A number of Presbyterian Church in America leaders are involved in developing, participating, and endorsing this unique ministry.

‘Rooted’ is the name given to this conference whose stated purpose is “simply to proclaim that the message of the crucified Christ not only belongs in student ministry, but forms its only center. Since the Church’s beginnings, the Gospel has presented a challenge. Many, fearing its foolishness, shy away from what Paul describes as the “message of the cross”, which simultaneously reveals the depth of our sinfulness and the unending love of the Father. In its place, “a different gospel” takes root, marginalizing Jesus to either a therapeutic life-coach or a mere example for our moral performance. This diluted, performance-based message is seen most clearly in student ministry. From this conviction, the Cathedral Church of the Advent presents Rooted: A Theology Conference for Student Ministry. Our prayer is to see ministers and ministries increasingly rooted in the Gospel.

The sponsoring church, Cathedral Church of the Advent is a 3,800-member congregation in Birmingham, which makes it one of the largest Episcopal parishes in the United States. The church serves as the cathedral for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.

One main feature of the Conference is to demonstrate the need for the primacy of Theology over Methodology in Student Ministry. “Many conferences focus on the “how to” of student ministry; Rooted focuses on the substance: the message of the crucified Christ. What we do is driven by what we believe, or, in other words, our theology informs our methodology. Formulas work in chemistry, but when it comes to the many variables of life, formulas have a hard time keeping up. That’s why ministry done in one place does not always work in another. So, while many conferences focus on how to do different aspects of ministry, this conference follows one singular train of thought: the Gospel.”

Another main feature is a focus on Gospel Centered Ministry. “Rooted is a conference about centering student ministry on the Gospel. It’s about putting aside youth ministry as rules, entertainment, and a pep rally, and focusing on what Christ accomplished on the Cross. Rooted is about considering how the Gospel can be more central and foundational in our student ministries.”

Primary Speakers for the conference will be:

Ashley Null. Null has served as a chaplain for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He is canon theologian for the Diocese of Western Kansas, visiting fellow at Cambridge, and visiting research fellow at Humboldt-Universitat in Berlin. Null is a recent recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and received his MDiv from Yale Divinity School and his PhD from Cambridge. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation. His book, Thomas Cranmer’s Doctrine of Repentance — Renewing the Power to Love, was recently published by Oxford University Press. Ashley Null has a long history as a chaplain to international athletes. His experience with athletes led to his writing Real Joy: Freedom to be Your Best.

Brian Habig. Habig planted, and now pastors, Downtown Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina. He previously served as a campus minister with Reformed University Fellowship at Mississippi State University and Vanderbilt University. He is also the co-author of The Enduring Community, an introduction to ecclesiology. Brian earned his Masters in Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. He led break-out sessions at the Together for the Gospel Conference. Brian and his wife, Dana, have three children

Key Workshops leaders for the conference will be

Gordon Bals Bals founded Daymark Pastoral Counseling in 1997. He holds an M.A. degree in Biblical Counseling (1993) from Colorado Christian University where he studied under Dr. Dan Allender and Dr. Larry Crabb. He holds a Doctor of Education in Pastoral Community Counseling (2004) from the University of Sarasota. Prior to founding Daymark Pastoral Counseling Gordon worked as an adolescent and family counselor and as an Assistant Pastor at a local church.

Mark Gignilliat Gignilliat was youth director at North Hills Community Church in Greenville, South Carolina before his doctoral studies. He has taught Hebrew, Old Testament Exegesis, and Biblical Theology at Beeson Divinity School since 2005. His research interests include the relationship between the testaments, and between exegesis and Christian dogmatics. Before coming to Beeson Divinity School, he taught at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford.

byFaithonline.com, the news magazine of the Presbyterian Church in America recently reported that John Steakley, youth director at Covenant Presbyterian (PCA) in Birmingham, Ala., is serving on the steering committee for Rooted. Steakley states: “… it will endow you with a focus on good exegesis of Scripture that leads to a correct understanding of your ministry. Very simply, our ministries need to be focused on Christ-centered relationships and faithful, accurate teaching of God’s Word.”

In the same article, Brian Habig, one of the keynote speakers says: “My hope is that our time together will be an expression of good catholicity. We’re trying to help each other think about ministry with the Reformation distinctives we share.”

A number of well-known church leaders have endorsed this conference, including:

Timothy George, a senior editor of Christianity Today and the founding dean of
Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, professor, Concordia University Irvine, and co-host White Horse Inn

Will Willimon, Bishop, the United Methodist Church, for twenty years, Dean of the Chapel, Duke University

The Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr., former Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of
South Carolina

Dr. Harry L. Reeder, III, Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church

David Zahl,Executive Director, Mockingbird Ministries