[ POWERED BY HCPN ]

God is stirring a multiplying movement across Houston — a citywide awakening of churches, pastors, and planters who are not content to stand still but are ready to move with Him. Step Into the Movement calls every leader and every church to take their next step in God’s mission — to move from awareness to action, from comfort to calling, from maintenance to multiplication.

As we step into the movement, we join what God is already doing across our city. Each step — walking in the Spirit’s power, answering His call, investing in people, and going beyond our comfort zones — moves us closer to the heartbeat of Jesus for Houston and the world.

Let’s move together.
Let’s multiply together.
Let’s step into the movement — and watch God transform our city for His glory.

From the City, For the City: Step Into the Movement

REGISTER + JOIN US:

9:00am - 3pm
(Doors open at 8am)

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Champion Forest | 15555 Stuebner Airline Rd.

REGISTER TODAY: $35

Student discount and scholarships are available! Reach out to haleigh@hcpn.org for details.

SCHEDULE
WORKSHOPS
SPEAKERS
FAQ

Plant Houston is a one-day conference for church planters, aspiring church planters, church planting teams, students, and leaders from networks, denominations, and established churches passionate about multiplication. For anyone with a heart for multiplication and a desire to see the Gospel saturate our city, we hope you’ll join us.

VIEW THE 2025 RECAP

SCHEDULE

8:00-9:00 Doors Open (Registration, Coffee & Networking)

9:00-10:15 Main Session One: Grow to Go

10:15-10:45 Break / Visit Sponsors

10:45-11:45 Morning Workshops »

11:45-12:30 Lunch (included in registration)

12:30-1:30 Afternoon Workshops »

1:30-1:40 Break

1:40-2:50 Main Session Two: Prepare the Jars 

2:50-3:00 Closing Remarks / Next Steps

REGISTER TODAY ($35/PERSON)

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

WORKSHOPS

The following workshops, led by a diverse group of pastors, church planters, and ministry practitioners from Houston, are designed to be practical and interactive. These sessions will equip you with the tools and insights you need to take your next step in ministry and multiplication.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: Are you stuck with seeing your disciple-making efforts get beyond yourself or the programs of your church? What if God is ready to release Gospel multiplication in Houston—and inviting your church to help steward it? In this breakout, you will hear stories of multiplication in Houston, gain a fresh biblical vision for starting with simplicity, and get some practical pathways to take your next step in pursuing a multiplicative disciple-making movement. This is a call to reimagine how your current model might serve as a launching pad for Kingdom multiplication to the ends of the earth.

    PRESENTERS: HEATH HAYNES + PHILIP LYNCH

    Heath serves as the Movement Director with The Bridge HTX, where he invests his days developing healthy disciple-making leaders and helping churches pursue Gospel multiplication in Houston and beyond. Originally from Georgia, God planted Heath in Houston in 2005 where he has grown to love our city as well as seeing Houston for the strategic launching pad to the nations that it is. Heath is also the founder of L3 Leadership Coaching, where he seeks to develop leaders worth following and high-performing companies that people love to work at. He and his wife, Amber, are raising their two teenagers, Gavin and Brooklyn, and can often be found exploring something new together or curled up on the couch enjoying their favorite shows. Heath loves discovering new coffee shops, meeting new people, and coaching leaders in both ministry and the marketplace.

    Philip serves as the Strategy Coordinator for mvmt network, where he focuses on developing disciple-making leaders and mobilizing the Church toward Great Commission multiplication. A former youth pastor in Friendswood, Philip and his wife, Lacey, sensed a call in 2015 to pursue a citywide vision for Gospel movement. They now live inside Houston’s inner loop and help shape a culture of disciple-making across the city. Philip loves raising up leaders, galvanizing teams around a shared vision, and sending people out equipped for mission. He and Lacey are raising four children—ranging from preschool to high school—and as a family, they thrive anywhere people are gathered. Philip also enjoys sports (especially baseball) and coaching leaders as they step into their calling.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: Scripture teaches clearly that the responsibility and calling of followers of Jesus is to share the gospel with those who don’t yet know or follow Jesus. Yet, if statistics and studies are accurate, the overwhelming percentage of believers in Jesus don’t share their beliefs with those who don’t believe in Jesus. Scripture clearly tells His followers that we are ambassadors for Jesus (II Corinthians 5:20), and that Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
    This lack of participation in one of our greatest purposes as Christ followers is not due to a lack of clarity- our calling is all throughout the Scriptures. And, this lack of engagement most likely is also not due to a lack of conviction- most Christians understand that they should be doing this, but still somehow don’t.
    The likely reason for this departure from a lifestyle of sharing the gospel with others is not a lack of clarity that we should, or a lack of calling that we would, but a lack of confidence that we could.
    Jesus was of course the master at having conversations that led to belief in Himself. He would turn a conversation from something very natural, into the supernatural. A quick look at many of Jesus’ conversations reveals a pattern in His progression: Good.God.Gospel.

    PRESENTER: JASON SHEPPERD
    Jason planted Church Project, a “Church of House ChurchesTM,” in 2010 in The Woodlands, TX, in pursuit of “Rethinking and Returning” to what Christ originally intended for His church to be. What began as a group of 40 people in two House Churches has turned into a movement of thousands of people gathered in many House Churches locally, and also dozens of Church Projects started in different cities, states, and countries. Church Project is based on biblical, historical, and global ecclesiological elements “eDNA: Ecclesiological DNA” of: DECENTRALIZED from primary place and priest, that DISTRIBUTES pastoral leadership to empowered and equipped lay pastors, who fully pastor DIVERSE DISCIPLESHIP geographically-based House Church communities, which carry out all of the functions of a church. Local House Churches are connected by common overseers and shared local and global ministries. One result of a connected movement of House Churches is “Simplicity for the Sake of Generosity”, focusing almost $13 million in their first 14 years toward gospel centered ministries and church planting.
    Jason also leads Church Project Network, and House Church Network, which are collectives of churches aligned around the commitment to be a “Church of House Churches”. Jason founded and oversees “Good City”, a city centrality for local ministry collaboration and support, and he speaks on “GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL.”, an evangelistic tool for believers to share the gospel. He wrote the books “A Church of House Churches: An Articulated and Applied Ecclesiology,” and “Church Project: A Biblical, Simple, Relevant Pursuit of Church”. Jason records a daily devotional podcast “START WITH 7”, which leads thousands of people daily to start their days with prayer and Scripture.
    Jason pastors, supports pastors, writes and speaks about ecclesiology, and consults churches on how to become a “Church of House Churches”. He enjoys all things family, sports, competition, outdoors, travel, and trekking mountains. Jason lives in The Woodlands, TX, with his wife Brooke, and their family.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: Houston is arguably one of the most—if not the most—diverse cities in the U.S. People from every cultural and religious background live just a stone’s throw from our homes and workplaces. If you want to learn how to share the gospel with someone whose background is different from yours—whether Catholic, Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist, or Hindu—this seminar will be a great help. You’ll gain practical steps for both pre-evangelism and evangelism, along with hands-on training in twelve evangelism tools you can use in real conversations.

    PRESENTER: JUAN ECLARIN
    Juan is the Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church of Houston, which he planted in 2020. He and his wife, Jean, have been married for 27 years and have three children. Juan also teaches and conducts evangelism training in several countries, engaging with Catholics, Muslims, Atheists, Buddhists, and Hindus. His passion for sharing the gospel—shaped by both global ministry and the religious diversity of Houston—led him to write The Evangelist’s Toolbox, a practical training manual designed to equip believers to reach people from a wide range of religious backgrounds.

  • ROOM: TBD
    TIME: TBD

    SUMMARY:
    Did you know that approximately 78% of protestant Christians in Houston are Black, Hispanic or Asian? As the center of global Christianity has shifted to the Global South, a similar shift is well underway in North American cities thanks to immigrants. The church’s approach to mission must adapt to a rapidly changing global context. In this interactive workshop Jonathan and Cindy will discuss 4 key aspects of Diaspora Network's Mutuality in Mission framework and share examples of how they can be applied in worship, mission, and discipleship.

    PRESENTERS: Jonathan Abraham Kindberg + Cindy Wu
    Rev. Jonathan was born in Perú and grew up in Chile and Panamá before moving to Chicago to attend Wheaton College (where he studied spiritual formation and then intercultural studies). His grandparents attended Wheaton at the same time as Jim and Elizabeth Elliot and were part of that same generation on global mission to Latin America. He spent 13 years pastoring and supporting Latino immigrant churches in Chicago and around the country before moving to Texas in 2021 and starting Diaspora Network in 2022. He is ordained and serves in Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO). Jonathan speaks Spanish, Portuguese and some Arabic after having spent 4 summers in the Middle East. Jonathan and his wife Lini are passionate about God’s beautifully diverse global family.

    Rev. Cindy M. Wu is a native Texan, born to Taiwanese immigrant parents and raised in the beautiful diversity of Houston. In addition to serving as Co-director of Diaspora Network, Cindy is Director of Diaspora Ministries of Mosaic Formation, a non-profit she co-founded with her husband, David. She has served in Mexico, East Asia, and Houston in various ministry contexts. As a “pastor to pastors,” her ministry focuses on serving the city and church at-large through community organizing, spiritual direction, leading workshops and retreats, and cross-cultural training. Cindy is author or co-author of publications on global Christian identity, religious demography, and refugee welcome; she also dabbles in poetry (www.cindymwu.com). She is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary. For fun, she enjoys cycling, reading, and exploring global cuisine.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: It’s easy, even for seasoned ministry leaders, to drift from the fundamentals of church planting. This workshop invites church planters — and those exploring the call to plant — to refocus on three essential areas for lasting ministry impact: hearing God’s voice, praying through problems, and spending intentional time with people. Through practical insights, proven best practices, and shared experiences, we’ll explore how to cultivate these core disciplines that form the foundation of every effective church planter and ministry leader. Come ready to be refreshed, challenged, and encouraged as we return to what matters most in planting and sustaining healthy churches.

    PRESENTER: SETH KUNZE
    Seth was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, and began his college journey at Concordia University, Nebraska, in 2004 — where he met his wife, Jacqueline. Married for 16 years, they now share the joy of raising six amazing children together. After four years of ministry in Bradford, Pennsylvania, Seth attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, completing his vicarage at a church plant in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was there that God first stirred in the Kunzes a passion for church planting. Following seminary graduation in 2016, Seth moved to Houston, Texas, to plant The Dwelling, a church with a heart for reaching disconnected people with the hope of Jesus. He also helped establish the Harvest Partnership, a growing network of churches committed to planting hundreds more congregations in the years ahead.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: God is calling you to step into the movement—but you can't multiply what you don't have. Too many leaders confuse exhaustion with faithfulness, pushing past their limits until they have nothing left to give. But what if the most strategic step you could take for the mission isn't to do more—it's to rest well?

    This workshop challenges the lie that burnout is the cost of ministry and reveals rest as a powerful spiritual discipline that fuels multiplication, not maintenance. We'll explore how sustainable rhythms don't slow down the movement—they strengthen it. You'll discover practical strategies for leading from fullness rather than fumes, setting boundaries that protect your calling, and building a ministry life that goes the distance. Whether you're planting a church, leading a team, or serving in the marketplace, this is your invitation to step into a healthier, more sustainable way of moving with God. Because sustainable ministry isn't built on burnout—it's built on the power of God working through rested, renewed leaders.

    PRESENTERS: AMY LAND + JULIE EASTMAN
    Amy currently serves as the Director of Ministry Operations at Coastal Community Church in Galveston, TX. Over her 13 years on staff at Coastal, she has worn many ministry hats (including groups, volunteers, missions, communications, young adults, college, and youth) during different seasons of life (single, married, and new parenthood). These experiences have taught her how to implement sustainable rhythms in ever-changing seasons. An avid runner and coffee drinker, Amy enjoys spending time with her husband, Bobby and preschool daughter Dylan. She is passionate about creating community within the local church as well as among ministry leaders. 

    Julie has the privilege of serving as Executive Minister at Northside Christian Church in Spring, TX, where she has been on staff for 20 years. After teaching elementary school for 9 years, she joined Northside and has served in various ministry roles before moving into her current leadership position. Her journey in ministry has taught her firsthand that sustainable leadership requires intentional rest—and that you can't multiply what you don't have. After navigating her own seasons of exhaustion and learning to prioritize rest without guilt, Julie is passionate about equipping leaders to build ministry rhythms that fuel the movement, not drain it. She believes that rested leaders create multiplying ministries. Julie and her husband, Jeff, have four children: Emma, Gavin, Reed, and Ava. When not battling it out over competitive board games (with no mercy shown), the family enjoys exploring new ice cream shops and cheering on a good football game. Julie is a Jesus-loving extrovert who prays with strangers on vacation and is ready to help others take the next step toward sustainable, God-centered leadership that will impact lives with Jesus.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: Prayer is central and essential in the life and ministry of Jesus. Equipped and empowered, Jesus sent his disciples on mission with expectation they would pray for the sick and depend on God for spiritual encounter. Jesus offers us a model for prayer that includes praying for others. Jesus regularly prayed for people as he went through the cities and towns, come increase your vision and action for training others to pray like Jesus!

    PRESENTER: KURT ATTAWAY
    Kurt is the Lead Pastor at the The Vineyard Church Pearland. Kurt and his wife, Lauren, are enjoying life with their 4 kids: Canten, Emersen, Jaden and Andersen. Kurt and Lauren were married in 2006. In 2007, Kurt joined the staff at The Vineyard where he became Lead Pastor February 2020. In addition to pastoring in the local church, Kurt has a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and has served in trans local leadership roles for Vineyard USA (with focus on next generation, pastoral care and church planting). Kurt enjoys basketball, bowling and being outside by the water.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: Leading a church is a wild, wonderful and sometimes soul draining ride. This workshop will focus on how one can keep their heart, fresh, alive, joyful, honest and healthy during the roller coaster ride of things like growth, decline, financial struggles, and all things people related.

    PRESENTER: CHUCK LAND
    Chuck was born and raised in Houston and loves this city. He met Christ in Middle School and has been in full-time vocational ministry for over 30 years. Chuck and his wife Kathleen started Crossbridge with a hand full of friends in 2002 and still serves there today. He leads a Flourishing Cohort for HCPN. Chuck and Kathleen have four children and live in Sugar Land.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: AI is no longer a distant idea, it is shaping everyday life for the people we hope to reach. Technology now competes for the attention, relationships, and identity of millions across Houston. Yet beneath the digital noise, God is drawing people to Himself in new and unexpected ways. As Houston steps into a citywide movement of mission and multiplication, this workshop will help leaders demystify AI and understand how it can serve as a tool for hope, connection, and gospel-centered flourishing.

    We will highlight the latest cultural and technological trends and discuss how AI is influencing the behaviors, questions, and longings of our neighbors. Participants will explore both the opportunities and the risks, addressing questions around theology, ethics and the need for Christ-centered guidance in a rapidly shifting culture. Most importantly, we will focus on human flourishing, how the Church can ensure technology serves people rather than consumes them.

    Drawing from Gloo’s work alongside thousands of churches nationwide, leaders will leave with a clear framework, shared language, and practical next steps for engaging AI faithfully in their context. Together, we will imagine how God can use this AI moment to strengthen His Church, empower His leaders, and reach Houston with greater compassion and impact.

    PRESENTERS: NICK SKYTLAND + ALI LLEWELLYN
    Nick Skytland is a leader shaping the future of human-centered AI. As Vice President of Gloo AI, he helps build an engaged community of innovators, ministry partners, and technologists committed to developing values-aligned tools that empower people and strengthen the Church.

    Previously, Nick served as a Director of Business Development and Chief Technologist at NASA, where he introduced emerging technologies into America’s space program and helped launch some of the largest open-innovation communities in history. His work with the White House shaped national open-source strategy for the U.S. Government.

    Nick also co-founded Quite Uncommon, a strategy and consulting firm that equips ministry leaders to navigate uncertainty, and he is the co-author of What Comes Next? Shaping the Future in an Ever-Changing World (Moody Publishers). His passion thrives at the intersection of technologists, change-makers, and explorers.

    Nick serves as an Elder at Clear Creek Community Church and as a Board Member at Wellby Financial. He lives in Houston with his wife and three children.

    Ali Llewellyn is focused on engaging the full faith ecosystem to shape the future of AI. A former church planter, she now serves as Director of Gloo Open, an initiative that advocates for the development of values-aligned AI through open-source research, models, learnings, data, and standards.

    Previously, Ali served as Strategy and Formulation Manager for the Business Development and Technology Integration Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. In this role, she advanced the formulation of strategic partnerships, accelerated technology integration, and enhanced NASA’s capabilities to extend human presence throughout the solar system. While at NASA, she helped start the Open Government Initiative at NASA, and co-founded some of the largest mass collaborations in the world.

    Ali also co-founded Quite Uncommon, a strategy and consulting firm that helps ministry leaders navigate uncertainty. She is co-author of the book published by Moody Publishers titled “What Comes Next? Shaping the Future in an Ever-Changing World.”

    Ali holds a Master of Science (MS) in Strategic Foresight from the University of Houston, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Classics from the University of Texas, and is an alumna of the International Space University Space Studies Program. She loves to travel but always comes home to Texas.

  • TIME: TBD
    ROOM: TBD

    SUMMARY: This workshop will explore how a church-based residency can effectively prepare emerging leaders for long-term ministry impact. We will highlight the value of mentoring individuals who sense a call to ministry, giving them one to two years of hands-on development alongside seasoned practitioners. The session will also cover practical insights into recruitment expectations and best practices for building a healthy residency pipeline. Additionally, we will share honest lessons learned—including what to do and what to avoid—so that others can benefit from our successes and our mistakes. Participants will leave with actionable ideas for strengthening or launching their own residency programs.

    PRESENTER: JOHN WILLS
    John Wills serves as the Missions Pastor and Director of the Residency and CF Connect, the church planting and mission programs at Champion Forest Church, where he is passionate about developing the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders. In his role, John oversees a dynamic residency pathway designed to give emerging leaders hands-on ministry experience, intentional mentoring, and real-time exposure to the daily rhythms of church leadership. He believes deeply in the power of the local church to raise up its own leaders, and he has helped shape a residency culture that emphasizes character formation, practical training, and meaningful ministry engagement.

MORE WORKSHOPS COMING SOON!

REGISTER TODAY! $35/PERSON

FAQ

  • Plant Houston is a conference for anyone with a heart for multiplication and desire to see the gospel saturate our city: church planters, future church planters, church planting teams, pastors, staff, elders, students, network and denominational leaders.

  • Registration is typically $35/person. Your registration includes your conference attendance, workshops, coffee, lunch, and some light snacks.

    Student discount and scholarships are available! Reach out to haleigh@hcpn.org for details.

  • This year’s conference will be located at Champion Forest Baptist Church’s Student Center/Building (located behind CFBC’s main building) at 15555 Stuebner Airline Rd., Houston, TX. 77069.

    When you arrive, be on the lookout for Plant Houston signs to identify entrance and parking.

    We are grateful to Champion Forest Baptist Church for being this year’s conference host!

  • There will not be a livestream but we will be providing main session talks on the HCPN app (download yours!) and on this website after the conference.

  • All workshops are open to all attendees and do not require advanced registration.

    Our workshops are led by a diverse group of pastors, church planters, and ministry practitioners from Houston. These sessions will equip you with the tools and insights you need to take your next step in ministry and multiplication.

  • Absolutely! Our 2026-themed graphics and promo materials are coming soon—ready for you to share, post, and help spread the word about Plant Houston 2026. Stay tuned!

  • Plant Houston is a conference organized by the Houston Church Planting Network (HCPN). HCPN is a movement of multiplying churches committed to saturating Houston with the gospel of Jesus in our lifetime.

    The network currently includes 160 churches in the greater Houston area, with over 100 of these being new plants in the past decade. HCPN is also a network of networks, with more than 30 different networks and denominations cooperating together to see Houston saturated with the gospel through the planting of new churches. 

    Our vision for the next five years is to see shared ownership of Houston’s gospel saturation among 400 churches and 40 networks, all collaborating to plant multiplying expressions of the church.

    In addition, HCPN coaches other cities through City Networks (www.citynetworks.org), as the Spirit of God stirs collaboration for multiplication in cities across the United States and around the world.

    Learn more and join the movement: hcpn.org

  • La conferencia de Plant Houston será traducida al español por un intérprete a través de audífonos. Además, contaremos con unos cuantos talleres íntegramente en español.

    La conferencia, los talleres, y el almuerzo están incluidos en la registración de $35.

  • Feel free to reach out to us: haleigh@hcpn.org

BE INSPIRED + INFORMED.

Main Session Times of Worship, Prayer, and Speakers that will Inspire you for Action

Workshops to Equip you to Implement a Strategy for Multiplication

Time to connect with other Practitioners and Ministry Leaders from across the City

Renew Your Passion and Calling for Church Planting

REGISTER TODAY: $35

PLANT HOUSTON 2026 SPONSORS

LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER!

LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER!

WANT TO BE A SPONSOR?

Plant Houston is a one day event for pastors, planters, and leaders from throughout Greater Houston. Your organization has a key role to play in serving churches throughout Houston. This should be a great opportunity to connect with churches and leaders right here in Greater Houston.

Email us to be a Sponsor!

LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER.

We're a conference from Houston for Houston! We'd love to have your help at the conference. If you sign up to volunteer, you can still be a part of the main sessions and workshops!

Email us to be a volunteer!