Speakers
Cam Huxford
Cam Huxford has been senior pastor at Savannah Christian Church in Savannah, GA, for 27 years, leading it from a few hundred to 7,000. In 2011 nearly 12,000 attended Easter services, nearly 17,000 attended a Christmas outreach production, and the church was named one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing churches.
Cam graduated from Atlanta Christian College in 1978 and did graduate work at Emmanuel School of Religion. After graduation he served as senior pastor of Betaw Christian Church and Rock Hill Christian Church. He was called to Savannah Christian in 1984.
Cam serves on the Christian Standard Publishing Committee, the Board of Directors of Point University (formerly Atlanta Christian College), and was recently president of the North American Christian Convention.
Cam speaks nationally and internationally for ministers’ conferences, church leadership and growth conferences, marriage seminars and men’s retreats. He and his wife, Sarah, have three sons, who are all involved in ministry, two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren.
Gene Appel
Gene Appel began ministry as a 20 year old intern at Eastside Christian Church in Fullerton, California. After moving on to pastor two of the largest churches in the nation — Central Christian Church Las Vegas, Nevada, and Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Illinois — he returned in 2008 to lead Eastside into its next dynamic chapter. Since that time Eastside has become one of America’s fastest growing churches and is currently in the process of a major relocation to Anaheim.
Following in the footsteps of his late father, a pastor and Christian leader, Gene sensed God’s call on his life to ministry at an early age. He received a bachelor’s degree in Preaching Ministry from Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois, and has done additional graduate work at Lincoln Christian Seminary and Hope International University, who has conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Divinity.
Recognized by many as a gifted leader with a passion for following Christ and a sensitivity for hurting people, Gene has coached church leaders from around the world on how to lead churches through healthy change. He is co-author of the book, How to Change Your Church Without Killing It, and authored Dream Intruders and Healing Hidden Hurts. Additionally he was an award-winning television commentator on CBS2 in Chicago
Gene, his wife Barbara, and their daughters, Alayna and Jenna, live in north Orange County, California. Their adult son, Jeremy, lives in Los Angeles. Gene’s hobbies include boating, fishing, and water skiing.
Rick Rusaw
Rick has served as the senior minister at LifeBridge Christian Church in Longmont, Colorado, since 1991. Rick cares about the church being a vibrant part of their community. At LifeBridge they want to help people “discover grace,” “grow in grace,” and “live gracefully.” Rick is the co-founder of the Externally Focused Network, and co-author of “Externally Focused Church,” “Externally Focused Life,” and “Externally Focused Quest.”
Jon Weece
Jon Weece is the Lead Follower at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. For the past 11 years he has served as an innovative leader and creative communicator.
Prior to joining the team at Southland he spent four years in Haiti planting churches, educating street children, and providing relief to AIDS patients.
Jon is married to Allison and they have two children, Ava and Silas.