Detailed descriptions will be coming soon!  For now check out the following tracks and focuses that will be offered at our 2026 D3 Advance Training.

In the section of tracks below, the presenters will be teaching on Leadership Development in the first session followed by Ministry Development in the second.

Children’s Ministry – Elizebeth Cook

Sessions 1 and 3 - Choosing Curriculum for Children's Ministry

Finding Bible studies for kids that meet the needs of our unique church bodies can be difficult and overwhelming. How do we narrow down the choices? What criteria can we use to decide what to teach?  

Sessions 2 and 4 - Keeping Children Engaged at Church

How do we ensure kids are listening, participating, and retaining what we teach them at church? We are going to talk about how to make learning about God exciting for our youngest attenders. 

Youth Ministry – Logan Ross

Sessions 1 and 3- Youth Leadership Development

Why is it important to have leaders within your youth ministry? To help grow and disciple the young adults that step foot within your youth group. Developing leaders can be tough to do, but it is also essential for a successful youth ministry. We are going to go over topics that cover developing adult leaders, student ownership, relationships over information, and having a discipline plan.  

Sessions 2 and 4 - Youth Ministry Development

During this session, we are going to go over When, Why, and What. 

When: When do you meet as a youth group? Is it one specific night or multiple times during the week?

Why: Why do you meet as a youth group? What is the specific goal for you meeting and what do you hope to accomplish during that session?

What: What is your overall goal? What do you hope to do within your church's youth ministry? What can we do to better equip our youth to build the Kingdom?

We are also going to go over some resources when it comes to discipleship and some of the curriculum that has been used in the past to help guide the direction of the youth ministry.

Senior Adult Ministry – Carson Humphreys

Sessions 1 and 3 – The Why of Senior Adult Ministry

Sessions 2 and 4 – The How of Senior Adult Ministry

Deacon Ministry – Nate Morris

Sessions 1 and 3 – What is a Deacon?

Sessions 2 and 4 – What does a Deacon do?

Many of us have heard the term "Deacon", but do we truly know what a Deacon is? Do we know what they do? Do we know how men become deacons? Do we know why the position was even established to begin with? In our training, we will answer these questions and more. Part one will be titled "What is a Deacon?" where we will deep dive into how the Deacon position was established and part two will be "What does a Deacon do?", discussing responsibilities of the position are.

Education Ministry – LP Cook

Sessions 1 and 3 - Caring for the Caregivers

Leading Bible study groups means caring for your members.  This is emotionally and spiritually tiring.  How do you refill and refresh?  How do you help other leaders do the same?

Sessions 2 and 4 - Where are we going?

What are the goals of your Bible study group?  Of your adult education ministry?  We are going to talk about what goals we have, or should have, beyond our weekly meeting and how we can work toward those kinds of goals.

In this section of tracks, the facilitators will bring forth tools, tips, and training that will help your church develop these specific areas of need.

First Impressions Ministry – Preston Thompson

Sessions 1 and 3 - From the Parking Lot to the Pew

A good welcome ministry is crucial not only for the visitors of your church but also for its members.  Come learn about how your church can be excellent in your first impressions.  In this session, we will be working from the outside in as we journey through the responsibilities of each team/member, how they connect, and how they can help or hurt the purpose of your church.  If you want to know how to start a Ministry of First Impressions or are already part of your church’s parking lot, security team, greeters, ushers, or welcome desk team, then this is the session for you.

Sessions 2 and 4 - From the Church to the Community

Not all first impressions take place on the church grounds.  Learning lessons from Little House on the Prairie and McDonalds, we will take a hard look at how your community sees and knows your church.  A keen eye to the details will be encouraged as we deep dive into how your church communicates who it is and what it does 7 days a week.  Some of the areas that we will cover are online presence, signage, traffic volumes, and much more.  Come join us in this second breakout for First Impressions Ministry.

Church Administration – Charles Gholson

Sessions 1 and 3 - Annual Planning Process
Every year churches develop new annual goals, a preaching calendar, a ministry calendar, and a budget. This process is often messy, not completed ahead of time, and can cause disunity. In this breakout, we are going to look at some biblical principles and a basic system for annual planning that helps our churches be more effective for God's kingdom and His glory. We are going to cover: Church DNA & Strategy, Annual Calendar, Evaluations, Ministry Leaders/Teams/Committees Planning, Ministry Leaders Meeting, Master Ministry Calendar, Preaching Calendar, Budget Planning, and Communication.

Sessions 2 and 4 - Church Finances
Church finances are often a topic of stress and tension among churches, but it is possible for church finances to actually be a point of excitement and unity. In this breakout, we are going to look at how we can marry together faith and fiscal responsibility. These are often thought of as competing ideas, but they can work together in harmony. We will cover topics including: annual budget, necessary policies and safeguards, pastor’s salary packages, restricted funds, love offerings, debt, and more.

Facilities – Ron Forbis and Bobby Kerr

Sessions 1 and 3 - A healthy church building and securing it – Part 1

Sessions 2 and 4 – A healthy church building and securing it – Part 2

Have you ever thought about how people decide whether or not to come to your church services? During our time together, we will discuss the purpose behind the building we meet in. The health of your building is just as important as your ministry health. After you get them there, what should they expect? We will take a look at the overall function of your services and general safety.