Making Disciples, Not Creating Programs

Jesus calls us to make disciples, yet in our sincere efforts to do so, many of us end up creating programs that teach, inspire, and entertain, but don’t always lead to lasting, transformational change. This Leadership Lab will explore a practical discipleship pathway model adaptable to every aspect of church ministry, with a special focus on how it can reshape how we disciple children.

Together, we’ll work through what the discipleship journey looks like for kids through different ages and stages, and how leaders can build environments that nurture faith and form lifelong followers of Jesus. We’ll also highlight a selection of age-appropriate resources specially curated by Focus on the Family to help you support parents, encourage children, and strengthen your overall discipleship strategy.

Whether you lead a small team or oversee a large ministry, this session will give you practical ideas and fresh inspiration to move from managing programs to intentionally forming young disciples.

Len DenBraber brings more than 25 years of pastoral leadership experience to his role as Chief Operating Officer at Focus on the Family Canada. Before stepping into executive leadership, Len spent decades serving churches and ministry leaders across Canada, where he developed a deep commitment to empowering healthy teams, mentoring emerging leaders, and cultivating environments where people and ministries can thrive. His experience gives him a unique ability to bridge practical leadership tools with the heart of pastoral ministry, including for those who disciple our children.

Len has a passion for family and believes those who serve children in the local church are real-life heroes. He and Leanne have three adult children and three grandchildren, but hope to have more (grandchildren, not children!).