Alan Shlemon
Alan Shlemon is a public speaker and author for Stand to Reason, an organization that trains Christians to share their convictions in a persuasive, yet gracious and friendly way. Alan has a unique ability to make complex issues accessible to anyone and is known for teaching on some of the most controversial issues of our time like abortion, evolution, homosexuality, bioethics, and Islam. He has been a guest on both TV and radio and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches, conferences, and college campuses. Alan received his master’s degree in apologetics from Biola University.
Alisa Childers
Alisa Childers is the author of Another Gospel? A book in which she describes the years-long journey she took as she wrestled with questions that struck at the core of the Christian faith and found the truth. She is a wife, mom, author, podcaster, blogger, and speaker. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is currently a respected speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, as well as the host of her popular YouTube channel. Alisa’s story was featured in the documentary, American Gospel: Christ Crucified. She has been published at the Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision Magazine, and the Christian Post. You can connect with Alisa online at alisachilders.com.
Alycia Wood
Alycia Wood graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College with a degree in Criminal Justice and from Marygrove College with a Master’s in Social Justice. She spent two years as a Fellow with RZIM in New England. Alycia’s speaking background is quite diverse. From universities (such as MIT, UCONN, Harvard, University of Massachusetts, Boston University, Dartmouth College, and Brown University), to retreats, from conferences to men’s and women’s prisons, Alycia has addressed major issues surrounding faith to diverse audiences.
Additionally, she has traveled to countries such as Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, volunteering at soup kitchens and orphanages as her passions for “showing Christ” extends beyond her local environment.
In her spare time, Alycia enjoys music and is a lover of all things football and hockey.
Andrew Peterson
Recording artist, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, publisher and award-winning author of The Wingfeather Saga, Andrew Peterson is also founder and president of The Rabbit Room, which has published thirty books to date and fosters community and spiritual formation through music, story and art. Recently launching the film and TV production company, Shining Isle Productions, to produce an animated film based on his bestselling books, his The Warden and the Wolf King (2014) won Children’s Book of the Year in 2015 from WORLD Magazine.
Known for songs like “Dancing In The Minefields,” “Be Kind To Yourself,” “Is He Worthy,” “Don’t You Want To Thank Someone,” “The Silence Of God,” “Nothing To Say,” “You’ll Find Your Way” and more, Peterson has also been named “one of the foremost singer/songwriters around” and has received multiple “best album of the year” nods from critics along with three Dove Award nominations.
Drawing capacity crowds at venues around the world, including numerous sold-out events at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, his annual Christmas tour celebrates its 20th anniversary this season with an all-new recording of his bestselling album, Behold the Lamb of God.
Married for 24 years to his wife Jamie, with whom he has three children, Andrew keeps bees, builds dry stack stone walls, gardens, draws and sleeps in his spare time.
Andrew T. Walker
Andrew T. Walker, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is an Associate Dean in the School of Theology and the Executive Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement at Southern Seminary. He is a Fellow in Christian Political Thought at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and serves as the Managing Editor of WORLD Opinions.
He writes regularly for such outlets as National Review, First Things, Newsweek, WORLD Opinions, The Gospel Coalition, American Reformer, and Public Discourse. He is the author of the award-winning God and the Transgender Debate (now in its second edition), co-author of Marriage Is: How Marriage Transforms Society and Cultivates Human Flourishing, editor of The Gospel for Life series, and author of the award-winning Liberty for All: Defending Everyone’s Religious Freedom in a Secular Age. His most recent publication is Social Conservatism for the Common Good: A Protestant Engagement with Robert P. George. He is currently working on his next book, Faithful Reason: Natural Law Ethics for God’s Glory and Our Good (B&H Academic, 2024). He is also co-editor alongside Ryan T. Anderson of the forthcoming, Five Views on the Natural Law (Zondervan, 2025).
A sought-after speaker and cultural commentator, Walker researches and writes about the intersection of Christian ethics, public theology, and the common good. His academic research interests include natural law theory, human dignity, family stability, church-state studies, and social conservatism. His analysis has been cited in such outlets at The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and many others.
He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Southwest Baptist University. He received his Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Ethics from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. An avid long-distance runner, Andrew resides in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife and three daughters.
Anne Rathbone Bradley
Dr. Anne Rathbone Bradley is the Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute, where she develops and commissions research toward a systematic biblical theology of economic freedom. She is a visiting professor at Georgetown University, and she also teaches at The Institute for World Politics and George Mason University. Additionally, she is a visiting scholar at the Bernard Center for Women, Politics, and Public Policy. Previously, she has taught at Charles University, Prague, and she has served as the Associate Director for the Program in Economics, Politics, and the Law at the James M. Buchanan Center at George Mason University.
She is an editor of and contributing author to IFWE’s recently released book, For the Least of These: A Biblical Answer to Poverty. In her chapter, Dr. Rathbone Bradley examines income inequality from both an economic and biblical perspective and provides guidance to Christians on how to respond, particularly through our vocations.
Dr. Rathbone Bradley’s other academic work has focused on the political economy of terrorism with specific emphasis on the industrial organization of al-Qaeda. Her research has been published in scholarly journals and edited volumes. She is currently working on a book that analyzes the political economy of al-Qaeda post 9/11. Based on her academic research she also worked as an economic analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency’s Office of Terrorism Analysis.
Dr. Rathbone Bradley received her Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University in 2006, during which time she was a James M. Buchanan Scholar.
Follow Anne on Twitter at @Anne_R_Bradley.
Barry Asmus
A Senior Economist at NCPA, Barry Asmus writes, testifies and speaks on political and business issues facing America.
Widely recognized for his views on making the U.S. a world class competitor through total quality management and market incentives, Dr. Asmus has twice been voted the Outstanding Professor of the Year as well as receiving the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Award for Private Enterprise Education.
Whether addressing 30 world business leaders at the home of Harvard’s President, 3,000 farmers in Des Moines, or 7,000 members of the Million Dollar Round Table at Radio City Music Hall, Barry has the ability to package complex economic ideas in simple language, giving Americans a renewed sense of pride in their role as business people, in creating wealth, jobs and a higher standard of living.
As a public speaker, Barry has spoken before hundreds of businesses throughout the world over the past 12 years and continues to promote free enterprise, low taxes, limited government and a strong national defense as part of his message.
Dr. Asmus’ books include: Crossroads: The Great American Experiment; The Space Place; Supermyths: An Almanac of Political Fables; and Clinton Care: Putting Government In Charge Of Your Health.
Barton & Sarah Stone
Barton and Sarah Stone currently live in Englewood Colorado and work together at Valor Christian School. Barton earned his Masters in Christian studies from Denver Seminary and teaches Apologetics, Ethics, and Freshman Bible. Sarah is the Chair of the Freshman Seminar program at Valor. They have been a part of Summit Ministries for the last 17 years as students, staff, coordinators, heads of staff, assistant directors, and lecturers. They are very excited to join the coordinators and staff this year at Summit and participate in what the Lord continues to do through this great ministry.
Bill Brown
Dr. Bill Brown is the Senior Fellow for Worldview and Culture at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Dr. Brown speaks and writes about how Christians should engage the culture with the heart and mind of Christ. He has served as the President of two Christian universities and spoken in over two dozen countries. He is the Executive Producer and teacher of the multiple award-winning DVD series, reView, a worldview curriculum for high schoolers and adults that continues to influence new generations of Christians. He consults with international corporations and ministries on employee development, cultural transitions and strategic planning.
In addition to his extensive speaking schedule, Dr. Brown serves as the Senior Executive of WorldAPP, an international technology firm with offices in Boston, Kiev and London.
Dr. Brown has written over one hundred articles for journals, magazines, newspapers and encyclopedias. He is the author of Making Sense of Your Faith, Where Have All the Dreamers Gone? Observations from a Biblical Worldview, and Making Sense of Your World, a book used by many colleges and universities as an introductory text to worldview/philosophical thinking. His writings have been quoted in various national newspapers and magazines, including Reader’s Digest and Christianity Today. He wrote over fifty articles and notes for Impact: The Student Leadership Study Bible. He also serves as an editor for philosophy textbooks and ethics curriculum.
Bobby Conway
Bobby Conway is lead pastor of LIFE Fellowship Church near Charlotte, NC. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM), Southern Evangelical Seminary (DMin), and a PhD candidate for the University of Birmingham in England. Bobby is the author of Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die?, The Fi5th Gospel, Doubting Towards Faith, and Does God Really Exist?. He is also the founder and host of the One-Minute Apologist (www.oneminuteapologist.com). In addition, Bobby and his wife, Heather, serve on the Family Life “Weekend to Remember” marriage conference speaking team.
Brett Kunkle
BRETT KUNKLE is the founder and president of MAVEN, a movement to equip the next generation to know truth, pursue goodness and create beauty. He has more than 25 years of experience working with junior high, high school, and college students.
Brett has developed a groundbreaking approach to mission trips, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that immerses participants in real-life engagement in apologetics, theology, worldview, and evangelism in Berkeley, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah.
In addition, Brett is a Teaching Fellow at the Impact 360 Institute. He was an associate editor for the Apologetics Study Bible for Students and co-authored A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World. He received his Master’s degree in philosophy of religion and ethics from Talbot School of Theology. Brett lives with his wife and kids in Southern California.
Brian Godawa
Brian Godawa is the screenwriter for the award-winning feature film, To End All Wars, starring Kiefer Sutherland. Previously he adapted to film the best-selling supernatural novel The Visitation by author Frank Peretti, as well as writing and directing several documentaries for PBS and other producers. His popular book, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment is used as a textbook for film analysis in schools around the country. His Amazon best-selling novel series is Chronicles of the Nephilim, an imaginative retelling of the primeval history of Genesis, the fallen Watchers, and the wars of the giants. His website is www.godawa.com.
Caleb Kaltenbach
Caleb is the Lead Pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, CA (a church dedicated to engaging unchurched people). He was born in Columbia, MO and was raised there (as well as Kansas City). When he was in high school, he joined a Bible study to learn how to disprove the Bible, but ended up following Jesus instead. He is the author of Messy Grace: How a Pastor With Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction. He is currently working on his second book that will deal with Christian engagement of current culture.
In addition to holding ministries in Texas, Kansas, and Missouri, Caleb was on staff for 11 years working in the areas of college ministry and discipleship at Shepherd of the Hills Church in Los Angeles. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Eternity Bible College, Hope International University (The Londen Institute), & Dallas Christian College (where he was also on the board of trustees).
Caleb is a graduate of Ozark Christian College, Talbot School of Theology (Biola University), and is working on a Doctor of Ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. He married Amy in 2004, and they have a boy and a girl who are growing up way too fast!
Chad Connelly
Chad Connelly earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clemson University in 1985, where he also was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. After serving as a Tank Officer, he entered the private sector and worked for a national engineering firm for 8 years, managing over 100 employees and over $4 million in revenues before starting his own business. For the next 12 years, he helped entrepreneurs begin and grow their own small businesses, leading to a coaching, speaking, and consulting career. Chad authored a book, Freedom Tide, which has sold over 58,000 copies and he has spoken to thousands of people in a variety of venues across America and in four foreign countries. Chad is passionate about and is active in speaking on issues ranging from American Christian history, free enterprise, and attitude, motivation and goal-setting and is in national demand as a motivational speaker. He is active in his church and community and serves on numerous boards including SC Citizens for Life and Palmetto Family Council. He and his family attend First Baptist of Newberry where he is a Deacon, Sunday School teacher and is Past Chairman of the Church Council. Chad most recently served as the Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, being re-elected overwhelmingly to a second term. Following his re-election, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus tapped him to serve as the Republican National Committee’s First-ever National Director of Faith Engagement. He has since traveled to 40 states and spoken to over 80,000 pastors and faith leaders about the importance of pastoral leadership in the public arena. His work has led to trusted relationships with a wide variety of denominational and organizational ministry leaders across the nation and resulted in the highest evangelical turnout and vote in modern American political history in the 2016 elections. He has appeared on numerous national television shows and has been a featured commentator on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and other networks. Under his leadership the SCGOP set new fundraising records, hosted two nationally televised debates that brought over $50 million in revenue and advertising exposure to the state and held the largest Presidential Preference Primary at that time in South Carolina’s history with over 607,000 voting in the election.
Chad is passionate about America and our true history but is most passionate about his family: his wife Dana and their four children; CJ, who is 19, Leigha, 17, Bennett, 16 and Summer 14. They live in Prosperity, SC.
Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, the largest and fastest growing conservative youth activist organization in the country with over 250,000 student members, over 450 full and part-time staff, and a presence on over 2,000 high school and college campuses nationwide. In 2020, Charlie also served as the Chairman of Students for Trump, which activated hundreds of thousands of new college voters on over 350 campuses in battleground states. His social media reaches over 100 million people per month and according to Axios, he is one of the “top 10 most engaged” Twitter handles in the world. A New York Times and Amazon best-selling author of “The MAGA Doctrine: The Only Ideas that Will Win the Future,” Charlie is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast, which regularly ranks among the top-10 news shows on Apple podcast charts. As of October 2020, Charlie took his podcast to broadcast, and became the host of the new, nationally syndicated daily radio show on the Salem Radio Network live from 12 – 3 PM ET.
Chris Brooks
Chris Brooks is the senior pastor of Evangel Ministries, a thriving 1600-member church in the heart of Detroit. He also serves as campus dean of Moody Theological Seminary in Plymouth, Mich. A popular Detroit radio host since 2005, Chris is author of Kingdom Dreaming and Urban Apologetics. He graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Finance, completed his MA in Christian Apologetics at Biola University, and graduated from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He and his wife, Yodit, are the proud parents of Christopher, Zewditu, Cameron, Judah and Sophia.
Christopher Yuan
Dr. Christopher Yuan has taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for twelve years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope (100,000 copies sold and now in seven languages). He is also the author of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless. Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005 and received a master’s in biblical exegesis in 2007 and a doctorate of ministry in 2014. Dr. Yuan’s newest book, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story, was named 2020 Book of the Year for Social Issues by Outreach Magazine.
Clay Jones
Clay Jones holds a doctor of ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is an associate professor in the Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics Program at Biola University.
Formerly, Clay hosted Contend for Truth, a nationally syndicated call-in, talk-radio program where he debated professors, radio talk show hosts, cultists, religious leaders, and representatives from animal rights, abortion rights, gay rights, and atheist organizations. Clay was the CEO of Simon Greenleaf University (now Trinity Law and Graduate Schools) and was on the pastoral staff of two large churches.
Clay is the Chairman of the Board of university campus ministry Ratio Christi, is a contributing writer for the Christian Research Journal and specializes in issues related to why God allows evil. You can read his blog at clayjones.net and follow him on Twitter @ClayBJones. Clay’s book Why God Allows Evil is forthcoming with Harvest House.
Craig Hazen
Dr. Craig J. Hazen is a Professor of Comparative Religion and Christian Apologetics at Biola University and Founder and Director of the Christian Apologetics Program. For nearly twenty years he has been the editor of the philosophy journal, Philosophia Christi, one of the top philosophy of religion journals in the world. He has authored or contributed to a range of scholarly works including To Everyone an Answer, Apologetics Study Bible, and the break-out novel, Five Sacred Crossings. Hazen holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, a degree in Biological Sciences, and has studied International Law and Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. At Biola he was named the winner of the Fischer Award for Faculty Excellence, the highest faculty honor. Prof. Hazen has lectured all over North America and Europe on the evidence for the Resurrection, religion and science, and Christianity among world religions. He has also lectured multiple times on Capitol Hill and in the White House. He is a former co-host of a national radio talk program and a regular on-camera expert for broadcast television. He and his wife, Karen, live in southern California and have four adult children.
Dan Lewis
Dan Lewis is the Executive Director of The River Foundation, the giving arm of First Southern Family of Companies. Dan has a BS in Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College, a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Missiology with a focus on Emerging Missional Leadership Development from Asbury Theological Seminary. Prior to joining the River Foundation in 2008, Dan had a 21 year career with Young Life in NJ, FL and KY. Dan is also an adjunct professor at Asbury University at the Howard Dayton School of Business and an affiliate professor at Asbury Seminary in the Christian Leadership Department. He spends a lot of his free time coaching young missional leaders throughout central Kentucky and resourcing them through his website www.next2lead.com.
Dan is from South Jersey originally, lived in Florida for 9 years as well, but has reached Colonel Status after living in Kentucky for 15 years! He and Mary, an RN at the University of Kentucky Hospital, have been married for 26 years, live in Wilmore, KY, and have two adult children, Bonnie and James.
Daniel Ritchie
Daniel Ritchie is a speaker and author that has a passion for helping people see hope that comes from outside their circumstances. Born without arms, Daniel has lived a life of overcoming obstacles while finding his worth and hope in the work of Jesus.
As a speaker, Daniel speaks to 250,000 people annually through a variety of venues like public schools, colleges, seminaries, churches, corporations and professional sports teams. Daniel’s writing has been featured on For the Church, Fox News, Church Leaders, Desiring God and The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of two books: My Affliction For His Glory and Endure.
Daniel Spanjer
Daniel Spanjer graduated from Nyack College with a BA in History and from Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) with a MA Theology. In April, 2016, he successfully defended his dissertation at the University at Albany, SUNY: “An Intellectual Biography of Lyman Beecher”. He has taught at Nyack College, University at Albany, and is currently the Chair of the Arts and Science Department and Professor of History at Lancaster Bible College. He also serves the college as the director of the Alcuin Society, a scholarly organization that serves campus faculty. Dr. Spanjer has published several essays for the new Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, multiple articles for LBC’s Echo magazine, a chapter for a festschrift dedicated to Byron Borger, and is developing a book for Square Halo Books on the history of the Western Church. Dan is a pilot and has worked as a mechanic, commercial fisherman, grant administrator and golf course greens keeper. He is married to Tara Spanjer and they have three daughters: Meghan, Emily, and Katelyn.
David A. Noebel
Dr. David A. Noebel, the retired founder and president of Summit Ministries, has been a college professor, college president and candidate for the U.S. Congress. He is an author, editor, public speaker, ordained minister, and is recognized as an expert on worldview analysis and the decline of morality and spirituality in Western Civilization.
Dr. Noebel was educated at the Milwaukee Bible College (now Grace Bible College), Hope College, B.A., and the University of Tulsa M.A. He studied philosophy in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1962 he founded Summit Ministries, a Christian leadership training organization designed as an educational Christian ministry. He believes that countless Christian youth have fallen victim to the popular ideas of our modern world, and that most have adopted these ideas into their own worldview, while still others go on to renounce their Christian faith altogether.
In 1991, he wrote Understanding the Times: The Religious Worldviews of Our Day and the Search for Truth, a textbook interpreting current intellectual movements, including biblical Christianity, secular humanism, Marxism-Leninism, the New Age Movement, Islam, and postmodernism. It is widely used among Christian schools, churches and colleges, either in its unabridged or abridged formats.
David and his wife Alice live in Prescott, AZ. They have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. Check out his blog at http://thunderontheright.wordpress.com.
David Galvan
David has been teaching, training and facilitating conversations with students about whole-person health since 2010. During that time, David has been in 24 High Schools in Colorado Springs and has personally spoken to over 20,000 students. His vast amount of experience with students, informed him as he co-produced Who Can Relate which focuses on the issue of teen suicide prevention. He is an engaging and dynamic speaker, who has spoken at numerous parent seminars/workshops around Colorado Springs, in addition to the Springs Mental Health Summit. David is a certified trainer in Youth Mental Health First Aid and has trained over 300 individuals in just over a year, and recently became a trainer in Adverse Childhood Experiences, which focuses on trauma-informed care. David is part of the El Paso County Youth Suicide Prevention Workgroup, where he co-chairs the Faith-Based Community subgroup.
David Hacker
David J. Hacker, serves as senior counsel and director of the Center for Academic Freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom.
Since joining ADF in 2005, Hacker has focused on constitutional litigation and appeals at all levels of the federal courts. He played a key role in DeJohn v. Temple University, one of the first cases at the federal appellate level to strike down a university speech code that violated the First Amendment. In College Republicans at San Francisco State University v. Reed, he obtained an injunction against an unconstitutional California State University regulation that restricted speech on 23 campuses. Hacker also established a new precedent in Badger Catholic v. Walsh by securing a declaratory judgment against the University of Wisconsin System that invalidated its unconstitutional ban on prayer, worship, and evangelism. He has argued before many federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Hacker earned his J.D. in 2004 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was on the editorial board of the law review. He obtained a B.A. in English and philosophy from Northwestern University in 2001. He is a member of the bar in Illinois and California. He is also admitted to practice at the U.S. Supreme Court and numerous federal appellate and district courts.
David Martin
After a near death experience in 2002, David knew that he had been given the opportunity of his lifetime to begin to fulfill his purpose for being alive.
With no formal training or experience, David left his music career and went into full-time ministry as a student pastor.
Over the last decade, David has become a gifted communicator with the ability to connect to all age groups with his honesty, humor, and down-to-earth approach to teaching God’s Word.
David serves as the Youth and Culture Strategist for I am Second as well as an official youth speaker/trainer with the I am Second’s Speaker’s Bureau. David’s role has been to conceptualize, develop and lead this new initiative to reach those far from God and lead them into what it means to #LiveSecond.
David lives in the Colorado Springs area with his beautiful wife, Sarah and their two kids, David Jr. and Ashleigh.
Derek McCoy
Rev. Derek McCoy is a transformational executive leader and organizational consultant with years of experience in business and non-profit sectors. As a media commentator, urban-renewal activist, and leader of coalition efforts, he leads efforts to advance and encourage solutions, and partnerships.
Derek is currently leading efforts to launch the Urban Leadership Alliance, which provides a platform for leaders across all age groups to be educated and create solutions in their respective communities and cultures. He has been instrumental in conducting educational summits with pastors, community leaders, and citizens.
Most recently, McCoy has served as the Executive Vice President for The Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), which works to fight poverty and restore dignity through the message of faith, freedom, and personal responsibility. McCoy has an extensive background in policy, political strategy, and advocacy on vital cultural issues, including race, poverty, life, marriage, and religion.
Rev. McCoy has served as the President of the Maryland Family Alliance, SVP for the High Impact Leadership Coalition, Coalitions Director, and Outreach Director on crucial initiatives and issue campaigns. He has been a consistent voice of championing issues of justice and righteousness in our nation.
Rev. McCoy serves on the board of Directors for the Pregnancy Clinic in Annapolis, Heartbeat International, and Summit Ministries.
He has been featured on NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC, NPR, FOX Business, EWTN, Gospel Today, and Family News in Focus, WYPR, KKLA, WAVA, EWTN, KQED, and KJLH, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, New American Media, LA Sentinel, and The Washington Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Rev. McCoy served our great nation in the United States Army In Reserve. He has also held management positions and has received regional and national awards from Fortune 500 companies.
He has been married for 28 years to his wife, Cathy, and they have three incredible children. Two are Summit graduates.
Dr. Adam Rasmussen
Dr. Adam Rasmussen is an associate professor of humanities at Arizona Christian University. He guides students to flourish under the Lordship of Christ in all of life as they make important connections between faith, reason, and culture. Students in his courses develop their own moral philosophy, so they are inspired to implement significant change in their sphere of influence. They are encouraged to “transform culture with truth”.
Dr. Rasmussen’s research interests include biblical literacy and worldview, the educational ministries Francis and Edith Schaeffer, and Christian apologetics.
Adam and his wife have been blessed with four beautiful daughters. He enjoys sports, music, good food, and time with friends. His passion is to glorify God by helping others grow to maturity in Jesus Christ.
Dr. Bill Davis
William C. (Bill) Davis (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame; M.A., Westminster Theological Seminary, California; B.A., Covenant College) is a Professor of Philosophy at Covenant College and an adjunct professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Bill has been teaching philosophy since 1992. He has also been teaching first grade Sunday School at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church (PCA) since 2004. He is currently serving as a ruling elder at LMPC.
Bill’s philosophical research has focused on medical ethics and the moral epistemology of the 18th-century Scottish philosopher Thomas Reid, most recently publishing Departing in Peace: Biblical Decision-Making at the End of Life (Presbyterian & Reformed, 2017). He is also the author of Thomas Reid’s Ethics (Continuum, 2006), and chapters in The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy (Open Court, 2003, “Choosing to Die: The Gift of Mortality in Middle-earth”), The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy (Open Court, 2005, “Extreme Makeover: Moral Development and the Encounter with Aslan”), and Reason for the Hope Within (Eerdmans, 1997, “Theistic Arguments”).
In addition to his academic work, Bill’s talks this year arise from twenty years of volunteer participation on the CHI Memorial Hospital Ethics Committee, ten years of research on end-of-life decision-making, and the experience of making medical decisions with and for his father as he died in 2014.
Bill has been married to Lynda for over 37 years, and they have four children: Jonathan, Amy, Rachel, and Mark. When not playing the philosopher, Bill channels Sisyphus on a stationary bike. He redeems the time (sort of) by listening to history podcasts, philosophy lectures, sermons, and sports talk radio.
Dr. Brian Miller
Dr. Brian Miller is Research Coordinator for the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute. He holds a B.S. in physics with a minor in engineering from MIT and a Ph.D. in physics from Duke University. He speaks internationally on the topics of intelligent design and the impact of worldviews on society, and helps manage the ID 3.0 Research Program, having been a primary organizer of the Conference on Engineering in the Life Sciences (CELS). He also has consulted on organizational development and strategic planning, and he is a technical consultant for TheStartup, a virtual incubator dedicated to bringing innovation to the marketplace. He has contributed to multiple books and journals covering the debate over intelligent design, including The Mystery of Life’s Origin: The Continuing Controversy, The Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith, and Inference Review. He is a regular contributor to Evolution News & Science Today, and the ID the Future Podcast.
Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt
Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt is Associate Professor of Art and Art History at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History and Archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Weichbrodt’s research and teaching focuses on representations of race and gender in nineteenth and twentieth century art, and she is particularly interested in the relationship between art and empathy. In addition to scholarly work on Hawaiian landscape paintings and Black female photographers, she enjoys writing for general audiences on the intersection of art history, politics, and pop culture. Her book Redeeming Vision: a Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art will be published in spring 2023 with Baker Academic Press. When she’s not looking at art, Dr. Weichbrodt enjoys cooking big meals and hiking with her husband and two sons
Dr. Hans Madueme
Dr. Hans Madueme is an associate professor of theological studies at Covenant College. Hans was born in Sweden and grew up in Nigeria and Austria. He originally trained as a medical doctor and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic before shifting his focus to theology. He received his Master of Divinity and then completed his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written or co-edited two books, many book chapters, articles, and shorter essays for a variety of publications. Hans is a ruling elder at St. Elmo Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. He and his wife, Shelley, have two children, Caleb and Zoe and live in Flintstone, Georgia.
Dr. Matt Jones
Dr. Matt Jones came to know Christ at the age of eight on a porch swing in Mattoon, IL. After moving to Tennessee and realizing in youth group that people can know the Triune God in a way that impacted life, Matt went to Bryan College to earn a degree in Christian Education so that he could teach others, that by God’s grace, each one could know God personally and practically.
After meeting his wife of almost 25 years, Cathy and Matt worked in youth and college ministry. Their time in college ministry clarified that they were called to minister at the university level. Eventually, Matt and Cat moved to Dallas, TX to pursue the completion of his Master of Theology degree at Dallas Theological Seminary focusing in New Testament Studies. In 2006, Matt accepted a position as an advisor in the Life Directions Center at Colorado Christian University. In addition to advising, Matt taught as an affiliate from 2007-2016 at Colorado Christian University.
In 2016, Matt moved into the School of Theology to teach full-time as an Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies. Then in 2017, Dr. Jones completed his Ph.D. in Theological Studies at Regent University focusing on the Gospel of Matthew. He currently teaches New and Old Testaments, Interpreting the Bible, World Religions, Synoptic Gospels, and Communication for Ministry for the traditional undergraduate program.
Matt and Cathy have been involved in college ministry for 20 years and enjoy having students in their home, no matter how small the space. Helping us with our college ministry are our three incredible kids, Hannah (17) and Tyler (15), and Mackenzie (13).
Dustin Jizmejian
Dustin Jizmejian is the Director of Content and Student Services. Starting in 2003, Dustin has been working on Summit’s Summer Staff while pursuing an undergraduate degree from Biola University and a graduate degree from Denver Seminary. After graduation from Seminary, Dustin took a position at Philadelphia Biblical University as a Resident Director, only to be called back by Summit Ministries to direct the Semester program in 2011. In 2017, Dustin accepted a change in position at Summit to Director of Programs and recently Director of Content. Dustin also speaks on topics ranging from God’s Will, The Christian Worldview, Christian Community, Leadership, The Worldview of Work, and Pornography. He is currently seeking an additional Masters in Leadership, Theology, and Society from Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. Dustin and his wife Ruthann have been married for ten years and have five children, Rafferty, Cosette, Briar, Trask, and Land. They call Colorado Springs their home.
Erik Thoennes
Dr. Erik Thoennes is amazed everyday that God saved him as a young boy in a small factory town in Connecticut and adopted him into his family. God has blessed him with his godly wife Donna, who has been his faithful ministry partner since they were married in 1989. Erik and Donna have four children; Caroline (born in 2000), Paige (born in 2002), Samuel (b. 2005) and Isaac (b. 2005). Erik is Professor of Theology, and Chair of the Theology Department at Biola University/Talbot School of Theology and also a pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, California. He also taught at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Life’s Biggest Questions: What The Bible Says About the Things that Matter Most, and Godly Jealousy: A Theology of Intolerant Love.
Erik’s undergraduate degree was in philosophy from Central Connecticut State University, and he has graduate degrees in biblical studies and evangelism from Wheaton College and a PhD. Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Before coming to California he coached high school and college football and was a manager of a group home for developmentally disabled adults. Some of the most fun and enriching experiences of his life have been: meaningful local church involvement, hitchhiking around America, working with at risk youth, and playing American football in Europe. Erik’s primary goal in life is to love and glorify Christ more each day and help others to as well.
Francis J. Beckwith
Francis J. Beckwith is Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, and Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Philosophy, Baylor University, as well as the 2016-2017 Visiting Professor in Conservative Thought & Policy at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A graduate of Fordham University (Ph.D. and M.A., philosophy) and the Washington University School of Law, St. Louis (Master of Juridical Studies), he is the author of many books including Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith (Cambridge University Press, 2015), Politics For Christians: Statecraft As Soulcraft (InterVarsity Press, 2010), Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice (Cambridge University Press, 2007), and (with Greg Koukl) Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air (Baker Book House, 1998). He has held full-time faculty appointments at Princeton University (2002-2003 Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program) and the University of Notre Dame (2008-2009 Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow in the Notre Dame Center for Ethics & Culture). His website is francisbeckwith.com.
Frank Sontag
Frank Sontag, the host of The Frank Sontag Show heard six times a week on KKLA 99.5 FM in the Los Angeles area, took an unlikely route into radio. Following high school graduation, he worked ten years in the grocery business for supermarket chains such as Ralph’s and Gelson’s. He then moved into radio in 1987 as the host of Impact, a talk show on spirituality that aired Sunday nights on KLOS 95.5 FM in Southern California.
He also became the engineer of the highly successful Mark & Brian Show on KLOS, heard weekday mornings. A late-in-life conversion experience as well as the end of the Mark & Brian Show in 2012, after twenty-five years on the air, led him to KKLA, where he succeeded the late Frank Pastore as the afternoon drive-time talk show host.
He has been hosting The Frank Sontag Show since the summer of 2013 and released his autobiography, Light the Way Home, in 2014. His website is www.franksontag.net.
Frank Turek
Dr. Frank Turek is a dynamic speaker and award-winning author or coauthor of four books: Stealing from God: Why Atheists Need God to Make Their Case, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, Correct, Not Politically Correct, and Legislating Morality. As the President of CrossExamined.org, Frank presents powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity at churches, high schools and at secular college campuses that often begin hostile to his message. He has also debated several prominent atheists including Christopher Hitchens and David Silverman, president of American Atheists.
Frank hosts an hour-long TV program each week called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist that is broadcast Wednesday nights on DirecTV Channel 378 (the NRB Network). His radio program called CrossExamined with Frank Turek airs on 186 stations every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. eastern and is available continuously on the free CrossExamined App.
Frank is widely featured guest in the media as a leading apologetics expert and cultural commentator. He has appeared on hundreds of radio programs and many top TV programs including: The O’Reilly Factor, Hannity and Colmes, Faith Under Fire, and Politically Incorrect. He also writes a column for Townhall.com and several other sites.
A former aviator in the US Navy, Frank has a master’s degree from the George Washington University and a doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary. He and his wife, Stephanie, are blessed with three grown sons.
Gary Hartenburg
Dr. Gary Hartenburg was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and earned his BA in biblical studies and theology from Moody Bible Institute, his MA in philosophy of religion and ethics from Biola University, and his PhD in philosophy from the University of California, Irvine. He specializes in ancient philosophy, ethics, and philosophy of religion. He currently teaches in and serves as the director of the Honors College at Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas, where he lives with his wife and children. He is a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan.
Glenn Packiam
Glenn Packiam is an Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is also the Lead Pastor for New Life Downtown, one of the congregations of New Life Church. He is a songwriter of some well-known worship songs ("Your Name", "My Savior Lives"), and the author of four books ("Discover the Mystery of Faith", "Lucky", "Secondhand Jesus", and "Butterfly in Brazil"). He also is completing a Doctorate in Theology at Durham University in the UK. He and his wife, Holly, have been married for almost 16 years, and have four children.
Glenn Sunshine
Glenn Sunshine is a former Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University and a Senior Faculty Member of the Colson Fellows. An award-winning author, Glenn has published books, articles and book chapters on history, theology, and culture, online and on both sides of the Atlantic. His book Why You Think the Way You Do: The Story of Western Worldviews from Rome to Home (Zondervan, 2009) received the 2006 Acton Institute Book Grant.
Glenn T. Stanton
Glenn T. Stanton is the director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family. He debates and lectures extensively on the issues of gender, sexuality, marriage and parenting at universities and churches around the world.
Stanton served the George W. Bush administration for many years as a consultant on increasing fatherhood involvement in the Head Start program.
He is the co-writer of Irreplaceable, a film seen in theaters by more than 130,000 people across the United States and Canada and released worldwide, and he is the co-author and co–creator of The Family Project, a 12-session small group DVD curriculum produced by Focus on the Family.
Stanton is also the author of 8 books on various aspects of marriage and families. His recent books are Loving My (LGBT) Neighbor: Being Friends in Grace and Truth, an exploration of how Christians should interact with their gay or lesbian neighbors, and The Family Project, a theological, anthropological and sociological look at the essential human institution of the family.
He likes to ride his mountain bike way too fast down the various mountain trails here in the Springs. His philosophy is “If there is not the risk of broken bones and blood, it’s not a sport.”
Haley McNamara
Haley McNamara (formerly Halverson) is the Director of the International Centre on Sexual Exploitation in the UK, and a Vice President at the U.S.-based National Center on Sexual Exploitation. She leads international efforts and joint campaigns to improve policies and education among global governing bodies, citizenry, and corporations regarding the full web of sexual exploitation issues. Her advocacy work has contributed to policy improvements in social media, online advertising, retail, and hotel industries. She has advocated at the United Nations, led international coalition campaigns, presented to Danish, Croatian, and Rwandan government officials, and more.
She is a former member of the Washington DC Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. This Committee advises DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on the multi-faceted continuum of the District of Columbia’s child welfare services, including prevention, early intervention, treatment, and sources of permanency.
Haley regularly speaks and writes on topics including child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, prostitution, sexual objectification, the exploitation of males, and more. She has presented before officials at the United Nations, as well as at several national symposia before influencers from the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Croatian government officials. She has provided training to Arlington County Child & Family Services on social media grooming, recruitment, and advertising for sex trafficking. She has a Master of Arts in Government from Johns Hopkins University where she received honors for her thesis regarding the online commercial sexual exploitation marketplace.
J. Warner Wallace
J. Warner Wallace is a cold case homicide detective, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, popular national speaker, and author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and ALIVE.
His professional investigative work has been featured repeatedly on Dateline, FOX News, and Court TV. J. Warner’s professional investigative work has received national recognition; he’s been awarded the Police and Fire Medal of Valor “Sustained Superiority” Award, and the 2015 California Peace Officers Association COPSWEST Award for Cold-Case Investigation of the Year
J. Warner also continues to appear as an expert in a number of crime-based television series and is featured in God’s Not Dead 2. He’s part of a three-generation law enforcement family and has a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from Golden Gate Seminary.
Jack Hibbs
Jack Hibbs is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills located in Southern California. Jack’s teachings are heard on many international radio stations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and throughout the Hawaiian Islands. He is best known for his passionate, expositional teachings. Pastor Jack and his wife, Lisa have been married for over thirty years. He, his wife, and family live in Southern California.
Jason Jimenez
Jason Jimenez is the founder and president of STAND STRONG Ministries, a non-profit organization specializing in equipping churches, Christian leaders, and parents with a biblical worldview. He is a pastor, apologist and is the best-selling author of Challenging Conversations, Abandoned Faith, and The Bible’s Answers to 100 of Life’s Biggest Questions. Jason travels and speaks in churches and at conferences all over the United States. He and his wife, Celia, have four children and live in Charlotte, NC.
Jay W. Richards
Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America, Executive Editor of The Stream and a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute.
Richards is author of many books including the New York Times bestsellers Infiltrated (2013) and Indivisible (2012). He is also the author of Money, Greed, and God, winner of a 2010 Templeton Enterprise Award; and co-author of The Privileged Planet with astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez. His most recent book, co-authored with Jonathan Witt, is The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom that J.R.R. Tolkien Got and the West Forgot.
Richards’ articles and essays have been published in The Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Washington Post, Forbes, Fox News, National Review Online, Investor’s Business Daily, Washington Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Huffington Post, The Federalist, The American Spectator, The Daily Caller, The Imaginative Conservative, and many other publications. His topics range from culture, economics, and public policy to natural science, technology, and the environment.
Jeff Myers
Dr. Jeff Myers is president of Summit Ministries. As an educator and entrepreneur, Dr. Myers has become one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson referred to him as “a very gifted and inspirational leader.” Evangelist Josh McDowell called him “a man who is 100% sold out to preparing the next generation to reflect the character of Christ in the culture.” Through his speaking engagements and media appearances, Dr. Myers has become a fresh voice offering humor and insight from a Christian worldview. He is the author of 16 books, including Understanding the Faith, Understanding the Times, and Understanding the Culture textbooks which are studied by tens of thousands of students. Dr. Myers holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Denver. He continues to engage college students and adult learners by serving as a trustee of Colorado Christian University and through a Signature Leadership Course offered by Unbound, that offers project-based education as an alternative to traditional higher education. Jeff and his wife Stephanie and their family live in Colorado.
Jeff Ventrella
Jeffery J. Ventrella, J.D., Ph.D.: Dr. Ventrella received the B.M.E. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Northern Colorado where he specialized in trumpet performance. He then attended law school and received the Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He received the Doctorate of Philosophy in Church and State Studies from Whitefield Theological Seminary. Dr. Ventrella regularly lectures in churches, campuses, and conferences throughout the United States and has lectured on six continents.
Serving Alliance Defending Freedom as Senior Counsel and Senior Vice President of Training, Dr. Ventrella oversees the design and implementation of the Blackstone Legal Fellowship, the Collegiate Academy, and the international Areté Academy programs. He currently serves as a Research Fellow and on an ad hoc graduate thesis committee for the Department of Philosophy and Constitutional Law for the University of the Free State, South Africa. Dr. Ventrella is also a Distinguished Fellow of Law and Culture for the Center for Cultural Leadership and a Fellow with the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity. The truthXchange appointed him Senior Fellow in 2014. He also engages the culture through formal debate, media interviews, and serves as an “approved speaker” for The Federalist Society and has been appointed to the Executive Committee for the society’s Religious Practice Group.
His book, The Cathedral Builder: Pursuing Cultural Beauty (2007) is part of Alliance Defending Freedom’s Blackstone Core Curriculum Project, which he also edits. He is the author of numerous monographs and has contributed to or edited nine books.
Dr. Ventrella and his wife, Heather, have four grown sons and one young daughter.
Jenna Ellis
Dr. Ellis is an assistant professor of Legal Studies and Communication at Colorado Christian University. As a practicing attorney in criminal law and specializing in American constitutional law, Dr. Ellis has extensive experience in litigation in both trial and appellate levels. Prior to joining CCU’s faculty, she has served as a deputy district attorney, private counsel, and counsel for the U.S. Department of State and Department of the Navy. She brings knowledge and experience of the judicial system and constitutional law on both the state and federal levels. Dr. Ellis directs CCU’s Legal Studies Program and also serves as CCU’s undergraduate Moot Court Team coach.
Dr. Ellis also contributes to the Centennial Institute as a Fellow in Constitutional Law and Public Policy. She holds a B.A. in technical journalism and has a background in media and communication. She hosts “Attorney-Client Privilege with Jenna Ellis” on KLZ 560 AM Denver and is a frequent contributor to national publications, including National Review, The Hill, RedAlert Politics, and appears on radio and television media as a legal analyst. In 2015, she published “The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution,” and is an international speaker on legal issues. Dr. Ellis also is regularly called upon for expert testimony in legislative matters on behalf of Centennial Institute and the university.
Jennifer Marshall
A vice president of The Heritage Foundation, Jennifer A. Marshall runs the think tank’s Institute for Family, Community, and Opportunity. In that capacity, she oversees research into a variety of issues that determine the strength and character of American society. Issues explored by Institute researchers range from marriage, life, and religious liberty to health, education, and welfare to the application of America’s founding principles to today’s challenges.
Jeremy Tedesco
Jeremy Tedesco, Esq., serves as senior legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is director of the Center for Conscience Initiatives.
Since joining ADF in 2004, Tedesco has litigated cases protecting religious liberty, free speech, and the sanctity of human life. He was recently co-counsel in Reed v. Town of Gilbert at the U.S. Supreme Court, where he successfully defended the free speech rights of a small church against government discrimination. Tedesco currently specializes in protecting the freedom of conscience of individuals being unjustly forced to compromise their beliefs or else face heavy fines and punishment.
Tedesco earned his J.D. in 2004 from the Regent University School of Law, where he was a recipient of West’s Academic Achievement Award. He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the state bar of Arizona; the Supreme Court and U.S. District Court of Arizona; the U.S. District Court of Colorado; and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th Circuits.
John Amanchukwu
John is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he played football under Coach Chuck Amato. John received a master’s degree from Liberty University in Christian Ministry. Among other accomplishments, on the local and national level, he has served as the leader of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and has been a youth pastor for fifteen years. Over the past four years, John has led a 40-week prayer walk for Love Life at one of the busiest abortion clinics in the Southeast.
John is a true Southern Preacher calling the next generation to repentance and action. He has been married to his wife Crystal for 14 years, and they have three children. Together as a family, they pray, worship, and serve in their church and wherever there is a need.
John Stonestreet
John Stonestreet serves as President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. A gifted communicator on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education, and apologetics, John is a sought-after speaker, published author, and respected cultural commentator.
Since 2012, John and Eric Metaxas have co-hosted BreakPoint, the nationally syndicated radio commentary founded by the late Chuck Colson. He is also the voice of The Point, a daily one minute radio feature on worldview, apologetics and cultural issues.
Before coming to the Colson Center in 2010, John served various leadership capacities with Summit Ministries, and was on the Biblical Studies faculty at Bryan College (TN).
John has co-authored three books: Restoring All Things (with Warren Smith, 2015), Same-Sex Marriage (with Sean McDowell, 2014), and Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview (with Gary Phillips and William Brown, 2007).
John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN). He and his wife Sarah have three daughters and a dog, and live in Colorado Springs, CO.
Connect with John at BreakPoint.org, or follow him on Twitter (@jbstonestreet).
Jon Noyes
Jonathan has worked as a speaker with Stand to Reason since 2019. A former atheist, Jonathan used to think belief in God was unwarranted and irresponsible. Then, after examining the evidence for Christianity he was faced with the fact that Jesus is who He says He is and the Christian worldview tells the true story of reality. Since then Jon has been passionate about engaging the culture with honest, well thought-out reasons why people should trust the Christian worldview. Jon has developed a series of passionate talks to do just that.
In 2013 Jonathan earned a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, graduating with honors. Jon brings a unique perspective to his audiences and the Stand to Reason team, having more than ten years’ experience in the legal field and serving more than five as a pastor in his local church. Jon also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy, where he teaches discipleship.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy’s Guide to FOUR Battles Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller – The Guy’s Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He has over 25 years youth ministry experience and speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers and parents on his websites, TheSource4YM.com and TheSource4Parents.com. You can follow Jonathan on his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help. Jonathan and his wife Lori live in California.
Jordan Lorence
Jordan Lorence, Esq., serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom. His work encompasses a broad range of litigation, with a primary focus on defending the First Amendment freedoms of public university students and professors. Before officially joining the organization in 2001, Lorence was a productive allied attorney for many years, actively involved in significant litigation for Alliance Defending Freedom.
Lorence argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the precedent-setting Southworth v. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System case in 1999, challenging the university’s requirement that forced unwilling students to contribute to campus activist groups. He led the challenge to New York City’s ban on private worship services in vacant public schools in the long-running Bronx Household of Faith v. Board of Education of the City of New York. Lorence has also defended the right of conscience in several marriage-related cases, including Elane Photography v. Willock at the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Lorence earned a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1980 and received a B.A. in journalism from Stanford University in 1977. He is admitted to the bar in Minnesota, Virginia, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Supreme Court, and multiple federal appellate and district courts.
Josh Bales
Josh Bales is equal parts singer/songwriter, pastor, and private practice mental health therapist. He holds an M.Div. and M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary, as well as a Certificate in Anglican Studies from Nashotah House Theological Seminary. Originally from Chattanooga, TN Josh now resides in Orlando, FL. Josh’s music has gained a following of fans from all walks of life after recording four diverse albums and touring for more than 15 years. In 2006 Josh released “Underneath The Armor” (Only The Sinner, A Hymn For All The World, Ten Thousand Places). In 2012 Josh’s fans funded “Count The Stars,” an album recorded with multi-award winning producer, Ed Cash. In 2014 Josh released a Christmas album, “The Holly & The Ivy.” And in 2015, in addition to “Somehow I Knew,” Josh issued a collection of hymns and sacred songs called “The Birds Their Carols Raise.” Josh currently serves as Canon Priest at the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke in Orlando and is working on a second collection of hymns.
Josh Lindstrom
Josh Lindstrom is a gifted teacher and trusted shepherd with an 18 year track record of faithful and engaging church leadership. He came to Woodmen after completing 10 years of fruitful ministry at Salem-Chapel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Lindstrom family has responded to what we all believe is the clear call of God on their lives to join the Woodmen team. Josh’s heart for ministry is the bold proclamation of God’s Word – emphasizing the truth of Scripture and its practical application. His skill and visionary experience in leading people to conform their lives to the life of Christ will help us continue to become the church God desires for Woodmen to be.
Josh McDowell
A trailblazer for truth and relationships, Josh McDowell has been at the forefront of cultural trends and ground-breaking ministry for over five decades.
Josh shares the essentials of the Christian faith in everyday language so that youth, families, churches, leaders and individuals of all ages are prepared for the life of faith and the work of the ministry. This included leveraging resources based on years of experiences, new technologies and strategic partnerships.
Since 1961, Josh has delivered more than 27,000 talks to over 25,000,000 people in 125 countries. He is the author or co-author of 145 books, including More Than a Carpenter and New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, recognized by World Magazine as one of the top 40 books of the twentieth century. Josh’s books are available in over 100 different languages.
Josh and his wife, Dottie, are quick to acknowledge that after their love for the Lord, family is their greatest joy and top priority. They have been married over 40 years and have four wonderful children and ten beloved grandchildren.
Josh McDowell Ministry is a division of Cru (the U.S. division of Campus Crusade for Christ International).
Kasey Leander
Kasey Leander is a Breakpoint Contributor at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He holds a BA in History and PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) from Taylor University, and a Certificate in Theological Studies from Oxford University. After completing his study at Oxford, Kasey lived in New England, where he spoke on apologetics topics at universities including MIT, Harvard, Brown, Yale, Boston University, and Boston College Law. He has also worked briefly in politics, interning in the US Senate in Washington, DC.
Kasey’s passion is applying the answers of Jesus to modern life. For a disjointed world, Christians have the deepest answer: emotionally, existentially and intellectually. Originally from Colorado Springs, Kasey loves action films, racket sports, strategy games and food trucks.
Kathy Koch
Dr. Kathy Koch (“cook”) is the Founder of Celebrate Kids and an associate co-founder of Ignite the Family. She has influenced thousands of parents, teachers, and children in over 25 countries through keynote messages, seminars, chapels, and other events. She speaks at conventions, schools, churches, and pregnancy resource centers, and regularly speaks for Care Net, Summit Ministries, the Colson Center, and Teach Them Diligently. Dr. Kathy is also a popular guest on Focus on the Family radio and other radio talk shows and podcasts. Her podcast, Celebrate Kids with Dr. Kathy, is among the most popular parenting podcasts. Kirk Cameron chose her as an expert in his documentaries, The Homeschooling Awakening and Connect: Real Help for Parenting Kids in a Social Media World. She is the author of six books published by Moody Publishers. Dr. Kathy earned a PhD in reading and educational psychology from Purdue University and served as an associate professor, school board member, teacher, and coach all before founding her ministry. She has loved Jesus for years and her faith and desire to serve and glorify God is the foundation of her ministry.
Kay Hiramine
The Lord has led me to be a servant leader in a number of non-profits (NGOs), churches and companies. I am a serial entrepreneur who also has been inspired to be a philanthropic impact investor to create sustainable jobs for the poor in many needy places around the world. Between 2001-2013, my company donated over $42 million to humanitarian and missions organizations. My passion is as a global Christian who is committed to the poor, needy and those that cannot help themselves — motivated by my commitment to Jesus Christ through the divine scriptures of James 1:27. Utilizing my gifts as a global networker and catalyst I am committed to serving the poor, orphans, widows and needy here in the US and around the world. Throughout my Christian life, it has been committed to the planting of churches in the hardest places of the world and seeing the Great Commission completed. My gift is to build through leadership relationships that catalyze communities & teams to fulfill global initiatives.
Ken Turner
After 10 years as Bible professor at Bryan College, Dr. Ken Turner is beginning a new position at Toccoa Falls College in northeast Georgia. His Ph.D. is in Old Testament Theology (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary). He has written several books and articles, and is currently writing a commentary on Habakkuk and a Christian-based curriculum on creation & evolution. He’s been married for 15 years and has 5 children.
Kenny Luck
Kenny Luck is a husband, father, pastor, writer, speaker and visionary who has dedicated his life to bringing men into a vibrant, masculine relationship with God.
Currently, Kenny serves as the Leadership Pastor at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills, CA. As Founder and President of Every Man Ministries, Kenny empowers and trains churches worldwide to develop and grow healthy men’s communities. Through his network and the EveryManMinistries.com website, churches and denominations of all sizes can find on demand resources and materials to launch, cultivate, sustain and renew their men’s ministry to engage with the vision of the pastor. Formerly the men’s pastor at Saddleback Church, his strategy and model for men’s ministry was selected by LifeWay Christian as their resource for churches worldwide and released in June 2012 as the SLEEPING GIANT.
Kenny is an ECPA Platinum Award Winning Author, who has authored and co-authored 20 books, including Intimacy Small Group Curriculum and Sex, Love, Date. He is a trusted expert on men’s issues and writes the “Every Man” column for the Christian Post addressing men’s issues and current events. In addition to logging over 2 million miles in the air to speak to audiences, he has made numerous radio and television appearances that include: ABC Family, Family Life Today, Christian Broadcasting Network and over 200 other radio and television programs worldwide. He has been a featured contributor to CrossWalk.com, SermonCentral.com, ChristianLeader.com, Pastors.com, Ministries Today, Charisma, New Man Magazine, Men of Integrity, The Journal, HomeLife, Walk Thru the Bible, and Young Believer Magazine. Kenny has personally reached over two million men through his ministry at live events, through his books, and digital downloads of his podcasts.
Kenny is a graduate of UCLA where he met his wife Chrissy. They have three children, Cara, Ryan and Jenna, and live in Trabuco Canyon, California.
Kevin Brown
Kevin Brown is an Associate Professor of Business at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Prior to higher education, he worked for nearly a decade in the banking industry, serving as a market president in his last four years.
Brown’s formal education includes an undergraduate degree and an MBA from the University of Indianapolis along with two degrees from institutions in Scotland—an MA of Letters from St. Andrews University and a PhD from the University of Glasgow. His graduate background incorporates economics, philosophy, and theology—and his research seeks to explore the interplay between these fields. He has published in various academic and mainstream outlets, including Christianity Today.
Brown is married to Maria and they have three children: Cambel, Ada, and Oliver.
Kevin Bywater
Kevin James Bywater is a Director and the Resident Scholar of the Oxford Study Centre (oxfordstudycentre.org) in Oxford, England. Previously he served for twenty-five years on the staff of Summit Ministries, working as a researcher, author, speaker, and the director of Curriculum and Research Departments. In 2008 he founded the Summit Oxford (now the Oxford Study Centre).
Kevin holds degrees in philosophy and theology, with strong interests in biblical theology and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, though his wider attention spans the breadth of worldview concerns. Formerly a Mormon, Kevin became a Christian while attending Utah State University. He has a keen interest in comparative religions and apologetics, as well as how we might best have a persuasive Christian witness within post-Christian cultures. You can read a variety of his musings at his blog.
The Oxford Study Centre offers three terms of study that combine Oxford tutorials and a distinctive and advanced worldviews course. Undergraduates may earn up to 18 credits hours for the longer terms and 8 credit hours for the summer term. The program hosts both undergraduates and graduates, those currently enrolled and others, both singles and couples. It truly is a program where one may study abroad with purpose!
Kevin and his wife, Angela, live in the shire, west of Oxford, with their three amazing daughters and two rambunctious sons.
Krista Bontrager
Krista Bontrager co-founded the Center for Biblical Unity with Monique Duson. Their sisterhood in the Lord is the cornerstone of this ministry.
Krista is a fourth-generation Bible teacher. She is an author, podcaster, former university professor and homeschool mom. Krista’s teaching reverberates with Christians from all walks of life. She has a unique ability to communicate the truth of Scripture in an accessible and practical way. She has dedicated her life to helping others discover how to love God in Spirit and truth.
Krista has a BA in Communications from Biola University, and a MA in Theology, and MA in Bible Exposition from Talbot School of Theology. She worked for over two decades in various capacities in theology and apologetics, including staff theologian at Reasons to Believe.
Lucas Miles
Lucas Miles is a trusted voice in the American church who has consistently addressed some of the most challenging topics in theology, politics, and culture. He is the host of Faithwire’s The Lucas Miles Show and a cohost of The Church Boys podcast, where he has interviewed some of the biggest names in media such as Mario Lopez, Jim Cavaziel, Kathie Lee Gifford, Candace Bure, and Sean Hannity. Lucas and his work have been featured in books and on TV and radio programs, as well as syndicated in articles across both political and religious news outlets, such as The Blaze, Faithwire, Fox News, CBN, Bible Gateway, and The Christian Post. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed book Good God: The One We Want to Believe In but Are Afraid to Embrace.
An ordained pastor with over twenty years of ministry experience, Lucas has been involved in dozens of church planting efforts in the US and in remote locations in Latin America, East Africa, and Asia, not least of which is his local ministry, Nfluence Church, where he and his wife, Krissy, have been serving since planting the church in 2004. Lucas had the honor of receiving an invitation to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., in both 2018 and 2020, as well as an invitation as a US delegate to the 2018 Ukrainian National Christian Thanksgiving Celebration.
Additionally, Lucas is known for his work in Hollywood producing films and offering confidential pastoral support to many up-and-coming and established actors and artists. He has directed and produced several nationally released films, including Rodeo Girl, Crowning Jules, and The Penitent Thief, as well as consulted on dozens of entertainment and literary projects. His work has been featured on Netflix, Showtime, Fox, Redbox, Sony, and Pure Flix.
Lucas is a sought-after speaker at colleges, conferences, and churches on topics such as theology, Christian living, politics, and media. Whether he is preaching through the book of Romans or discussing trends in media and culture, Lucas’ heart for the gospel, philosophical prowess, and love of people always shines through, making him a perfect keynote speaker or lecturer for meetings of all sizes.
Lucas and his wife, Krissy, have been married since 2001 and reside in Granger, Indiana with their Doberman, Kenya.
Mark Christian
Dr. Mark Christian is a popular and frequent speaker and lecturer, capturing audiences with his intriguing and incredible story, while imparting insight into the Muslim mind, and truth regarding the impact of Islam in the world today. Christian is the Executive Director at Global Faith Institute.
Mark Mittelberg
Mark Mittelberg is a bestselling author, international speaker, and the Executive Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University, which offers accredited online BA and MA degrees, as well as lower-priced certificate courses (see: StrobelCenter.com).
Mark recently released his all-new book and training course, Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others. Before that he was the primary author of the Becoming a Contagious Christian training course (with Lee Strobel). This course was translated into more than twenty languages and helped nearly two million people around the world share Christ in natural ways. He also wrote the leadership-oriented book, Becoming a Contagious Church, which presents an innovative blueprint for church-based evangelism, as well as several books on apologetics, including The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers).
Mark was the first evangelism director at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, as well as Executive Vice President of the Willow Creek Association. He teaches for Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and is the main U.S. evangelism trainer for the Luis Palau Association. He writes and speaks from Denver, where he and his wife Heidi live (they have two Summit-trained children, Emma Jean and Matthew, both serving in ministry roles).
Mary Jo Sharp
A former atheist who came to faith, Mary Jo Sharp has experienced two worlds of American culture: the post-Christian culture of the Pacific Northwest and the evangelical culture of the Bible Belt. She first encountered apologetics in her own spiritual search while seeking answers. Mary Jo is now an assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University and the founder and director of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry. She has been featured in Christianity Today’s cover story “The Unexpected Defenders” and is an international speaker on apologetics, focusing on love and logic to uncover truth.
She serves on faculty with Summit Ministries Student Conferences and is a published author with Kregel Publications, B&H Publications, and Zondervan.
Mary Jo is the author of the top-selling Bible study, “Why Do You Believe That?” as well as Living in Truth with LifeWay Christian Resources. She recently released her book Why I Still Believe. A clear communicator with a heart for people, Mary Jo finds great joy in sharing the deep truths of her Lord and Savior.
Mary Jo is also the founder of Confident Christianity, a Christian apologetics ministry that addresses the hard questions of Christianity through research, writing, training, and debate.
She lives with her husband and family in Portland, Oregon.
Matt Heard
Matt Heard is the Founder of THRIVE – a speaking, teaching, coaching, and writing ministry that focuses on engaging people to be fully alive to the glory of God in every arena of their life, journey, and culture. Matt is a conference speaker, consultant, and coach to various ministries and leaders, and a writer – he is the author of Life with a Capital L: Embracing Your God-Given Humanity. Matt was the Lead Pastor of Northland Church in Orlando, President of The Gathering USA, and the Senior Pastor of Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado Springs. He currently serves on the Board of the International Arts Movement with artist Mako Fujimura and Reach Beyond Global (formerly HCJB). He is a graduate of Wheaton College and Reformed Theological Seminary, and also studied Pre-Law at Samford University and with Francis Schaeffer at L’Abri Fellowship in Huemoz, Switzerland. He and his wife, Arlene, are the privileged parents of three adult sons and two amazing daughters-in-law and they divide their home base between Colorado Springs and Orlando.
Find out more on his websites, ThriveFullyAlive.com, mattheard.org, and LifeWithACapitalL.com
Matthew Lee Anderson
Matthew Lee Anderson is the Founder and Lead Writer at Mere Orthodoxy. He is the author of Earthen Vessels: Why our Bodies Matter to our Faith and The End of our Exploring: A Book about Questioning and the Confidence of Faith. He is also the author of a number of articles and essays away from Mere Orthodoxy, of which there is a selection below.
Anderson is currently pursuing a D.Phil. in Christian Ethics from Oxford University, having received his M.Phil. in 2014. He is also a Perpetual Member of Biola University’s Torrey Honors Institute. He invites you to follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
Megan Almon
Megan Almon, a former University of Georgia gymnast, was a part of UGA’s 2002 SEC Championship team. She worked as an award-winning journalist until 2008, when she decided to pursue a career speaking and teaching about Christian apologetics — especially in bioethics. She joined Life Training Institute in 2009 and was awarded an M.A. in Christian apologetics from Biola University in 2011. Megan and her husband, Tripp — Director of Programs and Summit Semester for Summit Ministries — have been married since 2003 and have two children, Neely and Rogan. Megan enjoys spending time with her family at home in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and is still known to practice handstands in her kitchen. She has spoken to high school and college assemblies and classrooms, youth organizations, women’s groups, pregnancy resource centers, congregations, and legislators across the nation on multiple topics.
Megan DeVore
Dr. Megan DeVore (Ph.D., University of Wales) in in her 11th year of teaching at CCU, where she serves as associate professor of Church History. Her research and publications focus on the early centuries of Christianity and she speaks at venues both on and off-campus, including academic conferences, interdisciplinary colloquia, seminaries, chapels, and retreats. She is married to a local pastor and has two young children whose sense of wonder for God’s world is a daily delight.
Mike Sherrard
Mike Sherrard (B.A. Religion, M.Div. Apologetics, D. Min. Ethics in progress) has been equipping young adults to defend the Christian faith for nearly 20 years. He is the lead pastor of Crosspoint Community Church, the former director of Ratio Christi College Prep, and the author of Relational Apologetics. He is currently under contract to write You Matter: How the World’s Quest for Meaning is Meaningless Without God (Baker, Spring 2021). Mike and his family live in Peachtree City, Ga.
Mike has a B.A. in Religion and a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Apologetics from Luther Rice Seminary and is currently doing post-grad work in the area of New Testament Ethics.
Mike has a passion for equipping Christians with the knowledge necessary to love God deeply, defend their hope in Him faithfully, and engage culture effectively.
Monique Duson
Monique Duson founded the Center for Biblical Unity with Krista Bontrager. Their sisterhood in the Lord is the cornerstone of this ministry.
Monique has a background in social service and children’s ministry. She has worked with a diverse array of under-served communities.
Monique worked as a Missionary to South Africa for over four years, serving children and teachers impacted by drugs, violence, and trauma.
She spent two decades advocating for Critical Race Theory (CRT), but through a series of events, began to clearly see the contradictions of CRT with the historic Christian worldview. Monique is now convinced that CRT is not the best way to achieve racial unity and actively speaks out against the use of CRT within the church. Her mission is to promote a vision for racial healing based on the historic Christian worldview.
Monique has appeared on shows such as Relatable (with Allie Beth Stuckey), the Alisa Childers podcast, and Breakpoint (with John Stonestreet). Monique has a BA in Sociology from Biola University. She is working on a MA in Theology.
Paul Boling
Dr. Paul Boling is professor of philosophy and Christian Thought at Bryan College. He has published book reviews in scholarly and popular journals; he is also active in several professional societies, as well as being a published musical composer. Dr. Boling is active in a discipling ministry and he speaks at churches, conferences, and retreats. He is currently working on a book project with a colleague on the subject of humor. He holds a B.A. degree in zoology from the University of California at Berkeley, a Th.M. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, and an M.A. and Ph.D. degree in philosophy from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He and his wife Lauralee have five children and live in Dayton, Tennessee.
Paul Copan
Paul Copan (Ph.D. Philosophy, Marquette University) is Professor and Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Florida. He has served as president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society and speaks on university campuses and conferences. He is author and editor of over thirty books. These include Did God Really Command Genocide?, True for You, But Not for Me, When God Goes to Starbucks, The Gospel in the Marketplace of Ideas, An Introduction to Biblical Ethics, A Little Book for New Philosophers, and The Zondervan Dictionary of Christianity and Science.
Paul and his wife, Jacqueline, have six children, and they reside in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Paul Nelson
Paul A. Nelson studied evolutionary theory and the philosophy of science at the University of Chicago, where he received his Ph.D. in 1998, with a dissertation examining Darwin’s theory of universal common descent. Since that time, he has been a Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute and from 2004 to the present an Adjunct Professor in the Master of Arts Program in Science & Religion at Biola University. Nelson’s scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as Biology & Philosophy, Zygon, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, and BioComplexity, and book chapters in the anthologies Next Generation Systematics (Cambridge University Press, 2016) Mere Creation (InterVarsity Press), Signs of Intelligence (Brazos Press), Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics (MIT Press), and Darwin, Design, and Public Education (Michigan State University Press). He is a member of the Society for Developmental Biology (SDB) and the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB).
Rachel Csutoros
Rachel Csutoros serves as legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, where she is a member of the Center for Conscience Initiatives.
Csutoros joined ADF in 2019 as a First Year Lawyer Fellow in ADF’s new fellowship program. During the program, Csutoros drafted public comments, researched ongoing litigation, and offered other support, rotating between four ADF teams: the Life Team, the Legislative Advocacy Team, the Center for Christian Ministries, and the Center for Conscience Initiatives. Csutoros was hired to legal counsel on ADF’s Conscience Team in 2020, where she focuses on protecting the conscience rights of individuals being unjustly forced to compromise their beliefs under threat of heavy fines and punishment.
Csutoros earned her J.D. from William and Mary Law School in 2019. She obtained her B.A., in political science, from the University of Florida in 2015.
Csutoros is a member of the Massachusetts bar.
Reza Zadeh
Reza Zadeh is originally from Abadan, Iran, yet spent most of his life in Southern California. he attended Colorado State University and had the opportunity to play football for the Rams. His love of investing in others and athletics lead him to coach at the collegiate level for 2 years before he started pouring his life into others on and off the playing field.
At Colorado State University Reza studied Sports Medicine (Not using it at all unless his 5 year old boy falls off his bike) and also have graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary. He exist to help remove the scales from the eyes of others so they can see life clearly through the lens of eternity.
He and his wife Allyson have 3 children and live in Ft Collins, Colorado. Reza has a passion for Jesus and pointing people towards Him in all he does. They are on staff with Athletes in Action and spend their time sharing the Gospel with College and Professional Athletes and are intentional about training them to disciple their teammates.
Reza’s teaching typically centers on evangelism, discipleship and apologetics.
Ricky Chelette
Ricky Chelette is Executive Director of Living Hope Ministries and the Minister of Pastoral Ministries at First Baptist Church in Arlington, TX. Ricky has been involved in ministry in the church for over 30 years. He has served as a pastor to youth, students, and single adults, as well as Minister of Education. Speaking around the world to thousands of teens and adults who struggle with their sexual identity or love those who do, Ricky brings vast experience and personal knowledge to this difficult and controversial subject. His logical, humorous and straight-forward approach makes sense of a very complex and often confusing topic. Ricky has a BA in Political Science/Pre-Law, a Master in Religious Education, has taught on the college and seminary level, and is an ordained minister.
Ritchie Johnson
Ritchie Johnson is the founding and senior pastor of The Chapel, a Calvary Chapel of Cleveland, TN. He is a husband of almost 23 years, a father of 5, and an avid Georgia Bulldog fan. Ritchie believes in the local Church, led by the authority of God’s Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ryan Dobson
Ryan Dobson is the only son of child and family psychologist Dr. James Dobson, and grew up in the hot spotlight of what felt like Christian celebrity culture. Like many adolescents, Ryan pushed the limits of his parents’ boundaries just to see if they would practice what they preached. He has spoken, written bestselling books, and most recently, been a co-host on his father’s radio show, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk. Ryan lives in Colorado with his wife, Laura, and their two children, Luci and Lincoln.
Samual Youngs
Sam Youngs currently teaches in the Christian Studies department at Bryan College in Dayton, TN. He has taught at Bryan since 2011. He is a Ph.D. Candidate in Theology & Religious Studies at King’s College (London); he earned his M.A. in Religion from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His teaching and research interests span philosophical theology, history of doctrine, world religion, and hermeneutics. He served as the Book Reviews Editor for American Theological Inquiry from 2013 to 2015 and has published reviews and/or articles in Reviews in Religion & Theology, Swiss American Historical Review, The Asbury Journal, Trinity Journal, American Theological Inquiry, The Journal of Religious History, Philosophia Christi, and The Journal of Comparative Theology.
Samuel Green
Samuel D. Green, Esq., serves as legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is a member of the Center for Conscience Initiatives. Prior to joining ADF, Green worked as an associate at Jenner & Block, LLP. He also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Raymond W. Gruender of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. In 2012, Green worked in the legal department for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
Green earned a J.D. summa cum laude at Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, where he graduated first in his class and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. In 2008, he received a B.A. summa cum laude in political science from the University of California, Green is a member of the state bars of Arizona and California.
Scott Klusendorf
Scott Klusendorf is President of Life Training Institute where he equips pro-life advocates to make a persuasive case for life.
He has taught pro-life apologetics at the graduate level at Biola University and Trinity Law School, and lectured at over 80 colleges and universities including Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Johns Hopkins, MIT, and the U.S. Air Force Academy — to name a few.
Scott’s debate opponents have included Nadine Strossen (former President of the ACLU), attorney Edward Tabash (of the Council for Secular Humanism), attorney Kathryn Kolbert (who argued for abortion rights at the Supreme Court), and Katherine Kneer (President of Planned Parenthood California).
Nationally, he’s been featured on syndicated shows such as Focus on the Family, Truths that Transform, Issues Etc, and Faith Under Fire. He is the host of the television series, “Life is Best.” Scott is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture (Crossway, 2009).
Scott is a graduate of UCLA and holds a Master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.
At the practical level, Scott helps non-profit organizations raise money to assist women facing unplanned pregnancies.
He and his wife Stephanie have been married since 1985 and have four children.
Scott Todd
Dr. Todd is a global leader in relief and development. He served as Senior Vice President for Compassion International where he developed and led Compassion’s HIV/AIDS Initiative, Child Survival Program and Global Advocacy work. He served as Chairman for Accord, the world’s largest association of Christian relief and development agencies, and he founded Live58, an poverty-fighting initiative. He is an author, speaker and film producer and he is currently focused on building a new standard of excellence in impact measurement for philanthropic work.
Sean McDowell
Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean is an Assistant Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University.
Sean still teaches one high school Bible class, which helps give him exceptional insight into the prevailing culture so he can impart his observations poignantly to fellow educators, pastors, and parents alike. In 2008 he received the Educator of the Year award for San Juan Capistrano, California. The Association of Christian Schools International awarded Exemplary Status to his apologetics training. Sean is listed among the top 100 apologists. He graduated summa cum laude from Talbot Theological Seminary with a double Master’s degree in Theology and Philosophy. He earned a Ph.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2014.
Traveling throughout the United States and abroad, Sean speaks at camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. He has spoken for organizations including Focus on the Family, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Cru, Youth Specialties, Hume Lake Christian Camps, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Association of Christian Schools International.
Sean is the author, co-author, or editor of over seventeen books including Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God’s Design for Marriage, with John Stonestreet, Is God Just a Human Invention? with Jonathan Morrow, and Understanding Intelligent Design along with William A. Dembski. Sean has also written multiple books with his father, Josh McDowell, including The Beauty of Intolerance, The Unshakable Truth, and More Than A Carpenter. Sean is the General Editor for Apologetics for a New Generation and The Apologetics Study Bible for Students. He has also written for YouthWorker Journal, Decision Magazine, and the Christian Research Journal. Follow the dialogue with Sean as he blogs regularly at seanmcdowell.org.
In April, 2000, Sean married his high school sweetheart, Stephanie. They have three children and live in San Juan Capistrano, California. Sean played college basketball at Biola University and was the captain his senior year on a team that went 30-7.
Terry Moffitt
Terry has been an educator for more than 30 years, serving as a teacher, coach, principal and head administrator. In addition to his work in education, he started, and ran, two companies. The TCMI Group, which is a multi-faceted, global, consulting organization, and GMI Solutions. GMI Solutions provided security consultation services, threat assessments, and designed pre-emptive security measures for entities around the world. Terry is an internationally known speaker and consultant who has worked with clients in 48 U.S. states and 28 countries. Terry has also assisted, or run, political races on the local, state and national levels. He has been featured in such prominent media venues as the BBC, Fox, MSNBC, Nightline, NBC’s The Today Show, American Family Radio CBN, and TBN, as an expert in a wide variety of areas. He has also been interviewed for articles in publications as varied as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Hindustan Times, The Palestinian Chronicle, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The Malaysian National News, The Boston Globe, The London Telegraph, and The London Guardian.
Terry played basketball, and received his BA in Education, from The University of North Carolina; his M.Ed from The University of North Carolina-Greensboro and his Ph.D. from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. He has also received a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University and has twice been a Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. Dr. Moffitt is currently serving as the Head Administrator for Westover Christian Academy in Danville, VA.
Tim Barnett
Tim is a dynamic speaker who provides a perfect blend of expertise and humor in each talk. Using easy-to-follow and visually engaging presentations, Tim trains Christians to think clearly about what they believe and why they believe it. Tim’s passion and energy will help motivate you and your group to love God with all your mind.
Before joining the Stand to Reason speaking team, Tim founded an apologetics-based speaking ministry. Through his speaking, he has been able to help make a powerful impact defending and contending for the faith both in church settings as well as on the university stage. He has also had the opportunity to speak at numerous ACSI conferences, Power to Change events, the Apologetics Canada conference, and the National Conference on Christian Apologetics.
Tim has worked as a professional teacher since 2008, employed in both the private and public sector.
Tim has bachelor’s degrees in physics and education from York University and the University of Ontario, respectively. He is currently working on his master’s degree in philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Tim lives with his wife and three children in Ontario, Canada.
Tim Muehlhoff
Tim is a professor of communication at Biola University in La Mirada, CA. He teaches courses in rhetoric, conflict resolution, gender, and applied apologetics. He is author of I Beg to Differ: Navigating Difficult Conversations with Truth and Love and the co-author (with J.P. Moreland) of The God Conversation: Using Illustrations to Explain Your Faith.
Todd Wagner
Todd Wagner is the founding Pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas. The church was established over a decade ago by a handful of friends who were burdened to make the invisible Kingdom visible to their spiritually confused and compromised friends in their city. Watermark’s mission as the local body of Christ is to reach the unchurched, de-churched, dead-churched and unmoved and call others to believe in Christ, belong to His body, be trained in truth and be strong in ministry. Today, Watermark has campuses in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano and is working around the world by serving, training and encouraging indigenous leaders in numerous countries to radically embrace the adventure of being fully devoted followers of Christ in their cultural context. In addition, Todd leads the Life Center which is an initiative to create a world class museum dedicated to honoring human life, to ending abortion and advancing a society that embodies human dignity. Todd’s first book, Come and See, will be released Spring of 2017. Todd and his wife, Alex, are busy investing in their six kids. Although he enjoys teaching at both Watermark and conferences around the country, his favorite pastime is laughing with his family and coaching sports for his kids and their friends.
Todd Wood
Todd Charles Wood loved science since he was a little boy growing up in southern Michigan. He pursued his passion through his studies of genomics and molecular evolution at Liberty University, the University of Virginia, and Clemson University. As a faithful Christian and young-age creationist, Dr. Wood has worked hard to integrate science and faith. Currently, Dr. Wood is president of Core Academy of Science (www.coresci.org), and he resides in Dayton, TN with his wife Stephanie. He blogs irregularly at Todd’s Blog (www.toddcwood.blogspot.com).
Tom Basile
From Washington, to Baghdad to wall street – tv host, author, columnist, speaker and commentator Tom Basile has been in the middle of the action on the biggest stories and hottest issues of the two last decades. His work in the worlds of politics, government, media and business have made him a powerful voice in our national conversation.
Tom is the host of ‘America Right Now’ on NewsmaxTV, which now reaches more than 100 million U.S. households. He is an opinion columnist for the Washington Times and is the former host of ‘Sunday in America’ on SiriusXM Radio. His columns have been frequently published by FoxNews.com, Newsmax.com and a range of other publications. He was an opinion columnist for Forbes from 2012-2018. Basile’s insights into the national political scene, public policy and foreign affairs have earned him a reputation for credibility, candor and common sense. He is the author of two books, Tough Sell: Fighting the Media War in Iraq and Let it Sink In: The Decade of Obama and Trump.
Travis C. Barham
Travis C. Barham, Esq., serves as legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, where he plays a key role with the ADF Center for Academic Freedom.
Since joining Alliance Defending Freedom in 2006, Barham has focused his legal efforts on preserving and reclaiming religious freedom and freedom of speech for students and faculty at universities throughout the country. His work has been instrumental in securing several strategic appellate court victories. For example, in Adams v. Trustees of the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that public universities cannot discriminate or retaliate against Christian and conservative professors in promotion decisions. In Badger Catholic v. Walsh, the 7th Circuit ensured that public universities must grant religious student organizations equal access when distributing student activity fee funding. And in DeJohn v. Temple University, the 3rd Circuit eliminated an unconstitutional speech code that restricted Christian and conservative students from speaking freely on campus.
Barham earned his J.D. in 2006 from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude. Before graduating from law school, he completed the Alliance Defending Freedom leadership development program to become a Blackstone Fellow in 2004. He is a member of the bars of the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 4th, 7th, and 11th Circuits; and in the states of Georgia and Arizona. He is also admitted to federal district courts in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Tripp Almon
Tripp Almon relocated to the great state of Colorado with his wife, Megan, and their kids, Neely and Rogan, from the little town of Newnan, Georgia — just south of Atlanta. Tripp’s passion for educating students in the areas of Christian theology, worldview, and apologetics grew in large part from growing up in a Christian home and then struggling profoundly with the tidal wave of cultural ideas that engulfed him as he entered a secular university. Thankfully, his experience taught him that Christianity not only stands in the marketplace of ideas — it soars. Since then, he and Megan, an apologist and speaker with Life Training Institute, have sought to cultivate environments where students feel the freedom to ask big questions and are encouraged to pursue real answers. Before joining Summit, Tripp, a former elite gymnast, coached gymnastics for over two decades and served as a pastor for 10 years. He and his family love the outdoors and adventure sports, particularly off-road motorcycling. Tripp is also a rally car co-driver with Almon Brothers Racing Team — 2017 champions of the NASA Rally Atlantic Cup Series.
Director of Summit Gap Year
Tyson Charles Langhofer
Tyson Charles Langhofer, Esq., serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he plays a key role in the Center for Academic Freedom.
Prior to joining ADF, Langhofer worked as a commercial litigation attorney with Stinson Leonard Street, LLP. He also was a law clerk for the American Center for Law and Justice. He is an AV Preeminent® attorney.
Langhofer earned his J.D. from Regent University School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1999. He obtained a B.A. in international business with a minor in economics from Wichita State University in 1996. Langhofer is admitted to the bar in the states of Kansas and Arizona.
W. Gary Phillips
W. Gary Phillips grew up in Chattanooga, went to Baylor School, and then earned degrees from Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Grace Theological Seminary (Th.D.).
Although raised in a Christian home, he did not become a believer until his freshman year of college. He met the love of his life, Betsy Woodard of Signal Mountain, when he was 17 and she was 15. They married in 1972. Gary and Betsy have three children and five grandchildren.
Dr. Phillips started his career as a college instructor (in Greek) at Bryan College and ended that career in 2001 as Distinguished Professor and Chairman of Biblical Studies. His main teaching areas became theology, logic, world view studies, and Bible courses. He received six teaching awards, published articles and books (including Making Sense of Your World with Bill Brown), and has served as an officer in both the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. He wrote the commentary Judges and Ruth (Broadman & Holman), and most recently revised the second edition of Making Sense of Your World with John Stonestreet. He continues to enjoy occasional writing projects—either his own or helping friends with their books. He has taught as Adjunct Professor at several seminaries.
While studying philosophy in college, he developed a deep desire to know not only what Christians believe (biblical doctrine) but why we believe it (apologetics—defending the faith, which became the focus of much of his writing).
He planted a church on Signal Mountain in Chattanooga with two businessmen, and was a bi-vocational pastor for several years, until he went full time in 2001. He is now in his 31st year as pastor of Signal Mountain Bible Church.
“I am a sinner saved by God’s amazing grace, and a very blessed man. I get to teach God’s Word, serve alongside a wonderful staff, spend time with great friends, and minister to one another through times of pain and brokenness as well as times of joy.”
He also serves as a Bible teacher for the military organization The Officer’s Christian Fellowship (for 32 years).
Warren Cole Smith
Warren Cole Smith is Vice President-Mission Advancement for the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Before joining the Colson Center, he was Vice President of WORLD News Group, publisher of WORLD Magazine as well as the producer of the nationally syndicated program The World and Everything In It. Warren hosts his own weekly program called Listening In, a long-form interview program heard by thousands of subscribers each week. Before transitioning to a career in ministry, Warren spent more than 15 years in the corporate world, including seven years as the Marketing Director for a major division of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the global accounting and consulting firm. Warren honed his story-telling skills by writing outdoor and adventure stories — both fiction and non-fiction — for such magazines as Alaska, High Country, High Adventure, and Sports Afield. He has written, co-written, or edited more than 10 books, including Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan To Change The World Through Everyday People (with John Stonestreet, 2015), Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media (with Marvin Olasky, 2013), and A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church (2009). A series of articles he did on AIDS won the Evangelical Press Association’s top prize for feature reporting in 2004. During his time as publisher and editor of The Charlotte World, that paper won more awards from the Evangelical Press Association than any other paper, including twice being named “Newspaper of the Year.” His education includes a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in English, both from the University of Georgia. He and his wife Missy have been married for 33 years, and they have four children. His oldest daughter graduated from Grove City College. His oldest son graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and is a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Another son is a junior at The King’s College in New York City. Warren and Missy and their youngest daughter live in Charlotte, N.C.