Collective Gathering 2026

**Ministry leaders, you are invited to join us at Collective Gathering 2026 to be held on 11-13 November 2026 at Stanwell Tops!**

Each year ministers, elders, ministry staff, chaplains, and key leaders of our churches of Christ ministries across NSW & ACT converge for our Collective Gathering at The Tops with the purpose of strengthening our partnership through connection, conversation, celebration, and collaboration.

Together, we’ll spend time relishing God’s presence amongst us, enjoying both our unity and diversity, and making new memories together!

Scroll down or use our quicklinks below to explore what’s in store for our 2026 Collective Gathering.

A Discipling Church – the radiance of Jesus in the world

Discipleship is the core work of the Church – we are living out the way of Jesus, as a community called to bear witness to His way, words and works. At this year’s Collective Gathering, we’re exploring what it means to walk that out together with Jesus, and with each other, as beacons of hope in the world.

What does a Discipling Church look like?

In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, He emboldens us as disciples to radiate God’s light. He says: “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.” (Matt 5:14 MSG)

After Jesus’ resurrection, two grieving disciples walked the road to Emmaus alongside a stranger – not knowing it was Jesus himself. When they later realised, “they asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'” (Luke 24:32)

Our hearts are kindled to life when walking closely with Jesus, and hearts like that don’t stay still. They move. They spur others on. They carry what they’ve received everywhere they go.

That’s why at this year’s Collective Gathering we want to put discipleship at the centre of our focus as a network. We want to get talking about: what discipleship is, how we walk that out together in community, the ways we’re getting stuck, and what’s working in our churches.

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This year at Collective Gathering, we’ll invite you into a two-way collaboration as we explore our theme A Discipling Church.

Our keynote speakers, panel discussions and break out groups are all designed to facilitate an open, curious dialogue in response to our lived experiences and persistent questions about what it means to to be a follower of Jesus.

Main sessions will include input from keynote speakers and response through Q&A and personal reflection time.

Panel Sessions will include dialogue between the host and panel, plus engagement through small group discussion and personal reflection time.

This year we are welcoming Dr. Mark Riessen (Australian College of Ministries, Australia), Pat Hegarty (Kenmore Church of Christ, Qld) and Jeff Nagle (Coast Community Church, NSW) as our keynote speakers for Collective Gathering.

These three keynote speakers will help us explore and expand our views and practices of discipleship. Additionally, a number of churches will be sharing their journey and learnings as disciple-makers in their context.

We’ll wrestle honestly with questions like:

What do we mean when we talk about being a disciple?

Where – and why – do we get stuck in discipleship, personally and as communities?

How does discipleship shape the way we lead, engage in mission, and live out our calling?

More About Our Speakers

Dr. Mark Riessen

As a ministry practitioner for 30 years, Mark has served in lead ministry positions with Churches of Christ congregations in Vic and SA, as well as with the Churches of Christ state ministry team in SA. He is now working with the Australian College of Ministries (ACOM) as the Academic Program Manager for Ministry Formation.

Mark has been married to Verity for 25 years, they have three teenage children together. As a family, they are deeply involved in their local neighbourhood as well as the Aldgate Church of Christ in the Adelaide Hills, where Mark and Verity serve in leadership roles.

Other loves include Mountain biking, surfing, motorbike road trips, gardening, and spending time offering and receiving hospitality with his neighbours. He currently serves on the Global Mission Partners and Aldgate Church of Christ boards, and the editorial board for the Siburt Institute for Church Health and Ministry in the USA.

Pat Hegarty

Pat is Senior Minister of the Westside Church Network in Brisbane, a multisite church planted in 2019 with a “Missional Formation” emphasis.

He has invested over 20 years in creating materials, pathways and experiences that catalyse transformation and help people make progress in their journey to Christlikeness.

Forever looking for practical ways to engage God’s timeless truth with our rapidly changing lives, Pat enjoys creating tools and resources for those wanting to be grown or to grow others.

Jeff Nagle

While working in the faith formation space since 2014, Jeff also served in the Christian development sector for over two decades. In that time, Jeff served as COO with Compassion Australia, CEO of International Justice Mission Australia, and Chair of Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia.

Jeff served as CEO of student leader ministry, Compass Foundation; was co-founder of ESG analytics provider, FairSupply; and lead consultant to Christian NGO’s, schools and churches with Seed Initiatives. Jeff now serves as a Minister at Coast Community Church on the NSW Central Coast.

Jeff has qualifications in visual arts and media, education, business, and holds an MA in Global Leadership through Fuller Seminary. His area of special interest is the Spiritual formation of leaders and teams serving in difficult contexts.

Jeff lives on the NSW Central Coast with wife Shelley, and their two adult children. He still thinks he’s a surfer!

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Where

The Tops Conference Centre
51 Bendena Gardens, Stanwell Tops NSW 2508

View a site map here.

When

4pm Wednesday 11 November – 2pm Friday 13 November

Other Important Details

From 4pm on Wednesday, register on arrival on at the verandah outside Reception.

Feel free to bring your luggage up to the desk and our team will give you room details along with other items you’ll need for your stay.

After arrival and registration, our three-day program will begin with dinner on Wednesday night followed by our first evening session together.

On Thursday night, we’ll hold an evening of celebration. You’re welcome to come dressed up for a night of good food and good company while we look back at the year and celebrate all that God has been doing across the network. Our MC from last year, the dynamic Stephen Cha, will again be at the mic.

Have Questions?

Email your unanswered questions to hello@ccnswact.org.au

We would love to see your kids at Collective Gathering this year! Mel Oxman has another exciting adventure lined up that your kids will love based on the theme, Treasured!

Across two fun-filled days at Collective Kids, there will be games, creative crafts, group activities, and songs, all geared towards helping your kids discover just how deeply loved and valued they are by God.

Along the way, they’ll follow clues, uncover treasures, and make wonderful memories with friends old and new. Older kids (8+) will also experience adventurous outdoor team challenges with The Tops staff!

Register your kids now, and they’ll be automatically added to our kids program list if they fit the age bracket. Reach out to us at hello@ccnswact.org.au if you have any questions about the program.