spend some quality time with someone?

In the day-to-day, especially when we’re working remotely, we miss the opportunity for eating and ‘fellowship’ together. Events give a good excuse for spending unhurried time, perhaps with peers from other charities, or invited staff members or trustees.

Q: Can I exhibit?

It’s not always possible but it’s always worth asking if you have something relevant to contribute to delegates. When the opportunity is presented, is the costs can vary, so explore it carefully. The sponsorship or partnership packages might give more options than just lugging the pull-up banner out of the boot. If you do exhibit, remember to build in time to visit the other exhibitors.

Is it a good time for spiritual and social refreshment?

Many Christian events and conferences include time for worship and prayer. They are a time out from your usual responsibilities, and a time to hear from God. There are social connections I have made entirely unexpectedly at conferences, which have endured for years.

Will the subject give me a better or broader perspective on our work?

If you know what every speaker is going to say, and especially if you’ve heard them talk on the subject before, maybe mix it up a bit! Try an event from a different tradition as a way to listen and learn. Find out what others in your context are doing.

And finally, if you go, make the most of it: be curious, be relaxed, be prayerful and see what God has prepared for you in it. Who knows, it might be just what you didn’t know you needed.