TWENTY TWENTY SIX
WELCOME
“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11)
WAKE UP!! The harvest is ready. People are searching. Hearts are open. God is moving. We are living in a significant moment in church history in this nation. God is awakening His Church afresh to His presence, His power, and His purpose. As we gather here at QB Conference 2026, I am filled with expectation for all that He will do among us.
There is something deeply powerful about coming together as a Movement to worship with one voice, pray with one heart, and to seek God with fresh faith for what lies ahead. We have so much to celebrate and give thanks to God for. We are seeing lives transformed as people surrender to Jesus and leaders empowered with fresh hope and courage for the harvest.
The harvest is plentiful, and it is ready now. Jesus said then and I am confident He would say now, “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).
Over these next few days, I believe God will awaken something in each of us. An awakening to a deeper hunger for His presence. An awakening to the call to pray boldly for revival in our nation, in our generation. An awakening to share the gospel with fresh faith, renewed urgency, and unwavering hope. As we worship, sit under God’s Word, and make space for the Holy Spirit to move, I am praying that hearts will be stirred, faith will be reignited, and our churches will be freshly energised for the mission ahead.
Your presence here matters. You carry a story that can encourage others, and your prayers have the power to bring hope, healing and breakthrough. Please take the time to connect with others, share generously, and pray expectantly. There is great power in what happens when God’s people gather in unity and seek Him together.
Most importantly, I know that God is here with us. My prayer is that each of us would have a personal and powerful encounter with the living God and that we would leave this place awakened to His presence, awakened to His purpose, and awakened to the mission before us. The hour has come. Come ready to be awakened.
God bless,
Jason Elsmore Director of the QB Movement
THANKYOU TO OUR PARTNERS
AWAKEN DEVOTIONAL
ON THE YOUVERSION APP
For the week of QB Conference you can start your mornings with the “awaken” devotional. Find it in the YouVersion app here, written by QB Youth & Young Adult’s Team Leader, Ben Dainton.
TWENTY TWENTY SIX
TUESDAY
AWAKEN NIGHT
WEDNESDAY
9:30AM
Registration opens
BUSINESS DAY
10:30AM
4:00PM
5:30PM 7:00PM
Morning tea
Plenary 1, Michael Hands
Lunch
Plenary 2, Jody Destry
Afternoon tea
Electives
Food Trucks
Plenary 3, Dave Shepherd
8:30AM
9:00AM
10:10AM
2:15PM 12:45PM
3:30PM
Registration opens
Plenary 4, Jonathan Dove
Plenary 5, Awakening Revival
Morning tea
Electives
Lunch
Plenary 6, Jason Elsmore
Afternoon tea
Conference concludes
Morning tea THURSDAY
12:30PM 11:45AM 11:00AM 3:30PM 2:00PM 10:00AM 10:30AM 11:00AM 12:20PM 1:20PM
8:15AM Registration opens
Business Day Concludes 3:00PM 9:00AM Session 1
Session 2
Lunch
Session 3
Afternoon tea
TODDLERS 4-11 years under 4yr 12+ years
Dive room
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.
MICHAEL HANDS
Rev. Michael Hands is a committed follower of Jesus, husband to Sarah, father of three and Lead minister to the Newlife Family of Churches. Passionate about renewal, Michael believes in the power of discipleship and Holy Spirit-led ministry to renew and re-fresh the decline of the Western church. Newlife Family of Churches is a movement of four (currently) Churches across South-East Queensland committed to seeing more people more like Jesus by planting and leading local, thriving churches. Michael loves reading, exercising, and having wild adventures with his family.
DAVE SHEPHERD
Dave Shepherd is the Lead Pastor of Hills Baptist Church, a multisite church community in Adelaide, with a vision to see Jesus glorified, lives transformed, and the hope of the Gospel revealed throughout the world. Dave is a co-founder of Ignite Ministries and the One Church podcast, where he works with other believers and church leaders to call the Church to unity, prayer, and worship. Dave’s heart and gifting is to fearlessly proclaim the truth of the Gospel, to raise up the next generation of leaders, and to plant churches that plant churches. Dave is married to his wife Jo and together they
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.
JONATHAN DOVE
Jonathan Dove (or ‘JD’ as most call him) is husband to Robyn and father to four children. He serves as Senior Pastor of Gracecity Church, a multisite church in Auckland, New Zealand, with people from 55 countries of origin. He loves seeing people from all walks of life discover Jesus and find their place in God’s family. Jonathan is passionate about healthy church planting and building city collectives – believing the church is at its best when we work together rather than compete. He serves as Executive Chair of Auckland Church Network, bringing churches together for the social and spiritual flourishing of Auckland. His spare time revolves around family adventures, quality coffee, a good book, ideally an All Blacks game, and reminding Aussies that the Bledisloe Cup looks better in Auckland.
JODY
DESTRY
Jody Destry is the Executive Officer of Churches of Christ in Victoria and Tasmania. Until recently, she served as Co-Senior Pastor of Discovery Church in Melbourne, where she led alongside her husband, Matt. She is a visionary leader with a strong pastoral heart and a deep commitment to equipping people and shaping healthy, life-giving cultures. Jody is passionate about leadership formation, healthy teams, and the role of the local church in bringing hope, healing, and renewal to communities. With extensive experience in mentoring, coaching, ministry supervision, and spiritual formation, she partners with leaders and organisations to cultivate alignment, resilience, and sustainable rhythms for life, leadership, and mission.
JASON ELSMORE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS.
Jason has served in local church ministry for over 30 years in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. He has pastored at Gateway Baptist Church, a thriving multi-campus church in Brisbane, for 22 years and has been the Director of the Queensland Baptist Movement since 2021, where he feels very privileged to serve alongside so many godly leaders across the state. As a gifted communicator and visionary leader, Jason is determined to equip the local church to share the gospel and transform communities with the love and power of Jesus. Jason is the author of “Jesus the Bloke”, and speaks throughout Australia, encouraging men to introduce their mates to Jesus.
Jason loves watching footy, attempting to surf and spending time with his growing family. He is married to Susan and together they have four adult children, two sonsin law, a daughter-in law and two gorgeous grandchildren.
AWAKENING REVIVAL
The Awakening Revival: Emerging Communicators session is a powerful moment to champion the next generation of voices God is raising up. Hosted by our Youth and Young Adults Team Leader, Ben Dainton and our Kids and Families Team Leader, Melanie Wetzel, this session will feature three gifted young communicators each sharing a short message—speaking with the unique perspective of an under-30 leader and helping us see through their eyes with courage, clarity, and expectant faith. As revival stirs across our nation, we believe God is awakening young leaders to preach the gospel with conviction and the power of the Holy Spirit. This will also be a meaningful opportunity to pray over and commission emerging leaders in the room. Come expectant for what God will ignite in this next generation.
ELECTIVES.
RAISING LEADERS TO PLANT CHURCHES
with Michael Hands
Hall 1
Great church plants don’t start with a building or a budget, they start with a leader. But great leaders don’t just appear. In this session, we’ll dig into how to build a pipeline that raises them up, what to look for when identifying candidates, and why sending your own people beats recruiting from the outside. Plus: honest lessons from nearly four years of church plant residencies that will save you from learning the hard way.
HOW TO STAY HEALTHY IN MARRIAGE AND MINISTRY
with Jody Destry
Hall 2
Your marriage is your first ministry - and it’s worth protecting. In the midst of the unique pressures of church leadership, this workshop will help you cultivate a relationship that is strong, life-giving, and sustainable. Discover practical ways to set boundaries, build healthy rhythms, and lead from a place of wholeness.
LEADING FROM STRENGTH, NOT SURVIVAL
with Ruth Limkin Chapel
When you are the person everyone calls, weariness can start to feel normal, even faithful. This elective reframes health as stewardship and offers a hopefilled reset, drawing on Scripture and supportive science, plus practical low-cost strategies to protect joy, restore capacity, and sustain servant leadership over the long haul.
THE HEART OF AN ELDER
with Stephen Parker
Dive Room
Many church boards default to budgets, buildings and business. This elective shifts the conversation back to the heart of elders — the character, attitudes and spiritual depth from which healthy leadership flows. Come and explore, biblically and practically, how this can transform recruitment, agendas, attitudes, and the culture of the team.
MISSION BEYOND YOUR WALLS
with Duncan Brown Lounge
Join missional catalyst Duncan Brown and Carinity CEO Kevin Griffiths and the Carinity Chaplaincy and Missions team as they lead a conversation about mobilising our churches towards Gospel-focused missional expression.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHURCHES TO REACH MORE PEOPLE ONLINE
with Dave Adamson
Jump Room
Discover how to strategically use the Bible App to increase visibility, reduce friction for first-time guests, and extend discipleship beyond Sunday. Practical, proven steps to help your church reach more people in your local community and guide them toward deeper engagement with Scripture.
TUESDAY 4:00PM - 5:00PM
LEADING CHURCHES THAT REACH YOUNG ADULTS
with Dave Shepherd Chapel
Research suggests that in order to reverse the trend of declining church growth in Australia, we need close to 1000 leaders released into Senior ministry roles annually across the nation. It might seem an overwhelming task, yet the promise of God is that He will grow his church, if we would disciple the next generation. In this session Dave will draw on the Scriptures to help us see God’s pattern for reaching and raising the next generation.
WHEN THE CHURCH WAKES TOGETHER
with Jonathan Dove Hall 1
Most church leaders walk into every room carrying the same question: How do I grow my church? It’s not a bad question. But what if it’s standing in the way of a better one: How do we multiply the kingdom? Unity was never just a nice idea to Jesus — it is the evangelistic strategy that allows the world to see and believe. What if uncommon unity is our superpower — and we need to learn how to tap into it? This session is for leaders who believe there’s more available — for their church, and for their city.
CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE: LEADING WITH A FUTURE-READY LENS
with Des Ong
Hall 2
As our communities grow more diverse across cultures and generations, pastors and volunteers need fresh skills to connect meaningfully and lead with wisdom. This elective introduces Cultural Intelligence (CQ) as a practical framework for ministry. Participants will look at practical ways to bridge cultural differences, read the changing context around us, and build ministries where all people feel seen, valued, and welcomed. Come ready to be stretched, challenged, and encouraged as we explore what it means to lead God’s people with curiosity, courage, and cultural intelligence.
RAISING MONEY FOR MINISTRY
with Rod Irvine
Dive Room
This seminar aims to help pastors raise money for ministry. It will address the main reasons pastors find this difficult. The seminar will be practical and will give participants a way, not necessarily ‘the way’, to accomplish this.
WEDNESDAY 11:45AM - 12:45PM
ELECTIVE SPEAKERS.
STEPHEN PARKER
Stephen Parker is the Associate Academic Dean of the Australian College of Ministries. A former Youth Pastor and State Youth Director for the Churches of Christ, he’s served for 12 years as an Elder at Springwood Church of Christ in Logan City. He is the author of The Heart of an Elder: a two-week journey for those considering eldership, There is No Finish: The Backyard Ultra Story, and the forthcoming Biblical Wisdom for Dads.
RUTH LIMKIN
Ruth Limkin is the Founder and Managing Director of The Banyans, a globally regarded health and wellness organisation specialising in whole-of-person recovery. Ruth is passionate about helping people flourish in every area of life—body, soul, and spirit. Drawing on years of experience working with leaders, professionals, and those navigating life’s challenges, she brings practical wisdom and a faith-filled perspective to inspire lasting change.
DES ONG
Des is a trusted guide for leaders navigating today’s complex and fast-changing world. With more than 25 years of experience across ASXlisted companies, educational institutions, private enterprise, and the faith-based notfor-profit sector, he brings a wealth of insight into how organisations, not-for-profits and ministries can thrive.
Alongside his corporate and consulting work, Des has served for 10 years in pastoral ministry, including church planting and leadership on Baptist Governance Boards. This unique blend of marketplace and ministry experience enables him to bridge worlds that often remain disconnected.
Drawing on the frameworks of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Cultural Intelligence (CQ), and Generational Intelligence (GQ), Des helps leaders move beyond surface-level change toward lasting transformation. Whether guiding a board retreat, shaping organisational culture, or coaching a leader, his focus is on building trust, uncovering personal insight, and aligning people with God-given purpose.
ROD IRVINE
Rod Irvine is a retired Anglican minister. For twenty years he was senior minister of the Anglican Church at Figtree in Wollongong. As it was a multi-staffed church with a ministry that necessitated a major building project, this meant that there was an ongoing need for funds to resource these endeavours. After many years in the dark Rod stumbled upon an approach that was both biblical and fruitful. He has presented on this topic on many occasions. Rod has also written a book to help pastors in this area called, Giving Generously: Resourcing Local Church Ministry and writes a regular blog on giving in churches.
DAVE ADAMSON
Dave Adamson is a digital ministry leader and best-selling author who helps churches around the world get people into God’s Word beyond Sundays. A former TV reporter, Dave spent 14 years in the US serving in senior pastoral roles at some of the largest churches in North America, including North Point Ministries. He returned to Australia in 2020 and now leads the Australian team for the YouVersion Bible App, partnering with thousands of churches to support everyday Bible engagement across their communities.
DUNCAN BROWN
Duncan grew up in a farming background and began his career as a rural journalist in Toowoomba and Rockhampton before moving to Victoria to serve as Associate Editor of The Weekly Times. With a longstanding passion for supporting disadvantaged young people, he later completed a theology degree and became CEO of Scripture Union Qld, helping establish school chaplaincy in hundreds of schools, particularly in regional areas. From 2007–2013 he worked with former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson to run the Stock Up for Hope Charity Cattle Droves. Duncan and his wife Tricia later pastored New Peninsula Baptist Church on the Mornington Peninsula before returning to Queensland to develop Brisbane Valley Holdings, a diverse agri-enterprise. More recently they have focused on establishing a “kingdom hub” in Fernvale, including SplitYard Social (a retail food and coffee business), Neighbourhood (a Christian social enterprise mentoring young men leaving juvenile detention through boxing and jujitsu), and Valley Christian Church, a lay-led church transitioning to the QB network. Duncan and Tricia have three adult children: Emily, Jack and Laura. Duncan recently joined the QB Together in Mission strategic pillar for Vision 33.
NIGHT
DAVE SHEPHERD
TUESDAY 14TH
5:30PM FOODTRUCKS, LIVE MUSIC, COMMUNITY
7:00PM WORSHIP, MESSAGE
AWAKEN Night is a free celebration gathering open to everyone across the Queensland Baptists movement. It’s an opportunity for our wider QB family to come together during the conference for a night of worship, encouragement and prayer.
Together we’ll gather with hundreds from across our churches for live music, passionate worship, food trucks and a message from Dave Shepherd. As we lift our voices in worship and seek God together, we’ll celebrate what He is already doing across our movement and pray for a fresh move of His Spirit in our churches, communities and state.
If you know someone who would be encouraged by a night of worship and unity, invite them to come along. No registration is required for AWAKEN Night — just come and be part of what God is doing.
Women in leadership across our church communities, including those serving in governance, women’s ministry, pastoral families, and ministry leadership roles are warmly invited to join us for the Awaken Women in Leadership Night. Registration and a cuppa from 6:30pm.
Jody Destry will be sharing with us, along with several women who lead in a variety of contexts across Queensland Baptist churches.
Men who would like to come along and support women in leadership are very welcome. Register here.
LUNCH TIME EVENTS
TUESDAY 12:30-2PM
KIDS, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULT PASTORS
Lounge
One of the highlights of the QB Conference is the chance to meet with other Pastors from around the movement. We would love to invite all our Kids, Youth, and Young Adult pastors to join us for a dedicated Next Gen lunch. This is a space designed specifically for you to meet new faces, catch up with old friends, and be refreshed by the community of leaders across our state. Come hungry and ready to connect!
WEDNESDAY 1-2PM
FORMING EVERYDAY DISCIPLES: BUILDING A DIGITAL DISCIPLESHIP HUB WITH RIGHTNOW MEDIA
Lounge
Healthy churches form everyday disciples – yet many people often struggle to grow in their faith outside of Sundays. In this practical workshop, we’ll explore how digital tools like RightNow Media can strengthen your disciple-making culture by resourcing families, equipping leaders, supporting small groups, and helping people engage with Scripture throughout the week.
This is a work-alongside-me session, so bring your laptop if you can. You’ll begin curating a custom discipleship library tailored to your church’s mission and existing pathways. By the end, you’ll walk out with the foundations of a discipleship hub that is unique to your church and helps your people take their next step with Jesus — not just on Sundays, but every day.
Whether you’re already using RightNow Media or simply curious, this workshop will help you imagine new approaches to discipleship that don’t add additional workload or complexity to leaders.
Don’t forget to bring your lunch to these events!
