Seminars

The following list will give you a good idea of what to expect and will help you prepare for the extensive training opportunities you've come to expect at Citygate Network's Annual Conference and Exposition. For a downloadable grid of all available seminars and super seminars to make your planning easier, click here.

Super Seminars

Expanded, In-Depth Sessions
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

The Expected Unexpected: Leading Before, During, and After Crisis

An angry mob has just arrived on your campus, bent on destruction. A tornado is ripping a path toward your front door. God tells us not to fear, but He also calls us to be wise stewards—to prepare. When crisis strikes, it’s too late to formulate a plan. In this session, Maj Gen (Ret) Jack Briggs—a mission CEO—will lay out the strategies, architecture, and processes he used as the director of operations at US Northern Command; while heading up security for NYU’s 15 campuses; and now to safeguard rescue mission guests, staff, and assets.

The Heart and Science of Mega Donor Development

High net worth individuals require a distinctive and tailor-made cultivation and development plan, one that gets to the heart of philanthropy and also considers the brain science behind giving. This workshop will seek to infuse your work with deeper meaning—both for you and your donors—as you explore the facets of a truly donor-centric approach to major gift fundraising. You’ll learn how to facilitate rich engagement with key givers that leads to greater commitment to your ministry’s priorities.

Addiction Recovery Programs of the Future

Addiction recovery programs should be residential—shouldn’t they? Maybe there are alternative modalities to consider or philosophies that engage clients in different ways. We’ve invited some recovery program experts, who all see recovery a little differently, to come wax eloquent about where they believe recovery is heading in the future. Bring your questions, your program director, and maybe even your IT manager.

Merging Transformation, Community Engagement, and Development

In its Hope in the Gate initiative, Citygate Network seems to have discovered a secret sauce that brings together three powerful ministry forces: (1) rescue mission dynamics, (2) Christian camping dynamics, and (3) gospel music dynamics. This is a compelling combination, seldom seen as a triad. The initiative is continuing to gain traction, and its reach is expanding. Come and hear why this is important and how your ministry may be able to engage in this unique and meaningful mix that is becoming a movement.

Breakthrough Ideas from Our Ministry Road Trip

Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission has been focused on taking their operations and ministry impact to the next level. Sending pairs of team members to various innovative missions and ministries across North America, these scouts made observations, questioned their assumptions, and returned home to process all they’d learned. Find out what they discovered, what changes they’re making (and why), and what they’re doing to ensure they continue innovating. This seminar is equals parts action and inspiration.

Track Seminars

Pertinent Education in Nine Profession-Based Tracks
Wednesday–Friday

CLIENT & CULTURE

Tracking with Global Trends, Legal Issues, and other Critical Ministry Topics

The Emerging Role of the Medical Care Manager

Healthcare can be a maze—and a minefield—for anyone. But for the people you serve, the vast healthcare systems in the U.S. and Canada can be especially daunting and even dangerous. This session will explore how medical care managers can advocate for clients; help them navigate these systems; and assist in coordinating insurance and providers in a way that ensures clients safely get the care they need.

Partnering With the Public Sector: Opportunities and Pitfalls

Can you really work with local government and not compromise your values or be tied to unacceptable policies? Probably so, but you must enter this arena carefully. Hear from a mission leader and a city leader who partnered to funnel some $6M toward expanding the ministry’s capacity to serve. You'll leave better equipped to make an informed decision that could lead to even more success in the future.

Race, Poverty, and Homelessness: A Historical and Biblical Perspective

Understanding racism is often limited by one's own experience. An honest accounting of racism in America tells the story of the cultural and institutional forces that have resulted in people of color being overrepresented in poverty and homelessness. This seminar will view our history and our present through a biblical lens, examining God's heart, unpacking tools, and clarifying a vision for unity within our diversity.

Mental Health Ministry on the Frontlines

In both Canada and the U.S., it's estimated that at least one of every five people will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. Most do not seek treatment. The prevalence of serious mental illness is higher among the populations we serve. In this session, Dr. Matt Stanford will describe methods for recognizing, relating, and intervening, so that people can engage in restoration.

STRATEGIC THINKING

Inspiring Intentionality and Vision for Ministry Leaders at All Levels

Not Just CEOs: Planning for Succession at Every Level

Succession is traditionally considered a "CEO thing." While it's vitally important to have a plan should the executive office become vacant, how does your organization ensure continuity in downline roles? This seminar will explain how ministry-wide succession planning can be an amazing tool to recruit, motivate, and retain great staff members. You'll leave with pragmatic tools to ensure the ministry can thrive through inevitable changes.

Taking the ‘Limits’ Off Your Leadership

Beyond empowering leaders to lead projects and people effectively, this seminar is about helping them find their voices and reigniting their passion to lead. Jo Saxton will help leaders answer important questions about what’s happening in their lives and what is shaping them. Here, leaders can discover how to raise their game, overcome the next great obstacle, and maximize the next amazing opportunity.

Can Unity and Diversity Co-exist in Your Organization?

With an open heart and the right strategy, you can cultivate unity and expand ministry by increasing diversity. This workshop will outline a path toward nurturing staff cultural intelligence, identifying barriers, and implementing an effective change process. We'll also discuss demographic trends, cross-cultural leadership lessons, the role of diversity in measuring outcomes, and assessing organizational culture across various dimensions.

Not Just Any Seat at the Table

A decade ago most gospel rescue missions shunned material involvement in their Continuums of Care. But today, many Citygate Network members have a seat at the CoC table and are seen as an integral partner. What’s more, an increasing number of your colleagues are now chairing CoCs, hosting navigation centers, and driving the critical conversations. This session discuss the pros, cons, strategies, and caveats to consider.

PUBLIC IMAGE & BRANDING

Energizing Deeper Community Connections and Collaborative Partnerships

Is Your Social Media Too Woke?

One can hardly scroll through social media without viewing carefully curated activist graphics hashtagged with the latest cause. This medium is particularly susceptible to oversimplifying complex issues into buzzwords that, not only miss the mark, but alienate others while distracting from meaningful action. This session will unfold a philosophy that you can use to ensure your social media strengthens support for real progress while also keeping your messages relevant and engaging.

Marketing Your Ministry to the Community of Need

We all market robustly to potential donors, but do we promote our programs well to clientele? How can we go beyond word-of-mouth to inspire engagement in life-changing programs? Come hear what one mission is doing, aided by marketing professionals, to employ research, innovative media, and a hotline to raise community awareness and increase program utilization. You'll leave with inspiration, samples of creative collateral, and practical steps.

Setting Your Podcast Apart

Podcasts are more popular than ever, and they’re more intimate and versatile than a newsletter or a social post. But in a rising sea of content, how can you get your podcast noticed and build a faithful audience? You’ll leave this seminar with a simple plan for starting your podcast (for less than $100!); an introduction to tools that streamline production; and strategies for marketing your message.

Embracing Challenges and Opportunities in Taking the Reins of a Storied Ministry

Leading change within a ministry boasting a long, colorful history demands a unique tack. When celebrating history while also casting a new vision, it’s important to bring along the community, partners, and your team. Whether you’ve recently stepped into a leadership role at a venerable ministry or you’re wondering how you can refresh the vision of such an organization, this session offers lots of guideposts and inspiration.

TRANSFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING I

Inspiring Life­Changing Programs Toward Next­Level Outcomes

Integrating Financial Education into your Mission

Traditional financial education isn't designed for people living in poverty. When struggling to make ends meet, advice on retirement accounts and mortgages just isn’t relevant. There's a better way to help people understand and steward their money. Best of all, you don’t have to be a financial expert. Integrating effective financial education into your ministry can reshape the way your clients view their resources and live their lives.

Moving from Job Preparedness to Career Development

Everyone deserves the chance to experience the dignity of work. But many people face challenges that keep them unemployed or underemployed: lack of skills, past incarceration, poor education, access to transportation...and more. Without the right tools and a supportive community, it’s nearly impossible to overcome these obstacles. This workshop will explore how to effectively integrate a career preparedness program into your ministry—one that can be transformational for your clients.

Is Respite Care Right for Your Ministry?

Hospitals and communities are struggling to find healthy options for our friends in need of a safe and clean recovery period, many turning to their local mission for help. The growing need for short-term medical respite care has ministry leaders asking if it’s time to open the doors a bit wider. Engaging with your local hospital and municipalities to establish workable solutions can help build the best option for recovery and lifelong healing.

Mobile Case Management: Expand Your Community Impact

Despite our best efforts, successful outreach programs can be nearly impossible to implement and sustain. Based on forming genuine relationships, there’s a proven model that provides a bridge to community resources devoted to helping people get off the streets. Learn what it could mean to introduce your community to a new mobile case management model tailored toward the mental health, medical, and addiction challenges our neighbors face.

TRANSFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING II

Inspiring Life­Changing Programs Toward Next­Level Outcomes

Ending the Cycle: from Unhealthy to Healthy Relationships

Through the hard work of recovery, clients can realize sobriety, deep healing, and a new life in Christ, yet their relationships still fall apart. Along the way, they never received the tools necessary to participate in a truly healthy relationship. How can you help clients end the destructive cycle as they recognize the unhealthy and toxic relationships and experiences impeding their lives.

Inside the Suicidal Mind

We meet with individuals each day—many struggling just to survive. While it’s difficult to understand what’s going through their head until it’s too late, there is hope. Today’s care givers need an understanding of the mindset that leads down this path. Understand the role spirituality plays, see the signs, ask the right questions, and employ better techniques to open your clients to more meaningful connections, hope, and healing.

Breaking Free from the Addictive Cycle

Beating addiction requires more than detox and behavioral modification. The cognitive, emotional, and spiritual aspects of this cycle must also be addressed. We know a relationship with Christ is the solution to these deeper issues, but how do we present this hope in a meaningful and practical way? This seminar will help us move from abstract principles to concrete steps as we demonstrate how to apply biblical principles toward lasting transformation.

Healing the Wounds of Trauma

Missions and the Trauma Healing Institute share a common audience—those who have suffered significant man-made and natural trauma. This seminar will introduce a biblical model of intervention that combines with proven mental health practices to address individual trauma. You’ll leave with new connections, fresh inspiration, and an understanding of a method that’s been effective at correctional, re-entry, and ministry facilities across the U.S.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT I

Rousing Transformational Giving with Cutting­-Edge Strategies

“Dear Younger Fundraiser Me…”

So often people newer to development hit roadblocks that, with a little guidance, do not have to occur. Designed for fundraisers with zero to three years of development experience, this seminar will share hard lessons learned that will to inform and embolden them as they pursue the ministry and vocation of philanthropy. Participants will leave the seminar having confronted several issues, hopefully before they become problems at all.

Start-up Fundraising, Part 1

Part one of this two-part seminar will explore ways to raise money effectively with little to no development staff or budget. This seminar will offer tangible tools that can be implemented right away. We’ll start by detailing a 30-day action plan to move the proverbial needle and lay a fundraising foundation that your ministry can build on.

Start-up Fundraising, Part 2

Part two of this two-part workshop will outline steps to building a fundraising culture, getting started with donor cultivation, describing free ways to get your message into the community, and other principles to help you jumpstart or improve your fundraising efforts.

How to Integrate Direct Response with Your Capital Campaign

At some point, every mission faces the challenge of how to balance their ongoing fundraising work with a specific need to fund a large capital project. This session will dissect the process one mission utilized to raise $1 Million for a housing project in four months by integrating the offer into their direct response efforts, instead of running two separate campaigns.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT II

Rousing Transformational Giving with Cutting­-Edge Strategies

Spotting and Connecting with Legacy Givers

Can you recognize a legacy giver—the kind with the capacity to transform your ministry budget? Too often ministries miss the potential of a major donor. In this seminar, you’ll learn how to spot your best legacy gift prospects, how to deeply connect and foster relationships with them, and how to nurture and grow existing relationships that will pay dividends for them, your ministry, and those you serve.

Asking Rights: Earning the Right to Ask for Big Dollars

Why do some ministries seem to effortlessly raise money, while others struggle? It may be because those well-funded ministries earned the right to ask. To be successful in today’s funding environment, it’s helpful to keep an investor's perspective in mind, utilize rational asks, and focus on outcomes. This session will tap years of research on successful development approaches and provide tools that are proven to attract larger investments.

Persuasive Grant Writing

As the grant-writing space is quickly and continuously morphing, this seminar will look at ways to streamline and effectively navigate this often confusing, yet very productive development area. With many foundations viewing religious hiring practices as deal breakers, this is an area we can’t ignore. In this information-packed session, you’ll learn how to find grant makers; speak the granter’s language; and craft a compelling, outcomes-based case statement to win the grant.

Step Up Your Analytics to Mail Smarter, Not Harder

Ministries finding success in fundraising today are positioning analytics at the center of their development programs. Data is key in steering decisions and mitigating risks in order to make the most of their budgets. Join this session for guidance on how to mail smarter, not harder. We’ll unpack how analytics can be used to manage your growing audience, target the right people, optimize the full donor pyramid, and leverage digital channels.

OPERATIONS & ADMINISTRATION I

Galvanizing Ministries with Best Practices in HR, Finances, Facilities, and Technology

Accounting as a Trusted Advisor

Understanding financial information is essential to more than just your accountant, so it’s critical that your accounting staff be seen as trusted advisors on your team. There is often a disconnect, and accounting information is not fully integrated into decision-making. This session will explore best practices for integrating accounting information into strategic decision making and detailing reporting formats to streamline the process.

Trauma-Informed Design for Transformational Results

How do you create a safe and healthy space for clients whose traumatic experiences have hindered them from moving forward? Trauma-informed care has now come of age in architectural design. An architectural firm that specializes in trauma-informed design is on-hand to inspire you and outline concepts you can implement into your next project. You’ll learn about working with a firm, engaging stakeholders, and an innovative design methodology.

Creating Your Own Legal Entities

Legal challenges intensify each year. The use of LLCs to protect assets is a sound way to limit exposure. What’s more, creating a foundation can help protect your ministry from mixing fundraising and operations for better fiduciary control. This seminar will detail the pros and cons of each and describe benefits and caveats you may not have even considered.

Budgeting In the Midst of Constant Change

Budgeting is an imperfect process, especially in the midst of constant change. Let’s look beyond spreadsheets and software to explore how a budget reflects your values to ensure the best ROI. We’ll review how a budget supports your goals and objectives without becoming an inflexible plan; outline five questions to help identify your ministry’s stewardship culture; and provide a checklist of essential elements in the budgeting process.

OPERATIONS & ADMINISTRATION II

Galvanizing Ministries with Best Practices in HR, Finances, Facilities, and Technology

Mitigating Cyber Risk for Your Ministry

Ransomware, phishing, and the number of data breaches in 2021 soared past that of 2020. It’s predicted that, by 2031, there will be a new attack every two seconds as ransomware perpetrators refine their extortion tactics. While it’s impossible to prevent all cyber attacks, this workshop will help you shore up your security and prepare you now, so you’re not scrambling when cyber criminals attack.

Remote Work is Here to Stay—Making it Work for Your Team

The pandemic pushed many employees into unfamiliar remote work environments. The lack of personal connection, combined with an overdose of video meetings has taken a toll, especially on those front line workers who may feel they have less support. Which roles can be effective off-site? Let’s explore ways to bridge employee satisfaction and productivity, while clearing up operational and legal questions to protect staff and the ministry.

Understanding Your Team’s Social Styles

If you work with people that you find difficult to communicate or collaborate with, this session is for you. The Social Styles interpersonal skills model is used by thousands of organizations—including the Citygate Network team—because it's easy to learn, remember, and apply. This interactive workshop will explain its principles and teach you to start employing its strategies right away to improve team dynamics, communication, and collaboration.

“I’m Burned Out… Bye”

Burnout is the feeling that you’ve hit the wall, but then have to scale the wall and just keep going with a background hum of exhaustion. Many mission team members live and work with little margin and forsake true rest until, suddenly, they’re done. As a leader, how do you intentionally build a culture that encourages margin, open communication, and paths around burnout? That’s what this seminar is all about.

ENTERPRISE & RETAIL

Catalyzing Entrepreneurial Spirit for Ministry Outcomes and Resource Growth

Argument and Process for Separating Your Enterprise from Your Ministry

Dividing and conquering is particularly helpful when challenges are plentiful and different in scope. The challenges faced by your ministry leadership are vastly different from the challenges faced by the leader of your enterprise. The rationale for separating your enterprise from ministry operations starts by recognizing, and taking advantage of, this difference. We’ll also dive into the steps needed to restructure.

Sustainability through Partnerships

Sustainability for a social enterprise—especially in its early days—can be tenuous. Collaboration is one of the keys to unlocking sustainability, as partners may open distribution channels, reduce costs, and introduce networks. In this session, a social entrepreneur will discuss collaboration versus competition; explore examples of socially sustainable communities; and drive home the importance of being solutions-focused.

Launch Your 1st, 5th, and 15th Thrift Stores

The obstacles to managing a successful thrift operation change at each milestone. Know the four key cornerstones to address as you prepare to launch your first thrift store. Build your organization chart to allow scale and maximize profits as you work towards a five-store chain. And manage the (literal) ins-and-outs of moving and storing product as your thrift enterprise expands to 15 stores.

The Lean Start-Up: Launching a Social Enterprise the Right Way

A social enterprise is a business or income stream that funds more ministry, benefits the people we serve, and serves the community. These ventures can be transformative for your organization, but, if you've never started one, you may not know how to avoid some of the major pitfalls. This session will walk through the entire process of launching a lean social enterprise—from inspiration, through perspiration, to realization.

HOT TOPICS I

Addressing the Burning Questions and Provocative Subjects of Today and Tomorrow

Executive Succession: An Unconventional Approach

There may be no more important responsibility for an organization than the planning and process involved in transitioning from a long-term executive leader to new leadership. Listen in as a former executive leader and his successor discuss their ministry’s unique, God-led transition—and all it’s components—for the successful transfer of leadership after 36 years.

Putting an End to Childhood Trauma

Some 42 percent of kids who experience family-induced trauma are homeless by the age of 21. If you have kids in your facilities, there’s a good chance that childhood trauma weighs on them. Come learn about the signs of childhood trauma and proven intervention models you can employ—or access through partnerships—to change lives generationally.

Ensuring Trafficking Survivors Don’t Become Victims

More than 40 million people are enslaved in human trafficking, and only 1 percent will survive their circumstances. Survivors of sex trafficking are often hidden in plain sight—maybe in your facilities—but with the right information and outreach models you can identify them, reach out with effective tactical care, and help them re-enter society successfully. Your introduction starts with this session.

Media Storm

It can roll in when you least expect it, but, at other times, you see the gathering clouds or hear the distant rumble of a media storm in advance. Regardless, it's critical to be prepared. A former mission CEO is here to pass on the world class media coaching that he received to weather the national media scrutiny he has been walking through as a result of his mission’s faith values.

HOT TOPICS II

Addressing the Burning Questions and Provocative Subjects of Today and Tomorrow

What We’ve Learned from One Mission’s Fight to Simply Hire Fellow Believers

One mission’s hiring practices have been challenged in the courts in a case that could reverberate throughout all religious employers. Utilizing this example, Alliance Defending Freedom is on-hand to help you think through important questions, such as, How do you navigate an ever-changing employment landscape? Do you still have the right to hire only those individuals who share your organization’s beliefs? And how do you navigate media inquiries while working through controversial issues? Don’t miss this session.

Don’t Let your Mission Drift

It could start in the boardroom, in a candidate interview, or in the wilds of social media, but mission drift is a serious danger that can become a crisis. Slowly and subtlety, organizations drift from their purpose, and many never return to their founding purpose. This session will unpack biblical principles, practical exercises, and intentional safeguards to prevent your ministry from losing its saltiness.

How to Recruit Staff Beyond “Posting and Praying”

Last year saw record-high turnover, and it seems the ministry world experienced more than its share. Making matters worse, companies with deeper pockets are drawing quality people out of the candidate pool. A mission leader with 20-plus years running a staffing service, in addition to experience in nationwide Recruiting Process Outsourcing, is on-hand to describe proven strategies for keeping the pipeline full—with the kind of candidates you’re looking for.

Guarding the Heart of the Mission

What sets your ministry apart? How well do you communicate those distinctives in your city? In this session, we'll look at the importance of mission, vision, and values and how to safeguard their impact on organizational culture. We'll also consider what success really means and then explore partnership possibilities to share wins in ways that reinforce your identity to the broader community.

FOUNDATIONS OF COUNSELING

Using All of You to Help All of Them: A Basic Life Skill Used in Counseling

Most of us use just half of what is available to us in our service to others. If we learned to better utilize our own emotional development, we could be more emotionally supportive and help clients break through barriers to healing. This workshop will explore how to effectively tap this underutilized resource—and do so appropriately—in your client interactions. 

How to Help People with Addictive/Repetitive Compulsions

In this training we’ll discuss the various types of self-destructive addictions and how to spot them in our residents. We’ll also identify interventions that promote the safety and well being of the people we serve. Special emphasis will be put on matching strength of our interventions with resident acuity, and we’ll include some tips on how to maintain a safe recovery environment.

Understanding Problematic Behavior Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

Throughout the pandemic and beyond, there was an increase in problematic and program-interfering behaviors among the population we’re called to serve. This training will review the impact of trauma on behaviors and provide a template for understanding the impact of life experiences on the ability to regulate, synthesize information, and connect with those who are providing support.

Healer, Heal Thyself: The Ethical Imperative of Self-Care

There are many challenges that face the helper in today’s managed care world. This training will explore the impact of the work we do upon the helper and concrete strategies to support the helper in becoming appropriately self-protective. Participants will be guided in understanding not only how they can tolerate the trauma soup in which they swim, but how to be better for it.