Lead the City Conference 2024
Chicago • June 7 – 8th, 2024
Progressive Baptist Church

Cultivating Faithfulness
in our Hearts, Homes,
Churches & Neighborhoods

Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Psalm 37.3

Speaker
John Onwuchekwa is an Atlanta-based author, preacher, and entrepreneur and serves as the director of leadership resources for Christianity Today.
Speaker
David Marrero is the pastor of the Humboldt Park Campus of New Life Covenant in Chicago, IL.
Speaker
Sandra Maria Van Opstal is a second-generation Latina and the executive director of Chasing Justice. She is an author, pastor, and activist reimagining the intersection of faith and justice. Her work centers on chasing justice under the mentorship of the global church, for the mobilizing of the next generation of leaders. Sandra has given leadership in global movements such as Lausanne, The Justice Conference, and Urbana Missions Conference. She has also had a strong domestic presence as an executive pastor at Grace and Peace Church and as an activist on the west-side of Chicago.

Speaker
Derrick Puckett is the Lead Pastor and Church Planter of Renewal Church of Chicago and serves as President of The Chicago Partnership. He and his wife, Kaley, moved to Chicago in 2013 to plant a Gospel-centered, disciple-making, multi-ethnic church. Renewal started in 2014 and has been thriving ever since. Derrick has a B.A. from Indiana University and an M.Div. from Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary. Derrick and Kaley have 4 beautiful daughters, Ramiyah, Elyana, Isabelle, and Nalah, and a handsome son, DJ.
Speaker
Charlie Dates is the pastor of Salem Baptist Church and Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. He also serves as an Affiliate Professor at Baylor University- George W. Truett, Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Wheaton College and is a board member of The Chicago Partnership.
Host
Brian Dye serves as Director of Leader Development for The Chicago Partnership. Brian’s passion is "to train leaders in ministry to urban America." In 2006 he founded The Legacy Conference to equip those that are serious about being disciples of Christ to make disciples for Christ.

SATURDAY BREAKOUTS

Tech as a Catalyst for Ministry

This session focuses on identifying and nurturing potential tech leaders within the church community. Participants will learn about the critical role of technology in expanding ministry outreach and improving church operations. The workshop will cover best practices for implementing technology solutions, fostering innovation, and encouraging a culture of digital fluency among church staff and volunteers.

A notable product designer from Dolton, IL, Hunter has skillfully integrated her dedication to God, technology, and creating engaging user experiences in her career. As a Co-Founder and CEO of Study Aloud, she has furthered her passion, leading her startup to innovate in the Christian education-tech space. After earning her BFA in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Hunter entered the user experience (UX) field to blend her spiritual beliefs with her tech expertise. This endeavor led her to design scalable, impactful products, earning multiple awards for her mobile apps and SaaS applications, and she has played a vital role in UX leadership for B2B and B2C platforms at major firms, including Office Depot.
In addition to her tech career, Hunter has held directorial roles in several Christian nonprofit organizations, focusing on organizational enhancement, deepening Christian experiences, and making a significant community impact. She currently contributes to the Junior Board of Thresholds, a key mental health nonprofit in Chicago, and mentors high school students through LINK Unlimited Scholars.
Committed to lifelong learning, Hunter is advancing her education with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in Christian Leadership and Church Ministries at Liberty University. She has also completed the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship Certificate Program at Cornell University. Hunter is excited to use her growing knowledge to enrich Christian experiences through Study Aloud and is dedicated to helping her community gain similar skills.
Kenneth is an African American man from Detroit, MI, who has spent his life building and strengthening community relationships through volunteering and athletics. During his athletic tenure at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he achieved All Big-Ten Academics Honors and earned his M.S. in Tourism Management and B.S. in Advertising. He has used his knowledge of strategic planning and operations to enter the field of Business Operations in the automotive industry. Kenneth currently serves as the COO of Study Aloud, executing the strategy of personalized Christian learning experiences through advanced technologies.
He aspires to combine his skills in building efficient processes and his faith to improve the internal operations of businesses and enhance end-user satisfaction worldwide, all in the name of God. Kenneth loves volunteering, consulting small business owners, and passionately serving his church and community.

A Nonpolitical Approach to Abortion

Cultivate a focus on people, not politics, in how your church responds to abortion. We won't discuss being pro-choice or pro-life since God values the woman and child equally. Instead, we'll elevate the conversation by looking at Jesus' stories as our guide on how to engage our congregation and community. Walk away with some next steps to become a more safe and welcoming community where people can find grace, support, and hope.

Angela is the CEO and Co-Founder of ProGrace, a pioneering voice called to reshape the Christian response to abortion. ProGrace provides resources, curriculum, and community for Christians who seek to reflect Jesus, not politics, in their response to unintended pregnancy and abortion. Before ProGrace, Angela spent ten years as President of Caris Pregnancy Counseling Resources in Chicago. This role was her first experience in the pro-life/pro-choice space, and her journey awakened the passion and transformative content behind ProGrace.

Faithful Leadership in Turbulent Political Times

As Christians, we are called to civic and community engagement. We have a duty to impact culture in a manner that reflects the truth (&) love of Jesus Christ. In this breakout session, will discuss 10 Civic Disciplines that believers can practice in order to promote Christ-centered engagement in the 2024 election and beyond.

Chris Butler is a pastor and “serial organizer” from Chicago, IL. He and his wife, Aziza are proud homeschool parents of six wonderful children. Chris is the Lead Pastor of Chicago Embassy Church Network and is an experienced organization builder having led electoral campaigns, legislative advocacy efforts, large-scale field organizing and an independent public relations firm. Chris is a co-author of “Compassion and Conviction: The AND Campaigns Guide To Faithful Civic Engagement” with Justin Giboney and Micheal Wear.