WORKSHOPS
1. DISCIPLEMAKING IN COLLEGE
Rashelle Porter
LOCATION: Wood Room (map)
The word disciple shows up over 260 times in the Bible, which probably means it’s important. Jesus gives us a wonderful example of what discipleship looks in the everyday context, so let’s explore it and see how we can model it in our everyday lives as well.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Rashelle Porter is going into her first year of Staff in Training with The Navigators, and her third year on staff at K-State. She has a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from Northwest Missouri State University and is a self-nominated fun enthusiast. In her free time, you can probably find her kayaking, playing board games, or going on an adventure with her dog Bella. The Navigators have really helped change the way she loves and interacts with scripture, and she is so thankful for that!
2. BE STRONG IN GRACE: Prayer and the Bible in Your Daily Life
Michael Torres
LOCATION: Water Room (map)
Prayer and the Word of God have always been foundational in the believer’s daily life with God. But if you’re like me, prayer can be a struggle, and the Bible can be confusing, intimidating, and seem disconnected from my daily life. What is this practice of a “quiet time” supposed to look like? And why do we need these daily practices, anyway? If time in the Bible and prayer feels like a struggle for you, or you’re unsure how to teach this to others, come join me to explore the heart of this practice and learn a simple model that I hope will help you experience God’s grace as you journey to know Christ and become more like Him.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: While Michael was in college, God used life-to-life discipleship to help him see that God could use his ordinary life to advance His Kingdom. He joined Navigator staff in 2013 to continue Christ’s work on college campuses. He and his wife, Amanda, have served at Texas A&M, the University of Texas at Austin, and currently serve at the University of Arkansas. In their free time, you’ll find Michael pursuing a variety of hobbies, Amanda doing artsy-craftsy-nifty projects, and both of them beating their friends in game nights and attempting to take their stubborn beagle for a walk.
3. INTENTIONAL DISCIPLEMAKING AFTER GRADUATION
Scott Grant
LOCATION: Metal Room (map)
What does your personal ministry look like after college? Learn how to influence co-workers, neighbors and family members after graduating. Hear stories of failures and success as we talk about walking with Jesus and ministering to others.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Scott met The Navigators in Germany at his first assignment in the U.S. Army. He served in uniform for over thirty years and now teaches at Army University at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Scott and his wife Jean have two children attending the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC).
4. BIBLICAL DECISION-MAKING
Marcus Scaffidi
LOCATION: Salon B & C/Main Session Room (map)
Each of us is faced with thousands of decisions each day, some hold massive consequences, and some are simple. No matter what kind of decision you are facing, they can bring a lot of anxiety. As someone who once spent 45 minutes in the deodorant aisle at Target, Mark has spent a lot of time thinking about making decisions, and is convinced that God has something to say about each decision of our life. In this workshop we will look at stories of people forced to make life changing decisions, small everyday choices, and even a few course corrections. As we learn from the past, we will develop a framework for making our own decisions in the future. Expect to walk away with a plan for deciding what deodorant you will wear, who you will marry, and what career path you will take.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Mark Scaffidi planned to walk away from Chrisitanity the moment he stepped foot on Iowa State's Campus. That all changed when another student took the time to invite Mark into his community, share the Gospel, and show him how to have a relationship with Jesus. When Mark was told that all followers of Jesus are invited to take part in changing the world, one person learning to walk with Jesus at a time, he was hooked. Since graduating from Iowa State, Mark and his wife Annie have dedicated their lives to living life alongside others as they seek to create contagious communities centered around walking deeply with Jesus together, and empowering others to do the same. Mark currently serves as the Campus Director for The Navigators at Wichita State University alongside his wife Annie, with their two daughters Isabella, and Eden.
5. THE GOSPEL IS NOT SAFE
Madison Thielen
LOCATION: Earth Room (map)
Do you long for safety? Do you want to make sure everything is going to 'be okay'? Is your life characterized by fear? Come and discover why following Jesus is worth the risk in the midst of the unknown.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Madison grew up in Norwalk, Iowa and graduated from Northwest Missouri State with a degree in accounting. Madison is currently on her second year of EDGE Corps with The Navigators at Northwest Missouri State and spent part of her summer in SouthEast Asia. She loves being outside, has two hamsters and is always down for a new adventure.
6. THE UNFINISHED TASK: Global Missions for a New Generation
Jason Stuhrenberg
LOCATION: Fire Room (during Workshop A) (map)
The efforts of the Church aimed at finishing the Great Commission in our day are commendable. But the task of making disciples of all nations remains unfinished and the need for new missionaries is increasingly desperate. So what are missions? What does it mean to be a missionary? And what does Jesus want from me when it comes to making disciples of all nations? Come explore the Bible, hear from Jesus, and (I’m 87% sure) have some fun as we look to ignite a new vision for missions in our generation.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Jason has been on staff with The Navigators for the past ten years with his wife, Emily. They have three kiddos and currently serve as part of the collegiate team in Kansas City. Jason is a small-town kid from nowhere Iowa (Clare, if you want to Google it) who studied at Dordt College (it’s Dordt University now, which is neat). He met and fell in love with his wife on the way to Kyiv, Ukraine, where they and their team were tasked with pioneering a college ministry. They returned to the U.S. to be married, stepped into a new role helping lead the short-term missions program of The Navigators, and then, accepted a call to return to Ukraine as a family to lead the college ministry where they had served until the start of the war.
Jason is an unashamed Chiefs superfan, still loves Marvel (yes, even in Phase 5), and enjoys general contracting work (or at least he bought a house and has access to YouTube).
7. IS THE BIBLE TRUSTWORTHY?
Dr. Rustin Umstattd
LOCATION: Salon A/Exhibit Hall (map)
Christians describe the Bible as the Word of God, but can we trust this Word? Some claim that the Bible you hold in your hands today is not the same as was originally written. In this seminar we will investigate why we can trust the Bible, from both its history of transmission and its internal consistency.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Rustin Umstattd has served as a professor of theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary since 2008. He has also been part of the elder team at Northland Church since 2015. He is married to his wife Leslie and has two teenage daughters (and two dogs). One of his passions is explaining the storyline of Scripture and how Jesus ties all the plotlines together. He enjoys sci-fi/fantasy books and movies, as well as playing guitar.
8. THE GOSPEL AND SEXUALITY
Buck Wilson
We will explore Biblical sexuality and how it applies to our faith. To see how the good news of the Gospel is good news to our sexuality!
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER: Buck came to Christ as a child but didn’t discover walking with Jesus until he met The Navigators in college at Miami University of Ohio. Freshmen Buck barely knew the Bible, but in the years since, he has continually been falling in love with Gods word and design. It was during his EDGE years, at a men’s event, where a student confessed a sexual sin and Buck had nowhere to turn for help. After trying, failing, and feeling like he only made things worse he met Jack and Marcia Deal. Since then, God has continued to burden Buck for the sexually broken and he firmly believes that in area of sexually the Gospel is truly good news!