Leaders' Conference 2025
Our annual conference for church leaders of all kinds across Britain.
Mission can feel like just another thing the church does. But what if mission is what the church is?
The risen Jesus gave his people the joyful task of reaching the nations (Acts 1:8). What a privilege to be involved in this work! What joy comes from participating in the growth of the church around the world! What a solemn responsibility to stand with those who are persecuted for Christ!
But in our mobile world, this mission field is constantly changing. It’s on our doorstep. It’s on our screens. It’s in far flung places, and just around the corner. It’s receiving a missionary as much as sending one.
Restoring mission to the heart of church life and identity is rewarding, refreshing, and honouring to Christ, who died for people of every tribe, tongue and nation.
Join us for our Leaders’ Conference to see and rejoice in what Jesus’ church already is: serving God’s mission in a mobile world.
Mission has the potential and power to run like a golden thread through all our activities – so our conference is for every kind of leader – and their spouses.
Pastors, elders, deacons, women’s workers, seniors and youth workers, evangelists, administrators, musicians, and other leaders: let’s embrace mission as a defining characteristic of the church, rather than just another thing to do.
As always, the conference will also provide lots of opportunity to take time out, share meals, and meet with friends old and new. You will also be able to browse a bookstall of relevant and affordable resources provided by 10ofThose.
The conference opens 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.
See what last year's conference was like
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
Our programme is designed to share stories that will excite and motivate you, stir your hearts with the ‘old, old story’, and explore how a mission-centred church exalts our Saviour Jesus.
And, acknowledging the world mission field that is on our doorstep, the programme is interwoven with help and encouragement as we seek to be truly intercultural in ways the Scriptures anticipate.
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.
Main gatherings
Our main gatherings will include sung worship, prayer, and teaching from the book of Acts.
Mission is an activity that fits between the ascension and the return of Christ Jesus (Acts 1:10). Julian Hardyman will open the conference by preaching the call on the church not to restore the kingdom (v6), but to be witnesses to the truth both home and abroad (v8).
On Monday evening, John Stevens will continue to explore the spread of the gospel in Acts 1 by answering how our world is changing, what challenges Christians face, what opportunities there are for gospel work, and where the UK church fits into global mission.
Tuesday will begin with a message from Matt Waldock from Acts 2; how the coming of the Holy Spirit empowers God’s people to be witnesses to the ends of the earth as they tell people about Jesus who saves when they call on his name.
Alan McKnight will pick up the story of Acts 2 on Wednesday morning, calling on churches to have continued confidence in the gospel as a message about a person: Jesus. This is the message that saved us and the message that will save others.
We will finish the conference with the glorious picture of the local church at the end of Acts 2, one where where people serve, love, pray, and grow together. Graham Beynon will encourage us that the aim of mission is to build the unified church to glorify Jesus the head.
Gathering speakers
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Julian Hardyman
Julian is part of the missionary team at Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, Madagascar, with his wife Debbie. He was previously pastor of Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge for more than 25 years. -
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. -
Matt Waldock
Matt is the co-pastor of City Church Manchester and coordinates Gospel Coaching for pastors and ministry leaders across the UK. -
Alan McKnight
Alan is pastor at Harper Church in Glasgow where he has served since 2013. -
Graham Beynon
Graham is one of FIEC's Associate National Directors, helping churches and their leaders by managing our team of Local Directors and leading our Pastors' Network.
To the ends of the earth
Each evening we will hear stories of mission across the world, stirring our hearts to believe that “the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the world” (Colossians 1:6).
On Monday evening, we will hear the story of Good News Hospital in Mandritsara, Madagascar: from the foundation of the work to the current leadership. Interviews from Malagasy pastors and Julian and Debbie Hardyman, who were sent to serve there last year, will tell us about how the project has been supported by churches and has built the local church in the north of the island.
Tuesday evening will be a prayer gathering for the persecuted church. Open Doors UK will lead us in this time to pray for suffering brothers and sisters across the world, including first-hand experience from such a church leader at the conference.
Seminars
Three seminar sessions will help you dig deeper into more specific areas of world mission.
Session 1 (Tuesday 12:00)
- Mission central led by Michael Prest and Anthony Adams
- Mission in action led by FIEC's Theology Team
- "First to the Jew" led by Joseph Steinberg
- All roads lead to Rome led by Leonardo De Chirico
- Rest for the weary led by Matt Searles
- When buildings help mission and hinder it led by Jon Broome
Session 2 (Tuesday 14:30)
- Welcoming missionaries to the UK led by Chris Hawthorne and Chris Howles
- Women's gathering led by Elinor Magowan and Rachel Sloan
- Starting from scratch led by Emanuel Tundrea
- Caring for your partners led by Mary Hodson
- Help! My church is changing led by FIEC's Intercultural Ministry Team
- Mission impossible? led by FIEC's Theology Team
- Raising mission-minded kids led by Mel Lacy
- Rest for the weary led by Matt Searles (repeat)
- Governance overload led by Becky Thomas and Gavin Smith
Session 3 (Wednesday 11:45)
- Mobile world, mobile mission led by Ed
- The good, the bad, and the ugly of short-term mission led by Mike Smailes
- Moving beyond the mission slot led by Kev Croft
- Leader-to-leader, church-to-church led by Leonardo De Chirico and Emanuel Tundrea
- International students led by Penny
- Teaching English as church mission led by David and Maura Baldwin
Seminar tracks
If you choose to attend one of our tracks instead of standalone seminars, you will attend three sessions that dig deeper into a single area of ministry. Places on these tracks must be booked.
The tracks are:
- Understand why coaching and mentoring is important for developing leaders and learn some basic skills to enable you to make a start yourself.
- Whether through church planting, church growth, sending out on mission, or otherwise - managing change in church life can bring difficulties to church life. Find some help and share with others in a similar situation.
- There are almost 2 billion Muslim people in the world and 4 million (and growing) in the UK. Hear from gospel workers with experience of reaching Muslim people both at home and abroad, and explore how we can work together to see the gospel break into their lives.
- Trigger warning: This track includes stories of sexual assault.
After-Conference Event
In his vision of heaven, John saw a multitude from “every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne” (Revelation 7:9). As we anticipate this future reality, what would it look like to see it reflected in our churches today? How can we get there?
To welcome the nations the Lord is bringing from across the world into our churches, we need to think about becoming intercultural: embracing our differences as we serve God and grow in faith together.
FIEC's Intercultural Ministry Team will be joined by a Mission Trainer from Serving in Mission (SIM) to lead us through 24 hours of teaching, discussion, and sharing with one another.
This event is an additional cost to the main conference and extends the conference programme through to Thursday lunchtime: £50 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).
Still undecided?
Hear what other church leaders had to say about the conference.
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 to 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
Before 6 October: £265 - Standard
From 6 October: £285
Bookings will close on Friday 31 October. Payments must be made by card - no invoicing is available.
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.
Bursary passes
If the cost is a barrier to you being able to attend the conference, we would be delighted to enable you to come through our bursary fund.
You can find out more and apply for a bursary using our application form.
Can you help?
To enable us to encourage gospel workers from deprived communities to attend the conference with a bursary, we 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 £245 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.