Friday Experiences
Want to grab a cup of coffee with peers from other churches? Or, perhaps you’d like to meet some of Willow Creek’s area pastors to talk about their Neighborhood “Tables.” These are just two of the Friday Experiences starting at 4:00 PM (following the afternoon session) on Friday, September 28. Plan a team experience on your own or check out these Friday Experiences — the choice is yours! To register, call the Group Life Concierge at 800-570-9812.
Onsite Events
These opportunities are held in a larger setting on campus and run from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. They are more informal than a breakout — you can network with the leader and others and ask lots of questions. To register, call the Group Life Concierge at 800-570-9812.
North Point Connection Experience with Bill Willits and Stephen Redden
Want to see how North Point connects people to small groups? You can participate in a mock “GroupLink” to see how the experts do it!Evangelism and Seeker Small Groups with Garry Poole
Have questions for the guy who wrote the book on questions? Come ask Garry!Meet the Authors with Dr. Will Miller and Dr. Glenn Sparks
Will Miller was a stand-up comedian for 16 years and is an ordained minister, author, and hospital and police chaplain. He is campus minister at Purdue University where he lectures on media effects. Professor Glenn G. Sparks is Associate Department Head for Communication at Purdue University. He teaches courses in the theory and effects of mass media, children and television, and research methods.
Drs. Miller and Sparks collaborated on Refrigerator Rights: Creating Connections and Restoring Relationships (White River Press, 2007). Their second book is currently in progress and will address the “seven temptations of popular culture” and how knowing them can help us to live better.Meet the Neighborhood Pastors with Steve Gillen and the Willow Creek Neighborhood Life Team
In this informal Q&A about Neighborhood ministry you can learn how hospitality and missional outreach go hand-in-hand. Chat with one of the Willow Creek Area Pastors or ask Steve Gillen, Associate Director of Neighborhood Life. To register, call the Group Life Concierge at 800-570-9812. Click here to learn more about Willow Creek Community Church Neighborhood Life and “Table” gatherings.
Cups of Coffee
Have a very specific need you’d like to talk about with others facing a similar challenge? Want to network with some other leaders from your city/state/region? Want to meet someone in the same role at another church from your denomination? Cups of Coffee are limited-availability opportunities that will be posted here… see the list below for current choices. Held in the Activity Center from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. with only six participants per table. To join a coffee listed below, call the Group Life Concierge at 800-570-9812.
Topic: The Relational Way: Starting or Transitioning to Missional Small Groups
Host: Scot BorenTopic: Problem Solving in Group Life (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Greg BowmanTopic: Hosting a Multi-Church Training Event (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Sherry BurnamTopic: Spiritual Formation in Small Groups (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Mindy CaliguireTopic: Experimental Mission (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Alan HirschTopic: Creating Group Life Momentum in Large Churches (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Chris Lagerloff & Jeff PriesTopic: Building a Staff Team (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Ben LockyerTopic: Transforming Small Groups (and Small Group Ministries) from Good to Great (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Mike MackTopic: Q & A with NorthPoint Community Church (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Jason MalecTopic: Small Groups in Community Care (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Kaleen MarshallTopic: Small Groups in Sports Ministry
Host: Wally MarshallTopic: Shaping Ministry, Theological, & Leadership Education (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Ron MartoiaTopic: Beyond Literacy: A Radical Strategy to Empower Bible Readers
Host: Thorsten MoritzTopic: Cell Groups – Holistic Small Groups
Host: Randall NeighborTopic: Serving Small Groups: Partnering with Civic Organizations (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Steve PateTopic: Digging Deeper Into The Seven Deadly Sins (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Russ RobinsonTopic: Small Groups in Transitional Churches (Moving to Small Groups Model) (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Barry SinkTopic: Training Small Group Coaches (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Tony StoltzfusTopic: Developing a Hands-On Social Justice Ministry
Host: Mark Van SteenwykTopic: Covenanters attending (Evangelical Covenant Church)
Host: Kirsten D. (Nelson) WageniusTopic: GroupLife™ Assessment Tool for Small Groups Ministries (Sorry, this coffee is full.)
Host: Beth LeonardGeographic Area: Point Leaders – Canada
Host: Bryan BylsmaGeographic Area: Point Leaders – Chicagoland
Host: Eric CamfieldGeographic Area: Point Leaders – Mid-Atlantic Region
Host: Jack Dyson
Geographic Area: Point Leaders – Southern Ontario
Host: Jeff JantziGeographic Area: Missional Churches - Atlanta
Host: Nathan LedbetterGeographic Area: North Iowa – Southern Minnesota
Host: Amy Palmer