The recent Exponential conference was far more than just a conference—it was a profound spiritual and collaborative experience that continues to shape our work at Power to Change.
Beyond Expectations
Going into the conference, my expectations were modest—to gather valuable connections, collect innovative ideas to bring back to our team, and represent Power to Change well. What I encountered instead was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do in the first place.
God spoke clearly to me during the presentations and workshops, and the Holy Spirit moved in unmistakable ways. On the first day, we experienced such powerful worship that the Holy Spirit was the most palatable in a long while for me! It was so incredibly encouraging to be reminded of God's goodness to us and myself personally.
Abiding in the Vine
One of the main speakers, Drew Hyun, spoke about a theme that continued to arise the entire week—our most creative strategies and ambitious plans amount to little if disconnected from Christ, the true vine. As Jesus teaches us in John 15:5, "...apart from me, you can do nothing." This timely reminder grounds our work and all our strategic initiatives in the foundation they require—complete dependence on God's leading and empowerment.
A Movement Within the Movement
Beyond the spiritual renewal, Exponential highlighted something remarkable happening within our own organization. Thirty-one Power to Change staff members from all our ministries and central services attended together, creating a microcosm of the collaborative culture we're building.
As we gathered between sessions, shared meals, and processed what we were learning, I witnessed firsthand what collective kingdom impact could look like in practice. Staff from different ministries discovered shared passions, complementary approaches, and opportunities for collaboration. It was also so encouraging to hear how the Holy Spirit was speaking to us, and I saw themes come up as each person shared.
From Inspiration to Action
In the coming months, we'll share resources, host internal workshops, and create opportunities to implement what we've learned together.
The greatest takeaway wasn't a particular strategy or approach—it was the renewed conviction that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. As we continue building and refining our strategic initiatives, we do so with fresh inspiration and the beautiful reminder that we're not just colleagues but co-labourers in Christ's mission.
I'm profoundly grateful for the opportunity to represent Power to Change at Exponential and even more thankful to be part of an organization where innovation always serves our ultimate purpose—seeing lives transformed by Jesus.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Melody, the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation at Power to Change. I lead efforts to develop forward-thinking approaches to ministry impact while fostering collaboration across our organization. With a passion for kingdom advancement and organizational effectiveness, I work to ensure our initiatives remain Christ-centered and culturally relevant.