You’ve been called on a mission. Don’t go at it alone.

In a world filled with spiritual confusion, cultural shifts, and theological drift, the Church needs clarity more than ever. That’s why Foundations Conference 2025 is digging deep into the essential question: What is the gospel?

Rooted in the Letter to the Galatians, this year’s conference will equip and encourage pastors, ministry leaders, church staff, and spouses to confidently teach, live, and share the true gospel in their homes, churches, and communities.

Whether you’re leading from the pulpit, in kids ministry, on staff, or faithfully supporting from the front row, Foundations is for you. This is more than a conference—it’s a space to realign our hearts, sharpen our focus, and strengthen one another for the mission we’ve been called to.

  • Dr. Joel Lawrence serves as the President of the Center for Pastor Theologians. Prior to this role, Joel served as the Senior Pastor of Central Baptist Church in St Paul, MN, Teaching Pastor at Calvary Church in White Bear, MN, and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics at Bethel Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota. Joel holds degrees from Texas A&M University (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM.), and Cambridge University (MPhil. and PhD.). He is the author of Bonhoeffer: A Guide for the Perplexed (T&T Clark, 2010) and co-editor of Confronting Racial Injustice: Theory and Praxis for the Church (Cascade, 2022), Reconstructing Evangelicalism (Cascade, 2025), and Power and the Pulpit (Cascade, forthcoming). In addition, Joel has an active ministry speaking in churches, seminaries, and conferences worldwide.

    Joel and his wife Myndi live in St Paul, MN, with their four children and small, decorative dog.

Towne Place Suites: 1365 N Westfield St, Oshkosh, WI

King room: $149

Queen room: $169

Use promo code at checkout: convergegreatlakes

Free childcare is available during all sessions, so you can focus while your kids are cared for. We’ll also share meals, enjoy encouraging worship, and connect with others who understand the highs and lows of ministry life.

Sponsorship: If interested in a sponsorship package, please contact Sarah Motiff at smotiff@convergegreatlakes.org