Our Writers

Brittany Rust has a passion to see people impacted by the power of God’s Word and the beauty of His grace through writing, speaking and podcasting. She is the founder of Truth and Grace Ministries, For the Mama Heart and Truth x Grace Women, and hosts the Truth x Grace Podcast. She is the author of two books, including Here I Am: Responding When God Calls Your Name (2019) and Untouchable: Unraveling the Myth That You’re Too Faithful to Fall (2018).

Bob Whitesel (D.Min., Ph.D.) is a foresight coach, professor, and award-winning author of 14 books. For over 30 years, he has guided leaders and churches to pivot and engage what’s next. He holds two earned doctorates from Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches on leadership foresight, church health, and organizational change. His website is www.ChurchForesight.com.

Ryan Brown serves Open Doors US as Chief Executive Officer.

Christine Vogelsang is an author, educator, musician, pastor’s wife, and mother of three adult children. Christine and her husband have retired from full time church work; however, her blog ministry continues to grow. Her three book series Restoring the Joy: Leaving My Guilt at the Cross is available on Amazon. She recently published her first novel, BB Bradford and the Sands of Fate, which is receiving great reviews. Her Restoring the Joy Facebook and Instagram pages have more than 45K followers. 

Tom Crenshaw serves as Connections Pastor of the New Monmouth Baptist Church (non denominational) where he previously served as a three year interim.He has been married to Jean for almost 50 years, and they have four children, all of whom are teachers.Tom loves perennial gardening, umpiring high school baseball, coaching baseball and football, fishing for small mouth bass, rooting for his favorite team, the Cleveland Indians, and listening to ‘real’ country music, the classic kind.

David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co.

Greg's life mission statement focuses on his life passion, which is “to strengthen the great leaders, ideas and organizations of our time so the kingdom causes of Christ can be exponentially accelerated.” He is the CEO of Convene, which helps hundreds of Christian CEO’s meet regularly in small groups to live out their faith intentionally as they combine their love for business with the love for biblical truth.

This article was first published on convenenow.com. Used with permission.

Bud Brown is an experienced ministry leader, writer and educator. He is co-founder of Turnaround Pastors and co-author of the ground-breaking Pastor Unique: Becoming A Turnaround Leader. He brings special expertise to change leadership in the local church, mentoring pastors to become revitalization leaders, training churches how to find and recruit the best talent, and training leadership teams how to achieve their shared goals.

Catherine Gates is a speaker, author and writer. She is Executive Director for Women in the Marketplace, a national non-profit that equips working women to confidently pursue their faith and career for the glory of God. She is the author of The Confidence Cornerstone: A Woman’s Guide to Fearless Leadership. Catherine has contributed to several workplace Bible studies and written over a dozen YouVersion reading plans. She is on the board of Ladies of Grace, a women’s prison ministry. Her passion is to help women reach their full God-given potential.

Matthew Harper is in the Seminary Track program at Boyce College, and is nearing completion of his M.Div. at Southern Seminary  He works at the campus writing center where he provides feedback and edits student papers. He interned in the editorial department at Networld Media Group for two years, and won a national award in a student short story competition. He attends and serves at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville and hopes to one day pursue ministry overseas.

Mark MacDonald is a communication pastor, speaker, consultant, bestselling author, and church branding strategist for BeKnownforSomething.com empowering thousands of pastors and churches to become known for something relevant (a communication thread) throughout their ministries, on their church websites and social media. His church branding book, Be Known for Something, is available at BeKnownBook.com.

Kim Levings, a South African ex-pat, is an experienced leader development professional with more than 35 years of experience. Her mission is to equip healthy leaders to build a better world, one micro-culture at a time. Kim is the developer of LeaderPrint©– a Leadership Mastery Experience. She is also a Certified Facilitator of some highly regarded programs and has published several books.

Bob Russell became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church at just 22 years old. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches; conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and author Bible study videos for use in small groups.

Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022).

Rich Frazer is President of Spiritual Overseers Service (SOS) International, a global training ministry equipping indigenous ministry leaders. He holds a Doctorate of Ministry with an emphasis on training ministry leaders to upcycle declining churches.

For over twenty years Ben has created & captured moving and memorable moments for individuals, non-profits & corporations across the globe. He has served on the executive team of multiple megachurches and currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Zarephath Christian Church in New Jersey. Ben also consults for churches, teaches at universities and speaks at conferences about leadership, communication and creativity. For more information visit www.benstapley.com.

Dr. Terry Powell is Faculty Emeritus at Columbia International University, in S. C., where he is an Adjunct Professor in Church Ministries. Dr. Powell writes a blog on faith and depression entitled Penetrating the Darkness. He is the author of Serve Strong,which helps volunteers as well as vocational Christian workers combat discouragement, persevere through weariness, and cultivate endurance for the long haul.

Brad Wright is a professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut where he studies American Christianity, spirituality, and well-being. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, where he was specialized in social psychology and criminology. He has authored two books and fifty-plus articles in general and academic outlets. He lives in Northeast Connecticut with his wife and a small, fluffy dog. They have two grown sons, both of whom live in California. He enjoys cycling, hiking and nature photography.

Ken Gosnell is CEO and Servant Leader of CXP (CEO Experience). CXP is a premier coaching and executive roundtable business that serves Christian CEOs in Washington DC, Maryland and Florida. Ken serves leaders by helping them and their teams to have great experiences that both transform the leader and their organizations to go further faster.

Kent Evans is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Manhood Journey. He is married to April, his wife of 22 years and has five sons ranging from ages 4 to 20. He is the author of Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You.

Richard Blackaby is the president of Blackaby Ministries International and lives in Georgia. He travels internationally speaking on spiritual leadership in the home, church, and marketplace as well as on spiritual awakening, experiencing God, and the Christian life. Richard regularly ministers to Christian CEOs and business leaders. He has written or co-authored 33 books . This article was first published on RichardBlackaby.com. Used with permission from Blackaby Ministries International.

Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers, and online community and resource for church leaders. Prior to founding Church Answers, Rainer served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Before coming to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Rob Streetman serves the body of Christ as President of two parachurch ministries: inLight Consulting (a workplace transformation ministry) and 2:2 Collective (a unity and church growth ministry). He is the author of two books: The Map Maker and A Storm is Coming. Rob’s heart desires is to encourage, edify and equip Christian leaders as disciple-makers and transformation agents—that they would become houses that stand in the storms of this life. He previously worked in various IT industry positions.

Eric Daniel is passionate about empowering others to grow in their Spiritual Leadership. He founded Global Ministry Advance in 2023, a coaching organization, for the purpose of assisting ministers, missionaries and Christian organizations in the development of goals and strategies for greater health. Eric became Senior Pastor of Hillside Church in Napa, CA in 2002, and also serves as an Executive Presbyter for the Northern California and Nevada District Council of the Assemblies of God.

Scott Cochrane serves on the executive team for the Willow Creek Association, as Vice President, International Ministries. He was born and raised in Canada, where he became connected to the Willow Creek Association, first as a marketing director and later as the ministry’s Chief Operating Officer. Following a five-year stint as Executive Pastor of a large church, Scott returned to Willow Creek Canada in 2009 as Executive Director, and in 2012 relocated to Illinois to take up his current post with the Willow Creek Association.

Rev. Dr. Rosario “Roz" Picardo, MBA, grew up in western New York as a first-generation Sicilian-American. In 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Houghton College and in 2007 a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in 2014 and an MBA in 2021 from Dakota Wesleyan University. He is one of the founding pastors at Mosaic, a multicultural church in Dayton, Ohio. 

Dr. Tim Tucker is the Africa Development Director on the global leadership team of The Message Trust. He has a PhD in Practical Theology from North-West University (South Africa) and has written four books, including Grab a Towel: Christ-centered Servant Leadership for the 21st Century (Message Books 2018), Grief and Grace: Facing the Future I Didn’t Choose (Message Books 2019), and The Pace Setter: Paul, Timothy and the Art of Multiplying Leaders(Message Books 2014).

Bob Tiede helps leaders everywhere move from telling to asking. He has been on the staff of Cru for 48 years and on the U.S. Leadership Development Team for 16 years. His blog, LeadingWithQuestions.com is followed by leaders in over 190 countries. Bob has written three eBooks available for free download, Great Leaders ASK Questions, 339 Questions Jesus Asked and Now That's a Great Question.

Brian Catanella is passionate about sharing Christian leadership principles through his writing, coaching, volunteering and professional life. While professionally a consultant through UBS Institutional Consulting Group with a finance background, he is fueled daily by sharing God's love and wisdom to help contribute to the future development of coaches, teachers, parents and leaders. He is active in serving his local church in Moorestown, New Jersey where he attends with his wife and two sons.

Christian Muntean is a seasoned expert in fostering business growth and profitability. With a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and certifications as a Master Coach, Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert (IM&A), he guides entrepreneurial leaders through growth, succession planning, and exit strategies. He is an accomplished author of three books, including Train to Lead. Christian resides in Anchorage, Alaska, with his family. 

Kim Niles is the author of Getting Your Breath Back After Life Knocks It Out of You and is the co-founder of Grief Bites. She is also a writer and partner for YouVersion, a Community Leader at her church, and an inspirational speaker.

Charles Stone coaches and equips pastors and teams to effectively navigate the unique challenges ministry brings. By blending biblical principles with cutting-edge brain-based practices he helps them enhance their leadership abilities, elevate their preaching/ teaching skills, and prioritize self-care. A pastor for over 42 years, he has served as a lead pastor, associate pastor, and church planter. He published seven books, and over 300 of his articles have appeared on various Christian leadership websites. He holds four earned academic degrees, including a D.Min. and a Ph.D.

Mark J. Lenz is the president for the Society for Church Consulting whose mission is to revitalize and advance churches by training leaders and certifying consultants.

Robert Netzly is a respected leader and innovating visionary in the biblically responsible investing movement and is a frequent guest and contributor on major global media outlets such as FOX News, Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. Robert is the CEO of Inspire Investing, a Christian social enterprise inspiring transformation for God’s glory throughout the world by providing low cost, biblically responsible investments to investors everywhere.

Advisory services are offered through inspireinvesting.com.

Dr. Matthew Fretwell is a church missiologist, professor, trainer, author, and practitioner. He currently serves on faculty at the Regent University School of Divinity as an Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. He's written ten books and peer-reviewed papers, with a recent three-volume book series entitled, Multiply Jesus (Church Planting, Church revitalization, and Missionary Preparedness).

Krishana Kraft is a marketing copywriter for The Navigators, a spiritual director for Greater Europe Mission (GEM), and author of Tandem Living. She has a background in journalism and a Master's in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from the Talbot School of Theology (Biola University). While her home base is in Indiana, she travels overseas multiple times a year to help lead soul care retreats with GEM. Follow her adventures on tandemliving.org.

Miranda Carls is an author, facilitator, and certified leadership coach. She has a passion for helping Christian professionals show up as high performers and leaders at work while remaining firmly anchored in the truth of the Gospel. Having worked with start-ups, non-profits, churches, mid-size organizations, and Fortune 500 companies, she understands the dynamics of both secular and faith-based settings.

Echo VanderWal is the co-founder and executive director of The Luke Commission, which serves the most isolated and underserved people of Eswatini with comprehensive, compassionate healthcare through over 300,000 patient visits annually, all at no cost to the patient.

Chris Bolinger is the author of three men’s devotionals – 52 Weeks of Strength for Men, Daily Strength for Men, and Fuerzas para Cada Día para el Hombre – and the co-host of the Throwing Mountains podcast. He splits his time between northeast Ohio and southwest Florida. Against the advice of medical professionals, he remains a die-hard fan of Cleveland pro sports teams. Find him at mensdevotionals.com.

Scott Couchenour has a combined 30 years of experience in ministry, business and entrepreneurship. He has the perspective any leader needs to grow further in their personal and professional life. Scott served as COO and CEO for a national multi-million dollar family-owned business. He has served in his local church as worship leader and various leadership positions. He serves as Trustee on the Nazarene Foundation Board, the Nazarene Theological Seminary Board, and Harmony Village Board.

Jordan Raynor helps Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity. He does this through his bestselling books (The Creator in You, Redeeming Your Time, Master of One, and Called to Create), podcast (The Call to Mastery), and weekly devotional (The Word Before Work)—content that has served millions of Christ-followers in every country on earth. A sixth-generation Floridian, Jordan lives in Tampa with his wife and their three young daughters.

WorkLife Success applies biblical principles to help churches minister to their congregations in the area of work. Additionally, we help businesses increase productivity by addressing their employees' emotional and spiritual anxiety surrounding the most stressful day of the week — Monday. The end goal is to produce workers that experience the amazing joy and purpose that God intended through work.

Dr. Jeff Klick serves as the senior pastor of Hope Family Fellowship, an age-integrated church he planted in 1993. In addition, he is an instructor with The Institute of Church Management and is on the board of The Council for Gospel Legacy Churches.

Jason is a 30+ year ministry veteran, serving as a pastor, youth pastor, and national worship leader, presenter, and writer. He has a Master of Divinity from Princeton and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller, where he studied church revitalization, and is certified by The Great Commission Network as a Missional Coach. Follow on X: @JasonPastor
Follow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/JasonPastor
Podcast: reclaimedleader.com / or iTunes Reclaimed Leader Podcast

Dan Hall served as senior pastor in three churches for more than 25 years, from a church plant right out of college to a multiethnic fellowship of 5000 with over 40 nationalities. Over the last 10 years, he has served as a coach and consultant to senior pastors and executive teams in the areas of generosity, strategic alignment and leadership development. After an accident left him a quadriplegic in 2016, Dan has expanded his ministry to include “Emerging from the Shadow,” sharing his journey from near death to a new beginning.

Ben Marshall is a Pastor at Pathway Church in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He works with teenagers and young adults. He is passionate about leadership and raising up the next generation of biblical leaders. He is a blogger, guitar player and sports enthusiast. Ben currently resides in Beaver Falls with his wife Connie and their two daughters, Aliya and Sophie

Mike Bonem is an author, consultant, speaker, church leader, businessperson, husband and father. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a breadth of experience in ministry and business, including 11 years as an executive pastor, consulting with Fortune 100 companies, and leading a start-up business. This article was first published on MikeBonem.com. Used with permission.

Brad Delaughter serves as Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church De Soto, MO. Brad is married to his bride, Kristin, and together they have 4 crazy kids (Jackson, Michaela, Jase, and Jacob). In addition to serving as Lead Pastor, Brad also serves as a hospital chaplain, is the Director for National Sustainability and Missouri Team Lead for Prison Seminaries Foundation and is an adjunct professor for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Todd Hopkins is founder and CEO of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services. He earned the Certified Building Services Executive designation from the Building Service Contractors Association International and serves on the organization’s board of directors. He has authored or co-authored four best-selling books, The Carrot Chaser, The Janitor, Five Wisdoms for Entrepreneur Survival and most recently, The Stress Less Business Owner.

Maurie Daigneau is a retired business owner/entrepreneur and author of the newly-published book The Gospel You've Never Heard: An Understanding That Will Change Your Life. He has been in a personal relationship with the Lord for more than 50 years, and has committed the balance of his days to sharing the lessons he has learned from the only One any of us is to call “Teacher.” Maurie and his wife, Susie, raised five children of their own and are now the proud grandparents of 13.

Dann Spader has dedicated his life to disciple-making and teaching others how to take someone from a seeker to a reproducing disciple themselves, all by following the pattern Jesus laid out for us in scripture. More than 750,000 people in 90 plus countries have been trained to make disciples emulating the life of Christ through organizations and initiatives he has led. He is the Founder of Sonlife Ministries and currently serves as Founder and President of Global Youth Initiative (an alliance of organizations in 95 countries committed to "equipping leaders for movements of multiplication”).

Kris Eldridge lives in Louisville, Kentucky and is the Local Outreach Pastor at Northeast Christian Church. He is also the founder of Outreach Ministry Solutions, where his focus is consulting with churches to help them reach their communities.

Langdon Montgomery has served as pastor in several churches over 25 years. He now serves as a hospice chaplain and resides in Hampton Roads. He has a Masters of Divinity from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and has taught three courses at Regent in their Continuing Education and Professional Development Department focused on leadership and preaching. He coaches pastors through Ministry Leadership Coaching,

Adam Erlichman is a Pastor, Consultant, and Best-Selling Author with Build Groups, LLC. He has served on various church staffs in Executive, Life Groups, Discipleship, Young Adult and Youth ministries and has written assessments, training processes, and resources including Group Leader Training. Adam serves on the Southern Baptist Texas Convention (SBTC) Discipleship Team/Board and occasionally blogs for the Small Group Network. He also guest speaks on podcasts such as Everyday Theologian and disciple FIRST.  

James Bruyn is a bi-vocational visionary leader, writer and speaker who enjoys helping individuals integrate their faith in God with their daily life. He leads a ministry to Christians in the marketplace in Calgary, provides leadership coaching, and consults for the rail industry. He writes a weekly devotional and also has a devotional book, 31 Days with God at Work (Marketplace 2018).

Rodney Cox serves as president at Ministry Insights International and has written and spoken extensively on the strengths movement as it relates to leadership and teams. His life's work has been dedicated to strengthening Christian relationships within the workplace, marriages, and families.

Andy Zawacki, a former pastor and teacher has a passion for developing leaders who will change the world. He serves as the Head of School at Arborbrook Christian Academy. He is married to Michelle and is dad to triplets, Josh, Anna and Christie.

Jim Farrer is the founder of Vital Signs Church Consulting and a member of the Society for Church Consulting. A broadly-trained church consultant, Jim is also a veteran of ministry positions in Canada and the U.S., he has trained leaders from 18 denominations and led seminars and coaching sessions nationwide. His articles have been published in the Journal of Evangelism and Missions and the Great Commission Research Journal. You can reach him by e-mailing revup1@yahoo.com or calling 814 629-5211.

Dr. Jonathan Hayashi earned his B.A. from Moody Bible Institute with a double concentration in Pastoral Ministry and Biblical Studies; a M.A., in Congregational Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary, and Doctorate of Educational Ministry in Biblical Counseling from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He presently serves on the Executive Committee at Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) and serves on the Board of Trustees at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Senior Pastor at Northern Hills Baptist Church Holt, Missouri from 2020-2022.

Mark Deterding is the founder and principal of Triune Leadership Services, LLC. In 2011 he formed Triune Leadership Services to follow his passion of working with leaders to help them develop core servant leadership capabilities that allow them to lead at a higher level and enable them to achieve their God-given potential. He is married to his wife Kim, and they have two sons, two lovely daughter-in-laws, and three wonderful grandchildren. This article was first published on triuneleadershipservices.com. Used with permission.

Martha Brangenberg is a gifted developer and communicator, who has worked alongside her husband, Jim, in various entrepreneurial ventures over their 35+ years of marriage. In 2013, God called them to begin the iWork4Him Talk Show, where they have had the privilege of challenging thousands across the globe with the simple message that your workplace is your mission field. In addition, she and Jim have co-authored a series of collaborative books, iWork4Him, sheWorks4Him, and iRetire4Him.

Dr. Rukevwe Odjimogho is a Certified Learning and Development Specialist, a Maxwell-Certified DISC Behavioral Analysis Consultant and Trainer, and a Leadership Coach, Speaker, and Teacher with the Maxwell Leadership Team. He is also a Medical Educator at Windsor University School of Medicine, the Director of a health-based community service outreach, and a Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Providence Center, situated on the beautiful island of St. Kitts & Nevis.

Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He’s the author of several best-selling books, including, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects But Everyone Experiences. Carey speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth.

Phillip A. Foster, Ph.D., as a psychologist and Director of AuthenticQuest.org, provides spiritual direction, counseling, training and consulting, to those in ministry or other roles of leadership in the church. He is the author of Here's My Heart, Lord; Parent With an Attitude, and Not Good Enough.

Jenni Catron is a writer, speaker, and leadership coach who consults churches and non-profits to help them lead from their extraordinary best. As Founder and CEO of The 4Sight Group, she consults with individuals and teams on leadership and organizational health.

Sean Lord is a pastor, husband, and father. He enjoys writing about leadership, theology, and ministry. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and currently pastors at one of the largest churches in the U.S. He spends much of his time mentoring and coaching pastors as well as leaders outside of the church.

Mike Sharrow is the President and CEO of the C12 Group. He began as a C12 Group member in 2010 while serving as an executive pastor for a large church in Texas and owner of a healthcare strategy consulting group. With a background spanning Fortune 50 corporate settings, start ups, non-profit and local church, Mike has been discipled into an integrated life perspective around the calling all believers share to be disciple making disciples and ambassadors of Christ across all vocations and contexts. He is married to Jacqui and they have two daughters, Elayna and Sophia.

Joseph Lalonde is an award-winning leadership blogger and hosted the Answers From Leadership podcast. He desires to see 20-somethings step into their God-ordained roles as leaders. Previously, on the E3 staff and currently serving in the Catalyst youth ministry of Gateway Church, Joseph has mentored many students and has seen their lives changed through this teaching. His mission is to help equip leaders with the knowledge and information to boost their leadership to the next level.

This article was first published on JMLalonde.com. Used with permission

Dr. Gerry Lewis serves as Executive Director of the Harvest Baptist Association in Decatur, Texas. He is also Founder and CEO of YLM Resources, which includes Next Step Coach-Sulting and Life Matters Publications. He is also an author of four books, including Why Bible Study Doesn't Work. He and his wife live in Azle, Texas and have two grown children and three (so far) grandchildren. His weekly Life Matters blog and Your Church Matters podcast can be found at drgerrylewis.com.

Jim Brangenberg is an established leader in the faith and work movement who has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and business owner. In 2013, God called him and his wife, Martha, to begin the iWork4Him Talk Show, where they have had the privilege of challenging thousands across the globe with the simple message that your workplace is your mission field. In addition, he and Martha have co-authored a series of collaborative books, iWork4Him, sheWorks4Him, and iRetire4Him.

Roy Yanke is the Executive Director of PIR Ministries, a national ministry of renewal and restoration for pastors and their families. Roy has been a workshop presenter for a variety of ministry seminars around the country on the topic of pastoral self-care. He has been the principle speaker for pastor's retreats, and is also a regular guest lecturer at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. Roy pastored for 17 years before experiencing his own crash and burn; Roy and Deb live in the metro Detroit area.

Dr. Hagedorn is a seasoned Fortune 500 executive, professor, author, and leadership consultant. With a PhD in Leadership Studies from Dallas Baptist University and an MBA from the University of Dallas, he's authored three books, including "A Lasting Legacy" alongside a nationwide radio, columnist, and podcast presence. Doug's expertise extends to founding a private K-12 school, launching two businesses, and creating an online course on finding and fulfilling your why- creating meaning, purpose and legacy in life. Outside work, Doug cherishes family time, reading, and sports.

Dennis Brooks is a husband, father, grandfather and healthcare executive based in Louisville, KY. He has the honor of serving as an elder at Southeast Christian Church and is very involved in the Foster/Adopt ministry at his church. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, sports of any kind, and reflecting and writing about the ways God is continually shaping him.

Callie Picardo, CFRE, has spent her career working in finance and charitable giving. She currently serves as Vice President for Development at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. She loves building relationships with donors of the seminary, hearing their stories and inviting them into God’s work at United. She views fundraising as ministry, regularly caring for and praying with donors. In 2011, she founded Deep Roots Financial Coaching, a business that helps individuals, families and churches align their finances with God’s word.

Gary L. McIntosh (PhD, DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is president of the Church Growth Network and professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is an internationally known speaker and church consultant who has written more than 25 books, including his most recent book, The Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone. He lives in California.