Thinking Shrewdly 2026: Gospel-ing
April 23 – 25, 2026
VMC’s national, in-person conference is happening again in Toronto, Ontario!
Come join others from across Canada to celebrate, learn, connect and be encouraged.
Location: Church In Toronto (671 Sheppard Ave E, North York, ON) (directions)
Thursday, April 23rd: 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday, April 24th: 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday, April 25th: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
> Register Here!
> Join our Book Club.
> Conference Schedule (Coming Soon.)
Ticket Pricing Schedule
December 1st 2025 to February 5th 2026
Super Early Bird $179.00
Super Early Bird Spouse $129.00
February 6th to March 22nd 2026
Early Bird $199.00
Early Bird Spouse $149.00
March 23rd to April 23rd 2026
Full Price $239.00
Full Price Spouse $179.00
December 1st 2025 – April 23rd 2026
Under 30 $149.00
Travel Subsidies are available for the following amounts:
Victoria – up to $400
British Columbia – up to $350
Alberta & Manitoba – up to $300
Quebec – up to $100 for mileage
Maritimes – up to $400
Subsidies are limited to 2 per church.
Contact cole.mcfarlane@vision-ministries.org for more info.
Featured Presenter
Andrew Root
Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary
Andy Root will identify the soul-ache of this generation, unpack the way the gospel addresses this hunger, and help us reimagine evangelism for our current context.
Andrew is the author of Evangelism in an Age of Despair.
Sharpening the Evangelistic Edge of Mission & Multiplication
You can grow a church, plant a church, multiply leaders, and mature believers but if no one is becoming a new follower of Jesus, the increase is not what Jesus had in mind.
Faithful mission is gospel focused.
Faithful church planting is rooted in disciple-making.
A faithful discipleship process front ends with evangelism.
Join with other church and ministry leaders this spring for Vision Ministries’ biennial national conference, Thinking Shrewdly. Together, we will explore the declining emphasis on evangelism, our personal reticence, and how best to restore this priority.
The Challenge is Daunting
As a portion of the Canadian population in 2021:
- Only 53% identified as Christian, down from 77% in 2001.
- 12% identified with one of the other major world religion, up from 6% in 2001.
- 5% identified as Muslim, up from 2% in 2001—a portion that will rise to 6.6% by 2030.
- 35% indicated no religious affiliation, more than twice as many who indicated the same in 2001.
The Mission is Clear
Do the work of an evangelist.
Go and make disciples of all nations.
So, Christ himself gave… the evangelists.
How can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you…
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
The Problem is Partially on Us
More than half of Canadian congregations do not equip for evangelism.
In the last five years only 10-15% of those in the pew are new to Christian faith.
Two out of three church leaders admit that evangelism has not been a priority in their church recently.
Nearly a third of church leaders say it is wrong to share their faith with someone, hoping that person will one day identify as Christian. Among those who work with children and youth, its almost half.
We are praying that the Holy Spirit will use TS2026: Gospel-ing to renew our minds, impassion our hearts, inspire our imaginations, embolden our resolve, and empower our lives and ministries with evangelistic efficacy.
See you in Toronto at the end of April!