The conference is an exciting weekend in Oakland to deepen our connections with one other and with God.  It will include teaching, worship, and fun activities for all!  The theme of this year’s inaugural conference is “Keeping in Step: Life in the Spirit.”  Life often feels like a mix of striving, searching, and wondering if we’re on the right path. But what if there’s a different way to live—one that isn’t just about trying harder but about being led into something deeper? This conference will explore what it means to live by the Spirit: to experience real freedom, to tap into a strength beyond ourselves, and to walk with purpose. Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or seeking a fresh perspective on faith, come and explore how life in the Spirit changes everything.

Russ Whitfield will be our guest speaker.  Russ serves as pastor of Grace Mosaic, a cross-cultural church that he helped to plant in Northeast Washington, DC. He is also the Director of Cross-Cultural Advancement for Reformed University Fellowship and a Guest Lecturer in Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary’s Washington, DC campus. He has made written contributions to Heal Us, Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation and Unity in the Church (White Blackbird Books, 2016), All Are Welcome: Toward a Multi-Everything Church (White Blackbird Books, 2018), The Pursuit of Gospel Unity: The PCA Papers on Racism and Racial Reconciliation (PCA CDM Publishing, 2019), and 9Marks Journal. Russ and his lovely wife, Vanessa, are raising four fun-loving children in Washington, DC.

Friday May 2nd

• 5pm: Registration opens

• 5pm: Optional Dinner ($10 adult, $7 kid)

• 6pm: Worship + Session 1

• 7:30-9:30pm: Evening activities

• 7:30-8:30pm: Worship Jam Session

• ResKids Programming will be available for infants - 5th grade from 5:30-7:45pm

Saturday May 3rd

• 8:30am: Registration Opens

• 9am: Worship + Session 2

• 10:30am: Breakout Session

• 11:45am: Q&A with Speaker

• 12:15pm: Closing Worship

• 1-3pm: Afternoon Activities

• 4-8pm: All-Church Party at Almanac Brewery in Alameda, CA

• ResKids programming will be available for infants - 5th grade from 8:30am-12:30pm.

Sunday May 4th

• 9 & 11am: Sunday Worship + Session 3

• ResKids programming will run as usual

Worship and main conference sessions will be held at our church building (1701 Franklin St, Oakland).  We will also use the building across the street from the church (1714 Franklin Street) for breakout sessions, ResKids elementary classes, and evening activities on Friday.  Saturday afternoon outings will be held in various locations throughout Oakland.  The Saturday evening all church party will be held at Almanac Brewery in Alameda, CA.   

• Adults (age 18+) = $60 (early bird price of $50 between 3/1-3/31)

• Youth and Children (age 3+) = $40 (early bird price of $30 between 3/1/25 and 3/31/25)

• Children under age 3 = FREE

• Optional afternoon outings may have additional costs (listed on the registration page) depending on the activity.

We want you to attend the conference and are eager to help make that possible. If you need financial assistance, please contact Pastor Dave Lee (dave@resoakland.com).  We also offer a $10 refund for volunteering with ResKids for one session.  

The conference will include worship, three teaching sessions (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as well as a breakout teaching session of your choice on Saturday. Coffee, snacks, and breakfast will be included on Saturday. The cost also includes snacks and dessert during evening activities on Friday as well as food and activities during the All Church Party on Saturday evening.  An optional Friday night dinner is available for an additional cost of $10/adults and $7/kids at registration.

We encourage everyone to attend all of the conference! If this is not possible you are welcome to attend the parts of the conference that work best for your schedule.  We are not offering a partial attendance pricing option.  

Registration will close on Sunday April 20, 2025 (or earlier if we reach capacity).  If we reach capacity, you can always add yourself or a family member to the waitlist for free and we will be in touch if there is extra space available. 

• Registration is refundable up to the end of the registration period which closes on Sunday April 20, 2025.  Please email amanda.kong@resoakland.com if you need to request a cancellation and refund.  

• After April 20th, registration is non-refundable, but you can transfer your registration to another person through Sunday April 27, 2025.  That person will inherit your selections for the breakout session and any outings.  Please email jasmine@resoakland.com no later than April 27 if you need to request a transfer of your registration to a specific individual.  

• After April 27, no refunds or transfers can be made. 

ResKids programming is available on Friday 5:30-7:45pm and Saturday 8:30am-12:30pm for kids infant through 5th grade. We will be gearing up for a Yee-Haw weekend of fun celebrating the greatest truth of all - God is good!  Kids will hear Bible stories and participate in age-appropriate games, activities and crafts. All of our staff and volunteers working with kids are background-checked. Keep in mind, space is limited for kids so register soon to secure your spot!  

Live audio of the main sessions will be available in the rotunda for any parents of infants who prefer to keep their child with them, but may need to step out of the conference at any point with their child.

We encourage middle and high school students to attend the main sessions on Friday night and Saturday morning.  Youth will have a separate breakout session on Saturday from 10:30-11:30am as well as fun outings on Saturday afternoon for middle and high school groups.

Yes! Everyone who attends needs to register online.

Yes, we welcome volunteers! There are lots of opportunities to get involved, including room set-up, check-in, ResKids, setting up coffee or food, AV, slides and more! There is a $10 refund available for volunteering for one session with ResKids over the weekend, which you can sign up for when you register. All of the main sessions will be recorded so you can listen to any session that you miss. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, please email info@resoakland.com.

Singleness

Cameron Hughes, Reformed University Fellowship Staff

Why is being single so hard? And why is being single in the church sometimes even harder? This seminar, followed by a panel discussion, will explore these questions by looking at God’s vision for our singleness and the church’s role in helping single people thrive. Whether you are single (by circumstance, choice, divorce, or death) or married and wanting to learn how to care for your single friends better, this seminar is for you! 

Discerning God’s Will For Your Life

David Lee, Pastor of Spiritual Formation Resurrection Oakland

Life is filled with big decisions. Do you change your job? Do you go forward with the wedding? Do you make the move to a new city? Do you speak up or hold your tongue? Do you spend or save? What does God want you to do? How do you know what God wants you to do? In this seminar we will explore how understanding the difference between God’s plan, God’s law, and God’s Spirit can free you from paralysis by analysis and seek God in everything that you do.

A Missiology of Suffering: How God Advances His Message Through Our Messes 

Russ Whitfield, Lead Pastor Grace Mosaic

Suffering is never easy, but what if it’s not just something to endure—what if it’s central to the mission? Join us as we work through Philippians 1,  exploring how the gospel moves forward, not in spite of our suffering, but through it. Drawing from Paul’s prison experiences and the life of Christ himself, this seminar will challenge our perspective on hardship, deepen our joy, and equip us for resilient witness. If you’ve ever wrestled with the question, What is God doing in my suffering?, this seminar is for you.