Strands

The heart and soul of the conference is the strand groups, where you will learn key skills in understanding the Bible and theology. These are run in small group format, across six sessions.

Strands available for 2027

Strands:

Foundations

The foundations stream will equip you with Bible and Theology skills.

First time attending a training conference like this?

Sign up for Foundations Stand 1 👈🏼

These three foundation strands should be completed in order, because each is a prerequisite for the next.

Strand 2 builds on Strand 1 content, so come back next year to progress to Strand 2, and so on.

Exegesis is the most important part of understanding and teaching the Bible. It aims to teach you to understand the meaning of each Biblical text in context, and as originally intended.
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In strand 1 you will learn how to understand any given passage in detail and be able to summarise it in a single ‘big idea,’ so that you might be able to teach and communicate it better.

Biblical Theology examines the unfolding story of the Bible so that we might better understand and read the individual books within it.
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In strand 2 you will learn how the Bible fits together from Genesis to Revelation and look at themes that can be traced from the Old Testament into the New Testament through the lens of promise and fulfilment. Without a sound Biblical Theology, we may be confused as to how Old Testament promises and themes apply to God’s people today.

Systematic Theology takes the big doctrines and ideas of the Bible and organises them topically. It answers questions such as: what does the Bible teach us about God, humanity, Christ, sin, salvation, the church, and the judgment to come?

In strand 3 you will learn how to ask and answer these questions from the whole Bible. Systematic Theology gives us a grid from which to better read the Bible, teach it, and apply it to our lives in a Biblically faithful way.

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Ministry Development

👋🏼 Completed all the foundation strands?

If you have completed all the above foundation strands, or from an equivalent conference such as NTE or NextGen, these Ministry Development strands are for you 🙂

Introduction to Apologetics

Over six sessions, we’ll think about:

✅ What is apologetics?

✅ How does the bible understand it?

✅ How have Christians historically done it?

✅ Understanding the Christian story

✅ Analysing society and culture

✅ Connecting the Christian story to everyday life

✅ Structuring responses to key objections to Christianity

Preaching Intensive

This preaching intensive will be led by Pete Ko and will only take 6 participants so that each one can have a chance to give a pre-prepared (or previously recorded) Bible talk and have it helpfully workshopped and critiqued by the group. Along the way, the six sessions will also do a deeper dive into the elements of a good Bible talk such as the exegesis, communicating the big idea, application, illustrations and introductions.

You don’t have to be super-experienced as a preacher to join, but you need to have had at least one opportunity to give a talk, and can either bring that talk to deliver live to the group or as a recording. Both men and women can join this strand but register quickly as it will be strictly closed at six group members!