DBU Hosts Texas Baptists Conclave NextGen Conference

DBU served as a Platinum Sponsor and host site for this year's Conclave NextGen Conference, a two-day event put on by Texas Baptists that provides spiritual encouragement, ministry training, resourcing, networking, and meaningful times of worship geared towards children, youth, and family ministry staff from local churches. Attendees had opportunities to share conversations over meals together, participate in a wide assortment of breakout sessions covering various ministry-related issues, and to hear from keynote speakers, including Kara Powell, Robert White, Doug Fields, and Shane Pruitt.

Among the many breakout sessions this year were several led by DBU faculty, staff, and alumni:

"Ministry to Hispanic Youth and Their Families"
Dr. Gus Reyes, Director of Hispanic Partnerships, Dallas Baptist University

"The Family Ministry Blueprint: Leading the Change from Concept to Conviction"
Dr. Ron Hunter (DBU Ph.D. alum), Executive Director & CEO of Randall House and D6 Ministries

"Ministering to Kids from Hard Places"
Dr. Shelly Melia, Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Ministry, Dallas Baptist University

Other featured breakout speakers included leaders from Texas Baptists, Southwestern Seminary, LifeWay Christian Resources, FBC Arlington, FBC McKinney, LakePointe Church in Rockwall, and other local churches, as well as published authors and founders of various parachurch ministries.

"Conclave NextGen exceeded our expectations this year!" shared Jennifer Howington, DBU alumna and Childhood Ministry Specialist with Texas Baptists. "This is the largest Conclave we have experienced since 2009, and DBU was a gracious host and the perfect venue for this event. Our vision for including all age-graded ministries (preschool, children, students, adults) and pastors was well received, allowing for church staff to attend this conference together. As DBU alum, Cory Liebrum and I were excited to spotlight DBU to ministry leaders who have never been on campus before, and to connect them with resources to strengthen their ministries."