The Panelists: 2013 Outreach Resources of the Year

Evangelism

Evaluated by Paul Cedar, chairman and CEO of the Mission America Coalition (The U.S. Lausanne Committee); former president of the Evangelical Free Church of America; former senior pastor of Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, Calif.; a former crusade associate with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; a former crusade director with evangelist Leighton Ford; and the author or co-author of multiple books, including Compassionate Leadership: Rediscovering Jesus’ Radical Leadership Style, co-authored with Ted Engstrom.

Apologetics

Evaluated by Clay Jones, associate professor in the Master of Arts in Christian apologetics program at Biola University and a contributing writer for the Christian Research Journal.

Preaching

Evaluated by Knute Larson, a pastor for 46 years, including 26 as senior pastor of The Chapel in Akron, Ohio, until his retirement in 2009; a pastoral coach and consulting pastor; creator of the Adult Bible Fellowship system; and author of two Bible commentaries and multiple books, including The ABF Book, The Great Human Race: How to Endure in the Marathon of Life and You Decide: 5 Beliefs That Changed My Life.

Leadership

Evaluated by Bill Easum, a longtime pastor and church consultant and founder of 21st Century Strategies; recipient of the 2009 Donald A. McGavran Award for Outstanding Leadership in Church Growth; author or co-author of numerous books, including Preaching for Church Transformation, Ministry in Hard Times and Go Big: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth.

Culture

Evaluated by Gabe Lyons, founder of Q Ideas, a nonprofit that helps believers engage in the redemption of culture; author of The Next Christians: The Good News About the End of Christian America, a 2011 Outreach Resource of the Year; and co-author, with David Kinnaman, of unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity … and Why It Matters.

Missional Church

Evaluated by Todd Engstrom, executive pastor of campus and communities at The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas.

Cross-Cultural

Evaluated by Mark DeYmaz, founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas; an online editor for Outreach magazine; directional leader of the Mosaix Global Network, a relational network to catalyze the multiethnic church movement; author of Building a Healthy Multiethnic Church; and co-author, with Harry Li, of Ethnic Blends: Mixing Diversity Into Your Local Church.

Global Outreach

Evaluated by Robert L. Gallagher, department chair, director of the Master of Arts program in intercultural studies, and associate professor of intercultural studies at Wheaton College Graduate School in Chicago; past-president of the American Society of Missiology; and co-editor of Footprints of God: A Narrative Theology of Mission, Mission in Acts: Ancient Narratives in Contemporary Contexts, and Landmark Essays in Mission and World Christianity.

Compassion & Justice

Evaluated by Mae Elise Cannon, senior director of advocacy and outreach – Middle East for World Vision USA; former executive pastor of Hillside Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, Calif.; and author of Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World, a 2010 Outreach Resource of the Year, and Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action, which released in February.

Missional Living

Evaluated by Hugh Halter, pastor of Adullam in Denver; director of Missio, an apprenticing network serving the missional church movement; and the author or co-author of multiple books, including The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community, AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church and Sacrilege: Finding Life in the Unorthodox Ways of Jesus.

Biography

Evaluated by Frank Viola, a best-selling author, blogger at FrankViola.com, and conference speaker whose books include: From Eternity to Here, Reimagining Church, Pagan Christianity (co-authored with George Barna), Jesus Manifesto (co-authored with Leonard Sweet), and Jesus: A Theography (co-authored with Leonard Sweet).

Small Group Curricula

Evaluated by Mark Howell, pastor of communities at Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas and founder of SmallGroupResources.net, coaching and consulting with churches to help them build and sustain healthy small group ministries.

Pass-Along Resources

Evaluated by Vince Marotte, Internet pastor at Gateway Church in Austin, Texas; a communication designer and Internet consultant; and author of Content & Voice: Communication Design in Our New Media Culture.

Children

Evaluated by Steve Adams, children’s pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., with more than 20 years experience as a children’s pastor.

Youth

Evaluated by Russell St. Bernard, youth minister at Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Maryland; youth ministry trainer, mentor, blogger and consultant; and author of After the Music Stops: Effective Youth Ministry Beyond the Big Event and Fresh: A 31-Day Student Devotional.

Read the news release about the 2013 Outreach Resources of the Year

View the list of the 2013 Outreach Resources of the Year

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