Program/Sessions

7 Learning Tracks

  • Leadership Development Track 
  • Biblical Leadership Training Track 
  • Organization Management Track 
  • Personal Growth Track 
  • Esther’s Empowerment Women’s Track
  • Ministerial Training Track
  • Special Topics Track

Wednesday, November 9th 

3:00 pm – 6pm– Check-In for Registrants 

Evening Session & Next Level Up Worship Service

6:00 pm – 6:50 pm – Practical Exegetical Lab -A Leader’s View of the Book of Nehemiah – Dr. Richard Barclay

7:00 pm – 8:45 pm – Worship Service 

Facilitator: Melvin Smith 

  • Welcome
  • Fill Us with Your Wisdom – Prayer – Dr. Dan Sims
  • Songs of Praise – Ministers of Music
  • Occasion and Introduction of Speaker – Dr. Orpheus J. Heyward
  • David Watkins – It Ought to Bring You to Tears – Nehemiah 1:3-5
  • Dr. Kristopher DarDar – I Can’t Come Down (Neh. 6:3-4)
  • Closing Remarks

Thursday, November 10th 

8:00 am -8:30 am – Meet and greet

8:30 am – Opening General Session (Auditorium)

9:00 am – 9:50 am – First Round Summit Sessions: 

*Note that the letter abbreviations are the tracks mentioned above

  • BLTT – A Biblical Survey of the Work of Eldership & The Evangelist – Dr. Olu Shabazz
  • PGT -Kingdom Asset or Liability? -Maximizing My Gift for Kingdom Impact– Jonathan Morrison
  • (LD) – Touchable but Distinct: Leading with Integrity – Sam Bailey
  • (EP) Seeing the Fingerprints of Impactful Women in Scripture – Tiffany Malone
  • MTT – Preaching with a Plan – Dr. Paul Day
  • ST – Reevaluating Youth and Family Ministry – Tim Anderson

10:00 am – 10:50 am – Second Round Summit Sessions:

  • OMT – Building High-Performance Teams on Volunteer Energy – Sonia Toson
  • PGT – Assessing My Strengths and Acknowledging my Weaknesses: Becoming Clear About Who I Am – Dr. Robert Davis
  • LD – Maximize Your Impact by Building the Right Circle – Spencer Iverson
  • EP – Have the Mind of a Complement, But Not a Competitor: Addressing the Gender War in the Church – Carole Hamilton 
  • ST – The Benefits of Having a Non-Profit Entity – Branden Mims

11:00 am – 11:50 am – Third Round Summit Sessions:

  • OMT –Culture – Discipleship Development in God’s Kingdom Program – Don McLaughlin
  • LD – Key Ingredients to Powerful Leadership – Vincent Campbell
  • PGT – Being Christian in a Cancel Culture – David Watkins 
  • LD – Leading with Emotional Intelligence – Dr. Thomas Jackson
  • EP – Decorating My Character with God’s Jewelry (1 Peter 3:1-7) – Genna Allen 
  • ST – Defending the Faith in a Culture of Skepticism – Peter Martin

12:00 pm – 12:50 pm – Summit Regroup (Sharing Your Learning)

Thursday Evening Session & Next Level Up Worship Service: 

5:00 pm– 5:45 pm– Summit Round Table Discussions 1 – From the Ground Up: Where Do I Start?

  • Tra Beard
  • Paul Day
  • Alvin Daniels
  • Branden Mims
  • Jerome Malone

6:00 pm – 6:40 pm – Summit Round Table Discussion 2 – Practical Principles for Building Growth Momentum (Qualitative and Quantitative) 

  • Vincent Campbell
  • Dr. Jerry Harris
  • Don McLaughlin

7:00pm – 8:30pm – Next Level Summit – Evening Symposium & Worship

  • Praise and Worship
  • Expanding the Kingdom: Understanding the Mission of the Solomon Foundation – Doug Crozier
  • Paul’s Ministry from a Leader’s Vantage Point – Alvin Daniels
  • Jesus Ministry from a Leader’s Vantage Point – David Wilson 

Friday, November 11th 

8:00 am -8:30 am – Meet and greet

8:30 am – Opening General Session (Auditorium)

9:00 am – 9:50 am – First Round Summit Sessions: 

*Note that the letter abbreviations are the tracks mentioned above

  • OMT – Growth Strategies for Different Church Stages – Don Wilson 
  • BLTT – You Can’t Be a Leader with That Attitude: Leadership Deal Breakers – Tra Beard
  • PGT – One Body Many Parts – Both Organization and Organism – Dr. Nick Glenn
  • LD – Birthing the Vision – Moving from Vision to Execution – Jerry Harris
  • EP – Making Your Presence Felt: Walking in Your Excellence – Becky Davis

10:00 am – 10:50 am – Second Round Summit Sessions:

  • OMT – Administrative Necessities for Effective Organizational Development- Dr. Jeremy Flowers
  • BLTT – Moses as a Prototype for the Role of the Minister- Antwan Brown
  • PGT – Removing the Unnecessary: Living Life Uncluttered – Dr. Thomas Jackson
  • LD – Managing Your Leadership insecurities – TBD  
  • MT – Doing Hermeneutics building Healthy Theology – Dr. Dwayne Winrow

11:00 am – 11:50 am – Third Round Summit Sessions: 

  • OMT – Bringing Chemistry to Organizational Subgroups – Shane Woodward 
  • BLTT – The Essential Quality of Humility in Leadership – Jerome Malone
  • PGT – He Works Through You and Not Just for You: Surveying the life of Joseph – Kelvin Teamer 
  • LD – Learning How to Disconnect Without Breaking Connection: Leadership Self-Care – Dr. Cleavon Matthews 
  • SP – Recalibrating Ministry: Learning While Leading – Orlander Thomas

12:00 pm – 12:50 pm -Summit Round Table Discussion 1 – Church Music and Church Growth

  • Chasity Medlock 
  • Jason Walker
  • Michael Craig
  • Dexter Smith

Friday Evening Session & Next Level Up Worship Service:

5:00 pm – 5:50 pm – Special Session with Dr. Heyward – Developing a Plan for Congregational Development: Assessing Your Situation 

6:00 pm – 6:50 pm – Nuggets of Wisdom

I Thought I Knew, But Now I Know: Wisdom Along the Ministry Journey (2 Tim. 3:14-15)

Dr. Warren Blakney Sr. 

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Next Level Up Evening Symposium and Worship

  • Praise and Worship 
  • Barry Cameron – Preparing for Pentecost: Building Growth Momentum
  • Dr. Rodney Dulin – It Must Be Bigger Than You: Vision Building.
  • J.K. Hamilton – Aiming for Spiritual Growth and Not Just Number