Robert Schnase is bishop of the Rio Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. Schnase is the author of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, a best-selling book on congregational ministry that has ignited a common interest among churches and their leaders around its themes of radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. Five Practices has reached a global community with translations in Korean, Spanish, Russian, Hungarian, and German. Robert is also the author of Just Say Yes!, Receiving God's Love, Remember the Future, Five Practices of Fruitful Living, and others.
Rita B. Hays, an ordained deacon in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference, is Pastor at Beech Grove United Methodist Church, Whites Creek, Tennessee. She has served in the local church in Christian Education for over 25 years. She has led numerous workshops on the district, conference, and national levels for The United Methodist Church. Hays also serves as an adjunct professor at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky. Dr. Hays is the author ofâ·¯The Children’s Minister, The Most Important Space in the Church: The Nursery, andâ·¯ All in the Family: Faith Issues for Families Facing Addiction.
