We value God's Heart for the Nations.
The Great Commission is central to our mission. We long to see the gospel proclaimed to every nation, beginning in our neighborhoods and extending to the ends of the earth. It is motivated by love—love for God and love for people. We envision people to personally embrace the Great Commission, recognizing that how the commission works out in the lives of individuals will be different according to the will of God. The Great Commission is not just about evangelism, but it is also about making fully devoted disciples.
The following resources were recorded at the Pastors’ Summit 2026 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
“Compelled by His Love: The Power Behind Great Commission Obedience”
Presented by Jonathan Kimball (Awaken Church, Columbus, Ohio) at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Jesus’ climactic words are the most monumental commission ever given to a people, the church of Jesus Christ. As we seek to obey this command, we will encounter opposition from the flesh, the world, and spiritual forces of darkness. What will motivate us to persevere in this mission? Only the knowledge of the love of Jesus.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Out of our love for God and people, our mission as individuals and as churches is to fulfill the Great Commission—to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded.
“The Great Commission Is for Everyone!”
Presented by Brent Knox (Hometown Church, Bloomington, Minnesota) at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
What is the Great Commission? And why should every believer feel the weight of the commission without feeling burdened or burnt out?
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- While we understand that God sets apart some people in the church to be fulltime missionaries, it is also God’s desire that each individual in the church personally embrace the Great Commission. All believers are to be “on mission,” to do their part in reaching their city, nation, and the world for Jesus Christ.
- God’s will is that while personally embracing this mission every individual work together with others as a team, serving within his giftedness and unique role as part of that team in fulfilling the Great Commission.
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
“Faithful or Fruitful? Rethinking Great Commission Success”
Presented by Bill Young (The Rock Church, Salt Lake City, Utah) at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
How should churches measure Great Commission success? This session examines the tension between faithfulness and visible fruit while offering practical guidance for evaluating missionary work and stewarding mission investments wisely.
“How Churches Can Be Culturally Relevant Without Compromising”
Presented by Tim Haring (Chestnut Ridge Church, Morgantown, West Virginia) at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
As the gap between our faith and our culture widens, churches must wrestle with the question of how to bridge the gap to reach people for Christ. Is it fruitful to use the culture to reach people OR should we maintain our distinctiveness and trust God to bridge the gap for us? This talk will address these and other questions about becoming more effective in reaching our post-Christian culture for Christ.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Churches and members seek to be “culturally relevant” to those we are trying to reach with the gospel.
“Ignition: Discipling the Next Generation”
Presented by Frank Liu (Awaken Church, Jacksonville, Florida) at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
The Great Commission is a legacy challenge. The charge to make disciples is fundamentally about multiplying your life into those who will follow after…into the next generation! This session will highlight that reality and the weight of the charge given to us as pastors and leaders to build a thriving next generation!
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Although we aspire to reach all generations with the gospel, we place a special emphasis on ministry to the next generation. Our two-fold strategy is to equip parents in the church to train their children and to reach unbelieving and unchurched young people through various ministries.
Seminar Audios
“Social Justice - Friend or Foe of the Great Commission?”
Presented by John Meyer at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Many churches claim that commitment to social justice is an essential part of Great Commission. That claim sounds right, but often its implementation doesn’t feel right. Does the Great Commission mandate include an active pursuit of social justice? And what does pursuing social justice really mean?
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Churches in the network practice acts of compassion and service to the poor and needy in our churches, in our local communities and beyond.
“Ten Ways Your Church Can Reach the World”
Presented Mike Bergen and panel at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
A panel of long-term mission experts will discuss more than ten possible ways your whole church can help reach the world (outside of the United States) with the good news of Jesus Christ. Attendees will also receive a list with resources and contacts for tangible steps.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Participation in short-term mission teams, domestically and internationally, has been a common practice.
“Passing the Baton: How to Lead and Equip a Church in Making Disciples”
Presented by Dave Blum and panel at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Paul instructed Timothy to pass on the things he had heard from Paul to other faithful men, who would be able to teach others. How do we do this effectively? Join us for a very tactical panel discussion where each contributing pastor will share a specific way they have seen disciple-making be effective within their own church context.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
“The Other Half of Church”
Presented Fred Douglas and Chris Biang at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Fred Douglas and Chris Biang will review the good fruit in their church from the book, The Other Half of Church. This book couples brain science with the Bible to identify how to overcome spiritual stagnation by living a full-brained faith. You will also learn the four ingredients necessary to develop and maintain a vibrant transformational community where spiritual formation occurs, relationships flourish, and the toxic spread of narcissism is eradicated.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
"How to Lead and Equip a Church in Evangelism"
Presented Berk Wilson and Rob Busse at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
A study in 2022 by Evangelism Explosion revealed that 65% of Christians believe that sharing the gospel with an unbeliever is the most loving thing they can do for them. But another study reveals that only 5-9% of Christians share the gospel. Why the sharp contrast? Most say that they do not share because they are fearful, haven’t been trained, or don’t see their pastors prioritize sharing the gospel. This seminar will encourage intentional planning to help your people be confident, competent, and bold sharing the gospel.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- A practice of churches in the network has been to equip and train members to effectively share their faith with nonbelievers, to sow the gospel with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers.
“Developing A Healthy Leadership Culture in Your Local Church”
Presented Chris Martin at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Existing leaders set the tone for the leadership culture of their local church. When that tone is oriented towards multiplication, potential leaders see, feel, and hear an invitation into the church’s mission. When they are envisioned, they believe they can flourish, and there is a clear leadership pathway they can follow. This seminar will dive into the values, teachings, and practices that facilitate healthy leadership cultures.
- Notes link
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
“Building the Next Generation: How to Develop a Successful Young Adults Ministry”
Presented Jesse Roskamp and panel at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Reaching young adults is one of the greatest opportunities—and challenges—facing the Church today. This panel will explore how to faithfully disciple the next generation through biblical teaching, intentional community, and Spirit-led leadership. Discover how your church can raise up young adults who are rooted in Christ and equipped for His purpose.
- Notes link
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Although we aspire to reach all generations with the gospel, we place a special emphasis on ministry to the next generation. Our two-fold strategy is to equip parents in the church to train their children and to reach unbelieving and unchurched young people through various ministries.
“Of Crosses and Closets”
Presented Greg Standinger at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
As we disciple people, we have experienced individuals who get spiritually stuck. They have conflicts, addictions, struggles, past trauma, and a plethora of fears which they just cannot seem to shake. Simple spiritual disciples help, but people remain frozen. Will power alone does not seem to break off the ice. There are dark closets in their mind that still need to be cleaned out by Jesus. We have heard of various emotional healing ministries, but do they belong in the church? Is emotional and mental healing a part of the sanctification and discipleship process? If so, how do we incorporate it for long term health of the Body of Christ?
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- A practice of churches in the network has been to equip and train members to effectively share their faith with nonbelievers, to sow the gospel with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers.
“How to Emphasize Leadership Development When You Are Too Busy”
Presented Chris Biang at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Seminar topics include:
- How to prioritize leadership development
- Watching for spiritual fruit in aspiring leaders
- Disciplines that aspiring leaders need to develop
- How to affirm a solid family life in aspiring leaders
- What tests can be implemented to reveal maturity
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
“This Could BU: How to Develop a College-Based Ministry in Your City”
Panel facilitated by Matt Gordon at the Pastor’s Summit 2026
Do you want to build a new campus ministry on a campus nearby, but don’t know how to start? Or, do you want to build on your current campus presence? In this seminar, a panel of campus missionaries will highlight best practices so that dynamic college ministry can BU!
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- Although we aspire to reach all generations with the gospel, we place a special emphasis on ministry to the next generation. Our two-fold strategy is to equip parents in the church to train their children and to reach unbelieving and unchurched young people through various ministries.
“Does How We ‘Gather’ as a Church Matter More Than How We ‘Go’ to Reach the Lost?
Presented Andrew Roberts at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
There is a tension between “Come and See” and “Go and Get” in terms of reaching the nations with the gospel. “Making disciples” involves both “gathering the church” and “going to the lost.” If that is the case, then why do so many of our strategies, inspirational stories, and skill developments emphasize “going?” This seminar will re-examine how we gather as a church (worship, sacraments, hospitality, preaching, use of authority, etc.) as part of reaching all nations with the gospel. We will examine the goal of evangelism, the spiritually mature saint.
This message reflects our core values in this way:
- We believe that a key part of the Great Commission is not only evangelism, but also discipleship, where each follower of Jesus Christ is instructed to obey all that Jesus commanded.
For women: “Practices that Propel”
Presented Gisela Liu at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
Join us for a lively conversation involving a panel of faithful women who have exercised lifelong disciplines producing Great Commission fruit.
- Notes link
For Women: “Her Calling; His Commission”
Presented Gisela Liu at the Pastors’ Summit 2026.
This seminar highlights women on mission throughout the ages and how their inspiring examples might motivate us today.
- Notes link