Pastors call Unleash conference ‘encouraging, motivating, insightful’

Michael Smith

Former Converge Content Specialist

  • Church planting & multiplication
  • //
  • Church strengthening

In January, Adam and Jill Utecht came to the 2019 Converge Unleash conference in Orlando, Florida, during a difficult time in their ministry. The couple left the three-day church starting and strengthening conference with the encouragement they needed.

Utecht, senior pastor of Community Church, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, said, “The conference exceeded our expectations. We were fed, encouraged and nurtured [spiritually]. The workshops were very insightful and helpful to us.

“We are always pouring out in full-time ministry. At this conference, we were poured into by the presenters. We made great connections with other Converge leaders from around the country and from our state.”

Other Converge pastors and ministry leaders also came away inspired from the 2019 Unleash conference and look forward to attending the January 2020 event in Long Beach, California.

A highlight for Jon Tolly, lead pastor of Oakwood Community Church, Waconia, Minnesota, was connecting with other pastors from similar-size churches in a peer-to-peer group. “I listened, learned and was encouraged to know there are other pastors who ‘get it’ and know what I am facing in ministry.”

For Carlton Harris, senior pastor of College Avenue Baptist Church, San Diego, the conference was a reminder that he is part of a larger, worldwide family of Christ-followers seeking to unleash the gospel — together — around the world.

“Converge conferences are like a big family reunion with our spiritual family,” he said.

The Unleash conference will help you unleash the gospel by giving you strategies, tools and new ways to strengthen your church and plant healthy, life-giving churches that will impact generations for eternity.

“The main sessions and workshops gave me so much fuel for our church planting journey,” said Danny Flores, lead pastor of R Church, Elgin, Illinois. “I came home with great resources, great ideas and clear action items to keep moving forward.”

Tim Broughton, lead pastor of New Hope Church, Wooster, Ohio, said the Unleash conference shows why we’re better together. “Something powerful happens when Converge pastors from around the country get together to learn from one another.”

Paul Sischo, associate pastor/Greenville (Michigan) campus pastor at Shiloh Community Church, shared this final observation from Unleash 2019. “What I’ve come to learn about Converge over the years is that they are focused on making sure you walk away feeling known, loved and cared for.”

Register for the Converge 2020 Unleash conference >


Michael Smith, Former Converge Content Specialist

Michael Smith served as a content specialist for Converge from 2018-2021.

Additional articles by Michael Smith