Leaders' Conference 2024
Our annual conference for church leaders of all kinds across Britain.
All of church leadership is shepherding.
Every leader in church ministry wants the flock of Christ Jesus to flourish and be cared for, to grow (numerically and spiritually) and – ultimately – to make it to the moment when they will see their cherished Chief Shepherd face to face.
It doesn't matter if you're a pastor, an elder, a woman in ministry, a youth or seniors’ worker, a church administrator, or a musician: every man or woman in local church leadership shepherds the flock in some way. So, every one of us needs to be encouraged in this work.
We need to learn to deepen our own relationship with Jesus, our Good Shepherd, because serving can only take place when it is done in the delight and beauty of a close walk with him. And we need to learn from him so that we lead the flock in the many ways God has called us – both in his strength and by following his example.
Join us in Blackpool for our Leaders' Conference to rejoice in the Good Shepherd as we look to Jesus and learn to love like Jesus.
Our conference is for leaders of all kinds in the local church – and their spouses. Pastors, elders, deacons, women’s workers, seniors and youth workers, evangelists, administrators, musicians, and other leaders: you are all welcome.
And, as always, the conference will provide lots of opportunity to take time out, meet with friends old and new, and browse a bookstall of relevant and affordable resources provided by 10ofThose.
The conference will open from 1pm on Monday for arrival and registration with the first gathering at 3pm. The conference will end after the final gathering on Wednesday afternoon at 3pm.
Venue
The conference takes place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool - one of the country’s best-known venues, on the seafront in the north west of England.
There’s lots of space, it's easy to get to, and there are plenty of accommodation options nearby.
Programme
If we are to thrive in the leadership roles that the Father has called us into and the Spirit has equipped us for, then we need a clear view of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
Main gatherings
The preaching in our main gatherings will help us see Jesus more clearly, warm our hearts, and equip us to serve him fully.
We will spend time in John’s gospel, dwelling on many of the “I am” sayings of Christ: the Good Shepherd; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Light of the World; the Bread of Life; and the Resurrection and the Life.
Speakers
-
Graham Beynon
Graham is FIEC's Head of Local Ministries, helping churches and their leaders by managing our team of Local Directors and leading our Pastors' Network. -
Girma Bishaw
Girma is a co-director for The London Project, with a particular focus on serving diaspora church leaders to be more effective in mission. -
Brian Croft
Brian has served in pastoral ministry for over twenty-five years and is the founder and Executive Director of Practical Shepherding. -
Paul Kinnaird
Paul is the senior pastor at Bankhall Mission in Bootle, North Liverpool. He has been ministering in the city for 27 years. -
Ben Midgley
Ben is the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Mold, in North East Wales, and FIEC's Director for North Wales. -
John Stevens
John has been FIEC's National Director since 2010. He also serves on the Affinity Council and teaches on courses at Bible colleges across the country.
Seminars
The Good Shepherd Jesus calls us to be good shepherds as we lead in our churches. Our three seminar sessions will focus on how we can show care, love, and compassion in our various contexts and how we can train and release others to be good shepherds too.
We are delighted to have experienced pastors and gospel workers to offer their wisdom and expertise through our seminars.
Session 1
- Shepherding across cultures with Girma Bishaw
- Shepherding those with addictions with Andy Constable
- Shepherding the divided with Sharon Dickens
- Shepherding those facing domestic abuse with Helen Thorne-Allenson
- Shepherding parents with Ed Drew
- Shepherding sufferers with Eric Ortlund
Session 2
- Cultivating the sustaining gift of ministry friendships with Brian Croft
- Women's gathering: sitting at the Shepherd's feet with Elinor Magowan and Rachel Sloan
- Preaching to women with Andy Constable and Sharon Dickens
- Responding to the ‘conversion therapy’ ban with Danny Webster
- Shepherding and the session of Christ with Paul Mallard and the Theology Team
- Shepherding in a world of sexual confusion with Ed Drew
- Finishing strong: the last years of paid ministry with Paul Kinnaird
Session 3
- “I have other sheep” with Nick McQuaker
- Kingdom shepherds with John Stevens
- The shepherd and authority with Martin Salter, Ray Evans, and Dan Strange
- Shepherding and mental health with Helen Thorne-Allenson
- Cultivating a healthy women’s ministry - a seminar for men! with Rachel Sloan and Elinor Magowan
- Preaching Job with Eric Ortlund
Tracks
New for 2024 are two seminar tracks for church leaders of all kinds in particular stages of their ministry:
- Brian Croft (Executive Director, Practical Shepherding) will lead a track for those with 10 years of service or more.
- Marcus Honeysett (Director, Living Leadership) will lead a track for those in the first 5 years of service.
These series of three seminars take place alongside other sessions in the programme. Places are limited and will be given on a first-come first-served basis and only those who book can attend.
The programme for the conference is large so please don't feel you have to attend everything. We advise that you plan your time wisely to suit your own needs and limits.
See what 2023's conference was like
Post-Conference Event
It's a great blessing to have volunteer workers in many areas of church life: serving as elders, women’s workers, youth workers, small group leaders, and more.
New for 2024 is our post-conference event on the theme of maximising the impact of these ‘lay leaders’. It will be held at Blackpool Tabernacle Church.
Brian Croft will help us think through how we can train, deploy, and lead the volunteer leaders in our churches to enable them to shepherd the flock well alongside their other responsibilities away from church life.
This event is an additional cost to the main conference and extends the conference programme through to Thursday lunchtime: £45 includes three sessions, an evening meal, and a light lunch.
Places are limited and will be given on a first-come first-served basis (a reserve list is available).
You will receive details to book for Trusted Hands via email once you have booked your Leaders' Conference pass. Please get in touch if you have any questions or issues with booking.
Accommodation and travel
Accommodation
Accommodation is not included in your conference booking so you will need to book your own. Although there is no accommodation at the venue, there is a wide range to choose from in Blackpool: from Travelodge and Premier Inn to B&Bs and self-catering.
Many options are within walking distance of the conference venue and there is also a regular tram service which stops nearby if you need it. We advise booking your accommodation early!
To find more hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering options in Blackpool, you might find the Visit Blackpool website helpful.
Travel
By car
Blackpool has a motorway link direct to the heart of the town – take Junction 32 off the M6, and the M55 will lead you almost to the beachfront.There is no parking at the venue so we recommend parking at your accommodation and using public transport to travel into the conference - there is a tram stop very close by.
If you do need to park for the conference, there is a multi-storey, pay-on-return car park available nearby within the Houndshill Shopping Centre (FY1 4NY) or ground level, pay-and-display parking available on the corner of Adelaide Street and Alfred Street, also close to the venue (FY1 4LA).
By rail
Blackpool North Station is a ten-minute walk from the Winter Gardens and there are direct train routes into the town from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and York.
From Edinburgh and Glasgow, there are direct train routes to Preston with one change on to Blackpool.
Booking
Please use the button below to book your place. If you are making a group booking, please include a separate email address for each person/ticket. Please note full payment is required at the time of booking.
You can read the conference terms and conditions here.
Prices are as follows:
- Advance
30 June - 29 September: £255 - Standard
After 29 September: £275
Bookings will close on 27 October.
Your event pass includes access to all the conference sessions, meals (excluding breakfast), and tea and coffee in the scheduled breaks.
If cost is a barrier to you being able to attend, please get in touch and we may be able to help out.
Don't forget that you must book your accommodation in Blackpool separately. We are not able to accommodate children at the conference.
Can you help?
We want to be able to encourage gospel workers from deprived communities to attend the conference with bursaries. We usually have a collection at the conference itself, but this year would love for churches to ‘pay it forward’ before the conference itself.
So please can we ask your church – only if it is able – to consider such a gift? £15 would pay towards a meal, £50 would contribute towards someone's accommodation, or £235 would pay for the entire conference for one delegate.
You can donate as an option when booking your conference ticket, or choose your own gift amount on our Bursary donation page.
