GEORGE WHITEFIELD PROGRAM FELLOWSHIP CONFERENCE '25

What is happening

The George Whitefield Program for full-time evangelists is conducting its annual Fellowship Conference the week of June 16 - 20, 2025, near Chattanooga, TN, USA. Workshops are offered on expository preaching and transitioning into full-time evangelism. 

To apply, contact Bill Adams at either: bill@sfoi.org, CA@sfoi.org or (905) 315-6832 and then complete the registration page noting whether you are participating in Track #1 or #2. If you are interested in joining the GWP discuss this with Bill. 

The two tracks:

Track #1: Transition to Vocational Evangelism

Fundraising, administrative, audience & scheduling:

• This is required for men who are joining the GWP or men who want to learn the fundamentals of full-time evangelistic life.
• These topics are covered: 
  
• Who is your audience?
• Consistency and the pastoral ministry that happens through your evangelism.
• Ministry Partner Development [fundraising].
• The role of the evangelist in the Great Commission.
• Spiritual disciplines which include prayer and navigating the relationships you have as an evangelist.
• Leading your family.

Again, the training is for men who believe they are called to or are considering the work of preaching Christ in the open air. This is not training in evangelism, that training is conducted through Sports Fan Outreach Int'l events, rather this is training for the administrative and personal aspects of ministry.

To register to attend click on this link and when asked for the event you are attending type: George Whitefield Program – Track #1: Register.

Track #2:  Keep Your Finger In The Text (KYFITT) Bible Exposition Workshop: 

• This is for GWP evangelists, seasoned and/or beginning evangelists or men who want to strengthen and enhance their preparation for preaching and teaching of God’s word.
• These skills will be developed:
• Biblical exposition: a foundational commitment in order to preach the Word faithfully and fruitfully.
• Preaching: you will prepare two sermon outlines. One will be discussed and the other preached. Both will be provided feedback by your peers.
• Critiquing and observing sermons: you will observe and critique the other participants sermons and work.

To register for the homiletics KYFITT Bible Exposition track training visit this page and enter “George Whitefield Program – Track #2” when asked for the event you are attending: Register.

Scheduled Teachers

Track #1 - Administrative

Bill Adams: Overseer of SFOI.org and Trustee for SFOI.CA.

This is the big picture of Bill's Track #1 teaching: Get Organized.

Bill’s teaching topics include:

• Who are you reaching with the Gospel? Audio Message.
• Ministry Partner Development.

Audio message: It's not about the money.

• The role of the evangelist in the Great Commission. Audio Message.
• Leading your family and your ministry to others in your evangelistic life.
• Why be a vocational evangelist. Audio Message.
• Spiritual disciplines: establishing spiritual disciplines to be a fruitful evangelist.

Audio message: Reordering Your Schedule.

Track #2: Sermon Preparation

Heath Pucel: is as an evangelist at Fishermen’s Call and the instructor of the "Keep Your Finger in the Text" (KYFITT) workshops for SFOI. This year Heath is teaching Biblical Theology in preaching.

The workshop focus this year will be on "Persuasion & Rhetoric."

Communicating a Biblical text is as crucial as understanding it. We often neglect spending time on this aspect of our preaching.

We will work on sermon preparation and preaching:

• Forming an argument
• Crafting a sermon outline
• Developing applications for our audience
• Illustrating the text
• Tips for sermon delivery

Each participant will apply the principles in the workshop through text and preaching assignments.

Heath describes the goal of his teaching:

"The commitment of studying biblical passages is crucial for faithful exposition in preaching and teaching scripture. It requires a commitment to diligent and thorough examination of the text and a willingness to engage in the hard work rather than relying on the interpretations of others, study notes and commentaries. Although these are useful, they should not be our first resources for study. This approach provides a path to practical, persuasive, powerful preaching. It guards against the pitfalls of misinterpreting or mishandling scripture in order to fit personal beliefs, agendas and theological frameworks. By carefully studying and interpreting the Bible, we discover and gain a deeper understanding of God's Word so we can apply its teachings to our lives first, which leads to preach and teach with greater accuracy and effectiveness."

• Small Group Worksheet                           

• Sample Text Assignment from current teaching on Mark

Keep Your Fingers In The Text sessions with Heath Pucel:



Testimonials

“Bill’s goal with SFOI and the GWP has been to mobilize the next generation of George Whitefield’s. This goal combined with KYFITT provide a powerful remedy of faithful heralds of the King, rightly proclaiming His word and living a life fully and totally committed to prayer, study and preaching the word."

•  I am excited this year as we dive into Biblical Theology and Preaching.

Biblical Theology plays a crucial role in preaching, as it seeks to uncover the overarching themes, concepts, and purposes of Scripture and how it points to Christ. By understanding the overarching themes and motifs in the grand narrative of the Bible, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the continuity of God's message across different books, authors, and genres.

This helps us interpret and connect various passages and themes across the entirety of the Bible, allowing us to present a holistic view of God's character, his plan of salvation, and our role in his story.

Additionally, grounding our preaching in a solid Biblical Theology foundation can help avoid theological errors and pitfalls which diminish exalting Christ and showcase a greater, deeper Gospel connection to those we preach to.

Event Info

Conference Location: TBA

Dates: June 16 - June 20, '25.

• Arrive: Monday, June 16, Noon for registration.
• Depart: Friday, June 20, Noon after closing session.

Conference Schedule:

The time slots are the same for both tracks. Both tracks come together for the “Evening Session” which is a joint worship service.

Note:  Families are invited to attend the evening sessions.

Monday, June 16

• Registration: Noon – 2:00 PM
  
• Afternoon session: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
  
• Dinner break: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  
• Evening session: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Tuesday, June 17 – Thursday, June 19

• Prayer: 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
  
• Morning session: 9:00 AM – Noon
  
• Lunch break: Noon – 2:00 PM [includes lunch and prayer]
  
• Afternoon session: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
  
• Dinner break: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  
• Evening session: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Friday, June 20

• Prayer: 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
• Closing session : 9:00 AM – NoonLocation: 

Accommodation, Meals & Airport Pick-up:

Accommodation: TBA 

• Check-in: TBA 
• Check-out: TBA

Address: TBA
Note: Participants bringing their families need to organize their own accommodation.

Meals:  Includes 8 meals.

Note: For men bringing their families the extra cost is meals. Meals are $40 / person for 4 evening meals. 

Airport Pickup: Yes, forward your itinerary to info@sfoi.org

Travel: Book Your Travel 

New feature: book your flights; car rental, etc. via SFOI's partnership with Hotel Planner.

You can also call: 888-973-5987 to check for unpublished airfare rates.

Visit Hotel Planner on this link: https://sfoi.hotelplanner.com

Prayer:

Please pray daily for the Chattanooga Civil Magistrate based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7.

• Prayer is the foundation of the SFOI and praying for the Civil Magistrate has allowed the outreaches to operate smoothly over the years. So this is a must.
• Prayer time: SFOI has a weekly prayer time which is held Monday evenings at 7:00 PM EST. Click on the link to get details about the weekly prayer meeting:
• Prayer Call

Exhibitors:

H & E Publishing - a Canadian evangelical publishing company located out of Peterborough, Ontario; Restoration House - church in Swift Current; ShareWord Global - ShareWord Global shares the good news of Jesus Christ with the whole world, not just by being evangelists, but by mobilizing evangelists;  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's):

If you have not previously participated in an SFOI outreach, and you have questions about how SFOI works, then visit these pages to help you understand the work of the ministry: 

• About SFOI
• SFOI Vision and Mission statements
• What to expect
• SFOI Distinctions
• The Gospel, the Goal and Expectations of SFOI 
• Why SFOI emphasizes open air preaching
• Other Frequently Asked Questions

Ministry Reports