NEXT GENERATION MINISTRIES COUNCIL

SUMMARY OF WORK

1. The Next Generation Ministries Council worked to clarify the purpose of the work of the council, in order to bring clarity across the denomination at both the General Assembly level as well as the Presbytery level.

2. We hosted 70 Next Gen Workers at our NextGen Summit at Hope Church in Memphis, Tennessee to accomplish the above task. 

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The Next Generation Ministries Council has no recommendations for the 46th General Assembly.

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WORK OF THE COMMITTEE

CLAIRITY OF PURPOSE 

The Council sought to clarify its purpose by drawing on the 2017 General Assembly instructions — which called for the Council to “equip, encourage, and shepherd church leaders to evangelize and disciple the next generation (birth through young adults)” — as well as its historical work of networking, training, resourcing, and connecting non-ordained workers. From this, the Council identified three core goals: Encourage, Connect, and Equip.

• Encourage workers — both paid staff and volunteers — by affirming the value and importance of their work.
• Connect workers by fostering relationships nationally through the Summit and locally at the Presbytery level.
• Equip workers by providing practical resources through presbyteries, including discipleship plans, child protection policies, and other affordable tools.

NEXTGEN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

The Council planned and hosted its annual Leadership Summit at Hope Church in Memphis, Tennessee, welcoming 70 NextGen ministry workers from across 12 Presbyteries. A central aim of the Summit is to provide space for genuine connection and renewal — accomplished through worship, engaging and practical equipping sessions, and informal fellowship where both new and longtime friends could share ideas and encourage one another.

The opportunity to gather with friends and co-laborers is deeply rooted in who we are as Presbyterians, and it is a particular gift to extend this connectionalism to the realm of NextGen ministry. Many who serve in this space do so in non-ordained roles, without the broader presbytery support that TEs and REs regularly benefit from. The Summit offers a meaningful way to fill that gap.

We are deeply grateful to the Presbyteries who invested in sending their workers to the Summit. In doing so, they are not only supporting the individuals who serve on the front lines of NextGen ministry — they are investing in the future of the church itself.

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RECOMMENDATIONS (DETAILED)

The Next Generation Ministries Council has no recommendations for the 46th General Assembly.

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COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Stephanie Poblenz (Co-Chairman)
TE, Presbytery of the Midwest

Cole Lescher
TE, Presbytery of Mid-America

Faith Hampton
Presbytery of the Central South

Chrishon Ducker
TE, Presbytery of the Coastal Mid-Atlantic

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MEETING DATES

October 1-2, 2025: Office of the General Assembly (Orlando, Florida)
February 12, 2026: Video Conference
April 23, 2026: Hope Church, Memphis, TN

Stephanie Poblenz Co-Chairman
June 2026

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