Lizette Beard coordinates research projects for LifeWay Research on topics such as multi-site churches, mega church growth, church planting, small groups, discipleship, outreach to first generation immigrants, Transformational Churches, and the Church Planter Candidate Assessment. She was also the project manager for the church planting project Ed Stetzer did with Leadership Network in 2006 and 2007. Lizette has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and a master’s in Missiology. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in applied theology (North American Church Planting). She also worked on missionary assignments in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (West Africa) for 2 years and Fairbanks, Alaska for 2 years. Lizette is also a contributing author to the book Paul’s Missionary Methods: In His Time and Ours.