Norcross Area Restaurants for Tuesday Dinner!

Here is the address for The Lodge at Simpsonwood: 4511 Jones Bridge Circle, NWNorcross, GA
Here are some recommended local places to eat tonight!

Ippolito's Family Style Italian Restaurant‎ more info »
5277 Peachtree Pkwy, Norcross, GA‎ - (770) 663-0050‎ - 1.6 mi SE

SushiMito Japanese Cuisine‎ - more info »
6470 Spalding Drive, Norcross, GA‎ - (770) 734-0398‎ - 1.5 mi SW
Category: RESTAURANT SUSHI BARS
11 reviews - Write a review

Taco Mac‎ - more info »
8440 Holcomb Bridge Rd # 500, Alpharetta, GA‎ - (770) 518-5565‎ - 1.5 mi W
Category: Mexican Restaurant
5 reviews - Write a review

Royal Thai Cuisine‎ - more info »
6365 Spalding Dr, Norcross, GA‎ - (770) 449-7796‎ - 1.4 mi SW
Category: Restaurant Thai
10 reviews - Write a review

Ted's Montana Grill‎ - more info » At The Forum Shopping center
5165 Peachtree Pkwy # 205, Norcross, GA‎ - (678) 405-0305‎ - 1.5 mi E
Category: Restaurant American
9 reviews - Write a review
"We had the best cedar plank salmon and Bison burger

Mona Lisa‎ - more info »
8465 Holcomb Bridge Rd # 520, Alpharetta, GA‎ - (678) 822-6662‎ - 1.5 mi W
Category: Restaurant
12 reviews - Write a review

Grace 17:20 – At The Forum Shopping center
5155 Peachtree Parkway Suite 320, Norcross

J Alexander's
www.jalexanders.com
5245 Peachtree PkwyNorcross, GA 30092(770) 263-9755Get directions
7 reviews, menu, and more »

It's almost time!

The conference is almost here! Are you ready? Have you read one of the suggested book? Be praying for safe travel for all participants. Below is some additional information about transportation for those of you that are flying in. - Krista Petty krista@backyardimpact.com

Transportation Options for Equipping Inside Out Conference
(If you do not wish to rent a car, below are the options suggested by our lodging hosts at Simpsonwood. Their contact information is also listed below, should you wish to contact them diretcly.)

Shuttle Services from Airport:
Sir Ellis Transportation 404-244-8262
From 8a-8p: After 8p-Before 8a: After 9:30p-Before 6:00a
$48 one way $55 one way $65 one way
$85 round-trip $95 round-trip $115 round-trip


Swift Transportation 678-410-3563
$50 one way (without tip)

Airport Perimeter Connection, Inc. 404-761-0260
$50-$60 one way (without tip)

Atlanta Airport Transportation 678-428-4573
$75 one way

Marta and Taxi Services from Airport:
Taxi from Airport to Simpsonwood:
$60-$70

Marta to Doraville Train Station:
$1.75

Taxi from Doraville Train Station to Simpsonwood:
$20-$25

These are the suggestions from our conference site:
The Lodge at Simpsonwood
4511 Jones Bridge Circle, NW
Norcross, GA 30092
770.441.1111

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM TODAY!
http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=675022

Please note, only $500 deposit per person required at this time. You may make payments for this event.

Preview all the event details below!

Equipping Inside Out- Let the Conversations Begin!

Welcome to Equipping Inside Out
A 5-Day Intensive with Leading Equipping AND Externally Focused

February 1-5, 2009
at THE LODGE at Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA
http://www.simpsonwood.org/

The most effective foundation for being externally focused is to be internally strong! Based on The Equipping Church and The Externally Focused Church, this facilitated learning experience will provide training and resources to answer the following questions:

*Do I understand our Church Culture? Is my church ready for change? What’s different about an Equipping and Externally-Focused Church?

*Who am I as a Leader? Am I an Equipping Leader? Am I an Equipping Leader in an Externally-Focused Church?

*Who is in my Congregation? How do I understand and discover WHO God has placed in our church?

*What is the unique role of the Pastor and Staff in the Equipping Externally-Focused Church?

*What are the Biblical and Relational Foundations for Equipping the Externally-Focused Church?

*How do I Build TEAMS for effective Equipping? What are the team dynamics I need to know?

*How do I develop and use Effective SYSTEMS for the Equipping Externally-Focused Church?

*How do I Discover, Match and Place using more than Assessments and Surveys?

*How do I Make the Right Connections in the Church AND in the Community?

*What are the Processes for Growing, Training and Sustaining EVERY person in service?

*How do I help write our own success story for Equipping Inside Out?

Join in this conversation! Post your questions and comments in this blog!

Who, What, When, Where, How Much?

Equipping the Externally Focused Church
Intensive 5-Day workshop at Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross, GA
February 1-5, 2009

This intensive and interactive session will assist churches with the VISION, SYSTEMS and practical TOOLS of Equipping for an External Focus. It is designed for Sr. Pastors, Equipping Directors, Assimilation Leaders, Congregational Care leaders, Mission’s Directors/Pastors, Community Outreach leaders, Discipleship Leaders and Ministry TEAMS

Training based on
The Equipping Church
And
The Externally Focused Church


Workshop begins with 5pm dinner, Feb. 1, and concludes Thursday, Feb. 5 at 9:00pm

Simpsonwood Conference Center
Atlanta, GA
http://www.simpsonwood.org/

Faculty:

Dr. Chris Hardy, Westover Church, Greensboro, NC
Dr. Don R. Simmons, Creative Potential Consulting, Fresno, CA
Mrs. Charlene Armitage, Equipping Director/Coach, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty, MO
Rev. Vernon Armitage, Sr. Pastor, PVBC, Liberty, MO

Facilitators:
Tricia Richardson & Krista Petty, Backyard Impact

Registration is LIMITED in order to provide personalized coaching and support for each participating church.

$1, 200.00* per person (Includes all meals and lodging. Transportation not included. Airport shuttles available.)

$ 500 per person (excludes lodging—for Atlanta area commuters)

$500.00 deposit due

*All lodging rates based on double occupancy. Limited single occupancy available for additional charge of $250.

Registration Deadline: January 6, 2009

Sponsored by:

Externally Focused Church Network http://www.externallyfocusednetwork.com/
First Baptist Church, Concord, Knoxville, TN http://www.fbconcord.org/
Leadership Network http://www.leadnet.org/
Creative Potential Consulting and Training http://www.creativepotentialconsulting.org/
Backyard Impact http://www.backyardimpact.com/

Questions?
Contact: creativepotential@gmail.com

EIO Faculty, Facilitators & Coaches

Dr. Don Simmons http://www.creativepotentialconsulting.org/ As a founding member of the faculty of Leadership Training Network, Don worked with Sue Mallory (The Equipping Church) and others in establishing the institutes, curriculum and training processes in what is now Church Volunteer Central, a division of Group Publishing. A frequent “expert in residence” for Leadership Network, Don has worked with the Externally Focused Church, Encore Generation and Recovery Ministries Learning communities.

For 5 years, Don was director of LEAD (Leadership Equipping and Development), an urban leader equipping initiative of One by One Leadership in Fresno. He was a founding director of READ Fresno and advisor to the Mentoring Children of Promise project. An ordained minister, Don is a leadership coach at his church, The Well Community Church in Fresno.

Don has trained with outstanding leaders such as Bert Decker, of Decker Communications, Sue Mallory and Chris Hardy, formerly of Leadership Training Network, Dr. Carr Suter, Dr. James Higgs, Dr. Muriel Morse, esteemed director of Human Resources for the City of Los Angeles for many years and Dr. Michael O’Neill, founder of the Nonprofit degree program at University of San Francisco.

He holds a B.S. and M.A. in education, did post-graduate studies at Texas A&M University (Commerce), University of San Francisco and participated in the nonprofit certificate program at Yale University. Don is a Licensed Consultant for Outreach Training, Incorporated and an adjunct professor of nonprofit management, at Fresno State University.

He served as Associate Professor of Business at Biola University in LaMirada, California, and was Director of the Center for Volunteerism and Community Service at Occidental College, Los Angeles, California. He was Director of Continuing and Professional Development at Golden Gate Theological Seminary and Associate Professor of Education there as well. He serves as an adjunct professor at Simpson University, Redding, California and Fresno Pacific University in Fresno.

Don was a member of the board of the Association of Volunteer Administrators, the Volunteer Centers of Orange County, LaMirada, Marin County and currently the Volunteer Center of Fresno County. He serves on the advisory board of the Dallas Fashion Incubator, Joni and Friends of Central California and several other national nonprofits. A native of South Carolina, Don currently serves as Chair of the City of Fresno’s Historic Preservation Commission.

Dr. Chris Hardy http://www.westoverchurch.com/

Chris has served as Pastor of Leader Development at Westover Church in Greensboro, North Carolina for the last 9 years. In this role, he serves to equip elders, deacons, staff, and congregants for leadership at Westover. He also helps to provide strategic vision and staff support and oversight. Westover is a grace-filled community of over 5,000 people, where leaders are actively pursuing the embodiment of Ephesians 4:11-16, as they equip missionally minded believers in Greensboro and throughout the world.

Chris helped to create Agents of Grace in 2002, and it is now a Christian-based non-profit organization, open to all people, dedicated to showing the love of God by connecting, uniting, and deploying people toward active community services. Additionally, Chris serves as an adjunct instructor at United Theological Seminary where he helps to facilitate the Equipping Leader Certification Program. Chris has served as a Lead Trainer for Group’s Equipping Church Summits, CVC Lives, and National Youth Ministry Conferences. He has trained and consulted with numerous churches and at various church events around the country.

Chris is also a contributing author to various resources and publications, including Growing Dynamic Teams, Who Am I As A Leader, Sustainability, and Life Purpose and Mission, and magazines, which includes REV! and Church Management Association. Chris completed a master’s in counseling and a doctorate in Transformational Leadership from United Theological Seminary. He has been married to Traci for 15 years and they have two children, Kara-Anne (9) and Will (6).

Charlene Armitage http://www.pleasantvalley.org/
Charlene has a passion for equipping and developing leaders and serves as the Director of Equipping Ministry, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Liberty, MO. In addition to being an elementary teacher, elementary principal and director of human resources of a large school district for 31 years, she has served in a variety of ministries at Pleasant Valley. Recently, she became the Director of Equipping at Pleasant Valley where she leads ministries in training and developing volunteers based on their God-given design. Her dream is for each believer to realize their potential and become fully alive in Christ. She is married to Vernon Armatage (see bio below) and has two grow children, Kelly and Timothy, and three grandsons, Logan, Noah and Crosby.

Vernon Armitagehttp://www.pleasantvalley.org/

Vernon has been pastor of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty, MO since 1969. A native of Chestnut Ridge, Mo., a small community near Branson, Vernon is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, Mo., and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City.He has led conferences across the nation and taught classes at William Jewell College in Liberty and Midwestern Seminary and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif. An author of several articles on church growth, Vernon published his first book, "Living Life to the Max" (Barbour Publishing, 2004). It is based on the book of Proverbs.Vernon and his wife, Charlene, have toured 13 nations around the world, visiting international mission work. They have ministered in Indonesia and Thailand and have led Pleasant Valley to be actively involved in missions in Southeast Asia.

Krista Petty http://www.backyardimpact.com/

Krista is co-founder and senior advisor for Backyard Impact, an externally focused church training organization. She as an editor for the book, The Externally Focused Church and Living a Life on Loan by Dr. Eric Swanson and Rick Rusaw and has served as resource developer for many facets of the Externally Focused Church movement including work with Leadership Network, The Externally Focused Network, Fasten Network, Group Publishing and many others. Prior to her work with community involvement, Krista served as the Communication Director at LifeBridge Christian Church, Longmont, CO, and a volunteer leader for LifeBridge Community Involvement. She continues to serve as editor for the Externally Focused Network and is a certified Results-Based Conversations facilitator through Wild Works Group and Leadership Network . Krista is a graduate of Milligan College and serves with Concord Christian Church, as team leader for the church's community involvement. She resides in Concord, NC with her husband, Steve, and three children, Kayla (17), Jenna (11) and Ryan (9).

Tricia Richardson http://www.backyardimpact.com/
Prior to starting Backyard Impact, Tricia served as the Involvement Director for LifeBridge Christian Church, Longmont, CO helping to equip and engage thousands in service both inside and outside the church including work with over 40 community partnerships. Tricia has also been employed with both the American Red Cross, Girl Scouts of America, The Externally Focused Network, and is a certified Equipping Trainer with Group Publishing and a certified Results-Based Conversations facilitator with Wild Works Group and Leadership Network. She currently serves as a team leader with North Trenholm Baptist Church's EDGE Team (Every Disciple Growing Externally). Tricia resides in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband, Alan, and has three children Michelle, Samantha & Michael and three grandchildren, Madison, Lena and Hayden.