Ohio Ministry Network

Join us for an open and dynamic Q&A session with experienced missionaries as they tackle the hottest topics in missions today! This is your chance to ask the questions you've always wanted to know about global ministry. From navigating cultural challenges and fundraising to leading effective mission trips and building long-term partnerships, no topic is off-limits. Whether you're a pastor, leader, or passionate about missions, come ready to engage in candid conversations and gain practical insights to elevate your missions efforts.

Many churches have gaps in their policies and practices that could create major legal headaches. This breakout discusses the real-world issues that put ministries on the line—volunteers, safety, staff decisions, communication, and more. Come ready for real talk, practical fixes, and a game plan to protect your church before it's too late.

Join us as we dive into the Discipleship Pathway (7 Dimensions of a Spirit-Filled Disciple) for kids ministry and discuss hands-on ways to lead kids in this pathway, whether it be a Sunday morning, Girls Ministries, Royal Rangers, or other midweek experiences.

Leaders aren't successful until they've multiplied themselves. This session explores practical tools for mentoring, apprenticing, and empowering others so the church doesn't depend on one person.

Courageous women like Deborah, Esther, Priscilla, and Mary Magdalene didn't just make history; they modeled timeless leadership marked by wisdom, boldness, and faith. This session invites women to step into their stories, uncover practical leadership lessons, and discover how those same qualities can shape their own influence in ministry today.

The work of discipleship is the joy and calling of the local church. This session focuses on the importance of disciple-making and the power that is unlocked in the ministries of the church and the surrounding community.

Are you exploring God's call to plant a church? Learn from experienced practitioners representing different models and methods of church multiplication. The panel will discuss what it really takes to establish a new church, including wisdom on what works and what doesn't.

Students need to encounter God's presence in authentic ways. This session explores how to lead youth experiences of various kinds that go beyond performance and cultivate a genuine hunger for worship and prayer.

How do you build multiplication into the DNA of your church? Successful multiplication begins with preparing your church to be multiplication-ready. Learn principles and practices to help your church have a multiplication mindset.

Learn the essential steps to take when someone shares about self-harm or suicidal thoughts. This session equips leaders to respond with compassion, ensure safety, and connect individuals with professional help.

Dinner Church meets people at the table, where physical hunger and spiritual longing intersect. This class explores how shared meals open space for worship, conversation, and belonging. Discover how Dinner Church nurtures a deeper connection with God while building authentic community.

In this session, ministry leaders will gain foundational insight into the nature of trauma—how it affects the mind, body, and spirit—and how it manifests in the lives of those we serve. Through a compassionate and practical lens, we'll explore ways to recognize trauma responses, offer safe and supportive spiritual care, and avoid common pitfalls that may unintentionally retraumatize individuals. Equally important, we'll address the emotional toll of trauma-informed ministry and provide tools for self-care, boundaries, and spiritual renewal to help leaders sustain their calling without burnout. This session is designed to empower us to be both a healing presence and healthy as individuals.

This session will explore practical methods of room management, engaging your kids, lesson delivery, and other tools that you can use to de-chaos your kids' ministry, level-up your service times, lead more confidently, and connect deeper with your kids.

As God establishes a heart in us for families to be wholly restored whenever possible, it is important to build our skill set of relationally engaging with vulnerable families. Our goal is not to fix but to be faithful, not to cure but to come alongside, not to rescue but to teach resilience. Come join this workshop to walk through real-life scenarios and learn practical tools for engaging in relationships with the parents of kids we are serving.

Ministry is filled with God-given expectations—and moments when reality doesn't align with them. This session addresses the often-unspoken experience of disappointment among pastors and ministry leaders. Using the story of John the Baptist in Matthew 11, we'll explore how leaders can process disappointment with God in healthy, biblically grounded ways. Attendees will leave with practical practices for navigating discouragement, avoiding offense, and leading with hope and faithfulness in difficult seasons.

Change is inevitable. This session covers how to introduce and lead new strategies or structures in healthy, Spirit-led ways. Leaders will learn to navigate resistance and build momentum for change.

A workshop that provides tools and concepts for worship teams to grow and lead better!

Corporate prayer can become the foundation upon which healthy service and outreach take place within and through the local church. Prayer is more than a casual conversation, but instead a deep time of connection with Jesus that results in consistency of service and outreach as well as fruitful and faithful lives in the local church.

Many local church leaders feel stuck in a weekly cycle of ministry prep, services, and putting out fires. This session equips leaders to shift from reactive ministry to proactive leadership by setting clear priorities, planning for growth, and aligning weekly decisions with long-term mission. Leaders will learn simple tools to move their church from “just getting through the week” to advancing a Spirit-led, strategic future.

Have you ever felt like you are hitting every brick wall while trying to get your footprint into your community, or do you feel overwhelmed on where to even start? The goal of this conversation is to resource you and your team to develop a strategy and action plan to not just engage your community, but have community integration. Building bridges and digging wells that over time yield kingdom results and more changed lives by Jesus!

This session will focus on the biblical example of Joseph to examine perspective in chaplaincy. A chaplain is thrust into the broader spectrum of ministry, where the challenges of relevance and compromise, biblical truth, and respectful connections enrich the chaplain's heart. Explore what it means to be a Chaplain and how you can support our frontline workers.

In this session, we will discuss a practical and flexible way to start mentoring the next generation of boys in your church and community.

Worship doesn't start and stop on the platform. In this session, we will explore how to guard against burnout and spiritual dryness with personal rhythms and healthy offstage habits that can sustain your onstage ministry.

How do we approach loving our immigrant neighbors in today's American culture? What does the Bible say about the immigrant, and how do we apply those principles practically? Join us in navigating the complexities of this issue and the call we have as Christians to put Kingdom culture first.

This session will explore practical and Christ-centered ways to help emerging leaders navigate conflict, handle feedback, and build resilience in ministry relationships. We'll discuss generational differences in communication and conflict styles, and equip you with tools to coach your young team members toward maturity and accountability. The second half of the session will be dedicated to open Q&A, allowing you to share real situations and gain insight from others in ministry.

You don't need a big budget or a full-time staff to communicate with excellence. In this practical session, we'll explore tools available today that can help you streamline your church or ministry communications to save you time, money, and stress. Whether you're creating social media content, sending emails, editing video, launching a new website, or starting a podcast, you'll walk away with tools you can start using immediately to multiply your impact without multiplying your workload.

This session will help youth pastors and leaders discover the freedom and strength that come from being with Jesus before doing for Jesus. We'll explore practical rhythms and habits that ground you, refresh you, and keep your soul aligned with Jesus in every season. 

True discipleship shapes not just what we believe but how we live - especially how we treat the "least, last, and lost." In this class, we will look at the heart of God and His priorities to care for the overlooked & underserved throughout the Old Testament, the life of Christ, and in the early Church. The challenge is for every follower of Jesus and every church to have a Mission Action Plan (MAP) to make disciples who are forgiven, healed, and whole amongst "the least of these."

Are you ready to help instill the Great Commission in the next generation of World Changers? This session will share the potential of our emerging generations and the vast global need for them to be engaged. It will include practical tips on preparing the next generation as they work through hinderances to being engaged.

God has brought the mission field to our own backyard. Whether we live abroad or in America, there are unreached people living all around us. How do we most effectively make use of this amazing opportunity before us? This is the question we will attempt to answer in this session.

Youth services matter. This session will provide practical tools for excellent youth gatherings while re-centering leaders on the real “win” of youth ministry: forming disciples.

For years, the church has been trying to understand why our younger generations leave the church, but now there is a new exdous. It is the quiet departure of our senior adults. In this session, we will explore (1) why this is happening, (2) what we can do to stop it, and (3) how we as seniors, in this season of life, continue to make an impact on all generations for GOD'S GLORY!

Are you ready to learn more about planting a church in Ohio? This session is for planters, parent churches, and anyone who wants to discover more about the church planting process. It will give you information about resources, training, conferences, best practices and provide you the opportunity to ask questions.   Tom Baxter Assistant Church Multiplication Director and Men's Ministry Director, Ohio Ministry Network

How can a humble, compassionate, forgiving Jesus say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” yet the Father of the Old Testament seems to be a pro-slavery, jealous, genocidal, misogynistic God? This is a legitimate question with a legitimate answer. In this session, we will explore this topic equipping you and the leaders in your church to respond to this question with confidence. Steve Brannan Great Lakes Regional Director, Chi Alpha

Ask questions about current trends, best practices, and get clarity as you start or grow your social media presence.   Tara Zimmer, Communications Director, Ohio Ministry Network Courtney Jones, Owner/Designer, Little Creative Company DeAndre Patrick, Youth/Young Adults Pastor, Calvary Assembly of God Derrick Smith, Creative Pastor, Simple Church Jackie Kibby, Media & Communications Director, Faith Church, Sandusky

Learn practical ways to identify, train, and empower leaders in your church for youth ministry.   Ron Bolden New Life Community Church, NextGen Pastor

Learn about My Village Ministry and CarePortal which are resources that can help your church minister to fragile families and provide support so children don't end up in foster care.   Aaron Earlywine CarePortal, Area Director for Ohio   Phil Krause My Village Ministries, Co-Director

How do international churches position themselves to effectively make disciples amongst their own people group as well as their neighbor? How can pastors of International churches effectively care for the many needs of 1st generation immigrants? Learn best practices for ministering to the whole person and whole world.   Petros Yefru Peoples Church, 220 William Taft Rd

Learn why we should be involved in foster care ministry, what is involved in it, and how to start it.   Paris Yanno OMN Father's Heart, Director of Father's Heart

How can we cultivate a heart for missions in our entire family? This session will explore practical ways to engage your whole family in missions, whether through prayer, giving, or going. From BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge) and Speed the Light to family missions trips, we will discover how to inspire a shared passion for reaching the world with the Gospel. Learn how to foster a missional mindset in every family member and create meaningful opportunities to serve together. You'll leave equipped with ideas for praying as a family, supporting global missions, and incorporating missions into everyday life. Let's raise a generation of families with a heart for missions!   Stacy Petty, Ohio Ministry Network, Ohio Missions Director Lynna Mooney, Lima First Church, Children's Pastor Matt Sullivan, Radiant Life Church, Youth & Missions Pastor

Join us for an open and dynamic Q&A session with experienced missionaries as they tackle the hottest topics in missions today! This is your chance to ask the questions you've always wanted to know about global ministry. From navigating cultural challenges and fundraising to leading effective mission trips and building long-term partnerships, no topic is off-limits. Whether you're a pastor, leader, or passionate about missions, come ready to engage in candid conversations and gain practical insights to elevate your missions efforts.   Stacy Petty, Ohio Ministry Network, Ohio Missions Director Heather Erickson, Ohio Chi Alpha, Director Andy Erickson, Ohio Chi Alpha, Director Cyndi Martin, Assemblies of God World Missions, West Africa, Career Missionary Joe Martin, Assemblies of God World Missions, West Africa, Career Missionary Bob Stetz

In this session, we will examine key spiritual disciplines and practices that help young people grow closer to God. We will explore practical ways for teens to build a strong faith. Whether you're a leader, parent, or student, you'll leave with tools to guide the next generation.   Nate Ortiz Lifewise Academy, Sr. Director of CityWide

Our world around us is constantly discipling us to accept worldly views instead of kingdom views.  The truths we are taught do not always align with our God-given identities and the foundation of the gospel.  Teachings regarding LGBTQ+ mindsets are potentially the greatest example of this today.  This movement has deeply invaded our culture, our churches, our children, and our lives.  It is imperative that we are equipped to confront these false beliefs in love and truth, as we hold firmly to God's heart to renew, redeem, and transform all people.   Matt Ostermeyer Chi Alpha at The Ohio State University, US Missionary

In this session, you will learn about strategies for empowering students to engage their campus, church, and communities for Jesus. We will focus on practical approaches for leaders to help students know how to share the gospel in their current mission field and how you can partner with Youth Alive to achieve the goal of having a campus missionary in every school in Ohio.   Matt Clark Ohio Ministry Network, Youth Alive Director

Have you ever found yourself trying to lead kids in worship and overwhelmed because of their responses? Is it challenging to teach kids about worship because of imagery and theology in songs? You might not be alone! This session will empower attendees with practical methods to effectively teach kids about worship and what it means to have a life of worship.   Lindsey Shaffer Calvary Church, Children's Pastor

Many worship leaders and teams desire to create songs that are specifically for their house of worship. In this session we will explore keys to writing well as an individual and as a team.   Lincoln Williams New Life Poland, Worship/Young Adult Pastor

This session will provide and opportunity for you as worship leaders to ask questions, discuss what you've learned, and explore topics not cover in previous sessions.   OMN Worship Collective, Ohio Ministry Network Lincoln Williams, New Life Poland, Worship/Young Adult Pastor Carissa Wright, Associate Pastor, Worship Pastor Brie Lewis Garrett Gitchel, Harvest Ridge Church, Worship Pastor

In this session, we will explore how to create healthy systems and language to build a solid staff and worship team culture.   Lincoln Williams New Life Poland, Worship/Young Adult Pastor

We will walk you through creating an engaging boys' ministry within your church. We'll explore practical strategies for building a program that fosters spiritual growth, encourages positive peer relationships, and addresses the unique needs and interests of the young men in your church.   Kyle Zeid Ohio Ministry Network, Stewardship and Projects Director

This session will be focused on the "do's" and "dont's of "using artificial intelligence in your ministry context and provide resources for best practices.   Kyle Zeid Ohio Ministry Network, Stewardship and Projects Director

How well do you love your city? If your church moved to another location, would your city miss you? Would they notice? The tips and ideas from this session will be especially beneficial to those needing to stretch a budget. Many takeaways would also be ideal for small group serve opportunities. Become a church your city can't live without!   Kelly Zimmerman Mission 516, Executive Director