This site uses cookies to provide you with more responsive and personalized service and to collect certain information about your use of the site. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. If you continue without changing your settings, you agree to our use of cookies. See our Privacy Policy for more information.
DAVID BRICKNER is the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Jews for Jesus. He previously served as the Executive Director and CEO from 1996 – 2024. Born in Massachusetts to Jewish parents, he comes from five generations of Jewish followers of Messiah Yeshua. David considers himself living proof that following Jesus does not require abandoning one’s Jewish identity. David received his theological training at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and earned a BA in Judaica from Northeastern Illinois University. He went on to earn his MA in missiology with an emphasis on Jewish studies from the Fuller School of Intercultural Studies. He is the author of several books, including Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles, Future Hope—A Jewish Christian Look at the End of the World and Does the Jewish Bible Point to Jesus? David has been interviewed on secular and Christian national radio and television shows, including Larry King Live and In the Market with Janet Parshall. David is married to Sabra Brickner and is the proud father of Isaac, Ilana, and Sivan. He is also the proud grandfather of Norah, Levy, and Itai.
Read MoreAUSTIN PRYOR is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky where he received a B.S. degree in Banking and Finance in 1967. Pryor founded his own investment management firm, Forum Investment Counselors, in 1978 where he saw his average client account more than triple in value during its first five years of operations. He is an American financial writer, speaker, and radio personality whose work focuses on investment counseling from an evangelical Christian point of view. In 1990 he founded the Sound Mind Investing newsletter to help Christians apply biblical financial and investing principles in specific ways to their personal situations. His written articles appear regularly on www.SoundMindInvesting.com as well as the Crosswalk, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Crown Financial Ministries websites.Pryor has been married to his wife, Susie, for 50 years; they have three grown children and ten grandchildren.
Read MoreC. DONALD COLE served as a host and commentator on Moody Radio’s Open Line for 26 years before retiring in 2008. He previously served on the faculty at Emmaus Bible College and as a missionary in Angola with his wife, Naomi. Pastor Cole is the author of a number of books, including How to Know You’re Saved and All You Need to Believe: The Apostle’s Creed. Pastor and Mrs. Cole live in Carol Stream, Illinois.
Read MoreGWYNNE JOHNSON (M.A., Dallas Theological Seminary), a popular conference and retreat speaker, demonstrates in her writing strong communication skills and extensive practical ministry to women. She is the author of So You’re Moving, Women Mentoring Women: Ways to Start, Maintain, and Expand a Biblical Women's Ministry, and contributed to More Than Conquerors. Gwynne lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Don. They have one daughter and two grandchildren.
Read MoreJOHN R. KOHLENBERGER III (Th.B., Multnomah Bible College; M.A., Western Seminary) is the author or co-editor of more than five dozen biblical reference books and study Bibles, including the awarding-winning NIV Exhaustive Concordance and The NIV Bible Commentary. John currently divides his time between writing and Bible design and typesetting.
Read MoreThe late PAUL HUTCHENS, one of evangelical Christianity's most prolific authors, went to be with the Lord on January 23, 1977. Mr. Hutchens, an ordained Baptist minister, served as an evangelist and itinerant preacher for many years. Best known for his Sugar Creek Gang series, Hutchens was a 1927 graduate of Moody Bible Institute. He was the author of 19 adult novels, 36 books in the Sugar Creek Gang series, and several booklets for servicemen during World War II. Mr. Hutchens and his wife, Jane, were married 52 years. They had two children and four grandchildren.
Read MoreBEV HISLOP (D. Min., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) has recently served as Professor of Pastoral Care for Women and the Executive Director of the Women's Center for Ministry at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. She also served on the board of Network of Women in Leadership and was the former host of the weekly radio program Western Connection for Women. Bev has authored Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues, and What You Need to Know to Truly Help, and Shepherding a Woman's Heart: A New Model for Effective Ministry to Women. She is also a contributing author to Tending the Soul and Women's Ministry Handbook. Bev and her husband, Jim, have two married children and six grandchildren.
Read MoreJIM VAN YPEREN (B.A. ,Wheaton College; M.A., Wheaton Graduate School) is the Founder and Executive Director of Metanoia Ministries, a non-profit Christian ministry serving evangelical churches in conflict reconciliation and leadership formation. Jim is the author of Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict. He and his wife, Sharon, reside on a small sheep farm in East Washington, New Hampshire. They have two adult children.
Read MoreSTEVE 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.
Read MoreJEN BARRICK is an inspirational speaker who travels all over the country, with her mother Linda, sharing their miraculous story of faith, hope, and forgiveness. She suffered a traumatic brain injury over a decade ago when her family's van was struck head-on by a drunk driver going 80 miles per hour. Even though Jen still suffers from vision impairment and memory loss, she knows there is no limit to what God can accomplish through her life. She completed a diploma from the Institute of Biblical Studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Connect with Jen and Linda at hopeoutloud.com.
Read MoreLEE ELLIS is the President and Founder of Leadership Freedom and FreedomStar Media. He serves as a management consultant in leadership development and team-building. Lee is the author of a number of books, including Finding the Career that Fits You, Your Career in Changing Times, and Leading Talent Leading Teams. He and his wife, Mary, reside in Dawsonville, Georgia. They have four children and six grandchildren.
Read MoreANTHONY G. BOLLBACK Anthony Bollback was born into a Christian home that always entertained missionaries. He received Christ at age 16 after a near-drowning incident at a summer youth conference. Beginning his missionary career in China, he and his wife Evelyn, were forced to evacuate when the Communists took over, and three years later began serving in Japan for five years. The remainder of his 24 years in Asia was spent in Hong Kong where he planted and directed 10 chapels and schools with 10,000 students. He served as Field Chairman of the China-Hong Kong Field of The Christian and Missionary Alliance for four years. Unexpectedly, God changed his direction and sent him to Honolulu for a most effective ministry as pastor of Kapahulu Bible Church. He retired from active ministry after serving as District Superintendent of the Mid-America District C&MA for 9 very productive years. Following retirement in Florida, he began an active writing career and the publishing of a very popular series of 6 books based on his experiences in China for children entitled Jack and Jenny Mystery Series. His most popular adult books based on the persecution of the church in China are the two-book series entitled The Persecuted Church in China: Red Runs the River, Vol. 1 and Exiles of Hope, Vol. 2.He continues a very active ministry of writing and speaking that includes a monthly e-letter called China Clippings. In addition he serves on the Church Board and is an Elder in the church.
Read MoreMANNY MILL is chief executive officer of Koinonia House® National Ministries (KHNM)m whose mission is to bridge the gap between the Christian inmate and the local church. For almost 25 years, KHNM has been facilitating the integration of the former inmate into the church, workplace, and society through biblical discipleship. Manny graduated from Wheaton College (B.A., M.A.) and has been privileged to proclaim the Gospel in churches, schools, conferences, and especially behind prison walls in the United States and abroad. The father of five adult children and grandfather of six, Manny resides with his wife, Barbara, in Wheaton, IL.
Read MoreHANS FINZEL (D.Miss., Fuller School of World Missions; Th. M., Dallas Theological Seminary) is the president of HDLeaders. He served for 20 years as president of WorldVenture (formerly CBInternational). He and his wife, Donna, spent ten years as missionaries in Eastern Europe, working with WorldVenture to train pastors behind the Iron Curtain. Hans is the author of ten books, including Change is Like a Slinky, Launch Your Encore, The Power of Passion in Leadership, Unlocking the Scriptures, and his bestseller The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make. He co-authored The Top Ten Ways to Love Your Wife with his wife. He is the host of the Leadership Podcast, The Leadership Answer Man and is a widely sought-after speaker as an expert in leadership development, change management and international studies. The Finzels make their home in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and have four children.
Read MoreGARY 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.
Read MoreMARK H. SENTER III contributed to or edited three generations of Moody Press youth ministry text books, the most recent of which is the Gold Medallion Book Award winning, Reaching a Generation for Christ, co-edited with Richard R. Dunn. He has authored five other books. Recognized as the leading historian of Protestant youth ministry in America, Senter was honored by the Association of Youth Ministry Educators with the Distinguished Youth Ministry Educator Award in 2011. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute who earned his PhD at Loyola University, Chicago, Senter is Professor Emeritus at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.
Read More