Leaders Conference

Ground Level Leaders Conference 2025

30th April - 2nd May 2025, HAYES CONFERENCE CENTRE, SWANWICK, DERBYSHIRE

The Conference is our annual gathering to connect, be inspired and hear what the Holy Spirit is saying, so we can follow His lead.

It is a time to renew relationships, build new ones and a time to be refreshed. It’s for pastors, leaders, staff team members, key volunteers, as well as emerging and younger leaders.

Our speakers will include invited guests, friends and leaders from within our network. Through a programme of Keynotes, Streams, Celebrations and Co Labs, which will take a dive into leadership subjects and practices, we know that this conference will be a rich time of impartation from the Holy Spirit.

A highlight of our conference is always the space that we make for friendship and connection and once again this will be a priority in 2025. We are believing to powerfully encounter God’s presence during this conference and we know that this will be a significant time for you and your team.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Paul & Jeannie Benger

Conference Information

Below you will find more information about this years conference, with more to follow.

Programme & Speakers

The conference begins with registration at 10am on the 30th April 2025 with the first Keynote at 11am. We conclude following our final session finishing around 12:30pm on the 2nd May 2025. 

A creche with live video link will be provided for young children to use supervised by their parent/guardian. 

GUESTS

Anders & Camilla Olsson

Anders Olsson is a Pastor, author, church developer and mentor for many pastors in Scandinavia. He has three adult kids that are passionate & serve in different churches in Sweden. Together with his wife Camilla they have seen all churches they have served flourish & grow & also planted new ones. He is passionate to see church growth through prayer & strategic thinking. 

Camilla Olsson is a teacher, church builder, author & Pastor. Her passion is to see people find purpose & flourish in their gifts through team building and community. She has built up all different kinds of departments in churches they have served. She is an appreciated preacher in churches around Scandinavia.

Joy Blundell

Joy loves and lives in Lincoln with her husband, Paul and two children, Fin and Poppy. A leader and a dreamer, a coach and a cheerleader; passionate about bringing kingdom change to society and mobilising the church to follow Jesus in co-creating a world where people can flourish. 

As one of the core leaders of Alive Church, Joy is a location pastor and leads the Lincoln North Location as well as championing and leading the mobilization of Alive Church across all locations to be a transformative presence in the various towns and cities the church is located in. In 2006 she founded Acts trust, a charity connected to Alive Church that empowers people to end poverty and now she supports its strategic vision as chair of trustees.

Joy is also one of the leaders of Transform Lincoln (a unity movement of churches in Lincoln) and is part of the team that leads the Groundlevel network of churches, a trustee of CAP uk and also runs a coaching practice, called Threads; coaching leaders to find their unique purpose and apply that to the world around them to bring transformation.

Paul Benger

Paul is married to Jeannie and together they are the Lead Pastors of IKON Church, a church they started in 1987 that currently has 5 campuses. Paul is the Ground Level Team Leader and His passion is to “build relevant contemporary churches and inspire a generation to do the same”. Paul obsesses over the question “who’s next?” His hobbies include golf, reading and vinyl records.

Nathan Benger

Nathan and his wife Debbie are the Campus Pastors of IKON Church Chesterfield.  They led IKON Youth for 14 years seeing many young people find Jeus and seeing them connect to the Church.  Nathan has a passion for preaching the gospel and seeing people come to faith.  He is passionate about football specifically Arsenal FC and if he gets the chance will let you know he played with Jamie Vardy.

Jo Hargreaves

Jo is a psychotherapist, writer, speaker and trauma informed church leader. She is passionate about integrating theology and therapy and placing God right in the centre of our conversations on mental health and wholeness. She lives in Lincoln with her noisy, brilliant family of 5 and Fred the cat, and can sometimes be found hiding under a blanket either reading or writing books for some peace and quiet. 

Mostly Jo loves people and her hope and prayer is that her words whether written or spoken, meet you exactly where you are at.

Her first book ‘The Camouflaged Sacred’ is available on Amazon. You can connect with her via her website johargreavestherapy.com or Instagram @johargreaves 

Streams

Creating Healthy Churches

Paul Benger

In today's rapidly changing world, church health has never been more critical. As leaders, we understand that healthy churches don't just happen – they're intentionally cultivated through informed leadership, robust structures, and Spirit-led practices. A healthy church grows naturally, influences effectively, and sustains ministry for the long term.

What You'll Learn

  • How leadership develops and changes as the church grows

  • Practical frameworks for developing the three pillars of church health: leadership health, organisation health, and ministry health

  • Strategic approaches to building future leaders

  • Systems and structures that support sustainable growth and effective ministry

Why This Matters

When churches prioritise organisational health alongside spiritual vitality in ministries and leadership skill, they create environments where both leaders and members can thrive. This stream will equip you with practical tools and biblical principles to assess, improve, and maintain the health of your church.

Whether you're leading a growing congregation or revitalising an established church, these principles will help you build a stronger, more resilient and effective ministry for the future.

Kingdom Advance

Joy Blundell

This stream is for leaders (working both within the church and also in other spheres of society) who want to Advance the Kingdom Everywhere.

The stream will include theological teaching, inspirational stories spotlighting accomplished kingdom leaders and practical workshops that will shape our thinking and form our practice as we mobilise the whole church to see the kingdom come in every area of society.

Our sessions will cover:

  • Creating church architecture to equip and send leaders into every sphere of society

  • Innovating and developing kingdom businesses, projects and people outside the walls of the church

Spiritual Formation: Health and Wholeness in Body, Soul and Spirit

Jo Hargreaves

In this stream, we’ll explore how spiritual formation nurtures wholeness across body, soul, and spirit, inspired by 1 Thessalonians 5:23. We’ll uncover the richness of ancient practices like Lectio Divina, learning how meditative scripture reading can renew our minds and draw us closer to God. 

Together, we’ll examine the role of biblical meditation in cultivating emotional and mental health, offering practical ways to slow down, reflect, and find peace in God’s presence.

Rooted in the theme Unforced Rhythms of Grace, this session invites you to step off the treadmill of busyness and embrace a life shaped by God’s rest, renewal, and purpose. It’s an opportunity to allow His presence to bring restoration to every part of who you are—your body, your mind, and your spirit—as you lead others from a place of health and wholeness.

Next Generation

Nathan Benger

This stream is designed to empower 18–35-year-olds with practical leadership principles. You’ll gain actionable tools to grow your leadership capacity and make a lasting impact in your work, ministry, and everyday life. Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about influence, and this stream will help you lead where you are with purpose and faith.

Prices & Booking

BOOKING DEADLINES

Bookings are now open. For all bookings requiring meals please book in by 14th April 2025.

CONFERENCE PRICES

Full Conference Adult (Double/Sharing) £270
Full Conference Adult (Single) £310
Full Conference Child (Under 5's) Free
Full Conference Day Visitor £175
Full Conference Digital Pass £60
Day Visitor £80
Evening Visitor £18
Friday Morning £40

Getting to the venue

Located in a central part of the country, The Hayes is the perfect centre for people to travel to from all across the UK. The centre features great travel links that makes it easy to get to, no matter where you are commuting from.

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