Michael Vanlaningham

DR. MICHAEL VANLANINGHAM was Professor of Bible at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for more than twenty years. He is now the Director of Research at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, IL. He received his M.Div. in Systematic Theology from Talbot Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in New Testament and Pauline Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written a number of articles for The Master's Seminary Journal as well as other publications.

Jed Coppenger

JED COPPENGER is the lead pastor of First Baptist Church Cumming, GA. He earned his MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his PhD from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of 21 Days to Childlike Prayer: Changing Your World One Specific Prayer at a Time. He and his wife, Melanie, have three kids. Connect with him at jedcoppenger.com.

Laurie Davies

A former journalist, women’s ministry director, and lay counselor, LAURIE DAVIES knows the burdens that weigh women down. As an author and speaker, she encourages women to trade their “emotional hoards” for freedom. Her exploration of “emotional hoarding” comes from first-hand observation of the toll that physical hoarding has taken on the lives of those she loves. Laurie lives in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband of 30 years, Greg. Their adult son, Morgan, lives nearby.

Gary J. Bredfeldt

GARY J. BREDFELDT (M.A., Denver Seminary; Ph.D., Trinity International University) has been married to Marlene for nearly forty years and is the father of four adult children: Lynne, Stephen, Michael, and Amy. He is a resident of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where he serves as Vice President for Global Impact at Lancaster Bible College. Gary has also served as an administrator and faculty member at four prominent theological institutions: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Wake Forest, NC), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), Moody Bible Institute (Chicago, IL) and Tyndale College and Seminary (Toronto, ON). He is the author of four books, three of those with Moody Publishers: Great Leader, Great Teacher; Caring for Souls: Counseling Under the Authority of Scripture, and Creative Bible Teaching.

Renaut van der Riet

RENAUT VAN DER RIET loves to go zip-lining with his eight kids through the adventure course they built together. He walks quickly. He talks with his hands and arms. And if you find him at home, you're likely to see him tilling soil because Brooke, his wife of 25 years, loves gardening. In 2002, Renault founded Mosaic Church in Winter Garden, FL. It has become a nationwide pacemaker for fostering and adoption and a model for trauma care. He is also the founder of Axum Coffee Company, named after the Ethiopian city from which he and Brooke adopted four of their children. Renault is developing The ReStory, a project aimed at providing Gospel clarity to followers of Christ and inviting them to consider how their lives might be different if they dared to believe Galatians 5:1: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Moody Publishers

Paige Haley Drygas

James Ingles

Colleen Chao

COLLEEN CHAO writes about God’s goodness in the unexpected chapters of her life, including singleness, chronic illness, and terminal cancer. She makes her home just outside Boise, Idaho, with her husband, Eddie, and their son, Jeremy.

Steve Stroope

STEVE STROOPE (B.A., Hardin Simmons University; M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) served as the Lead Pastor for 40 years at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas. He is now the Founding Pastor. Church attendance under his leadership grew from 53 at its inception to over 11,000 today. Steve also provides coaching to partnership churches and missionaries in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Cuba, Russia, Mexico, France, South Africa, and North America. He is a sought-after speaker, both nationally and internationally, and is co-author of Money Matters in the Church. He and his wife, Marsha, have two grown daughters and five grandchildren.

Dan Stanford

DAN STANFORD is not a comic book superhero. The glasses make you do a double take but under his shirt is not a cool costume and cape. He doesn't have a catch phrase like "Up, Up and Yahweh!" and there's no blockbuster movie about his heroic deeds. He's an ordinary, decaf drinking, nap taking, Jesus loving citizen. But in spite of being ordinary, he married his true love, Suzanne and they have three dynamic boys: Caleb, Connor and Colton. Dan holds a Masters degree from Trinity International University and started The Well Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. To learn more visit www.danstanford.net.