Vineyard Christian Church of Evanston
2495 Howard St,
Evanston, IL 60202
August 11 – 13, 2020
Details are coming soon.
Registration is coming soon.
Early Bird: $99/person
(Through Nov 30)
(Dec 1 – Feb 9, 2020)
Early bird registration: $99.00
(March 1 – June 1)
(June 2 – August 20)
Day of Registration: $119.00
Individual Session: $30.00
This conference features insightful plenary talks from some of our best thinkers and communicators. You’ll also participate in multicultural worship, led by a diverse group of worship leaders from around the country. You’ll also have an opportunity to attend different workshops that cover a wide range of topics.
The main goals of Better Together are to engage Vineyard pastors and leaders on the issues of race, power, planting multiethnic churches, transitioning current homogenous churches into multiethnic ones and to practically help actualize the Vineyard’s stated value of diversity.
Better Together also works hard to create a place of encouragement and affirmation for leaders of color in the Vineyard and a safe place to learn and ask questions for those who are humbly ignorant concerning diversity issues.
These conferences have been life-changing and lots of fun. You won’t want to miss it!
While childcare will not be provided, there will be a family room available for little ones and their parents during the conference.
Email email@example.com with any questions.
Join the following Vineyard ministries for lunch and/or dinner on Wednesday, August 12. Lunches are from 12:00-1:15pm at the Evanston Vineyard & will be provided with registration (dinner is off the premises). Please register by August 10!
Join Michael Gatlin, the Multiply Vineyard National Coordinator, for lunch and a time to ask questions about church planting. Whether you are interested in finding out more about church planting, sending a church planter out of your church, or are in the process of church planting, please join us!
Please join us to learn about a new Vineyard Diversity Training that is being developed. We are looking for individuals to join us on the beta testing of the training. Participants would be able to experience this training for free.
VI has launched a pilot program this summer in 3 churches to test a different approach in training disciples and leaders in the local church, utilizing the new course, Demonstrating the Kingdom. During this luncheon, we will share a look at the new approach, reveal what we’ve been learning and will be inviting a few additional churches to partner with us to continue testing the approach in a diversity of churches and cultures.
5:00 – 7:00pm
Location provided upon registration
Join this informal gathering to connect with sisters and brothers who are wrestling with what it means to be Asian American, a term conceived only 50 years ago as numerous ethnic groups in the Asian diaspora sought meaning and identity in the U.S. We will spend time reflecting, sharing stories, and praying for God’s leadership in shaping our distinct voice in the multiethnic Kingdom.
Dr. Korie L. Edwards is Associate Professor of Sociology at The Ohio State University. She is a leading scholar of race and religion in the United States and President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, an international, interdisciplinary association (www.sssrweb.org). Ultimately, though, what drives Dr. Edwards’ scholarly agenda is her passion about and commitment to matters of racial justice and diversity in the church. She has written several books and articles on multiracial religious organizations. These include The Elusive Dream: The Power of Race in Interracial Churches (author, Oxford University Press); Against All Odds: The Struggle for Racial Integration in Religious Organizations (co-author, New York University Press); and “Much Ado About Nothing: Rethinking the Efficacy of Multiracial Churches for Racial Reconciliation,” which appears in the edited volume Christians and the Color Line: Race and Religion after Divided by Faith (author, Oxford University Press). Dr. Edwards’ current scholarship focuses on matters related to race and religious leadership. She is developing a book on contemporary African American religious leaders and their engagement in civic and political activity. And she is heading a national study of multiracial church pastors called The Religious Leadership and Diversity Project (see www.rldp.net for more). The RLDP is the most in-depth, comprehensive project ever conducted on leaders of multiracial congregations.
Dr. Gabriel Salguero is a pastor at Calvario City Church in Orlando, FL. Much of his work focuses on leadership development, faith and public life, diversity and racial reconciliation. Dr. Salguero is the founder and president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) which offers an important leadership voice for the close to 7 million Latino evangelical in the United States. He is a member of the board for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). For his ministry and outreach, he has been featured on CNN, CNN-Español, Telemundo, and the Associated Press. He previously served as the Director of the Institute of Faith and Public Life and Hispanic Leadership Programs at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Geno Olison is the lead pastor of the South Suburban Vineyard, a multiethnic church in the south suburbs of Chicago. He is a gifted leader and communicator who has devoted his life to church planting and cross-cultural ministry. He currently serves on the National Executive Team for Vineyard USA and is helping to lead key diversity initiatives within the Vineyard. He is passionate about helping people build cross-cultural relationships through the local church.
Rich Nathan is the senior pastor of Vineyard Columbus, a position he’s been serving in since 1987. Rich is also the author of several books including Empowered Evangelicals, Who is My Enemy?, and most recently Both-And.
Phil Strout is the National Director of Vineyard USA. He brings over thirty-five years of experience in the areas of church planting and cross-cultural missions to his role, and is a self-described contemplative activist – with a focus on the deepening interior journey of the Christian being the catalyst for sustainable, fruitful longevity in life, faith, and mission.
Kathy Maskell is the pastor of discipleship at Blue Route Vineyard Community Church in Media, Pennsylvania, leads the Vineyard Justice Network, and is a newly appointed member of the Vineyard Executive Team. As a church planter, former educator, former U.S. Advocacy Director for Love 146, and wife and mother, she brings a wealth of wisdom and experience to the issues of justice in today’s world.
Caleb Maskell leads the Society of Vineyard Scholars and is the Worship Pastor at Blue Route Vineyard Community Church in Media, Pennsylvania. He is currently finishing his PhD in the Department of Religion at Princeton University, focusing on the history of American Christianity. He has taught at Princeton Theological Seminary and Fordham University. Caleb is passionate about developing leaders and institutions that will help to produce a healthy, courageous, and hospitable future for the church in the 21st century.
Josh Williams is the Lead Pastor of the Elm City Vineyard, a dynamic multi-ethnic church in New Haven, CT. He is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and is currently serving a 1 year term on the Vineyard USA Exec Team. Josh is passionate about trying to live out justice, love, and community as a leader, father, and husband each and every day.
Dr. Charles Montgomery, Jr is the Vineyard Columbus East Campus pastor. Charles earned his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Morehouse College, a Master of Divinity from Emory University, and a Ph.D. from Union Institute and University, with an emphasis in Ethical and Creative Leadership. He is an avid Ohio State Buckeye fan (Go Bucks!) and has been blissfully married to his lovely wife, Lady Kimberly, since 2003.