The President’s Equip Conference was a gathering where everyone in congregations—volunteers, leaders, pastors,
board members, educators, youth leaders, and administrators gathered and worked alongside each other to learn new ways to connect people to Jesus. The event took place September 28–30, 2023, at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace.
In 2023, the FLGA District is celebrating 75 years of mission and ministry!
Along-Sider Resources
EVALUATIONS
President’s Equip Conference Evaluation
FORMS
Take-Away Devotion – On Thursday evening, there will be time for your groups to gather together for a meal and conversation. A devotion has been prepared for you to use during this time.
On Friday at the conference, DCE Leah Abel, Rev. Greg Finke, and Dr. David Kim will be part of a Panel Discussion at 4:30 pm. We will hear from them throughout the conference in their Keynote address, workshop, and general conversations.
Provided here, you can submit a question. Submissions are accepted until 3:00 pm on September 29th.
Rev. Greg Finke • Greg Finke has been ordained since 1989, spending the last ten years of pastoral ministry pastoring churches with 1000 or more in worship. In January 2011, he realized he couldn’t remain a senior pastor and do what Jesus was calling Him to do. His non-profit, Dwelling 1:14, his book, Joining Jesus on His Mission, and helping congregations all across the U.S. are all the results of that. Greg and his wife, Susan, are neighborhood missionaries in a subdivision in St. Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about Dwelling 1:14 and Greg’s mission.
Mrs. Leah Abel • Leah Abel spent 17 years doing ministry with teenagers and adults. During that time, she discovered the joy and power of walking alongside and helping students figure out who they were and consider who they would be. Leah spent 11 years serving as a DCE in Florida, where she met and married her husband Scott before the Lord called them to Littleton, Colorado, where different adventures in youth ministry, classroom teaching, mentoring, parenting, and business awaited her. In 2018, Leah launched Abel Project Management and Facilitation, where she helps churches and organizations to have conversations that matter and do things that matter because people matter to Jesus. Leah currently lives in Littleton, Colorado, with her daughter Amelia and her husband Scott, who serves as Pastor of Our Father Lutheran Church. Learn more about Abel Project Management and Leah’s mission.
Rev. Dr. David Kim • Rev. Dr. David Kim was born and raised in South Korea. He arrived in the United States in 2002 after serving as a missionary/church planter in Ecuador for 12 years. In his first eight years in the U.S., he furthered his biblical studies and learned about American culture and churches. In conversations and visits with more than 100 congregations, one surprising response is most often heard. When he asked parishioners and pastors about the mission field and missionaries, he was shocked to hear their answer was almost always the same: “Our missionaries are overseas.” While he knew that to be true–that the world desperately needs missionaries to reach the billions of lost people–it deeply concerned him that very few viewed themselves as witnesses of Jesus in their own daily mission fields. Learn more about Glocal Mission and David’s mission.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
On Friday at the conference, DCE Leah Abel, Rev. Greg Finke, and Dr. David Kim will be part of a Panel Discussion at 4:30 pm. We will hear from them throughout the conference in their Keynote address, workshop, and general conversations.
Provided here, you can submit a question. Submissions are accepted until 3:00 pm on September 29th.
THANK YOU to our sponsors!
The Florida-Georgia District
75th Anniversary Capital Campaign
The Florida-Georgia District began in 1948 with 22 congregations; today, we are 192 strong. Less than 45% of the United States is connected to the Body of Christ, and our state’s population continues growing by nearly 2% per year. The goal is to raise $1.5 Million to enable the FLGA District to provide $150,000 in grants to start ten congregations over the next five years.
Our task is urgent! Help us reach this goal to connect many more people to Jesus. We ask for your prayers and financial partnership so that many more will experience Christ’s love now and in eternity!
Learn more about the FLGA District Capital Campaign
In our unique role as a pastor’s wife, we live “along-side” our husband and family, our church family, and each other. In all of these roles, we also live “along-side” Jesus! You are invited to explore these roles at the President’s Equip Conference on Thursday, September 28, for a luncheon and gathering specifically for Pastors’ Wives! The goal is to provide a safe and confidential place for the pastor’s wife to connect with each other and support and encourage one another.
During the luncheon, we will take time to “come along-side” other wives by connecting, supporting, and encouraging one another. Our luncheon speaker, Deb Burma, will share some encouraging words with us “from one pastor’s wife to another.” Deb will follow up on Thursday afternoon with a breakout session geared exclusively for the pastor’s wife.
Deb Burma is a forgiven child of God who loves her Savior, Jesus. She has a passion for sharing His Extravagant Grace in an engaging way, touching the hearts of women, meeting them in the moments of their everyday lives, and leading them in the study of God’s Word. She is a sought-after author & speaker, traveling extensively for women’s retreats, conferences, and other ministry events.