Willow Creek Association Group Life

Group Life Conference 2008 Preview - Main Session Five

We wanted to end the conference with a bang, so how about an NFL football player - turned pastor from California to challenge us, inspire us, pump us up, and send us back in the game?

Session 5 - How Community Transforms
Miles McPherson, Senior Pastor, The Rock Church (San Diego, CA)

When community works — when it’s characterized by good health and a supportive environment — it can have a transformative effect on individuals, on churches, and within entire neighborhoods. Miles McPherson details the importance of a community-focused church, and the power of community to impact our culture.

Miles McPherson is the President of Miles Ahead, and is an internationally known speaker whose bold, down-to-earth, and humorous style has become his trademark. His relevant message challenges both the young and young-minded and often compels them to recalibrate their lives in light of the Gospel.

McPherson achieved All-American honors in college football and went on to play as a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers. He earned an MDiv and is now Senior Pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, where more than 11,000 people attend one of five weekend services. McPherson is the author of several books and articles, and in 2007 earned an Emmy Award for a documentary on methamphetamine.

The Group Life Conference 2008 "Essential for the Human Heart" opens on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL.  For details and early registration visit the Conference Information page. The full conference web site goes live late in May.

Group Life Conference 2008 Preview - Main Session Four

After a full day of breakouts on Friday, October 17, we'll head back to the main auditorium on Saturday morning for more worship, drama... and Bill Donahue! We can't even mention the title of session four without cracking up:

Session 4 - Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
Bill Donahue, Executive Director of Group Life, Willow Creek Association (South Barrington, IL)

Why do some community initiatives fly and others fall flat? Bill Donahue investigates how certain strategies flounder, the missing essentials that led to their failure, and how you can avoid making the same mistakes — or if you’ve made them already, how you can get back on your feet.

Bill will use video clips submitted by conference guests as illustrations of the Best, Worst stories from their experiences leading Group Life. You can submit video entries for this (and win fabulous prizes!) when the details are announced right here in a few days.

Bill Donahue’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 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 in Biblical Studies from Dallas Seminary, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Princeton University.

The Group Life Conference 2008 "Essential for the Human Heart" opens on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL.  For details and early registration visit the Conference Information page. The full conference web site goes live late in May.

Group Life Conference 2008 Preview - Main Session Three

And now for something completely different – an evening session! Never tried this before, but by starting the Group Life Conference at 12:30 p.m. (so folks can fly/drive in the day of the conference if they want) we HAD to do an evening session to fit everything in. You're on your own for dinner with your team, so who did we invite to lure you back after dinner? Will Miller!

Dr. Will was one of our favorites last year. He followed the first rule of stand-up comedians (he used to be one) and left us all wanting more! This year he'll bring his extensive knowledge of community life and love for small groups to bear in a brand-new talk.

Session 3 - What Stunts Community Growth
Will Miller, Author and Speaker (West Lafayette, IN)

Author, speaker, and Group Life Conference favorite Will Miller explores the barriers that keep community from optimum growth — and the tools needed to overcome them. With his unique blend of humor and insight, he’ll examine how hearts get wounded and how community is necessary to heal them.

Will Miller is from New York City and is an ordained minister and a hospital and police chaplain. He has worked in community mental health centers and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Will 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.

Currently, Dr. Miller is a therapist and campus minister at Purdue University where he lectures on media effects. Will’s books include Why We Watch: Killing The Gilligan Within; Refrigerator Rights; and The Seven Temptations of Popular Culture.

The Group Life Conference 2008 "Essential for the Human Heart" opens on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL.  For details and early registration visit the Conference Information page. The full conference web site goes live late in May.

Group Life Conference 2008 Preview - Main Session Two

The afternoon session on opening day of the Group Life Conference features two of our favorite people: Mark Batterson and Heather Zempel. You may have heard of Mark, but wait until you meet Heather!

Session 2 - Where Community Grows Best
Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor & Heather Zempel, Discipleship Pastor. National Community Church (Washington, DC)

The high-achieving, highly mobile, de-churched neighborhoods of Washington, DC, aren’t ideal environments for small-group ministry, yet National Community Church is making it work. Mark Batterson and Heather Zempel describe their organic approach to community, and how they’ve seen it flourish despite harsh surroundings.

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC.  NCC was recognized as one of the 25 Most Innovative Churches in America by Outreach Magazine in 2007.

Heather Zempel earned a masters degree in biological engineering and was a consultant at an environmental engineering firm prior to becoming 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.

The Group Life Conference 2008 "Essential for the Human Heart" opens on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL.  For details and early registration visit the Conference Information page. The full conference web site goes live late in May.

Group Life Conference 2008 Preview - Main Session One

The schedule is finalized and the brochure is on the way to the printer, but we knew you would want a sneak preview of the topics, speakers and sessions planned for this year's Group Life Conference. John Burke kicks off the conference with a brand-new talk:

Session 1 - Why Community Is Essential
John Burke, Lead Pastor, Gateway Church (Austin, Texas)

Water and oxygen we understand, but why is community so essential to the human heart? John Burke digs into the theological underpinnings of group life to help you rediscover your passion for planting, cultivating, and nurturing community.

John Burke serves as lead pastor at Gateway Community Church in Austin, Texas, a congregation dedicated to helping unchurched people become a unified community of growing Christ-followers, no matter what their background or past. He is also the president of Emerging Leadership Initiative (ELI), a non-profit organization founded to help establish a multiplying network of missional churches that envision, equip, and empower young emerging leaders to plant innovative churches. He is the author of No Perfect People Allowed and Soul Revolution.  Before starting Gateway, John was the executive director of ministries at Willow Creek Community Church. He and Kathy are the parents of two children, Ashley and Justin.

The Group Life Conference 2008 "Essential for the Human Heart" opens on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL.  For details and early registration visit the Conference Information page. The full conference web site goes live late in May.

More Than They Should

From Dave Treat

Saw a great quote and description of community over at Mark Cork's blog:

A community is a group of people who care about each other more than they should.

The quote is from The Cluetrain Manifesto, but Mark's comments really pull it together. Do you agree? Does this describe your small group? You can read his whole post here.

Stretching Disciples

From Dave Treat

Heather Zempel is the Pastor of Discipleship at National Community Church in Washington DC. She is one of the plenary speakers at our Group Life Conference this October, serves on our Group Life Advisory Team, and authors the excellent blog Wineskins for Discipleship.

How many Small Group pastors do you know who also served as environmental policy advisers on Capital Hill? How many discipleship experts open up a conversation by saying "I was thinking about the modulus of elasticity yesterday..." and then apply an engineering truth to the challenge of spiritual formation? You can read about it here.

Group Life Advisory Team

From Dave Treat

Nearly 50 of the best ministry minds in Group Life represent the vision, goals and longings of over 12,000 churches in the Willow Creek Association. Along with your voice, these are the voices that will shape the future of the Group Life movement.

Most of these leaders were with us in Long Beach, although a few could not make it. If you want to see the best of what's happening in Group Life, visit their web sites and lean into what these leaders have learned. You can see the list any time by clicking here or clicking the link at the right labeled Advisory Team.

Long Beach Summary - Part 1

From Dave Treat

We are still reviewing our notes and collection of post-its from last week's Group Life Summit in Long Beach... the flu has taken it's toll and we are running behind. In the meantime, I thought I would point you to the awesome comments made by some of the participants in their own blogs.

Eric Metcalf, New Thing Network Adult Ministry Champion. In Big Ideas for Small Groups. Start with the first post here... more follow.

Heather Zempel, Discipleship Pastor for National Community Church, Washington, DC. In Wineskins for Discipleship. Start with the first post here... more follow.

Herschel Thompson, Pastor of Small Groups for the Journey Church. On the Journey Groupslog. First post here, more follow.

These are all I know about... if you were in Long Beach and are blogging about it, let me know.

Donahue, Cloud on Moody Radio

From Dave Treat

Moody Radio's Midday Connection has been named 2008 NRB Radio Program of the Year. Midday Connection is a live 55-minute radio program designed to encourage women, with a focus on growing the whole person: body, mind and soul. Hosted by Anita Lustrea and Melinda Schmidt, the program brings listeners relevant content about marriage, parenting, the workplace, finances, and issues that affect their spiritual lives.

On Thursday, March 13th, Bill Donahue and Henry Cloud were the guests of host Anita Lustrea and discussed the dynamics of small groups and emotional intelligence. 

Just in case you weren't near the radio then, you can listen to the broadcast here.