You do not have to take our word for it. Hear from past attendees about why they return to CLC year after year and what they would want other church leaders to know before coming.
Do it!
"I know it's hard to get away for a few days, but I have never before been to a conference that has so humbly served, stayed on mission, and communicated so clearly the importance healthy church leadership/teams.”
“It's been so good for our team!! We have grown spiritually and learned so much accountability and vulnerability tips that has been extremely beneficial to us.”
“I would tell another church that was new or has a small staff that it is an excellent opportunity to learn practical procedures to meet the needs of their congregation. For large churches, I would tell them it is a great time to build team development.”
“Take your whole staff if logistics and cost allow. There is something for everyone on staff. We took 23 from our office. We needed that time to learn but more so to team build and to fellowship together outside work / church.”
“100% worth the time, money, and travel. You will walk away with none the less more encouraged, excited for ministry, and refreshed than you could ever imagine. Add the breakouts and community and you will find yourself and your team in a very excited season ahead. Going to a conference isn't about how we can be "them" but more so how can I fill my cup, and my team’s cup in order to go back to my ministry and reflect on how we can continue to run this race God has blessed us with!”
“I would rather have our church attend CLC than have our own private church retreat! CLC is a blessing and will encourage burnt-out leadership.”
”I'm fairly new to ministry and CLC helped me grow tremendously. My team has been doing ministry for a while now and I know they greatly benefitted from it as well. I will 100%, hands down, with no doubt be going again next year if I'm able to.”
“Worth the time and money for your entire staff to attend.”
“Man...I would say, "Invest in your staff! Love them enough to take them to CLC! Yes, they'll worship with an AMAZING worship team, they'll hear INCREDIBLE teachings, they'll get pretty sweet swag, and killer snacks! But even more... they'll get time to sit with each other outside of the office/church building. They'll pour into each other, they'll pray for and with each other, they'll LAUGH together, they'll cry together! Invest this time and money into them, and you'll see a difference when they come back. That difference will flow into their homes/families, but also into the church body.”
“Absolutely come and bring a bigger team than you think you can afford (time and money); the investment is absolutely worth it!”
“I'm constantly telling others this is the BEST conference for building Staff morale and culture.”
“I have already told several church leaders from different faith communities about this amazing conference. I assured them it would be worth the financial and time commitment. Their leaders will leave feeling like they have been in front of a fire hydrant of information yet will grow exponentially.”
“Definitely go! You will not regret sending your church leaders to this event. It's well worth the time away, the travel, and expense. This is by far the most beneficial church conference we have attended in.”
“DO IT! It's very restful & encouraging. At the end of the day you at least know you are not alone & you are bonding with your staff team. 10/10 recommend CLC.”
“Don't think about it, just do it. For churches that are thinking about doing a staff retreat, I'd say use this as either a launching pad for one, or just incorporate team elements to CLC. Our church brought 50 people - our tech/worship/comms team all went out bowling after the first night. The whole group hung out at the pool after the second night. It was...an incredibly important week for us.”
“It's our annual team "retreat", but I love coming back because the Watermark team crushes servant leadership so well and the worship is always passionate. You guys are so transparent and gracious.”
“If you are not sure if it is worth the expense. Maybe before bringing your team, do it your self, you won't regret it!! I assure you that the following year you will be back with your team.”
“Our team is stronger because of the CLC and the podcast. We are more united and encouraged every year and get helpful tools. Thank you!”
“You should totally go! Bring as many people as you can. So encouraging and just life giving.”
“That it would be a mistake to skip it. I have been to many many conferences. Regarding church structure and strategy, I have not been to a better one.”
“Be ready to take notes! There are so many opportunities for equipping. Bring your whole team. There is something for everyone.”
“If you want to be encouraged and rejuvenated in your role at your church come to this conference. I felt so valued and encouraged.”
“It is such a beneficial and helpful conference. Everyone truly exhibits a kind servants heart the entire time you are there. It was also probably the most informative conference I have ever went to. I picked up many new insights and ideas from not only the leaders but other participants too!”
“CLC is a worthwhile investment of time and resources. They do a great job balancing encouragement, celebration, and practical steps you can try on in your own ministry.”
“There's much encouragement at CLC, and it focuses your perspective on the mattering things. The conference is very motivating and, at the same time, soothing to a weary soul. I walk away every year with a renewed desire to be on mission with Jesus and my team. In the church-world, there's not a lot of practical help in regard to leadership in the church, but this conference is unique - it's practical and restorative. Well done!”
“It was practical, encouraging, enriching and team building. We need to all attend this, together, next year.”
“How well organized the conference was...lots of variety in breakout sessions...excellent teaching from speakers.... Amazing worship!”
“To go! So much helpful information and practical steps for many kinds of leaderships/ministry.”
“Great insight into real ministry challenges with very thought out and practical solutions. Also a great personal growth experience. I felt Watermark gets it, and genuinely cares about the wellbeing of our collective body of Christ and those of us who bare the additional pressures of leading others."
“It is worth your time and money! They take the time to serve you in ways that is nourishing to your soul.”
“If you are looking for a leadership conference that is informative, enjoyable, and has something available for virtually any member of your team, this is the one to attend!”
”Watermark does a top notch conference, but you will find the leaders are very transparent and humble. They are so open with how they approach ministry. The time together as a staff was invaluable to our team dynamics.”
“Take as many of your staff and leaders as you can. Even those in support positions can benefit from knowing the challenges of church leadership and how to pray for and help your leaders face them.”
“This conference will truly equip and refresh your spirit. So often other conferences teach you how to be a little them. CLC always pointed us to Jesus. The teaching was so sound and the breakouts blew me away.”
“Book it now!! If you are even mildly experiencing ministry fatigue, run don't walk to this conference.”
“It might be the best value in a conference out there. It is less about knowing what to do, and more about knowing the God who called you to do what you do. I think that is the most valuable piece for a church leader, being reminded of the called who called you!”
“GO! You will leave this conference refreshed, recharged and ready to face the challenges that come with ministry. You will laugh, you will cry and you will since the presence of God while you are there. You will be cared for, loved and fed well. It is an opportunity for you as a ministry leader to be filled up so you can go back and fill up the people you serve.”
“I would tell them that they should absolutely go and that it is life-changing for ministers. (It's like summer camp for pastors).“
“Go and be fed (literally) and spiritually. If Jesus doesn't come and get me. I will be there next year and bring all I can.”
“It encourages our staff and volunteers. It's a real boost to morale. It's also really fun and, most importantly, biblically solid.”
“CLC is a great value with amazing intentionally in making everyone's experience incredible and pointing everything and everyone back to Jesus.”
“You can expect to be saturated with Biblical teaching and deep transformation.”
“I would encourage them to come. I am considering bringing our worship staff next year. Even though it's not a worship conference...I feel like it would be a great conference for personal spiritual growth and team building.”
“This is an opportunity to be on the other side. To be served, loved, and grow in your faith. It's a healthy check up.”
“It is not just for the burnt out, and it is not just for the perfect. It is for everyone that leads a church in some capacity, whether it is making coffee, holding crying babies, singing, or preaching on stage. Watermark truly does a great job of catering to every ministry, and while they aren't without their flaws, they are open in how they are handling them and are always open for discussion. Their staff is so welcoming and friendly, and you can tell that they truly are for Christ and for people.”
“To me, for a number of reasons, Watermark is a phenomenon among the churches. As a large megachurch that lives and functions like a tiny, relational, house church it seems to epitomize so well what was Christ's intention for His church to be - bustling with genuine love and seriously committed to making Christ known. I've been in christian ministry for over 30 years and still have so much to learn from this authentic and loving family of believers. CLC is their way to share this inspiring love with brothers and sister from all over the world.”
“You will be encouraged to stay true to what God has led you to your church to accomplish... you will hear from a team of faithful, humble servants who prize Jesus above themselves and who earnestly desire just to encourage you. You/your team will walk away challenged to conceive your best for Christ but also incredibly humbled and encouraged that you are seen by God and cared for by Watermark... wherever you serve.”
“If you are considering attending CLC. It's definitely worth it! Even if it's a place to just go and experience community amongst people who are in the same roles, you are feeling. It's a safe place for you to learn, breathe, and connect.”
“Just attend. You will have zero regrets. I'd love to see you and meet you there next year.”
“It was awesome to watch another church and their approach to a God centered ministry. So cool watching how God works in multiple ways and how teamwork and administration pays off in big ways when it's Holy.”
“CLC is fantastic! You and your staff / volunteers will feel loved, encouraged, filled up, poured into, and you will leave with dozens of ideas. You will also worship God with a BUNCH of other leaders from across the country. It's worth marking your calendar for each year.”
“It is so refreshing, not about christian celebrity culture, just about gathering leaders in a room worshiping and learning together. So much about tangible next steps for your ministry and connection. GREAT FOOD AND FUN!!!”
“This really is a place where church leaders are completely spoiled and we get to really worship God together. Overall it's such an encouraging and fun time.”
“Do it! It is so uplifting and encouraging to be around others who are serving in ministry and have time to sharpen your skills.”
“It is a great time to see, and test your ministry values against another ministries. This is good to ask introspective questions about your own ministry at large.”
“If you want to meet a group of people who live out what they believe from the pulpit to the pew, come to CLC. They'll treat you like family, honor you as their guest and love you like Christ followers ought to.”
“The best conference I've been to in a long time, if not ever.”
“Do it! I know it's hard to get away for a few days, but I have never before been to a conference that has so humbly served, stayed on mission, and communicated so clearly the importance healthy church leadership/teams.”
“Come prepared to take notes and lots of them! There was such a great balance between Biblical wisdom and practical wisdom, and I left knowing how to make my church better as well as how to challenge myself to be better as a church leader.”
“I would highly recommend the CLC for pastors to come, leader volunteers and to come with an open mind. Take that info that is helpful. Interact and ask questions of those pastors/staff members. Ask lots of questions and to come with a group of 5 to 10 so we can discuss it later as a group. Be open to all that God has in store for us to change and grow our Care Ministry and how it can also impact our community as well. Helping the hurting in our Church and to view the Church as a hospital that welcomes all that come through the doors. God is here for sure. Thank you for CLC.”
“This was a wonderfully fruitful time for myself and our group. It's easy to continually pour out and convince ourselves that service is how we fill our cup, and while it can, it's important to take opportunities for refreshment and reflection like this to refill our own cup so we can continue to pour fully into others. This was an excellent opportunity to do just that.”
“There is tremendous value in what is offered here, even if some travel is required."
“If you want to be encouraged and rejuvenated in your role at your church come to this conference. I felt so valued and encouraged.”
“To me it was like a church conference on steroids. Just so many extra surprise things - including the incredible walkout on the last day.”
“It is awesome and prepare to be blown away by its excellence.”
“Superb messages. Uplifting songs. Creative presentations. Graceful services. Humble examples.”
“GO! The way you guys loved on, served and encouraged us as fellow laborers in Christ was deeply life giving! Not boasting in your own accomplishments or ways because you are ‘big’ and ‘know it all’. Humbly presented with a clear heart to lift us up to keep it up!”
“It was the best conference I have attended in a long time!”
“Watermark gets where ministry leaders are right now. The conference is so much more than a showcase of Watermark's programs or a "how-to" on running great ministries. It is that, but it is also a spiritual retreat for ministry leaders. CLC is an opportunity for Watermark to utilize its incredibly healthy staff culture to minister to ministers ("to shepherd shepherds"). Of all the impactful things from the conference, the witness of love from Watermark's staff and lay leadership is the most profound. It's easy to talk principles and theories, but you can't fake that kind of hospitality and culture. It is something nurtured regularly and that is made manifest when called upon. The powerful testimonies of Christ's work in the lives of the many speakers demonstrates a culture of awareness, prayer, and intentionality regarding the need to share the Gospel and how how best to communicate it to modern man. The speakers are authentic and real, demonstrating that it's not by the natural gifts they possess, but by the very power of God in Christ and through the Holy Spirit, that they have been transformed into effective ministers. Finally, Watermark will remind you that our call is to be "faithful nobodies" reliant solely on grace for the bearing of fruit. As hard as we work to see our churches grow, Christ is the vine and we are the branches. He is the one who gives life to our ministries and He will bear the fruit that He bears. Watermark will remind you that your job is to remain faithful, because the number one disciple God wants to make through you IS you.”
