Baptist Resource Network Annual Business Session and Gathering (previously known as the annual meeting)
2021 Accelerate Conference Main Session Replays
2021 Accelerate Conference
Business Session
In this morning session, Baptist Resource Network President Buff McNickle presides over the business session.
2021 Accelerate Conference
Main Session 1
In this morning session, we join in worship with Seven, of Messiah University, and hear from BRN Executive Director Barry Whitworth.
2021 Accelerate Conference
Main Session 2
In this afternoon session, we join in worship with Seven, of Messiah University, and hear from Will Mancini.
2021 Accelerate Conference
Main Sessions 3 & 4
In these sessions, we will join in worship with Seven, of Messiah University, hear from Will Mancini and Cory Hartman, and share some great giveaways, courtesy of this year’s sponsors!
Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (plus, dinner)
at Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel, 4650 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Prefer another hotel? Here is a list.
The Accelerate Conference is the annual business session and gathering for the Baptist Resource Network’s Southern Baptist churches throughout Pennsylvania and South Jersey. Based on the theme #LovePASJ, this inaugural conference, which seeks to accelerate Kingdom movement, will equip churches to KNOW their communities and neighborhoods so they may love them in Christ’s name. Participants will walk away inspired to love their neighbors more deeply and to join other churches all across our region in making a greater impact for the Gospel.
For your safety, we recommend that you follow current local, state, and CDC guidelines and recommendations regarding COVID-19 and its variants while in attendance. Please keep in mind that the hotel venue may require masks while onsite at the time of the conference.
This year’s conference will feature:
- Keynote Presentations by Will Mancini, Founder/Church Consultant & Ministry Entrepreneur, the Future Church Co., and Barry Whitworth, Executive Director, Baptist Resource Network
- Worship by Seven of Messiah University
- Dinner performance by Piercing Word
- Breakouts, exhibits & more!
Keynote Speakers
Will Mancini
Will Mancini is Founder/Church Consultant and Ministry Entrepreneur of the Future Church Co. He started several interconnected organizations under The Future Church Co that help the church embody the movement that Jesus founded. Will’s visionary planning tools, the Vision Frame and the Horizon Storyline, are used by thousands of churches every year through his calling to raise up other consultants and trainers. In 2015, he cofounded Younique to deliver gospel-centered life design through the church. In 2019, Will founded Denominee to help networks and denominations re-invent how they bring value to the church. He currently provides clarity and innovation consulting directly to church teams through Pivvot. He has written six books, including Younique, Clarity Spiral, God Dreams, Innovating Discipleship, and Church Unique. He enjoys speaking about how to live a life of more meaningful progress. Will lives in Houston with his wife Romy and has four children. Website: http://futurechurch.co.
Barry Whitworth
Barry has been in ministry for over 30 years, serving as a mission pastor, associate pastor, church planter, pastor, interim pastor, transitional pastor and planter, church planting strategist, lead church planting catalyst, church planting director, and now executive director. Before his calling as Executive Director of the Baptist Resource Network in February 2017, he was a church planting missionary and served the Multiplying Churches Team Leader for the BRN. Barry, who has planted churches and served on church staffs in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, says his passion is the local church — to assist and encourage the churches in “reaching the lost [and] discipling the saved.” He seeks to help Pennsylvania/South Jersey Baptists “decrease lostness,” “push back darkness” and “have an impact in our generation for such a time as this.” He and his wife Beth have two daughters and six grandchildren.
Special Guests
Worship led by Seven
Seven is a group of multi-talented musicians from Messiah University who have a heart for ministry, performance and creativity. They write, collaborate, perform concerts and lead worship with great enthusiasm and expression. They represent a wonderful cross-section of the Messiah University community, with members from a variety of academic majors. Seven’s mission is to spread the message of Jesus Christ through musical worship that incorporates each member’s unique gifts and creativity.
Dinner Theater performed by Piercing Word
Piercing Word is a group of theatre professionals who are passionate about coming alongside Christian leaders to help them engage their people with the Word of God. They do this by performing scripture in dramatic and musical presentations that are word-for-word from the ESV Bible and providing resources on how to better memorize and study the Bible. Piercing Word is a full-time, non-profit theatre ministry based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Breakout Sessions
Winning strategies for establishing trust in your spheres of influence
Features Buff McNickle, BRN Director of Compassion Ministries
Practical ways to communicate the Gospel across cultures, generations, and genders
Features Dr. Larry Anderson, BRN Director of Healthy Churches
How to multiply “Jesus-apprentices” and catalyze an epic release of leaders through a “front-yard mission” strategy
Features Pastor Dan Nold of Calvary Church, Harvest Fields, Pa.
Gen Ed on the Next Gen
Features Stanley Williams, Director of BRN Next Collegiate Ministry, and Eric Reiber, BRN Collegiate Minister, PSU
Knowing, praying for, and blessing your neighbors—by name!
Features David Ludwig, BRN Associate Director of Healthy Churches, and Elizabeth Benge, BRN Executive Assistant
Know and rely on the role of the Holy Spirit in exegeting your neighborhood
Features Dr. Barry Whitworth, BRN Executive Director, and Pastor Joe Velarde, Send Network PA/SJ Missionary
Conference Schedule
8:00 a.m.: Registration Opens
9:00 a.m.: Welcome/Business Session
10:00 a.m.: Prayer Time
10:15 a.m.: Worship led by Seven of Messiah University
10:30 a.m.: Conference Opening Remarks, Barry Whitworth
10:45 a.m.: Worship led by Seven of Messiah University
11:00 a.m.: Main Session 1: Barry Whitworth, Executive Director, Baptist Resource Network
11:30 a.m.: Introduction of Breakouts/Break
11:45 a.m.: Breakouts Session 1
12:30 p.m.: Lunch (please take time to visit the expo!)
1:30 p.m.: Worship led by Seven of Messiah University
1:45 p.m.: Main Session 2: Will Mancini, Ministry Consultant, Future Church Co.
2:15 p.m.: Introduction of Breakouts/Break
2:30 p.m.: Breakouts Session 2
3:15 p.m.: Break
3:30 p.m.: Worship led by Seven of Messiah University
3:45 p.m.: Main Session 3: Will Mancini, Ministry Consultant, Future Church Co.
4:15 p.m.: Giveaways
4:30 p.m.: Main Session 4: Will Mancini, Ministry Consultant, Future Church Co.
5:00 p.m.: Closing, Barry Whitworth; Worship led by Seven of Messiah University
5:30 p.m.: Dinner Performance by Piercing Word
How to Register
Pre-Register
You may pre-register through Thursday, September 30. After that, you may register at the door starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
Messengers
Each church is granted a number of messengers, predetermined by Cooperative Program giving, Annual Church Profile completion, and church size. Messengers will receive ballots and will vote during the business sessions. Learn more.
Guests
Visitors are welcome to attend all sessions but cannot vote during the business session.
Preregistration Link:
The Baptist Resource Network extends a hearty thank you to our Accelerate Conference sponsors:
The Baptist Resource Network also extends a hearty thank you to our Accelerate Conference vendors:
