Featured Speakers
Mark Batterson
www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, DC. One church with eight services in seven locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations. Approximately 70% of NCCers are single twenty-somethings.The vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the DC area. NCC also owns and operates the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. Mark has two Masters Degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, Illinois.
He is the author of the best-selling books: In A Pit with A Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, and Soulprint. Mark is married to Lora and they live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.
Dr. Laurel Bunker
Laurel Bunker is writer, public speaker, educator and ordained pastor. Laurel’s roots have been planted deeply in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul where she was born, raised and educated.
Laurel has worked tirelessly on behalf of youth, young adults and families serving in such roles as the Area Director for Young Life Urban in Saint Paul, Director of Programs for the YMCA in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and Youth and Young Adult Pastor at The Living Word Church and World Outreach Ministries. Laurel has also served as the Director of Program Operations for Jeremiah Program where she managed all Children, Family, and Alumni services staff for the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Campuses.
Pastor Bunker currently serves as the Dean of Campus Ministries and Campus Pastor at Bethel University where she and her staff oversee spiritual formation, national and international missions, twin cities outreach, and worship and chapel ministries. Pastor Bunker also serves on the President’s Leadership Team and serves as a board member for several organizations in the Twin Cities.
Laurel and Joshua, her husband of 15 years make their home in Saint Paul with their two daughters, Naomi and Camile.
Dan Hunter
Dan and Rachel are the founding and Lead Pastors of Living Church. They have enjoyed over 17 years of marriage and ministry together. Dan has served those years in student ministry seeing thousands of students come to Christ. Those years were spent reaching students, raising students, and training leaders all while pastoring and leading locally, and resourcing, networking, and consulting nationally through conferences and products. He has also served many of those years as an Executive Pastor while overseeing young adult, student, and kids ministries. Together, they have worked hard to catalyze growth through equipping leaders, urging innovation, and helping people live for God. Dan and Rachel and their twin girls, Jordyn and Avery, live in Mansfield, TX, but frequent sushi bars, movie theaters, and booster chairs all over the world.
District Council
Dr. George Wood
Dr. Wood is the son of missionary parents to China and Tibet, Dr. Wood holds a doctoral degree in pastoral theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and a juris doctorate from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, Calif. He did his undergraduate work at Evangel College in Springfield, MO and served the college in several capacities, including being director of spiritual life and student life from 1965-71. Dr. Wood was ordained with the Southern Missouri District in 1967. Dr. Wood was elected to the position of General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in August of 2007.
Dr.Wood is author of seven books which include his brand new one called Living in the Spirit, A Psalm In My Heart Vol. I& II, Living Fully, The Successful Life, and a college text onthe Book of Acts. He also is an attorney and a member of the California State Bar.