Friday Schedule
The Group Life Conference offers a variety of unique experiences all intended to give you the opportunity to customize your training and find exactly what you need. You can move freely between categories, as you mix and match among all the options to design the day that best meets your needs.
View entire conference schedule at a glance
Sessions A, B, C, D | 9:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Choose from more than 50 General breakouts to create your ideal experience. Just mix and match the options you see here to meet your specific needs and interests. Choose one breakout for each 75-minute session: A, B, C, and D. Note that a few breakouts are “AB” options that cover the entire morning. Featured Breakouts are what we consider our broadest topics, led by some of our most popular speakers. Because we know you’ll benefit from them, these will be the default breakouts to which you’ll be assigned if you don’t pre-register by Friday, October 1.
Pre-registration is important! Many breakouts will fill to capacity, so contact us as soon as possible to make sure you get your top choices.
- Small Group Leadership 101
- Small Group Leadership 201
- Leadership Development
- Coaching Leaders
- Spiritual Formation
- Missional Small Groups
- Leading Group Ministry
- Group Life
- Group Evangelism
- Postmodern Group Life
- Curriculum and Training
| Thriving as a Small Group Leader | ||
| A100 |
| |
Featured Breakout: Some small group leaders thrive, leaping from adventure to adventure. Others are barely hanging on. The difference between enjoying and enduring has to do with calling. Learn how to embrace your leadership position by living out your calling in response to each person, every meeting, and every opportunity that presents itself.
Russ Robinson
Russ has held a variety of ministry roles in the past several years. Russ served on staff at Willow Creek Community Church beginning in 1995, first as director of small groups, and then as executive director of ministries and small groups. Prior to his staff role, he also served as an elder for four years. From 2002–2004, he was senior pastor at
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| Launching Groups All Year Long | ||
| A101 |
| |
Most small group leaders' dream is a natural growth process where new groups launch all year long. Here's how to make it happen. Interact, learn, and walk away with key strategies to meet people where they are, and fresh ideas to connect people to group life throughout the year!
Sharina Husted
Sharina Husted is the Senior Director of Outreach at Trinity Church in Lansing, MI. Born and raised on the island of Maui, she has a Bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, an MBA from California State University and is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Leadership. Prior to Trinity, Sharina served as the Programming Director of Operations at Willow Creek and lived overseas in Budapest, Hungary with The Alliance for Saturation Church Planting. Her corporate experience includes working for Procter & Gamble, General Electric and Ford Motors. Sharina enjoys cliff diving, aerobics, watching college basketball and makes her home in Lansing, Michigan with husband Ryan and girls Riley(3 years) and Malia(18 months).
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| Leveraging Technology to Support Community | ||
| A102 |
| |
The life force of any healthy church is its micro-communities where intimate connection, one-on-one discipleship, and spiritual growth and development occur. Digital communications can enhance and expand these communities. Find out how to use technologies like personal web sites, social networking, and micro-blogging to enrich your small group experience.
Cynthia Ware
Cynthia Ware is a new media enthusiast with a passion to see the Church embrace online communication technologies to serve the Kingdom of God. She holds a B.S. in Radio, TV & Film and a M.S. in New Media Technologies & Mass Communications. Her blog, The Digital Sanctuary (http://thedigitalsanctuary.org), is an extremely popular and valuable resource for pastors and ministry leaders using the new media in ministry. Cynthia and her husband, Bob, have served the Foursquare Church in numerous pastoral capacities for the last 20 years. They live in Southern California with their two teenage children.
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| Inductive Bible Study: Engaging Slackers, Challenging Scholars | ||
| A103 |
| |
There's a way to study Scripture that goes beyond the dull, gold-edged Bibles-on-laps routine: manuscript-style study. All you need is scripture printed on paper and a bucket of pencils, pens, and highlighters. See the results firsthand, with this dynamic introduction to a Bible study method that engages seekers and mature Christians alike.
Don Everts
Don Everts recently began serving as Minister of Outreach at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, after working with university students for over 14 years as a campus staff worker and Area Director with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. A poet and preacher at heart, Don speaks at conferences and churches across the country inviting skeptics and believers alike to gaze at the person of Jesus and be thrilled. Don has written nine books, including Jesus with Dirty Feet, God in the Flesh, and the One Guy's Head Series of postmodern apologetics. His latest book, co-authored with Doug Schaupp, is I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus.
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| Short Films as Springboards Into Deeper Spiritual Conversations | |||
| A104 |
| ||
Narrative short films have grown in popularity — as entertainment forms and as springboards into spiritual conversations. Bursting with themes like grace and redemption, the films inspire participants to ask questions: How does my story intersect with God's story? How does He work in our lives? With a "live demonstration" format, this breakout features several short films and discussion starters appropriate for any group. This session is repeated in A104 and B144. Register only once.
Download A104 / B144 Handout (.pdf, 44kb)
Marcus Key
Marcus Key graduated from Western Kentucky University in Public Relations with a Biology minor and started looking for adventure. He became a park ranger in the National Park Service at Mammoth Cave. There he received awards for cave research and was an honored tour guide. Seeking greater adventures yet, he left his home in Kentucky and started working with Campus Crusade for Christ. He equips small groups all over the country to use short films to win others to Christ, build them in their faith, and send them out to do the same.
Scott Santee
Scott Santee graduated from The Ohio State University in Biology and Zoology. He's led small groups for over 20 years in Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and France. He's taught small group leaders some of the principles of effective group dynamics, Bible study skills, and good listening/questioning skills. He has led the Virginia Beach Summer Project for several years, equipping 100 staff and students each summer to experience Jesus, embrace transformation, and engage in His mission.
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| Reaching Postmoderns with Unfiltered Reality | ||
| A105 |
| |
This generation doesn't play church. Shattered and broken, this generation responds only to the unfiltered love of Jesus, delivered with authenticity via communities on mission. Willow's Axis Community has seen more than 100 postmoderns come to faith in Christ over the last two year. Join a dialogue and gain insight on the breakthroughs that facilitated those transformations.
Jon Peacock
Jon Peacock is the Ministry Director of the Axis Community, Willow Creek Community Church’s ministry to twenty-somethings. Jon provides strategic oversight, teaching, and the development of his staff.
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| HANDS-ON LAB: Curriculum | ||
| A106 |
| |
Knowing how to push "play" on your DVD player isn't enough to provide a great small group experience. In this lab, Willow Creek Association Training expert Wendy Seidman shows how you can get the most out of the best video-based curriculum available. She'll introduce you to some "best practices" and demonstrate clips from ReGroup™, Liquid™, Modern Parables™ and BluefishTV. You can interact with these and other products at workstations in the room and ask our roving product experts questions about potential applications.
Wendy Seidman
Wendy is the executive director of content development and training for the Willow Creek Association. She is responsible for the quality of the content delivered in workshops, conference breakout sessions, conference main sessions, and regional training events that the WCA produces in the U.S. She is also responsible for the quality of WCA training products such as: the Network training course for spiritual gifts; Becoming a Contagious Christian training course; Good Sense Budget Course; Good Sense Counselor Training; and An Ordinary Day with Jesus spiritual transformation course. She has been with the WCA since 1991 and prior to that, she worked for Shell Oil Company in the training and development area. She has a master's degree in religious education from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a B.S. from Indiana University.
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| Building Blocks of Biblical Community | ||
| AB120 |
| |
While there are no step-by-step instructions for community-building, the gradual introduction of a few core essentials can change your small group for the good. These six building blocks are defined, modeled, and practiced in this interactive session.
Download AB120 Handout (.pdf, 124kb)
Greg Bowman
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| Leading Small Groups into Deeper Community | ||
| AB121 |
| |
In small groups, there are "Community Busters" to avoid and "Community Builders" to embrace. In this breakout, you'll identify the Community Busters and find the tools — the top ten "Community Builders" — to overcome them and create an environment where life can be shared deeply.
Kevin and Sherry Harney
Kevin and Sherry have served in the local church for 25 years. They are the co-authors of over 40 small group study guides in partnership with the WCA and Zondervan including: Interactions series (with Bill Hybels), New Community
series (Bill Hybels and John Ortberg), The Old Testament Challenge (John Ortberg), and Seismic Shifts. Kevin and Sherry have also led small groups in their neighborhood, church, and for ministry leaders.
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| Strategies for Equipping Leaders | ||
| AB122 |
| |
You are ready to start equipping your leaders but — where to start? What kind of training works best? What resources should I use and where do I get them? Is coaching really necessary? I need a plan! This breakout is a one stop for equipping ideas and strategy development. You will leave with some "next steps" to get your equipping program moving.
Mike Hurt
Mike Hurt is the Senior Pastor of Parkway Church in Victoria, TX. A leading thinker and trainer in small group ministry, Mike is passionate about finding ways to reach people who don't know Christ and to see those who do know Christ connect in authentic biblical community. He is also the author of Connect the Dots, a study that will equip groups to discover God's will for their lives. He also authored the recently released study, RePurposed, a study of Nehemiah's memoirs, which challenges groups to courageously live their convictions. Before leading Parkway, Mike served at McLean Bible Church as Director of Community Campus Development and as Small Groups Pastor. At McLean, he was the lead developer of www.smallgroupresources.org.
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| Avoiding Common Coaching Mistakes | ||
| AB123 |
| |
The best small group coaches are those whose unique listening and asking skills keep their group members fully engaged. Led by professional coach trainer Tony Stoltzfus, this interactive session uses live coaching demos and peer-on-peer practice to reveal the six key skills necessary to avoiding common coaching mistakes.
Download Top Asking Mistakes (.pdf, 300kb)
Tony Stoltzfus
Tony is a full-time Christian coach and coach trainer and the author of Leadership Coaching, a ground-breaking how-to book on coaching skills and values.
He is a co-founder of a professional Christian coach training school and his passion is building leadership character. Tony develops training resources for bringing coaching into the church through his online resource center at www.Coach22.com. He also coaches pastors and ministry leaders through www.CoachingPastors.com.
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| Creating Emotionally Healthy Small Group Environments | ||
| AB124 |
| |
Spiritual growth only comes by the Holy Spirit, but leaders can create environments that foster life-giving and life-changing community. Discover the characteristics of these environments, assess the current health of your small group, and learn the next steps to take toward greater emotional health.
Download AB124 Handout (.pdf, 2.3mb)
Beth Leonard
Beth has over 10 years of experience leading various aspects of small group ministry in the local church
in both volunteer and paid staff positions, including directing the small group ministry in a church of 3,000. Her first love is training and leadership development, particularly in the area of creating transformational environments in small groups. She also teaches and facilitates during WCA Small Groups Advanced Training. Currently, Beth is working with Tapestry Community Church in
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| SOULiving: Leading Your Small Group in Holistic Spiritual Formation | ||
| AB125 |
| |
Many small groups are learning the importance of spiritual formation in our lives, but struggle to apply it to outward relationships. This look at the stages of spiritual formation and the six dimensions of our lives helps answer questions about a mind/body and missional/personal balance as it applies to small group leadership.
Michael Bischof
Dr. Michael G. Bischof (M.Div., D.Min.) is founder and executive director of SouLeader Resources, a non-profit, interdenominational ministry established in 2000 to empower health and wholeness in leaders, churches, and Christian ministries. Michael mentors, teaches, trains, coaches, and consults on a variety of topics around the issues of spiritual formation, leadership development, and church health. Born and raised in southern California, Michael has spent over 20 years pastoring, church planting, and working with several para-church organizations. He is an adjunct professor with Azusa Pacific University and Fuller Theological Seminary. He has been married for 23 years and has two teenage children.
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| Leading Missional Small Groups | ||
| AB126 |
| |
Is God active in the world around you? And is your group involved with that activity? Missional small groups seek to answer these two questions. Learn the leadership skills needed to discover practical ways your group can live out the incarnation and see the transformation it brings.
Scott Boren
Scott Boren is the community pastor at Woodland Hills Church in
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| Square One: Starting a Small Group Ministry from Nothing | ||
| AB127 |
| |
Here's the problem: all the other breakout options seem too advanced for you and your church. You're just getting your feet wet in small group ministry. This is where you begin, with a breakout designed to give practical, tested, step-by-step instructions for starting a small group ministry from scratch.
Scott Christenson
Scott was called to start a small group ministry at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in
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| Called to Care: Helping Group Members through Crisis | |||
| AB128 |
| ||
While all Christians are called to care for the hurting, the group leader often assumes a pastoral caregiving role. Learn what is expected of you as a caregiver, how to balance an individual's needs with the safety of the group, how to set appropriate boundaries with hurting people, and how to deal with difficult people during times of crisis.
Joe Besenjak
Joe
Besenjak has been part of the
Pastoral Care staff at Willow Creek
Community Church since 2002 and currently serves as the director of
pastoral care and executive director of the
Kyndra Singer
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| The Postmodern Skeptic's Path to Faith | ||
| B140 |
| |
Featured Breakout: How do people come to Jesus in today's postmodern culture? Over the last decade, Don Everts and Doug Schaupp have listened to the stories of two thousand postmodern people who have come to follow Jesus. While the stories are diverse and varied, certain common themes emerge, which they describe in their new book, I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus. Come hear Don give an overview of the "Five Thresholds" that most postmodern skeptics cross on their way to faith in Jesus.
Don Everts
Don Everts recently began serving as Minister of Outreach at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, after working with university students for over 14 years as a campus staff worker and Area Director with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. A poet and preacher at heart, Don speaks at conferences and churches across the country inviting skeptics and believers alike to gaze at the person of Jesus and be thrilled. Don has written nine books, including Jesus with Dirty Feet, God in the Flesh, and the One Guy's Head Series of postmodern apologetics. His latest book, co-authored with Doug Schaupp, is I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus.
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| Removing and Restoring Leaders | ||
| B141 |
| |
Nothing in group life can be more traumatic than removing a leader due to moral failure, a lapse of judgment, or incompetence. Few understand the journey from guilt to forgiveness and an ultimate restoration of trust and even fewer know how rewarding the restoration process can be. In this breakout Rex Minor shows how to navigate this difficult and hazardous territory and gives practical steps based on personal experience in dealing with fallen leaders.
Rex Minor
Rex Minor is Executive Director of Transformational Communities at The Chapel in Grayslake, IL. Previously, Rex was the pastor of adult discipleship at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA, and was in senior leadership at Willow Creek Community Church as the director for small group leadership development. Rex's goal is to improve the quality of the small group experience
and to see that every small group has a vision for reaching out to neighbors and friends to include them in community. He believes that life change happens best in the context of small groups. Before his involvement with small group leadership at
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| The Last Taboo: Talking About Money in Your Group | |||
| B142 |
| ||
In a safe environment, most people will discuss anything — anything, that is, except money. It's personal, too private, but far too important to ignore. This session highlights the critical need for small group discussions about money, and demonstrates how to foster an ideal environment for that discussion — without feeling like you need to be a CPA to make it happen.
Matt Bell
Matt Bell writes and speaks about personal finance from a biblical perspective. His work has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, and Christianitytoday.com. Matt has served in the Good $ense ministry since 1990. He consults with the ministry in the areas of reach and impact and writes the monthly eNewsletter More Good $ense for people who serve in Good $ense in churches throughout the U.S. and Canada. Matt also runs the web site MoneyPurposeJoy.com, writes two other eNewsletters, and is the author of Money. Purpose. Joy., published by NavPress. Matt lives with his wife and three young children near Chicago.
Dick Towner
Dick Towner is the Executive Director of the Good $ense ministry movement. He is the co-author of the newest Good $ense stewardship resource, Freed-Up Financial Living, and has taught on biblical stewardship for over 40 years. He states that his claim to fame lies in three numbers - 45,3 and 11. He has been married to Sibyl for 45 years, has 3 sons and 11 grandchildren.
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| Close to Home: Benefits of Neighborhood Small Groups | ||
| B143 |
| |
Sometimes the big picture is easy. The hard part of community-building is taking an overall vision to street level. Learn from a place-based practitioner about the victories and challenges of day-to-day ministry, and receive practical tips to put to work immediately.
John Angle
John Angle has been on staff at Willow Creek Community Church for
the last 14 years. He is the director of Neighborhood Life at Willow's DuPage County campus and
oversees a team of area pastors who serve various neighborhoods. Prior to his current role, he led the adult ministries at the DuPage campus. John has also served as a division leader in the evangelism ministry, where he led a division of more than 500 people, including those in seeker small groups, new believer small groups, and international community small groups. John does various training for Willow Creek as well as for the Willow Creek Association. John is
married to his bride of 25 years, Kathy, and they have five children.
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| Short Films as Springboards Into Deeper Spiritual Conversations | |||
| B144 |
| ||
Narrative short films have grown in popularity — as entertainment forms and as springboards into spiritual conversations. Bursting with themes like grace and redemption, the films inspire participants to ask questions: How does my story intersect with God's story? How does He work in our lives? With a "live demonstration" format, this breakout features several short films and discussion starters appropriate for any group. This session is repeated in A104 and B144. Register only once.
Download A104 / B144 Handout (.pdf, 44kb)
Scott Santee
Scott Santee graduated from The Ohio State University in Biology and Zoology. He's led small groups for over 20 years in Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and France. He's taught small group leaders some of the principles of effective group dynamics, Bible study skills, and good listening/questioning skills. He has led the Virginia Beach Summer Project for several years, equipping 100 staff and students each summer to experience Jesus, embrace transformation, and engage in His mission.
Marcus Key
Marcus Key graduated from Western Kentucky University in Public Relations with a Biology minor and started looking for adventure. He became a park ranger in the National Park Service at Mammoth Cave. There he received awards for cave research and was an honored tour guide. Seeking greater adventures yet, he left his home in Kentucky and started working with Campus Crusade for Christ. He equips small groups all over the country to use short films to win others to Christ, build them in their faith, and send them out to do the same.
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| Everything is an Experiment: Creative Community for Emerging Generations | ||
| B145 |
| |
The busy, broken 20-somethings in your church are hard to reach. They're also filled with potential. Discover creative strategies for fostering community among and making disciples of this emerging generation. Examine the unique environment of your church, learn what happens when cultural trends mix with Biblical truth, and discover how to embrace circles of community that already exist.
Heather Zempel
A native Alabamian, Heather Zempel invested her parent's money and six years of her life at Louisiana State University earning bachelors and masters degrees in biological engineering. She finally left Cajun country to apply her newly acquired skills as a consultant at an environmental engineering firm and later as a policy advisor in the United States Senate. She now engineers environments that foster community and spiritual growth as the discipleship pastor at National Community Church in Washington, DC.
Heather and her amazing husband Ryan can be found on Capitol Hill enjoying theater (from the audience or the stage) and settling arguments with Webster's Dictionary. Check out her daily ramblings at www.discipleshipgroups.blogspot.com.
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| HANDS-ON LAB: Online Training | ||
| B146 |
| |
The WCA is launching a brand-new online training library designed to serve you and your volunteers every day, right when you need it! Come explore how these practical, bite-sized online training videos will help you train your volunteers when it's convenient for them – for free! Watch some samples, and be part of shaping the library by giving your input on future topics.
Stephanie Oakley
Stephanie Oakley serves as Resource Development Manager for the WCA and has been on staff for close to eight years. She is responsible for the design and development of online and print-based training resources for churches and church leaders such as ReGroup, The Leadership Summit Team Editions and the recently revised Good $ense curriculum. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Print Media Communications from Wheaton College and a M.A. in Training and Development from Roosevelt University, and lives in Grayslake, IL with her husband, Steve.
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| Running Together: The Role of Small Groups in Spiritual Formation | ||
| C160 |
| |
Featured Breakout: The Christian life is not a solo sport. That's why we invest so much time into small groups! But beyond side products like pastoral care, assimilation, or friendship-building, we mainly want small groups to offer transformation. In this workshop, we explore basic spiritual formation and then consider the unique place small groups—and small group leaders—have in soul-level development.
Mindy Caliguire
Mindy Caliguire and her husband, Jeff, planted a church in the Boston area, where she served in a variety of leadership roles for 10 years and launched Soul Care, dedicated to helping people restore health to their souls. She served in the area of spiritual formation at Willow Creek Community Church from 2001 to 2004, concentrating on membership, the ministry of prayer, small group curriculum, and "soul care": for individual staff teams. In 2005, she re-engaged with Soul Care, serving churches and organizations through leadership consulting and retreats. Mindy also serves as the Midwest regional director for the Spiritual Formation Alliance, building partnerships and creating formational events. Whether formally or informally, Mindy mentors leaders, focusing on re-establishing their spiritual vitality as the primary step towards a lifestyle of sustainable ministry and leadership. Mindy's books include Discovering Soul Care and Spiritual Friendship.
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| Asking Great Questions | ||
| C161 |
| |
A leader's ability to ask great questions is key to a small group's success. It leads to evocative storytelling, dynamic opinions, captivating discussions, and personal transparency. Learn the art of asking great questions, and the importance of listening to the answer.
Garry Poole
Willow Creek's key evangelism leader since 1992, Garry Poole is an innovator in seeker small groups and an outreach strategist. Passionate about reaching people for Christ, Garry and his team have trained thousands of leaders to launch seeker small groups in their own settings. His award-winning book, Seeker Small Groups, provides a detailed blueprint for facilitating small group discussions that assist spiritual seekers with investigating Christianity. He also wrote The Complete Book of Questions, a collection of 1001 conversation starters, and The Three Habits of Highly Contagious Christians, a small group discussion guide to
equip believers in effectively sharing their faith. Garry is the primary author of Tough Questions,
a best-selling series of seven study guides, along with a leader's guide, designed to get small groups discussing answers to major objections to the Christian faith. He authored (with Lee Strobel) Experiencing the Passion of Jesus to accompany Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ.
In 2005, it became the first discussion guide ever to receive the prestigious Charles "Kip" Jordon Christian Book of
the Year award. Garry lives in suburban Chicago and consults on seeker small groups at churches around the world.
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| Organic Growth: People-Synthesis and Spiritual Respiration | ||
| C162 |
| |
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration provide life and cause growth in a plant's life cycle — and there are many parallels in God's plan for natural, relational health and growth. Encounter a fresh and innovative way to comprehend and communicate God's call to community.
Jana Swenson
Jana Swenson currently serves as the pastor of community and equipping at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Marion,
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| Finding and Launching New Leaders | ||
| C163 |
| |
One of the hardest parts of small group ministry is launching new leaders. Discover a leadership assessment tool that will help identify the readiness of each potential leader in your ministry and clarify different training paths to move them toward leadership.
Dave Treat
Originally from
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| Developing a Coaching Model | ||
| C164 |
| |
It would be wonderful if every one of your leaders could grow deeply in their relationship with God, but you can't accomplish this alone. Mike Hurt helps clarify your understanding of the coach's role and introduces real-world principles for building a coaching structure that actually works.
Mike Hurt
Mike Hurt is the Senior Pastor of Parkway Church in Victoria, TX. A leading thinker and trainer in small group ministry, Mike is passionate about finding ways to reach people who don't know Christ and to see those who do know Christ connect in authentic biblical community. He is also the author of Connect the Dots, a study that will equip groups to discover God's will for their lives. He also authored the recently released study, RePurposed, a study of Nehemiah's memoirs, which challenges groups to courageously live their convictions. Before leading Parkway, Mike served at McLean Bible Church as Director of Community Campus Development and as Small Groups Pastor. At McLean, he was the lead developer of www.smallgroupresources.org.
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| A Change of Heart: How Transformation Happens | ||
| C165 |
| |
Spiritual formation is a worthy goal, but what does it look like at the individual level? And how can a small group facilitate it? Discover the heart-level process of spiritual formation and the ways small groups can influence that change.
Rex Minor
Rex Minor is Executive Director of Transformational Communities at The Chapel in Grayslake, IL. Previously, Rex was the pastor of adult discipleship at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA, and was in senior leadership at Willow Creek Community Church as the director for small group leadership development. Rex's goal is to improve the quality of the small group experience
and to see that every small group has a vision for reaching out to neighbors and friends to include them in community. He believes that life change happens best in the context of small groups. Before his involvement with small group leadership at
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| Leadership Essentials | |||
| C166 |
| ||
Where have all the leaders gone? Few issues frustrate so many of us as finding people who will step up and assume leadership responsibility. But is the answer just better leadership development programs? We think not. We have a leadership gap because we have a disciple-making deficit. This breakout focuses on how to build a disciple-making culture out of which grows leaders with the kind of character, call, and competence needed in our time. The breakout leaders are co-authors of Leadership Essentials (InterVarsity Press, 2007) and test their material everyday at Christ Church of Oak Brook (www.cc-ob.org).
Dan Meyer
Dan Meyer is Senior Pastor of Christ Church of Oak Brook, a non-denominational congregation located in Chicago’s western suburbs with weekend attendance of approximately 2000. A graduate of Yale University (1981) and Princeton Seminary (1985), Dan has served Presbyterian churches in Belfast Northern Ireland, Burlingame CA, and Rancho Santa Fe CA. His other work experiences include time on an off-shore oil-rig, in a maximum security prison, on a farm, and in IBM’s world corporate headquarters. Dan’s messages are aired weekly on WPWR (My50) television and WGN and WYLL radio in Chicagoland through the Love Changes Life broadcast ministry. Dan also serves as on-air host of Life Focus, a television newsmagazine carried nationally on PBS, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and other stations. He is co-author of Leadership Essentials (IVP, 2007) and a frequent resource for CT’s Preaching Today. Dan and his wife Amy make their home in Hinsdale IL and have three school-age sons.
Greg Ogden
Greg Ogden is the Executive Pastor of Discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in Oak Brook, IL. From 1998-2002, Greg served as Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Fuller Theological Seminary and Associate Professor of Lay Equipping and Discipleship. Prior to coming to Fuller, Greg enjoyed 24 years in pastoral ministry, primarily within Presbyterian churches, but most recently as Senior Pastor at the Saratoga Federated Church in the Silicon Valley, California. He is the author of four books: Unfinished Business Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Zondervan, 2003), Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ (InterVarsity Press, 1998), Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time (InterVarsity Press, 2003); and with co-author, Daniel Meyer, Leadership Essentials: Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Character (InterVarsity Press, 2007). He is pleased to have been married to Lily for 38 years.
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| Outward Focus: Changing Your Small Group Culture | ||
| C167 |
| |
An outward focus is vital for small groups. It binds people together based on passion and purpose. Participants will learn how to lead their small group culture to transition from an unsatisfying inwardness to a dynamic outward focus.
Alan Danielson
Alan was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and became a follower of Christ at age 15. Alan is married to Stacey and they have three beautiful sons. He has a Master's Degree in Christian Education, and is now the Central Team Leader for LifeGroups at LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, Oklahoma. His ministry includes over 1000 Small Groups and he provides direction, training, and resources for group leaders and pastors on LifeChurch.tv's 13 campuses in 6 different states. Alan has been on staff at LifeChurch.tv since 2005. A proud "geek", Alan loves anything dealing with Star Wars and science fiction.
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| Getting to THERE: Building a Dynamic Small Group Ministry | ||
| C168 |
| |
You dream of becoming a church built on community, where nobody stands alone, and where authentic life-change is a reality. But how to get there from where you are today? Discover the tools your church need to take the next purposeful step in its journey.
Mark Howell
Mark is the founder of SmallGroupResources.net, helping churches across North America launch, build and sustain healthy small group ministries. You can read his blog here. With over 25 years in ministry, Mark has served in a number of roles. In addition to planting a church, he's also served as an Associate Pastor on several teams and Small Group Pastor at Fellowship of The Woodlands and Lake Avenue Church. During four years on the consulting staff at LifeTogether, he had the privilege of working in ministries around the country. As a host and teacher for several 40 Days of Purpose Campaign Coaching initiatives he's had the opportunity to guide hundreds of churches launching thousands of small groups. A native Californian, he's a graduate of San Diego State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mark and his wife, Debbie, have three children-Chris, Alexis and Eric-a granddaughter and a dog named Max.
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| Relational Apologetics: How Group Life Shapes Spiritual Conversation | ||
| C169 |
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Contemporary apologetics follows a modern mindset: he with the best evidence wins. But evidence is rarely the deciding factor in a world of postmodern sensibilities. Here, apologetics must be far more intuitive, resonant, universal and transcultural. In short, it must be relational. This is what it looks like.
Ron Martoia
Ron's passion is helping people and the organisms they serve to design, build, and experience revolutionary change. Over the last two years, Ron has spoken to over 25,000 leaders in conference settings. Through his speaking, consulting, writing, and acting as a "distant staff member" to a number of churches, he helps churches consider how they can shift their theological outlook, which, in turn, will shift and adjust their ministry trajectory and cultural interface. He is author of numerous periodical articles and the recent release Static, in which he examines the words Christians use to communicate to those outside the church. His Web site is www.velocityculture.com and he blogs at velocityvortx.wordpress.com.
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Church movements happen when leaders reproduce through the simple investment of apprenticeship and coaching. Led by a highly experienced team from NewThing Network, you'll discover the role community plays in leader multiplication and church reproduction.
Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf is the small groups champion for Community Christian Church (CCC). He provides leadership for the small group directors at each of its eight locations in the
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| People Like Me: Successful Affinity-Based Groups | ||
| C171 |
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Affinity Groups — which are based on shared interests (men, empty nesters, moms of tweens, motorcycle riders) — are a great way to attract people to small groups. But are they critical? Annette Forster shows how Willow uses affinity-based groups and how your church can leverage them to support group life.
Annette Forster
Annette Forster is on staff with Willow Creek Community Church as Affinities Director for Community Life. She also leads various ministries to Women; Daytime On-Campus Classes, Bravehearts - Adventures for Women, and shares her knowledge of 15 years of leading leaders and developing ministries for Women to WCA churches. Annette is passionate about helping women leave behind their fears and lead with the gift that God has given them. There is nothing that excites her more than to watch the power of God transform a life. Annette has attended Willow Creek Community Church for 29 years where she met her husband, Tim, of 19 years. They have two teenage daughters, Allison, 15 and Emily, 13.
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| More Than I Can Handle: When a Group Member's Needs Surpass My Ability to Lead | ||
| C172 |
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It's easy to be overwhelmed by the different personalities and behaviors of a small group, yet God uses these personalities to influence the group and grow you as a leader. Discover why God desires groups to be diverse and messy, the three principles to make diverse groups the Group Life norm, and tips on leading challenging personalities.
Kaleen Marshall
Kaleen Marshall has served as the Women's Ministry Director at Christ Community Church in St. Charles, IL since 2006. Prior to this, she served on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church for seven years in various positions; Director of the Disability ministry, Co-director of Community Care, and the Adult Ministry Director for Willow Creek McHenry County. She has also served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ/Athletes in Action for 15 years in various parts of the country. She has a strong desire to help all people to get connected to a local church as well as train and develop leaders in small group ministry. Kaleen graduated from Luther College with a degree in elementary/special education. She also attended seminary at the International School of Theology. Kaleen and her husband Wally live in Algonquin, IL. They have two boys, Jeffrey and Jonathan.
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| Helping Seekers Thrive in Believer Small Groups | ||
| C173 |
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When it comes to small groups, seekers need to feel welcome. They need to find a safe place where they can grow and belong. Learn key strategies to create and sustain radically inclusive small groups without overhauling your current small group structure.
Sharina Husted
Sharina Husted is the Senior Director of Outreach at Trinity Church in Lansing, MI. Born and raised on the island of Maui, she has a Bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, an MBA from California State University and is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Leadership. Prior to Trinity, Sharina served as the Programming Director of Operations at Willow Creek and lived overseas in Budapest, Hungary with The Alliance for Saturation Church Planting. Her corporate experience includes working for Procter & Gamble, General Electric and Ford Motors. Sharina enjoys cliff diving, aerobics, watching college basketball and makes her home in Lansing, Michigan with husband Ryan and girls Riley(3 years) and Malia(18 months).
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| Teaching Jesus and His Teachings | ||
| C174 |
| |
How do teach the teachings of Jesus in a postmodern culture? Start with the story — the big picture of a Jesus who was theologically shaped for his world. Learn how Jesus' background, life, and the themes of his teaching help us see how he spoke into his world, and show us how we can live the kingdom in ours.
Scot McKnight
Scot McKnight is a widely recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois, where he is also the Department Chair and the Director of the College of Christian Life and Thought.
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| Choosing and Using Curriculum that Works | ||
| C175 |
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The hardest task of many small group leaders is finding solid, biblical resources to fit their group's personality, build community, and result in world-transforming action. Learn how to find and adapt existing resources, and develop skills for creating your own small group materials.
Kevin and Sherry Harney
Kevin and Sherry have served in the local church for 25 years. They are the co-authors of over 40 small group study guides in partnership with the WCA and Zondervan including: Interactions series (with Bill Hybels), New Community
series (Bill Hybels and John Ortberg), The Old Testament Challenge (John Ortberg), and Seismic Shifts. Kevin and Sherry have also led small groups in their neighborhood, church, and for ministry leaders.
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Featured Breakout: Using an eastern parable about, well, a monkey and a fish, this breakout eyeballs the misconceptions and assumptions that result in unhealthy small groups, along with the strengths that cause small groups to flourish. Find ways to deal with these challenges and embrace these strengths within the individual contexts of your small groups and church.
Dave Gibbons
The fringe, the misfits, artists, the poor, the students, business executives, community development specialists and church leaders are the domains Dave intersects with in many of the major cities of the world. He is the CEO of Villocity.com, a new cause driven, east/west social movement. He is the Lead Pastor of the NewSong Global Alliance (Third Culture communities in Irvine, NOC, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Dallas, India, Seoul, and Bangkok) which catalyzes churches with multiple forms and styles. Dave serves on the Board of World Vision US and is also the Chief Visionary Officer of Xealot, a community development organization that develops movement leaders.
Zondervan/Leadership Network is publishing Dave's new book coming this winter called, The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third Culture Church. (Foreword by Jeff Brazill, a Pulitzer Prize Recipient.)
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| Forming New Groups: Covenants & Cohesion | ||
| D191 |
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Nothing can prepare your group for the future better than starting well. Small Groups trainer and consultant Beth Leonard uses real-world examples to show you how to prepare a group covenant and create significant relational bonds between group members.
Download D191 Handout (.pdf, 1.8mb)
Beth Leonard
Beth has over 10 years of experience leading various aspects of small group ministry in the local church
in both volunteer and paid staff positions, including directing the small group ministry in a church of 3,000. Her first love is training and leadership development, particularly in the area of creating transformational environments in small groups. She also teaches and facilitates during WCA Small Groups Advanced Training. Currently, Beth is working with Tapestry Community Church in
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| 24/7: Community Throughout the Week | ||
| D192 |
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Biblical community requires more than regular weekly meetings, which means it can't be compartmentalized into 1-2 hours a week. Explore ways to help groups move beyond a standard meeting time into an authentic, transforming model of life lived together.
Carolyn Taketa
Carolyn is the Small Groups Director at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, C.A. where she is a passionate advocate for authentic community. She is a former attorney and stay-at-home mom who has been leading groups in various ministry settings for over 20 years. Carolyn received her Juris Doctor from Boalt Hall School of Law at University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. in political science from Pomona College. She has been married for 14 years and enjoys singing PS2 Karaoke with her daughters Emily and Sarah.
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| Practical Leadership Training | ||
| D193 |
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Much more than a session about small group leader training, this breakout allows participants to experience actual small group leader training sessions. You'll receive insights you can use with your leaders as soon as you get home. It's designed especially for those responsible for training, encouraging, and equipping small group leaders.
Scott Christenson
Scott was called to start a small group ministry at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in
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| Real-World Coaching at Mosaic | ||
| D194 |
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Leading leaders can become a lonely calling, but can it be less lonely when pursued within a synergetic team? Discover the Mosaic strategy of coaching and caring for small group leaders through the use of MPAC teams.
Download D194 Handout (.pdf, 100kb)
Download Mosaic Leadership Core Team Graphic (.jpg, 1.4mb)
Dave Auda
Dave Auda is a Pastor of Developers at Mosaic in Los Angeles, C.A. He has served in this dynamic community of faith, love, and hope for over 30 years. Dave has helped pioneer and champion Small Group communities since 1977. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Baptist University, and a Master of Theological Studies from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He is husband to Tamra, and father to four daughters, Sarah, Ruthi, Rebekah, and Deborah. His superhero identity at Mosaic is "Adrenalin". His ministry and life motto is "Excel still more!"
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| Spiritual Formation in the Life of the Leader | ||
| D195 |
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The hardest person to lead toward spiritual transformation might just be the one in the mirror. Don't let the demands of leading keep you from tending to your own spiritual vitality. Discover ways to lead from the overflow rather than the vacuum, ways to rest and care for your own soul while leading others.
Mindy Caliguire
Mindy Caliguire and her husband, Jeff, planted a church in the Boston area, where she served in a variety of leadership roles for 10 years and launched Soul Care, dedicated to helping people restore health to their souls. She served in the area of spiritual formation at Willow Creek Community Church from 2001 to 2004, concentrating on membership, the ministry of prayer, small group curriculum, and "soul care": for individual staff teams. In 2005, she re-engaged with Soul Care, serving churches and organizations through leadership consulting and retreats. Mindy also serves as the Midwest regional director for the Spiritual Formation Alliance, building partnerships and creating formational events. Whether formally or informally, Mindy mentors leaders, focusing on re-establishing their spiritual vitality as the primary step towards a lifestyle of sustainable ministry and leadership. Mindy's books include Discovering Soul Care and Spiritual Friendship.
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| Transforming Discipleship | ||
| D196 |
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If it took Jesus three years to get 12 people ready to assume their leadership role — with one that fell through the cracks — then why do we expect to mass-produce disciples? You just can't cut corners. This breakout focuses on a well-tested approach to growing a network of reproducing disciples, from the environmental conditions that lead to transformation and the context that facilitates multiplication.
Greg Ogden
Greg Ogden is the Executive Pastor of Discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in Oak Brook, IL. From 1998-2002, Greg served as Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Fuller Theological Seminary and Associate Professor of Lay Equipping and Discipleship. Prior to coming to Fuller, Greg enjoyed 24 years in pastoral ministry, primarily within Presbyterian churches, but most recently as Senior Pastor at the Saratoga Federated Church in the Silicon Valley, California. He is the author of four books: Unfinished Business Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Zondervan, 2003), Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ (InterVarsity Press, 1998), Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time (InterVarsity Press, 2003); and with co-author, Daniel Meyer, Leadership Essentials: Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Character (InterVarsity Press, 2007). He is pleased to have been married to Lily for 38 years.
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| Hope for the Homeless: The Missional Strength of Community | ||
| D197 |
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For years we've heard that "Life change happens best in relationships" and worked diligently to see that lived out in our small group ministries. But what if that wasn't just true for small group participants, but also for those we're reaching out to serve - the homeless, addicts, broken and marginalized? Come and hear how Southridge Community Church has used the vehicle of relationships to impact their city's homeless community in incredible ways. Discover for yourself just how significant the principles of an effective group life ministry can be when you apply them to social justice and outreach as well.
Ben Lockyer
In 2001, Ben joined the staff of Southridge Community Church in
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Yes, it's possible to reach different kinds of people with a single connection strategy. Explore the four kinds of people you want to pull into your small groups and learn the practical benefits of self-assimilation. The take-home? You'll leave knowing how to make your group suck.
Dave Treat
Originally from
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| Meeting God in Transition | ||
| D199 |
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Life stage transitions are some of the most difficult periods in which to minister, but how you engage God in your transitions is vitally important. This interactive session explores the life cycles that produce transitions, and the ways God meets us within them. You'll learn and practice practical coaching techniques for engaging God's purposes in transition.
Download D199 Handout (.pdf, 984kb)
Tony Stoltzfus
Tony is a full-time Christian coach and coach trainer and the author of Leadership Coaching, a ground-breaking how-to book on coaching skills and values.
He is a co-founder of a professional Christian coach training school and his passion is building leadership character. Tony develops training resources for bringing coaching into the church through his online resource center at www.Coach22.com. He also coaches pastors and ministry leaders through www.CoachingPastors.com.
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| Simple Small Groups: Untangling the Complicated Web of Group Life | ||
| D200 |
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Sometimes, small group ministries inspire more questions than bring answers. Have we complicated something that ought to be more simple? Bill Search describes the three patterns of a strong group in sharp, simple focus. Participants will leave with practical next steps to untangle overwhelming problems and strengthen their ministry.
Bill Search
Bill is the team leader for Community Groups at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, a church with an average weekly attendance of about 18,000. He is also author of Simple Small Groups: A User Friendly Guide for Small Group Leaders [September 2008]. He has been a regular trainer at Willow Creek Association conferences and an advisor for small groups for several years. Once a small group skeptic, Bill became a true believer in the power of community after his wife, Karyn, made him join a group. They now live in the Kentucky countryside with their three children Maggie, Emma, and Jack. Bill's website is www.simplesmallgroups.com.
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| Creating Group Experiences to Enhance Spiritual and Relational Growth | ||
| D201 |
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There's more to an effective small group than Bible study and coffee. The best small groups contain moments where individuals experience God and others in unique ways. Discover creative ways to keep your group open to these moments by maintaining trust, sustaining safe environments, and laughing together.
Andrea Minor
Andrea Minor is the Executive Director of Weekend Experiences at The Chapel in Grayslake Illinois. Prior to coming to The Chapel, she was a Creative Arts Director at Calvary Community Church in Southern California. Andrea also served in various leadership roles for 11 years at Willow Creek Community Church, including Area Pastor and Women's Ministry Director. Andrea desires to teach and envision others to find their calling and gifting and to use those gifts in the local church. Creating moments for life change each weekend is her passion. Along with speaking and teaching Andrea serves on the editorial board of Christianity Today's "Gifted for Leadership" publication. She has published several articles on leadership, family, and soul care. She has been married to Rex Minor for 26 wonderful years. They have three grown children: Mallory, Paige, and Trent.
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| Step into the Kitchen: Starting Points for New Believers | |||
| D202 |
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North Point church has developed a simple and practical approach to engaging new believers. Bill Willits and Stephen Redden show how "Starting Points" can place new believers in an environment that will support their spiritual growth within the context of community.
Bill Willits
Bill Willits is the executive director of ministries for North Point Ministries, the parent organization of North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, and Browns Bridge Community Church. Bill is also the co-author of Creating Community with Andy Stanley. One of the founding staff members of North Point, Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. Bill's passion for community life has helped create a system where 10,000 adults enjoy the benefits of group life. His most important small group consists of his wife, Terry, and their daughter, Bailey.
Stephen Redden
Stephen Redden is the director of community group operations for North Point Ministries, which provides strategic direction for all three of the North Point campuses in and around
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| Small Groups for Explorers | ||
| D203 |
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Spiritual explorers need a safe place to explore the claims of Christianity — a place where they can discuss spiritual questions, express their thoughts, and discover what the Bible has to say about life today. In this breakout, you'll discover an innovative approach to small groups that will allow your church to attract explorers to groups in any setting.
Garry Poole
Willow Creek's key evangelism leader since 1992, Garry Poole is an innovator in seeker small groups and an outreach strategist. Passionate about reaching people for Christ, Garry and his team have trained thousands of leaders to launch seeker small groups in their own settings. His award-winning book, Seeker Small Groups, provides a detailed blueprint for facilitating small group discussions that assist spiritual seekers with investigating Christianity. He also wrote The Complete Book of Questions, a collection of 1001 conversation starters, and The Three Habits of Highly Contagious Christians, a small group discussion guide to
equip believers in effectively sharing their faith. Garry is the primary author of Tough Questions,
a best-selling series of seven study guides, along with a leader's guide, designed to get small groups discussing answers to major objections to the Christian faith. He authored (with Lee Strobel) Experiencing the Passion of Jesus to accompany Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ.
In 2005, it became the first discussion guide ever to receive the prestigious Charles "Kip" Jordon Christian Book of
the Year award. Garry lives in suburban Chicago and consults on seeker small groups at churches around the world.
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| ComeUnity: Moving Past Programs to Unity | ||
| D204 |
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Your journey to Christ-likeness has taken specific pathways in your life — and not all of those routes have been through programming. Explore moving beyond programs to developing environments along the path to unity in Christ.
Todd Gorton
Todd Gorton is the Pastor of Community Life at Coast Hills Community Church in Southern California. Over the past 14 years, Todd has served as the Director of Visual Arts in the Axis ministry at Willow Creek, been a youth pastor, worship pastor, TV editor/producer, and high school teacher. He is passionate about seeing the Church move past programs and into the heart of living out Jesus together. In his spare time, he treasures every moment with his first small group: his wife of 10 years, Darla, and their daughter Libby, 4, and son Parker, 3 (who thinks he is a superhero).
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| Reinventing Group Bible Study: The Liquid Method | |||
| D205 |
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The Liquid Method is an energizing Bible study model that multiplies leaders, creates energy, and moves small group leaders from being teachers to shepherds. Its participants learn to observe, understand and apply God's Word to their lives in a way that is both relational and relevant. See the Liquid Method in action and gain firsthand experience on its effectiveness in injecting Scripture into to your life.
Chris Lagerlof
Chris Lagerlof is the small
groups/care/evangelism pastor at Mariners Church in
Jeff Pries
Jeff Pries is currently a small groups pastor as well as a member of the speaking team at Mariners Church in
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