At Charis Fellowship Conference 2026, held July 21–23 at Grace Fellowship Church in Pickerington, Ohio, main session speakers walked through the book of Acts. The theme verse for the week was Acts 28:31, and each message focused on a different aspect of the book, intentionally connecting how witness, prayer, Holy Spirit, expansion, and suffering allow the Gospel to go out unhindered. Speakers were Keith Minier, Kip Cone, Jeremy Kimble, Andrew Royer, and Bartley Sawatsky. Personal testimonies on each topic were also shared in sessions from Tim Wilmetti, Ethan Bunce, Nate Bosch, Barb Wooler, and Betsy.

The schedule for conference was designed to allow free time and select planned events in the evenings, creating space for fellowship and connection. On Monday pre-conference activities included the Charis Symposium with papers on the book of Acts, food trucks, and a dessert for newcomers where Executive Director Tim Sprankle explained core aspects of the Charis Fellowship and various national ministry leaders shared about their organizations.

Other evening activities throughout the week included a young adult event hosted by Assist Church Expansion, a game night hosted by Charis Women, a dessert for solo pastors and their wives, and a ministry discussion with Pastors Jeff Bogue and Keith Minie

Many national and cooperating ministries represented as exhibitors, and Grace College, Encompass World Partners, Grace Financial, Eagle Commission, Assist Church Expansion, Charis Women, and Inspire Pastors Network sponsored meals where they introduced key staff and board members, held their annual business meeting, and shared ministry highlights.

Each day also had two opportunities to attend workshops and roundtable discussions. They were facilitated by a variety of people including pastors, ministry leaders, global workers, and organization representatives. Topics included next generation ministries, succession and retirement planning, children’s ministry, women’s ministry, process of ordination, Charis Fellowship history, missions, leveraging AI, volunteer recruitment, and more. Thursday morning also included the Charis Conversation, the delegate’s meeting of the Charis Fellowship, where Tim Sprankle, Tim Hodge, and Andrew Saunders gave updates and presented items that would be voted upon by the delegates in the following week.

Conference concluded Thursday afternoon with threefold communion. Tim Sprankle read through parts of the Charis Manual of Procedure and led the three elements with thoughtful reflections.

The post Unhindered: Charis Fellowship Conference 2026 Recap first appeared on Charis Fellowship.

Tim Hodge (Fellowship Coordinator) shared highlights from the Statistical Report, including the fact that our average attendance in 2025 was the highest in our history, and that the number of baptisms in 2025 was the highest in 25 years. We also celebrated a new Associate Member church: Church at the Well in Towson, Md. Andrew Saunders (Networking Coordinator) reviewed the 2027 budget which is slightly reduced from the previous year and reflects the Fellowship’s healthy financial status. 

Tim Sprankle (Executive Director) explained and read through a Clarification Paper on Eldership that the Fellowship Council has been working on since last year and has recently approved. He also shared the intent of the document in describing viewpoints that are broadly shared by churches within the Charis Fellowship, while also respecting the autonomy of each church. The Clarification Paper is available through a link on the Position Statements document posted on the Charis Fellowship website.

Voting was then conducted throughout the week following Conference through a secure online ballot. 176 registered delegates from Charis Fellowship churches across the US and Canada participated in the 2026 vote, and all items voted on were approved.

In addition to Kip Cone being affirmed as the executive director-elect to begin a three-year term in August 2027, three men were elected to begin serving a full five-year term each on the Fellowship Council: Bart Blair, Timothy Clothier, and Greg Foote.

The 2027 Charis Fellowship budget was approved. The ratification of the Fellowship Council’s annual appointment of Tim Hodge as Secretary and Doug Courter as Treasurer were both approved, and the list of potential nominating committee members was confirmed by delegates in order of preference. 

Thank you to all delegates who participated this year, and to all churches who submitted their statistical report and Fellowship contribution. Also, to the three men who completed their terms serving on the Fellowship Council, thank you for serving the Fellowship well: Nick Cleveland (2021–2026), and Devin Livingston (2021–2026) who both served a five-year term, and Mike Silliman (2024–2026) who stepped in to complete an incomplete term. If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the Fellowship Office here.

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Position Summary
This position provides leadership, vision, and oversight for Children’s Ministry at Grace Church at Willow Valley. This role ensures that children are discipled in a safe, welcoming, and engaging environment, through equipping volunteers and supporting families. This person works closely with pastoral staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, and parents to align children’s discipleship with the mission and values of the church.

Relationships
To the Associate Pastor of Ministries: Reports directly for supervision, guidance, and accountability.
To the Staff: Collaborates with staff to integrate children’s discipleship into the broader mission of the church.
To Ministry Leaders and Volunteers: Recruits, equips, and supports volunteers to faithfully serve in children’s ministry programs.
To Parents and Families: Communicates consistently about Children’s Ministry opportunities, providing encouragement and resources to support discipleship at home.
To Congregants and Guests: Extends hospitality to children and families, especially new or visiting families.

Core Responsibilities
Leadership & Oversight
Direct and oversee all children’s ministry discipleship efforts, programs, and events.
Develop and lead a Children’s Ministry Leadership Team to provide vision, support, and coordination for all children’s ministry initiatives.
Oversee the implementation of the Child Protection Policy.
Partner with other ministries (e.g., Women’s, Global Outreach) to involve children in church-wide initiatives.

Volunteer Recruitment, Training & Care
Recruit, screen, onboard, and equip volunteers.
Maintain volunteer schedules and ensure coverage for all needs.
Substitute or find substitutes for absent volunteer teachers when needed.

Curriculum, Teaching & Program Delivery
Coordinate Children’s Ministry activities for whole-church events as requested by pastors.
In cooperation with the Associate Pastor of Ministries, select biblically sound curriculum for all Children’s Ministry programs.
Maintain a welcoming, safe, and well-organized Sunday morning environment.

Administration & Communication
Communicate regularly and effectively with parents, volunteers, and ministry leaders.
Oversee the organization and stewardship of children’s ministry resources, spaces, and materials.

Qualifications
A credible testimony of conversion 
Personal convictions align with the mission and doctrinal statement of Grace Church at Willow Valley.
A team-builder and delegator.
Relational and welcoming personality with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Strong organizational and administrative ability, including scheduling and event coordination.
Competency with Microsoft Office Suite, church database systems, and related tools.
Self-starter, collaborative team player, organized and detail-oriented.
A prayerful, hospitable, and service-minded disposition.
Competent biblical knowledge to answer children’s, parent’s, and volunteer’s spiritual questions, and the ability to communicate the gospel accurately and clearly.
Ability to remain flexible and encouraging while serving in the ever-changing dynamics of children’s ministry.

Educational Preferences
Bachelor’s Degree in a children’s work or ministry related field

How to Apply
You will need the following to apply:
∙ Resume´
∙ Personal faith testimony
∙ Confirmation that you are willing to work within the Pillars of Children’s Ministry (https://cpmfiles1.com/gracewv.org/childrens-ministry-pillars.pdf)
∙ A photo of you and your family
Please submit all items via email using the link below.

Questions? Please contact Pastor David Julian at djulian@gracewv.org.

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Who We Are – Church Description
Northwest Chapel is a multigenerational, contemporary church with over 500 people in the fast-growing Northwest region of Columbus, Ohio. Our mission is to reach the lost, disciple believers, equip them for service, and reproduce more disciples. We value verse-by-verse teaching through the Bible, intentional outreach and discipleship, a family-friendly culture, and a high emphasis on youth, young adults, and children.

Position Summary
The Executive Director will oversee business and financial operations of the church in conjunction with the lead pastor and elders.

Position Responsibilities
Staff Leadership & Management
• Hire, train, develop, and oversee staff.
• Conduct performance evaluations of direct reports.
• Meet with staff individually as necessary to discuss goals, problems, and needs.
• Help resolve interpersonal conflicts within the staff or leadership teams if necessary.

Strategic Planning & Vision Execution
• In conjunction with the lead pastor, translate the church’s vision into actionable ministry goals and measurable objectives.
• Develop and monitor strategic plans to ensure healthy, sustainable church growth.
• Ensure all departments align with church-wide mission/vision and strategy.

Financial Stewardship
• Lead the development of and manage the annual church budget in collaboration with the finance committee.
• Oversee monthly financial reporting, payroll, and ensure sound fiscal policies are in place.
• Develop long-term plans for alternative revenue sources other than regular/monthly offerings.

Operational & Facilities Oversight
• Manage internal communication systems, IT, and oversee external communications/social media.
• Coordinate and supervise facility maintenance, security, and major building programs or capital campaigns.
• Ensure employee handbook and policies are current.
• Help with various and sundry duties as needed.

Qualifications
• Exhibit godliness and personal integrity and follow the qualifications of I Tim 3:8-10.
• Endorse, model, and teach the biblical principle of stewardship, i.e. giving of time, talents and resources.
• Submit to and implement the policies established by the Elders.
• Faithful, hardworking, organized, efficient, and detail oriented.
• Relational with the capacity to balance firmness with mercy.
• Possess proven business acumen, financial management, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrate leadership, excellent communication skills (verbal/written), and take the initiative.
• Commit to the mission, values, and strategy of Northwest Chapel.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume online at churchjobsonline.com, email to ehagerdorn@northwestchapel.org, or call the church office at 614-761-0363.

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The five-day conference was held at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., and welcomed 2,500 students and adults from nearly 100 different churches. Attendees traveled from 23 states and two Canadian provinces, including 8 churches who attended for the first time. Messages for the week focused primarily on the good news of the Gospel, and more than 500 students gave their lives to Jesus. Additional responses included more than 100 students being called to pursue missions, nearly 200 to full-time ministry, and over 250 to missional marketplace leadership.

Of the eight main session speakers, five were Chairs Fellowship pastors. Thursday morning Pastor Jim Brown of Grace Community Church (Goshen, Ind.) walked through the book of Hosea, emphasizing the story of forgiveness. He not only challenged students to understand and receive God’s forgiveness, but to consider who in their life they needed to forgive. “Forgiveness is not saying the offense didn’t matter,” he said, “it’s refusing to let someone else’s sin be your prison.”

Thursday evening Pastor Keith Minier of Grace Fellowship Church (Pickerington, Ohio) asked the question, “Why is the Christian life so hard?” He emphasized that every story has a villain, and that to defeat him we have to discern him. He talked through 1 John 2, explaining the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Saturday morning Pastor Zac Hess of Grace Polaris Church (Westerville, Ohio) spoke on 1 Peter 4 and how the return of Christ motivates a life for Christ. He talked through four ways our lives are transformed by the return of Christ, calling us to live holy, love one another, serve and build the church, and glorify God. “Every good story has a good ending,” he said, reflecting on how the imminent return of Christ is the good ending to our stories.

Pastor Jeff Bogue of Grace Church (Akon, Ohio) and president of Momentum Ministry Partners concluded the conference on Saturday night in Isaiah 6. He shared his own story of coming to faith, encountering the holiness of God, and being called by God into ministry.

Throughout the week students also participated in dozens of power tracks on topics like being a witness in sports, loving your church family, being shaped by our choices, navigating mental health, exploring careers and calling, sharing your testimony, and studying the Bible. Each day also included different sports tournaments, art classes, outdoor activities, and indoor gaming options.

You can watch the livestream recordings of all the main sessions on Momentum’s YouTube channel here. Youth conference next year will be held at Bowling Green State University on July 13–18, 2027. Get more information about Momentum Ministry Partners on their website here.

Photos by: Lael Nafziger, Jack Nicodemus, & Randi Walle

The post Momentum Youth Conference 2026 Recap first appeared on Charis Fellowship.

This is more than a career opportunity—it’s a calling. You’ll play a key role in advancing the Gospel, empowering global teams, and helping ensure that the mission is carried forward with excellence, integrity, and lasting impact.

You will join our Mobilization Services team, helping to send and sustain cross-cultural workers to make disciples among the least reached peoples of the world. At Encompass, you could use your professional skills to make an eternal difference.

You can see the full ministry description and complete an application on our website: https://encompassworldpartners.org/controller-position

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Who We Are

Kenai Grace Brethren Church has faithfully served the Kenai community since 1970. We are a congregation committed to glorifying God through faithful biblical teaching, intentional discipleship, heartfelt prayer, authentic fellowship, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our Mission

Our desire is that the glory of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, be known, enjoyed, and displayed by all people.

What You’ll Do

• Faithfully preach and teach God’s Word primarily through expository preaching
• Shepherd and disciple members through intentional relationships
• Provide biblical counseling and pastoral care, including hospital visitation and family support
• Equip believers for ministry and spiritual growth
• Partner with the elder team in leading the congregation
• Encourage outreach and evangelism in the community
• Participate in various church meetings: mission, worship team, leadership, etc.

Who We’re Looking For

• A baptized, born-again follower of Jesus Christ with a clear call to pastoral ministry
• Meets the biblical qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7, Titus 1:6–9, and 1 Peter 5:2–3
• A man devoted to prayer, personal holiness, and spiritual growth
• A shepherd who loves people and enjoys building relationships
• Theologically aligned with Kenai Grace and the Charis Commitment to Common Identity

Why Kenai?

Located on Alaska’s beautiful Kenai Peninsula, Kenai offers breathtaking scenery, abundant outdoor recreation, and a close-knit community. It is an ideal place for someone who enjoys both small-town ministry and the beauty of God’s creation.

About Kenai Grace

• Founded in 1970
• Average Sunday attendance: approximately 40
• Debt-free and financially sound
• Sunday School and Worship each Sunday
• Wednesday evening Bible Study and Prayer

Parsonage

• Approximately 2,700-square-foot
• Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, large downstairs family room
• Well-maintained home
• Utilities included

Application Information

If you feel God may be leading you to explore this opportunity, we would love to hear from you.

Email: kenaigrace@yahoo.com

Contacts:
Mark Welborn – Elder – 907-690-1029
Risto St. Luise – Elder – 907-398-9757

The post Pastor at Kenai Grace Brethren Church (Kenai, Alaska) first appeared on Charis Fellowship.

Leads the worship and production ministries with a focus on discipling people, building strong volunteer teams, and creating Christ-centered, Spirit-led worship environments. Works collaboratively with pastors and worship directors to plan unified services that align with the sermon series and church vision. Oversees volunteer recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, rehearsals, and training, while cultivating a culture of excellence, humility, and authentic worship. Prepares and leads weekly rehearsals, programs, click and arrangements, coaches musicians and tech teams, and plans development opportunities that equip and encourage the team. Partners closely with the teaching team to ensure every service element moves people toward deeper engagement with God and clear next steps in their faith.

The ideal candidate equips and inspires others — not just leads songs. They are organized, pastoral, and team-oriented, able to empower volunteers, foster spiritual growth, and deliver meaningful worship experiences that help people encounter Jesus and respond in faith.

Get more information and apply here.

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June 19, 2016. Game 7. Cleveland Cavaliers versus the Golden State Warriors, who had just won 73 games in the regular season — the most in NBA history — and were playing in their second consecutive Finals. The Warriors had built a 3-1 series lead. No team in NBA history had ever come back from 3-1 in the Finals. Ever. And yet here we were.

I am a Cavaliers fan. Which means I have a complicated relationship with hope. I’ve watched this franchise break your heart in ways that feel almost creative. So sitting on my couch that night, I was not calm. Nobody who loves this team is ever calm. We have been trained, over decades of heartbreak, not to trust the good thing when it’s happening.

The fourth quarter comes. LeBron James — our guy, the kid from Akron who left and came back — makes a chase-down block that still doesn’t seem physically possible. Then Kyrie Irving pulls up over Steph Curry with 53 seconds left and drains a three that silences Oracle Arena. The Cavaliers hold on. 93-89. For the first time in 52 years, Cleveland is a champion.

I don’t have words for what that felt like. I’m not sure I need them. If you’ve ever loved a team and finally watched them win, you already know.

Here’s the thing though. I watched that game again recently, for the ten-year anniversary. And something was different.The fear was gone. Completely. I wasn’t gripping anything. I wasn’t holding my breath when Golden State cut the lead. I wasn’t sick to my stomach in the fourth quarter. I watched the whole thing leaning back, smiling, almost giddy — not because the game was less dramatic, but because I already knew the outcome. I already knew the victor.

Knowing the victor changes everything about how you watch the game.

This concept runs through the entire Bible. But perhaps nowhere does it hit harder, nowhere is it more visible in real human flesh, than the Book of Acts. Specifically, Acts 2. Peter’s sermon.

Read it slowly and let the context land. Mere weeks before this moment, Peter was feeling everything. The fear, the uncertainty, the sick dread of a man watching something he loves fall apart in real time. He had denied Jesus three times in a courtyard and wept bitterly. He had watched the crucifixion from a distance. He had been in that upper room behind locked doors, waiting, not sure what came next.

Then he saw it. The risen Christ. Bodily. Undeniably. The Victor, standing in front of him.

And everything changed. Acts 2:14 — Peter stood up. Two words. The man who was hiding is now on his feet in public. The man who couldn’t hold his nerve in front of a servant girl now opens his mouth in front of thousands. And he doesn’t hedge. He doesn’t soften the message to make it more palatable. He looks at the crowd — the very city that called for the crucifixion — and says it plainly: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.

Why could he do that? Verse 24. Because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. The game was already over. Peter had seen the rerun. There was no fear left. Only proclamation. Only victory.

Victory. It’s worth sitting with that word for a moment.

The victory Peter is standing in isn’t abstract. It isn’t wishful thinking or religious optimism. It is the physical, historical, documented reality that a man who was dead walked out of a tomb. That the grave could not hold him. That every power that stood against him — Rome, the religious establishment, sin, death itself — had swung its hardest and come up empty. The resurrection is not a metaphor for hope. It is the announcement that the war is over, the score is final, and we already know who won.

This is what fuels everything in Acts. It’s why Peter and John stand before the Sanhedrin — the same council that arranged the crucifixion — and speak without flinching (Acts 4:13). It’s why the apostles walk out of a flogging rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name (Acts 5:41). These are not unusually brave people. They are ordinary people who have seen the Victor. People who already know how the story ends don’t grip the couch.

So here’s the question that lands closer to home. And I want to ask it gently, because I suspect most of us already feel it.

Pastors. Ministry leaders. Those of us who have given our lives to this — how are we living?

I don’t ask that as an accusation. I ask it as someone who knows what the weight of ministry can do to a person over time. The sermon calendar never stops. The needs in your congregation are real and they don’t wait for you to catch your breath. The programs need volunteers, the budget needs attention, the family at home needs a version of you that isn’t depleted. Ministry is beautiful and it is hard, and sometimes those two things are true on the same day.

But here is what I wonder, and I wonder it about myself as much as anyone: in the midst of all we have built and all we are trying to sustain, have we quietly lost sight of the victory? Not out of unbelief. Not because we stopped loving Jesus. But because somewhere in the volume of it all, we shifted from men and women who know the outcome to men and women who are just trying to keep up?

How are we preaching? Do our sermons carry the weight and the joy of people who have seen the risen Christ — or have we drifted toward careful, managed communication that is more anxious than it is assured? How are we discipling our families, our churches? Are the people watching our lives learning what it looks like to live from the victory or are they watching us grip the couch?

How are we evangelizing? Are we sharing the resurrection like Peter in Acts 2, or have we grown tentative — hoping the conversation doesn’t ask too much of us?

The tomb doesn’t care about our calendar. The resurrection is not waiting on our next sermon series to become true. And yet we carry ourselves, sometimes — if we’re honest — like people watching it live. Tense. Uncertain. Exhausted. Wondering if it’s all going to hold.

Friend, it’s going to hold. Because Jesus is still risen. The same Jesus who met a broken, demoralized fisherman on a beach and turned him into the preacher of Pentecost — He is still in the business of restoring and sending His people. He is not watching your ministry with nervous hands, wondering if you’ll pull it off. He already knows the outcome. He is the outcome. And He is inviting you — in your weariness, in your doubt, in the middle of everything you are carrying — to stop watching the game like you don’t know how it ends.

The tomb is empty. The Victor is alive. Peter stood up. Go and do likewise.

The post The Victor is Alive first appeared on Charis Fellowship.

Who’s on your Mount Rushmore of discipleship? Who are those people who have invested in you, walked alongside you, and mentored you in your faith? Maybe it’s the Sunday school teacher who first explained the Gospel to you. Maybe it’s the neighbor who demonstrated Jesus’ love to you. Maybe it’s your parents who taught you how to study God’s Word. Maybe it’s the pastor who baptized you. Maybe it’s the small group leader who regularly prayed for and with you. Can you narrow your list to only four people, or do you need multiple Mount Rushmores to encapsulate all the people who have discipled you?

Perhaps your list has changed during different seasons of your life. Mine has. Growing up in a Christian home, my parents and grandparents were the first and biggest influences in my faith journey. They will forever remain on my Mount Rushmore as those who consistently point me back to Jesus and model His love for others. As a teenager, my youth leaders were instrumental in developing my understanding of what it looks like to follow Jesus. As a newlywed, couples who read books with my husband and I and modeled godly marriages helped shape our relationship to reflect the selfless love of Jesus. As an adult, pastors who have faithfully taught the scriptures and mentors who have personally invested in my relationship with God have been fundamental to my journey in understanding God’s Word.

Discipleship is multifaceted and there is beauty in pursing it with others.

So how do we “go therefore and make disciples”? By building relationships where we speak truth and love into one another’s lives. By studying and teaching God’s Word. By modeling obedience to Jesus’ commandments. By continually pointing others to Jesus and allowing ourselves to be continually shaped into His likeness. This is disciple-making, and this is what Jesus calls us to do. However big or small your Mount Rushmore might be, follow Jesus’ command and be bold enough in your disciple-making that others would add you to their Mount Rushmore.

Written by Randi Walle for the Year in Review 2024–2025, adapted and updated July 2026. Randi serves as the editor and communications manager for the Charis Fellowship. She is a member and life-long attender of Grace Polaris Church in Westerville, Ohio, where she serves as the communications director. She and her husband, Jesús, have been married for eleven years.

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