Friday Schedule

Bill Donahue
Bill's passion for helping churches develop leaders through small groups led him to Willow Creek in 1992. Bill is currently the executive director of group life and adult ministries for the Willow Creek Association. Prior to that, he served on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church for six years, helping launch and develop the church-wide small group ministry. He was also leader of the couples ministry, director of the Willow Creek Institute, and headed the leadership training department. Bill has a Ph.D. in adult education from the University of North Texas, a master's degree in biblical studies from Dallas Seminary, and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Princeton University. Bill and his wife, Gail, have two children, Ryan and Kinsley.

Jeff Pries
Jeff Pries is currently a small groups pastor as well as a member of the speaking team at Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif. Jeff also produces Liquid, a series of four separate films, each based on specific passages from the Bible. The Liquid experience is designed to help small groups take God's Word through their lives. Jeff and his wife, Barbara, have been married for 11 years, and they have four children under the age of 10.

Chris Lagerlof
Chris Lagerlof is the small groups/care/evangelism pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif. Since 1992, Chris has served in several ministries at Mariners and currently works with hundreds of small groups throughout the church. He is passionate about God's Word and helping others apply it to everyday life. Chris loves seeing a big church become small through true community developed in group life. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and leadership training events.

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.

Glenn Sparks
Glenn Sparks is a professor in the Department of Communication at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He came to Purdue in 1986 after a three-year appointment in what is now the School of Communication at Cleveland State University. He has contributed to more than 50 publications on media effects, including cognitive, emotional, and physiological responses to media. His most recent book project, in collaboration with Dr. Will Miller, is Refrigerator Rights: Creating Connections and Restoring Relationships. Glenn holds a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College, a master's degree from Northern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Glenn and his wife, Cheri, have been married since 1975 and have three children.

Will Miller
Will Miller is a psychotherapist, ordained minister, and hospital and police chaplain. He has worked in community mental health centers and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and has served as a spokesman for the National Institute of Mental Health. Simultaneously, for 16 years, Will had a successful career as a stand-up comedian. He has headlined in clubs and theaters across the country, appearing with such stars as Aretha Franklin and Natalie Cole. He is one of the country's foremost media and popular culture analysts, having served as host of Nick at Nite's Why We Watch segment for five years. Currently, Dr. Miller is a therapist and campus minister at Purdue University, where he lectures on media effects. He has written three books, including the acclaimed Refrigerator Rights. Will holds a master's degree and a doctorate in urban education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a master's in clinical social work from Columbia University, and a master's in divinity from Union Theological Seminary.

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 Atlanta, Ga.: North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, and Browns Bridge Community Church. Stephen is a graduate of Mississippi State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. His personal passion is to learn what it means to follow Jesus in the context of community and to help others do the same. Stephen lives in Alpharetta, Ga. with his wife, Kate, and two sons, Ethan and Andrew.

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.)