Healthy Community Conference

Healthy Community Conference – 2026

Saturday, April 25, 2026 || 1-4:45pm ET

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Here are 3 great reasons to register for the HEALTHY COMMUNITY Online Conference!

  • You’ll hear from godly, mature leaders on how God designed us for relationships.
  • You’ll learn practical tools to help communities become places where people feel seen, valued, and loved.
  • All this would normally be an $89 value, but we let you name your own price.

Register today, and you’ll be given access to session recordings & notes that you can come back whenever you like!

+ย Spread the Word!ย Please share this conference with friends, family, missionaries, & leaders!

HOW TO REGISTER

  • Add the “Name Your Own Price” amount
  • Click “Add to Cart“
  • Proceed to Checkout
  • Login or Create your free Deeper Walk account

If you don’t have a Deeper Walk account you can create one for free during the checkout process. You’ll gain access to this free conference as well as instant access to a free Learning Library Basic subscription with access to dozens of hours of streaming content on areas related to Heart-Focused Community.

Be sure to save your login and password somewhere handyย so you can login anytime to access the content you own.

Suggested price: $89.00

Suggested price: $89.00

Create a Thriving Heart-Focused Community!

Many of us long for a deep sense of belonging, yet we often find that community is a wonderful idea in theory but much more challenging in practice. We try to build connections through shared interests or studies that engage the mind, only to find our relationships remain surface-level or, worse, become sources of conflict and exhaustion.

Have you ever wondered why some groups feel like a breath of fresh air while others feel draining? How do we move beyond mere attendance to create a truly relational environment where people are seen, valued, and transformed?

This conference is designed to move you from theory to practice, equipping you with the brain-based relational skills and spiritual insights necessary to build communities that go beyond the surface to true connection. You will discover how God designed the human brain for secure attachments and how our nervous systemsโ€”not just our ideasโ€”interact to shape our experience of safety and growth.

What You Will Experience:

Through four dynamic sessions, you will gain a holistic pathway for healthy, heart-focused community:

  • The Power of Secure Bonds: Michel Hendricks, co-author ofย The Other Half of Church, explores the neuroscience of character formation, showing how maturity is strengthened in communities that prioritize joy and love over fear.
  • Brain-Based Relational Skills: Chris Coursey, president of THRIVEtoday, provides practical tools for staying relational under distress. You will learn to recognize and repair “enemy mode”โ€”that self-protective state where we see others as threats rather than image-bearers.
  • The Doโ€™s and Don’ts of Small Groups: Nik Harrang shares pastoral wisdom on creating welcoming environments, offering simple tips to ensure no one feels overlooked or run over, while navigating common pitfalls that derail connection.
  • Real-Life Application: Hear from our speakers in a candid panel discussion as they recap highlights and answer the most common questions about the keys to healthy community.

Bonus Teaching from Dr. Marcus Warner!

Marcus Warner will be ministering in Europe when this online conference takes place, but for everyone who registers, we’ll send a pre-recorded teaching from Marcus on “Core Values of Kingdom Community” (available starting April 11).

Why Register?

Join us to move past “surface-level” fellowship and gain a clear understanding of how to move forward in deeper connection. You will leave with the practical tools needed to cultivate a community where joy flourishes and maturity grows.

You will receive:

  • Pre-Conference Bonus Teaching from Dr. Marcus Warner:ย (available starting April 11)
  • Livestream Link: A unique Zoom link to attend the online conference live.
  • Recordings: Long term access to the video recordings of each session to watch at your convenience (available within one week post-event)
  • Notes: Downloadable and printable notes and PDF slides of presentations.

Donโ€™t miss this opportunity to grow healthy communities which reflect God’s heart!

Why is it “Name Your Own Price?”

At Deeper Walk, our name is our mission. We exist to help people experience a deeper walk with God, and we don’t want money to stand in the way of anyone who wants to attend this training. Generous donors make it possible for us to provide a variety of free resources such as our podcast, our free streaming service, and more.

CONFERENCE DETAILS

Schedule of Sessions

  • Saturday, April 25, 2026 || 1-4:45pm ET (click to see in your own time zone)

Saturday, April 25

  • PRE-CONFERENCE BONUS SESSION – “Core Values of Kingdom Community” – Marcus Warner (Available starting April 11)
  • 1:00p-2:00p – Session 1 – “The Importance of Community in Forming Character” – Michel Hendricks
  • 2:00p-3:00p – Session 2 – “Practical Relational Skills For Community Health” – Chris Coursey
  • 3:00p-4:00p – Session 3 – “Do’s and Don’ts of Heart-Focused Community” Nik Harrang
  • 4:00p-4:45p – Session 4 – Panel

Pre-Conference Bonus Session – Core Values of Kingdom Community – Marcus Warner

Overview: In this pre-recorded teaching that you’ll receive before the live conference, Marcus will look at the concept of community from the perspective of the Kingdom of God. The call of the Kingdom is the call into God’s family which creates belonging and identity. He’ll help us identify the core values that Jesus wants in his church, and explore how we can bring those values to life in the cultures we create. This session will give you concrete steps for bringing Kingdom values to life in your church or ministry culture.

In this session you will:

  • Learn Four core values of the Kingdom of God
  • Discover Four essential practices for implementing these values
  • …All rooted in Sermon on the Mount

Session 1 – The Importance of Community in Forming Character – Michel Hendricks

Overview: Michelโ€™s session will explore the importance of securely bonded communities in building maturity and forming character. We will look at how God designed the human brain and specifically look at the part of the brain that forms community bonds. Then we will look at what helps and hurts our formation in communities and how we form communities that help us live as our true selves that God intended. This includes the need to heal the wounds we have accumulated over the years that have corrupted our true identity.

In this session you will learn the skills we need to build transforming communities:

  • Seeing others through Jesusโ€™ eyes
  • Reminding each other who we are
  • Staying motived by joy and love instead of fear
  • Repairing the areas of our identities that were malformed so that they conform to the heart Jesus gave us.

All of these skills are learned in community.

Session 2 – Practical Relational Skills For Community Health – Chris Coursey

Overview: This session explores how brain-based relational skills create the safety communities need to thrive. When people gather, nervous systemsโ€”not just ideasโ€”interact, shaping whether connection feels safe or threatening. This session focuses on three essential practices: staying relational under distress, recognizing and repairing โ€œenemy mode,โ€ and knowing when to stop so we and others can rest. Together, these brain skills increase safety, grow capacity, and create the nutrient-rich environment where joy, belonging, and maturity flourish.

In this session you will:

  • Explore how God designed us for relationships where relational skills create space for growth, healing, and joy.
  • Examine how fear pulls us out of love and into self-protection, and what it means to stay relational in a Christ-centered way.
  • Learn to recognize and repair moments of enemy modeโ€”seeing others as threats rather than image-bearersโ€”and how Scripture calls us back to love and humility.
  • Practice relational skills that restore connection, build peace, and reflect the reconciling work of Christ.
  • Discover the spiritual and relational wisdom of knowing when to stop, honoring limits, and creating space for rest.
  • Gain practical, everyday tools that help communities become places where people feel seen, valued, and loved.

Session 3 – Do’s and Don’ts of Heart-Focused Community – Nik Harrang

Overview:ย Community is a lovely idea in theory, but sometimes it’s miserable in practice. In this session, Nik will share from his own personal and pastoral experience some of the “do’s and don’ts” that lead to life-giving community group experiences. Focusing particularly on a small group environment, he’ll unpack some helpful guidelines for creating healthy environments where everyone is welcome and no one feels overlooked or run over.

In this session you will:

  • Examine the biblical basis for the power and priority of community.
  • Look at several simple, practical, yet very helpful tips on creating a welcoming relational small group environment.
  • Learn how to handle common pitfalls that can threaten to derail relational connection.
  • Receive encouragement for your next steps to create or deepen community in your context.

Session 4 – Panel Discussion: Chris & Jen Coursey, Michel & Claudia Hendricks, Nik & Kristy Harrang

Overview:ย In this session you’ll get to hear from the speakers and their spouses as they recap some of the highlights of what was covered at this event, and discuss some of the common questions people have on the keys to creating healthy community.

Questions?

If you have questions or need any assistance, visit our FAQ page or contact us.

This 2026 Online Christian Conference addresses issues related to community, walking with God, biblical foundations, relational skills, maturity, identity, brain science, and more.

Speakers

Marcus Warner

Marcus Warner

Deeper Walk International President

Marcus Warner has served as president of Deeper Walk International since 2006. Marcus earned three degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School โ€“ M.Div., Th.M. Old Testament, and D.Min. He has written numerous books including his most recent title, Breakthrough! 5 Essential Strategies for Freedom, Healing, & Wholeness. An in-demand speaker, Marcus has spoken for both ministry and corporate groups across the country and around the world. A Bible teacher at heart, Marcus has taught Old Testament and Theology at the junior high, high school, college, and seminary levels. His passion is taking complex topics and making them practical and accessible for everyone.

Nik Harrang

Nik Harrang

Director of Operations - Deeper Walk International

Nik has a Masters in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and helped plant a church and new college ministry in Seattle, where he served in pastoral ministry for 16 years. Nik currently resides in Northern California with his wife, Kristy, and four children. Nikโ€™s passion is helping people grow in emotional, relational, and spiritual health.

Michel Hendricks

Michel Hendricks

Life Model Works Ambassador

Michel Hendricks is a teacher, trainer, inventor and author. Drawing from the cross-section of the Bible and brain science, he helps churches and communities implement a relational discipleship that transforms. His trainings focus on the development of maturity and character in leaders and Christian communities. He is a Life Model Ambassador at Life Model Works and is the co-author with Dr. Jim Wilder of the book The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation. He is a graduate of The University of Colorado, Boulder and Denver Seminary.

chris coursey

Chris Coursey

THRIVEtoday

For over 20 years Chris has been testing, creating and practicing brain-based solutions to make relationships work. While Chris is highly motivated to develop practical resources, Chris enjoys spending time with Jen and their two sons, Matthew and Andrew. The Courseyโ€™s enthusiastically pass on the skills they missed growing up to their sons.

In addition to building joy on the home front, Chris spends most of his time teaching, training, developing materials, fostering relationships, exercising and equipping Godโ€™s people to mature, so they live according to their faith and values.

Chris is a published author with seven books in print including his latest, Transforming Fellowship: 19 Brain Skills That Build Joyful Community which is now translated into Korean. Chris travels the world equipping couples, ministry leaders, and churches in relational brain skills.

Chris earned a B.A. in Sociology from Eastern Illinois University and then started working as a counselor working with children and families with severe trauma. Chris completed his Masterโ€™s Degree in Theological Studies from a Messianic Jewish Yeshiva called MBI, or Messianic Bible Institute, out of Virginia. Chris is also an ordained minister.

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