Sessions
Attendees are allowed to select any breakouts they believe would be interesting and beneficial. Some attendees will select breakouts that touch on a variety of topics and issues. Others may want to focus on one topic, learning as much as possible from several breakouts.
If a congregation sends multiple attendees to the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership, consider assigning each one a topic or issue. Those attendees can report back to their congregations, perhaps using what they learned to provide recommendations for congregational ministry efforts.
Below you will find breakouts that deal directly with presentation topics and issues.
There are 69 breakout presentations presented by 80+ presenters. Download the breakout and professional development documents below for more information.
05. BUILDING A COHESIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM: Leading Together in Lutheran Education
Jim Rademan & Jamie Walta
Participants will explore how to align around a clear mission and vision, ensuring that all leaders—both ...
06. BUILDING A CULTURE OF OUTREACH: A Game Plan for Every WELS Church
Rev. Caleb Free
Participants will leave encouraged and equipped to help their church take meaningful steps toward a culture where outreach ...
07. CLARIFYING CLERGY AND LAY ROLES: Leading Together in the Life of the Church
Rev. Mark Gabb & Sean Young
Participants will learn how to develop a culture of collaboration, maintain pastoral focus on the ...
22. FROM BULLETIN TO BROADCAST: Modernizing Church Communication Without Losing Anyone
Dr. Kristi Meyer & Rev. Kyle Bitter
This session helps church and school leaders build a modern, multi-channel communication strategy that ...
25. FROM ORGANIC TO ORGANIZED: How Leadership and Operations Must Evolve as Churches Grow
Rev. Dennis Klatt
As congregations grow or contract in the number of souls and forms of gospel ministry, they may need ...
35. LEADERSHIP AS INFLUENCE: Shaping Culture and Lives Without a Title
Rachel Halldorson & Rev. Ben Kratz
This session helps participants understand the power of influence—how their words, actions, and presence can ...
36. LEADING WITH CONSENSUS IN YOUR CHURCH: From Votes to Voices
Rev. Jonathan Schroeder
This session will help you understand how to lead with consensus while remaining fully grounded in biblical principles ...
42. ONE GOSPEL, MANY PEOPLES: Readiness for Cultural Diversity in the Church
Rev. Aaron Robinson
This session will look at practical ways to welcome and disciple people from different cultural, ethnic, and linguistic ...
43. OUR CONFESSIONAL LUTHERAN IDENTITY: Doctrine, Practice, and a Distinct Gospel Witness
Rev. Paul Prange
This session invites thoughtful, theological reflection on what it means to be Lutheran in both doctrine and practice ...
54. SACRAMENTAL IDENTITY FOR TODAY’S CHURCH: Timeless Gifts for Our Time in History
Rev. John Bortulin
This session features a conversation and re-examination of our Lutheran identity, giving participants something to take home for ...
58. SHADOW OF THE LEADER: Using the Culture Change Course Map
Kurt Nitz
This breakout will go through those Post Workshop Resources, including a detailed walkthrough of the Culture Change Course Map, ...
61. UNSTUCK: Breaking Growth Barriers with Courage, Clarity, and Calling
Rev. John Parlow
This breakout is for leaders ready to break through the invisible ceiling and build something more ...
68. YOUR CHURCH’S STORY: Preserving History with Purpose
Susan Willems
Participants will learn how to collect and preserve their church’s history—from photos and records to personal stories—while focusing on ...


