Why we gather
Equipping believers to contend for truth and resist cultural drift.
In a culture built on shifting sand, Contend ’27 calls believers back to the bedrock — laying foundations in our families, our children’s worldview, and the broader work of cultural renewal.
Key Verse — Matthew 7:24
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
The Contend Conference exists to equip believers to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3) — with biblical clarity, practical tools, and courageous conviction.
Conference Themes
Name where culture and compromise have crept into our assumptions.
Give families and churches biblical tools for the questions they’re actually facing.
Help kids and teens think biblically and engage culture with confidence.
Point every session back to the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Weekend: Three days. One foundation.
From Friday’s opening to Sunday’s services, each session builds on the last — why foundations matter, what the cultural context looks like, how to build at home, and where it all points.
8:30am: Pre-Conference: Foundations for Justice
(Optional module for parents, youth leaders & educators)
9:15am: “God’s Yardstick” ft. Krista Bontrager
10:30am: “Unmasking the Lies of Social Justice” ft. Monique Duson
7:00pm: Conference Opening & Worship (Childcare available)
7:35pm: “Raising a Generation to Discern and Follow Truth” ft. Elizabeth Urbanowicz
9:00pm: Dessert Social & Book Signing
9:00am: Day Two Opening & Worship
Kids Program (6–12) & nursery run simultaneously all morning “Walk Thru the Bible”
9:35am: “Like Me, Follow Me” ft. Brett Kunkle
11:15am: Parallel – Biblical Worldview (Parents) / “Truth Never Gets Old” (Teens) ft. Elizabeth Urbanowicz · Brett Kunkle
1:30pm: Breakouts – Sexuality & Gender · Social Justice & Family · Motherhood · Screens & Teens
3:00pm: Breakouts – Affinity Groups · Theology of Home · Teaching Kids the Bible · Justice Conversations
4:45pm: “How Should We Live in a World of Screens?” ft. Brett & Erin Kunkle (Dinner Session)
7:00pm: All-Speaker Q&A Panel ft. Pastor Bob with the full speaker team
8:00pm: Worship & Closing
9:00am: “How Your Worldview Matters for Every Single Area of Your Life”
ft. Brett Kunkle & Q&A with Erin
10:45am: “Why I Am a Christian”
Brett Kunkle & Interview with Monique & Krista
Who’s Teaching
Elizabeth Urbanowicz
(Founder, Foundation Worldview)
Former elementary teacher and founder of the Foundation Worldview curriculum series, equipping parents and educators to build genuine biblical foundations in children.
Weekend Talks
– Raising a Generation to Discern and Follow Truth
– Helping Our Children Discover the Truth of the Biblical Worldview
– Grounding Our Children in Sexuality & Gender
Brett Kunkle
(Founder & CEO, MAVEN)
Co-author of “A Practical Guide to Culture” with John Stonestreet. Trains parents and equips teens to navigate culture with confidence and biblical clarity.
Weekend Talks
– Like Me, Follow Me: Social Media & the Heart
– Truth Never Gets Old (Teens)
– Why I Am a Christian
Erin Kunkle
(Co-Founder, MAVEN · Host, Strong Woman Podcast)
Homeschooling mother of five and specialist in motherhood, family discipleship, and women’s identity — practical wisdom for building a home rooted in truth.
Weekend Talks
– God’s Truth About Motherhood
– Cultivating a Theology of Home
– A World of Screens (with Brett)
Monique Duson
(President & Co-Founder, Center for Biblical Unity)
A former social justice activist turned biblical unity advocate, exposing the lies of social justice ideology and equipping the next generation with biblical truth.
Weekend Talks
– Unmasking the Lies of Social Justice
– How Social Justice Deconstructs the Family
Krista Bontrager
(Theologian & Co-Founder, Center for Biblical Unity)
Adjunct professor at Birmingham Theological Seminary, equipping parents with biblical tools for justice and cultural discernment.
Weekend Talks
– God’s Yardstick: Measuring True Justice
– A Parent’s Plan for Discipleship
Pastor Bob Erbig
(Host & Moderator)
Opens the weekend, moderates the all-speaker Q&A panel, and interviews speakers throughout — keeping the conversation grounded and pastoral.
Weekend Talks
– Welcome Address: Building on the Rock
– All-Speaker Q&A Panel
Go Deeper: Breakout sessions & tracks
Saturday afternoon offers two breakout sections — choose the track that fits your season of life.
Parents: Sexuality & Gender
Grounding kids in the goodness of God’s design before culture’s messages reach them.
Speaker: Elizabeth Urbanowicz
Adults: Social Justice & the Family
How neo-Marxist and postmodern frameworks target marriage and parental authority.
Speaker: Monique Duson
Moms: Discipleship Amid Cultural Hostility
A practical plan for prioritizing your own growth first, then discipling your kids.
Speaker: Erin Kunkle
Parents: Theology of Home
What Scripture says a home is for, and how to build one that points others to God.
Speaker: Erin Kunkle
Teens: Mind Games: Screens & the Mind
An interactive look at how screens shape attention and identity, and how to take back control.
Speaker: Brett Kunkle
All Ages: Affinity Groups (Outdoors)
Homeschooling, public theology, parent education, and next-gen justice conversations in small groups.
Saturday A.M. Kids Session
Walk Thru the Bible – New Testament
On Saturday 4/24 from 9am – 12pm we have a special offering for all kids ages K-6th called “Walk Thru the Bible: New Testament”. This is a great opportunity for kids to learn about the entire New Testament in just one day. Check out the video below to learn more!
Foundations don’t build themselves
April 23-25, 2027
MBC Campus
Questions?
Questions?
