Ecclesia Staff

Working with church leaders to develop new expressions of Christian community and connecting those congregations together is the passion of Chris’s life. He has served as National Director of Ecclesia since it's beginning and has been part of several congregations within the network both in Virginia and Maryland. In addition to his role with Ecclesia, he also helps spearhead Fresh Expressions US and The Ascent Movement. Chris holds a D.Min. in Missional Church Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary where his focus was on the importance of church networks for the future of mission in North America. He currently lives just north of Harrisburg, PA  with his wife Rachel, daughter Elliana and son Jase.

Dr. J.R. Briggs lives with a clear and focused calling: to serve, guide, and equip hungry leaders who want to grow healthier and thrive.

In 2011, he started Kairos Partnerships, an organization committed to serving hungry kingdom leaders through leadership coaching, consulting, speaking, and teaching. He loves investing in the KP team of equippers so Kairos Partnerships can invest in all leaders who desire care and equipping.

For more than 15 years, J.R. served in pastoral roles in mega-churches, church plants, and house church networks.

In addition to coaching leaders and consulting with businesses, organizations, universities, and non-profits, he also speaks and teaches.

He has written or co-written thirteen books on a wide variety of topics and served as one of the contributors to the Abide Bible. He has written over 50 published articles, both online and in print, with Christianity Today, Huffington Post, Preaching Today, American Bible Society, N.T. Wright Online, Missio Alliance, Boundless.org and Relevant Magazine, and several others.

Bob Hyatt is a pastor, author, and spiritual coach known for his leadership in church planting and ministry development. He is the founding pastor of The Evergreen Community, a church established in Portland, Oregon, in 2004. He currently serves as the Director of Equipping and Spiritual Formation for the Ecclesia Network, where he mentors and trains pastors and church planters.

A graduate of Western Seminary with a Master of Arts in Exegetical Theology and a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation from Portland Seminary, Hyatt has a deep passion for helping others grow in their relationship with God.

He is also a co-author of two influential books: Eldership and the Mission of God: Equipping Teams for Faithful Church Leadership and Ministry Mantras: Language for Cultivating Kingdom Culture. Both works focus on building effective, mission-oriented church leadership teams.

In addition to his ministry work, Bob provides coaching for leaders, emphasizing personal and spiritual formation. He lives with his wife, Amy, and their three children in Boise, Idaho.

Jane is an Administrator for Fresh Expressions. She holds a BA in Political Science and History from Virginia Tech. Her passion is around organization and supporting leaders with their ministry. She also enjoys serving at her local church, The Chapel in Richmond, Virginia. Jane and her husband Brandon have been married for 15 years and have three children.