Let’s get something clear! D6 is not a moment. Not an emotion or an experience. Not a conference, a trend, or even a movement. Sure, D6 may include all those wonderful things, but at its core, D6 is a way of life. An ongoing, daily decision to make Christ the center of our lives, and to lead our families, friends, and churches to do the same. D6 is EveryDay discipleship.
In 2024, D6 Family Ministry hosted two conferences to explore this important topic: D6 Northwest in Seattle, Washington, March 21-22, and D6 Southeast in Orlando, Florida, April 2-4. At these events, attendees from across the nation came together to consider God’s plan for everyday teachable moments as churches partner with parents and adult mentors to capture the hearts of the next generation.
D6 Northwest
If you have never experienced a D6 Conference, you are missing out. Something almost magical happens when ministry leaders from all types of ministries — big, small, and everything between — come together to worship and to allow God to speak through general session and breakout speakers. D6 2024 Northwest was no different. Day one began with the first round of breakout sessions followed by general session one.
One of the most powerful moments of any D6 Conference comes during the first general session. It is hard to describe what takes place when attendees, staffers, sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers stand with one voice, singing praises to the Lord. Kiki Edwards and members of the Northshore Community Church worship team (the host church) led worship. Matt Markins and Shane Pruitt challenged conference attendees before comedian Jonnie W. brought the conference attendees to tears (for different reasons).
Following the first general session, conference attendees enjoyed onsite food trucks for lunch. It was encouraging to see attendees enjoying their food while discussing the things just experienced. Immediately following lunch, general session two began. Attendees worshiped together, then were challenged by talks from conference director and D6 Family Ministry CEO Ron Hunter and Kurt Bruner. Another round of breakouts followed the second session, bringing the day to a close.
Day two began with another round of breakouts. General session three proved to be the most unique of the four sessions, featuring four speakers (Josh Ziefle, Randy Adams, Timothy Paul Jones, and Melissa MacDonald) rather than two. Jonnie W. and his unique humor gave listeners a break from the weight of content being delivered. After general session three, attendees once again debriefed the conference over lunch, immediately followed by another round of breakouts, making a total of forty breakouts during the conference.
Five minutes before the fourth and final general session, a pop-up thunderstorm blew through the area, killing the power to the church. Thankfully, power was restored within minutes, and the tech team worked feverishly to reboot computers and restart LED walls, projectors, and soundboards. It was truly amazing to watch them work. Before long, everything was up and running, and general session four kicked off. After the first speaker, Arlene Pellicane,Jonnie W., delivered one final comedy routine. The final conference speaker Jim Putman shared a powerful challenge titled “Hope for the Prodigal.” Keith Ferrin shared spoken word poetry from John 21.
Chap Clark (conference emcee), Ron Hunter, and Derek Altom returned to the stage to recap the conference and to share information regarding the 2025 conference before the conference came to an appropriate end: worship.
God continues to use the message of Deuteronomy 6 to impact churches and homes across the globe. One of the most underserved areas for the church in the United States is the Pacific Northwest, especially the Seattle area. We at D6 Family Ministry are thankful the Lord has opened these doors to share the message of generational discipleship in this area. For information about D6 Northwest 2025, visit D6Conference.com.
D6 Southeast
On the Main Stage.
Visitors to Central Florida in April expect crowds of excited visitors, palm trees, and brilliant tropical sunshine...but bubble wrap? Yes, bubble wrap! Attendees found strips of bubble wrap waiting on their chairs during the first general session, each bubble representing the milestone moments parents must seize EveryDay to weave the fabric of faith in their children’s lives.
The fun sound of bubbles popping echoed across the ballroom throughout the first session, as pastor and marriage coach Brad Rhoads urged attendees to prioritize marriage ministry as a foundational strategy of church ministry.
Next, D6 Family Ministry CEO Ron Hunter challenged churches to adopt creative approaches when ministering to families that do not fit the traditional “Norman Rockwell portrait” of family. We must remember God is the Heavenly Father to every family of any kind and learn to nurture, encourage, empathize, and counsel those families biblically.
Kurt Bruner, founder of D6HomePoint.com, introduced four key reasons family ministry is getting harder along with strategies to help churches become more strategic about meeting the challenges and developing dedicated Christian disciples.
On the second morning of the conference, Carissa Potter, founder of Via, pointed to families as a key component in fulfilling the Great Commission. She urged parenting with a global vision for the gospel, developing compassion for the nations within their children. “Loving the nations should feel normal to our kids,” she noted. “So, infuse God’s love and purposes for the nations into your everyday, normal family life.”
Speaker and counselor Michelle White used the simple analogy of a juicer to introduce a simple yet powerful acronym. Learning to P.R.A.Y. (Pursue, Rightly, And, Yield) will help learners understand the Bible in its true context, overcome the intimidation of Bible study, and ignite daily passion for God’s Word.
North Carolina pastor Chris Sasser provided simple tips for “traveling light,” to avoid the baggage that often weighs believers down in their journey of faith. He encouraged them to exchange those burdens for true freedom in Christ.
During general session three, four speakers delivered rapid-fire, brief messages.
Tony Souder, CEO of One Hundred Years, urged listeners to provide young people with a powerful sense of belonging in the Body of Christ through carefully fostered intergenerational prayer relationships in the church.
Youth pastor and author Jon Forrest encouraged those in ministry to become “Super Youth Workers” by simply being faithful to the Lord, their families, and their ministries. They can ease the pressure by remembering they “don’t wear the [superhero] cape. Jesus does!”
President and CEO of AWANA Matt Markins confronted the current stalemate between church and home and introduced data to help churches, parents, and leaders get beyond the stalemate, noting, “We must move past the declaration to dialogue.”
President of the National Center for Life and Liberty, attorney David Gibbs shared suggestions for smart staff selection through intentional, mission-based, emotion-free hiring. “Nobody is better than the wrong somebody,” he reminded the audience.
During the final main stage session, former atheist Jim Putnam shared his own prodigal journey and return to faith, along with his son’s prodigal wandering. Then, more importantly, he shared the story of his son’s return to the faith, accompanied by his own emotional fallout that almost cost his ministry. He urged churches and individuals to be intentional about giving prodigal young people and their parents “a rope to cling to through the storm.”
Final speaker Shane Pruitt, Next Gen director for the North American Mission Board, reassured listeners there is no “secret formula” for reaching the next generation and offered six important reminders:
There is no secret, just the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and the gospel.
NOW is the time to reach students.
Students are the church right now.
Young people don’t care how old you are
(so just be you).
Young people know brokenness all too well.
Students are on a truth journey.
“This generation is open to the Bible,” Pruitt concluded. “And we cut through the noise of culture with the Word of God!”
Throughout the conference Michael Boggs, Hanna Kerr, Josh Nichols, and Carolina Tervel, led attendees in worship, setting a reverent tone for each session.
Emcees Marianne Howard and Kevin Jones navigated a packed schedule well, guiding main stage sessions, interviewing speakers, asking probing questions to help listeners process what they had heard, and prompting audience feedback and interaction.
Jon Forrest brought his high-energy, wacky fun and games back to the conference, opening each general session early with audience participation, crazy questions, goofy prizes, and a non-stop barrage of humor. (And it may be years before some conference-goers can erase the memory of Jon in a super-hero suit during the final session!)
The final session ended with a commissioning prayer as attendees were sent back to homes, churches, and ministries excited, renewed, and refreshed. Ready to seize discipleship moments. Ready to make the most of EveryDay.
Past the Main Stage. Intertwined throughout the main stage schedule, D6 Southeast also included eighty-plus seminars covering a profusion of topics in the areas of family ministry and discipleship. Speakers shared ideas and resources, challenged listeners with new and creative strategies, and provided tools and resources to help churches equip families for discipleship.
Speaking of resources, 43 exhibitors and sponsors filled the Resource Center, which was flooded by attendees between sessions and seminars, filling the space with lively discussions about tools and techniques. These conversations spilled over into hallways and common spaces and into mealtimes as everyone processed the flood of information received.
“What an amazing time we have had,” said Derek Altom, conference director. “We made the most of EveryDay of this conference!”
Altom announced D6 Conference Southeast 2025 will take place April 22-24, 2025, at World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida. For more information, or to register, visit D6Conference.com.
D6 Coverage Team: D6 Northwest, Derek Altom, director of events and development for D6 Family Ministry; D6 Southeast, Eric Thomsen, managing editor, ONE Magazine; Photography, Kristi Johnson, Sydney McClure, Lena Wooten, Marianne Howard
