Nov.7 & 8, 2008

Alan Jamieson Biography
Alan is a senior pastor and sociologist. He leads the pastoral team at the Central Baptist Church in the city centre of New Zealand's capital - Wellington. His internationally acclaimed first book, 'A Churchless Faith' drew on his Ph.D. research on why people leave churches and what happens to their Christian faith after leaving. From this research Jenny McIntosh, Alan and others have created a network of forums, a monthly newsletter and resources for church leavers under the name of 'Spirited Exchanges'. Recently Spirited Exchanges groups and forums have begun in the United Kingdom and the philosophy and approach of Spirited Exchanges is being picked up in a number of centres through Europe.

The mix of leading a church, listening to people's faith journeys and being involved with church leavers has led to two subsequent books – ‘Journeying in Faith’ (SPCK 2004) and ‘Church Leavers’ (SPCK 2006).

Alan continues to research in the areas of faith development, emerging forms of church and spirituality. Alan is a member of the International Society for Empirical Research in Theology (ISERT) and is working on a Ph.D. in theology titled ‘Hope for the Hopeless’. 

March 14, 15 2008
Be sure to check out the upcoming Water Advance!
Click here for more information!!!

2009
Be sure to check out the upcoming Water Advance!
Click here for more information!!!

Mark Batterson Biography
Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC. One church with multiple locations, the vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the DC area. NCC also owns and operates the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. Focused on reaching emerging generations, 73% of NCCers are single twenty-somethings. And 70% of NCCers were unchurched or dechurched before attending. Mark is the author of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and blogs @ www.markbatterson.com. He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and their three children.

March 19-20 2010

Margaret Feinberg
Integrity has everything to do with wholes . . . the whole person, the whole of creation, the whole of culture, the whole of the church. No writer understands this better thean Margaret Feinberg, whoese book Organic God has been like Listerine to my spirit. Not the kind of sissie-antiseptic that comes in Vanilla Mint, Cool Mint, and rainbow colors. I don't want my Listerine to taste good or look good. I want it to taste awful and kill germs that endanger my soul. Join us for new wisdom about spiritual integrity from Margaret Feinberg.

2010

Mary DeMuth Biography

Mary DeMuth helps people to turn their trials into triumphs. An expert in Pioneer Parenting, Mary enables parents to navigate our changing culture when their families left no good faith examples to follow. Her parenting books include Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God. Mary also inspires people to face their trials through her real-to-life novels, including Watching the Tree Limbs (Christy finalist) and Wishing on Dandelions. Mary has spoken around the US and Western Europe. She and her husband, Patrick, live in Texas with their three children. They recently returned from breaking new spiritual ground in Southern France, where they planted a church. 

Website: www.marydemuth.com.

Blogs:
www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
www.wannabepublished.blogspot.com.