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Dwight L. Moody

DWIGHT L. MOODY (1837-1899) was a highly acclaimed late 19th century evangelist. He founded the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago in 1886 and the Bible Institute Colportage Association, now Moody Publishers, in 1894. From training women, to reaching out to lost children, to bridging the gap between denominations, D.L. Moody was unlike any other. He is author of a number of books including Christ in You, Heaven, Men God Challenged, and Spiritual Power. His life is also chronicled in A Passion for Souls: The Life of D.L. Moody by Lyle Dorsett. He and his wife, Emma, had three children.

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William P. Dillon

BILL DILLON serves as founder and President of People Raising which focuses on providing fundraising training for missionaries, church planters and Christian organizations. He also is the founder and Executive Director of Inner City Impact in Chicago. Bill's family has served Chicago's Inner City since 1918 and he is third generation inner city minister. In 2005 he was honored by Moody Bible Institute as Alumnus of the Year. He is married, has three grown children and seven grandchildren. He resides in Des Plaines, Illinois.

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Francena H. Arnold

FRANCENA H. ARNOLD was a schoolteacher, talented storyteller, mother of four children, and author of ten novels. Her first, Not My Will, was originally written "just for the eyes of the family" and has since sold more than 500,000 copies. Her other novels include Then Am I Strong, Three Shall Be One, Brother Beloved, Straight Down Crook Lane, The Road Winds On, Fruit for Tomorrow, and Light in My Window. Raised in rural Illinois, Francena lived with her husband, Frank, in the Chicago area.

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Ray Pritchard

RAY PRITCHARD serves as the president of Keep Believing Ministries. He is a graduate of Tennessee Temple University (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.) and Talbot School of Theology (D.Min.). Ministering extensively overseas, speaking at conferences, and appearing on Christian radio and television talk shows, Dr. Pritchard focuses on evangelism and encouragement to spread the hope of Jesus Christ through all the world. For 27 years he pastored churches in Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago, and most recently served at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois. Dr. Pritchard is the author of 27 books, including An Anchor for the Soul, Stealth Attack, Names of the Holy Spirit, and Credo. Ray and his wife, Marlene, have three sons.

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Marvin J. Newell

MARV NEWELL (D. Miss. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the Executive Director of CrossGlobal Link (formerly IFMA). Prior to that he was professor of Missions and Intercultural Studies at the Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago and he currently still serves as an adjunct professor. Previously, he and his wife, Peggy, served as missionaries for 21 years with TEAM, first as field missionaries in Papua (Irian Jaya), Indonesia and then Marv served as Asia-Pacific Regional Director. He is author of A Martyr's Grace: Stories of Those Who Gave All for Christ and His Cause. Marv has also written Commissioned – What Jesus Wants You To Know As You Go (2010).

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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.

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Lin Johnson

LIN JOHNSON is Managing Editor of The Christian Communicator, Advanced Christian Writer and Church Libraries and is the author and co-author of more than 60 books, including Christian Education: Foundations for the Future, Extracting the Precious from 2nd Corinthians, Encouraging Others, and The Book of John from The Smart Guide to the Bible Series. Lin specializes in Bible curriculum and is a Gold Medallion Book Award recipient. She also directs the Write-to-Publish Conference in the Chicago area and teaches at writers' conferences across the country and internationally. Lin resides in Elgin, Illinois.

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Robert L. Hubbard

ROBERT L. HUBBARD (A.B, Wheaton College; B.D., Fuller Theological Seminary; M.A., Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School) is Professor of Biblical Literature at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL. He also taught at Denver Seminary and served as a chaplain on active duty in the United States Navy and in the United States Naval Reserve. Dr. Hubbard is author of The Book of Ruth: New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1988), which received the Christianity Today Critics Choice Award as the best commentary of 1989.

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William D. Thrasher

BILL THRASHER serves as the lead faculty member in the Master's Program in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship at Moody Theological Seminary. He is a frequent speaker for churches and retreats across the country. His ministry interests include campus discipleship, singles ministry, and evangelism. He is author of Believing God for His Best, A Journey to Victorious Praying, Principles of Christian Living from Romans 5-8, The Attributes of God in Pauline Theology, Living the Life God Has Planned, Putting God Back into the Holidays, and God As He Wants You to Know Him. Bill and his wife, Penny, live in the Chicago area and have three sons—Will, Michael, and David. His website is www.victoriouspraying.com.

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Margaret McSweeney

MARGARET McSWEENEY lives with her husband, David, and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master’s degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Margaret is the editor of Pearl Girls, author of A Mother’s Heart Knows and co-author of Go Back and Be Happy. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She has served on the board of directors for WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger) for over six years.

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J. Paul Nyquist

DR. PAUL NYQUIST was the 9th president of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago&#8212a higher education and media ministry founded by evangelist D. L. Moody in 1886. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Studies and received a Th.M. and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books including Prepare: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture.

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Dr Issam Smeir

DR. ISSAM SMEIR is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who specializes in trauma treatment for refugees, victims of torture, and severely abused and neglected children. He holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College and a Doctoral Degree in Counseling and Clinical Supervision from Northern Illinois University, and has done post doctorate training in trauma and refugee issues at Harvard University. He has worked for World Relief since 2001, serving refugees and other immigrants from dozens of countries of origin. Prior to joining World Relief, Issam worked with several missions and relief organizations. Originally from the country of Jordan, Issam now lives in Suburban Chicago with his wife and four sons.

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Deborah E Gorton, PhD

DEBORAH GORTON (B.A. Arizona State University; M.A., Ph.D. Fuller Theological Seminary) is the Gary Chapman Chair of Marriage, Family Ministry, and Therapy at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School. For more than fourteen years Deb has worked as a change agent for individuals, organizations, and emerging leaders, helping them refine, embrace, and thrive in their purpose. Built on the foundation of relationship, her core philosophy is that collaboration in community produces radical transformation. She resides in Chicago and loves the Cubs. If she's not home in the city or traveling for work, you're likely to find her with family in Colorado, Oregon, or Oklahoma.

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Kerwin A Rodriguez

KERWIN A. RODRIGUEZ is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Studies at Moody Bible Institute where he teaches homiletics, spiritual formation, and cultural dynamics for congregational ministry. He has an MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Seminary and is currently completing a PhD at Baylor University's Truett Seminary with a particular interest in Latino preaching. Kerwin is passionate about preaching and teaching others to preach. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Meredith and their two children, Ezra Joel and Elias Rowe.

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Amanda Cleary Eastep

AMANDA CLEARY EASTEP is not related to Beverly Cleary, but wishes she were. She is, however, a children's author, and the Tree Street Kids is her middle grade series. Amanda knows kids because she's still one at heart. When she is forced to act like an adult, she edits nonfiction books by grownup authors. She lives and writes in the mountains of North Carolina but has spent most of her life in the suburbs of Chicago where her characters now live.

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Joshua Sherif

JOSHUA SHERIF was born in Egypt to a Muslim family and immigrated to the United States, where he later came to faith in Jesus. For the past decade, he has planted and pastored in Albany Park, Chicago, IL, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country. His congregation represents more than thirty nationalities, speaking twenty languages. Josh has enjoyed his years equipping and coaching other missionaries and pastors around the world. His story was featured in Love Costs Everything, a documentary produced by CIY and Voice of the Martyrs, concerning Christian persecution.

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