2026 Classes & Speakers
Thursday, September 17, 2026
5:00 PM - Registration / Check-In Opens
7:00 PM - Opening Keynote
8:15 PM - Bonfire Devotional
Friday, September 18, 2026
9:30 AM - Morning Keynote #1
10:45 AM - Morning Keynote #2
12:00 PM - Lunch Break
1:30 PM - Breakout Session #1
2:45 PM - Breakout Session #2
4:00 PM Breakout Session #3
5:30 PM - Attendee Dinner
7:00 PM - Mountain Theological Seminary Graduation
Saturday, September 19, 2026
9:00 AM - Morning Keynote #1
10:15 AM - Closing Keynote
Michael Burns
Michael Burns (DMin, MA) is the Congregational Teacher for the DFW Church in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. He is the co-host of The Eikon Podcast. His written works include the books Crossing the Line: Culture, Race, and Kingdom; Escaping the Beast: Politics, Allegiance, and Kingdom; and Lead Me to the Rock: The Spiritual Journey of an Introvert in an Extroverted Church. He and his wife, MyCresha, have been married for 29 years and have two adult children.
Strength in Unlikely Places
This session examines the inner life of the biblical teacher as the essential foundation for faithful ministry. Rather than assuming that spiritual formation follows a single pattern, the emphasis will be placed on teachers growing through distinct and sometimes unconventional pathways that reflect God’s intentional design for individuals. What may feel like personal limitations often becomes the very place where God cultivates strength, depth, and resilience.
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Drawing from Scripture and personal examples, the session helps teachers identify their unique spiritual wiring and develop practices that align with it. Participants will see how a teacher’s life becomes a living curriculum, where spiritual maturity is not private enrichment but the means by which spiritual value is passed on to learners.