It’s been almost four months since nearly 600 people gathered at Grace Polaris Church in Columbus, Ohio, for the annual Charis Fellowship Conference in early July. The theme for the week was, “How Good is the Gospel?” and emphasized the grace, peace, power, and hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Each session included a time of worship, led by Danny Nathan and a team of worship leaders from around Central Ohio, and a powerful message by a Charis Fellowship leader. Dayne Carraway and Wade Rininger emceed the conference and facilitated group games such as backwards charades, golf, and a presidential-style debate between outgoing Executive Director Dan Allan and incoming Executive Director Tim Sprankle.
The conference kicked off Monday, July 8, with several pre-conference activities. The Charis Symposium, a forum for substantive, irenic, and constructive theological dialogue, held two sessions where contributors read papers related to gender roles in church leadership. The Charis Alliance, our global movement of churches, hosted a cookout. Four regions where the Charis Alliance has a presence — Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa — were represented with a booth that offered a dessert unique to that region. Guests at the cookout received a passport, and as they visited a booth they enjoyed a dessert, learned about the area, and got a stamp in their passport.
On Tuesday conference attendees had the opportunity to engage in ministry-specific cohorts in the morning and afternoon. Each cohort was led two or three ministry professionals in areas such as youth, women, worship, tech, communications, missions, outreach, discipleship, and young adults.
Pastor Josh Wilson spoke during the first main session on the grace of the Gospel in Ephesians 2. Lunch on Tuesday was sponsored by Grace College & Seminary, and dinner was sponsored by Encompass World Partners. In the evening session Knute Larson spoke on the peace of the Gospel from Romans 5. Following the session Bellefontaine Grace Church hosted a Charis Game Show where participants answered Chris Fellowship history questions and played a round of family feud.
Wednesday began with breakfast sponsored by Assist Church Expansion, and Florent Varak spoke from Romans 1 on the power of the Gospel in the morning session. Lunch was sponsored by Inspire Charis Pastors Network and Charis Women. Attendees had the opportunity to attend workshops both in the morning and afternoon on topics such as thriving in Gospel relationships, the great commission and the local church, discipleship through disaster relief, equipping missional marketplace leaders, and more. During the afternoon many opted to attend the Charis Conversation (Delegates Meeting). Dinner was sponsored by Eagle Commission and Grace Financial.
Local youth groups were invited to attend the evening session on Wednesday, which included a message from Pastor Timothy Clothier on Romans 8 and the power of the Gospel. Momentum Ministry Partners hosted a glow in the dark party with ice cream, music, games, and glow sticks.
Thursday there were a limited number of seminars available to attend — the church and politics of a country, testimonies of the Gospel in everyday life, and fresh news from the front lines — followed by the final session. Dan Allan, Charis Fellowship executive director at the time, set the stage for threefold communion and remembering the Gospel, and pastor Zac Hess gave a short reflection before each element. The conference concluded with a love feast.
See all the photos from the week on the Charis Fellowship Facebook page here.
Save the date for Charis Fellowship Conference 2025, happening July 29–31 in Lititz, Pa.