Plenary Sessions


  • The state of christian chaplaincy

    Chaplain Jim Kirkland, MTS, BCC, CPES Executive Director of Christian Chaplains & Coaching

    What is Chaplaincy? How will it be defined? We see a disturbing trend in modern professional chaplaincy that is trending more and more toward secular humanism and new age thought. Chaplaincy, in a growing number of settings, is increasingly non-Christian and is also becoming anti-Christian. What shall we who hold to Biblical Christianity do about this trend? The answer is to restore Chaplaincy to it's Christian roots while loving and serving everyone regardless of their beliefs. We follow the common standards and qualifications for all Chaplains but do so from an unapologetically Biblical worldview. Consider the state of Chaplaincy in our country today and join us to learn how to honor Christ and serve well in secular settings. 

     

  • the case for christian higher and continuing education

    Dr. Philip Dearborn Ed.D. President of The Association of Biblical Higher Education

    We find ourselves at a unique moment, where the radiance of biblical education can illuminate the shadows of our ever-darkening culture and social landscape. In a world yearning for a remedy, only the transformative influence of the Holy Spirt can provide a solution. Chaplains stand as frontline emissaries, bridging the divide between pain and recovery. The question is, will we seize the day and step into this opportunity? 



  • ministry to the incarcerated and their families

    Evlyn Lemly CEO of Kairos Prison Ministry International and President of The Correctional Ministries and Chaplain Association (CMCA)

    In this session you will learn that incarcerated men, women, youth, and their families are often forgotten missions in our own backyard. The are over 2 million incarcerated each year and 113 million adults directly impacted by incarceration today. We will discuss the great and compelling need for ministry to the incarcerated and the impact on their lives, communities, and society. You can bring peace to their storm. There is great need and many opportunities to serve them as Chaplains, both professional and lay volunteer. We will discuss some of the ways for Chaplains to be involved in prisons, jails, and with ministries who work in Correctional ministry. 


  • disaster response requires preparation

    Fuzzy Lake, Founder of Lake CISM

    In this session you will learn the importance of being prepared for serving people in crisis. There are many types of crisis. Some are individual, others caused by nature, or even man caused. Consider events like Hurricane Helene that devastated the area surrounding Ashville North Carolina. Wonderful ministries such as The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team and Samaritans Purse, along with others, deployed people to care for those in great crisis. You simply cannot show up to someone's crisis without some advanced training. You will learn about valuable opportunities to learn Critical Incident Stress Management and Debriefing, Pastoral Care to People In Crisis, HELPS, and other tools that will prepare you for what to do and what not to do.  


  • his peace in their storm

    Ray Huff MDiv, BCC, CPES, Education Director for Christian Chaplains & Coaching

    In this session you will be encouraged by the word of God on the importance of bringing the Peace of Christ to people in crisis. Our work is a ministry of presence, bringing His sacred presence to others. Learn from Scripture exactly how we are expected to share love, peace, encouragement. Learn to stop trying to fix people or their problems. But rather, listen to understand rather than to respond. Let people talk about things that are hard to talk about. Learn to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them to Christ while you encourage them to tell you their story and share their thoughts, feelings, faith, and belief. Trust God for this and not yourself. His is the work of salvation. Yours is the work of loving them as they are.