Ignite Student Ministry

Parents

Conference

2022

Join us for a time of teaching, encouragement and reflection as we discuss how to best reach and guard our students in today's cultural climate.


SCHEDULE


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SpEAKERS

  • Kyle Keating, M.DIV.

    Dean, Providence Classical Christian Academy

    Session: TECH SAVVY PARENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA SAFE KIDS

    Kyle Keating serves as the Dean of Providence Classical Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri. He received is B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his M.Div. from Covenant Theology Seminary. After serving with the campus ministry Cru at Ball State University, he and his wife moved to St. Louis. He regularly teaches about Christian ethics and apologetics at local churches, schools, and college campuses and has written for the Christian Research Journal, Mere Orthodoxy, and Christ and Pop Culture. He and his wife have a daughter and a son. Together they enjoy reading, traveling, watching sports, and playing board games. 

  • Jeremy Smith

    Founder, ReThink 315

    Session: CHRISTIANITY vs AMERICAN “CHURCHY-ANITY”

     

    Jeremy’s life miraculously changed when Jesus rescued him in 1996. Since then, personally and professionally, he’s been passionate about helping Christians and non-Christians to think through and seriously consider what they believe, why they believe it, and why it matters. From 2000 – 2010, Jeremy’s professional history included consultative sales roles in both the legal industry and educational publishing. From 2010 – 2020, Jeremy served as the Executive Director for Faith Ascent, a para-church organization training college bound Christian teens in apologetics. In October 2020, with a team of like-minded friends, Jeremy founded ReThink315 and currently serves as the Executive Director. Jeremy also provides consulting services to faith-based non profits (including churches) and chaplain services to C-Level corporate leaders. From 2013 – 2020,  Jeremy served as the Corporate Chaplain at Cordell & Cordell, a domestic litigation firm, leading voluntary discussion groups and answering questions about Christianity. With 10+ years in vocational ministry and 20+ years serving and engaging non-Christians and doubting Christians, Jeremy brings an informed perspective to his leadership role at ReThink315. Jeremy has studied select topics related to Christian Apologetics, Christian Theology, Evangelism, and Philosophy through Biola University in La Mirada, CA and Covenant Theological Seminary in Saint Louis, MO. Jeremy is affiliated with The Missouri Apologetics Network, St. Louis Reasonable Faith Chapter, St. Louis Reasons to Believe Chapter, and Midrash: Commentary on Culture. Jeremy is happily married to Katie and is a grateful father to Elijah, Lucy, and Lorelei Rae.

  • Melanie Williams

    Founder, Pursuit 3416


    Session: HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

     

    Fiercely driven to end Human Trafficking, Melanie has seen first hand the effects of those trafficked.  Working with Sex Trafficked Survivors for over 8 years has lead Melanie to enter the battle on the other side.  Her goal is to squash this insidious crime before it begins.  

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    When Melanie isn’t working with Pursuit 3416 or “her girls” (as she likes to call the survivors) then you will find her creating design plans for her Interior Design clients, serving others, and exploring God’s creation during traveling adventures with her family.

  • Paul Carby

    Minister To Students, Parkway Baptist Church


    Session: ANSWERING SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS WITH OBJECTIVE ANSWERS

     

    Paul joined the Parkway staff in January of 2022. He is married to Sammi and together they have one daughter.In his spare time, Paul is an avid gamer, loves classic rock and Batman comics, speaks geek fluently, and is working on a PhD in Medieval Christian Philosophy. He has a heart for helping students defend their faith and engaging in worldview discussions. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  • Gina Birkemeier, MAC, LPC

    Author, Generations Deep

    Panel On Teen Mental Health


    Panel On Teen Mental HealthGina is a licensed professional counselor with a master’s degree in psychology and theology from Covenant Theological Seminary and advanced training in trauma and evidence-based therapies to help people heal. She has walked with the hurting to help them find hope and healing for nearly two decades. The author of three books, Gina teaches and speaks on a variety of subjects related to trauma and recovery with an emphasis in generational family patterns and helps individuals and families learn how to break unhealthy cycles and create legacies of healing and freedom.

  • Matt Heckel, PhD

    Heritage Classical Christian Academy


    Panel On Teen Mental Health


    Matt Heckel teaches history, Latin, and apologetics at Heritage Classical Christian Academy, and is an adjunct instructor of history at Missouri Baptist University. He has a Ph.D. in Reformation Studies from Concordia Seminary St. Louis and an M.Div. from Covenant Theological seminary. He has been published in Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Presbyterian Church History, and contributed to the T & T Clark Companion to Reformation Theology. Matt and his wife Tammy have three children and are members at Covenant Presbyterian Church. He enjoys following Cardinal baseball, reading, watching films and documentaries, traveling, and is always up for a round of golf.

  • Chrissy Stergos, MAC, LPC

    Co-Founder, A Seat At The Table

    Panel On Teen Mental Health

    Chrissy has a broad array of experiences which have uniquely equipped her to shepherd young people in difficult situations. She has worked with under-resourced youth, teens in crisis and survivors of human trafficking (adults and minors). She teaches regularly, writes occasionally and mentors always.

    Chrissy earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from Covenant Seminary and has 20+ years of experience working with a wide variety of individuals, first as a pastor at a local church and currently as a mental health counselor with Chesterfield Counseling Associates.

    Married 41 years, Chrissy and Bob have four biological sons and have fostered numerous other young men who’ve become family. She is astonished and grateful that God has invited her into this bigger story of His.