WHAT IS CIRCLES + SPACES?

WHAT IS CIRCLES + SPACES?

A transformative leadership cohort for the next generation of youth ministry leaders.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

*Registration fee covers some of the costs that we incur to develop content and provide the cohort with the best experts in youth ministry. 

WHY SHOULD I REGISTER?

Circles + Spaces empowers youth ministry leaders through a network of experts and peers, fostering lasting connection, collaboration, and culture.

  • To connect with like-minded youth leaders and begin to build relationships, community, and a shared sense of purpose.

  • To collaborate with experienced Christian leaders within the church and marketplace as we listen to, and learn from, one another to develop effective ministries.

  • To embrace a culture that is reliant on the Holy Spirit, while pursuing unity, appreciating diversity, and becoming self-aware of our strengths and weaknesses together.

CIRCLES + SPACES 2025

CIRCLES + SPACES 2025

WHO IS IT FOR?

WHO IS IT FOR?

THE STAFF

  • Jordan Biere

    National Alpha Youth Director
    Holland, MI
    Jordan has been leading in local youth ministries for over 15 years and is passionate about serving other youth minsters to see even more young people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus. Husband to Amy and dad of four, you can find him with his family spending time outdoors. Jordan loves a cup of craft coffee and is a self-proclaimed crypto currency expert.

  • Josh Penwell

    National Alpha Youth Associate Director
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Josh Penwell is the National Associate Alpha Youth Director. He has been married to his wife Brittany for 12 years and lives near Ann Arbor, MI. He has spent over a decade in vocational youth ministry and currently enjoys filling his time traveling with his wife, drinking cold brew coffee, running marathons, and watching reality tv.

  • Leah Edwards

    National Alpha Youth Training Manager
    Detroit, MI
    Leah has spent the last 9 years in student ministry in the local church alongside her husband, Zach. When she’s not spending time with Zach and their two kids, you can find her baking sourdough + watching Survivor.



THE COACHES

  • Amie Schmidgall

    Senior Coach
    Long Beach, CA

    Amie Schmidgall has served in youth ministry for over 10 years and lives in Long Beach, CA with her husband Matt & three small kids. Currently, Amie is serving as the Area Director for Long Beach Young Life.

  • Jake Marsh

    Coach
    Santa Monica, CA
    Jake Marsh currently pastors at Vintage Church LA. Originally from the UK, he moved out to the US 6 years ago to enjoy the local delicacies of In N Out and Chick Fil A.

  • Hannah Chaparro

    Coach
    Columbus, OH
    Hannah, and her husband Santos, are the Student Pastors at Vineyard Columbus in Columbus, OH. Graduating from Ohio State University, where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Social Work.

  • Santos Chaparro

    Coach
    Columbus, OH
    Santos Chaparro, alongside his wife Hannah, are the Central Youth Pastors at Vineyard Columbus in Ohio. Santos graduated from Trinity International University in Deerfield with a degree in Christian Ministry and Counseling. Santos also serves on the Kingdom Multi-Ethnicity Sub Team for his church to continue to seek after God’s desire for Kingdom multi-ethnic communities.

  • Raissa Kubandi

    Coach
    Denver, CO
    Raissa Kubandi is a student pastor in Denver Colorado and has been doing student ministry vocationally since 2012. Raissa loves sports, sneakers, music, and domestic travel.




  • Graham Varnell

    Prayer Coach
    Naalehu, Hawaii
    Graham currently lives in Naalehu, Hawaii alongside his wife. Together, they are staffing a ministry school focused on prayer, discipleship, and missions. Graham’s heart is for young people to know the depth of the call to walk with Jesus for a lifetime, and for a new movement of young people transforming society and the church.

THE EXPERTS

  • Brad Griffin

    Expert
    Pasadena, CA

    Brad M. Griffin is the Senior Director of Content & Research for the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based resources for youth ministry leaders & families. A speaker, writer, and volunteer pastor, Brad is the coauthor of over fifteen books, including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager & 3 Big Questions That Shape Your Future, Growing Young, and Sticky Faith. Brad and his wife, Missy, live in Southern California and share life with their three teenage and young adult kids.


  • Hannah & Alex Absalom

    Experts
    Long Beach, CA
    As young church planters in London, and then as pastors in the northern industrial English city of Sheffield, Hannah & Alex have learned many significant lessons about how to go and make disciples in the power of the Spirit in a culture that was rapidly becoming post-Christian. For 6 years they have been serving through Dandelion Resourcing, working with a huge range of leaders, churches, and denominations. Alex has served as an Adjunct Professor in Spiritual Formation, and taught in D.Min programs at 4 other universities.

    *pictured from left to right: Isaac, Hannah, Joel, Bekah, Alex, Jilli, Samuel

CITY GATHERINGS

LOS ANGELES - JAN 23-26, 2025 -

LOS ANGELES - JAN 23-26, 2025 -

LONDON - MAY 3-8, 2025 -

LONDON - MAY 3-8, 2025 -

REGISTRATION SCHEDULE

JUL 8, 2024

Registration Opens

NOV 18, 2024

Registration Closes + Payment In Full Due

DEC 1, 2024

Onboarding Begins

JAN 5, 2025

Cohort Launch

Alpha is a nonprofit organization, and we value giving everything away for free whenever possible. Although we can’t currently provide this experience for free we are striving to make it as affordable as possible and never want money to be the reason that a youth leader is unable to participate. Limited scholarship opportunities are available

SCHOLARSHIP

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS