Design your conference around a theme.  Use activities, personnel, and methods of communication that will connect with your audience and accomplish your purpose. 

The success of your conference will be influenced by your investment in prayer and the quality of the activities. 

Here are some activities others have done and recommended.

1. “Cat and Dog Theology” from Unveiling Glory. 
2. “Christmas in July” - Mobilizes an army of people at different levels
3. “Fear Factor Show.”  Challenges were based on things missionaries might have to encounter. 
4. "Get Honest Night."  Missionaries speak from their hearts about hard things
5. "Homes With A Mission" – Visitors rotated among homes hosting missionaries and serving ethnic foods  
6. "Market of Hope." An open-air market offered ways to help World Relief minister to the needs of those who lived in these countries.
7. “Missionopoly Game” involving all our visiting missionaries
8. “Praying Around the World.” Groups of 5 prayed for the nation listed on a prayer card.
9. “Saturday Night Live” with our missionaries on furlough. 
10. “Selah Concert” (brother/sister MKs from Africa)
11. “Taste of the World” with ethnic foods by our missionaries
12. “The Journey” (Wycliffe Bible Translators)
13. 5K Race and a 1K “Family Walk” for the purpose of raising missions awareness.
14. ACMC conference. We took a group from the church. 
15. ACMC seminar hosted as part of our missions conference  
16. Coffeehouse with missionaries on Friday evening
17. Coffeehouse.  Missionaries tell their best stories
18. Creative fund-raisers 
19. Desserts and luncheons after worship services 
20. Dinners in homes with missionaries
21. Family Banquet. "The Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of China"
22. Flag parade to kick off Global Ministries Celebration Week  
23. Friday prayers at a Mosque with our missionaries and missions board
24. Fun night.  Small groups meet at church and a missionary provides a missions-related activity or game
25. Global Coffee House – an informal evening of gourmet coffees and desserts with missionaries 
26. Global Prayer Gatherings – once or twice a year, half-day prayer events.
27. Global Village for the children and games from our around the world
28. International Dinner including local international students. 
29. International Student Dinner
30. Market Place with sidewalk café, live animals, foreign music, and costumes.
31. Michelle Rickett of Sisters In Service lit a fire with our women’s groups. 
32. Mission Fair – booths with pipe and drapes
33. Missionaries in local dress pray in the national language in church
34. Missionaries presented workshops during the Sunday School hour.  
35. Missionary gift baskets – adult groups purchased and gave missionaries items they suggested.
36. Missionary speakers – excellent ones
37. Missions Bazaar.  Missionaries brought stuff for resale. 
38. Music and drama by children for the conference kick-off
39. Saturday night relaxation.  Get the missionaries together for relaxation and dinner. 
40. Scholarship program amongst the B.... people promoted between the two morning worship services,
41. Serving Saturdays – a series of entry level, low commitment experiential learning opportunities   
42. Speaker – a good compelling speaker
43. Special ceremony for retiring missionaries
44. Sunday night prayer meeting.  Position missionaries throughout the sanctuary, then divide thecongregation and send them to the various missionaries to pray for their prayer concerns.  
45. Visited our Inner city partner church to learn cross-cultural skills and to love the people.
46. Worship team from another culture. 

Source: Survey of missions pastors, January, 2005, David Mays, ACMC