Initiate Conference 2026

August 28, 2026

 - August 29, 2026

Sanctuary
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Initiate Conference 2026
The Initiate Conference aims to prepare leaders by providing them with gospel-centered theology and practical tools to love and serve others for the glory of God.

What does it really mean to be human? Scripture teaches that we are creatures made in God’s image, called to live for his glory in every area of life. Yet sin has distorted our relationship with God, ourselves, others, and the world around us. At this year’s Initiate Conference, we will explore how the gospel restores true humanity through Jesus Christ. Through main sessions and practical breakout sessions, we will consider how Christ’s redemption shapes everyday life—from marriage and discipleship to work, culture, and the life of the mind—so that we might live faithfully as God’s people in his world. So join us for this year’s Initiate Conference: All of Christ for All of Life: recovering a biblical vision of humanity.

Friday August 28: 6:45–9:00pm (check-in starts at 6:00pm)
Saturday August 29: 8:30am–2:00pm (check-in starts at 8:00am)
Location: GHCC Sanctuary (W Building)

The cost of this conference is $25, which includes a book, conference materials, coffee & snacks, and a delicious BBQ lunch on Saturday. Lunch will be a great time to connect with fellow leaders in a relaxed setting before we dive back into the afternoon sessions. We'll enjoy slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork served with flavorful sides.

Register to secure your preferred breakout sessions!
There is no childcare for this event.

REGISTER

Breakout Sessions

Humanity and the Self

Led by Cyrus Waters
What does it mean to think as those being restored in Christ? Because sin has corrupted humanity's ability to rightly know God, ourselves, and the world, our minds, like every part of our humanity, need redemption. This session will examine how the gospel renews our thinking through the Word and the Holy Spirit, equipping believers to develop a biblical worldview, discern truth, and live as image-bearers being conformed to the mind of Christ.

Led by Brittney Rhoads
How does the gospel transform the way we understand mental health, suffering, and human flourishing? Created in God’s image yet living in a fallen world, we need biblical wisdom to make sense of the struggles in childhood, parenting, suffering, and personal responsibility. While counseling and mental health support can be valuable gifts of God’s common grace, this breakout session will examine how our culture’s increasing focus on emotional comfort, therapeutic intervention, and diagnosis can sometimes limit resilience, accountability, and character formation. As Scripture teaches that trials produce perseverance, we will consider how Christ uses hardship to mature his people and form us into his likeness.

Humanity and Others

Led by Dennis DeFrates
How does the gospel shape our understanding of marriage? Scripture presents marriage as a covenant designed by God to reflect his glory and display Christ's covenant love for his Church. This breakout session will explore a theology of marriage. Together, we will wrestle with some of the most important theological implications of marriage and consider how the gospel restores and sustains this foundational institution for God's glory and our good.

Led by Matt Pierce
How does God restore our humanity through relationships in the local church? This breakout session will explore how the local church is God's design for nurturing redeemed humanity, in which Christ equips his people through his Word and under faithful shepherds to grow together toward maturity. Focusing primarily on Ephesians 4, we will consider how belonging to Christ also means belonging to his people, and how God uses the life of the church to progressively shape us into the likeness of his Son as we speak the truth in love and build one another up in grace.

Humanity and Creation

Led by Calvin Santos
How does the gospel shape faithful living in a fallen world? Created to glorify God in every area of life, we are called to reflect his character in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities, even as we face the pressures of a world distorted by sin. This breakout session will explore what Scripture teaches about steadfastness, how God formed faithful men and women throughout redemptive history, and how Christ equips his people to live as his image-bearers with conviction, wisdom, and perseverance in every calling of life.

Led by Brian Joksch
How does God's grace shape our worship and everyday lives? As creatures made in God's image, we are recipients of God's abundant grace—from his sustaining and common grace to his saving grace in Christ—all of which calls forth a life of gratitude. This breakout session will explore how common grace enables human flourishing while the gospel restores us to true worship, engaging both our minds and our bodies in joyful response to God. Together, we will consider how gathered worship on the Lord's Day equips God's people to live as faithful worshipers throughout the week, offering every area of life to him for his glory.