Author, Speaker, Pastor

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, pastor and networker among innovative Christian leaders, thinkers, and activists. He is a frequent guest on television, radio, and news media programs. He has appeared on many broadcasts including Larry King Live, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, and Nightline. His work has also been covered in Time (where he was listed as one of American's 25 most influential evangelicals), Christianity Today, Christian Century, The Washington Post, and many other print media. He holds a Doctor of Divinity from Carey Theological Seminary.

In 1982, Brian helped form Cedar Ridge Community Church, an innovative, nondenominational church in the Baltimore-Washington region. He left a career in higher education in 1986 to serve as the church's founding pastor until 2006. During that time, Cedar Ridge earned a reputation as a leader among emerging missional congregations.

Brian has been active in networking and mentoring church planters and pastors since the mid 1980s and has assisted in the development of several new churches. He is a popular conference speaker and a frequent guest lecturer at seminaries and denominational gatherings, nationally and internationally. He is also the author of multiple books and articles that have been or are being translated into many languages, including Korean, Chinese, French, Swedish, Norwegian, and Spanish. He has written for or contributed interviews to many periodicals, including Leadership, Sojourners, Worship Leader, and Conversations.

Brian is on the international steering team and board of directors for emergent, a growing generative friendship among missional Christian leaders. He is also active in global networking among emerging leaders and serves as board chair for Sojourners/Call to Renewal. To learn more about Brian, visit www.brianmclaren.net.