J.R. Briggs is a Mission Strategist and Trainer with Fresh Expressions US. He is the founding director of Kairos Partnerships, a ministry seeking to love the Church by caring for Her leaders through coaching, consulting, speaking, equipping and writing. He is affiliate professor of practical theology at Missio Seminary, and serves as a guest instructor at Friends University. He serves as the Director of Leadership & Congregational Formation for The Ecclesia Network. J.R. is an author, co-author and contributor of thirteen books and dozens of articles, both in print and online. J.R. and his wife Megan have two sons, Carter and Bennett. They live in the heart of Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Matt Lake serves as the Lead Pastor of First Church of Williamsport, PA—an urban congregation that consists of a mix of traditional and contemporary worship experiences. First Church also currently hosts a network of fresh expressions of ministry called the Acts Network in which people meet in places such as homes, gyms, nursing homes, parks, and even in the mountains! Matt is a graduate of Messiah College (B.A. in Biblical Studies) and has a Master in Divinity from Duke Divinity School. Matt also has his Doctorate of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies through Portland Seminary in which he focused on developing effective models of congregational discipleship for the new day in which we find ourselves. Matt has worked with a variety of churches in consultant and coaching roles and has a passion to see God’s Kingdom impacted through lives transformed in the love of Jesus Christ. Matt is deeply in love with his beautiful wife Jennifer and is doing his best to keep up with his three, amazing, grown-up kids–Alexandra, Joshua, and Zach.