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DAVID THOMPSON was born in the U.S. but grew up in Cambodia where his parents worked for 16 years. When he was 14 he and his father tried unsuccessfully to save a Cambodian man who was seriously injured when a truck and a bus collided. God used the incident to plant in David's young heart a desire to become a doctor and help people who had limited access to healthcare. David graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1973 with a M.D. degree and eventually completed five years of residency in general surgery in southern California. In 1977 he and his wife Rebecca moved to Gabon, Africa and for the next 34 years built a 150-bed full-service hospital to provide medical services to Gabon's least served provinces. In 1966, Dr. Thompson helped establish the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), an organization that trains African surgeons at Christian hospitals throughout the continent. Since 2014, Dr. Thompson has been working as a volunteer to train Egyptian surgeons at Harpur Memorial Hospital.
Read MoreWINFRED NEELY (B.A., D.Min. Trinity International University; M.A. Wheaton) is currently working towards an advanced research degree in Old Testament at the University of Bristol, England. He is an ordained minister of the Gospel and a full time professor of hermeneutics, homiletics, and pastoral studies at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Prior to joining the faculty at Moody, Winfred served churches in the City of Chicago and is currently interim pastor of the Judson Baptist Church in Oak Park, IL. He brings to his ministry a global perspective, having served as a missionary/pastor in Senegal, West Africa for nine years. He is also involved in a global equipping ministry, speaking and conducting workshops and training events at churches and conferences in the US and abroad. He and his wife Stephne have been married for forty years and have four adult children and nine grandchildren. He takes acting classes from time to time and is an ardent fan of science fiction films such as Star Wars and Star Trek.
Read MoreMATTHEW CORK has served in a number of key roles over his many years at Friends Church, including: WorshipPastor, Executive Pastor and the position he currently holds, Lead Pastor. Matthew’s focus since 2003 has been on therenewal of Friends Church. He has a strong pastor’s heart that has led him to be a key part of transitioning a church incrisis. On a trip to India in 2007, Matthew saw firsthand the plight of the Dalit people and the impact education canhave on improving their lives. Since then, Friends Church has launched a new vision called Global Freedom and hasbeen instrumental in building a large number of Education Centers throughout India. Matthew lives in Yorba Lindawith his wife Mardi and their three children: Nolan, Sophie and Ella.
Read MoreAARON COE serves as the Vice President of Mobilization and Marketing of the North American Mission Board, providing leadership in mobilizing churches and missionaries to plant churches.Aaron, a native of Louisville, KY., served from 2003 to 2010 as a church planting missionary where he worked with New Hope New York, an organization that planted 38 churches in the years after 9/11. From this experience, he became the lead pastor/church planter at Gallery Church in 2006. He also has played a role in raising leaders, partners and resources for many new churches, including the Gallery Church.In 2009, he became executive director of “SendNYC,” the impetus for what has become Send North America – NAMB’s church planting initiative.Aaron has a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Carmen, have four children, Ezra James, Danielle, Joshua, and Harper.
Read MoreTODD CARTMELL is a child psychologist who practices in Wheaton, Illinois. He received his doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the author of several parenting books, including 8 Simple Tools. His parenting workshops have been enjoyed by thousands of parents throughout the country. Visit Dr. Todd's website at www.drtodd.net and follow him on Facebook.
Read MoreKURT BJORKLUND was educated at Wheaton College, Trinity International University, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. After serving two churches in the Chicago area, Kurt served as a Senior Pastor in a church in southeastern Michigan for a decade. He is currently the senior pastor of Orchard Hill Church, a large non-denominational church outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Faith live with their four sons in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.
Read MoreRACHEL G. SCOTT is a devoted wife, mother, and Ohio native. She holds a BSc from Kansas State and an MBA from the University of Mary. As founder of the I Can’t Come Down Movement, Bible teacher, and podcast host, she desires to inspire believers to walk in their purpose and assignment as they boldly take leaps of faith. Discover more at RachelGScott.com.
Read MoreRACHEL BOOTH SMITH has a contagious love for God’s Word. Her passion to teach accessible theology has led her to develop curriculum and leadership summits, write Bible studies, and teach. Rachel has a Master of Divinity degree from Pillar Seminary, where she learned to study the Bible in its original languages while being trained in ancient Near East context for both the Old and New Testament.
Read MoreBECKY BERESFORD lives in North Carolina and is happily outnumbered by her husband and three wonderful boys. She is an author, speaker, and coach with a master's certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. Becky loves encouraging God’s daughters to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the truth found in the gospel. Connect with Becky at BeckyBeresford.com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.
Read MoreJASON DAVIS is excited to be co-authoring his first book with his wife, Erin. Jason and Erin live an adventurous life in the rural Midwest with their four growing boys. By profession, Jason works as a Marketing Manager. At heart, he is an artisan, farmer, and loves spending time with his family in the outdoors or in his small workshop.
Read MoreCALVIN W. BECKER (B.B.A., University of Wisconsin; Pastor's Course, Moody Bible Institute; M.Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, formerly Gordon Divinity School) recently retired from the Student Employment Service in the Student Service Department of Moody Bible Institute. Previously he was assistant director of advertising and promotion for Moody's Correspondence School. He and his wife, Phylis, have four sons: Dean, Bryce, Bryan, and David.
Read MoreALICE BRAWAND (B.A., Mars Hill College; M.A., Azusa Pacific University) has served for thirty-one years with Wycliffe Bible Translators, eleven of them in counseling missionaries and pastors from Wycliffe's International Headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Alice contributed to the book Secrets of Your Family Tree: Healing for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families. Alice and her husband, John, have three children, all of whom were raised in Guatemala, where the Brawands served.
Read MoreDAVE BREESE (1926-2002) was a graduate of Judson College and Northern Baptist Seminary and also served as president of Christian Destiny Ministries and World Prophetic Ministry. He was an evangelist, author, lecturer, and university speaker who ministered in more than sixty countries. In addition to a widespread broadcast ministry, Dr. Breese wrote several books, including Seven Men Who Rule the World from the Grave, Satan’s Ten Most Believable Lies, Living for Eternity, and His Infernal Majesty.
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