Title: How to: Pursue Biblical Justice 

Workshop Description: The word “justice” gets thrown around a lot these days, and it can be tough for Christians to figure out what our role is. The truth is, justice is something dear to God’s heart, so it should be to ours as well! Join us in this workshop as we unpack Micah 6:8 and discover how to live it out practically.

Bio: Dustin McCrea is the Student Pastor at New Community Church in Elizabeth City, NC where he lives with his wife Morgan and their golden retriever Barley. His passion in life is seeing young people come into a life-changing relationship with Jesus and to live out an authentic faith of their own.

Title: Showing up for Jesus: How to Meet the Lord Through the Spiritual Disciplines

Workshop Description: You don’t have to wait until CCYC to have a once-a-year encounter with Jesus. He’s always with us and we can grow our relationship with him every day. Check out this workshop to learn why this is so important for teens today and how it’s possible even with all the distractions of our digital age.

Bio: Reed Smith is a full-time youth worker based in Williamsburg, VA and he’s passionate about teens encountering Jesus through God’s written Word. He serves on staff at LifePointe Christian Church. When he’s not working, he’s spending time at home with his wife, two kids, three dogs, five chickens, and 10,000+ bees!

Title: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Workshop Description: Have you ever thought, “I wonder what it would be like to work at a church.” Hang out with us as we talk about what ministry looks like and the difference you could make in someone’s life!

Bio: Kevin McNeil is the lead pastor at Canvas Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He and his awesome wife, Maiah, have two kids and every week they set up church in a movie theater. Kevin loves laughing, Jesus, and basketball – and will happily block your shot this weekend if you want some.

Addison Lilley is the Next Gen Director at Canvas Church. She graduated from Liberty University in 2021 and moved to Goldsboro to help plant Canvas Church. Addison loves going on walks with her dog, reading on rainy days, and Saturday baking. She is passionate about equipping and teaching the next generation about Jesus.

Title: Upside-Down Service

Workshop Description: We live in a society that, if we’re being honest, is all about…me! “What works best for me? How does this benefit me? Me first!” You get the idea. This way of thinking leaves very little margin for us to care about one of the things that mattered most to Jesus: people! In this workshop, we are going to focus on reframing our foundational understanding of how we view the world, so it looks more like the way Jesus viewed the world.

Bio: Joe Cartwright was born and raised in Norfolk, VA, and after spending ten+ years in student ministry, Joe felt God leading him and his family into church planting. Joe is currently learning and training to plant a new church in Eastern North Carolina soon!

Title: Restful Presence: The Practice of Worship and Surrender

Workshop Description: In the fast-paced, often overwhelming world we live in, finding true rest can feel impossible. In this workshop, we will explore what it means to surrender our thoughts, motives, and burdens. Jesus and the Psalmists modeled this restful presence as an active choice to trust in the Father. Together, we will learn practical ways to incorporate worship and surrender into our daily lives, experiencing peace and freedom by resting in God’s love and mercy. Come ready to learn, reflect, and embrace the invitation to find true rest in the presence of Jesus.

Bio: Aaron Collins, from New Bern, is all about leading worship and sharing his love for Jesus with a contagious passion. He loves going on adventures with his wife and two kids, reading, playing disc golf and as much Fortnite as possible.

Title: How to Wrestle with God

Workshop Description: You don’t need to stop thinking to follow Jesus. It’s okay to have questions and doubts; they can indicate a growing faith. Expressing those questions and doubts is often the first step toward discovering genuine answers and truly knowing the one who is the Truth.

Bio: Jordan Clark has been in ministry for over 25 years, with decades of experience working with youth and young adults. He served for 15 years as the Associate Minister at Christ’s Church in Greenville, NC, overseeing the worship ministry and small groups. He has spent the last 4 years working as the Campus Minister for Campus Christian Fellowship at East Carolina University. He is now serving as Director of Campus Christian Fellowship. Jordan is married to his wife Becky and together they have 4 kids, 8 chickens, a dog, and a rabbit.

Title: Building a Toolbox: How to Be Ready When a Storm Comes

Workshop Description: Jesus promises us that the storm is coming and when it does, he tells us that we are wise if we build on a firm foundation. But have you ever built something without the right tools? Having the right tools makes all the difference. This fun, interactive, and meaningful workshop will give us the right tools in our toolbox to be able to build a strong spiritual house.

Bio: Roger Burns is the pastor of Restore Church in Jacksonville, NC. Roger has been married to his wife Erin for fifteen years and has two kids: Bowen, who is eleven, and Sadie, who is nine. He loves doing Jiu-Jitsu, watching football, playing golf, and going fishing. He is super passionate about church planting, people loving, and following Jesus.

The workshop team has put together summaries and discussion questions for each workshop to help with your youth group time afterward. These materials are designed to give you everything you need to guide a discussion, even if you couldn’t attend the workshop yourself.

Small Group Guide