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July 25 & 26, 2024
FEC’s Annual Leaders Conference
Our Location:
Conference 2024 will be held at the beautiful Mirro Event Center in Fort Wayne, IN – 10622 Parkview Plaza Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46845. The Mirro Center partners with non-profits to provide an elegant, state-of-the-art facility that promises to create a unique and memorable two days.
Our Theme:
A New People – Grace Changes Everything
Grace really does change everything. This year, we hope to catch a glimpse of the incredible journey that Jesus is orchestrating for His people—a vision of the one new people He is shaping us to become. We seek to explore the profound grace essential for this metamorphosis, emphasizing not only the grace that must be received and extended externally but also internally within our churches and existing fellowship.
Our Goal:
Every year, these two days of sharing in worship, teaching, and fellowship together are designed to unite, encourage, and empower FEC leaders for their specific contexts and ministries.
Speakers
Dr. Derwin Gray
On Thursday, Derwin Gray will get us started by sharing a compelling vision of the new people God is creating on earth as it is in heaven.
Derwin is the Cofounding and Lead Pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Gray met his wife, Vicki, at Brigham Young University (BYU). They have been married since 1992 and have two adult children. After graduating from BYU, he played professional football in the National Football League for five years with the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and one year with the Carolina Panthers (1998).
In 2008, Gray graduated from Southern Evangelical Seminary, with a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher Dr. Norman Geisler. In 2018, Gray received his Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary under Dr. Scot McKnight.
Gray is the author of numerous articles and books, including Building a Multiethnic Church: A Gospel Vision of Love, Grace, and Reconciliation in a Divided World.
Mark Clausing & Nashwan Saadoon
On Thursday afternoon, Mark Clausing & Nashwan Saadoon will together explore the beauty and challenge of living in God’s vision for one new people.
Since July 2022, Mark and Nashwan have served as church planters in Toledo, OH which is home to between 10,000 and 15,000 Arabs. Their vision is to see an English/Arabic speaking church in hopes of sharing the light of Christ to the Arab Muslim community.
Mark grew up in Northwest Ohio. After graduating with a degree in mathematics and marrying Ashley, they moved to Dayton where he was thrown into a diverse community teaching mathematics. It was there Mark discovered a passion for working with Muslims and a call to ministry. After receiving a MDiv from Liberty University, his now family of five moved back to Northwest Ohio where he served as a Youth Pastor at Crossroads Evangelical Church in Wauseon. In 2019 Mark was introduced to Nashwan, and the two shared a common vision for reaching the Muslim community in Toledo, Ohio.
Nashwan grew up in Mosul, Iraq in a Christian home. Enduring persecution, he developed a hatred toward Muslims. That changed when Jesus spoke to him in a dream and called Nashwan to love and not hate those who persecuted him. Nashwan later met and married his wife Seenaa and continued living in Iraq despite war. In 2007 Nashwan was kidnapped and tortured because of his faith in Jesus. He demonstrated Christ by offering forgiveness to those who tortured him. He and his family of five eventually moved to Jordan and then to Toledo, OH where he completed a Bible degree from Bethlehem Bible College and eventually met Mark.
Nate Hamblin
As we return on Friday morning, Nate Hamblin will unpack the grace God’s vision requires within a fellowship of believers.
Nate has served FEC as the Executive Director of Ministry Resourcing since January, 2021. Nate was first introduced to FEC in 2004 when he began serving at Crossroads Evangelical Church in Wauseon, OH. After 11 years in a variety of roles, he was sent to Adrian, MI to help plant Neighborhood Church for five years before joining the FEC office team.
Nate and his wife Amanda have been married for 22 years and have two sons – Eli and Oliver. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, watching Michigan football, and spending time with his family.
Jon Rychener
To close our conference, Jon Rychener will send us with a challenge to extend God’s grace to those outside the community of believers.
Jon Rychener serves as the Senior Pastor of Northwoods Church in Peoria, IL where he’s committed to helping a generation think and live biblically. After serving Northwoods in a variety of ministry roles for over 10 years, Jon became the Senior Pastor in 2022. He is committed to helping Northwoods reach a changing demographic in their surrounding neighborhoods and continue to plant churches.
Jon and his wife, Michaela, have been married for 14 years and are blessed with four young children. In his free time, he loves to fish, golf, cheer on the Packers, and travel to new places with his family.
Schedule
Questions?
You Got Questions … We Got Answers
Here are some of the most common questions about conference. If you have other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Conference will end at 3:30 PM on Friday afternoon.
On Thursday morning, check-in will begin at 8:00 AM.
The dress code for conference is casual.
Weather in the Midwest in late July will be hot and humid. Highs will be in the mid to upper 80’s.
We will provide lunch on both Thursday and Friday as well as snacks, water, coffee, and tea throughout each day.
For the lunch meals, we can accommodate gluten free and vegetarian options. Please be sure to check the appropriate boxes when registering.
The Mirro Center is located at 10622 Parkview Plaza Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46845. The Mirro Center is part of the Parkview Hospital Medical complex.
From Dupont Rd., turn North onto Parkview Plaza Dr. (this is the main entrance to the Parkview Hospital Medical complex). The Mirro Center is located on the right at the first stoplight.
Ample parking is available free of charge in front of the event center.
While we don’t have any specific hotel “blocks”, we recommend using one of the three hotels listed below. All three are newer properties that are less than five minutes from the event.
Hilton Garden Inn Fort Wayne North
10650 Diebold Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46845
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/fwanhgi-hilton-garden-inn-fort-wayne-north/
Home2 Suites by Hilton Fort Wayne North
10650 Diebold Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46845
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/fwantht-home2-suites-fort-wayne-north/
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Wayne North
10040 Diebold Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/fort-wayne/fwano/hoteldetail
This year the Credentialed Workers Appreciation Dinner will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. (EDT) at Ceruti’s Diamond Room, 6601 Innovation Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46818 (view Google map).
Registration for the Credentialed Workers Appreciation Dinner is a part of the conference registration (register below). Dinner is free to credentialed workers and spouses and $30 per attendee for non-credentialed workers.
Click the button below for all the details about Credentialed Workers Appreciation Dinner.
