Valerie Bell

STEVE and VALERIE BELL have been married and in ministry together for over 30 years. Steve is currently an executive vice-president of the Willow Creek Association. Valerie travels widely as a conference speaker, making frequent guest appearances on radio and television. Valerie is the author of seven books, and co-author with her husband of three books: Made to be Loved and Faith-Shaped Kids, and Real Survivors. Steve and Valerie live in Wheaton, Illinois; they have two grown sons.

Ben Connelly

BEN CONNELLY is a pastor, author, equipper, and occasional professor. He is honored to serve everyday disciples, ministry leaders, and church planters across the world through The Equipping Group, and to help lead Salt+Light Community and Plant Fort Worth, TX. Ben has written or contributed to several books, workbooks, articles, and publications, has overseen church planting efforts for multiple organizations, and has also taught university and seminary classes. He and Jess have three children and at times host short-term foster kids too. Learn more at www.benconnelly.com, or @connellyben on various social media platforms.

Sarah Cunningham

SARAH CUNNINGHAM is an idea junkie who blogs about extraordinary friendships in a sometimes too ordinary world. She and her husband, Chuck, live in southern Michigan, where they serve as chief servants to the Emperor Justus, her 3 year old son and his newly-appointed chief of staff, the 5-month old, Malachi. She has authored three other books, does freelance event and communications work and attends a Wesleyan church plant that meets at her city's YMCA.

Ruthie Delk

RUTHIE DELK'S passion is to help women embrace the Gospel in such a way that it captures their hearts and not just their minds. She enjoys teaching, watching movies, drinking sweet tea, riding her bike and eating any assortment of cheap chocolate. Ruthie grew up in Europe as a missionary kid and met her husband David while at Furman University, where she graduated with a degree in Special Education. She and David have been married for 24 years and live in Orlando, Florida where he is President of Man in the Mirror. They have three children.

Kim Erickson

KIM ERICKSON began following Christ after the death of her three-year-old son in 2008. Kim began a writing and teaching ministry to help other women, which can be found at www.KimAErickson.com. She is the author of His Last Words: What Jesus Taught and Prayed in His Final Hours and Surviving Sorrow, as well as a contributor to Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts. Kim is an attorney and practices immigration law. She lives in Florida with her husband, Devin, and son, Ethan.

R. E. Hough

Joy Jacobs

JOY JACOBS was a graduate of Messiah College and a popular seminar speaker. A gifted writer, teacher and counselor, Joy was also very involved in her husband Bob's ministries--The Jacobs Brothers Evangelistic Association and the King's Kids' Camp. Joy and Bob have three sons, all of whom are in ministry. She has authored five books, including a series of devotional books on Old and New Testament women. It is through her writings that Joy's ministry continues today.

Kathy Koch, PhD

DR. KATHY KOCH (pronounced “cook”) is the founder of Celebrate Kids, Inc., where she uses her expertise in educational psychology to help parents inspire children in their unique strengths and to thrive in their identity. She is a prolific author and sought after speaker, known for addressing contemporary challenges in parenting and education with practical, faith-integrated strategies through books and nationwide speaking engagements. Her work emphasizes the integration of Christian principles, aiming to foster character growth, identity formation, and spiritual development in children. You can learn more and access her podcasts, books, and more at www.CelebrateKids.com.

F. B. Meyer

F. B. MEYER (1847-1929) was an internationally known British minister of the Gospel, a public servant, and an evangelist for more than sixty years. A good friend of D. L. Moody, he began preaching at Christ Church in London, when there were only 100 regular attendees. Within two years he was preaching regularly to over 2,000 people. Charles Spurgeon once spoke of him, saying "Meyer preaches as a man who has seen God face to face." Meyer was also active in the temperance movement, worked to close more than 500 houses of prostitution, and formed a prison aid society. Meyer authored more than 40 books, including biographies, devotional commentaries, sermon volumes and expository works. He also authored several pamphlets and edited a number of magazines.

Gil Mertz

GIL MERTZ is Assistant to the President at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. He has been involved with full-time Christian service for nearly forty years and draws from a vast background of ministry with international missions, humanitarian causes, public policy, and consulting. He is a former pastor and radio talk show host. His daily commentaries on forgiveness have been broadcast on more than 300 stations across America. Gil and his wife Patricia reside in southern California and have three children and three grandchildren.

J. P. Moreland

J.P. MORELAND (B.S. University of Missouri, Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary, M. A. University of California-Riverside, and Ph.D. University of Southern California) is the Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University in La Mirada, California. He has co-planted three churches and he and his wife Hope attend Vineyard Anaheim church and are deeply committed to the body of believers there.

Jasmine Mullen

JASMINE MULLEN is a writer and singer from Nashville, TN, and she was born to musical parents. Her mom is singer Nicole C. (Mullen) and her dad is a songwriter named David Mullen. She credits her love of words to their influence. Most of the time, Jasmine is writing songs or touring with her band, The New Respects, which she created with Zandy Mowry and Darius Fitzgerald. When she’s not creating music, she’s usually writing a story or daydreaming one up. Her hobbies include eating too much pizza, playing with her nieces and nephews, and laughing till she cries with her dearest and closest people.

Maxine Marsolini

MAXINE MARSOLINI is a free-lance writer, author, poet, pastor’s wife and homemaker. Maxine, author of Raising Children in Blended Families: Helpful Insights, Expert Opinions, True Stories and Blended Families: Creating Harmony as You Build a New Home Life, writes from what she calls “wisdom born of pain” through the difficult soil of a blended home. She and her husband Charlie, reside in the state of Oregon where they serve in ministry together working with couples who are struggling with relationship and financial issues. Maxine and Charlie have seven children in their blended family.

Rob Martin

ROB MARTIN has been involved in Christian ministry since his conversion in 1976. He first served as the editor of a Christian publication and then for six years with the Orange County Rescue Mission, Orange County, CA, before becoming General Manager of Fieldstead & Company, a private philanthropy of Howard and Robert Ahmanson. He later served as Executive Director of First Fruit, Inc. and has been with this organization in a full time capacity since 2009, serving ministries and colleague foundations as a coach on a variety of organizational issues. Rob was educated as a journalist, and spent his formative career years in newspaper work. He and his wife, Bev, have raised three daughters and reside at Useless Bay on Whidbey Island, WA.

Marvin J. Newell

MARV NEWELL (D. Miss. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the Executive Director of CrossGlobal Link (formerly IFMA). Prior to that he was professor of Missions and Intercultural Studies at the Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago and he currently still serves as an adjunct professor. Previously, he and his wife, Peggy, served as missionaries for 21 years with TEAM, first as field missionaries in Papua (Irian Jaya), Indonesia and then Marv served as Asia-Pacific Regional Director. He is author of A Martyr's Grace: Stories of Those Who Gave All for Christ and His Cause. Marv has also written Commissioned – What Jesus Wants You To Know As You Go (2010).

Gilbert Peterson