The Call Conference
Ridgecrest Conference Center, 1 Ridgecrest Dr, Black Mountain, NC 28711
Friday, September 25th - Sunday, September 27th, 2026
Registration is coming soon!
The call to follow Jesus is not just an invitation to live a moral life. It’s a challenge to surrender everything. College students and young adults will consider what it truly means to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34-37). In a world that constantly pushes us to strive for success, status and security, Jesus offers something radically different: a life leveraged for Him. We invite college students and young adults to examine what they’re living for, to consider the eternal cost and reward, and to discover the joy and purpose found only in fully following Christ. Join us as we worship, learn and commit together to living on mission with Him.
Speaker
Ricky Harris Jr.
Church Planter & Lead Pastor, Sovereign City Church, Las Vegas, NV
Ricky Harris Jr.
Church Planter & Lead Pastor, Sovereign City Church, Las Vegas, NV
Ricky Harris Jr., a native of Durham, N.C., has spent more than 15 years serving in a wide range of ministry roles, including pastoral leadership, para-church work, local outreach, neighborhood development, men’s discipleship, college ministry, youth organizations and family sports camps.
Formerly serving as the Congregational Care, Prayer, and Teaching Pastor at Hope Church in Las Vegas, Ricky and his family have now answered God’s call to plant Sovereign City Church in the heart of Las Vegas — a church committed to proclaiming the reign of Jesus and seeing lives transformed by His grace.
Ricky is the grateful husband of Rosie and the proud father of their two children, Tripp and Rhian. With a deep love for the local church and the city, Ricky preaches the Good News of Jesus Christ at churches, conferences and gatherings of all kinds, with a passion for people to encounter God’s truth and live under His reign.
Breakouts
Session 1 – 10:15 a.m.
Christ-Centered Cultural Engagement
Tyler Burton – Imago Dei, Raleigh, NC; Hobbs Classroom 110
Join us for a discussion about how Jesus simultaneously subverts our cultural idols and fulfills the desires beneath those idols with Himself. We’ll explore what faithful cultural engagement looks like when Christ, not culture, sets our priorities. Come learn how to discern the narratives shaping our world and respond with conviction.
Discernment: Taking the Next Right Step
Ashanti Glass – Provision Church, Monroe, NC; Hobbs Classroom 108
Making decisions about life, education and career can feel overwhelming – like every choice could shape your future in a major way. So how do you discern the right path? In this breakout session, Ashanti will lead a practical, encouraging conversation on making wise decisions, navigating uncertainty, and listening for the Lord’s direction.
Everyday Work in the Kingdom of God
Corinne Nelson – Co-Labor Initiative; Hobbs Classroom 201
Is “full-time ministry” the top tier of Christianity and everything else just support staff? Together we’ll explore why Scripture refuses that hierarchy. From job sites to hospitals to spreadsheets, we’ll see how the cultural mandate, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission all come together in ordinary work. This session will help you see welding, accounting, design, or business not as a backup plan or less than, but as a real calling in the kingdom of God.
Stewarding Your Gifts: Embracing Your Role in the Body of Christ
Avery Young – Hope Community Church, Shelby, NC; Hobbs Classroom 209
God has crafted each of us with specific gifts meant to serve and strengthen His people. In this breakout, we’ll explore how to recognize those God-given wirings and consider where they can be put to use within the body of Christ right now, as college students. Expect honest conversation and practical guidance for stepping into faithful service.
The Abundant Life: How to Be Satisfied in Christ in a Culture of Self
Cole Bohnsack – Providence Church, Graham, NC; Hobbs Classroom 101
In John 10:10, Jesus promised His followers: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” What is the “abundant” life Jesus promises here? How has it been twisted in our culture (and even our churches)? In this breakout, we will walk through the dangers of the world’s subtle, self-serving false gospel, then discuss ways we can have true, abundant life by being satisfied in Christ.
The Radical Why: Fueling Your Life with a Purpose Big Enough to Last
Keelan Cook – Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hobbs Classroom 205
Stop chasing temporary ambitions that run dry. Discover a radical purpose big enough to fuel your entire life. This breakout explores how Jesus’ final command provides the ultimate compass for your calling, career, and future. Join us to find the one purpose that doesn’t just demand your everything; it sustains you until the very end.
Session 2 – 11:15 a.m.
Built to Last: Preparing for Your Calling with More than Passion
Keelan Cook – Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hobbs Classroom 205
Passion gets you started in ministry, but a firm foundation for ministry keeps you going. This session explores why a strategic season of seminary is often the difference between a temporary flame and a lifetime of Great Commission ministry impact. Learn how to build a foundation deep enough to sustain your calling for the long haul.
Discerning God’s Call: Ministry, Marketplace, or Both?
Jon Chasteen – North American Mission Board; Hobbs Classroom 210
Many college students sense a pull toward ministry but aren’t sure what to do with it. This breakout will offer a simple framework for discerning God’s call—whether in ministry, the marketplace, or both—and suggest practical next steps for clarity.
Discernment: Taking the Next Right Step
Ashanti Glass – Provision Church, Monroe, NC; Hobbs Classroom 108
Making decisions about life, education and career can feel overwhelming – like every choice could shape your future in a major way. So how do you discern the right path? In this breakout session, Ashanti will lead a practical, encouraging conversation on making wise decisions, navigating uncertainty, and listening for the Lord’s direction.
Everyday Gospel Conversations
Brady Bower – Hope Community Church, Shelby, NC; Hobbs Classroom 110
Join us for a training about how to take everyday conversations and turn them into gospel conversations.
The Abundant Life: How to Be Satisfied in Christ in a Culture of Self
Cole Bohnsack – Providence Church, Graham, NC; Hobbs Classroom 101
In John 10:10, Jesus promised His followers: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” What is the “abundant” life Jesus promises here? How has it been twisted in our culture (and even our churches)? In this breakout, we will walk through the dangers of the world’s subtle, self-serving false gospel, then discuss ways we can have true, abundant life by being satisfied in Christ.
Your Place in the Local Church
Mark Navey – Provision Church, Monroe, NC; Hobbs Classroom 201
What if your first step after graduation wasn’t just finding a job, but joining a church planting team and helping launch something new? College students and young adults need the church, and the church needs your passion, your gifts and your willingness to go. Unpack what it looks like to plant yourself in a local church during college, and discover how God can use that commitment to shape your future. Come explore how your next move could fuel kingdom impact in a new community.
