Christar Summit: Unity Unleashed

November 1 - 2, 2024 – Plano, Texas

We’re gathering 100 like-minded business leaders, church representatives, cross-cultural workers and mission organization representatives around the table to intentionally partner for a singular goal: effectively accelerate the spread of the gospel to those who have no access to it, yet.

Bring your expertise, experience, thought leadership and skill sets to engage in meaningful discussions, brainstorm and explore innovative solutions. Together, we’ll tackle obstacles that prevent people around the world from discovering the good news of Jesus.

LET'S GO BEYOND

Address current challenges in missions
Collaborate in fun and strategic workshops
Explore creative access points to bring the gospel to least-reached people groups
Catalyze more believers to participate in the Great Commission
Accelerate gospel mobilization

During this gathering, you will be invited to invest your many treasures in Christ as we explore strategies that enable us to more effectively fulfill the Great Commission together.

This one-of-a-kind summit is FREE for you, including up to two nights of accommodations.

Hospitality, lodging and program costs are being provided through the generous investment of one of our partner churches.

Hosted by Christar U.S., this gathering of Great Commission stakeholders is an opportunity to build holistic mobilization partnerships to advance the gospel together.

Event schedule

Jacob Hancock, Our Moderator

Jacob Hancock is the vice president of strategy for Pioneers, an adjunct professor at Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and the executive director of Seeds Innovation, a team of innovators utilizing design thinking to solve complex challenges for global organizations. Jacob has completed design thinking projects in more than two dozen countries and has lived overseas for over six years in India, Albania, Greece and South Sudan. He has been privileged to work with more than 100 organizations within the spaces of design, innovation and strategy.

Jacob has expertise in pre-empathy of design, design thinking, cultures of innovation, innovation implementation, change management and organizational strategy. He holds an MBA in international business from Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from Moody Bible Institute. He is also a Prosci® Certified Change Practitioner with specialties in change resistance and resolving change barriers.

This is not your typical missions conference!

QUESTIONS?

Your most pressing questions are answered here. We’ll keep you updated as we get closer to the event.

What IS the summit?

This is not your typical missions conference! Through two days of collaborative and fun workshops, we will explore new strategies to address current challenges and catalyze more believers to participate in the Great Commission.

Thanks to the generosity of a church partnering with Christar, participants may attend at no cost. While there will be no specific fundraising ask, you will be invited to invest your diverse treasures in Christ, including your skills, expertise and finances as we explore strategies that advance the work of establishing churches among the least-reached.

Together, we’ll work to create an outcome with eternal impact!

When is the summit?

Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 2024

Where will it be held?

Plano, Texas at The Nature & Retreat Center, 5901 Los Rios Blvd, Plano, TX 75074

Is there a cost to attend?

The summit is FREE, including up to two nights of accommodations.

Thanks to the generous investment of a Christar partner, this is an opportunity to build holistic mobilization partnerships to advance the gospel together.

Why should I come?

Your expertise, experience, skills and thought leadership are vital to addressing challenges in fulfilling the Great Commission! We need your voice and perspective as we collaborate through encouraging and meaningful conversations, brainstorm possible solutions and take next steps to unleash more believers to extend the reach of the gospel.

Together, we’ll work to create an outcome with eternal impact!

Can I bring a friend or group?

Please contact us ([email protected]) so we can learn more about those you’d like to invite.

Who else is coming?

The summit will bring together mission-minded believers eager to collaborate, strategize and respond to significant Great Commission challenges.

You will be joined by:

business leaders and individuals committed to more effectively spreading the gospel
church representatives, including missions pastors, lay leaders and individuals passionate about missions
current and prospective cross-cultural workers
mission organizations representatives excited about serving the global Body of Christ

What is our combined goal?

This select group of Great Commission stakeholders will invest their specialized expertise, skills, experiences and perspectives in a unified way to generate forward-looking ideas and directly participate in activities that support cross-cultural engagement of the least-reached.

Together we will:

Evaluate the cost and risk of maintaining the status quo
Build toward solutions to bring the gospel to least-reached people groups through creative access points, such as entrepreneurial businesses and community development projects
Learn more about creative-access pathways for cross-cultural ministry, as well as strengthen and support creative gospel-focused business proposals

What should I expect when I come?

You will collaborate with other believers in hands-on, interactive workshops. Each session is designed to foster unified conversations across diverse perspectives of mission-minded believers to generate forward-looking solutions addressing current challenges in missions. Together, we’ll explore creative strategies to effectively engage every believer in the Great Commission. Click the button below for a detailed, tentative schedule.

Click for Schedule

What is a Minnow Bucket?

On the schedule you’ll notice the Minnow Buckets. This is like “Shark Tank” without the teeth. Select cross-cultural workers will present gospel-focused proposals for new or expanding transformational businesses. You will join our panel in providing your expertise, partnering with them in brainstorming creative ways to expand their effectiveness and accelerate the spread of the gospel to those who have no access to it yet.

Event schedule

This is a tentative schedule and may vary slightly when you attend.

Click for Schedule

EVENT LOGISTICS

What if I need accommodations or transportation?

We are happy to reserve a room for you for the nights of October 31 and/or November 1 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Richardson, which is about 15 minutes from the summit venue. Just let us know you’d like accommodations, and we’ll handle the rest to simplify the check-out process and ensure you are not billed.

Please contact us at [email protected] and our volunteer hospitality liaison, Cathy LaRosa, will reach out to you directly.

What is the closest airport?

Both Dallas Love Field and Dallas Fort Worth are within 40 minutes of the event venue.

Do I need to rent a car?

We will provide shuttle services to/from the airport at select times and between the hotel and venue each day. If you would like to explore Dallas on your own, we recommend renting a car.

Do you accommodate special dietary needs?

We will work with you as the event draws closer.

If you have questions or would like to learn more, please email us at [email protected]. In the spirit of collaboration, one of our Switchboard volunteers will reach out with a reply.

We look forward to making your experience a great one!