Community

renew 2025

‘Reckoning With Power': Discerning God's Power, Navigating Worldly Power in Leadership, Conflict, and Mission

February 10–11, 2025

Amidst the revelations of abuse of power, political division, and church conflicts, we have a moment to carefully consider the question of power—the way God's power in Christ is radically different than worldly power, and how we might discern and make space for God's power in Christ to be at work in the leadership and shaping of church and mission. Fitch comes to lead us through these questions at renew 2025.

"I pray that you might know … the immeasurable greatness of His power for those who believe … God put this power to work in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly places... far above all rule, and authority, and power.” (Ephesians 1:17ff).

Register Online

 

Keynote Speaker

Dr. David FitchDr. David Fitch, B.R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary

Dr. David Fitch is a long-time pastor in Chicago, and the B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary. He teaches on the issues the local church must face in mission, including cultural engagement, leadership, and theology.

Fitch written multiple books, including The End of Evangelism? (2011), Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines that Shape the Church for Mission (2016), The Church of Us vs. Them (2019), and the forthcoming 2024 release, titled Reckoning With Power: Why the Church Fails When it's on the Wrong Side of Power (Brazos, January 2024).

Find Fitch on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack, and missioalliance.org/davidfitch-speaking.

David Fitch's Three Keynote Addresses

  1. Reckoning with Power – Navigating power as leaders, as churches, and as Christians entering and engaging the world.
  2. Navigating the Antagonisms of Our Time – Becoming the presence of Christ in the midst of divisions—political and otherwise.
  3. The Many Gospels: How the Gospel Shapes the Church for Mission – Discerning the gospel, and how we preach, teach, and practice it for mission.

Interactive Workshops

Pastoral Boundaries - Carol Penner, Director of Theological Studies, Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Conrad Grebel College - Waterloo, ON

Men and Power - Don Neufeld, Social worker/Therapist for over 30 years - Niagara Region, ON

The Power of Worship - J Janzen, Pastoral Elder at Highland Community Church - Abbotsford, BC

Dealing with Church Councils and Power Families - Jeff Friesen, Co-Director Leadership Ministries at Mennonite Church Manitoba

Presenters

Bible Teaching

  • Dan Epp Thiessen, Emeritus Associate Professor of Bible

Pastoral/Church Stories

Worship Leaders

  • Irma Fast Dueck, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at CMU Emeritus
  • Darryl Neustaedter-Barg, Adjunct Professor of Communications at CMU

Schedule

MONDAY, February 10
12:00–1:00 PM Registration Outside Chapel
12:00–12:45 PM Lunch pre-registration Dining Hall
1:00–2:00 PM *Welcome, Worship, Bible Study Chapel
2:00–3:15 PM *Keynote Address #1 and Discussion Chapel
3:15–3:45 PM Coffee and Conversation Outside Chapel
3:45–5:00 PM *Stories of the Church and Conversation Chapel
6:00–8:00 PM Dinner with Cheryl Pauls, CMU President Cheryl's Home
TUESDAY, February 11
8:30–9:30 AM *Welcome, Worship, Bible Study Outside Chapel
9:30–10:00 AM Coffee and Conversation Dining Hall
10:00–11:15 AM *Kenote Address #2 and Discussion Chapel
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM *CMU Chapel Chapel
12:00–1:00 PM Lunch Dining Hall
1:00–2:00 PM *Workshops TBA
2:00–2:30 PM Coffee and Conversation Outside Chapel
2:30–3:30 PM *Workshops TBA
3:45–5:00 PM *Keynote Address #3 and Discussion Chapel
5:00–5:30 PM *Worship and Farewell Chapel

* denotes available online

renew is open to anyone involved in Christian ministry and leadership, regardless of specific congregational or denominational context.

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