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Michael Hyatt is chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the U.S.

On the lecture circuit for more than 25 years, Michael speaks on leadership, productivity, publishing, and social media.  He has appeared on over 1,500 radio and television programs, including all three major networks.  

He has devoted his entire career to the publishing industry, having  started and owned his own publishing company, which was eventually acquired by Word Publishing.  

As a literary agent for a number of years, but missing the world of corporate publishing,  he joined Thomas Nelson working divisional and corporate management.  He would later serve as CEO for six years.  He is also a former chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.  

Michael’s personal blog is focused on “Intentional leadership.”  His philosophy:  True leadership requires thoughtfulness and purpose.

The author of four books, he is currently working on two new  projects -- one on leadership and one on productivity.

Sam Crabtree is the Executive Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. Alongside pastor and author John Piper, the main preacher and vision caster at Bethlehem, Sam is the main vision keeper or implementer or guarder.

This past year, Sam published the book, Practicing Affirmation: God-Centered Praise of Those Who Are Not God. Sam has been a pastor for 30 years (16 of which have been at Bethlehem). He serves on the boards of Desiring God and Bethlehem College & Seminary (chair). Sam has been married to Vicki for 37 years and he has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Come hear Sam's keynote presentation as he answers questions such as, "What should all persons want to hear God say to them?” and “What non-optional costs will you incur if you don’t affirm people around you, and what benefits will you enjoy if you do affirm them in God-centered ways?”

Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame-honored daily broadcast, heard by more than 2.9 million listeners a week on more than 1,000 radio stations across the U.S.

Daly's personal journey from orphan to head of an international Christian organization dedicated to helping families thrive is a powerful story. Abandoned by his alcoholic father at age 5, Daly lost his mother to cancer four years later.  This wound was further deepened when his grieving stepfather emptied the family home and took off with almost everything, while Daly, the youngest of five children, and his siblings were at their mother's funeral.

"I am living proof," he wrote in his 2007 autobiography, Finding Home, "that no matter how torn up the road has already been, or how pothole-infested it may look ahead, nothing – nothing – is impossible for God."

Daly assumed the presidency of Focus on the Family in 2005 after 16 years with the ministry. He started his career in 1989 as an assistant to the president, where his primary duty was fostering relationships with supporters. In 1997 he was promoted to vice president of the International Division following five years as field director for Asia, Africa and Australia.

Daly earned additional responsibilities in 2003 when he was named group vice president, charged with directing the strategic path of the organization. In 2004, he was appointed chief operating officer, the role he held until he was hand-picked by Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson to be the ministry's president.

Daly has received numerous humanitarian awards and has appeared on such television programs as Larry King Live, America Live with Megyn Kelly and ABC World News Tonight.  He has been featured in Newsweek and USA Today and is a regular panelist for The Washington Post/Newsweek blog, "On Faith," alongside leading academics and theologians.

Chip serves as senior pastor of Venture Christian Church in Los Gatos, CA, and is president of Living on the Edge – an international teaching and discipleship ministry. Over the last 25 years Chip has pastored churches with congregations ranging from 500 to 5,000 and served as president of Walk Thru the Bible. Chip holds an M.S. degree from West Virginia University and a Th.M. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Chip’s passion is to help Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, coach, and teacher for 25 years, Chip has helped people around the world break out of spiritual ruts to live out God’s purpose for their lives.  He is the author of eleven books, including his newest release, Living on the Edge: Dare to Experience True Spirituality; Overcoming Emotions That Destroy, and Good to Great in God’s Eyes.

He is currently on 850 radio stations in the USA with just under one million listeners each week. His programs on DirecTV and Family.Net TV reach 34 million households weekly.  Internationally he can be heard throughout all Russian speaking countries, reaching 120 million households; and Kingdom Channel TV- broadcasts to 41 Arab countries, airing 12 times weekly reaching over 100 million households.

The members of No Other Name have seen the power that music has to touch lives and spread the Gospel.  “I would never say that music can take the place of preaching God’s word,” says Laura, “but at the same time people will listen to a song where they might not listen to a sermon.  Music is clearly a language that can communicate to everybody.”

Shooting the video for “Lead You to the Cross” in the Middle Eastern city of Dubai served to underscore the group’s mission to spread the Gospel all over the world.  There’s nothing like coming face-to-face with a foreign culture to sharpen one’s appreciation for the Great Commission.  It was also a gentle reminder of just how far the threesome had come since meeting in a Nashville music school.  All three admit they knew pretty quickly there was a musical chemistry they were anxious to pursue.

Though they could have easily found success as a country or pop act, the style of music they wanted to sing was never in question.

Dr. Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, one of the nation’s largest, most dynamic congregations.

Thriving with more than 28,000 members, Prestonwood continues to grow with five weekend worship services.  In 2006, the church added a second location, the Prestonwood North Campus.

Graham’s passionate, biblical teaching is also seen and heard across the country and throughout the world.  Over the past 15 years PowerPoint® Ministries has grown to an expansive network of local, national, and international television and radio broadcasts. PowerPoint® can be seen or heard by a potential audience of millions of television viewers and radio listeners across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Iraq, Israel and more.

Through broadcasts, online sermons and email messages, he addresses relevant, everyday issues that are prevalent in our culture and that strike a chord with audiences worldwide.

Dr. Graham has served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest American Protestant denomination with 16 million members, and as president of the SBC Pastors Conference.

He is a noted author of numerous books, including Life According to Jesus, Are You Fit for Life? and Courageous Parenting, co-authored with wife, Deb, and based on their experiences as parents. His most recent book, Powering Up, was released in spring 2009.

The Prestonwood Music & Worship Ministry under the leadership of Todd Bell, Minister of Music & Worship at the 28,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, is known across the nation for its progressive approach to music ministry and leadership in praise and worship. Under Todd's leadership, the church has continued its pace-setting approach in all phases of the Worship Ministry.

Elisa Morgan is one of today’s most sought-after authors, speakers and leaders. She has authored over 15 books on mothering, spiritual formation and evangelism. Her latest work is She Did What She Could (SDWSC): Five Words of Jesus That Will Change Your Life.

For 20 years, Elisa Morgan served as CEO of MOPS International. Under her leadership MOPS, grew from 350 to over 4,000 groups throughout the United States and in 30 other countries, impacting over 100,000 moms every year. Elisa now serves as president Emerita.

Elisa received a B.S. from the University of Texas and a M.Div. from Denver Seminary. She served as the Dean of Women of Western Bible College (now Colorado Christian University), and is on the board of ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). Currently she serves on the board of Denver Seminary.

As the president of Mission: Momentum and the publisher of FullFill™, a free digital magazine for women of all ages, stages and callings, her current mission is to mobilize women to invest their influence in God’s purposes.

Starring as “Cora Simmons,” the loving and churchgoing “but woe to those who cross me” daughter of beloved Deacon Leroy Brown and the iconic Madea Simmons on the hit TBS comedy, Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns, the 2011 NAACP Image Award nominee and 2011 Dove Award winner for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year, actress/singer Tamela Mann makes millions laugh every week. She has appeared on television shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, BET Soundstage, 1999 Grammy Awards, Dove Awards, and the United States of America World Olympics. Along with her husband, David, Tamela is the co-host of the exciting new TV show, Hanging with The Manns, following the dynamic couple as they cook up delicious recipes in the kitchen and go on hilarious and wild adventures together.

Doug Lipp examines the art of exceptional customer service and leadership, managing change and global competitiveness, and is recognized as an internationally acclaimed expert in these areas, an expertise acquired over a 30-year career.  He has inspired and challenged over 1000 audiences and 200,000 individual attendees. His combination of high energy entertainment and thought-provoking lessons is contagious, motivating audiences around the world to maximize both personal and professional success.

Formerly the Head of Training at Disney’s Corporate Headquarters, Doug provided the famous Disney University "Traditions" program and developed leadership courses for Disney executives. Pivotal in Doug’s career with Disney was his experience in the mid-80’s when the corporate culture changed from the arrogant: "We’re the best; why change?" to the progressive: "Don’t rest on your laurels" powerhouse corporation that Disney remains today. Doug found that even strong organizations, like Disney, must embrace change and be willing to innovate. Fluent in Japanese, Doug was on the start-up team for Tokyo Disneyland, Disney’s first international theme park.

After leaving Disney, he co-founded, with a Stanford University professor, the Intercultural Relations Institute. Based upon his rich career at Disney, plus his work as an international consultant for some of the world’s most admired corporations and business leaders, Doug explores the strategic necessity of why all companies must now think globally, and act locally. Learn how companies such as IBM, Starbucks, Procter & Gamble, Siemens and Intel have benefited from those lessons.

He is the author of numerous articles and seven books on leadership, customer service and international business, including his two most popular.  The Changing Face of Today’s Customer: How to Attract and Retain a Diverse Customer and Employee Base addresses how businesses can thrive in this era of cultural diversity and global competitiveness. Doug’s other best-selling title is Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Art and Science of Outstanding Customer Service, which focuses on a balanced approach to service, leadership and teamwork.

A nationally recognized expert on philanthropy and charitable giving, Dr. Rooney speaks frequently across the country on issues related to philanthropy and management of nonprofit organizations and has been quoted by national news media outlets such as PBS’s Nightly Business Report, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and USA Today. He has served as a member of several national advisory groups, including advisory committees for the U.S. Corporation for National and Community Service, the U.S. Bureau of the Census’ Current Population Survey, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and INDEPENDENT SECTOR.

Dr. Rooney previously served as the Center’s Chief Operating Officer and has been its Director of Research since 1999. He created the Center’s formal in-house research program, building it into one of the premier philanthropy research organizations in the nation. He directs Center-wide research activities, including overseeing the Center's signature research project, the Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS). Conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan's Panel Study of Income Dynamics, COPPS is the largest and most accurate study of charitable giving over time ever conducted. Dr. Rooney also leads the Center’s ongoing research projects, including the research and writing for Giving USA, which is produced by Giving USA Foundation. He coordinates the Center’s extensive contract research program and has guided Center research for clients such as Bank of America, American Express, Target Corporation, United Way of America, the Business Civic Leadership Center and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 2008 Dr. Rooney and the Center’s research team received the John Grenzebach Research Award for Outstanding Published Scholarship from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Prior to joining the Center on Philanthropy, Dr. Rooney served as both special assistant to the Indiana University Vice President for Long-Range Planning and Chancellor of Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and as Assistant Dean for Academic Programs for Indiana University - Purdue University Columbus (Indiana). He has served as a board or committee member for several nonprofit organizations, including the Techpoint Foundation, the Rollins College Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership Center, United Way of Central Indiana Strategic Planning Committee and the Children’s Bureau of Indianapolis.

A professor of Economics and Philanthropic Studies at IUPUI and a member of the graduate school faculty at Indiana University, Dr. Rooney is a prolific researcher with an extensive body of published research. He earned his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Notre Dame and a Certificate of Management Development at Harvard University. He also earned a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Max Lucado loves words. Written or spoken, he enjoys crafting sentences that are memorable, inspiring and perhaps life-changing. Max’s words have been shaped into sermons, bestselling books, videos, devotionals, songs, greeting cards, booklets, and commentaries. More than 100 million Lucado products have been created in 41 languages, including 80 million books to date. Lucado books have appeared on every major national bestseller list including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, The New York Times, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, and the Christian Booksellers Association. Sixteen of his titles have sold more than one million copies each.

In 2005, Reader's Digest magazine named him “America’s Best Preacher,” and Christianity Today magazine dubbed him “America’s Pastor” in 2004. Lucado has been featured in countless media outlets and national broadcasts including Fox & Friends, CNN American Morning and Good Morning America.Max Lucado has served the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, since 1988. 

Whether sharing the stage with a former U.S. President, addressing a prison yard full of inmates, appearing on Larry King Live, or talking to a women’s club down the street, Miles McPherson has a gift for communicating to just about anyone.

McPherson, a former defensive back for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers turned megachurch pastor, has a track record of appealing to a diverse audience, large and small, American and international. His humorous, yet bold, down-to-earth style has become his trademark.

Two years into his pro football career, Miles was battling a drug problem and living an immoral lifestyle. That’s when he gave his life to Jesus Christ, and never looked back. He began to work as a Bible teacher, youth pastor and speaker with a track record of appealing to diverse audiences, large and small.

Five times each Sunday McPherson gives a sermon at the Rock Church in San Diego, reaching an estimated 12,000 people. He is comfortable before a television camera, and has been a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America. He was asked to lead prayer at the Republican National Convention in 2008.

He has been the evangelist at campaigns drawing 75,000 people. He has led events in Africa, Jamaica, Belize, and Canada. Three or four times during the season, McPherson conducts chapel for NFL teams visiting San Diego.

“Everyone has different gifts,” McPherson said. “One of mine is the big mouth God gave me. I need to use it for His purposes.”

Michael Youssef, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, a worldwide ministry that leads the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ through the creative use of media and on-the-ground ministry teams. His weekly television programs and daily radio programs are broadcast in 20 languages and seen in more than 200 countries — airing 3,800 times per week. He is also the founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles in Atlanta, Ga.

Dr. Youssef was born in Egypt, lived in Lebanon and Australia before coming to the United States. In 1984, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. He holds degrees from Moore College in Sydney, Australia, and from Fuller Theological Seminary in California. In 1984, he earned a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Emory University. He has authored more than 20 books, including the most recent, The Greatest Lie. He and his wife reside in Atlanta and have four grown children, three grandchildren.

Dr. Hannu Haukka is the founder and president of Great Commission Media Ministries, formerly known as IRR/TV. This organization is having a worldwide impact for the Gospel, in Russia, Asia, and the Middle East.

For over 30 years Hannu and his wife Laura have ministered to millions throughout the former Soviet Union. Through the last decade they have used a strategy of media saturation to introduce hundreds of thousands to the hope found in Christ in major cities of the world.

Dr. Haukka and his ministry have received NRB awards for his outstanding witness and work for the cause of the Gospel.

Janet Parshall will Host this lively discussion.  She is the host of In the Market with Janet Parshall, a daily two-hour broadcast, nationally syndicated on the Moody Radio Network. She hosts a 3 minute weekly commentary also carried on hundreds of stations across the country. 

Janet was the recipient of the NRB ON-AIR Personality of the Year Award in 2008 and in 2011.   She was selected by President George W. Bush to represent the White House in the capacity of public delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.  Janet also writes for  LIFE: Beautiful magazine.

Barry W. Lynn is executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a position he has held since October of 1992. A long-time activist in the civil liberties field, Lynn came to Americans United with an impressive background in churchstate issues. Before accepting the post at Americans United, Lynn held a variety of positions related to religious liberty. From 1984 to 1991 he was legislative counsel for the Washington lobbying office of the American Civil Liberties Union, where he frequently worked on church-state issues. From 1974 to 1980 Lynn served in a variety of positions with the national offices of the United Church of Christ, including a two-year stint as legislative counsel for the Church’s Office of Church in Society in Washington, D.C.

A member of the Washington, D.C. and Supreme Court bar, Lynn earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1978. In addition, he is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ who received his theology degree from Boston University School of Theology in 1973.  He has appeared frequently on television and radio broadcasts to debate and discuss First Amendment issues. Lynn now hosts his own daily syndicated show called Cultureshocks. Lynn is the author of Piety and Politics: The Right-Wing Assault on Religious Freedom and coauthor of The Right to Religious Liberty. He writes frequently on First Amendment issues, appearing in such publications as USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Nation, American Teacher and Liberty.

Professor Swain has authored books including Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress.  Other books include, The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, Contemporary Voices of White Nationalism, and most recently Debating Immigration.  Her latest book is: Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America’s Faith and Promise (Forthcoming, Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2011). She is widely recognized as an expert on race relations, immigration, black leadership, and evangelical politics. Her media appearances include BBC Radio, NPR, CNN’s Andersen Cooper, Lou Dobbs Tonight, Fox’s Hannity, PBS’s News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The Washington Journal, ABC’s Headline News, to name just a few. Her op-eds have appeared in numerous newspapers. These include The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, and USA Today. Before her tenure at Vanderbilt University, where she is currently Professor of Political Science and of Law, Dr. Swain was the first African-American woman tenured in the Department of Politics at Princeton University.

Mark Potok leads one of the most highly regarded non-governmental operations monitoring hate groups and extremism in the world today. In addition to editing the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC’s) quarterly investigative journal, The Intelligence Report, and its Hatewatch blog, Potok acts as a key SPLC spokesman for issues involving extremism. He has testified before the U.S. Senate, the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights and in other venues.

Before joining the SPLC staff in 1997, he spent almost 20 years as an award-winning journalist at newspapers including USA Today, The Dallas Times Herald and The Miami Herald. While at USA Today, he covered the 1993 siege in Waco, the rise of militias, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the trial of Timothy McVeigh. He has appeared on numerous television news programs and is regularly quoted by journalists and scholars in both the United States and abroad. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago.

As Senior Vice President, Craig Parshall oversees the communications and media efforts of National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). As General Counsel, Craig heads the Office of General Counsel of NRB dealing with the legal and constitutional issues that implicate NRB’s mission to maximize First Amendment freedoms for Christian communicators, and directs NRB’s John Milton Project for Religious Free Speech. Prior to coming to NRB, Mr. Parshall’s law practice emphasized on constitutional rights and civil liberties. He has been licensed to practice law in, and has represented clients before the U.S. Supreme Court, and numerous federal District Courts and federal Courts of Appeal across the nation.  He has also argued constitutional cases before several state supreme courts.  Mr. Parshall has assisted leaders on Capitol Hill in drafting legislative language protecting religious liberties, and he has testified before Congress on constitutional issues numerous times, and also before the Federal Communications Commission. Craig has appeared on numerous national media outlets, including NBC’s Today Show, FOX News, CNN, CBS radio, C-Span, PBS, NPR and Court TV. His legal work has received mention in the New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, Boston Globe, National Law Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and the L.A. Times, among others.  Mr. Parshall is a New York Times best-selling fiction writer, and he has authored nine suspense novels, in addition to other books.   

The senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, Greg Laurie began his pastoral ministry at age 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Since then, God has transformed that small group into a church of some 15,000. Today, Harvest is one of the largest churches in America.

In 1990, Laurie began holding public evangelistic events called Harvest Crusades. Since that time, more than four million people have attended Harvest Crusade events across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

He is the featured speaker of the nationally syndicated radio program, A New Beginning, with daily listeners coast-to-coast and overseas on more than 500 outlets.

Laurie has authored a number of books, including the Gold Medallion Award winner, The Upside-Down Church. His books have been translated into many languages, including Korean, Latvian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

He also has written study notes for two Bibles:  Believer's Bible NLT and The Seeker's Bible NT NLT. He recently completed study notes for Start!, a Bible for new and growing believers in the New King James Version translation.

Whether speaking or writing, God has gifted Pastor Greg with the ability to apply biblical principles to current events in a way that is relevant and easily understood by people of all ages, from all walks of life. The trademark of a Greg Laurie sermon, book, or broadcast is his contemporary, yet straightforward style and format.

The Annie Moses Band is a Christian family of Juilliard trained musicians and award winning songwriters dedicated to virtuosity in the arts. Led by lead singer/violinist, Annie Wolaver, the Band includes her six siblings: Alex, on viola, Benjamin, on the cello, Camille, harp/keyboard, Gretchen, violin/mandolin, and Jeremiah, on guitar and banjo. Add the veteran song writing talents of their parents, Bill and Robin Wolaver, and you have a dynamic group with roots in classical, pop, and jazz. Together, they are leading an artistic renaissance in the church through musical excellence, strength of family, and a message of faith, inspiring all generations to join in the discipline, beauty, and excitement of highly skilled musicianship.