Speakers

Joni Eareckson Tada is a frequent public speaker and in 1979 founded Joni and Friends. Her work has mainly focused on influencing the church on disability-related issues. She is the author of more than 35 books. Her best-selling and award-winning works cover topics ranging from disability outreach to reaching out to God and include Joni’s latest book, A Lifetime of Wisdom: Embracing the Way God Heals You (Zondervan, March 2009) recounting the hard-won gems of wisdom she has garnered during more than four decades of life in a wheelchair. Joni and her husband Ken Tada have been married since 1982.  More Info.

Chris Brown is one of the senior pastors at North Coast Church in Vista, California and one of the two teaching pastors. Chris loves bringing the Bible to life with his gifts as a communicator and storyteller, but most evident in his teaching is his passion for sharing a real and authentic journey with Jesus.  More about North Coast Church.

Bryan Loritts is the lead pastor of Fellowship Memphis Church, a multicultural church ministering to the urban Memphis community. Bryan’s ministry takes him across the country as he speaks to thousands annually at churches, conferences and retreats. He wrote God on Paper and was a contributing author for a book entitled Great Preaching. More Info.

Gary Hoag has been encouraging Christian generosity for more than 20 years serving in leadership positions at Denver Seminary, Colorado Christian University and BIOLA University. He recently joined the EFCA Directional Team to assist the leaders and congregations of our movement in becoming generous disciples and in building generous communities. More Info.

Generosity Excercises

Bill Hamel has served the EFCA as its president since 1997. While giving overall directional leadership to the EFCA, Bill’s responsibilities include leading the EFCA Directional Team and the Missional Integration Team at the national office. Bill also works directly with the EFCA district superintendents, including leading various meetings of “DS Clusters” and the entire National Ministry Team throughout the year. Bill is responsible to the EFCA Board of Directors, and takes seriously his role of encouraging and building into the lives of the national office staff. Bill and his wife Karen have two married daughters and five energetic grandchildren: Emma, Ian, Will, Linnea and Ethan. More Info.

Terence Cooper, along with a multi-ethnic team, will lead worship at the conference. Terence leads contemporary gospel worship at North Coast Church (EFCA) in Vista, CA. More about North Coast Church