Chase Replogle

CHASE REPLOGLE is the pastor of Bent Oak Church in Springfield, Missouri. He holds a degree in Biblical Studies and an M.A. in New Testament from The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. He is currently a D.Min. student in The Sacred Art of Writing at Western Theological Seminary. His work draws from history, psychology, literature, and a rich narrative approach to Scripture to help readers think more deeply about faith and life. He has written for Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Ekstatis, Bible Engagement Project, and Influence Magazine. A native of the Ozark woods, he enjoys being outdoors with his wife and two kids, sailing, playing the mandolin (badly), and quail hunting with his bird dog Millie.

Esther Ahn Kim

ESTHER AHN KIM was a Korean Christian who spent six years (1939-1945) in Japanese prisons during WWII as a result of her faith. As she prepared to be martyred, Miss Ahn’s courageous activities in prison brought the light of the Gospel to many, and resulted in a reduction of the brutal torture Christians were subjected to. After her release she was married to Don Kim, and the couple toured Europe and the United States speaking of God’s sustaining power during those harrowing years. She is author of If I Perish. Her story was published in Korea and Japan, where it became a national sensation, reaching number three on the all-time religious bestseller list.

Janet Morris

Colin S. Smith

COLIN SMITH is President of Open the Bible and Pastor Emeritus of The Orchard Church in northwest suburban Chicago. He can be heard daily on the radio broadcast Open the Bible, and at openthebible.org. Colin is the author of many books, including: Fly Through the Bible, Heaven, How I Got Here, and Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes. He is married to Karen, and they have two married sons and five granddaughters.

Chris Pappalardo

CHRIS PAPPALARDO, PhD, is the author and cofounder of GoodKind, the makers of Advent Blocks, an organization that helps people cultivate the good kind of habits and holiday celebrations. Chris is a pastor, editor, and writer at The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, NC, area. He is married to Jenn and is the proud dad of Lottie (who wants to save the planet) and Teddy (who wants you to read him another book).

Jessica Thompson

JESSICA 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.

Charles E. Hurlburt

CHARLES E. HURLBURT was a former president of Pennsylvania Bible Institute (now Philadelphia Biblical University) and was also among the founders of the Africa Inland Mission in 1895. He is credited with convincing the Belgian government to allow Christian missionaries into the Congo. He is co-author of Names of Christ.

Kyle Tennant

KYLE TENNANT is the Director of Student Ministries at the Village Church of Bartlett in Bartlett, IL. He is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Christian Formation and Ministry from Wheaton Graduate School. Kyle lives in Chicago's west suburbs, and enjoys reading, writing, preaching, eating, cooking, and good conversation.

Tommy Shelton

TOMMY SHELTON grew up joyfully as the son of a pastor in North Carolina and is thrilled that God called him to follow in his father’s shepherding footsteps. He loves his wife and six children. He also loves to preach the Bible, pray over people, and build things. Tommy is the pastor of Live Oaks Bible Church in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Harry E. Shields

HARRY SHIELDS has served pastorates in Illinois and Colorado and currently serves on the graduate school faculty of the Moody Bible Institute. He is co-author of Caring for Souls: Counseling under the Authority of Scripture. He and his wife have two adult sons, who are also involved in local church ministries. Harry and his wife, Carol, reside in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Charles W. Shepson

CHARLES W. SHEPSON has served for more than sixty years as pastor, educator and counselor. He is the founder of Fairhaven Ministries, a counseling and retreat center in Tennessee and has served for more than three decades as its president. He is also the founder of the Canadian-based Fairhaven Ministries in British Columbia. He has ministered in thirty-seven countries and has authored fifteen books.

Robert Clark

ROBERT E. CLARK (Omaha Baptist Bible College; Wheaton College; Omaha University; University of Denver) served for 22 years as professor of Christian education at Moody Bible Institute, Chicago. He is now engaged in Christian education ministry at the local church level. He is the general editor of Childhood Education in the Church. Clark resides in Lakewood, Colorado.

Joy Riley

D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A. is board-certified in internal medicine and has a master's degree in bioethics from Trinity International University. The executive director of The Tennessee Center for Bioethics & Culture, she writes and speaks on a variety of bioethics topics, with special interest in reproductive technologies, medical ethics, and stem cell research. She and her husband, an obstetrician/gynecologist, have three sons and live in Brentwood, TN.

Kurt Bjorklund

KURT BJORKLUND was educated at Wheaton College, Trinity International University, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. After serving two churches in the Chicago area, Kurt served as a Senior Pastor in a church in southeastern Michigan for a decade. He is currently the senior pastor of Orchard Hill Church, a large non-denominational church outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Faith live with their four sons in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.