Conference Speakers

RON WOODS

Pastor Ron Woods is your host for the 2011 Preaching and Leadership Laboratory.

Ron is a 1988 graduate of Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, where he now serves on the Board of Directors. He holds a Master’s degree in Ministerial Leadership from Southeastern University. Having served churches in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee, Ron accepted Lead Pastor of The Assembly at Broken Arrow in February of 2009.

His visionary leadership and dynamic preaching style has motivated others to excellence in ministry and purpose in life. Ron is a speaker at conferences across the United States and has become a regular guest at the Dream Center in Los Angeles. He has a great passion to lead the local church in community and global impact through servant leadership and spirit-filled living.

DR. MARK RUTLAND

Dr. Mark Rutland currently serves as president of both Global Servants and Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is considered one of the most gifted leaders in our nation and a powerful preacher of the Word.

Through Global Servants, Rutland has founded ministries in Ghana and Thailand. The House of Grace home for tribal girls in Chiang Rai, Thailand, was founded in 1988 and houses over 100 girls.

A native of Texas, he was educated at the University of Maryland, Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, and holds a Ph.D. from California Graduate School of Theology.

Dr. Rutland is the author of thirteen books: Launch Out into the Deep, The Finger of God, Hanging by a Thread, Behind the Glittering Mask, Streams of Mercy, God of the Valleys, Nevertheless, Dream, Character Matters, Power, Holiness, Resurrection and his latest book, Most Likely to Succeed.

HERBERT COOPER

Herbert Cooper has been preaching the Gospel since he was seventeen years old. Immediately following graduation from college, he launched a full-time evangelistic ministry. Herbert traveled all across America and around the world preaching in churches, youth camps and youth conventions. Shortly after graduating from Evangel University in 1997, Herbert married his college sweetheart, Tiffany.

In January of 2002 Herbert and Tiffany moved from Springfield, MO, to Oklahoma City, a city they had never lived in before. On May 12, 2002, they planted People’s Church, a fast-growing, multi-cultural and multi-generational church. Over the past nine years, People’s Church has grown from 8 people to 4,000 people.

Herbert is a sought-after speaker who has a unique ability to effectively communicate the Gospel to young and old alike. Herbert has a great passion to see the church become more diversified and unified at the same time. Herbert and Tiffany have four children, Cale, Cade, Caris and Case.

DALE OQUIST

Dale Oquist was born and raised in Brookfield, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee), where his dad and mom are both first generation believers who raised their children in a Christian home with strong values. They were at church every week for every service.

As a high school student, Dale’s call to the ministry was very distinct and dynamic. He graduated from North Central University in Minneapolis and married Joni Wilkerson in 1986, in Fort Worth, Texas. Joni grew up in a pastor’s home, and two of her three siblings are in vocational ministry today.

Dale held youth pastor positions in Minnesota, Utah, and Oregon. Before he and Joni took their first lead pastor position, they had a college and career position in Phoenix, Arizona, under the leadership of Tommy Barnett.

The Oquists have led two churches into revitalization in Wisconsin, and Olympia, Washington, and are currently pastoring the vibrant congregation of Peoples Church in Fresno, California. Dale and Joni have three children: Lauren, D.J., and Dawson.