The Lampstand
The Lampstand Conference casts a biblical vision for church health and ministry strategies. We focus on depending upon the means of grace for spiritual formation, making disciples through Christ-centered and Gospel-driven ministry, and leadership development and deployment.
The Conference offers three focused ministry tracks according to your need: Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
Church Planting – Igniting the Flame
Our experienced church planting faculty and coaches provide instruction and insight that is both Biblical and practical for starting spiritually healthy churches that are committed to worship, evangelism, discipleship and leadership development.
Church Revitalization – Embers to a Flame
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Church Acceleration – Fanning the Flame
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
The Conference offers three focused ministry tracks according to your need: Church Planting, Church Revitalization, and Church Acceleration.
Church Planting – Igniting the Flame
Our experienced church planting faculty and coaches provide instruction and insight that is both Biblical and practical for starting spiritually healthy churches that are committed to worship, evangelism, discipleship and leadership development.
Church Revitalization – Embers to a Flame
Lampstand uses the Biblical paradigm found in Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:5 to the church at Ephesus—“Remember, Repent, and Recover the First Things”—Lampstand’s revitalization track equips churches that have fallen into spiritual decline and functional malaise.
Church Acceleration – Fanning the Flame
As a church grows spiritually and expands its impact functionally, it is crucial to stay on Message, in Mission, and in Ministry. Our church acceleration track focuses on next-level leadership development, decision-making, and faithful shepherding for the next season in the life of Biblically healthy churches.
Conference Speakers:
Dr. Tom Hawkes
Director of Church Planting, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Dr. Tom Hawkes (Ph.D., London School of Theology/Middlesex U) is a minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church where he serves as the Director of Church Planting for the Florida Presbytery and as the planting pastor for Christ Presbyterian Church, Fernandina Beach, Florida, where he and his wife, Ann, live. Tom and Ann have four married sons and seven grandchildren. Tom and Ann share a passion for helping to raise up the next generation of leaders for the next generation of churches.
Dr. Sandy Willson
Pastor Emeritus, Second Presbyterian Church
Sanders L. (Sandy) Willson is Pastor Emeritus at Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee where he served for twenty -two years. After retiring from Second Presbyterian, he served as an interim pastor in two PCA churches and then as interim president for The Gospel Coalition. He also pastored Memorial Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, Tennessee and Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and recently served as interim senior pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL.
Dr. Neil Stewart
Senior Minister,
First Presbyterian
Church Columbia, SC
Neil grew up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and came to faith as a teenager through the witness of high school friends. He studied medicine at the Queen’s University of Belfast, where he met and married Catherine Jane Johnson. Through these years, Neil likes to say, “While I met the ideas of the Reformed Faith through the writings of R.C. Sproul, A.W. Pink, and the English Puritans, I met the God of the Reformed Faith in Belfast, worshiping at a little church at the top of the Stranmillis Road, sitting at the feet of Dr. Derek Thomas.”
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In his final year of medical school, Neil was awarded the Ulster Hospital Gold Medal for his studies in medicine, general and orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology. He was elected a member of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health in 1997. As a pediatrician, Neil served in the historic Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
Sensing a call to ministry, Neil and his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he graduated from the Master of Divinity program at RTS, Jackson in 2002. As a pastor, he has served as the Senior Minister of the Second Presbyterian Church of Yazoo City, Mississippi (2002-2006), Kirk O’ the Isles Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia (2006-2016), and Christ Covenant Church ARP, Greensboro, North Carolina (2016-2023).
Neil has been a keynote speaker at various conferences throughout the United States and Canada. He has written chapters in several other books, including A Pastor's Heart: Essays in Memory of Harry L. Reeder III (Christian Focus, 2024), On Reforming Worship (Covenant Foundation, 2018), and Catherine’s two books, Letters to Pastors’ Wives: When Seminary Ends, and Ministry Begins (P&R, 2013) and Surviving the Fish Bowl: Letters to Pastors’ Kids (RHB, 2021). Neil also appeared in Les Lanphere's recent documentary, Spirit and Truth: How Does God Want to Be Worshiped? You can get a flavor of his writing here in the articles he has written for Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine.
Neil and Catherine have six children: Hannah, Benjamin, Eleah, Josiah, Samuel, and Eliza.
Sensing a call to ministry, Neil and his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he graduated from the Master of Divinity program at RTS, Jackson in 2002. As a pastor, he has served as the Senior Minister of the Second Presbyterian Church of Yazoo City, Mississippi (2002-2006), Kirk O’ the Isles Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Georgia (2006-2016), and Christ Covenant Church ARP, Greensboro, North Carolina (2016-2023).
Neil has been a keynote speaker at various conferences throughout the United States and Canada. He has written chapters in several other books, including A Pastor's Heart: Essays in Memory of Harry L. Reeder III (Christian Focus, 2024), On Reforming Worship (Covenant Foundation, 2018), and Catherine’s two books, Letters to Pastors’ Wives: When Seminary Ends, and Ministry Begins (P&R, 2013) and Surviving the Fish Bowl: Letters to Pastors’ Kids (RHB, 2021). Neil also appeared in Les Lanphere's recent documentary, Spirit and Truth: How Does God Want to Be Worshiped? You can get a flavor of his writing here in the articles he has written for Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine.
Neil and Catherine have six children: Hannah, Benjamin, Eleah, Josiah, Samuel, and Eliza.
Dr. John Currie
Senior Pastor, Proclamation Presbyterian Church
Dr. John Currie serves as the Senior Pastor of Proclamation Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He also serves as Broekhuizen Professor of Pastoral Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary and is the author of The Pastor as Leader (Crossway, 2024), as well as several articles in the field of pastoral theology.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 (PRE-CONFERENCE)
5:30-6:30 PM – Pre-Conference Registration
THURSDAY, APRIL 23
7:00-8:00 AM – REGISTRATION
8:00-8:05 AM – WELCOME
8:05-8:35 AM – ORIENTATION & OVERVIEW
8:35-9:25 AM – Session 1 The Lampstand Paradigm
9:25-9:40 AM – Small Group Discussion
9:40-10:30 AM – Session 2 Called to Repentance
10:30-10:45 AM – Small Group Discussion
10:45-11:35 AM – ession 3 The Personal Spiritual Life of the Lampstand Leader
11:35-11:45 AM – Personal Reflection
11:45-12:30 PM – LUNCH
12:30-1:20 PM – Session 4 The Character Life of the Lampstand Leader
1:20-1:40 PM – Small Group Discussion
1:40-2:30 PM – Session 5 Gospel-Driven and Christ-Centered Ministry
2:30-2:50 PM – Small Group Discussion
2:50-3:00 PM – Break
3:00-3:50 PM – Session 6 The Primacy of Preaching
3:50-4:10 PM – Small Group Discussion
4:10-5:00 PM – Q&A Panel
5:00 PM – Dismiss
8:00-8:05 AM – WELCOME
8:05-8:35 AM – ORIENTATION & OVERVIEW
8:35-9:25 AM – Session 1 The Lampstand Paradigm
9:25-9:40 AM – Small Group Discussion
9:40-10:30 AM – Session 2 Called to Repentance
10:30-10:45 AM – Small Group Discussion
10:45-11:35 AM – ession 3 The Personal Spiritual Life of the Lampstand Leader
11:35-11:45 AM – Personal Reflection
11:45-12:30 PM – LUNCH
12:30-1:20 PM – Session 4 The Character Life of the Lampstand Leader
1:20-1:40 PM – Small Group Discussion
1:40-2:30 PM – Session 5 Gospel-Driven and Christ-Centered Ministry
2:30-2:50 PM – Small Group Discussion
2:50-3:00 PM – Break
3:00-3:50 PM – Session 6 The Primacy of Preaching
3:50-4:10 PM – Small Group Discussion
4:10-5:00 PM – Q&A Panel
5:00 PM – Dismiss
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
8:00-8:50 AM – Session 7 Intercessory Prayer
8:50-9:10 AM – Small Group Discussion
9:10-10:00 AM – Session 8 Wise Leadership
10:00-10:20 AM – Small Group Discussion
10:20-10:30 AM – Break
10:30-11:20 AM – Session 9 Developing Leaders
11:20-11:40 PM – Small Group Discussion
11:40-12:20 PM – LUNCH
12:20-1:10 PM – Session 10 Worship and Exaltation
1:10-1:30 PM – Small Group Discussion
1:40-1:50 PM – Session 11 On Mission with a Vision
1:50-2:00 PM – IINTRODUCTION & DISMISSAL TO TRACKS
2:00-2:50 PM – Session 12
•Church Revitalization Track—Intentional Evangelism: Joyfully Telling Others About Jesus
•Church Planting Track
•Church Acceleration Track
2:50-3:10 PM – Small Group Discussion and Break in Tracks
3:10-4:00 PM – Session 13
•Church Revitalization Track — Prioritizing Missions: Your Church’s Commitment to the Great Commission
•Church Planting
•Church Acceleration
4:00-4:10 PM – Break and return to large group
4:10-5:00 PM – Q&A Panel
5:00 PM – Wrap-up & Dismiss
8:50-9:10 AM – Small Group Discussion
9:10-10:00 AM – Session 8 Wise Leadership
10:00-10:20 AM – Small Group Discussion
10:20-10:30 AM – Break
10:30-11:20 AM – Session 9 Developing Leaders
11:20-11:40 PM – Small Group Discussion
11:40-12:20 PM – LUNCH
12:20-1:10 PM – Session 10 Worship and Exaltation
1:10-1:30 PM – Small Group Discussion
1:40-1:50 PM – Session 11 On Mission with a Vision
1:50-2:00 PM – IINTRODUCTION & DISMISSAL TO TRACKS
2:00-2:50 PM – Session 12
•Church Revitalization Track—Intentional Evangelism: Joyfully Telling Others About Jesus
•Church Planting Track
•Church Acceleration Track
2:50-3:10 PM – Small Group Discussion and Break in Tracks
3:10-4:00 PM – Session 13
•Church Revitalization Track — Prioritizing Missions: Your Church’s Commitment to the Great Commission
•Church Planting
•Church Acceleration
4:00-4:10 PM – Break and return to large group
4:10-5:00 PM – Q&A Panel
5:00 PM – Wrap-up & Dismiss
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
8:00-8:50 AM – Session 14
•Church Revitalization Track, Small Group Discipleship
•Church Planting Track
•Church Acceleration Track
8:50-9:00 AM – Break & return to large group
9:00-9:50 AM – Q&A Panel
9:50-10:30 AM – Session 15 Making Your Plan
10:30-11:20 PM – Session 16 The Great Commitment
11:20-11:30 PM – Final Wrap-up and Dismiss
•Church Revitalization Track, Small Group Discipleship
•Church Planting Track
•Church Acceleration Track
8:50-9:00 AM – Break & return to large group
9:00-9:50 AM – Q&A Panel
9:50-10:30 AM – Session 15 Making Your Plan
10:30-11:20 PM – Session 16 The Great Commitment
11:20-11:30 PM – Final Wrap-up and Dismiss
Information, Directions & Parking:
Event Location:
First Presbyterian Church – Columbia
1324 Marion St, Columbia, SC 29201
Event Date:
April 23–25, 2026
First Presbyterian Church – Columbia
1324 Marion St, Columbia, SC 29201
Event Date:
April 23–25, 2026
Map to Briarwood:
First Presbyterian Church – Columbia
Organized on June 4, 1795, First Presbyterian Church is the oldest congregation in Columbia. Today, our membership numbers some 2,500, representing around 1,000 family units. Though we live and work all over the Midlands of South Carolina, we are a community in Christ, joined together by the grace of God, worshipping and glorifying Him in fellowship and in service.
The history of the church is closely tied to that of the city of Columbia and the state of South Carolina. The church’s forefathers first met in the old State House and later in a simple wooden meeting house on our present grounds. The sanctuary, built in 1853, and the graveyard are both on The Historic Register. The 180-foot church spire, once the tallest structure in Columbia, is a spiritual beacon of faith in the city’s skyline.
The history of the church is closely tied to that of the city of Columbia and the state of South Carolina. The church’s forefathers first met in the old State House and later in a simple wooden meeting house on our present grounds. The sanctuary, built in 1853, and the graveyard are both on The Historic Register. The 180-foot church spire, once the tallest structure in Columbia, is a spiritual beacon of faith in the city’s skyline.