Youth Leader
Conference
Student Ministry //
Youth Leader Conference
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Door Creek Church
The Blackhawk Youth Leader Conference (YLC) exists to accomplish three things: to equip, energize, and connect people serving in youth ministry. The conference is designed for teams (staff and volunteers) to learn, grow, and connect with each other and across churches and ministries. Join us as we create space together to be encouraged and united in our mission to love and lead students to know and follow Jesus.
We design the day around encouraging messages and worship, as well as a diverse range of breakout topics like Understanding Younger Generations, Self Care for Leaders, How to Pastor Anxious Teens, A Practical Theology of Multicultural Ministry, and more.
We are so excited to welcome Jonathan Banks as our YLC 2025 keynote speaker. Jonathan is an Author and the Chief Operating Officer at Urban Outreach Foundation & Together Chicago. With years of ministry, leadership, and education experience, he is passionate about helping others reach their God-given potential in every area of life.
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- $25 – Early Bird (through January 30)
- $35 – Regular Registration (through February 25)
- $45: Day Of Registration (March 15)
Conference Schedule
Saturday, March 15, 2025
9:15 : Check In & Onsite Registration Opens
10:00 : General Session
11:15 : Break
11:30 : Breakout 1
12:30 : Lunch
1:30 : Breakout 2
2:30 : Break
2:45 : Breakout 3
4:00 : Closing Session
4:30 : Conference End
Resources & Tools //
Speakers
Jonathan Banks is an Author and the Chief Operating Officer at Urban Outreach Foundation & Together Chicago. With years of ministry, leadership, and education experience, he is passionate about helping others reach their God-given potential in every area of life. Jonathan Banks is passionate about helping others connect with God and reach their full potential in every area of life. Jonathan earned an undergraduate degree in engineering from Purdue University, an MBA from Northwestern University, and is pursuing a Doctorate of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. His diverse career includes roles in non-profit leadership, youth ministry, food research, real estate, and teaching. He now serves as an Executive Pastor in Chicago and Co-CEO of Together Chicago, supporting local pastors and leaders. Jonathan is also the author of Raise Your GPA: God’s Way to Win at School and Life. Jonathan is an ordained minister and serves in Chicago with his wife, Jacinta, and their college-aged sons.
Jess Berryhill is the Student and Special Needs Minister at Mt. Pleasant Church in Terre Haute, IN. Her work in the disability community led her to create and become the founder of Terre Haute Friendship House. At the Friendship House, she lives alongside young adults with disabilities and college students in community. She has an adorable dog named Cooper who lives there as well.
Steve Berg is the Student Ministry High School Pastor at Door Creek Church. Steve is the student pastor at Door Creek Church. He’s been around student ministry for almost two decades now. He is married to his amazing wife Steph and has three awesome kids and dog that his wife is probably a little too obsessed with. He loves to be outside and be active. He is passionate about meeting Jesus in the messiness of life and seeing people grow in authentic faith.
Christian Eggers is the Young Adults Coordinator at Blackhawk Church. Christian Eggers is on staff with Blackhawk Church and serves as a volunteer leader with the High School Ministry. In her 9-5 she works with the Brader Way and Spiritual Formation teams to create opportunities for intergenerational connection on Sundays and throughout the week. Much of her focus is on leading Blackhawk’s Young Adult ministry and equipping people of all ages to connect with God, with one another, and with the life of the church.
Alyssa Greeley is a Professional Counselor at Crossroads Counseling Center. Alyssa is a part-time mental health therapist at Crossroads Counseling Center in Sun Prairie. She holds a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies and a M.S. in Professional Counseling. Alyssa has experience providing individual, group, and family counseling to kids, adolescents, and adults. She is passionate about helping people feel known and seen while integrating faith and spirituality with mental health and therapeutic techniques. She has been volunteering with high school ministries at Blackhawk since 2014 and loves learning more about Jesus through students. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being active, and reading.
Ben Knox is the pastor of Middle School Ministry at Blackhawk. He has served for over twenty years in staff and volunteer roles with students ages 11-19 through ministries in various cultural contexts. He approaches this conversation through his experiences as a student, a pastor, a friend, a parent, and a spouse.
Tiffany Malloy serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Blackhawk Church, where she oversees and leads the expression of spiritual growth in the Blackhawk community. She is passionate about encouraging and equipping others to grow in their life with God as they lead and influence others in all spheres of life. Tiffany has been married to Jake for 20 years, and they have four tweens/teens: Asante, Aly, Ada, and Anaya. After many adventures traveling and living in different parts of the U.S. and abroad, she and her family settled in Madison in 2013. When she’s not driving kids around, Tiffany enjoys reading, running, and ice cream.
Joe Thackwell is the National Director of High School Transition at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Joe Thackwell’s college-bound journey led him to UC-Berkeley, where he joined a church-based college ministry and became a follower of Jesus. After college, Joe went to seminary, graduating from Fuller with an M.Div. He now has over 20 years of student ministry experience, including 5 years as a youth pastor and over a decade serving at the University of Southern California, where he served as the first Director of Christian Life. Joe now serves as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s National Director of High School Transition, connecting high school to college ministry, and the church to the parachurch.
Nicole Toepfer is an Educator and Student Ministries Professional. Nicole has 18 years of experience in public education, ranging from classroom teacher to mentor for beginning teachers, high school associate principal to elementary school principal, and now serving as the administrator for professional learning in her district. She is married with two children, ages 10 and 13, and a dog. Nicole is in her 4th year serving in Student Ministries at Door Creek Church, currently leading and loving 11th grade girls. Her life’s work highlights her passion for youth, their development, and our collective future. Nicole enjoys reading, crafting, the outdoors, and traveling internationally for adventure and to serve others.
Peter Vang is an Associate Pastor at Blackhawk Church. Peter is a 2nd Gen, Hmong American, associate site pastor, and also leads the Asian American Student Ministry at Blackhawk Church. He is passionate about laughing too loudly, all things food, geeky Bible conversations, and helping students experience Jesus’ love and sweetness.
Scott Webb is a behavioral health professional. Scott Webb is a trauma survivor himself who has worked in the behavioral health field for 38 years. His career has included clinical, administrative, and consultative work. He is a commissioned Stephen Leader through Stephen Ministries and started a Stephen Ministry at his church. He previously served as the Trauma-Informed Care Coordinator at the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services before retiring. He holds a Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Breakout Session 1 (11:30 AM-12:30 PM)
Raising Spiritual Champions | Jonathan Banks
Training young faith and inspiring spiritual champions is possible when hearts are open to God’s love and plan. Youth are learning more and faster than ever before – let’s give them everything they need to impact their generation. This session will give a proven approach and tactics to unlock leadership and faith potential for future generations.
Know Your Role: Ministry with Trans* Students | Ben Knox
Students navigating trans* identities and/or gender dysphoria are in our ministries and in our communities. And guess what? You’re already equipped with many tools you need to be an effective youth ministry leader for your students in this time. This session will explore additional resources to help you express the love & care of Jesus for trans* students and their families, drawing on the tools you already use comfortably in other environments. Then, by God’s grace, perhaps we’ll even empower all our students to do the same wherever they study, live, work, and play.
Trauma-Informed Care: It’s All about Connection in Youth Ministry Work | Scott Webb
Trauma is widely prevalent in our society and has negatively affected churches and other helping organizations, taxing already stressed systems of care and ministry worker’s wellness. Trauma-informed care is an intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individual’s life and their response to ministry services. This presentation will examine the Adverse Childhood Experiences study and explore the many faces of trauma and its prevalence in society. Finally, we will take a deeper dive into the values of trauma-informed practice and how it aligns with the call of Jesus to care for one another.
Pursuing God’s Multicultural Vision in Youth Ministry | Peter Vang
The demographics of our country are changing. It is projected that by 2045, the number of white Americans will fall below 50%, becoming a minority for the first time. By 2050, over 60% of children will have some sort of POC heritage. Are our churches a reflection of our already changing and future demographics? Are our youth ministries being missional to these new realities for students now and hereafter? This breakout discusses a biblical theology of God’s multicultural kingdom for the local church, resources for you to dream within your own church context, and how it is practical for youth ministry.
Small Groups From Surviving to Thriving | Nicole Toepfer
When it comes to small group time, is it like pulling teeth to get anyone to share? Does it feel so chaotic, it’s hard to get the group to focus on anything, let alone Jesus? This session will help you formulate simple structures and strategies to manage your group, and increase student engagement and ownership in small group time. If this sounds too good to be true, this session is for you!
Shaping Tomorrow: Cultivating Student Leaders Today | Steve Berg
I don’t think you need to be convinced of the value of students leading. I also don’t think you need to be told it’s frustrating sometimes. It feels like this golden egg we talk about in student ministry but yet this thing that we can never quite define or get off the ground. So what do we do about that? We’re going to address some mindset changes and some best practices as we seek to empower this next generation. Let’s learn together and learn from each other.
Breakout Session 2 (1:30-2:30 PM)
Today, youth are curious about spirituality, identity, sexuality, and so much more. Their curiosity must be guided and guarded with a loving, truthful heart as we help them learn who God created them to become. This session will unpack the keys to preparing them for the hardest conversations and bring confidence to youth leaders in sharing faith and facts about living amazing lives in Jesus.
Serving Students and Parents on their College-Bound Journey | Joe Thackwell
We all want to see our graduating seniors thriving in their faith in the years that follow graduation, and our student ministries are designed to give our students everything they need to continue in their faith. So why are so many youth-group-attending students drifting away from their faith during their college years? In this breakout, Joe Thackwel, InterVarsity’s first National Director of High School Transition, will lead a discussion on this critical question, help us listen to each other’s contexts and present what is making him incredibly hopeful about reversing this trend.
Leading and Including Teenagers with Disabilities | Jess Berryhill
Students with disabilities are in your communities and in your student ministries, and yet, how to include these students has too often been placed on the back burner. As a student ministry leader or volunteer, you may feel ill-equipped to help students with disabilities find meaningful community and live an everyday faith. In this breakout, Jess will provide you with practical tips and key insights on how to get to know your students with disabilities, engage them in a life of faith, and help them find purpose.
Coming Alongside Students Struggling with Mental Health | Alyssa Greeley
It can be overwhelming and confusing when students in your ministry/small group are dealing with mental health issues. This breakout will help you demonstrate Christ’s love, allow students to voice their thoughts and feelings, and discern your role and next steps when students disclose mental health struggles.
Trauma-Informed Care: It’s All about Connection in Youth Ministry Work | Scott Webb
Trauma is widely prevalent in our society and has negatively affected churches and other helping organizations, taxing already stressed systems of care and ministry worker’s wellness. Trauma-informed care is an intervention and organizational approach that focuses on how trauma may affect an individual’s life and their response to ministry services. This presentation will examine the Adverse Childhood Experiences study and explore the many faces of trauma and its prevalence in society. Finally, we will take a deeper dive into the values of trauma-informed practice and how it aligns with the call of Jesus to care for one another.
Youth Ministry as My Job (Conversation) | Peter Vang
As students and leaders, some of us ponder, “I want to work in ministry.” If that is you, join us for this conversation about pursuing a career in ministry. We will discuss many topics ranging from: calling vs. vocation; church and parachurch; is theological education necessary?; the realities of ministry in 2025; women in ministry; ministry in a different culture; and more. Join us to connect with others on a similar journey as we wrestle with Jesus’ invitation.
Breakout Session 3 (2:45-3:45 PM)
Students navigating trans* identities and/or gender dysphoria are in our ministries and in our communities. And guess what? You’re already equipped with many tools you need to be an effective youth ministry leader for your students in this time. This session will explore additional resources to help you express the love & care of Jesus for trans* students and their families, drawing on the tools you already use comfortably in other environments. Then, by God’s grace, perhaps we’ll even empower all our students to do the same wherever they study, live, work, and play.
Serving Students and Parents on their College-Bound Journey | Joe Thackwell
We all want to see our graduating seniors thriving in their faith in the years that follow graduation, and our student ministries are designed to give our students everything they need to continue in their faith. So why are so many youth-group-attending students drifting away from their faith during their college years? In this breakout, Joe Thackwel, InterVarsity’s first National Director of High School Transition, will lead a discussion on this critical question, help us listen to each other’s contexts and present what is making him incredibly hopeful about reversing this trend.
Dreaming with Students and Families on the Disability Journey | Jess Berryhill
Those of us who are working on the disability journey have a full plate that they are trying to juggle. Many of those meetings and appointments tend to be about what their student can’t do and the limitations they may have.As a ministry leader, you are uniquely positioned to create space for and to continually encourage students and families to keep dreaming. In this breakout, Jess will share how to listen for and dream with students and their families and how your ministry can be a bright spot for community, connection and purpose.
Coming Alongside Students Struggling with Mental Health | Alyssa Greeley
It can be overwhelming and confusing when students in your ministry/small group are dealing with mental health issues. This breakout will help you demonstrate Christ’s love, allow students to voice their thoughts and feelings, and discern your role and next steps when students disclose mental health struggles.
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Across Generations | Christian Eggers
In a world where the generation gap feels like an ocean, this breakout offers practical insight for youth ministry leaders. We’ll dive into the distinct experiences and values that shape each generation while also uncovering the surprising ways we all share the same core needs, desires, and passions. By the end, you’ll not only have a better understanding of yourself as a leader, but also gain helpful perspective into how to connect authentically with every age group in your church. Get ready to build bridges that unite, rather than divide, across the generations.
The Leader’s Inner Journey: Walking with God through all seasons of life | Tiffany Malloy
Leadership is not just about what we do or say; it’s about who we are becoming. As Christ-followers, we are called to walk with God through all seasons of life, allowing His Spirit to shape and transform us more into His image. But let’s be honest—sometimes that journey is harder than it sounds. We find ourselves asking, Okay, God, how do I walk with You through THIS season of life? Join us as we reflect on where we are on our own journeys, share the challenges we face, and explore practical tools and resources—both modern and ancient—that can help us to walk faithfully with God, no matter what season of life we find ourselves in.