Who Would You Like to Hear?

I've got a big question for you. I'm doing an event this spring that focuses on strategic ideas in ministry. I'm not looking for A-listers who will show up with a canned talk. But rather speakers who will treat it like an extended, executive staff meeting where they'll put their most raw, untested convictions on a whiteboard. They can be up-and-comers. Flying under the radar...

Who's got some fresh thinking in the church that you'd like to hear?

Comments

[Matt Doebler]

Chris Atwell--lead pastor of Portico Church in Charlottesville, VA. He and the team there at Portico are hosting a racial reconciliation conference in early 2010 called "One." They recognized that they were a suburban congregation located in an urban community and it bothered them so much that they decided to focus on this issue of "the most segregated hour." Had an opportunity to chat with Chris and some of his team recently and they are the real deal.

[Jason]

Ed Marcelle -- http://www.terranovachurch.org/

Eric Mason -- http://www.epiphanyfellowship.org/

Jeff Vanderstelt -- http://www.somacommunities.org/

Bob Thune -- http://www.cdomaha.com/

[Michael Kelley]

Jared Wilson - gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com.

Was a pastor in Nashville, but has moved to a rural congregation in Vermont.

[george]

james macdonald.

trust me he will be raw and authentic.

www.jamesmacdonald.com

[Ally Fouts]

Ben I've thought for a while you should get Jelly Helm at one of your parties. He's ad-famous, not church-famous---but he believes passionately in the power of story.

I don't know how he feels about Jesus---he was going to a Quaker church when I knew him as a prof at the Adcenter. He has some crazy stories about working for Nike in Amsterdam and befriending a homeless man who told him about Jesus.

He's a pretty amazing presenter---good human too. Might be fun to change it up!

http://studiojelly.blogspot.com/

[Kyle Reed]

You should get a 20 something in there who has all kinds of passion.

Also, Darrin Patrick from the Journey in St. Louis is someone to check out as well.

[Scott]

Dan Cruver - www.togetherforadoption.org

[Ross Middleton]

I would have to say Chip Buhler. I would call him a cultural prophet. Meaning, he understands history so well, is so versed in scripture, he has an amazing understanding of where our culture, is, where its going and what the church needs to do. He's a third generation pastor and absolutely brilliant. I've heard everyone out there speak, been to Catalyst and all that, I assure you he would blow peoples minds. Amazing thinker who honestly just needs a platform to communicate on. He has a blog that is not updated, he's working ona few book s right now. His blog is chipbuhler.blogspot.com.

Also, another one is Steve Murrell, he is an American that planted a church in Manila about 20 years ago that has grown to about 35,000 plus. Meeting with around 70 services in something like 16 locations. He splits his time between Manila and Nashville. Amazing leader. His blog is stevemurrell.typepad.com

If you email me I could get you contact info for them, if you were interested.

[Brian Ayers]

Dale O'Shields - http://daleoshields.com/
Dan Atkins - http://www.discoverchurch.org/
Charlie Whitlow - http://charlieWhitlow.com
Shawn Wood - http://shawnwoodwrites.com/

[matt]

David Platt-Church at Brook Hills

[Neil]

David Platt, Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham

[boyd bettis]

Chunks Corbett - Pastor Steven Furtick's executive pastor. It would be interesting to hear his perspective about Elevation Church and their church culture.

Also...what could I come do for whiteboard? would love to come out and help again if things work out. BB

[Ryan Shaughnessy]

Defnitely agree with Matt about Chris Atwell...I've been going to Portico often when I'm in Charlottesville and love his passion for the gospel being about the nations!

[jay hardwick]

jon tyson, trinity grace church, new york city - absolutely brilliant mind and vision for church planting and gospel-living in the city. and, it's working all over nyc.

[Frankie]

You oughta check out Jonathan Everette. Has some great ideas to reshape our communities.

[Ben Arment]

such great suggestions. discovering new people here...

[Scott Savage]

Dr. Maxie Burch.
www.maxieburch.net

has the leading Christian History podcast on iTunes. 30k+ listeners across the globe. Giving away his podcast and course material for free on his new website. Basically seminary-level church history and theology classes that one would get at Baylor or Fuller.
Sharp cultural analysis, self-deprecating humor, works with young emerging leaders at an alternative service where he is a teaching pastor.

[nathan.]

For someone with experience, you should think about Leith Anderson, president of the NAE and pastor at Wooddale Church in MN.

[JFRadosevich]

Justin Christopher at Campus Renewal Ministries/Campus House of Prayer/Renovate UT

He's a collegiate ministry leader helping transform UT (Texas). 6% of enrolled students were Christians. Now 11% of enrolled student are Christians. He and the other leaders at UT are doing things that everyone else dreams of doing.

[Mark Howell]

I'd say you definitely need to have Will Mancini at auxano. If you're talking strategy, he'd be a great addition.

mark

[Stephen Gray]

Without a doubt; Charles Hill - http://thesticksconference.blogspot.com/

[Mike O]

Randy Pope of Perimeter

Jordon Cooper of Saskatoon

[TJ Reid]

Chilly Chilton - he's a church planter in Detroit, MI. Planting his 2nd church in January.

www.ichilly.com

[Susan Wanderer]

Chris and Jenn Atwell are good friends of mine... they are definately the real deal... Chris and Portico are doing amazing things in our hometown of Charlottesville.

[Chad McCallum]

Jason Holdridge - Fantastic communicator!

http://www.impact-church.org/index.php?option=com_qcontacts&view=contact&id=1%3Ajasonholdridge&catid=47%3Aimpactleaders&Itemid=55

[Clayton Bell]

I second Ross' mention of Steve Murrell, but I'd also throw Rice Broocks out there, senior ministry of Bethel World Outreach Center. His experience all around the world of planting churches, leading churches, missions, etc. is pretty incredible.

Also, why only fresh ideas? Perhaps there are old ideas that need to be dusted off and re-emphasized because they've stood the test of time?

[Chad Allen]

Nelson Searcy! This guy's amazing!

[Clayton Bell]

Senior Minister, not senior Ministry. He reaches all age groups...:-)

[Matt]

Todd Adkins is the operations guy for Frontline at McLean Bible, outside DC. He's not out front very much at all, but is razor sharp and passionate about good organization and strategy.

[Justin Gerhardt]

I'd add Brad Montague to the list. He's in student ministry in TN and never ceases to amaze me with how much he does with what he has. Reminds me of the professor on Gilligan's Island that way.

http://twitter.com/thebradmontague

Looking forward to hearing more about this event, Ben.

[anne jackson]

a girl.

[Stephen Bateman]

Would Bobby Gruenwald come?

how about Greg Darley @ http://backstageleadership.org or gregdarley.com

[Jean Stauffer]

Shane Hipps at www.shanehipps.com

AMAZING thinker and communicator.

[John (Human3rror)]

you should get some techheads.

just saying.

[Stacy Sublett]

Dan Nold...vision for the city-church, reconciliation, church without walls...www.dancingcriples.com

[tony sheng]

bobby clinton - leadership prof at fuller

rich hurst - leader dev at mclean bible

jason dukes - http://twitter.com/jasoncdukes/

[dan!]

Alan Hirsch

any we need some international voices. We need some outsider perspective. we need someone who brings outside ideas to our tired systems. We need someone who breaks the rules that we didn't know were there.

[Chris Reardon]

Bobby Gruenewald would be awesome for the techy and thinkers.
Brian Wurzell or Los Whit.
And Ben Arment.
I've never heard you speak so, how about it?

[Chris Oakes]

Wolfgang Simson is a European missionary to the USA. He just released a free e-book entitled "The Starfish Manifesto." The guy challenges, in no uncertain terms, the ways of the Western Church. Convicting stuff! Andrew Jones (TallSkinnyKiwi) is a fan.

[Dan]

Matt & Nathan Brown Sandals Church Riverside Ca. http://www.sandalschurch.com/sermon/

These guys are amazing.

[Daniel King]

If you want straight up, real, and authentic, go for Josh Gagnon - www.joshuagagnon.com - or Next Level Church - www.nlc.tv

[Jumaine Jones]

Keith Battle, Zion Church (www.zionchurchonline.com)

Eric Mason (www.epiphanyfellowship.org)

[Natalie]

Erwin McManus has udos of creative complexities made into simplicity, a HUGE thinker in my mind.

Dino RIZZO has a heart that can't be contained and strategy for unity which is blatantly obvious. Those are my picks!

[kendra]

Rich Birch - formerly of Meeting House, then with Connexus, now with Liquid Church. An engaging strategist and consultant... one of the most brilliant people i've ever had the chance to interact with.

[Jonny McCormick]

me ... :-)

[Ben Arment]

jonny surely someone else could have nominated you =)

[Jonny McCormick]

ha! ok, fair enough. have a great day man. I'm excited to see how this turns out...

[Mark]

Jeff Reed founder of BILD and leading voice in church based theological education. He is working in a whole different paradigm. If you want a fresh perspective check him out.