Keynote & General Sessions

Keynote Sessions

Make Yourself Small to Find New Life

Tuesday, October 22nd 8:00-9:00 AM

Did you know that what you do isn’t the most important part of your job? One of the most crucial lessons we can learn from Jesus is the call to servanthood, humility, and embracing a sense of smallness. This mindset is not only the key to finding joy and fulfillment but is also essential for advancing the Kingdom.

This keynote session is geared towards the Church Buildings, Church Safety, and Facility Stewardship Conferences, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

Cultivating a Kingdom Culture Starts in Your Mind

Tuesday, October 22nd 11:15 AM-12:15 PM

Do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut in your ministry role, constantly doing the same things over and over and not knowing how to move forward? The biblical model for life change revolves around a cycle of confession, repentance, and genuine transformation. Embracing these principles will profoundly influence how you serve, lead, and collaborate within your team. By daily capturing our thoughts, renewing our minds, and seeking the Kingdom, we discover joy, purpose, and well-being in our distinct roles.

This keynote session is geared towards the Tech Arts Conference, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

General Sessions

Are You “The Unreasonable Man”?

Wednesday, October 23rd 8:00 AM-9:00 AM

As tech team leaders and members, sometimes it’s easy to believe that others bear the responsibility of changing and adjusting their attitude and actions to fit our expectations. But are we actually the ones who need to change? For many of us, our ability to implement new vision is a key factor in whether a ministry will become successful. After all, the ministry need determines the technology response. But how easily and how well do we readily embrace new ideas and challenges and adopt a mindset of flexibility and adaptability? How willing are we to change? Join Justin Firesheets and Jeremy Van Valkenburg as they discuss why flexibility and an openness to new ideas and processes are two of the first steps we must take to effectively steward the ministry resources we’ve been tasked to manage.

This general session is geared towards the Tech Arts Conference, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

Lessons for Any Season: Principles for Building a Facilities Management Program that Supports the Goals of Your Church

Wednesday, October 23rd 10:00 AM-11:00 AM

Discover how Chick-fil-A has developed an operations model that impacts the workings of facilities management (FM) in each of their restaurants to create the ultimate atmosphere for serving their customers. Learn how their FM structure works, the victories they’ve found in developing that structure, and the challenges they’re currently working through. 

Learn from the team who has worked together for the past 15+ years to lead and support the growth and development of Facilities Management at Chick-fil-A through multiple seasons of growth. They’ll teach you how to plan for any season your church may enter by following some important principles to implement in your FM program at your church.

This general session is geared towards the Facility Stewardship Conference, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

The Gift of Time: A Proactive Approach to Safety in an Active Shooter Situation

Wednesday, October 23rd 11:15 AM-12:15 PM

Join us for an insightful and vital presentation by Glenn Norling, an expert in active shooter response and prevention. This is a must-attend session for anyone interested in understanding the realities of active shooter situations and learning how to protect themselves and others.

In this engaging session, Norling shares hard-hitting facts about active shootings, backed by thorough research and real-world statistics. He emphasizes the crucial concept of buying time in these critical situations, highlighting that the average church shooting lasts eight minutes—the same amount of time it typically takes for police to respond. Norling discusses how reducing the time to recognize and respond to such threats can be life-saving.

Drawing on his extensive FBI experience and comprehensive analysis of major incidents—including Columbine, Virginia Tech, Parkland, and Uvalde—Norling presents a compelling case for a proactive approach to safety. He offers practical advice, including knowing your environment, having a clear action plan, and the importance of acting decisively rather than hiding.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a leading expert in the field.

This general session is geared towards the Church Safety Conference, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

Creating a Welcoming Church: Strategies to Keep Newcomers and Members Coming Back

Wednesday, October 23rd 1:20-2:20 PM

Do you want to see more people showing up to your services and getting connected to your community? It starts with your first impressions. In this session, join Phil Mershon, event experience coach, author, and event pastor, as he explores strategies that work based on biblical concepts and modern science. You’ll walk away with ideas you can implement at your church next week.

This general session is geared towards the Church Buildings Conference, but is open to anyone attending CFX 2024.

In order to better serve the needs of our attendees, we’re excited to partner with Interprenet for CFX 2024! Interprenet will offer live speech translation in Spanish for all of our Keynote and General Sessions, as well as live captioning in both Spanish and English.