Dr. Edwards’ ambition is to change people’s lives with the Word of God and equip others to do the same. Kent is known for his passion for preaching, and brings over 30 years of Christian leadership e...

Dr. Edwards’ ambition is to change people’s lives with the Word of God and equip others to do the same. Kent is known for his passion for preaching, and brings over 30 years of Christian leadership experience, as a senior pastor, church planter, and educator in both North American and international contexts. He is a popular conference and seminar speaker and preaches and regularly lectures nationally and internationally. Dr. Kent Edwards has pastored in Canada and the USA for over 30 years and currently serves as the tenured Professor of Preaching & Leadership at Talbot School of Theology / BIOLA University, and as Founder/CEO of CrossTalk Global. Kent directed the Doctor of Ministry Programs at Talbot School of Theology and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary for 13 years while serving as Executive Board Member of the Association for Doctor of Ministry Education, and founder/editor of The Journal of Christian Ministry. His also the past president and longtime board member of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. Dr. Edwards is the Founder/CEO of CrossTalk Global. Founded in 2013, this evangelical non-profit organization is currently equipping church leaders in 8 countries and four continents how to understand and effectively communicate the Bible to their home cultures. CrossTalk’s innovative educational strategy and emphasis on equipping local leaders is designed to start movements that transform cultures with God’s Word. Dr. Edwards has authored two award-winning books: Effective First-Person Biblical Preaching (Zondervan, 2005) and Deep Preaching (Broadman & Holman, 2009). Kent has also contributed to It’s All in How You Tell it (Baker, 2003), The Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching (Zondervan, 2009), Models for Biblical Preaching (Baker2014) and Serving the Word (Wipf & Stock, 2015). As a member of the Speakers Bureau for Convene, Kent teaches Christian C-suite executives how to create and strategically deploy narratives to accelerate their companies, while growing in their appreciation of the stories of Scripture. Kent has earned the degrees of Bachelor of Theology (Ambrose University), Master of Divinity (Tyndale Seminary), Doctor of Ministry (Denver Seminary), and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Education (Biola University). Kent’s D.Min dissertation focused on communicating Old Testament narrative literature, while his Ph.D. dissertation was on effective intercultural leadership. Kent has been married to Nola for thirty-six years. They have two grown sons.

Dr. Edwards’ ambition is to change people’s lives with the Word of God and equip others to do the same. Kent is known for his passion for preaching, and brings over 30 years of Christian leadership e...

Dr. Edwards’ ambition is to change people’s lives with the Word of God and equip others to do the same. Kent is known for his passion for preaching, and brings over 30 years of Christian leadership experience, as a senior pastor, church planter, and educator in both North American and international contexts. He is a popular conference and seminar speaker and preaches and regularly lectures nationally and internationally. Dr. Kent Edwards currently serves as the tenured Professor of Preaching & Leadership at Talbot School of Theology / BIOLA University, and as Founder/CEO of CrossTalk Global. Founded in 2013, CrossTalk Global equips church leaders in 8 countries and four continents how to understand and effectively communicate the Bible to their home cultures. Dr. Edwards has authored two award-winning books, contributed to several others, and teaches Christian C-suite executives how to create and strategically deploy narratives to accelerate their companies, while growing in their appreciation of the stories of Scripture. Kent has earned the degrees of Bachelor of Theology (Ambrose University), Master of Divinity (Tyndale Seminary), Doctor of Ministry (Denver Seminary), and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Education (Biola University). Kent has been married to Nola for thirty-six years. They have two grown sons.

J. Kevin Butcher was a lead pastor for 35 years—the last 16 in urban Detroit. He is founder and executive director of Rooted Ministries, which comes alongside isolated, wounded, and discouraged pastor...

J. Kevin Butcher was a lead pastor for 35 years—the last 16 in urban Detroit. He is founder and executive director of Rooted Ministries, which comes alongside isolated, wounded, and discouraged pastors and their families to help them experience the deep love of God through abiding in Jesus. Kevin is the author of Free: Rescued from Shame-Based Religion, Released Into the Life-giving Love of Jesus and Choose and Choose Again: The Brave Act of Returning to God's Love. He is a graduate of Taylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary and has written numerous articles and shared the message of the Father's love around the world. Kevin is married to his best friend, Carla, and has three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

J. Otis Ledbetter is an author, conference speaker and lead pastor at Sonrise Church in Clovis, California. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Liberty University. He is also the author of Your...

J. Otis Ledbetter is an author, conference speaker and lead pastor at Sonrise Church in Clovis, California. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Liberty University. He is also the author of Your Heritage: How to Be Intentional aboutthe Legacy You Leave.

Jeremy is a man on a mission to directly confront sexual sin in the church today. He does so with the belief God is using him to grab hold of those heading toward a slaughter. His new book: UNMUZZLED,...

Jeremy is a man on a mission to directly confront sexual sin in the church today. He does so with the belief God is using him to grab hold of those heading toward a slaughter. His new book: UNMUZZLED, exposes the grip of sexual temptation and sin like never before, and is poised to be a game-changer for Christians in sexual bondage. He and his wife of eighteen years have five children and live in Texas.

J. Shelby Sharpe was born and educated in Fort Worth, Texas, until he went to the University of Texas in Austin for undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 1962 he met and married Martha Holland from...

J. Shelby Sharpe was born and educated in Fort Worth, Texas, until he went to the University of Texas in Austin for undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 1962 he met and married Martha Holland from Stamford, Texas and they have three children, nine grandchildren and one great-grand child. J. Shelby Sharpe, J.D. (University of Texas School of Law) was licensed to practice in 1965 following his graduation from law school. He served the Supreme Court of Texas as a briefing attorney for Chief Justice Robert W. Calvert from 1965 to 1966. He is licensed to practice before all state courts in the State of Texas as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal, Fifth, Sixth and Tenth Circuits and before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas and the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. He has been in private practice in Fort Worth, Texas since 1966 and is owner of Law Offices of Sharpe & Rector. During the 1980s, he represented the Home Schoolers in the Leeper case. He represents the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention as its general counsel, four seminaries, numerous churches, USA Radio Network, and Point of View. Over 90 percent of his practice involves the defense of religious organizations. There are many reported opinions in favor of the religious organizations he has represented.

J. Warner Wallace is a cold-case homicide detective, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, Christian case maker and author. J. Warner was a conscientious and vocal atheist through his...

J. Warner Wallace is a cold-case homicide detective, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, Christian case maker and author. J. Warner was a conscientious and vocal atheist through his undergraduate and graduate work in Design and Architecture (CSULB and UCLA); he always considered himself to be an “evidentialist”. His experience in law enforcement only served to strengthen his conviction that truth is tied directly to evidence. But at the age of thirty-five, J. Warner took a serious and expansive look at the evidence for the Christian Worldview and determined that Christianity was demonstrably true. After becoming a Christ follower in 1996, Jim continued to take an evidential approach to truth as he examined the Christian worldview. He eventually earned a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. J. Warner served as a Youth Pastor for several years, then planted a church in 2006. Along the way, he created and built the Cold-Case Christianity website, blog and podcast as a place to post and talk about what he discovered related to the evidence supporting Christianity. Jim has appeared on television and radio, explaining the role that evidence plays in the Christian definition of “faith” and defending the historicity of Jesus, the reliability of the Bible and the truth of the Christian worldview. Jim also speaks at churches, retreats and camps as he seeks to help people become confident Christian case makers.

J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and the 62nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also the author of several books and speaks at events...

J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and the 62nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also the author of several books and speaks at events and conferences around the world. Under Pastor J.D.’s leadership, the Summit has grown from a plateaued church of 300 to one of over 12,000. Pastor J.D. has led the Summit in a bold vision to plant one thousand new churches by the year 2050. Summit Life with J.D. Greear is a daily half hour radio broadcast featuring his teaching. Pastor J.D. completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Veronica are raising four awesome kids: Kharis, Alethia, Ryah, and Adon.

J.D. Vance grew up in the Rust Belt city of Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served in Iraq. A graduate of the Ohi...

J.D. Vance grew up in the Rust Belt city of Middletown, Ohio, and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served in Iraq. A graduate of the Ohio State University and Yale Law School, he has contributed to the National Review and is a principal at a leading Silicon Valley investment firm. Vance lives in San Francisco with his wife and two dogs.

J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio and the co-author of “Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America.” De Gance leads Communio’s work equipping past...

J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio and the co-author of “Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America.” De Gance leads Communio’s work equipping pastors with a long-term, data-informed strategy to deepen and broaden engagement in their congregations, using relational health as the engine for church health and spiritual impact. Before launching Communio nationally, De Gance led a three-year, $20 million experimental initiative across three states to test what moves the needle on marital health, family stability and church engagement. Working with an ecumenical network of churches in Jacksonville, FL, that effort helped drive down the local divorce rate by 24% between 2016 and 2018. Today, Communio applies those proven learnings as it partners with churches across the country to build out Full-Circle Relationship Ministry®, uniting Gospel-centered content, practical relationship support and targeted outreach to singles and couples inside and outside the church. Under his leadership, Communio has also commissioned major national research on the hidden drivers behind the decline of Christianity in America, highlighting the collapse of marriage and resident fatherhood as a central factor. That work, along with Communio’s innovative, data-driven support for churches—including a groundbreaking collaboration with Hampton University—helped earn the ministry the Heritage Foundation’s Innovation Prize in 2023. A husband and father, De Gance lives in Virginia with his wife and their eight children.

J. P. Moreland (PhD, University of Southern California) is distinguished professor of philosophy at Biola University. He is an author of, contributor to, or editor of over ninety books, including Scie...

J. P. Moreland (PhD, University of Southern California) is distinguished professor of philosophy at Biola University. He is an author of, contributor to, or editor of over ninety books, including Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology.

J.P. Wieske joined Horizon Government Affairs as Vice President of State Affairs in January 2019. He was previously the Deputy Insurance Commissioner for the State of Wisconsin where he supervised the...

J.P. Wieske joined Horizon Government Affairs as Vice President of State Affairs in January 2019. He was previously the Deputy Insurance Commissioner for the State of Wisconsin where he supervised the regulatory, public information and administrative functions of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Wieske also served on Governor Scott Walker’s Opioid Task Force and served as an active member of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, where he chaired various subgroups including the Regulatory Framework Task Force and the Health Care Reform Alternatives Working Group. As Vice President of State Affairs, Wieske leads HGA’s continued expansion into state policy, enhancing clients’ access to state regulators, legislators, and executives while leveraging his more than 25 years of industry experience to drive smarter state policy reforms.