Anyone with a heart to shepherd cross-cultural workers is invited to attend PTM—whether from a local church, sending agency, member care organization, or other care-giving vocation. Pastors, clinical counselors, on-field workers, teachers, life coaches, organization heads, church members, full-time member care providers—all can benefit from our pastoral approach to training in member care, as well as the encouraging and refreshing atmosphere of the PTM Conference.

While we value children, we do not currently provide childcare.

The Ridgecrest campus also has an ice cream shop, a coffee shop, and some food you can buy a la carte. Additionally, the Asheville area offers some attractive options for sightseeing, should you wish to do so. You will be responsible for these extra expenditures, and we encourage you to plan accordingly.

Registration and payment for the PTM Conference have been combined into one convenient process. This does not include meals and lodging which is arranged separately (see the FAQ on Meals and Lodgin).

All those registering for the PTM Conference must pay by credit card when they fill out the online registration form. The registration cannot be completed without the final step of the credit card payment.

Option 1 “As a guest staying at Ridgecrest”: If you choose this as your registration option, please contact the Ridgecrest Conference Center registration team at (800) 588-7222 from 9am-4pm EST to make your lodging and meal reservations. They have set aside a block of rooms for PTM at a special rate so please mention that you are with the PTM Conference when booking your room. You will only be responsible for the firsts nights lodging at the time of registration. Balance due will be collected at check-in or you may call in at any time before arrival to pay the balance. If you cannot call during the the hours listed above, you may email them using this link. Space is limited so please make arrangements as soon as possible after registering for the conference.

Option 2 “As a commuter staying offsite”: If you choose this option, you may choose to find your own lodging offsite. Meals are included in your PTM registration cost.

Although we prefer all participants stay on-site to enjoy the community and fellowship provided by the PTM Conference, we do allow people to commute to the conference. All meals are included in the commuter rate in order to foster the peer interactions and networking that are such a valuable part of the PTM Conference.

You will have an opportunity to alert us of any dietary restrictions or allergies during the registration process. Most of the meals at the PTM Conference are buffet style, and Ridgecrest offers a variety of options to suit almost any diet, with each entrée clearly marked as gluten free, vegetarian, and/or dairy free.

Yes! We welcome exhibitors for a small $50 fee, which covers a 4×4 table space and access to special features in our conference app. The PTM Conference is a great place to introduce others to your work or ministry. To facilitate the sharing of resources between groups and individuals, tables are provided on which to display books, brochures, banners, or other materials. We have also planned a ministry fair/networking evening. Authors are free to sell their books at PTM, although we ask that they be relevant to the member care audience. (Authors are responsible for handling the sale of their own books; PTM organizers will not oversee these transactions.)

You are more than welcome to arrive before the PTM conference starts. When booking your room, simply check with the Ridgecrest Conference Center to see if they can accommodate your needs. If not, there are many nice hotels in the Black Mountain/Asheville area.

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) — 24 miles
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) — 77 miles
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) — 101 miles