September 24 & 25
Rolling Hills Community Church
Franklin, TN

Location
Hotel
Schedule
FAQ

NASHVILLE

God at work.

In the culture,
He is redeeming.

In the church,
He is reviving.

In our children,
He is reaching.

In our lives,
He is renewing.

This is a Holy Moment.

Child Discipleship Forum 2026

Get ready to connect, grow, and step into the holy moment God is writing in your ministry.

  • Growing Biblical Literacy
  • Empowering Volunteers
  • Ministering to Children with Trauma & Anxiety
  • Navigating AI & Tech
  • Forming Lasting Faith in Children
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2026 Child Discipleship Forum Speakers

Orthodox Biblical Views for Living in an Unorthodox World

Picture of George Barna

George Barna

Researcher, Author, Cultural Analyst

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Picture of Jay Kim

Jay Kim

Pastor, Author, Cultural Theologian

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Picture of Nancy Pearcey

Nancy Pearcey

Author, Professor, Christian Apologist

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Picture of John Stonestreet

John Stonestreet

President - Colson Center, Cultural Commentator

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Picture of Dee Dee Mayer

Dee Dee Mayer

Children’s Ministry Leader, Curriculum Specialist

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Picture of Trip Lee

Trip Lee

Artist, Author, Pastor

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Picture of Darren Whitehead

Darren Whitehead

Pastor, Author, Cultural Analyst

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Picture of Josh Mulvihill

Josh Mulvihill

Exec. Dir. of Church & Family Ministry at Renewanation, Author

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Picture of Alanzo Paul

Alanzo Paul

Scholar, Youth Apologetics

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Picture of Clare Morrell

Clare Morrell

Technology Fellow - Ethics & Public Policy Center, Author

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Picture of Sam Luce

Sam Luce

Author, Pastor, Director of ChildDiscipleship.com

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Picture of Jenny Smith

Jenny Smith

Lead Developer Brite Curriculum, Author

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Picture of Tony Shepherd

Tony Shepherd

Pastor, Church Leadership Coach

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Picture of Mike Handler

Mike Handler

Chief Innovation & Communications Officer, Awana

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Picture of Matt Markins

Matt Markins

CEO of Awana, Author, Child Discipleship Researcher

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More speakers to be announced soon.

CDF has given me vision and practical direction for how we can move beyond surface-level engagement and really invest in shaping the hearts, minds, and faith of the next generation.

– Jaime, North Carolina

HOLY MOMENT

Every moment with your kids has the potential to be a holy moment, an opportunity to point them to Jesus and watch Him move in their lives.

Included in Your CDF '26 In-Person Registration:

  • Welcome Party: Early Check-In + Free Food! Wed. Sept. 23, 3–5 PM
  • Hear From All General Session Speakers 
  • Live Worship + Story & Song
  • Roundtable Processing & Discussions
  • Spiral-bound Workbook With Discussion Guide 
  • Resource Store: Speaker Books & CDF Merch 
  • 2 Days of Lunch, Snacks & Coffee Included – More Free Food!
  • Access to a Replay Link to Watch CDF ’26 for 30 Days Following the Forum

CDF '26 LOCATION

Rolling Hills Community Church

1810 Columbia Ave.
Franklin, TN 37064

The Official CDF '26 Hotel

Hampton Inn & Suites Franklin Berry Farms

Don’t miss out on our limited block of discounted rooms at the Official CDF ‘26 Hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Franklin Berry Farms.

Get the best price with our room block plus FREE Wifi, FREE Breakfast, and a great lobby with seating for hanging out with your team. 

The Hampton is within walking distance to: Edley’s BBQ, Chick-fil-A, McDonalds, Panda Express and a BRAND NEW In-N-Out Burger. 

Within just a two minute drive you’ll find: pizza, Honest Coffee Roasters, Sonic, Whit’s Custard, Mexican & Chinese food, Publix and much more. 

Book early to secure a room within our discounted block. The group rate is available through August 31 or until the block sells out, whichever comes first!

Lock in the Discounted Rate

CDF Welcome Party

Join us at the CDF Welcome Party, a joyful time to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, take care of conference check-in registration and soak in the energy before the Forum begins.

Wednesday, Sept. 23

3:00 – 5:00 PM

Location TBA 

You don’t want to miss it. See you there!

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welcome 1
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CDF '26 Nashville In-Person Schedule

ALL TIMES LISTED BELOW ARE CENTRAL TIME ZONE.

This Nasvhille in-person schedule is Approximate and all times are Subject To Change.

Wednesday, Sept. 23

3:00 – 5:00 p.m. — 🎉 CDF Welcome Party & Check-in! 🎉

Location TBA

Thursday, Sept. 24

7:30 a.m. — Church opens for Check-in, Community, & Coffee

8:00 a.m. — Worship Center Doors Open

8:30 a.m. — Session 1

10:15 a.m. — Session 2

12:00 p.m. — Free Lunch 

1:30 p.m. — Session 3

3:00 p.m. — Session 4

5:30 p.m. — Day 1 Ends

Friday, Sept. 25

7:30 a.m. — Church opens for Community & Coffee

8:00 a.m. — Worship Center Doors Open

8:30 a.m. — Session 5

10:15 a.m. — Session 6

12:00 p.m. —Free Lunch/ CDF ‘27 tickets go on sale!*

1:30 p.m. — Session 7

3:30 p.m. — End of CDF Day 2 

*Limited time Returner Rate Tickets available for CDF ‘27. Details announced at Friday lunch.

FAQs

We have a block of discounted rooms available at the Official CDF ‘26 Hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Franklin Berry Farms. Use this registration link for the discounted rate. 

Book early to secure a room within our discounted block. The group rate is available through August 31 or until the block sells out, whichever comes first.

There will be plenty of free parking for all attendees.

CDF is a general session style conference. Speakers, worship, Story & Song, round table conversations and more are all done with everyone together in the church’s worship center. While we do not offer traditional workshops or breakouts, there are 2 to 3 optional sessions each day during lunch.

  • Welcome Party: Early Check-In + Free Food! Wed. Sept. 23, 3–5 PM
  • Hear From All General Session Speakers 
  • Live Worship + Story & Song
  • Roundtable Processing & Discussions
  • Spiral-bound Workbook With Discussion Guide 
  • Resource Store: Speaker Books & CDF Merch 
  • 2 Days of Lunch, Snacks & Coffee Included – More Free Food!
  • Access to a Replay Link to Watch CDF ’26 for 30 Days Following the Forum

Each day, there will be lunch, water, coffee and snacks included in your registration. 

Upon registration, the following options were given for dietary restrictions: GF, DF, Vegetarian, Vegan, Other. 

If you need to confirm or update your information, please email forum@awana.org.

While the forum is all about discipling children, it is designed for adults with an exception for nursing babies.

Yes, we will have the speaker books available for purchase at the resource store on-site. 

CDF ‘26 will kick off with the Welcome Party on Wednesday from 3–5 pm. 

Estimated event times are 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM on Thursday and 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM on Friday. Church doors will open for coffee and networking time each day at 7:30am. Worship Center doors will open each day at 8:00 AM. Click here for a closer look at the schedule.

Yes! Connect with your fellow attendees at the Wednesday Welcome Party from 3-5 PM and consider joining each other for dinner after.

There is no programming on Thursday evening. The conference ends on Friday afternoon. You are free to explore Franklin and Nashville during these times! 

In previous years, some attendees have enjoyed staying in Nashville for the weekend.

Absolutely! Reach out to us at forum@awana.org to make those changes with a member of our Partner Care Team. You’ll need your first and last name, along with the email address used to register for the event.

Each ticket is for one person for the entirety of the conference. 

While we do not offer refunds for the event, you can transfer your ticket to another person prior to the event. Each ticket is for one person for the entirety of the conference.

Alternatively, you can convert a Nashville, in-person ticket to online individual access. Email our Event Team at forum@awana.org to get your transfer started!

In order to make the change, you’ll need your first and last name, and registered email address, as well as the first and last name and email of the person you’d like to transfer you your ticket to.

Please note in the event of transferring from on-site to online we are not able to refund any difference in ticket price or value.

Email us at forum@awana.org. 

Online

Team
$399
$ 299
  • ONLINE
REGISTER
Rate Available Through 05/15
Discount

Online

Individual
$349
$ 249
  • ONLINE
REGISTER
Rate Available Through 05/15
Discount

In Person

Nashville
Sold Out
  • NASHVILLE
Register for the Online Experience
SOLD OUT

George Barna

Barna is a Professor at Arizona Christian University and Director of Research at its Cultural Research Center, focusing on worldview assessment and development, and cultural transformation. He is also the Sr. Research Fellow at Family Research Council Center for Biblical Worldview, and a Fellow at the Townsend Institute at Concordia University. 

He was the founder The Barna Group (which he sold in 2009), the Barna Institute, the American Culture and Faith Institute, and Metaformation. Through those entities he has conducted groundbreaking research on worldview, cultural transformation, ministry applications, spiritual development, and politics. He has provided research and strategy for several hundred parachurch ministries, thousands of Christian churches, the U.S. military, Fortune 500 companies, and has supplied polling and strategy to four presidential candidates. He has also served on multiple Boards of Directors and Advisory Boards.

To date, Barna has authored or co-authored 60 books addressing social and religious trends, worldview, leadership, spiritual development, church dynamics, and cultural transformation. They include New York Times and amazon bestsellers and several award-winning books. His books have been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages.

He previously taught at several universities and seminaries; served as the Teaching Pastor of a large, multi-ethnic church; pastor of a house church; an elder in four congregations; and has helped to start several churches.

After graduating summa cum laude from Boston College, Barna earned two Master’s degrees from Rutgers University and received a doctorate from Dallas Baptist University.

George and his wife Nancy attended high school, college, and grad school together before marrying in 1978. They have three adopted daughters and three grandchildren, and currently live on the central California coast and in Phoenix. In his free time, George likes to watch the Yankees, read novels, play bass and listen to music, enjoy the ocean, hang out with his grandchildren and his blind dog (Ray Charles).

Jay Kim

Jay Y. Kim serves as lead pastor at WestGate, a multi-congregational church in Silicon Valley. He’s the author of The Pace of Peace, Analog Christian, Analog Church, and Listen Listen Speak. Jay hosts the Digital Examen podcast and serves on the board of Practicing the Way. He lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and their two young children.

Nancy Pearcey

Nancy Pearcey is a bestselling author and speaker. A former agnostic, she was hailed in The Economist as “America’s pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual.” Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Times, First Things, Human Events, American Thinker, Daily Caller, The Federalist, CNSNews, and Fox News. She has appeared on NPR, C-SPAN, and Fox & Friends. She is currently a professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University.

John Stonestreet

John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center. He’s a sought-after speaker and author on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics. John is the daily voice of Breakpoint, the nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson. He has co-authored five books including A Practical Guide to Culture and Restoring All Things. Before coming to the Colson Center in 2010, John served in various leadership capacities with Summit Ministries and was on the biblical studies faculty at Bryan College (TN). John is an ordained deacon in the Anglican Diocese of All Nations (Anglican Church of North America). He and his wife, Sarah, have four children and live in Colorado Springs, CO.

Dee Dee Mayer

Dyonette “Dee Dee” Mayer is the Senior Director of RelateStrong at the Boone Center for the Family. She is a licensed clinical social worker who has been in private practice for over twenty years specializing in treating couples, women in leadership, and families.  

She earned a Doctor in Ministry from Azusa Pacific University studying healthy leadership in ministry contexts. She has over 20 years of experience providing organizational leadership and program management in academic and community health environments. She is passionate about supporting ministry leaders and congregations in developing strong and healthy relationships. Prior to joining the Boone Center for the Family, Dee Dee served at Oaks Christian School as the Associate Head of School for Spiritual Life investing in spiritual formation and discipleship for youth and families. She also served as co-host for Movieguide TV supporting parents and families in making media-wise choices. Dee Dee loves to help couples and individuals prepare their relationships for life and leadership as they build character, cultivate healthy attachments, and grow in compassion towards self and others. Dee Dee loves to teach through God’s word and encourage people towards a transformational relationship with Jesus Christ. She is a published author, regular guest on national radio programs, and a sought-after public speaker.  Dee Dee has been married to her husband, Albert since 1994. Together, they have three adult children. 

Trip Lee

Trip Lee is a renowned artist, author, and speaker who has made a lasting impact on the world. With a unique blend of lyrical prowess and profound insights, Trip captivates audiences with his music and motivational messages. From his early days as a teenager releasing mixtapes to becoming a chart-topping artist, Trip has consistently pushed boundaries creatively and challenged listeners to live out their faith boldly.

Darren Whitehead

Darren Whitehead is the lead and founding pastor of Church of the City. In 2013, he and a small team had a vision to plant a family of churches that live in the way of Jesus for the renewal of global cities. Every weekend thousands of people join in person and online at one of 4 regional church congregations across Nashville and New York City. Originally from Australia, Darren has lived in the United States for over 20 years. He holds both Masters and Doctorate degrees in Ministry, with his dissertation focus on millennials and the future of the Western church. He recently released his second book, Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship, co-authored with worship leader Chris Tomlin. Darren and Brandy have three daughters and live in Nashville.

Josh Mulvihill

Josh Mulvihill is the Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry at Renewanation, which exists to help children develop a biblical worldview. He served as a pastor for nearly 20 years, has a PhD in Family Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, serves as the incoming Chairman on the board of Awana, and is the author or of ten books on parenting and grandparenting including Biblical Grandparenting, 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home, Biblical Worldview, and Family Ministry. He is married to Jen, they homeschool their five children, and live at Prairie Hill Farm in Lester Prairie, MN. Together, they host the Gospel Shaped Family Podcast and you can find them online at GospelShapedFamily.com

Alonzo Paul

Alanzo is a speaker and tutor at the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and the Director of Reboot (OCCA’s youth apologetics initiative). Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Alanzo became a Christian in 2009 after grappling with drug addiction for over ten years. Since then, he has dedicated his life to Jesus Christ by engaging with the questions of others and speaking to audiences worldwide. Alanzo is deeply invested in the flourishing of younger generations and enjoys exploring their “big questions”. He leads OCCA’s Reboot team, which engages young people in conversation around questions of God, life, and faith. He holds a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) from the University of Oxford (Wycliffe Hall) and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MA) from the University of Toronto. He is currently undertaking a doctoral programme (DPhil) in philosophical theology at the University of Oxford. His research explores how God can provide meaning to lives affected by horrendous evil, using an analytic philosophical approach that aims to bring clarity and precision to this perennial and existential question. Alanzo loves barbecue, weightlifting, Japanese anime, and all things Canadian. He is married to his wife, Khadija, and they live in Oxford

Clare Morrell

Clare Morell is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC’s Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Prior to joining EPPC, Ms. Morell worked in both the White House Counsel’s Office and the Department of Justice, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones, which will be published by Penguin Random House.

Sam Luce

Sam Luce is the Director of ChildDiscipleship.com at Awana and has been an active voice in the global children’s ministry community for years. He co-authored Forming Faith and How to Teach Kids Theology, and has contributed to multiple book projects and numerous articles, and has written regularly at samluce.com since 2007. Presently, he writes on Substack, helped coin the term “kidmin,” and is a frequent conference speaker.

Before joining Awana, Sam served as a pastor for 28 years, most of that time in children’s ministry. He graduated from Portland Bible College in 1997 with a BA in Theology and later earned dual Master’s degrees from Knox Theological Seminary: an M.A.CCS in Christian and Classical Studies and an M.A.BTS in Biblical and Theological Studies. He is a current Doctoral candidate at Western Theological Seminary.

Sam’s passion is the power of the Gospel at work in people’s lives, producing lasting faith in the next generation. He and his wife, Sandra, have been married for 27 years and have four children. When he’s not writing or speaking, Sam enjoys time with family, baseball, and reading—usually more than one book at a time.

Jenny Smith

Jenny Smith serves as the Lead Brite Developer for Awana. She previously served in children’s ministry for 20 years in the local church and has served ministry leaders through writing, coaching, and speaking. Jenny lives in Bradenton, Florida with her three girls and loves traveling, reading, and eating ice cream.

Tony Shepherd

Tony lives in Nashville with his wife, Jolene, and their six children: David, Stephen, Lydia, Mark, Noelle, and Moriah. Before transitioning into pastoral ministry, Tony produced Christian hip-hop artists such as Lecrae and Shai Linne. In 2013, he and his family were called to Virginia, where he served as a church-planting pastor until returning to Tennessee in 2022. He now serves as an Assistant Pastor to the wonderful saints of Immanuel Nashville.

Mike Handler

CDF Architect & Co-Founder

Mike Handler serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for Awana. Prior to Awana, Mike served as a pastor and church planter as well as the principal of a creative agency. Mike is the co-author of Forming Faith and Resilient, as well as the co-founder of the Child Discipleship Forum. Mike, his wife, Erin; and their four kids feel blessed to have relocated to Franklin, Tennessee from the Chicago area, but they miss Chicago food and sports.

Matt Markins

Awana President & CEO

Matt serves as the President and CEO of Awana, a global leader in child discipleship. As a researcher in child discipleship and children’s ministry, Matt has commissioned 14 research projects since 2013, including a study conducted by Barna Group called, Children’s Ministry in a New Reality. He’s a board member at large for the National Association of Evangelicals and is the author or co-author of eight books, most notably Forming Faith, winner of a 2025 Christian Book Award, RESILIENT: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church, and The Story We Tell Our Children. He’s also the co-founder of the Child Discipleship Forum and D6 Conference. Matt and his wife Katie have been involved in children’s ministry for more than 25 years and spend their time in Nashville. They have two sons and a daughter-in-law. For more information go to www.ChildDiscipleship.com and www.Awana.org.