Date
Friday, September 24, 2027
10 am – 4 pm
Location
Calvary Lutheran Church
605 Douglas Street, Alexandria, MN
Cost
$100 / person
$500 max per team
Reimagining the Future of Rural Ministry Together
For too long, the narrative surrounding ministry - and the church itself - has been one of decline, scarcity, and survival. But what if that’s not the whole story? What if God is calling a few of us to something new and vibrant? What if God is quietly writing a new narrative? Re:Church Conference is a gathering for leaders and congregations who believe God can rewrite the story, bringing life where others only see wilderness. During our time together leaders will be invited to imagine God’s “new thing” in their own contexts. To think differently, lead boldly, experience a hope-filled room of leaders and return home ready to breathe new life into the church.
Re:Church Conference 2026 Recap
2026 Conference
speakers
Dr. Michael Chan
Dr. Michael Chan joined the Concordia College community in June 2022 as the executive director for faith and learning. Prior to that, he was associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined Luther Seminary after completing his Ph.D. at Emory University and a year of research and teaching at the University of Helsinki.
He is a graduate of Luther Seminary (M.A. in biblical theology) and Pacific Lutheran University (B.A. in elementary education). Dr. Chan provides leadership and support for the Campus Ministry team; the Dovre Center for Faith and Learning; and the Lorentzsen Center for Faith and Work. Dr. Michael Chan specializes in the Old Testament, dedicating his teaching, writing, and research to exploring Hebrew poetry, prophetic literature, and elucidating the Old Testament's profound influence and relevance for the modern church.
Dr. Kara Powell
Dr. Kara Powell is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, the founder of the TENx10 Collaboration, the Chief of Leadership of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary, and serves as a faculty member at Fuller Seminary. Prior to that, Kara was an Assistant Professor of Youth Ministry and Practical Theology at Azusa Pacific University.
Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women You Should Know,” Kara is the author or co-author of multiple books including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager, Faith in an Anxious World, Growing With, Growing Young, The Sticky Faith Service Guide, Can I Ask That? 2: More Hard Questions about God and Faith, and The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family. Kara is also a sought-after speaker at national parenting and leadership conferences. Kara lives in Pasadena, CA, with her husband, Dave, and their teenage and young adult children, Nathan, Krista, and Jessica.
Ben Winchester
Ben Winchester has been working both in and for small towns across the Midwest for over 25 years. He lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota with his wife and two children. Ben is trained as a Rural Sociologist and works for the University of Minnesota Extension. He conducts applied research on economic, social, and demographic topics surrounding a theme of “rewriting the rural narrative”. He received the 2021 Rural Renewal Research Prize from Oklahoma State University for his work.
He was a founding employee at the Center for Small Towns, an outreach program at the University of Minnesota, Morris and specializes in community development, demographic analysis, data visualization, and moving communities away from anecdata.
