Winter Conference is Power to Change’s annual conference in the university break, gathering students from around Western Australia. It is a great opportunity to discover more about who Jesus is and how to live in relationship with God – all in the context of a great community. Our theme for 2023 will be Spiritual Growth, becoming more like the person God designed us to be – more and more like Jesus (2 Peter 3:18).  Conference features teaching from our keynote speaker (Ben Cornish), practical training, journey groups and fun activities with others

So whether you have been following Jesus for years, or are exploring Christian faith for the first time, we would love to have you at our WA Winter Conference!

When:  Monday, 3rd July – Friday, 7th July, 2023
Where: Busselton Baptist Camping Centre, 206 Caves Road, Busselton. 
Cost:  $345 ($50 ‘EarlyBird discount before 30th April, 2023)
Facebook Event: Coming soon!

Worship: Each day there will be opportunity to come together to worship God through music. A playlist of the songs will be sent out so you can get familiar with some of the songs that we will sing to. You could even listen to it and worship on the drive to conference!

Time Alone with God (Quiet Time): While we will have plenty of time to learn together, we also want you to get alone time to read the bible, talk to God, and process anything you may be learning. If you are unfamiliar with this, there will be how to session that will help walk you through how to use this time.

Training: There will be times to break out into smaller groups to explore the Christian faith deeper or to receive practical training based on where you are at. Some of the training relates to learning how to talk to people about Jesus, how to disciple other students or be part of leading the movement at your campus!

Teaching: Ben Cornish, our keynote speaker, will be providing our main session talks during our morning sessions. Ben will be teaching us from the Bible, helping us think about how to live a life fully yielded to God, growing in spiritual depth, in spiritual disciplines, and in love for our neighbours. 

Free Time/Nightlife: We like to break up all that we are taking in with space to just relax and have fun. Beach time, sports, craft and other activities are what students typically find themselves doing during their free time. In the evenings, there will be time to play games, have a chat over supper, and go deeper with those you have been meeting and connecting with.

Mission: Power to Change desire the gospel to be made known not only on our university campuses in Australia, but throughout the whole world! With this in mind, we’ll get to hear about the places we can go over summer to serve and engage people in conversations about Jesus.

Campus Time: Connect with people from your own campus and region. Campus time is important to us because it encourages us to continue pursuing God and community even when conference is over.

International Community: Winter Conference is a place for both local Australian and International students to come together, connecting with Jesus and each other. There will be opportunities for our friends whose first language is not English to experience training and community alongside other international students.

There will also be a range of seminars you can attend and you will have the opportunity to be a part of a small journey group over the conference. The best way to experience all of this and more is to come along!

Ben Cornish (Ph. D. candidate in World Religions, M.Div. in Christian Ministry, B.A. in History) served as the Team Leader for Power to Change in Brisbane, before joining staff with Teaching Truth International (TTI). TTI exists to teach God’s Word to pastors and church leaders who live in countries where Bible training is unavailable.  As President of TTI, Ben oversees the organisation as a whole, but also continues to travel and teach. Ben has been married to Emily since 2012, and they have one daughter, Zoe. 

Ben served as Vice President for TTI for ten years, from 2012-2021. In January 2022 he transitioned to being the President. He has taken 51 international mission trips, his first to Ukraine in 1995 when he was 10 years old.  The Lord used that trip to confirm in Ben’s heart that he was calling him to be a missionary. 

Other than the USA, Australia is the only other country they have lived in, and it is a place that holds a special affinity for them. Ben met Emily (who hails originally from Wisconsin) when they served together as missionaries with Power to Change in Brisbane. 

Ben’s favourite hobby is making mediocre-quality woodworking projects and daydreaming of a time when he is no longer enslaved to writing a dissertation.

We are excited to be joined in Perth not only by Ben, but by Emily, and Zoe (the whole family). 

Mandatory – Please bring the following items with you to Winter Conference:

• Clothes for cool/wet weather (including a warm jacket as it can get very cold at night)
• Bible and journal (if you have one)
• Medicare card (if you have one)
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Bedding (sheets, sleeping bag/blanket, pillow)
• Umbrella
  
  Optional Items:
  
  
• Card or board games to play during free time
• Enclosed shoes if you would like to play outdoor sports during flexi time
• Snack food that you would like to eat in your dorm/share with your dorm mates
• A powerboard or double adapter for all those electronic devices
• Money for your driver or the Winter Conference store

The cost for Winter Conference is $345. This covers five days of accommodation, meals, materials, and much more.

You will be eligible for a $50 off if you register before the 30th April for our early bird ticket! Use the code ‘EarlyBird’ in registration. 

$100 discount is available for International Students.

There is a special referral bonus of $50 for both (as referrer) and anyone you additionally invite along to the Winter Conference. E.g. if Tom invites Pamela, and Pamela signs up to join Winter Conference, then both Tom and Pamela receive $50 discount from their registration cost. There is no limit to number of referral bonuses you can claim. 

If you would like to attend but finances are tight, please don’t hesitate to reach out, especially if you are a student exploring Christianity for the first time, or studying internationally. Part-time costs can be negotiated. Contact john.mayne@powertochange.org.au for more information.

The venue for Winter Conference is the Busselton Baptist Camping Centre!
Address – 206 Caves Rd, Siesta Park (Busselton)

Transport
Registration provides options for transport.

If you can drive to the conference and take others, that would be great! Please let us know on your registration. You will receive an email with who you are driving a week out from the conference. Please contact your passengers.

If you need a lift to the conference, make sure you put that in your registration and a driver will be in touch a week out from the event. Please provide some petrol money for your driver.

Why should I attend Winter Conference?

Power to Change’s Winter Conference is specifically designed to help you – as a student in Western Australia – join with other students from your campus and state in living out Jesus’ commission in your everyday life. It is also a place where you can explore more about who Jesus is and what Christianity is all about alongside others. At Winter Conference you will build and deepen friendships with fellow students that will continue to grow through the rest of the year. We’ll be talking about things immediately relevant to your situation on campus, and providing practical skills that will help you follow Jesus more closely in second semester. And you will come to understand how and why Power to Change does things on your campus, and how you can play a part.

Who will be at Winter Conference? Can I invite friends who are not a part of Power to Change? Can I still attend if I am not a Christian?

Winter Conference is designed especially for tertiary students, so the primary attendees of Winter Conference will be uni students from around Western Australia. And yes! Students who are not Christians or part of Power to Change are welcome to come! Winter Conference is for all young adults, regardless of their spiritual background who have a desire to grow in their relationship with God or are wanting to explore and ask questions about Christianity. If you are not Christian, you won’t be asked to participate in any activities you don’t feel comfortable with, and there will be alternate options available during things like small group training.

Is it an issue if I don’t know anyone else going to Winter Conference?

There are plenty of opportunities to get to know people at Winter Conference, in fact Winter Conferene is designed for people who may now know many others. You’ll be assigned to a specific group of up to four people to meet as a prayer and reflection group, as well as getting to know others in your training group, and from your uni and other unis throughout the week. Flexi Time and Nightlife are also spaces where you will get to meet new friends.

What do I need to bring?

You can find a list of what to bring with you to Winter Conference on the “What to Bring” tab.

What is the accommodation/site like?

The Winter Conference venue, Camp Busselton, is a great venue that has hosted successful camps and conferences for years. You will be required to bring all your own bedding. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper will all be catered for by Power to Change. There will not be cooking facilities in the bedrooms.

Who will I be rooming with?

You’ll be allocated a cabin with a few other people of the same gender (except in the case of families and married couples). During the registration process you can indicate if there are people you would particularly like to room with and we’ll do our best to put you with at least one of those people. However if you don’t have a particular preference or if you don’t know anyone else at Winter Conference, you’ll be placed with people from your campus or region so you can get to know some new friends.

Why does it cost what it does?

We’re committed to organising a memorable, life-changing conference as well as keeping costs low. This is actually a fantastic price for everything that you get at Winter Conference! The price covers all the food, accommodation, training and conference materials, equipment and activities, and speaker fees. What you will take away in terms of connecting with God and others will be well worth it!

How do I pay?

When you register, you will be able to select your preferred payment method. If you choose to pay by bank transfer or cash you will need to arrange it through the missionary you know best, or contact john.mayne@powertochange.org.au for more info.

I cannot afford the cost of Winter Conference, what can I do?

We know that Winter Conference can be expensive for some students, even though the value is good. We don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone attending, so if you’re not able to afford the cost of Winter Conference, please contact the missionary you know best from your campus to find out about the subsidies available (or email john.mayne@powertochange.org.au). If your question isn’t answered here, please contact us.

Please check out the Facebook Event for the latest info. 

For any Conference queries, feel free to contact:

John Mayne [Winter Conference Design Team Leader] at 0402 656 915 or john.mayne@powertochange.org.au
Rachel Jethro [Winter Conference Design Team] on 0410 719 991
Katie Dean [Winter Conference Design Team] on 0474 502 995