Speaking

I grew up in the evangelical church of N America, in Canada, Northeast United States, and the Midwest. Seen all its strengths, weathered its problems. Left it all in disgust for a good while. But came back to my roots to work for renewal, reinvigoration and transformation for the days that lie ahead.

My journey  includes a.) doing a Ph.D at Northwestern University, b.) teaching in a large city church, c.) leading a small intentional community in the city of Chicago, planting a missional church, Life on the Vine Christian Community (of the Christian and Missionary Alliance) in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, which planted two more churches. I am at the second of those churches pastoring and participating in life at Peace of Christ Community in Westmont IL.  I’ve been coaching missional church plants for several years. As part of that, I’ve been  involved in organizing the Missional Learning Commons in the Midwest. We gather once a year to encourage each other, hear stories, and share how to do church as “everyday life.” Currently, I serve as the BR Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology  at Northern Seminary, Lombard, IL. where I teach culture, theology and ethics. I head up the D.Min and M.A. Theology and Mission at Northern.

I have been given numerous opportunities to speak, teach  and challenge the church on engaging the  contexts of the new post Christendom cultures of North America. I have spent most of my adult ministry/academic life asking the question Why Church? How do we lead church into the challenges we are facing including pluralism, injustice, post Christendom, postmodernity, alternative sexualities. The questions “What is the gospel? Where is the Kingdom? How does God reveal Himself? What is conversion? need to be asked anew. I have written on all these subjects in one form or another. Above all, I seek to reimagine church as a way of life under the Lordship of Christ and His mission in the world.

I list below some of the places I have been a presenter.

My books are viewable under the About tab on the front page of this site. If you’ve been a reader of this blog, or know me in other ways, and you’re interested in having me come to speak, lead dialogue on any of these things, e-mail me here.   I’ll be sure to get back to you. Blessings all. Thanks for reading!!

 

Current Speaking/Teaching Engagements

2023

Feb 5-7 Pastors Getaway ON

March 5 St. Mark’s Community Church Burlington NC

Apr 5 Jesus Collective

April 24-27 Blue Ocean Group NAB Westmont IL

April 27 Awakenings Missio Aliance Evanston IL

September 28 Praxis 2023 Gathering Chicago IL

September 29-30, 2023 American Baptist Churches of the Central Region, Kansas City

Oct 7 Great Rivers American Baptist Churches, Peoria, IL

November 9-11 Dinner Church “The Power of The Table” Winter Park FL

2024

Jan 18-20 Pastors 2 nite Theology Hang Out – CLEVELAND

Jan 25 Eastern Michigan Church of Nazarene Flint MI

Mar 14 Ambrose Univ 2024 Pastor’s Conference Calgary AB.

April 22-23 Blue Ocean NABC pastors Westmont IL.

Aril 24-26 Unite Conference Jesus Collective St Paul MN.

May 22-23. Ft Wayne IN

Oct 18, 19 American Baptist Churches of Maine.

Cross Section Sampling of Past Speaking Engagement

  • OHIO Leadership Conference Columbus Ohio 2022
  • Jesus Collective UNITE Conference Oakville ON 2022
  • Live the Word Communities of Practice/Fresh Expressions Virginia 2022
  • Equip Conference- Mennonite Brethren Canada 2021
  • McMaster Divinity College: Theological Education in the 21st Century Lecture 2021
  • American Baptist National Leadership Council 2021
  • Eastern Mennonite University – School For Leadership Conference 2021
  • CRC Resonate Global Mission Conference 2021
  • Heston College KS Leadership Conf. 2021
  • Central Plains Mennonite Conference 2021
  • Telos Collective Conference 2021
  • Malcolm R. Robertson Lectureship on Holy Living – Azusa Pacific University 2020
  • ‘Becoming a Transforming Church’ Transforming Center – St Charles IL 2019
  • Mennonite USA General Assembly Kansas City 2019
  • AMIA Nat’l Gathering – Dallas 2018
  • Blue Ocean Event North American Baptist Pastors 2017,18,19
  • Telos Collective ACNA  National Gathering 2017,18,19
  • Fresh Expressions USA National Gathering Wash DC
  • Timothy Eaton Memorial Church – Being Christian Conference – Toronto
  • Telos Collective C4SO 2018 Annual Gathering Chicago IL
  • EkklesiaProject 2017 ‘On The Way the Church Engages The World’s Antagonisms’
  • Missie.nu Send Conference Netherlands
  • American Baptists Great Rivers District 2018 Annual Gathering
  • Forge Canada London/Toronto/Edmonton/Vancouver
  • Toccoa Falls College, Woerner Lectures 2018, Toccoa GA.
  • Alliance Theological Seminary Faithful Presence in the City, Manhattan
  • American Baptist Churches New Jersey Annual Gathering 2017
  • Okoboji Bible Conference 2017, Okoboji Lakes Iowa
  • Lectures – Reformation and Post Christendom Conference 2017 – McMaster Divinity School, Hamilton ON –
  • ACNA Telos Collective Gathering 2017 Orange Cty California
  • Canadian Baptists of Western Canada Pastors Gathering 2017.  Banff AB
  • Fresh Expressions National Gathering 2016, Alexandria VA
  • Vital Church Planting Conference 2016, Toronto
  • The Praxis Gathering 2015/2016/2017/ Washington DC
  • SheLeads Conference Missio Alliance 2016 Chicago
  • Young, Restless and Always Reforming 2016 Philadelphia
  • Ministry in Motion Conference,  United Church of Canada, 2015 Burlington Ontario
  • North Central Dist. C&MA Pastors Institute 2015 Big Sandy Camp Minnesota
  • Global Impact Weekend, Metro District C&MA, 2015 New Jersey
  • Evangelical Theological Society. Eastern Region Meetings, 2015 Philadelphia PA
  • American Baptist Pastors of Michigan Clergy Retreat 2015 – Lansing MI
  • Missio Alliance National Gathering 2015 Alexandria VA
  • Regent College 2015 Vancouver Summer Programs/ Public Lectures
  • V3 Movement The Praxis Gathering 2015 Washington DC
  • CBOQ Assembly (Canadian Baptists Ontario Quebec) 2014  Toronto ON *
  • Eastern Mennonite University – Lecture Series 2012 The Church’s “Politic of Fullness”: How Ideology and Antagonism Work Against The Bold Witness of the Gospel *
  • Northeastern Seminary (Public Lectures 2012) The Radical Future of the Church in N America  Rochester NY *
  • American Baptist Pastors of Maine Annual Gathering 2014*
  • Ministers’ Council of American Baptists Indianapolis, Indiana and Kentucky 2014.*
  • Church and Post-Christian Culture Conference – Missio Alliance. Carlisle PA.2014
  • ReChurch Conference- Anglican Diocese of Niagra 2014*
  • Slow Church Conference. Englewood Church* Indianapolis. 2014
  • Inhabit (Parish Collective) Conference 2012 Seattle *
  • Great Rivers American Baptist Ministers Conference 2012, Peoria IL*
  • CRC Campus Ministers Association National Conference 2014* Chicago
  • Biblical Seminary Commencement 2012, Hatfield PA*
  • SENT-tralized Conference Kansas City MO 2012*
  • The Conference on Christianity and Consumerism in Minneapolis
  • Resonate Echo Hamilton Ontario*
  • C&MA 2006 General Assembly in Edmonton
  • American Baptist Prairie Pastor’s Conference 2014* Omaha
  • Emergent Canada 2006 in Edmonton*
  • Foursquare Great Lakes pastor’s conference in Minneapolis 2006
  • Evolving Church Conference. 2007 Oakville, Ontario. “Justice in but not of Capitalism.”
  • Grow Center for Biblical Leadership,  “Postmodernity as good news for the church.”*
  • C&MA Council 2007 in Orlando “Postmodernity as Good News for the Church”
  • Faith and War, Three Views Conference Congregational Church of Batavia.*
  • Cultivate Gathering 2007  in Hamilton Ontario.*
  • The Ecclesia National Gathering” 2007- Chevy Chase MD*
  • C&MA Midwest District Conference “Church planting and Evangelism in post-Christendom Contexts”*
  • C&MA Eastern PA District 2008 “Exegeting Culture” Training Seminars*
  • 2008 AEF Conference Northern Seminary -Can Evangelicalism and Capitalism (Not) Get Along?*
  • The Christian Theological Research Fellowship at 2008 AAR on “Contesting Evangelicalism”*
  • 2009 The Evolving Church Conference Oakville Ont.
  • Western Theological Seminary’s Center for Continual Learning JOURNEY*
  • Nazarene Theological Seminary: 2009 Missional Communities in a Changing Culture (4 lectures)*
  • National OutReach Convention 2010 San Diego California
  • Through the Consuming Fire Gathering: Economic Faithfulness in an Age of Consumerism       Indianapolis
  • Breakforth 2010 Edmonton Alberta
  • Northern Illinois District Conference 2009 Lutheran Church Missouri Synod*
  •  Canadian Church Planting Congress 2009  Winnipeg*
  • Fresh Expressions Conference 2011 East Coast*
  • Inhabit Conference 2011 – Seattle*
  • Field Forum for International Workers C&MA 2010 Limoges France*
  • Ambrose University College Murray Downing Lectures 2010 Calgary AB*
  • Present-tensions Conference – 2010 Toronto*
  • Missio Alliance National Gathering 2013, Alexandria Va.*
  • In Good Faith: Catholic Theological Union 2013. “On Religious Liberty and the Common Good”* Chicago, IL
  • Bethany College Discipleship Week 2013 Saskatoon Sask*. Canada
  • Brethren in Christ Pastors Conference 2013 (PA)*
  • Church of the Brethren Regional Pastors Conferences 2013 (OH-IN)

In Bold = Academic Presentations (excluding AAR or Soc of Christian Ethics)

 

These pictures below can be used as promo photos. (I know, a bit scary)

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