At FORM our workshops are designed to equip, inspire, and empower you with the tools and insights needed to plant and grow thriving healthy churches. Our workshops are planned and led by experienced pastors and ministry leaders who are passionate about sharing their insights and practical strategies in the realms of church planting and multiplication.
Whether you’re looking to develop effective church planting methods, explore innovative discipleship techniques, or engage in meaningful discussions, our workshops offer valuable opportunities for growth and collaboration.
Join us at FORM 2024 to be better equipped to advance the Gospel of Jesus in word, sign and deed!
The Table of the Servant King
Matthew 22: 1-14
Jesus’ radical hospitality has transformed the world, upending traditional norms and redefining ministry, mission, and leadership. In these workshops, we delve into the practices of our Servant King, exploring how He invites, serves, and empowers people from all backgrounds, including emerging generations and culturally diverse communities. Join us in this table-centered revolution, where hospitality has become a powerful tool for change and connection.
The Table: Setting the Table
What is the vision for an intercultural table? How does this vision align with the biblical vision of cultural diversity? Who are the hosts and guests at the intercultural table? What are the current challenges as we look at this table?
The Table: Compelling invitations
Taster Style/Interactive
How do we invite the participation of culturally diverse, emerging generations in our intercultural churches? What makes these invitations compelling? How can our churches be blessed by extending the invitation across generations to new guests and hosts at the banquet table?
The Table: Engaging intercultural conversations
Taster Style/Interactive
Sometimes the cultures we pay least attention to are our very own! How can we better recognize and articulate the cultures we carry? How can we enjoy intercultural conversations, sharing knowledge and experiences between cultures, sub-cultures and generations?
Facilitators
Marbuen (Marbz) Diaz
Team Leader Church Witness & Intercultural Lead
Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT
Marbz has over 25 years of church ministry experience and organising community, in the most multicultural contexts of Sydney and Melbourne, as well as missions and international development. From church groups, theological colleges, and the not-for-profit sector, he has dedicated his life to seeing people’s capacities built through discipleship, mentoring and community. His passion for biblical justice deeply continues to shape his work and his family’s practices.
Pip Miner
Mission Consultant
Baptist Mission Australia
Pip has extensive experience in Intercultural Mission in Asia and has served in Pastoral Ministry and Theological Education in Sydney. She loves asking curious questions and facilitating learning experiences that enable others to grow in their capacity to appreciate cultural diversity.
Ben Chong
Leadership Program Director
Surrender
Ben is Malaysian-Chinese and lives on Gubbi Gubbi country (Sunshine Coast) with his wife Chelsea and two daughters. He’s the second-born son of immigrants who arrived in the 70s. Ben directs the Surrender Leadership Program, helping emerging leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds to lead themselves and others well. He also coaches Christian leaders through Blueprint Leadership Coaching, and trains people in discipleship coaching with Veta Youth. He is passionate about the deep formation of Christian leaders who lead out of overflow and rest.
"Life to the Full" ... Seriously?
John 10: 10
In a world where we are constantly being pulled in many directions and often feel depleted, how can we achieve a “life to the full”? Is it even possible? What would it look like to not only live from a posture of fullness but also to cultivate cultures of fullness in our families and teams? If you’re curious, join us as we explore these questions together. We’ll delve into practical strategies and inspiring insights to help you and those around you experience and sustain a life to the full.
Personal Spiritual / Self Care
(Malcolm Campbell)
If self-leadership is the most foundational form of leadership you’ll engage in, what are practices that will posture you to live and serve from a place of ‘fullness’?What is the vision for an intercultural table? How does this vision align with the biblical vision of cultural diversity? Who are the hosts and guests at the intercultural table? What are the current challenges as we look at this table?
Spiritual / Self Care of your team
(Craig Corkill)
If John Maxwell is right and “A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to them”, how will you curate a culture of ‘fullness’ in your team? How will you seek to ensure that team members are leading from a place of where their tanks are topped up and they’re not running on fumes?
Spiritual / Self Care of the family
(Mike and Michelle Stevens)
How will you not only avoid sacrificing your family on the altar of ministry but actually curate a culture of ‘fullness’ in your family? How will you leave a legacy of relationship rather than regret?ow do we invite the participation of culturally diverse, emerging generations in our intercultural churches? What makes these invitations compelling? How can our churches be blessed by extending the invitation across generations to new guests and hosts at the banquet table?
Facilitators
Mike Stevens
Lead Pastor
Clovercrest (Clovie) Baptist Church, South Australia
Mike is the husband to Michelle and father to Ella, Ben and Lucy. Mike has a passion in seeing people come to know Jesus, coaching leaders, and developing effective discipleship pathways in the local church. He has worked as a teacher, school chaplain, a long-term youth Pastor, as a consultant and developer of leaders for the Baptist Churches of SA, and since 2017 has served as the Lead Pastor at Clovercrest Baptist church in Adelaide. Mike is a Reverend with the Baptist Churches of SA, is the author of ‘The Glue’ which is a book designed to develop emerging leaders, is the current Chair of Arrow Leadership Australia, teaches a Leadership subject at Tabor College, and has recently completed his Doctor of Ministry with his thesis focusing on Missional Renewal in the Western church.
Michelle Stevens
Executive Pastor
Clovercrest (Clovie) Baptist Church, South Australia
Michelle is the Executive Pastor at Clovercrest Baptist Church, overseeing the Church Life, Creative, and Next Gen teams. She is passionate about seeing people come to know Jesus and mobilising the Church to live on mission. She is a Reverend with the Baptist Churches of SA, with a Master of Divinity. Michelle is married to Mike and has 3 teenage children who she loves spending time with. Prior to being called into ministry, Michelle worked as a Physiotherapist for over 10 years. Michelle loves travel, spending time with friends and following all God has for her on the adventure of life.
Malcolm Campbell
Discipleship Pastor
Georges River Life Church
Malcolm is married to Kerrie and they have two adult kids. Malcolm has served in both Baptist and Churches of Christ churches for over 30 years and has a deep passion for spiritual formation in the church and those in pastoral leadership).
Benj Gould
Lead Pastor
Greenhouse Church, Long Jetty
Benj is married to Mel and they have one child. Prior to 2019, Benj served as Youth Pastor at Narara Valley Baptist Church where Craig was the Senior Pastor. In 2019 Benj planted Greenhouse Church as an intentional church plant out of Narara.
Craig Corkill
Associate Director – Discipleship & Leadership Development
NSW & ACT Baptist Churches
Craig is married to Carolyn and they have three adult kids. Prior to his role with the Association, Craig served as a Baptist pastor for 29 years, including planting one church and later being a ‘sending pastor’ for two more churches).
Simple Church
The Simple Church model embodies creativity, minimal ecclesiology fosters relationships and facilitates effective evangelism and discipleship, thereby playing a vital role in the kingdom ecosystem. In this workshop, we offer ideas and practical steps to start a Simple Church and explore dual system adaptable for local churches.
Giving your Small Group a Missional Focus
(Jen Trevena)
How can the local churches revitalise using the Simple Church model, and transit small groups towards a mission focus? How do we facilitate Networking and collaboration between local churches and Simple Churches? What type of leadership is needed to drive these efforts?
Practical Steps to Start and Multiply Simple Churches
(Jen Trevena, Ben Thow and Ty Soupidis)
What steps are involved in starting a Simple Church? What essential elements are necessary for the progression of Simple Church planting? How can Simple churches be multiplied to form a network church? What type of leadership qualities are required to become a network leader?
“Reaching Out: Equipping Simple Churches to Engage Vulnerable Communities
(Tim Johnson and Jen Trevena)
Join with the COACH Network team as we explore how Simple Churches can effectively connect with and support vulnerable communities. Discover why Simple Churches are uniquely positioned to reach those on the fringes and learn practical techniques for fostering meaningful connections and walking alongside those on the margins.
Facilitators
Jen Trevena
Mission Catalyst – Church Multiplication
NSW & ACT Baptist Churches
Jen is a Korean/Australian Baptist accredited minister, a church planter and GEN1K Mission Catalyst. Jen has been planting All-Life Family and currently developing it into All-Life Collective network church by multiplying the groups. With the previous experience in missional community and local church contexts, Jen has served diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Ty Soupidis
Pastor
Church on the Hill, Gloucester
Ty has been on the Simple Church journey since 2013, but he is a pretty simple soul anyways. He is married to Sarah, and they have 3 children who have all been key to the planting and life of Church on the Hill. They love living in rural NSW, and sharing the love of Jesus with people in their town. Their heart is for those who don’t find a natural fit in traditional church structures – the “spiritually homeless”. Ty loves soccer and good coffee, and would love to chat about these as well as talking about how Simple Church expressions might work in your local context.
Tim Johnson
National Mentor Program Manager
COACH Network
Tim helped lead Tearfund’s work with Australian Christians – supporting Churches around the country to take action in response to issues of poverty and injustice. Now Tim works for COACH, an organisation equipping and training churches to reach and impact vulnerable communities. Tim is passionate about people and social change and believes firmly in the transformative power of relationships and the inherent strengths that God has placed within local communities.