God is with His Church in Tuscola, Illinois, through Word and Sacrament
HomeNot Ashamed Conference

Not Ashamed Conference

The fourth annual Not Ashamed Conference addresses a growing challenge: confusion — about truth, about Christian confession, and about why the faith will always offend.

The offense of Christianity is not a problem to be managed. It is built into the message itself. The cross contradicts everything the world wants from religion: power, comfort, self-validation, escape from judgment. Paul knew this. He called it a stumbling block and foolishness — and he refused to be ashamed of it anyway.

The 2026 Not Ashamed Conference theme: Not Ashamed of the Cross — Speaking the Truth Clearly in a Confused Age.

Christianity is not offensive because Christians are unkind. It is offensive because the cross itself contradicts human expectations of power, wisdom, and righteousness. At the same time, clarity is not arrogance and truth is not cruelty. Clear confession, grounded in God’s Word, is an act of love toward neighbors being worn down by confusion and false promises.

This conference will help ordinary Christians understand why the faith will always offend, what must be confessed without apology, and how to speak the truth without fear or belligerence — in a way that remains accessible to all.

This year’s Not Ashamed Conference builds on three years of groundwork:

  • 2023 — Not ashamed to bear witness to Christ before neighbors separated from Him and therefore without lasting hope.
  • 2024 — Not ashamed to act faithfully in home, church, and community, trusting God works through ordinary means and ordinary people.
  • 2025 — Not ashamed to stand firm when hardship increases, sustained by the Word of God when culture and circumstance press in.
  • 2026 — Not ashamed of clear Christian confession: why the cross will always offend, what must be said without apology, and how to say it.

Endurance under pressure leads here: once you have decided not to retreat, you need to know what you are confessing and why.

August 29, 9:00 am (doors open at 8:30 am) , and Location: [TBD]

This is a one-day event. Attendance is free but limited. Complimentary snacks and catered lunch is included in the registration. This event is sponsored by Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tuscola, Illinois, and made possible by a grant from the Central Illinois District Church Extension Fund.

If you’d like help registering, call Immanuel Lutheran Church at (217) 253-4341 and leave a message with your name and phone number. We will call you back.

Here are the recordings from the 2023 Not Ashamed Conference with Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz

Here are the recordings from the 2024 Not Ashamed Conference with Rev. Andrew Preus

Here are the recordings from the 2025 Not Ashamed Conference with Rev. Jason Braaten

REGISTRATION COMING SOON

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. He is the author of numerous books, including Finally Free (CPH, 2025) and Has American Christianity Failed? (CPH, 2016). He is host of the Theology Q&A Podcast, the Worldwide Bible Class, and posts videos on YouTube at wolfmueller1. Bryan and Keri host annual international theological tours, and has a number of other theological projects that all end up on his blog, www.wolfmueller.co. Bryan is a member of the Doxology Collegium. He and his wife Keri (both proud parents and grandparents!) live in Round Rock, TX.