Richard Brown

RICH BROWN Rich and his wife Janet have served together in churches in the Midwest and the Seattle area. He and Janet have three adult children; Rich III, Jenna, and Ryan. In 2003, Rich transitioned from serving as Pastor of Student Ministries to become Associate Professor within the Department of Church Ministries at his alma-mater, Liberty University. It is in this context of mentoring, equipping, and teaching the next generation of youth ministry leaders where he ministers to the college students God has placed in his life. Along with his residential teaching load, he also teaches online to adult learners. He has developed a number of youth ministry courses, including published work texts.

Barbara Leeman

DAVID & BARBARA LEEMAN are both graduates of Biola University School of Music. David is a retired director of music and worship, and Barbara teaches elementary age music at a private Christian School in Dallas, TX. Together they wrote and published Hosanna, Loud Hosannas a student hymnal that is widely used in churches, Christian schools, and homes.

Jerry Dunn

JERRY DUNN was a recognized authority on alcoholism and alcoholics. He had lectured extensively on this subject at special conferences for pastors, medical students, and doctors. Pastor Dunn was executive director of People's City Mission Home in Lincoln, Nebraska and also served as president of the International Union of Gospel Missions. Pastor Dunn is author of Alcoholics Victorious and God is for the Alcoholic. He passed away in August 2001.

Moody Publishers

Hannah Farver

HANNAH FARVER is a college student, writer, website blogger, speech and debate coach, and she has even been interviewed on ABC. She also embarked on a national conference tour for young women. Like most people her age she doesn’t know exactly what the future holds, but for now she is planning on a career in media—and more writing, of course. She lives outside Dallas, Texas.

David Leeman

DAVID & BARBARA LEEMAN are both graduates of Biola University School of Music. David is a retired director of music and worship, and Barbara teaches elementary age music at a private Christian School in Dallas, TX. Together they wrote and published Hosanna, Loud Hosannas a student hymnal that is widely used in churches, Christian schools, and homes.

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.

Lianna Davis

LIANNA DAVIS is a student of the Word with a B.A. in Ministry to Women from Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, Tyler, reside outside of Dallas, Texas and have two dear daughters, one who lives in heaven and one who lives on earth. More of her writing can be found at www.liannabdavis.com.

About

08.25.2015

Christmas Carol Kauffman

CHRISTMAS CAROL KAUFMAN received her unique name in honor of her Christmas morning birth in 1901 in Elkhart, Indiana. She was raised in a Mennonite home and spent some time as a student at Goshen College. When she was 22, she married Norman Hostetler. However, tragedy struck when two months after their second anniversary, Norman was killed in an electrical accident. She worked in a sewing shop following the wake of her loss, but in 1928, her bishop recommended that she get away for a while and enroll as a Bible student at Hesston College. It was there that she met the man who would be her life partner—Nelson Kaufman. The two were married in 1929. Five years later they were commissioned by the Mennonite General Mission Board to start a mission church in Hannibal, Missouri. It was in their 22-year ministry in Missouri that she found the inspiration to write her many novels. In 1956, they returned to Elkhart where Kaufman wrote her last several books. She died in Elkhart on January 30, 1969.

Micah Fries

MICAH FRIES is the Senior Pastor of Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN. Micah is married to Tracy and they have two daughters, Grace and Kessed, and a son, Haddon. Prior to serving at Brainerd, he worked for LifeWay Christian Resources, served as a Senior Pastor in Missouri, as an international church planter in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and as a Youth Director in Dothan, AL. He holds a Master of Divinity, a Bachelor of Arts, and is currently a Ph.D. student, studying North American Missiology. He is the author of a commentary on Haggai and Zephaniah in the Christ-Centered Commentary Series. Micah, along with Dr. Keith Whitfield, contributed and co-edited Islam and North America.

Rian Roux

Originally from South Africa, RIAN ROUX spent his adolescence in a small fishing and farming community in the far north of Australia. Intrigued by the stories that shape our lives, he travelled widely and pursued studies in Applied Science, Education, and Theology. After a year at Oxford University, he commenced a PhD in Australia with a focus on transformative learning and student leadership development in higher education. Rian has experience in pastoral ministry, teaching, and business and currently lives and works in Toowoomba with his wife, Sally, and their three children.

Ruth Paxson

RUTH PAXSON (1889-1949) was Bible teacher, missionary, and author. Born in Manchester, Iowa, she graduated from the State University of Iowa and then attended Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute. She served as YWCA secretary for Iowa and eventually traveled as secretary for the Student Volunteer Movement. In 1911, Ruth sailed for the mission field in China, sponsored by the YWCA. Health concerns forced her to leave China soon thereafter and she then taught Bible in Europe and the United States until her death. She is author of several books, including Life on the Highest Plane and Caleb the Overcomer.

David Fisher

DAVID FISHER is a missionary radio broadcaster working jointly with Trans World Radio and the Slavic Gospel Association. He is director and editor-in-chief of Radio Academy of Science (RADAS). Fisher believed that scientific atheism was preventing many from accepting Christ, so he began writing scripts for a broadcast which countered atheistic spins on scientific issues, and included interviews with believers professionally involved in the sciences. Nearly 30 years later, TWR’s Truth in the Test Tube program and webcast continues to make a difference in the lives of students and young adults. He is co-author of Scientists Who Believed with Eric Barrett.

Bryan O'Neal

BRYAN O'NEAL (M.A., Purdue University; Ph.D., Purdue University) is the Vice President and Dean of Moody Distance Learning, as well as Interim Dean of Moody Undergraduate School. He relishes the opportunity to partner with the Moody students, staff, and faculty in the challenge of loving God with all our minds. He edited and contributed to Standing Firm: The Doctrinal Commitments of Moody Bible Institute and was a contributor to The Moody Handbook of Preaching, Proclaiming Jesus, and The Moody Bible Commentary. He and his wife Denise have been married for over 30 years and have three wonderful daughters and one wonderful granddaughter.

Kimberly Wagner

KIMBERLY WAGNER is the author of Fierce Women: The Power of a Soft Warrior. Spreading God's glory is Kim's deepest passion. Her desire for women to connect with Christ is woven through everything she writes. You can read her daily blog at www.KimberlyWagner.org where she encourages women to be students of the Word. Kim is a frequent guest on the Revive our Hearts radio program, as well as a regular contributor to the True Woman blog. She is an author, a women's conference speaker, and a blogger. She is married to her favorite pastor, LeRoy Wagner, and they enjoy hanging out with their adult children and growing tribe of grandchildren!