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.
RAMON PRESSON, PhD, a licensed marriage & family therapist, has been in practice for 30 years and is the founder of LifeChange Counseling and Marriage Center of Franklin. He is a newspaper columnist; and with a dozen books in print he is the most published practicing therapist in Tennessee. He is a charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. From 1989 to 2004 Presson served as an assistant pastor in large churches in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Ramon has had the unique privilege to serve on staff with and later co-author several books with Dr. Gary Chapman. He is currently co-authoring the teen edition of When Will My Life Not Suck? Authentic Hope for the Disillusioned with his 17-year-old son, Cameron. Ramon and his wife, Dorne, have been married for 28 years, have two sons, and live outside Nashville. He can be reached at ramonpresson@gmail.com.
Read MoreOGHOSA IYAMU, the daughter of Nigerian parents, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and content creator passionate about sharing the life and mission of Jesus Christ. In addition to over twelve years in full-time ministry, Oghosa has studied at Dallas Theological Seminary, later graduating from Southwestern Theological Seminary, where she earned her Master of Divinity degree. She has written for YouVersion, She Reads Truth, Lifeway, Radical (a ministry by David Platt), Lies Young Women Believe, and many other platforms. Oghosa resides in Atlanta, GA. To learn more about Oghosa and to stay connected, please visit oghosaiyamu.com.
Read MoreSTEVE DEWITT has served as Senior Pastor of Bethel Church since 1997. Bethel is a nondenominational church located in NW Indiana/Chicagoland and ministers to its community across multiple campuses. Steve is on the council of The Gospel Coalition and is a board member of Global Action. His teaching ministry can be heard on his popular podcast and media ministry The Journey. Steve and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of two daughters.
Read MoreAuthor and speakerMARLA ALUPOAICEI (Dallas Theological Seminary) serves as the Director for Leap of Faith Ministries, an intercultural marriage support ministry in Frisco, Texas. Marla has authored or co-authored over twenty books and Bible study guides, including Taking the Intercultural Leap, Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca, and In the Flow: Spiritual Insights for Living a More Creative Life, as well as numerous nonfiction articles and poems. Marla has fifteen-plus years of ministry, teaching, and speaking experience with a variety of organizations. Currently she works as a staff writer for East-West Ministries, a grace-based church planting organization in Addison, Texas. Marla and her husband, Catalin, whom she met while on a missions trip to Romania in 1998, have been married for 7 years and currently reside in Texas.
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 MoreMELINDA SCHMIDT graduated from Moody Bible Institute and holds a B.S. in Broadcasting-Bible from Calvary Bible College. She has served with Moody Radio since 1980 in various hosting capacities. She is now a co-host of the radio talk show for women, Midday Connection (www.middayconnection.org) . Melinda has served as an editor and contributing author to Come to Our Table: A Midday Connection Cookbook, Daily Seeds from Women who Walk in Faith, and Tending the Soul. Married to Dave, they are parents of two young adults, Kelly and Kevin.
Read MoreDOUGLAS GEHMAN attended Goshen College and Fuller Theological Seminary, and completed Master's and Doctorate degrees in Missions at Liberty Christian University in Pensacola, FL. Since 1994, Doug has served with Globe International, a mission-sending agency based in Pensacola, FL. He became the Director in 2001 and the President in 2004. Doug loves coaching and mentoring emerging leaders, helping them discover their giftings and life direction. Doug and Beth have ministered in neary sixty nations. They have four married children and eleven grandchildren. Doug is the author of three books. The most recent is their family's story, called White Picket Fences. He loves writing, surfing, cycling, walking, and spending time with his family.
Read MoreAARON MENIKOFF is the Senior Pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. Before entering pastoral ministry, he served as a legislative assistant for the late United States Senator Mark O. Hatfield. He earned an M.Div. and a Ph.D. at Southern Seminary where he studied Christian social engagement during the Second Great Awakening. He is the author of Politics and Piety: Baptist Social Reform in America, 1770-1860 (Pickwick, 2014). Aaron has a heart for encouraging pastors. He organizes a yearly conference called Feed My Sheep, leads a monthly pastors fellowship in his area, and is Visiting Lecturer in Church History at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta. He is married to Deana and is the father of Rachel, Jonah, Natalie, and Tori.
Read MoreDR. BRIAN FIKKERT (PhD, Yale University) is the Founder and President of the Chalmers Center at Covenant College, where he has also served as a Professor of Economics and Community Development since 1997. He has published numerous articles in academic and popular journals and is co-author of six books, including the best-selling When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself. Brian and his wife, Jill, have three adult children.
Read MoreISABEL TOM is a mom, wife, daughter, and retired granddaughter. She is also the author of The Value of Wrinkles: A Young Perspective on How Loving the Old will Change Your Life and creator of the Grandkid Investigator Kit. She has been featured on ABC 7’s Good Morning Washington, and numerous radio shows and podcasts such as Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman and AARP’s Take on Today.Isabel grew up in a multigenerational household and took part in caring for her grandparents, who lived to 98 and 102. Professionally, she has served in the senior living and hospice care field. Isabel holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Maryland. To learn more about Isabel’s work find her at valueofwrinkles.com.
Read MoreDR. MCQUITTY spent his high school years in Paris, Texas where his father served as Senior Minister of a Presbyterian church. Andy is husband to Alice and father to Julie, Elizabeth, Bonnie, Jonathan and Jeffrey. And most recently, grandpa to Drew and Madeline.Andy is an avid reader, tennis court rat, golfer, and writer; but his favorite pastime is spent with his family.He is a graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois and of Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Andy earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1997, receiving the C. Sumner Wemp Award in personal evangelism as well as the John G. Mitchell Award for outstanding scholarship and effectiveness in ministry.Andy has served as a youth pastor in Washington State, and as Associate Pastor of a Bible Church in Garland, Texas. He has faithfully served as Sr. Pastor to Irving Bible Church since 1987.
Read MoreJOHN TRENT, Ph.D., is the Gary D. Chapman Chair of Marriage and Family Ministry and Therapy at Moody Theological Seminary. He works to help train the next generation of family pastors and Christian counselors. He's also the President of StrongFamilies.com, a ministry committed to building strong relationships in these stressful times. Dr. Trent's main focus includes writing and speaking at retreats, conferences, business settings, churches, and seminars across the country. In addition to building family teams, Dr. Trent regularly speaks to corporate America on teambuilding, recruiting and retaining outstanding employees. He has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books for both adults and children, including Love For All Seasons, The Language of Love, and The Blessing. In addition to writing books, Dr. Trent has written numerous articles for both professional and popular publications. He and his wife, Cynthia, live in Scottsdale, Arizona and have two grown daughters.
Read More