Value of Conferences

My life changed because I went to the Purpose Driven Life Youth Ministry Conference. Going to the conference helped me to grow so much as a leader and as a follower of Jesus Christ. Without that conference and other local church conferences, I am sure I would have quit parish work or burned out a long time ago.

In reflecting on my conference experience at local parishes, I realize that they served me and Father Michael in three critical ways.

One, they provided inspiration. As we mention in our book Rebuilt, stepping onto the campus of Saddleback was like stepping onto another planet. It was so immense and so different from our typical church experience. The facilities and grounds were impressive, but far more impressive was the generosity of the people. Father Michael and I were amazed at their magnanimous spirits and hospitality. We were blown away by their engagement and love for their church. They inspired us to see what was possible for our own parish. They gave us a vision of having a community fully engaged in parish life.

Not only did the people inspire us, but so did the music. Prior to my experience, I had never heard music in church that lifted my soul to God or inspired me to give more of my life to him. As we praised and worshipped God, I felt a greater pull to give all my life to the Lord in ministry.

The preaching and teaching also inspired us to dream dreams and imagine a better future. The leaders reminded us that we serve a powerful God who conquered the grave. They inspired us to place our faith and trust in him to do great things in us and through us.

Overall, seeing what God had done at other local churches inspired me to think about what could be and should be at Nativity.

Two, the conferences encouraged me. Working in a local parish is often a thankless job. You have to work weekends and holidays. Other people’s off times are your on times. As a lay church worker, I still get asked sometimes, “So what do you do for a living?” At a party or reunion, no one is really all that impressed that you work at a parish. Quite honestly, in the Catholic world there is a vast under appreciation for parish work. To advance your career and make more money, you go work for the diocese or become a podcaster. Nothing against diocesan work or podcasting; but it’s the truth.

When I went to conferences at local churches, the pastors and church leaders reminded us that working in the local church was very important. They encouraged Father Michael, me, and our team to give our best efforts because serving a local church means so much; it’s where God wants to accomplish much of his work in the world. They helped us recognize the value of our work even if it didn’t seem valued by others.

The conferences also encouraged us because they validated our struggles and challenges. When you experience pushback or criticism you start to question yourself and your leadership. You wonder what you are doing wrong or if you should just give up. Conference talks helped us to know the struggles were real and that pushback and criticism come with the territory. We were encouraged to persevere through our trials because God would use them in a powerful way. Without that encouragement we would have given up.

The conferences also encouraged us by helping us know we were not alone. We saw a room full of leaders dedicated to their churches. The staff and volunteers cheered us on as we left.

Third, the conferences equipped us to do the work in our parish. We didn’t get theories or grand ideas but actual and real practical tips and strategies we could apply to our parish community. We were given tools to go and make changes. Not only did we get a vision for the power of small groups, we received instruction on how to make them happen. Not only did we learn about the importance of addressing the topic of money, we were given language on how to share the topic successfully. Not only were we challenged to raise up volunteer ministers, we were given tools on how to think more comprehensively about volunteers.

Local church conferences changed my life, which is why we are committed to putting the time and energy into them. The goal for our conferences is threefold:

• Inspire parish leaders’ minds
• Encourage parish leaders’ hearts
• Equip parish leaders’ hands for the work

Our Rebuilt Conferences are by parish leaders, for parish leaders.

I’m excited to announce that we are now a year out from our next Rebuilt Conference, which will take place on May 3 and 4, 2027. If you would like to get on our insider list for the latest information, visit & bookmark our conference website:  rebuiltconference.com

You will be the first to know the pertinent and fun facts such as speakers, our theme, and when registration opens.

Rooting for you,
Tom