Keynotes
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Donald Miller
@donmillerisDonald Miller grew up in Houston, Texas, in the shadow of the Astrodome, next to a cow pasture. When he was a kid, his single mother took him to a Southern Baptist church because she couldn’t afford reform school, which is probably why he writes about religious themes. He left Houston at 21 in a Volkswagen van, and later wrote a book about his trip called Through Painted Deserts. In his travels, he ran out of money in Portland, Oregon where he audited classes at Reed College, then selected as the most godless campus in the country. He wrote a book about that experience called Blue Like Jazz that eventually became a New York Times Bestseller and is now being made into a movie. Don then followed up with the best-selling Searching for God Knows What. After thirty-years of no interaction with his father, Don found his biological dad and wrote about it in a book called To Own a Dragon, which is being re-released in Spring 2010 under the title Father Fiction. About that time, he started The Mentoring Project, an organization that seeks to respond to the American crisis of fatherlessness by inspiring and equipping faith communities to mentor fatherless boys. Don’s work with The Mentoring Project led the Obama administration to invite him onto the President’s task force on fatherlessness and mentoring. Last year, along with the Ride:Well Team, Don rode his bicycle across America in an effort to raise money to drill wells in Sub-Saharan Africa. This experience, along with the writing of the screenplay for Blue Like Jazz, provided material for his newest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (also a New York Times Bestseller) for which Don spent the fall of 2009 promoting on a 65 city national bus tour. He is a frequent speaker at National Conferences and Universities across the country. He has appeared at such diverse events as Women of Faith Conference and The Democratic National Convention. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his dog Lucy.
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Dan Merchant
@LordSaveUsDan was the kid who once showed up to summer camp with typed scripts for talent night and cast his cabin mates in the comedy sketches. Not much has changed since 1976, Dan has been writing, producing, directing and talking people into his ideas ever since. Dan makes his debut as a feature documentary director with Lord, Save Us From Your Followers – the product of an amazing three-year journey behind the front lines of America’s so-called Culture Wars. The film saw a limited theatrical release Summer 2009. Also, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers was awarded the Judges’ Award and the People’s Award for Best Spiritual Documentary of 2008 by Beliefnet.com. More information can be found at www.lordsaveusthemovie.com.
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Todd Wagner
@wordsfromwagsTodd is the Pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, one of the most innovative and exciting new churches in America. He and his wife, Alex, are busy investing in their six kids, so though he is a much sought after speaker/teacher at conferences and camps around the country, he currently says no much more than yes. He is a coach much more than a conference speaker, and purposes to be a better Dad and a faithful husband at home more than a hero on the road. He is a graduate of both the University of Missouri and Dallas Theological Seminary. Todd has extensive experience in both church and para-church ministry, having served on both Young Life and K-Life staff as well as 10 years at Kanakuk where he last served as Asst. Director at K-2. After leaving Kanakuk in 1990, Todd has been leading in the local church.
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Jonathan Acuff
@prodigaljohnJonathan Acuff is the founder of the stuffchristianslike.net blog and the author of the book, Stuff Christians Like. In the last 12 years he’s written branding for clients such as North Point Community Church, the Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, Bose, Staples and many others. He lives outside of Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.
The Echo Church Panel
The Echo Church Panel is in informal conversation about media, technology, creativity, and innovation in the Church featuring:
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Kem Meyer
@kemmeyerKem Meyer is a recovering corporate spin doctor and outspoken advocate for applying simple insights to the not-so-simple art of communication. She speaks, writes and leads teams to deliver a clutter free and unified experience across departments and campuses. Her book, Less Clutter. Less Noise. helps churches, businesses and not-for-profits find ways to get the word out and, simply, do better.
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Carlos Whittaker
@loswhitCarlos Whittaker is a pastor, blogger, creative coach, consultant, and recording artist. His blog (www.ragamuffinsoul.com) engages thousands of readers a day with thought-provoking and honest posts about faith, family, and creativity. His first full-length album, Ragamuffin Soul, was released by Integrity Music in April 2010. Previously, Carlos served as the Director of Service Programming at Buckhead Church, which is one of the three campuses of North Point Community Church.
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Charles Lee
@charlestleeCharles is the CEO of Ideation, a consultancy that specializes in branding, marketing, design, web, social media, and event development. He is also a founding member of JustOne, a NPO committed to addressing issues of poverty, orphans, and slavery. In addition, Charles leads New Hope, a faith community in the Los Angeles area, and is the creator of grassroots efforts including the Idea Camp, Ideation Conference, and the Freeze Project. Charles regularly speaks around the country on topics such as creativity, innovation, leadership, social media, community development and compassionate justice.
The Echo Church Panel will be moderated by Scott McClellan of COLLIDE Magazine.
Breakouts
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Carlos Whittaker
@loswhitThe Coexistence of Deadlines and Creativity
As creative thinkers and artists in the Church today, we are often painted into a non-creative corner by one specific thing: Sunday. Deadlines can keep us from discovering how truly connected we are to the Ultimate Creator. In this session we will get into the specifics of how to work within a system of weekly deadlines AND experience massive growth in our personal creativity.
Carlos Whittaker is a pastor, blogger, creative coach, consultant, and recording artist. His blog (www.ragamuffinsoul.com) engages thousands of readers a day with thought-provoking and honest posts about faith, family, and creativity. His first full-length album, Ragamuffin Soul, was released by Integrity Music in April 2010. Previously, Carlos served as the Director of Service Programming at Buckhead Church, which is one of the three campuses of North Point Community Church.
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Barton Damer
@bartondamerIt's All Design
We will look at various elements of design – from print to Web to motion to the spaces we meet in. We’ll look at programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects and Cinema 4D to understand how we can use those programs together to bring out creativity in our storytelling. The creative process is often evoked by our knowledge of these programs as well as our life experiences so we’ll talk about how to be innovative with what you know and the resources available to you.
Barton is a freelance motion designer and digital artist. Barton’s work received the 2009 Digital Artist Award and has been featured in magazines such as Computer Arts and Advanced Photoshop. Barton is passionate about using media to share his faith. He has served on church staff as well as creating church media with Igniter Media. Check out his blog at www.alreadybeenchewed.tv.
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Tony Steward
@tonystewardIs Social Media Worth It?
In the past few years social media has become a main topic of conversation and practice. But is it actually producing lasting value? There are a lot of connections, updates and comments happening but is all that energy producing results that are beneficial to the life of a church? In this session we will take a candid look at social media and its practical effectiveness in the life of a ministry, organization or church.
Tony Steward is passionate about missional strategies in digital environments that have impact all over the world. As the Online Community Pastor at LifeChurch.tv he helps leverage social media to connect people to church online experiences, community and opportunities for spiritual growth. -
Kem Meyer
@kemmeyerLess Clutter, Less Noise
Do you wonder why people aren’t getting your message? When you consider how many competing messages are out there, it’s no wonder. This breakout goes beyond bulletins, brochures and bake sales to expose the truth about a radically simple kind of communication that also happens to be the most powerful. You’ll discover that less clutter, less noise speaks louder than anything.
Kem Meyer is a recovering corporate spin doctor and outspoken advocate for applying simple insights to the not-so-simple art of communication. She speaks, writes and leads teams to deliver a clutter free and unified experience across departments and campuses. Her book, Less Clutter. Less Noise. helps churches, businesses and not-for-profits find ways to get the word out and, simply, do better.
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Rob Thomas
@robwthomasIdeas That Become Burdens
Have you ever seen your creative dreams/ideas as a burden? Have you ever seen your burdens as something good? We’ll spend this hour talking through some of the hurdles of moving difficult creative ideas into realities.
As president of RT Creative Group, Rob Thomas works with Igniter Media, Worship House Media, Echo Conference and Collide Magazine to create and distribute media that challenges and encourages people to live authentic lives, grounded in Truth. Occasionally, Rob performs as Johnny of JohnnyandChachi.com with the hopes of imparting wisdom through song, humor, and dance. Rob and his wife Haley live in Allen, TX with their three children. For more information, visit IgniterMedia.com.
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Trent Armstrong
@Trent_ArmstrongThe Church Logo Animation Project
In this breakout, we'll talk about turning your church's logo or sermon graphic into an animation. This breakout will include After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Cinema 4D, and Final Cut Pro.
Final Cut Pro Tips and Tricks
Efficiency is the key to church video production. Join Trent for a look at the short cuts and workarounds he has learned over the last 8 years of using Final Cut Pro. This session will cover everything from the Track Toggle Selectors and audio editing to Batch Export and Compressor. Work smarter-- not harder!
Trent Armstrong has been using After Effects professionally for over 12 years. He is a motion graphics designer for Igniter Media in Dallas, TX and the founder of the Dallas After Effects User Group. Also, fluent in Final Cut Pro, Trent has been a leader with the Dallas Final Cut Pro User Group for over 5 years. Trent's After Effects tutorials and tips can be found on CreativeCow.net as well as his own tutorial site: AETutorials.net.
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Brad Abare
@bradabareGo big or stay home!
Creating & distributing missional content for the wider audience: In this David vs. Goliath scenario, does your content deserve a wider audience? Perhaps a place in Hollywood? Does your content transcend the church… really? In this workshop, Tim Abare and Brad Abare (father/son) will share personal stories and examples and give you three takeaways that will help your big ideas fit into the bigger picture and maybe even the big screen.
Brad Abare is the director of communications for Foursquare, a consultant with the Barna Group, founder of Church Marketing Sucks , serves on the board for the Center for Church Communication and has extensive experience in creating missional media. -
Tim Abare
@timabareGo big or stay home!
Creating & distributing missional content for the wider audience: In this David vs. Goliath scenario, does your content deserve a wider audience? Perhaps a place in Hollywood? Does your content transcend the church… really? In this workshop, Tim Abare and Brad Abare (father/son) will share personal stories and examples and give you three takeaways that will help your big ideas fit into the bigger picture and maybe even the big screen.
Tim Abare heads up Big Finish, a non-profit company created to help churches, filmmakers, publishers, authors, content providers, musicians, and others find and mobilize their audience. He has worked “with” Hollywood studios and networks for 10 years. He’s on the lead team (elder) at his church and serves on several non-profit boards.
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Camron Ware
@visualworshiperVisual Worship: Environment and Content Curation
You’ve heard us talk about the “why” … now let’s discuss the “how.” This session is focused on the application process, or in other words, the “service programming” aspect of visual worship. We will explore the concept of being the curator of your context (experience/environment) and content (lights, imagery, media). Then, we will walk through our typical workflow when prepping for Environmental Projection, lighting design and VJ-ing. This is where the rubber meets the road! (Camron is co-teaching this session with Stephen Proctor.)
Camron Ware is the founder of Visual Worshiper, a design consulting company that guides and mentors churches through the journey of what visual worship means in the Church today, and how and why to use technology in worship to tell visual stories. Environmental Projection is a foundational and innovative tool of Visual Worshiper, and churches and events throughout the country are implementing this powerful and cost-effective technology. Camron is also a freelance lighting designer and VJ, with a heart and passion for visual worship leading; using technology and environments to create authentic, engaging, transformational experiences during worship.
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Stephen Proctor
@worshipVJVisual Worship: Environment and Content Curation
You’ve heard us talk about the “why” … now let’s discuss the “how.” This session is focused on the application process, or in other words, the “service programming” aspect of visual worship. We will explore the concept of being the curator of your context (experience/environment) and content (lights, imagery, media). Then, we will walk through our typical workflow when prepping for Environmental Projection, lighting design and VJ-ing. This is where the rubber meets the road! (Stephen is co-teaching this session with Camron Ware.)
Stephen proctor is a "VJ", or visual jockey. He's the co-founder of Grateful Inconvenience, Inc., a creative design & production company based in Nashville that focuses on live environmental design, film production & visual media. He's spends most of the time on the road VJ-ing for various artists, as well as instigating conversations with creatives by asking the question "why". His passion is for "visual worship"...to explore new ways to visually echo our response to the glorious revelations of God. And he loves to help others find their way on this journey, as well. "My hopes are to facilitate and train the local Body in effectively and clearly projecting the message of Christ and modeling authentic worship through the relevant and dynamic technology that we have at our fingertips today." Stephen shares his experiences as well as tips & tricks from the road on his blog worshipVJ.com.
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Gary Molander
@garymoBeyond Computers, Code, and Composition: Eternal Truths Every Artist Must Remember
You already know everything that will be shared in this breakout session. But when the deadlines come, and the financial pressures rise, God’s eternal truths about our creative lives are the first things to be forgotten. We’ve heard it said many times that we “need to keep the main thing the main thing.” But what’s the “main thing”? Perhaps we can remind ourselves together.
Gary Molander thinks that bios (like this one) are funny, because everyone knows that the person wrote the bio about himself, but in the third person. That being said, Gary is a husband, father of three daughters, and co-owner of Floodgate Productions and Sermolicious. He is a contributing columnist for Collide Magazine, and blogs regularly at www.garymo.com.
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Matt Knisely
@mattkniselyVisual Communication
Words are no longer enough and people communicate visually more than ever. How can the Church use the power of visual communication to teach and inspire action? We’ll talk about it. We’ll also explore the true ministry value of media, as opposed to viewing visual media as a nice accessory. (Matt is co-teaching this session with Nathan Davis.)
Matt Knisely is a multi Emmy® award-winning photojournalist and storyteller focusing on social-awareness campaigns with non-profits around the globe. He serves as the director of communications and innovation at Lawton First in Oklahoma where he develops creative solutions for communications, media, and the Web. Matt is also a co-founder of Good World Creative, a creative collaborative focused on meaningful graphical and motion picture storytelling to help non-profits tell their story. In two words he is a, cultural architect. Prior to joining Lawton First, he served as director of photojournalism for FOX Minneapolis and made it one of the best stations in the country for television photography and visual communication. His work has been featured on the BBC, NBC, ABC, and FOX News Channel and he has received the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award in electronic journalism. Follow @MattKnisely on Twitter and follow Matt's blog: mattknisely.com
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Nathan Davis
@mediapeopleVisual Communication
Words are no longer enough and people communicate visually more than ever. How can the Church use the power of visual communication to teach and inspire action? We’ll talk about it. We’ll also explore the true ministry value of media, as opposed to viewing visual media as a nice accessory. (Nathan is co-teaching this session with Matt Knisely.)
Nathan Davis serves not only as a Pastor, but is the Director of Communications at Destiny Christian Center in Oklahoma, where he oversees communications, media, and the Web. He is also the owner of Destiny Media, a for-profit creative design and web company. If he's not busy enough, he is a co-founder of Good World Creative, a creative collaborative focused on meaningful graphical and motion picture storytelling to help non-profits tell their story. Bottom line, he's a creative story teller who specializes in design, particularly info visualization, web, and motion graphics. Follow Nathan on Twitter and on his blog, Shaped by Stories
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David Womack
@wordonwomackThe Story, The Timeline, The Upgrade
Sunday is only days away and you need a powerful story. We’ll discuss how to communicate the heart and emotion of the message with excellence … even under a tight deadline.
David Womack is a Creative Director for RT Creative Group (Igniter, COLLIDE, WorshipHouse, and Echo). David is passionate about reaching the lost through creative video. Prior to joining the RT team, David served as an Art Director and Post Production Manager at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas.
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Blaine Hogan
@blainehoganIdeas, Hope, and the Creative Process
Learning from the presenter’s own mistakes and missteps, we’ll talk about how to stay healthy working in high pace environments, creating sustainable creative rhythms, and finally learn what we’re really getting paid to do.
Blaine Hogan worked as a professional actor for nearly 12 years before he took a sabbatical that led him to Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, WA. While in Seattle he received a Masters in Christian Studies focusing on the intersection of art and faith. He currently works for Willow Creek Community Church as an Experience Engineer creating contexts and spaces for people to experience God using video, multimedia, movement, and performance art. He writes about ideas, hope, and the creative process on his blog: www.blainehogan.com.
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Dawn Nicole Baldwin
@dawnnicoleFive Quick Ways Social Media Can Kill Your Brand
We’ve all heard the PR nightmares of situations when social media tactics went horribly, HORRIBLY wrong. In this fast-paced session we’ll discover how your brand can influence the tools and tactics of your social media strategy to help avoid these landmines. Oh, and we’ll explore those who are doing social media right.
Dawn Nicole Baldwin is founder and lead strategist of AspireOne, a strategic branding firm with a passion for helping churches reach people more effectively. She’s been invited to speak at conferences nationwide and has guest lectured on marketing strategy at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago. She is considered one of the leading experts on branding and marketing for ministries and has consulted with some of the country’s most innovative and influential churches such as Granger, Seacoast and Willow Creek. A former staff member of Big Idea Productions [creators of VeggieTales] and Willow Creek, Dawn Nicole frequently contributes to today’s leading-edge thinking of leveraging marketing best practices for nonprofits but is best known as a change agent who is intent on stretching imaginations, connecting people and making a difference. To learn more about her, click here. Follow Dawn on Twitter here.
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Michael Buckingham
@holycowcreativeJesus Hates Papyrus, And So Do You
Join other creatives as we talk about overcoming mediocrity in the Church, breaking out of ruts in our own creativity, working with “non-creatives” in the creative process and pitching ideas that stick. No, this isn’t about a typeset; this is about regaining the Church’s position as a creative mecca.
Michael is the Founder & Creative Director of Holy Cow Creative with the goal of once again making the church the most creative place on the planet. He is also the Creative Director for the Center for Church Communication and Church Marketing Sucks. You can also find him on his own blog Jesus Hates Papyrus as he continues to help the church not be so...churchy. Follow Michael on twitter: @holycowcreative
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Chance Mason
@chancemasonLeveraging Digital Media for Bigger Impact And Greater Reach
Get ready for a fast-paced explanation as Chance gives you a breakdown of how to leverage new media techniques and applications and translates them into effective communication for your church. Through some fundamental principles and the use of the right tools, you will understand that learning how to have a conversation creates better results than marketing who you are. Combine rich media with the effective use of social media, a strategic web presence for lead generation, the science of audience segmentation, targeted messaging, and user-generated feedback, and the result is a new media ecosystem that is scalable for the newest church plant to the established megachurch.
Recognized nationally as an entrepreneur in new media, Chance has a vision for the use of digital media and social communities as part of modern faith-based outreach, communication and service initiatives. He has been featured in various media vehicles including CBS's The Early Show and Christianity Today Magazine. Through digital media strategies, Chance teaches ministry leaders including pastors, worship leaders, media directors, and communications teams how to be more effective in growing and leading their ministries. His concept of the “new media ecosystem” combines social media, online rich media, name acquisition, audience segmentation and targeted messaging. When combined, these components create an intentional communication strategy for ministries to exceed their growth expectations.
Since 2001, Chance has directed the strategic launch and delivery of two of the largest faith-based online broadcast properties, Streaming Faith (www.streamingfaith.com) and 316 Networks (www.316networks.com). As company president, Chance has revolutionized the relationship between faith-based organizations and the way we use the Internet. With a dynamic spirit powered by faith and purpose, accompanied with a relentless hunger for mastering cutting-edge technology, he maintains his pioneer status in the industry. Combined Streaming Faith and 316 Networks serve over 800 ministry clients which currently include Saddleback Church, North Point Community Church, 268 Generation, Fellowship Church, Joel Osteen/Lakewood Church, Bishop Eddie Long/New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Dave Ramsey, Ken Blanchard, Zig Ziglar and many more. While engaging with these prominent leaders, Chance continues to visioneer services that equip churches and ministries of any size. Chance is responsible for driving all aspects of both companies’ operations including sales, marketing, growth, business development and client services.
Chance earned a bachelor’s degree in management of information systems from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Chance is married to his wife of 8 years, Karol Mason, and together they are the proud parents of Chance Malachi and Sophia Storm. -
Tim Schraeder
@timschraederReworking Church Communication
One of the challenges of managing church communications is knowing when you need to change. With the fast-paced culture of change we live in, being able, willing and knowing when to change is vital in staying connected with your audience. Oftentimes, conventional wisdom won’t work. Sometimes you need to REWORK how you’re communicating. Using principles and ideas adapted from the book REWORK, this session will challenge you to rework your church communications to effectively adapt your message to reach your audience.
Tim Schraeder is the Director of Communications at Park Community Church, a Gospel-centered innovate church that reaches nearly 3,000 young adults and families in three locations in downtown Chicago. He blogs his thoughts on church communications at TimSchraeder.com and is an incessant Twitterer.
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Vince Marotte
@locustfistChurch in Two Minutes: Delivering A Complete Story On Internet Time
Join us for this open forum full of user generated content and questions. There are Internet Campuses and Online Churches sprouting up every week. Are we doing it right or are we simply re-packaging a church service? Whether your team is thinking about taking your church to the web or you’re a seasoned veteran, we can all learn from each other.
Vince Marotte is passionate about developing strategies that leverage Internet technology and content to engage culture and raise the Church up out of it. He is the Internet Pastor at Gateway Church in Austin, TX.
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Drew Goodmanson
@dgoodmansonChurch Web Stories: Learning from others' successes and struggles
In this session you will get behind the scene access to the real world results of several church web strategies. We'll look at the church website, social media involvement, mobile, content creation and more to see what is really happening. How effective are they? How much time and energy is required to implement their plans? What are the best practices or common mistakes a church makes? This valuable session will equip you with practical insight, best practices & strategies that your church can implement whether you are an online expert or a beginner.
A Look into the Near & Distant Future of Online Ministry
In this session, learn what is next on the horizon and how this impacts the local church. This session is designed for strategic leaders regardless of their technological level of understanding.
Drew Goodmanson serves as CEO of Monk Development and as co-founder/pastor at Kaleo Church. Monk is an Internet strategy and development company that created Ekklesia 360 which is used by thousands of churches and ministries. Drew uses his 10+ years of expertise in the Internet Technology field to help organizations use web technologies to fulfill their mission. Drew’s is recognized as one of the Top Church bloggers; he wrote a chapter in Voices of the Virtual World: Participative Technology and the Ecclesial Revolutionand has written for national publications likeChristianity Today and CLA’s Outcomes magazine. He currently writes the ‘Church Web Strategy’ column for Christian Computing Magazine. He is a featured speaker for national conferences such as the Christian Leadership Alliance, National Outreach Convention, Christian Web Conference, National New Church Conference, Story and Cultivate Conference.
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Ben Jordan
@benjordanOne Hour Website
During this one hour breakout, we will plan, design and build a complete website using and teaching the basics of Web design, HTML and CSS. This will include best practices, helpful hints, and even guidance on the best design elements to incorporate for today. Upon completion of this session you should have a general understanding of how to do a typical site design in Photoshop, slice that design for the web, build the HTML and CSS and launch the site. All elements and code snippets will be made available for download after the breakout session.
Ben is co-founder of BigBadCollab, a collaboration of designers, developers, information architects and game changers, dedicated to building sophisticated solutions exactly where purpose and vision intersect. He is a veteran of both design and custom application development, bringing a deep capability and competence that covers both ministry and commercial projects. In recent years much more focus and attention has been given to developing powerful, user friendly web applications, including extension of mobile web development further into iPhone and, recently, iPad application development.
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Brad Zimmerman
@cmdtvCreative Workflow
Stop wasting time producing and start taking time to be creative. In this session, we'll use the Adobe Creative Suite to create stunning videos in less time than you think, and along the way we'll learn about the creative workflow and how to organize your creativity with a few simple principles.
Church Media on a Budget
Need to do more with less? You don’t need thousands of dollars to create compelling media in your church. Learn how to spend money wisely and go free as often as you can with great resources and tips for any church.
Brad Zimmerman is the host of ChurchMediaDesign.tv, a weekly Internet TV show teaching Tips, Tricks and How-To for the Church Media Designer. CMD.TV was started to help teach those working in the church how to use and create media. Brad is on staff at a church in Grand Haven, Michigan and enjoys collecting bobble-heads.
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Dave Harris
@iamdaveharrisMotion Theory
To move or not to move? What is the creative process behind motion graphics? When it comes to creating good motion graphics it starts with a solid idea. Learn the process of how to create simple but effective motion graphics. We will discuss basic concepts and tools of how do get the job done without spending your whole week on it.
Dave is the Creative Media Director of Student Ministries at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He is also the founder and creator of Stuff I Can Use, and along with Jason Shreve and Perry Thomas created Church Tech Talk. In addition to his day job, he co-owns Digital Stache and has produced media for Igniter Media, Worship House Media, and Simply Youth Ministry. Dave has been married for 11 years to his beautiful wife Synthia and has a little girl, Madison.
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John Dyer
@johndyerHTML5 and the Future of the Web
This session will offer an overview of new and upcoming web technologies from HTML5, CSS3, and jQuery to those Facebook “Like” buttons that are taking over the Internet. Even if you’re not a hard core web developer, this session can help you understand how the Web is changing and offer some simple tips on how to integrate these new tools into your ministry’s website. (John is co-teaching this session with Nathan Smith.)
John Dyer is the director of web development for DTS, and he moonlights for companies like NPR, Microsoft, Harley Davidson, and the US Treasury. He enjoys clean, well-documented, unobtrusive code and thinking about technology through the lens of Scripture. He blogs at http://donteathefruit.com, writes for Christianity Today and COLLIDE, and will release his first book Spring 2011.
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Nathan Smith
@nathansmithHTML5 and the Future of the Web
This session will offer an overview of new and upcoming web technologies from HTML5, CSS3, and jQuery to those Facebook “Like” buttons that are taking over the Internet. Even if you’re not a hard core web developer, this session can help you understand how the Web is changing and offer some simple tips on how to integrate these new tools into your ministry’s website. (Nathan is co-teaching this session with John Dyer.)
Nathan Smith works as a user experience developer at Fellowship Tech and he holds a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. Nathan began building sites late last century. He enjoys hand coding HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. He also dabbles in design and information architecture. He started Godbit, a community resource aimed at helping churches and ministries make better use of the web. He also created the 960 Grid System, a framework for sketching, designing, and coding page layouts.
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Rhett Smith
@rhetterNot Losing Yourself In Social Media
There are many hazards to working and playing with social media, but few think about the impact social media can have on one’s identity. If we set out in the world of technology and social media without asking tough questions and setting healthy boundaries, we can easily begin to lose our sense of self. In this session we will explore the issues of identity (sense of self, impact on personal relationships, other/self validation), and how you can go about setting healthy boundaries that can help you maintain a sense of integrity within yourself and online.
Rhett Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who, having spent the last 15 years on the pastoral staff in churches, is passionate about integrating his knowledge and experience in the areas of ministry and therapy to the world of social media and technologies. Rhett is on staff at HopeWorks Counseling Center in Plano, TX, and also serves on the youth ministry staff part-time at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. When Rhett isn't online, he loves to spend his free time writing, running and being with his family.
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Kenyon Draughon
@kenyondraughonThe Worship Journey
Imagine a journey through the Grand Tetons, or Yellowstone, or the Grand Canyon. Senses are heightened. Heartbeats quicken. Expectancy is riveting. This is a journey but one that pales in comparison to experiencing the Creator of those amazing creations! In this session we will talk about guiding people on the incredible journey of worship in ways that smoothly flow from one experience to another with the goal to facilitate an atmosphere for the Spirit to have His way in the life of each worshiper.
Kenyon’s heart beats fast to learn ways to better communicate the truth of God’s Word. He has served churches, large and small, from the west coast of Florida to the corn fields of Nebraska to the concrete of DFW. He loves to provide opportunities for people to encounter the Creator in new (or old) and fresh (but not stale) ways. He is passionate about helping people discover why they are on the planet and empowering them to use those gifts to help the local church continue to be God’s Plan One! He is blessed to be married to his beautiful wife, Libby, and to be dad to his sons, Davis (14) and Will (12½).
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Esther Havens
@estherhavensA Different Kind of Picture
How easy is it to get wrapped up in a person’s circumstance and forget to engage in their story? Images have the capability to convey meaning, compel thought and create movement. In this session, we will discuss Humanitarian Photography and how we can be a voice for those who need to be heard.
Esther Havens is a Humanitarian Photographer. She captures stories that transcend a person's circumstances and reveal their true strength. For many years she has focused on social-awareness campaigns with organizations such as charity: water, TOMS Shoes, Falling Whistles and Invisible Children. Her images posses deep meaning to compel thought and challenge action. Esther has traveled to over 40 countries and in her lifetime wants to see every person on the planet have clean drinking water. At heart, she is a connector, fostering relationships across continents, cultures, industries and perspectives. While not traveling, Esther calls Austin, Texas home.
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Charles Lee
@charlestleeLife After a Great Idea: Moving Ideas to Implementation
Ideas are a dime-a-dozen. What really brings positive change and impact to an individual, organization or church is the actual implementation of these ideas. In order to get there, ideas need intentional strategy, development of specific skill sets, a sustainable infrastructure and a viable network. Join in on our conversation about some of the best practices for idea-making.
Charles is the CEO of Ideation, a consultancy that specializes in branding, marketing, design, web, social media, and event development. He is also a founding member of JustOne, a NPO committed to addressing issues of poverty, orphans, and slavery. In addition, Charles leads New Hope, a faith community in the Los Angeles area, and is the creator of grassroots efforts including the Idea Camp, Ideation Conference, and the Freeze Project. Charles regularly speaks around the country on topics such as creativity, innovation, leadership, social media, community development and compassionate justice.
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Houston Clark
@clarktweetMoving from More to Most
Innovation by it’s very nature is always about the next thing. The problem for many of us however is that we often confuse next with bigger and more. But what if instead of our endless pursuit of more (technology, buildings, staff) we were able to get the MOST out of what God is already providing us. What if we were to discover greater innovation and creativity through the leveraging of our limitations? In this session we will hear stories and explore ideas of how you and your team can master the art of most in all that you offer to God and others.
He’s the guy you’re likely to meet right at the get-go. He invests the majority of his days at Clark meeting new church leaders, listening to the heartbeat behind their big visions and strategically brainstorming exactly how Clark can bring them to life. He’s been with the company from the start and with his ever-present fascination with shiny new gadgetry, deep love for the local church, and fiery passion to effectively unite the two, he’ll continue to press Clark into a bright and innovative future. -
Matt Samuelson
@clarktweetMoving from More to Most
Innovation by it’s very nature is always about the next thing. The problem for many of us however is that we often confuse next with bigger and more. But what if instead of our endless pursuit of more (technology, buildings, staff) we were able to get the MOST out of what God is already providing us. What if we were to discover greater innovation and creativity through the leveraging of our limitations? In this session we will hear stories and explore ideas of how you and your team can master the art of most in all that you offer to God and others.
He’s the fella who you swear looks like that guy from the Karate Kid movies. He’s not, by the way. He is, however, just about the best guy we know at morphing an ordinary building into a space where lives are changed and holy things happen. He’s incredible at wrapping his head around the heart of a client’s vision and framing in a space where it can come to life. Not only that, but the guy knows trivia—strange trivia, useless trivia. Test him. -
The LifeChurch.tv Media Design Team
Q&A with the LifeChurch.tv Media Design Team
Come and connect with the team that leads the video production, graphic design, productional planning, creative project management and multi-site video teaching for all ages at LifeChurch.tv.
This session is presented by Beth Johnson, James Hugo, Kevin Ely, Mark Dawson, Sarah Kerr, Chase Layman, and Stephen Cox. As a Video Producer for LifeChurch.tv, Beth Johnson spent four years creating video messages for Switch and LifeKIDS.tv. She is now the Project Coordinator for the LC.tv Media Design Team where she manages the logistical aspects of video production and graphic design. James Hugo is a Graphic Designer at LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, OK. Creating something from nothing is his favorite part of designing. Staring at a blank canvas is the most frightening. Knowing that the canvas has to be filled by the end of the day is oddly the most comforting. James works in print, illustration, and motion. Kevin Ely joined the LifeChurch.tv team in 2002 as the second Video Producer on staff, and since then has produced creative content for all areas of ministry ranging from LifeKIDS to Church Online. In his spare time he also serves as Program Director for the deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City, and his first feature film “Rainbow Around the Sun” premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2008. In 2001, Mark Dawson became the charter member of the LifeChurch.tv Video Production Team and has served as the Senior Video Producer ever since. Before joining the LC.tv Staff, Mark worked in broadcast television for 17 years where he earned an Emmy Award for his coverage of the Oklahoma City Bombing. He also received an Edward R. Murrow Award for his documentary work. He’s proud to be working along side of a team of people who use their creative gifts for a greater purpose. Sarah Kerr is a Video Producer for LifeChurch.tv mainly working with LifeKids. She has served on staff since 2007 and enjoys being creative to lead people to Christ. Chase Layman is a video producer for LifeChurch.tv focusing on Missions and Promos. Chase is passionate about using media to share his faith. He has served on church staff for 2 and a half years. Check out his blog at www.ChurchCreatives.com. Stephen Cox is a Graphic Designer at LifeChurch.tv where he has been on staff for the past four years. Specializing in print, Stephen works on series branding, campaigns for ministries and many other design opportunities. Stephen lives in Yukon OK, with his wife Melissa and dogs, Hurley and Memphis.
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Scott McClellan
@scottmcclellanThe Most Epic Blogging Breakout Ever
Is your blog epic? Even just a little bit? What if you could be the most epic blogger in the history of blogging? OK, enough of that. This session won’t necessarily make you an epic blogger (it’s certainly not being led by an epic blogger), but this session will explore philosophical questions and practical tips designed to heighten your blogging prowess.
Scott McClellan is the Editor of COLLIDE Magazine, which means that he spends most of his time reading, writing, and clicking. He blogs regularly about media, technology, and the Church on the COLLIDE blog, and he contributes not-so-regularly to AdoptiveDads.org. Scott lives in the Dallas area with his wife and daughter. Oh, and he's the Director of Echo.