VLG (B) - Ministry Labs
Thursday 1 May
2:30 - 3:30pm
Click the ‘+’ to view more details including speakers, rooms and bios.
+ Church Growth: Leading through the 150 Growth Barrier
// James Rankine & Andy Masters
Auditorium
Every church, regardless of its current size, faces unique dynamics and leadership hurdles. Many encounter a significant "150 barrier," where the feel and operation of the church drastically shifts. This ministry lab delves into these size dynamics, offering practical guidance for navigating the complexities of growth, particularly beyond the 150 mark. We'll explore how to adapt leadership styles, build a staff team, and raise and release volunteer teams, all the while opening the front doors and shutting the back doors. Discover practical tools to empower your team, navigate organisational complexity, and cultivate a clear vision for the town, city, or region that God has broken your heart for.
James Rankine leads Vineyard Church Cardiff which he planted with his wife Jen in 2008, and has a vision to see the nation of Wales renewed. He is part of the Vineyard Leadership Team with a focus on church health, holding a passion for the growth and multiplication of healthy Kingdom communities.
Andy Masters is the lead pastor of Lagan Valley Vineyard Church in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He is married to Dana, and they have three mischievous children. They live on the side of a mountain with two dogs and two pigs. Andy is passionate about Jesus, his church, and the future!
+ Teaching Children About the Holy Spirit
// Josh Dillingham + panel
Room: G1 & 2
Join us for this Ministry Lab on Kids and the Holy Spirit, where we’ll explore how children can experience the Holy Spirit, live Spirit-filled lives, and operate in God’s presence and power. This lab will include teaching, opportunities to hear and share stories, ask questions, and gain practical tools to help children encounter the Holy Spirit in both ministry settings and daily life. Our heart is to see generations of kids who live life filled with the Holy Spirit, living in the fullness of life that God intended for them, bringing more of God’s Kingdom to their world and sparking holy curiosity in those around them! If that’s your heart too - you won’t want to miss this!
Josh is one of the Kids' Pastors and oversees all things Kids Ministry at Trent Vineyard. He lives in Nottingham with his very lovely wife, is partial to a good camping adventure and (fun fact) was once a nationally ranked badminton player!!
+ Beyond the Likes: Creating Fun, Relatable Content on Social Media
// Mark Crosby, Naomi Taylor & Lydia Lloyd
Room: F5
Social media is more than just a digital noticeboard—it’s a space for connection, engagement, and storytelling. But how do we move beyond simply posting information to creating content that draws people in, sparks conversation, and reflects the heart of our church? This hands-on Ministry Lab will help comms teams develop a practical approach for making social media feel authentic, engaging, and effective. Whether you're a one-person team or part of a larger comms setup.
Mark, Naomi and Lydia form part of the VCUKI Comms team, which includes running the socials for Vineyard Churches, Vineyard Worship and The Cause to Live For. They're based in Cardiff and all attend Vineyard Church Cardiff.
+ The Anatomy of a Worship Set
// Jon Solway + panel
Room: F1
What makes a great worship set? What songs should we include and when? Is there a right way? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jon, along with a wise panel, look at putting together a worship set, and the different things to consider when doing so. Beginner and experienced are welcome!
Jon is the Director of Worship Development for Vineyard Churches in the UK & Ireland, as well as being an assistant pastor at Birmingham Vineyard, overseeing worship and one of their sites. He has been leading worship for over 15 years in many different contexts, and is now learning to lead alongside having 2 young kids!
+ Encountering Jesus through compassion
// Vic Lawford & Alan Carson
Room: G3
Exploring how Compassion Ministries lead people to experience Jesus' love and mercy through our services, communities, and conversations. Have you ever asked questions like, does our ministry reflect God’s heart?, or When and how do we talk about faith? If so, we’ll wrestle through questions like these and offer tools to help create ministries that meet real needs in ways that reflect Jesus' heart.
Alan and his wife Laurie have been Associate Pastors of Belfast City Vineyard for 18 years. Together they oversee the church compassion ministries as well as a local charity called Storehouse. Vic and her husband Rich are Assistant Pastors at Vineyard25. Vic oversees the church’s compassion ministries and also heads up the Vineyard Leadership College South England and London campus Both Alan and Vic are passionate about developing communities that recognise the significance in everyone, regardless of background or current circumstances.
Friday 2 May
2:30 - 3:30pm
+ How can I develop as a preacher in my church?
// Alice Meads, Tom Thompson, Sam McDermid
Auditorium
In this lab, Alice (along with special guests) will explore some of the common challenges and obstacles that preachers may face, and discuss strategies for overcoming them in order to continue developing and growing in the ministry of preaching. This session will provide space for you to reflect on how these insights can apply to your own preaching journey, whether you are a seasoned preacher, just beginning, or somewhere in between. There will also be opportunities to ask questions, share your experiences, and offer encouragement to one another. In addition to being highly practical, we hope this lab will inspire you with a renewed vision for preaching, equipping you with tools and a fresh sense of excitement to invest in and steward the gift that God has entrusted to you.
Alice is a Senior Associate Pastor at Vineyard Church Cardiff, where she spends much of her time planning and developing preaching across the church's multiple sites, in addition to writing and delivering lots of talks herself. She holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Sheffield University and, more recently, was part of the European cohort for the Kingdom Mentoring Programme run by Derek Morphew. Alice has also had the joy of hosting the all-new Vineyard Theological Training modules, earning the status of being the first person to complete all 10 modules (though she is still very much awaiting her certificate). Alice considers herself a fairly normal-ish person who just happens to have a deep love for the Bible and a passion for teaching it to others, hoping they’ll catch the same love along the way.
Tom and his wife Lesley are Senior Pastors of Croydon Vineyard, a multi-ethnic church in South London. He is studying for a doctorate with Fuller Theological Seminary and is on the Vineyard Leadership Team. He is a bit obsessed with Fantasy Premier League and is a sworn enemy of cold custard.
+ Youth: Leading in culturally complex times
// Susie Aldridge & Zeke Rink
Room G1 + G2
Anyone who has been involved in youth ministry for any length of time will know that we are leading in culturally complex times where the landscape is constantly shifting. Young people are experiencing all sorts of challenges including, but not limited to; navigating digital addiction, pressures with mental health, significant questions around identity, and they are growing up in the midst of significant global issues. This lab is for anyone working with young people, it will be very practical and discussion-led, with the hope that you will be equipped to journey through the waters of this cultural moment with young people.
Susie is the lead pastor for Dreaming the Impossible (DTI) youth movement. DTI serves young people from churches and youth organisations everywhere and is run by Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland. She is based in Nottingham at Trent Vineyard, where she is the Senior Associate Pastor, and a volunteer youth leader. She loves anything yellow and is almost always found wearing sunglasses!
Zeke is on the DTI senior team and works alongside Susie heading up DTI and the youth Network. He's been involved in a variety for around 20 years. He lives with his son Gabriel and his wife Ellie - who also happens to be his best friend! He loves football and good food.
+ Evangelism: Mobilising the majority
// Ben Hyett and panel
Room F5
We know that we're each called to step out and share our faith, but that doesn't make it easy. Ben and a panel of practioners will look a different models and methods we can use to encourage people to share their faith.
Having had a previous career as an architect, Ben is on staff at Trent Vineyard and loves people hearing about Jesus.
+ Leadership: Navigating Complex Pastoral Topics
// Andy & Bethan Chapman
Room F1
The cultural landscape in which we lead and pastor is increasingly complex and challenging to navigate. In this ministry lab, we'll look at some real-life examples together through interactive discussion & conversation. Whatever we're facing now or will face in the future, let's learn together!
Andy & Bethan have been part of Riverside Vineyard Church (West London) since they were students. They took on the leadership of the church in 2011, and now also serve as regional leaders for London & SE. Bethan is also a passionate gardener. Andy loves watching pretty much any sport.
+ Small Groups: From Surviving to Thriving
// Steve Gee
Room G3
Strategies to move your groups from maintenance mode to flourishing
