Speakers

Gabe Lyons, Fermi Project

Gabe Lyons founded Fermi Project, a broad collective of innovators, social entrepreneurs, and church and society leaders working together to make positive contributions to culture (www.fermiproject.com). Gabe recently engineered Fermi Project's first book, unChristian, which reveals exclusive research on pop-culture's negative perception of Christians and convenes 27 of Christianity's most influential voices to address what he describes as "the steady erosion of Christianity's reputation in America".

Prior to Fermi Project, Gabe cofounded Catalyst, a national gathering of young leaders, while serving as vice president for John Maxwell's INJOY organization. Gabe, his wife Rebekah, and their three children reside in Georgia.

Sessions:

• Keynote: UnChristian

Dave Bourgeois, Biola University

Dave graduated from Biola with a degree in Mathematics in 1987. For the next 15 years, he worked in the Information Systems field for four different companies, including two Fortune 500 companies, experiencing many different roles within the Information Systems field: systems analyst, programmer, project leader, trainer, consultant, and helpdesk support analyst. In 2003, Dave joined the faculty full-time at Biola University in the Crowell School of Business, where he redesigned the Information Systems program.

In 2006, he finished his Ph.D. in Information Systems at Claremont Graduate University. Since finishing his dissertation on the effects of online social networks in a Christian community, Dr. Bourgeois has felt called to research how technology and faith interact. His current research project is the use of the Internet by Christian organizations.

Dave married his Biola sweetheart, Marne, in 1991. They have six children and live near Biola in the city of Brea, California.

Sessions:

• Keynote: Best Practices in Internet Ministry: What the Research Shows

Brian Atkinson, Gospel Communications

Brian is the Manager of Alliance Development at Gospel Communications International where he exercises his skill of cat herding. Brian is responsible for maintaining the relationships between Gospel Communications International and a community of 300 Christian organizations committed to making an impact for Christ online. For the last fifteen years Brian has worked to bring people and technology together. Before that Brian was a Radio Personality for 12 years, Welder, and Ice Cream Man. Brian has served as a creative force for creating multi-sensory worship in his local church.

Sessions:

• Keynote: Impact and Influence
• Gospelcom 101
• Extreme Makeover - Web Site Edition
• Web Site: Moving Beyond The Basics

Quentin Schultze, Calvin College

Quentin Schultze is a teacher, writer, speaker and mentor who earned a Ph.D. in communication from the Institute of Communications Research at the University of Illinois. He is the Arthur H. DeKruyter Chair in Faith and Communication, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, and Executive Director of the Gainey Institute for Faith and Communication at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Professor Schultze has been quoted in most of the major media, including The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Fortune, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and many other publications. He has been interviewed by CNN, CBS Radio, NBC TV, National Public Radio, and dozens of additional radio and television stations.

He speaks at businesses, non-profit organizations, trade association meetings, colleges and universities, churches, and many other groups. Dr. Schultze is former president of the Religious Communication Association. He received the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching at Calvin College in 2000. In 2004 he received the Scholar of the Year Award and the Outstanding Book Award from the Religious Communication Association.

Doug Swink, Winning At Home

Doug Swink is committed to teaching others how to lead Christ-centered homes. In public speaking for more than fifteen years, his desire is to inspire people to take a fresh look at their primary relationships. Through candid and humorous stories from everyday life, Doug motivates and equips people within their families, challenges listeners to ask themselves, "What deeper purpose is my life serving?" Dedicated to God and to helping people understand what's important in life, Doug addresses issues like cultivating relationships of trust, developing intimacy in marriage, and having fun intentionally and creatively within a family.

Born and raised in California, Doug earned his degree in Pastoral Theology from Point Loma Nazarene University. Since then, he has been a featured speaker at large-scale events around the United States and abroad, including locations in Ukraine, Mexico, and Egypt. With experience at marriage retreats, youth and menÕs events, and university assemblies, Doug has earned recognition as a powerful and insightful communicator.

Prior to joining Winning At Home, Inc., Doug served at churches in Michigan and California, first in the areas of Student Ministries and Young Adult Ministries, then as Executive Pastor. He and his wife Shawn have three daughters and live in West Michigan, where Doug grills a great steak and likes taking his family to Lake Michigan, because the beaches there are almost as nice as San Diego's.

J.R. Whitby, Gospel Communications

J. R. Whitby is passionate about the mission of Gospel Communications - to present the Gospel worldwide using media. ÊHe joined the leadership team of Gospel Communications in 1988 and he has at different times been responsible for every area of the ministry. ÊDuring his tenure, the ministry has grown to touch every country on the globe working in at least 55 languages.

J. R. has been the executive in charge of production for multiple dramatic and documentary productions, the executive producer of several international films and the co-producer of FREE AT LAST - THE MOVIE with DC Talk. ÊHe has also been the sound recording engineer on several documentary productions and the creative and script consultant for independent producers who have made films for Gospel Communications.

For 17 years prior to coming to Gospel Communications, J. R. headed a film distribution company with outlets in Tulsa and San Diego which grew to be the largest Christian 16mm rental library in the world. ÊAn ordained minister, he has had the opportunity to lead praise and worship, perform or preach in front of hundreds of thousands of people across the US, in Africa, in Asia and in Eastern Europe over the last 18 years.

In 1999 he was named Vice-President of the ministry. ÊIn 2002 he was selected as COO and in 2003 became CEO. ÊIn 2005 the board appointed him as both President and CEO and he was elected to the board of directors.

J. R. and his wife Melody have been married for 38 years. They live in Twin Lake Michigan and have two married daughters and four grandchildren.