With so many great conferences happening each year, it's easy to miss out on some gatherings you might find helpful.

Let me share some conferences that are new (or I just received more information). In this post is a conference on parenting, free conferences on church planting and growth, a national conference on church planting, and the first conference I have ever created-- called missionSHIFT.

Right now, I am writing this from my hotel in Plano, prepping for the Anglican100, and posting this late Sunday. The blog has been giving us trouble so "Saturday is for Seminars" is posted late Sunday!

Anyway, here are some upcoming events where I will be sharing-- please be praying for these conferences and those who attend.

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D6 Conference
September 15-17th

Here is a video just released about the D6 Conference in Dallas. I'll be presenting some brand new parenting research exclusively at the conference.

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The NEXT Church Planting Workshop (free)
March 1, 2010 Warner Robbins, GA

From the website:

Come; bring your entire team to this one-day event hosted by Jim & Jennifer Cowart and the Harvest Church team. Harvest Church was launched using the Purpose Driven model and has grown to over 2500 in weekend attendance. Jim and Jennifer will provide you an overview of the steps and principles for launching large and leading a church that impacts this generation. If you are launching a new church or thinking about it, or if your church has stalled, Harvest is the place to be.

Click here to register.

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The NEXT Growing Churches Workshop (free)
March 12, 2010 Kissimmee, FL

Bring your entire team and join us at Florida Christian College near Orlando on March 12th for the FREE one-day Growing Churches Workshop. Robbie O'Brien, Pastor of The Beachside Church will share the key principles that have led to Beachside's growing effectiveness. The Beachside Church began 4 years ago in Ormond Beach, Florida and is launching its first church plant. You can register here.

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Exponential Conference
April 19-22 Orlando, FL

The Exponential Conference is looking better and better as more snow falls throughout the country. Last week nearly every state in the lower 48 had some snowfall! Seems highly likely that the speakers at Exponential will warm things up considerably--Exponential always draws a fascinating lineup! Giglio and Chan are the bookends. I'm joining Chandler, Batterson, Blanchard (not your typical church planter pick), Gibbons, Ferguson, McNeal (Reggie not Shaq), Claiborne, Patrick, Salter-McNeil-- and these are just the ones from the main sessions. Beyond there are more than 60 workshops, 15 pre-conference intensives, and many denominations and networks are using Exponential as their main national gathering-- banquets, breakfasts, luncheons, early training, late meetings.

I'm looking forward to it and I invite those of you who are church planting leaders to participate in the Best Practices Pre-Conference Intensive. Get everything you need at exponentialconference.com.

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missionSHIFT Conference
July 12-15 Ridgecrest, NC

The word "missional" is used to bludgeon legalism and antinomianism alike. To some it is a sign of freedom from all established forms of the church and to others it is a degeneration into syncretism with the world. However, I think words help us when we are clear about the meaning. Thus was born missionSHIFT. The actual conference is designed for church leaders and their families. Held at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in NC, there will be time for learning together under some outstanding teachers but also time for us to just spend time together as families enjoying one another and talking about what matters most-- God's mission at work in the world. Make sure you get registered soon!

In the next few months, we will be discussing (here at my blog and at other places on the web) the subjects associated with the word "missional" and how it is practiced by the church. Several practitioners will serve as the initial "framers" of a document we are entitling the "Missional Manifesto." Our one hope is that it will be a help to all churches desiring to understand how to live out the missio Dei in communities in our culture.

See you on the road.