Duluth Site of New Leadership Center

Gwinnett County, Partnership Gwinnett and Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce officials joined 12Stone® Church leaders at the groundbreaking of the new state-of-the-art John C. Maxwell Leadership Center in Duluth Friday, May 4. 

The 70,000-square-foot facility will serve as the Sugarloaf campus of 12Stone Church and function as the headquarters for EQUIP®, a non-profit global leadership development organization founded by Maxwell.

Maxwell, a well-known international author and speaker, has been a mentor to 12Stone Pastor Kevin Myers for more than a decade. “We approached John to enter this partnership with us to honor his contribution to the international leadership landscape and the value of his legacy,” said Myers in an groundbreaking announcement issued by the chamber.

“As for location, Gwinnett County has been our home for almost 25 years. We are honored to expand here knowing the high value Gwinnett places on leadership, Myers said.

The facility to be built soon at 2050 Sugarloaf Circle will offer space for 12Stone Church to train future and present pastors and ministry leaders through partnerships with Wesley Seminary and Indiana Wesleyan University.

It will also provide a place for John C. Maxwell to produce his digital leadership library for businesses and ministries. EQUIP® and the John Maxwell Company have trained more than five million leaders worldwide, according to the announcement.

“This center will carry my passion for training leaders and will create an expanding and enduring legacy of leadership for generations to come,” said Maxwell.

12Stone Church is ranked among the 30 largest churches in the United States and was the fastest-growing church in Georgia in 2011. It currently has 105 employees.

“I am pleased to welcome the John C. Maxwell Leadership Center, which will serve as a rich resource for leadership development for years to come,” said Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash.

Other officials participating in the groundbreaking were Ed Bastian, president of Delta Airlines and a member of the EQUIP® board and 12Stone Church; Seventh District U.S. Congressman Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville; Jim Maran, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber; and Nick Masino, senior vice president of economic development of Partnership Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Chamber. Partnership Gwinnett is the economic development arm of the chamber.

On Friday evening, EQUIP® hosted a sold-out event at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville with Maxwell and NFL Quarterback Tim Tebow in an effort to create more awareness about the work of EQUIP® around the world.

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