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DR. PHILIP NATION is the Director of Content Development with the Resources Division of LifeWay Christian Resources. He is also the Teaching Pastor for The Fellowship and Assistant Professor of Leadership and Biblical Studies for Houston Baptist University. He holds a Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School and Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Philip is a frequent speaker in churches and conferences. From 2010 to 2012 he served as the national spokesperson for the "National Back to Church Sunday" campaign for Outreach, Inc. Philip and his wife, Angie, make their home in Tennessee with their two sons, Andrew and Chris.
Read MoreRICK LAWRENCE is Executive Director of Vibrant Faith, a ministry resourcing, training, coaching, and research organization. He’s an award-winning author, journalist, cultural researcher, editor, and national speaker. For many years he led Group Publishing’s Youth Ministry Resourcing Team, and helped launch its “Jesus-Centered” line of adult resources. He also leads a “home church” for young people: Pursuing the Heart of Jesus, Not His Recipes. He’s the general editor of the bestselling Jesus-Centered Bible, and author of many books, including The Suicide Solution, Jesus-Centered Daily, and The Jesus-Centered Life. He’s host of the popular podcast Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus. He’s married to Beverly Rose and has two young-adult daughters, Lucy and Emma.
Read MoreJESSICA THOMPSON is an author of several books including Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Christ and frequent conference speaker. She is part of the podcast Front Porch with the Fitzes, and is the director of church life at RISEN Church in San Diego, California.
Read MoreKATE MCCORD worked in Afghanistan for nine years after the fall of the Taliban. During her years in country, she worked as a humanitarian aid worker, delivering projects to benefit the people of Afghanistan. She also learned the local language and developed deep and lasting friendships with local Afghans. After evacuating from her home in Afghanistan, Ms. McCord transitioned into a mentoring, training, consulting and coaching role to other workers serving in the region. Prior to moving to Afghanistan, Ms. McCord worked in the international corporate community as a business process and strategy consultant.Currently, she serves Christ through writing, speaking, mentoring, and conducting workshops and seminars. She is the author of In the Land of Blue Burqas and Farewell Four Waters, both published by Moody Publishers.
Read MoreLUIS BUSH is a prominent strategist and the originator of the 10/40 Window Movement, which has brought into focus the region of the world with the greatest human suffering combined with the least exposure to the gospel. Born in Argentina and raised in Brazil, Luis has traveled the world over for the sake of the Great Commission. Over the decades, through work with Partners International and AD2000 & Beyond, he and his network of catalysts have mobilized millions of believers to impact the world through devoted prayer and a lifestyle of service. Since 2005, he has served as international facilitator of Transform World Connections based out of Singapore. And since 2009, he has championed the 4/14 Window Movement, which seeks to protect, nurture, and empower children worldwide to embrace the inheritance in Christ. Luis and his wife Doris make their home in the Chicago area near their four adult children and nineteen grandchildren.
Read MoreJOHN D. WOODBRIDGE (Wheaton College; Michigan State University; Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; University of Toulouse, France) is research professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has taught at Trinity since 1970. He previously served as a senior editor of Christianity Today. He is author of a number of books including The Mark of Jesus: Loving in a Way the World Can See, Ambassadors for Christ, and Great Leaders of the Christian Church. Dr. Woodbridge and his wife, Susan, reside in Lake Forest, Illinois, and have three children.
Read MoreCRAIG ALLEN COOPER is a USA Today bestselling author and keynote speaker. He cowrote the book Glad You’re Here with Grammy-nominated country singer-songwriter Walker Hayes. Glad You’re Here instantly became a Publishers Weekly, ECPA, and USA Today national bestseller and has been featured on The Today Show, People magazine, Family Life Radio, and more. Craig served as one of the founding pastors of Redeeming Grace Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and is the founder of Glad You’re Here Ministries. He resides in the greater Nashville area with his lovely wife, Laura, and their four kids. You can follow Craig on Instagram @craigallencooper and learn more at craigallencooper.com.
Read MoreRUTH SCHLEPPI-VERBOOM first heard Joni speak as a teen in the Netherlands and became a lifelong fan. Years later, they met face to face—and heart to heart—after Ruth and her husband, filmmaker Helmut Schleppi, moved to California. There they raised their four children. Now splitting time between the U.S. and the Netherlands, Ruth—storyteller at heart—writes about life, food, travel, God, and everything in between at TruthfullyRuth.com.
Read MoreNOEL CASTELLANOS has worked in full-time ministry in urban communities since 1982. He has served in youth ministry, church planting, and community development in San Francisco, San Jose, and Chicago. Noel is a highly sought after speaker, motivator, and mentor to young leaders throughout the USA, and has a deep passion to serve and invest in the lives of emerging leaders. After serving on the Board of the Christian Community Development Association for many years, he has established the new CCDA Institute, which is working to equip emerging church leaders in the philosophy of Christian Community Development, and currently serves as the CEO of CCDA. He and his wife, Marianne, have three children, and make their home in the barrio of La Villita in Chicago.
Read MoreLOIS EVANS (B.A., Dallas Baptist University; Doctorate of Humane Letters, Eastern College) was Senior Vice President of The Urban Alternative, a national organization that seeks to bring about spiritual and social renewal through the church. Lois also served in the office of the Senior Pastor at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church, on the National Religious Broadcasters Board, and with many other organizations. She was also the founder of The First Lady Ministry.In addition to numerous magazine and newsletter articles, Lois was the author of Stones of Remembrance and Seasons Of A Woman's Life. She co-authored Our Love Is Here To Stay, and was a contributing author of Promises: Understanding and Encouraging Your Husband. Lois was married to her favorite pastor/teacher and best friend, Dr. Tony Evans, Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit www.loisevans.org.
Read MoreT. C. HORTON was the author of a number of books including Wonderful Names of our Wonderful Lord and Personal and Practical Christian Work. He was also the editor of The King's Business from 1910 to 1925. He served as a pastor in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Philadelphia, and Dallas. Rev. Horton was the chairman of the Gospel of John in Every Home campaign and was also responsible for the organization of the Fischermen's Club. He died on February 28, 1932.
Read MoreAVI SNYDER was raised in a conservative Jewish home in New York City and came to a saving faith in Jesus in 1977 with the help of a Jews for Jesus tract and the forthright witness of Christian friends. He graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary, the School of World Mission, with a Masters degree in missiology. Avi has served with Jews for Jesus since 1978 and has provided leadership for branch offices in the US, the UK, the former USSR, Germany, and Hungary. He currently lives with his wife Ruth in Budapest where he serves as the ministry director for Europe and the former USSR. He and Ruth have three grown children.
Read MoreCRICKETT KEETH is the Women's Ministry Director at First Evangelical Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where she writes and teaches the women's Bible studies. She is the author of several published Bible studies, including The Gift of Rest and Sumatra with the Seven Churches (co-authored with Sandra Glahn). Crickett was on staff with Cru for ten years and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. In addition to teaching regularly at her own church, she also speaks at women's conferences and retreats. She offers free resources for discipleship and encourages others in their own walk with God through her website at www.crickettkeeth.com. Her life purpose is to encourage others to passionately pursue Jesus Christ.
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