Christine Caine is a speaker, author, and activist who has been serving the local church globally for over 30 years. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign, which works at the local, domestic, and international level to end modern-day slavery. They also founded Equip & Empower, a ministry that is mobilizing people everywhere to live on mission for Jesus. Propel Women is an initiative of the ministry dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. The ministry has also planted three life-giving Zoe Churches in Europe that are not only bringing the Gospel to the region, but also serve the most vulnerable through humanitarian outreach during times of crisis.
Christine is the best-selling author of more than a dozen books and studies and you can tune into her weekly podcast or television program to be encouraged with the hope of Jesus wherever you are. Christine holds a Master’s Degree in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College.
Drew Hyun is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Hope Church NYC, a diverse church with three locations in New York City. Drew is also the President of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, an organization that aims to transform church culture through the multiplication of deeply changed pastors and leaders. He regularly speaks at churches, conferences, and college campuses throughout the United States and abroad.
He is a graduate of UC Berkeley, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div), and Fuller Theological Seminary (DMin) and is the author of the book, Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful: How Gratitude, Grief, and Grace Reflect the Christian Story.
Jay Pathak is the National Director of Vineyard USA. He also serves as the Lead Pastor of the Mile High Vineyard, a family of neighborhood churches in Denver, that he and his wife Danielle, planted in 2001.
Jay co-wrote the book, The Art of Neighboring, with Dave Runyon. His passion for sharing his faith with the people around him is at the center of his calling.
Jay is a humble, empowering leader who is passionate about raising up leaders around him. His strengths, in particular, lie in strategically placing people on teams where they thrive. Additionally, he regularly thinks of ministry in context of culture and developing relationships and partnerships in the city, government, and across denominational lines.
Jay has lead in various contexts throughout the Vineyard starting as an intern for Rich Nathan at the Columbus Vineyard in his early ministry days, and stretching into various positions of translocal leadership including serving on the Vineyard USA Executive Team for many years. He is a sought after speaker and coach, while keeping strong ties to the local community.
Jay has a BA in Philosophy from The Ohio State University and is a graduate of the Vineyard Leadership Institute. Jay met his wife, Danielle, in high school and they were married in 1998; they have two beautiful daughters, Jasmine and Sofia.
Charles A. Montgomery, Jr serves as the Associations Directorfor Vineyard USA. Charles also founded a successful multiethnic Campus (Vineyard Columbus East) and has pastored there since 2012. His passion is to develop Beloved Communities as espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, an alumnus of Charles’ alma mater, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Charles has a B.A. in Mathematics from Morehouse, a Master of Divinity from Emory University (Ga) and a PhD in Ethical and Creative Leadership from Union Institute University (OH).
He has earned several credentials in Diversity Training and is a Certified Spiritual Director through the Sustainable School of Faith.
He considers his greatest accomplishment (ok, grace) being married to his childhood crush, Kimberly. Charles and Kimberly are avid Buckeye fans (Go Bucks!) and make their home in Columbus Ohio.
Melanie Forsythe-Lee is the leader of the Women’s Association for Vineyard USA, giving voice, encouragement and support to women throughout the movement.
Melanie was born and raised in the post-Christian landscape of Australia. Her parents were church planters, and it was in that context that her love of local church was cultivated. Her passion for Jesus and people led her and her now late husband to start a youth ministry that saw hundreds of teens come to Christ, as well as leading the 24/7 prayer base in Australia.
They moved to Ohio in 2003 to work as Youth Pastors, and in 2009 they were sent out to plant LIFE Vineyard Church. Thirteen years later, LIFE has grown into a vibrant faith community, a sheltering tree in the heart of Columbus. This community also extends to Cambodia and India, where, through a partnership with Asia’s Hope, LIFE supports two family-style orphan care homes for at-risk children. Visiting the children in India each year is one of the deep loves of Melanie’s life and ministry.
Melanie has been a Pastor’s daughter, Pastor’s wife, a co-lead Pastor, and now solo lead Pastor. This unique perspective has developed a passion to see women empowered and released into their callings at every level of ministry leadership and she is excited about serving the women of the Vineyard in her new role.
Melanie is married to Andrew and is the proud mother of three incredible teenagers. In her free time you’ll find her growing her own vegetables in her rather large garden, baking in her kitchen, or listening to live music.
Mary Anne de la Torre was born in the Philippines and immigrated to NJ when she was almost 7 years old. After attending college in Pennsylvania, she began her teaching career but was quickly called into ministry.
Mary Anne de la Torre serves as the Executive Pastor / Next Gen Ministry at North Jersey Vineyard. She oversees the Children’s and Youth Ministries and also supervises some staff members and serves on the Executive Leadership Team. She also joyfully serves with the AAPI and Women’s Associations.
Mary Anne de la Torre and her husband, Rich, have two kids, Marcus and Noemi. She loves to travel, spend time with her family, and works part-time as a donut connoisseur. She tries to run to offset all the donuts in her spare time.
Rubén Quintero is a follower of Jesus Christ, married to Vaneza, and father of Rubén (20), David (18), and Iván (16). Since 2022, he has led the Hispanic Association for Vineyard USA, supporting pastors and leaders by providing leadership development.
He serves as the senior pastor of Imperial Valley Vineyard, a church founded in 2009 in El Centro, CA. The church has actively supported its local community and, since 2011, has participated in the Iberia Partnership to assist Vineyard churches in Spain and Portugal. Rubén is dedicated to supporting immigrant communities—particularly agricultural field workers—and acts as a chaplain for a private harvesting company.
He is presently affiliated with the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC) and is pursuing graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Bright
Song
Our theme for the 2025 Vineyard Kids National Conference is Melody and Harmony: Bright Song. We feel the beat of heaven and earth marking us… It can’t stop, it won’t stop… it’s ever expanding from this age to the one to come. This song will be heard and His name will be made famous, in every city, every school, every home, every culture from generation to generation.
We are his harmony and the future is bright.
Schedule / Drop-Off & Pick-Up
The kids program runs concurrent with all seven adult main sessions. Please note there is NO KIDS PROGRAMMING for any role-based meetup, after parties or the Night of Worship on Wednesday evening.
Drop-off begins 15 minutes before each session. Please make sure to sign your child IN EVERY TIME you drop them off.
Pick-up begins immediately after each session. Please pick up your child within 10 minutes of the session ending. If you are participating in ministry time, please assign an adult to pick up your child. Please make sure to sign your child OUT EVERY TIME you pick them up.
When you arrive at the conference, your first stop will be the Main Conference Check-In table. You will receive all your kid specific information at the Check-In table. Check-In volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.
Elementary (1st-6th Grade)
Our theme days this year are based off some awesome musical genres. Are you ready for it? Pack your cowboy hats, bell bottoms, and iced out chains for …(drumroll, please)…
- Tuesday: Honky Tonk Tuesday
- Wednesday: Rap & Rock
- Thursday: Totally Disco
We can’t wait to see what awesome outfits you come up with!
Early Childhood (6 months – Kindergarten)
We look forward to having your littles in the early childhood wing upstairs where we will be discovering God’s ‘Bright Song’ as we find treasures through the life of Joseph!
Worship, puppets, crafts, games, bouncy house, Bible stories and all-around fun.
Some things to note:
- Please sign your child IN and OUT at their classroom every time you drop them off or pick them up.
- Your child will receive a sticker name tag for every session. The name tags will be kept in the classroom. Please place your child’s name tag on their back after signing them in for the session.
- If your child needs you during the session, you will be contacted by text message. Please make sure you leave your cell phone on vibrate so we can get ahold of you easily.
- For kids 3 years old and under- please send bottles, sippy cups and any other items your child might need.
- Please note that Vineyard Kids Volunteers and staff will not be responsible for changing diapers.
Questions
Feel free to reach out to the Vineyard Kids Team at kidsconference@vineyardusa.org with any questions or concerns you might have.
Safety & Security
Our outstanding kids conference volunteer team is screened, specifically trained, and background checked. Access to the kids’ conference is limited to approved staff and volunteers, and parents must show their parent pickup pass to collect their child.
This year, you only need to stop at one table—hallelujah! At the conference check-in table, you’ll be able to check in your teen and pick up a Youth FAQ Sheet. Everything else your teen needs will be handed out at the first youth meeting on Monday night.
Schedule
Each meeting includes games, worship, teaching, and prayer ministry. Teens will be assigned Color Teams on Monday night and earn points throughout the week during Color War Games—winners get a prize!
Each meeting includes games, worship, teaching, and prayer ministry. Teens will be assigned Color Teams on Monday night and earn points throughout the week during Color War Games—winners get a prize!
Meeting Breakdown
- Monday Night, Tuesday & Thursday Afternoons:
- Color Game → Worship → Teaching → Prayer Ministry
- Tuesday & Thursday Mornings:
- Color Game → Worship → Teaching → Crews (small group discussions)
Speaker Lineup
- Monday PM – Keirstyn Worden (Vineyard Church of Central Illinois)
- Tuesday AM – Christina Lowery (Vineyard USA)
- Tuesday PM – Santos Chapparo (Vineyard Columbus)
- Thursday AM – Matt Stoudt (Vineyard Church of Holly Springs)
- Thursday PM – Clay Harrington (Vineyard Cincinnati)
Escape Day on Wednesday
We’re heading to Kings Island for a full day of sun and fun! Please send your teen with:
- Bathing suit under clothes (for bus ride)
- Change of clothes & towel
- Water bottle & sunscreen
- Water-friendly shoes (water socks – highly recommended, flip-flops, water shoes)
- Optional spending money
- Lunch is provided as a catered meal, including:
- Hamburgers, chicken tenders, garden salad, mac & cheese, ice cream sandwiches, kettle chips, cookies, and soft drinks
Escape Day Wednesday Schedule
- 9:00 AM – Drop-off at Vineyard Cincinnati Church
- Go to the Youth area (Student Union) and check in
- 9:15 AM – Buses arrive
- 9:30 AM – Depart for Kings Island
- 4:15 PM – Leave Kings Island
- 5:00 PM – Return to Vineyard Cincinnati Church
Supervision
- High schoolers may explore the park in groups of 4+ with scheduled check-ins.
- Middle schoolers will be in similar groups with a dedicated adult.
Contact Info
If you have further questions, please feel free to reach out to our conference lead:
Matt Stoudt
matt@vineyardyouthusa.com
(215) 275-0053
For more information on what Vineyard Youth is doing to support youth ministry: vineyardyouthusa.com
Our Prayer & Expectation
We believe this week can be a spiritual milestone in your teen’s life. Many of us point to gatherings like this as pivotal moments in our walk with Jesus. We’re praying the same will be true for your teen—and we’re honored to be part of it.
Role-Based Meetups
Monday, 2:00 PM
Tuesday, 7:00 AM
Tuesday, 12:00 PM
Tuesday, 12:00 PM
Tuesday, 1:00 PM
Tuesday, 6:30 PM
Tuesday, 7:00 PM
Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Tuesday, 9:30 PM
Wednesday, 7:00 AM
Wednesday, 12:00 PM
Wednesday, 12:00 PM
Wednesday, 1:00 PM
Wednesday, 1:00 PM
Wednesday, 1:00 PM
Wednesday, 5:30 PM
Wednesday, 5:30 PM
Thursday, 12:30 PM
Thursday, 12:30 PM
Thursday, 1:00 PM
Thursday, 1:00 PM
After Parties & Hangouts
Monday, 3:00 PM
Monday, 9:30 PM
Wednesday, 5:30 PM
Wednesday, 6:00 PM
Wednesday, 6:00 PM
Sponsors
Harmony
