LAST DAY to save $100 per ticket to the Child Discipleship Forum. Register now!

The Can't-Miss Event for Children's Ministry Leaders & Volunteers

Bring your team! Nashville or Online, Sept. 19 & 20, 2024

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What to Expect

  • Learn from expert panels and 16 keynote speakers in just 2 days
  • Participate in roundtable discussions with like-minded ministry leaders
  • Enjoy free lunch, coffee and snacks with your team each day
  • Form new connections with kidmin leaders and teams from around the world
  • Reflect, plan and respond to a host of new information and research
  • Return home with a renewed passion for biblical child discipleship
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Why the Child Discipleship Forum?

We have 13 critical years to meet kids where they are – to show up in the hard places, equip parents and biblically lead children together –so they unmistakably recognize Jesus and hold fast to Him in every situation. Kids are asking important questions and seeking answers that are forming who they become. But are those answers coming from the Bible? Are they coming from Gospel-centered leaders? It’s vitally important, as a community of children’s ministry and next-gen ministry leaders, to mold young believers into devoted followers of Jesus, capable of living out the Gospel in a world marked by hostility and compromise. Child discipleship is the most important work on the planet.

The Child Discipleship ForumTM is an annual event hosted by Awana. For two days, children’s ministry teams and church leaders gather to learn from biblical experts and each other about the most pressing challenges and opportunities in our children’s faith formation — and how we can address those together to anchor our kids to Jesus for life.

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The Forum Makes a Difference

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Alex T. (St. Louis, MO)

“CDF made it even more clear how much our children’s ministry has got to step it up right now. Time is of the essence to reach these students and families.”

Mark. R. (Nashville, TN)

“It’s really an eye-opener. It allows us to grasp the urgency of child discipleship and leads us to the next steps of “What are we doing with discipleship?” Because if we’re not, something else will.”

Richard S. (San Diego, CA)

"Absolutely life-changing. I’ve gone from feeling hopeless in the light of our current culture to feeling encouraged and empowered. I’ve already made it a priority to spend time with our children’s ministry team to explore how we can be doing better at discipling whole families.”

Kellie H. (Dallas, TX)

“This conference was thought-provoking. The depth of the content helps lay a foundation for why we minister to children and families, how to truly disciple people and form a solid strategy for the church to reach the next generation.”

2024 Child Discipleship Forum Speakers

Mark Sayers

Pastor & Author

Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin

Author & Speaker

Sean McDowell

Apologist & Professor

Blair Linne

Author & Speaker

Trevin Wax

VP of Research and Resource Development at NAMB

Sandra McCracken

Prolific Songwriter
Modern-day Hymn Writer
and Record Producer

George Barna

Researcher & Professor

Glenn Packiam

Pastor & Author

Stephen Maphosah

Awana Global VP
Africa

Justin Whitmel Earley

Author & Speaker

Diane Comer

Founder
Intentional Parents International

Jay Kim

Pastor & Author

Elizabeth Mitchell

Ministry Leader

Sean Sweet

Community Director at FourFiveSix

Rachelle Starr

Scarlet Hope Founder & President

Matt Markins

Awana President & CEO

Event Details

  • September 19 & 20, 2024

  • Rolling Hills Community Church

  • 1810 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064

Schedule

Wednesday, Sept. 18

5:30 – 8:30 p.m. — CDF welcome party! Giveaways, lawn games, photo booth and more!

Thursday, Sept. 19

8:00 a.m. — Doors open & online preshow begins

8:30 a.m. — Session 1

10:40 a.m. — Session 2

12:20 p.m. — Lunch (lunch provided)

1:30 p.m. — Session 3

4:00 p.m. — Session 4

5:30 p.m. — End of CDF day 1

Friday, Sept. 20

8:00 a.m. — Doors open & online preshow begins

8:30 a.m. — Session 5

11:00 a.m. — Session 6

12:10 p.m. — Lunch (lunch provided)

1:30 p.m. — Session 7

3:15 p.m. — End of CDF day 2

Plan Your Trip

Nashville is widely known as Music City – and for good reason. Nashville, TN is the hometown of country music and the birthplace of bluegrass, with roots in R&B, and a thriving pop and rock scene. The city offers exciting experiences for all ages and interests. Visitors come from all over the world to listen to live music, see the famous recording studios on Music Row, try Nashville’s famous hot chicken or simply plan a fun vacation in the city.

Hotel Accommodations

The Child Discipleship Forum will be held at Rolling Hills Community Church in Franklin, TN. We have blocks of rooms available at the hotels below. Mention code “CDF” when booking.

About Awana

The Child Discipleship Forum has been organized by Awana. From its roots in mid-week children's ministry, Awana has become a leader in global child and youth discipleship, providing curriculum and leader equipping in 135 countries. Awana partners with ministries like Compassion International, World Vision, and numerous denominations in over 78,000 churches, engaging more than 6.4 million children and students weekly.