It’s a conference that will empower Christian believers for worship, leadership and missions. The conference, a resource for people and churches throughout the region, bringing big names and faces from throughout Christian music and ministry, will culminate in one big weekend at one local church.

Prepare 2015, set for July 26-28 at Harvest Church, will bring those big names together for generations of believers and give attendees training in worship band application, vocals, songwriting, technology in worship, leadership and missions, according to Treva Tankard, Harvest music pastor. On July 29, the church will host Song Café, a special songwriting workshop hosted by Springer, where attendees will have the chance to showcase some of their original work, Tankard said. Day sessions require registration and fees. Night sessions are free and open to the public.

Among the list of guests for the event are: speaker and author Bishop Joseph Garlington, renowned worship artist Rita Springer; Frank Harvey of Covenant Life Ministry; and Brian Oliver of Harvest Church.

“The conference will empower believers for worship, leadership and missions,” Tankard said. “Those three things are not really separate things; they work together in resourcing and training people. Our goal is to be a regional resource to churches and ministry leaders in preparation and training for this important time.”

The program will also offer a variety of daily breakout tracks sessions taught by regional and international guests Aaron Kennedy of Open Door Ministry, Mitch Ham, Matthew Lilley of the Burn in Greenville, Steve and Indy Dixon, Keith and Michelle Duncan from His Call Ministry and Gail Stathis and Brian Vandeventer from Greece, according to Tankard.

Tankard said the church hosts the now annual event in order to bring training and inspiration to people and churches through exposure to well known names in the Christian industry that otherwise could only be seen by traveling to bigger cities and areas. Through daily sessions, as well as night sessions, attendees can participate in an array of activities and workshops that will allow them to become more effective in areas of worship, missions and leading church groups. Last year, the conference was a huge success, gathering worship leaders, pastors and youth from Maryland to South Carolina and as far west as the North Carolina mountains, Tankard said.

“With the facility we have, we are a resource center for the regional area that will help strengthen all the local churches and their ministry teams,” Tankard said. “So that’s why we’re doing this. People don’t have to drive such long distances because they can partake in great ministries that we bring in. It’s just a part of what we do. We’re excited about bringing so many different people together and just impart into them something that can not only go into their lives, personally, but also their church and ministries.”

Harvest Church is located at 2020 W. 15^th St., Washington. For more information or to register, visit www.harvestchurchnc.org.