The Leadership Centre Willow Creek Canada

Plenary Speakers

	Bill Donahue Bill’s passion for helping churches develop leaders through small groups led him to Willow Creek in 1992. Bill is currently the Executive Director of Small Group Ministries 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 Masters in Biblical Studies from Dallas Seminary, and a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Princeton University. Bill is married to Gail and has two children, Ryan and Kinsley.
	Jeff Lockyer Jeff is the Lead Pastor of Southridge Community Church in St. Catharines, Ontario—the church he has attended since he was ten years old. Over the past decade the church has grown over ten times in population while relocating into the downtown core of the city where it now operates a 24-hour, 7-day/week homeless shelter and next step program. A former Canadian National Team distance runner while at the University of Toronto, Jeff and his wife Becky have 2 boys, Owen and Simon, and are expecting another baby in September.
	Reggie McNeal Reggie McNeal enjoys helping people, leaders, and Christian organizations pursue more intentional lives. He currently serves as the Missional Leadership Specialist for Leadership Network of Dallas, TX. Reggie’s past experience involves over a decade as a denominational executive and leadership development coach. He also served in local congregational leadership for over twenty years, including being the founding pastor of a new church. Reggie has lectured or taught as adjunct faculty for multiple seminaries in several states including California, Texas, and Illinois. In addition, he has served as a consultant to local church, denomination, and para-church leadership teams, as well as seminar developer and presenter for thousands of church leaders across North America. Reggie’s work also extends to the business sector, including The Gallup Organization. Reggie has contributed to numerous denominational publications and church leadership journals, including Leadership and Net Results. His books include Revolution in Leadership (1998), A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders (2000), The Present Future (2003), Practicing Greatness (2006), and Get A Life! (Release Spring 2007). Reggie’s education includes a B.A. degree from the University of South Carolina and the M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees both from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reggie and his wife Cathy, have two daughters, Jessica and Susanna, and make their home in Columbia, South Carolina. Back to top
	Howard Lawrence Howard’s work over the past 20 years has been to enable Gods people to live deeply into neighbourhoods. He has participated in experiments in “neighbourhood life” out of the context of both small and large congregations. He has served the body of Christ in the role of senior pastor, small group pastor and mission pastor. Currently he divides his energy between the work of senior pastor, missional church consultant for the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada and Canadian consultant for the Connecting Church. Howard’s formal academic foundation was put in place through graduate and undergraduate work at the University of Alberta and North American Baptist Seminary. Howard holds an honorary golf membership at the Highlands Golf Club and enjoys playing hockey in the winter. He is married to Carmen and they have children age’s 5, 10 and 14. Back to top
Breakout Speakers

	Greg Bowman Greg has been involved in small group ministry for more than twenty years as a small group member, leader, coach, staff member and consultant. He currently serves as Director of Ministry Development at the WCA, developing resources and training tools that impact Small Group, Children’s and NextGen ministries. He also speaks on the topic of small group ministry at national and international WCA conferences and training events. Prior to working at the WCA, Greg served for seven years as a small group pastor for Willow Creek Community Church. He has also built and led small group ministries at churches in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Bloomington, Indiana. He has served nationally and internationally as a trainer and consultant for over fifteen years, assisting churches in starting and building small group ministries. Greg is co-author of the book, “Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders.” He has a Bachelors Degree in Christian ministries from Cincinnati Christian University. Greg and his wife, Connie, have a daughter, Courtney, a son-in-law, Ed, and a son, Chris. They live in Elgin, Illinois. Back to top
	Dave Treat Originally from Elmira, NY, Dave Treat lived in northern Indiana for 25 years. After six years in a parachurch ministry he founded GranDesign Studios, specializing in graphic design, video production and technology consulting for 17 years. Dave led the adult small groups ministry at Granger Community Church as a volunteer before moving to the Chicago suburbs to join the staff of Willow Creek Community Church in 2000. As a Division Leader in the Men’s Ministry and Area Pastor in Neighborhood Ministries he equipped volunteers and created strategies for connecting and discipling men and women in small groups. In 2006 Dave joined the Willow Creek Association where he is the Associate Director of Ministry Development for Small Groups and NextGen. He speaks and trains internationally on small group topics. Dave loves to read about history, technology and leadership. He and his wife, Vicki, have been married since 1985. Back to top
	Allen White Allen is in a new role as Adult Discipleship Pastor at Brookwood Church, Simpsonville, SC. Formerly the Executive Director of LifeTogether, Allen worked in the Communications, Product Development and Delivery Departments. Allen will coach you to reach your goals in starting and sustaining small groups in your church. He loves to see churches succeed in connecting their members into community and reaching the world for Christ. He has no greater satisfaction in ministry than to help pastors and volunteers alike empowered and enabled to build His Kingdom. Allen and his wife live with their three children in Lake Forest, CA. Back to top
	Archie Coates Archie has been Curate at Holy Trinity Brompton, London, the headquarters of the Alpha course, for four years, and an ordained clergyman in the Church of England since 2000. He is particularly involved in the day to day running of Holy Trinity Brompton, especially preaching and teaching, discipleship, training lay pastors and the question of “What happens after Alpha?” Archie is married to Sam and they have three young children – and another on the way! Back to top
	Ron Baker Ron has been on staff at Forest City Community Church for 11 years. He is responsible for the development of the Small Group at FCCC, he serves on the management team and is part of the teaching team. A large part of what he does is lead the charge in the development of community through Home Groups and Serving teams. His passion is about connecting people with one another so that they can realize all that they can become in their journey with God. He has been married to his wife Desiree for 17 years and has two son's, David 13 & Paul 10. Back to top
	Tim Day Tim Day is the Senior Pastor of The Meeting House, a multiple site church in the Greater Toronto Area that grew from 180 to 3800 in light years. He serves as co-leader with Bruxy Cavey (Teaching Pastor) with a focus on implementing the vision and leadership development through the staff leadership team. Tim’s greatest passions are mentoring leaders and developing and implementing strategic vision. His greatest ministry challenge has been developing a leadership culture that can achieve the vision of a rapidly growing Christ-following community within a post-modern, multi-cultural urban centre while at the same time deepening the community’s spiritual maturity and health. Tim, his wife Liz, and three children, Nathan, Rachel and Joshua, live in Burlington, Ontario. Back to top
	Ben Lockyer In 2001, Ben joined the staff of Southridge Community Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, to begin to explore small group ministry. As a member of the management team, he now serves as the director of ministries and has successfully transitioned a traditional church into a church of small groups. He oversees a team of staff, coaches, leaders, and numerous volunteers. Ben has been married to his wife, Tracey, since 1999, and they have three children. Back to top