How can we help you?

Check out these answers to our most frequently asked questions.

What is Watermark Community Church?

Watermark is a local expression of the Body of Christ that meets in Dallas, Texas. But “church” is not a building – it’s a people. Every weekend, we encourage the thousands of people who worship with us to go and be the church in their homes and communities.
What began as a core of eight families in 1999 has grown into thousands gathering at our weekend services and midweek ministries. Many of these ministries are volunteer-led, including: The Porch (young adults), Re|engage (marriage enrichment), Re:generation (recovery), and Re:gen for Students (student recovery).

Who is this conference for?

If you’re asking that question, it’s probably for you. We believe leadership matters like nothing else – especially leadership within The Church. This conference is for anyone who feels a “weight” of responsibility at a local church or ministry, including: pastors, church planters, elders, volunteer leaders, etc. Whether you teach every Sunday, lead in student ministry, or help with small groups, you will have the opportunity to learn from others who lead in a similar role.

At Watermark, everyone on staff – regardless of position – is expected to act like an owner and a leader. A key goal of the CLC is that the principles we discuss are relevant to every position within a church staff, including those outside traditional “ministry” roles (IT, operations, HR, media, communications, administration, etc.). Our entire staff will also be available during workshops and breakouts to connect with you and answer questions.

Wondering if your church is too small or too big to get something out of the CLC? We believe there are no such things as “big” or “little” works of God. So whether your church attendance is 50 or 50,000, our prayer is that you will become a better leader in it because of our time together.

Hear from other church leaders about their CLC experience.

Are there any big name speakers at this conference?

That depends on how you define “big name.”

If by “big name,” you mean “celebrity” – then no. One of the unique aspects of CLC is that speakers are primarily members of our staff. We want to give attendees an inside look at how our church operates by giving them access to the people who run the day-to-day operations of our ministries.

But if by “big name,” you mean “big guys who also have names” – then yes! An odd number of our key leaders are easily 6'5" or taller.

What is a Workshop?

Workshops are a pre-conference opportunity to get an in-depth look at one of Watermark’s core ministries. Attending a Workshop allows you and your team to take a deep dive in a specific ministry, receive personal training, and connect with other church leaders who are passionate about the same area of ministry as you.

To register for a pre-conference workshop, add on a workshop for $50 during the registration process.

To add a workshop to a ticket you’ve already purchased:

Click the blue “manage attendees” button in your ticket purchase confirmation email
Select the attendee you want to add a workshop for
Click “edit/complete info”
Select YES when asked if you want to add a workshop
Select the workshop you would like to attend
Then click the blue button that says “update”

Do you have early bird / group registration discounts?

You bet! Check out our pricing page for more details.

How do I sponsor someone to go the CLC?

Choose "Send as Gift" on the registration page. Enter in the name and email address of the person you would like to sponsor. Once you complete the registration process, send your friend a personal word of encouragement. We’ll take care of the rest!

Will the conference sessions be recorded?

Yes, all conference sessions will be recorded. Audio of the breakout sessions and video of the main sessions will be made available about a month after the conference to attendees.

Are refunds available?

Sure thing! Full refunds will be available until February 1st. 50% refunds will be available from February 1st until March 1st. Tickets will be non-refundable starting March 2nd.

What is included in my ticket price?

We hope you think it's a steal!

Two-day pass to all conference sessions and breakouts
All conference materials (including post-conference video and audio recordings)
Unlimited coffee, drinks, and snacks
Meals provided for lunch and dinner on Tuesday, and lunch on Wednesday

By the way, we take food seriously at Watermark, and we pick some of our favorite Dallas eateries to cater the Church Leaders Conference. If this isn’t the best conference food you’ve ever had, please let us know so that we can step up our game.

Are meals provided?

Lunch and dinner will be provided on Tuesday, and lunch on Wednesday. Workshop attendees will get lunch on Monday. One of our goals in doing so is to help you and your team maximize your time by not having to leave campus. Come hungry; we think you'll like what we provide!

Can I bring my child?

While we love kiddos, childcare is not available during the conference.

Nursing infants 6 months and under are allowed at this event, but we kindly ask parents be mindful of noise as we record audio of all main stage and breakout sessions. There will be nursing and pumping rooms available for mothers.

Children 16 and older are allowed to attend with the purchase of a ticket.

I live outside of the United States. Can you help me obtain a visa or travel resources/sponsorship to attend?

While attendees from outside of the United States are welcome, we understand that travel resources, restrictions and/or obtaining a visa may prohibit some from attending. Because we receive more requests for financial assistance than we are able to accommodate, we are only able to provide assistance through existing long-term relationships and ministry partners. Additionally, we are unable to offer any housing assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will there be a virtual option?

There will not be a virtual option. CLC is more than a bunch of conference sessions. It is an experience that refreshes church leaders and facilitates growth for individuals and teams. It is the farkle fun during meals, the conversation with other church leaders, and the space to grow that provides much of the value of the conference.

What sponsorship or exhibition opportunities do you have?

We love new friends! However we are not accepting exhibitor proposals for CLC 2024.

Why was Thursday removed from the schedule?

As this conference continues to grow, we’re trying some new things logistically while making sure your experience stays the same. In past years, we’ve had workshops on Monday and Tuesday and main conference events on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday morning. While this format has allowed for a more relaxed pace, it has also meant many attendees having to miss the final session on Thursday, or an extra day of travel expenses just for one session. In 2024, all pre-conference workshops will be held on Monday and the main conference will be held only on Tuesday and Wednesday (covering the same amount of content).