Case Study: North American Christian Convention

Site selection, costs and programming are a juggling act for North American Christian Convention.

Planner: Larry D. Collins, North American Christian Convention (NACC) Managing Director and Meeting Planner

Event: The North American Christian Convention, which met in Indianapolis July 6-9, provides ideas, inspiration and identity to New Testament churches, leaders and their ministries, drawing 7,500 to 10,000 church leaders and their families to the annual event. Collins plans the convention, which has programming that includes combined worship sessions, 12 tracks of workshops, featured presentations and special events, and a 100,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall featuring ministries, Bible colleges, church suppliers and various retail outlets. A student convention, women’s conference and children’s convention run simultaneously to the main workshops and sessions; the tracks combine for joint general sessions and other aspects of the convention.

Special challenges: Finding the right location and keeping costs down are the main challenges that Collins faces. He looks for “a city and facility that support and partner with the NACC event,” he says. Securing the most economical package of hotel accommodations and parking is the next priority, and Collins says another is “staying ahead of the competition and attracting church leaders who will pay their own way to attend the event during an economic climate that is less than ideal.”

Solutions: Do your homework, do your research and just do it better than others, he says, adding that he continuously improves his events, seeking speakers that add registration value for a cross-section of attendees. Once the program is set, he markets, advertises and uses social networks to get the word out.

Attracting top speakers: The 2010 NACC featured speakers such as Rick Warren, Tony Dungy and Francis Chan. Collins says planners should look for the speaker who fits their program goals and theme. “Have a timeline for signing; if necessary, move on to option B. Do your homework: Know your budget and schedule options before you begin the booking process and then be decisive.”

Using volunteers: NACC uses more than 1,000 volunteers. (Volunteers are primarily those who work fewer than four hours on a shift in a single day.) “We recruit volunteers by first identifying and recruiting key church leaders who, in turn, are assigned a job with a written job description,” Collins says. “These 30 or so logistical leaders recruit the volunteers. Training is provided for more technical volunteers on site.” All church leaders receive a complimentary family registration for the event the year they serve and the following year. Volunteers who serve the four-hour shift are given a weekly, individual registration.

Advice: “Enjoy the journey, and know where you are going and leading,” Collins says. “You can’t do it alone; travel in the direction that God leads you.”