If you’ve been in youth ministry for any length of time, you know how it feels to leave a conference overflowing with ideas, inspiration, and information—but then Monday hits.
The inbox fills up. Your busy calendar crowds back in. Your midweek program needs to be prepared. Sunday’s message needs to be written. And the pages of notes you took sit quietly on a shelf while you jump back into the youth ministry whirlwind.
I’ve been there.
And that’s exactly why I’m so excited for the Energize Youth Ministry Conference, happening April 23–25, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. Because Energize isn’t just another youth ministry conference. Rather, it’s designed to help you take what you learn and actually implement it in your ministry, resulting in a Gospel Advancing movement led by you and your teens.
At most conferences, we take in lots of information. Energize will set you up to you put it into action.
A different kind of conference
He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. Acts 19:9b-10
Energize was born out of a growing desire we’ve heard from youth leaders who long for something deeper. They feel as if something is missing in their youth ministries. They aren’t looking for just better games, slicker graphics, or new programming ideas (though those are fun and helpful).
What they really want is to lead a youth ministry where teens come alive in their faith and are on fire to reach their friends with the Gospel.
Energize is designed to help you build that kind of ministry. It’s about shaping a culture where students aren’t just showing up to observe. They’re participating in the mission of Jesus by showing and sharing the Good News. A culture where disciple-making becomes the norm, not the exception.
It’s about taking Gospel Advancing from idea to implementation.
Energize is about more than just inspiration. It’s about equipping you with a step-by-step action plan to build a Gospel-sharing, disciple-making culture. Not theory. Not hype. But actionable tools you can use at your next youth night.
A family reunion for youth leaders
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:3-5
If you’ve ever been to a Dare 2 Share event, you know it already feels a bit like a family gathering. Energize is that feeling times ten.
This will be a youth ministry gathering of like-minded leaders passionate about seeing every teen, everywhere, hear the Gospel from a friend.
There’s something powerful about being in a room full of people who share your calling. You’ll swap stories, share ideas, and strengthen one another’s faith. You’ll connect with leaders who get it. Leaders who know what it’s like to pour into students week after week, often without much recognition, and still believe in the power of the Gospel and the potential of teenagers.
If you’ve been feeling a bit weary, this is your place to get refreshed. If you’ve been wondering whether your ministry is really making a difference, this is where you’ll be reminded that you’re not alone and what you’re doing matters.
Rediscover your why
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
We’ve all faced seasons of exhaustion in ministry. The long nights, constant demands, and the sense that you’re giving everything while not seeing the fruit you hoped for.
Energize was designed for moments like that. It isn’t just a breath of fresh air—it’s oxygen for your soul. You’ll rediscover the “why” that first called you into ministry and watch God rekindle your passion for the Gospel. This isn’t about adding more onto your plate. It’s about rediscovering the simplicity and power of the Gospel and learning how to build your ministry around it.
You’ll hear stories from youth leaders who’ve experienced breakthrough, not because they found the perfect program, but because they embraced a Gospel Advancing philosophy that reshaped everything, from how they disciple students to how they measure success.
Not a moment, but a movement
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Energize isn’t about chasing emotional highs; it’s about laying a foundation for lasting impact.
You’ll gain practical tools and guidance from leaders who’ve walked the same road you’re on. You’ll learn how to develop a Gospel Advancing strategy that fits your unique context, whether you’re in a small town or a big city, leading a group of 10 or 200.
Most importantly, you’ll join a growing community of leaders who are united around one mission: to mobilize students to share their faith and make disciples who make disciples.
Imagine the ripple effect if thousands of youth ministries embraced that same heartbeat. Imagine the impact if you and the other youth leaders in your city came to Energize together and formed a Gospel Advancing network focused on reaching every last teen in your community.
Energize is about sparking something that lasts far beyond three days. It’s about a Gospel Advancing movement spreading through youth ministries to every corner of the globe.
Why I can’t wait
Personally, I can’t wait for Energize because I’ve seen what happens when youth leaders catch a fresh vision for what’s possible when they move from maintaining a ministry to multiplying disciples.
That’s exactly what happened to me 20 years ago when I went to a national youth conference and got connected with Dare 2 Share Ministries for the first time. It radically transformed my youth ministry. I saw firsthand what happens when you shift your energy from entertaining students to mobilizing students as missionaries.
My prayer is that you will also experience your youth ministry becoming the Gospel proclaiming, disciple-making powerhouse God wants you to lead.
We’re not gathering just to fill notebooks. We’re gathering to fuel a Gospel movement!
Get ready to Energize!
If you’ve been praying for renewal, longing for community, or looking for a fresh way forward, the Energize Youth Ministry Conference is for you.
Come ready to laugh, to learn, and to leave with a renewed fire to lead a Gospel Advancing youth ministry.
Let’s move from information to implementation. From burnout to breakthrough. From “just another weekly gathering” to a generation unleashed for the Gospel.
I can’t wait to see you there!
Energize Youth Ministry Conference 2026
April 23–25, 2026 | Denver, Colorado
Details and registration at dare2share.org/energize.
