The Evergreen Summit 2026
Sessions, Schedule, and More...
I’ve been to my fair share of pastors’ conferences, both as a speaker and as an attendee, and frankly, I don’t care for most of them. The best parts are almost always the conversations between sessions, talking shop, building friendships, and spending time with men who understand what ministry is actually like.
As I thought about the needs of pastors, I decided to build a conference, or rather, a summit, around those moments. Something smaller and more intimate. A gathering focused on honest conversations without the distractions of vendors, platform building, or recording. The goal is to build genuine working relationships with like-minded pastors and ministry couples so we can go home refreshed and better equipped to tackle both the biggest challenges and the best opportunities in our ministries.
That’s what the Evergreen Summit is all about.
Here’s what will be a little different. Our teaching blocks consist of three 25-minute sessions back-to-back, followed by a break and then an open panel with those three speakers. Rather than rushing everyone off to the next lecture, we want time for honest questions and practical discussion.
We’ll also have two facilitated roundtables where attendees will be divided into smaller groups to work through real challenges from their own churches. The goal isn’t just to hear good ideas but to think through ministry problems together with brothers who understand the work.
Alongside the main conference, we’ll have a dedicated wives’ track with three teaching sessions, three Q&A panels, and plenty of unstructured fellowship. We want pastors’ wives to leave just as encouraged and refreshed as their husbands.
Coffee and snacks will be available throughout the conference, and none of the sessions will be recorded or livestreamed. We want everyone to feel free to speak candidly and benefit from conversations that are intended for those in the room.
Tickets are still available here for a few more days. Buy them here.
Finally, all sessions will be held at the future home of East River Church, currently known as Norlyn Manor:
4440 OH-132
Batavia, OH 45103
Main Conference Schedule
Times subject to change.
Thursday, July 16th
6:30 pm — Block 1
Michael Foster, “Guarding the Shepherd’s House”
The boundaries and practices that protect a pastor’s soul, family, and ministry for the long haul.
Justin Dean, “The Pastor’s Friendship Problems”
Loneliness, confidants, and cultivating friendships without blowing up your church.
C.R. Wiley, “The Pastor Who Can’t Afford to Quit”
Financial traps, compensation, retirement, bivocationalism, and building long-term stability.
7:45 pm — Meet & Greet
Drinks & desserts.
Friday, July 17th
9:00 am — Panel 1
Foster, Dean, & Wiley.
10:00 am — Breakout Roundtables
12:00 pm — Lunch
Not catered.
1:30 pm — Block 2
Jake Mentzel, “Five Types of Men Who Should Never Be Elders”
Common leadership profiles that often slip into eldership, the damage they cause, and how to identify them before it’s too late.
Brian Brown, “The Shadow Government”
When influential members, former elders, major donors, or outspoken wives function as unofficial elders.
Michael Clary, “Lessons from a Church Split”
How we survived, what we learned, and why the church is healthier on the other side.
3:15 pm — Panel 2
Mentzel, Brown, & Clary.
4:30 pm — Breakout Roundtables
6:00 pm — Dinner & Drinks
Catered.
Saturday, July 18th
9:00 am — Block 3
Bryan Laughlin, “Reformed, Normal, and Growing”
How Reformed churches can grow without compromising their biblical convictions.
Doug Ponder, “Complacency Kills”
Why faithful pastors must never stop leveling up as learners, leaders, and examples.
Joe Holland, “Organizational Wisdom Without Ecclesiastical Compromise”
Why faithful churches should gladly borrow good leadership, communication, and organizational practices while remaining thoroughly biblical.
10:30 am — Panel 3
Laughlin, Ponder, & Holland.
11:45 am — Final Remarks & Dismiss
Wives’ Track Schedule
Runs alongside the main Pastors’ Conference. Women are welcome to join the main conference whenever the wives’ track isn’t in session, with the exception of the Breakout Roundtables. Times subject to change.
Thursday, July 16th
6:30 pm — Block 1
Join the full conference.
7:45 pm — Meet & Greet
Drinks & desserts. Join the full conference.
Friday, July 17th
9:00 am — Teaching
Rosaria Butterfield, “Do Not Grow Weary While Doing Good”
This session encourages wives of elders to stay on mission and stay in their lane. The bottom line: don’t quit. Rosaria will talk about creation ordinance boundaries and blessings, the need to prepare for the six avenues of weariness, and biblical ways to combat them.
40 minutes.
9:40 am — Break / Fellowship
10:15 am — Panel 1
Rosaria Butterfield, Emily Foster, Hallie Holland.
45 minutes.
11:00 am — Free / Fellowship Time
12:00 pm — Lunch
Not catered.
1:30 pm — Teaching
Emily Foster, “Five Ways a Pastor’s Wife Can Minister to Her Husband”
In this session, Emily will encourage pastors’ wives to steady their husbands through ordinary faithfulness. The bottom line: her support sustains his ministry. Emily will cover keeping the household humming, prioritizing sexual intimacy, and protecting his calendar so her steady presence refreshes his soul and guards the limits he needs to serve with joy for the long haul.
40 minutes.
2:10 pm — Break / Fellowship
2:45 pm — Panel 2
Rosaria Butterfield, Emily Foster, Hallie Holland.
45 minutes.
3:30 pm — Free / Fellowship Time
6:00 pm — Dinner & Drinks
Catered. Join the full conference.
Saturday, July 18th
9:00 am — Teaching
Rosaria Butterfield, “Hospitality in a Post-Christian World”
This session discusses the need for Christian hospitality in a post-Christian world and good practices for dealing with hostility and hatred against Christians.
40 minutes.
9:40 am — Break / Fellowship
10:15 am — Panel 3
Rosaria Butterfield, Emily Foster, Hallie Holland.
45 minutes.
11:00 am — Free / Fellowship Time
11:45 am — Final Remarks & Dismiss
Join the full conference.