CLARITY CONFERENCE
WHAT IS CLARITY CONFERENCE?
The Clarity Conference is a weekend at Hillcrest Academy designed to help students make sense of their faith in a confusing world. It gives middle and high school students clear grounding in what Christians believe, why it matters, and how to live it out with confidence and courage.
Students will engage Christ centered teaching, worship, and honest conversation around faith, culture, and real life questions. This is a space where questions are welcomed, truth is spoken clearly, and students are encouraged to follow Jesus with conviction rather than pressure or fear. The goal is not hype or emotional manipulation, but deep encouragement, clear thinking, and lasting formation.
The weekend is intentionally built around both learning and belonging. Students will laugh, compete, worship, and build friendships, all within a community centered on Christ. Many students leave with stronger confidence in their faith, clearer language for what they believe, and renewed courage to live as Christians in their schools, families, and churches.
We also believe cost should never be a barrier. The conference is $50.00 per student, covering the full weekend experience. We work hard to keep the cost as low as possible because we want students there. If a student truly cannot afford the cost, families are encouraged to reach out. We will find a way.
Questions? Contact Wayne Stender - 218.205.4199 | wstender@ffhillcrest.org
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Friday
February 20, 20267-9p - Check in & Milkshakes
9-10 - Opening worship
10:30p - In Hours
11p - Lights out
Saturday
February 21, 20268a - Morning Prayer
9a - Breakfast
9:45a - Session 1 + Small Group
11a - Session 2
12p - Lunch
1p - Break Outs 1
2p - Break Outs 2
3-4:30 - Tournaments + Club Gatherings
5p - Dinner
6p - Session 3 + Small Groups
7:30p - Session 4 + Small Groups
9p - Tournaments + Club Gatherings
10:30p - In Hours
11p - Lights Out
Sunday
February 22, 20268a - Morning Prayer
9a - Breakfast
9:45a - Sunday Worship + Small Groups
11a - Packup and Departure
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Gregg Preston (History & Apologetics)
Katie Fiskness (Science)
Dr. Tony Rogness (History & Apologetics)
Luke Fiskness (Faith & Discipleship)
Zach Nersten (Science)
Wayne Stender (Identity & Discipleship)
Gaylen Peterson (Art & Apologetics)
Magen Riestenberg (Science)
REGISTER
Complete the inquiry form below and we’ll contact you to register you or your group and secure the appropriate meal requests and room reservations
February 20-22, 2026
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy
THEOLOGY
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IDENTITY
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APOLOGETICS
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CULTURE
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THEOLOGY · IDENTITY · APOLOGETICS · CULTURE ·
MAIN SESSIONS
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SESSION 1: Built Different: God's Blueprint for Your Strength & Identity
We’re under nonstop pressure to look strong, stay chill, and act like we’ve got things figured out, but inside most of us are wrestling with questions we don’t know how to ask. In this fast-moving, story-driven session, Wayne Stender teaches how to hold a confident identity so you can live as God wired you to, with a strength deeper than talent, tougher than image, and more solid than whatever others expect. If you’ve ever wondered who you are, where you fit, or what you’re made for, get ready, this session will show you that you’re not guessing your way through life. You’re built differently, on purpose, and it’s time to live like it.
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SESSION 2: Ask Better Questions: A Framework for Faith, Doubt, and Discovering What’s True
When doubts hit, most of us assume something’s wrong with our faith, but Mr. Gregg Preston, beloved teacher, storyteller, and honest champion of students, shows that questions aren’t cracks in belief; they’re doorways to a deeper relationship with God. In this captivating, big-picture session, Mr. Preston breaks down how you can actually know God is real by looking at the world He designed. With his trademark mix of wisdom, humor, and “that makes so much sense” clarity, he’ll give you a simple framework to process doubts with confidence. This session will help you see that your questions don’t chase God away; they pull you closer to Him.
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SESSION 3: Not Opposites. Not Enemies. Why Science and Faith Aren't in Conflict
Most people act like you have to pick between loving God and loving science. But Katie Fiskness, an enthusiastic explorer of God’s world, shows that the universe isn’t divided; it’s unified in declaring God’s glory. In this eye-opening session, Katie reveals how everything from the patterns in nature to the laws of physics to the breathtaking complexity of your own body is God’s artistry on display. With curiosity that’s contagious and explanations that make the world suddenly make sense, she’ll help you see that science doesn’t weaken faith, it strengthens it by giving you more reasons to stand in awe. This isn’t just learning science, it’s seeing creation as a massive chorus shouting, “Look at what God has done!”
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SESSION 4: Make Christ Known Again: How Christians Shape a Nation by Serving Its People
In a world shouting about politics, patriotism, and whose side you’re on, Dr. Tony Rogness steps in with a bigger, better vision: Christians aren’t called to make America great again; we’re called to make Christ known so that the nation is blessed through His people. With clarity, conviction, and a deep love for both Scripture and history, Dr. Rogness walks students through how God stirred the hearts of imperfect men to found a nation built on ideas worth preserving, and how believers today can engage government, culture, and community without falling into extremes. Dr. Rogness gives students a grounded framework for civic engagement that looks less like winning arguments and more like winning hearts for Christ as we live out the gospel in public, on purpose, for the good of our neighbors.