Takeaways from the Unleash conference

Recently Converge held our annual Unleash conference. It was a time to gather nationally as a family to learn how to focus on growing every ministry and leader in churches. Highlights of the conference and the topic of ministering the way God made you to be as a church planter are covered in this episode.

0:21 Lee summarizes what Unleash is all about.

1:21 Lee asks Danny what he thought the highlights of the conference were.

1:26 Danny admits he was hesitant to attend Unleash because he goes to so many conferences. But he confirms that it was a can’t miss event for two reasons. First, it felt like a family reunion, coming back together face-to-face. And secondly, he felt like he was pastored by the speakers.

2:50 Lee lists all the keynote speakers at Unleash.

3:00 Lee asks Danny which speaker’s message most connected with him.

3:05 Danny discusses Kevin Queen’s message about being yourself as a pastor.

3:40 Lee shares that Chad Moore and Ryan Leak connected to where he is in this season of ministry and life.

3:56 Lee notes that one of the main themes through all the keynote speakers was being yourself as a pastor.

4:44 Lee talks about a copycat culture as something church planters have been grappling with the past several years, due to widespread access to other churches.

5:17 Lee asks Danny what his takeaway was on this topic of being authentic to who God has created pastors to be.

5:20 Danny states he sees a lot of self-comparison within the church planters he coaches. It’s helpful to look to church planters farther in their journey, but it’s unhealthy to begin to mimic them, hoping for the same success.

6:47 Lee talks about how church planters need to become comfortable with recognizing the different roles and callings from God between pastors.

7:36 Danny recalls when he was a church planter there were times he would begin to feel the pull to imitate other church planters.

8:05 Lee states Unleash felt like a community of family coming back together. It was a time to catch up with one another, celebrate, and pray together in a meaningful way.

8:59 Danny appreciated the way Unleash was structured to include time to network with other attendees.

9:50 Danny asks Lee what’s next for Unleash.

10:00 Lee shares that Unleash will be held again the first week of February in 2023. 2022 was sold out. Tickets for 2023 aren’t on sale yet, but Lee urges listeners not to wait too long when they do become available for purchase.