Dr. Sean McDowell
Apologist/Author
Biola University
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 has also appeared as a guest on radio shows such as Focus on the Family, Point of View, Converse with Scholars, Stand to Reason, Family Life, as well as shows hosted by Hugh Hewitt, Michael Reagan, and others.
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.
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Apologist/Author
Biola University
Brant Hansen
Radio Host/Author
Unoffendable
Brant Hansen manages to be both enormously entertaining and deeply thoughtful. He's also known for being refreshingly honest and hilarious, both on his nationally syndicated radio show (with more than 2 million listeners) and in-person.
His podcast with his friend and radio producer, Sherri Lynn ("Brant and Sherri Oddcast") has been downloaded more than 15 million times. His first book, Unoffendable, has sold more than 200,000 copies and prompted a national discussion on the idea of forgiveness, and our culture's embrace of self-righteous anger.?
Brant has been featured by ABC’s Good Morning America, and is a regular guest on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today. He's also written for CNN.com, The Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Relevant, and numerous other outlets on matters as varied as public policy, culture, Asperger's Syndrome, and faith. He's been a game inventor, fronted a modern rock band, and does occasional stand-up comedy. He has been married 33 years to Carolyn, and they have two grown children.
https://branthansen.com/
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Radio Host/Author
Unoffendable
Dr. Kathy Koch
Author/Speaker
Celebrate Kids
Kathy Koch, Ph.D. (pronounced "cook")
With a passion for being an influence and for helping build strong and healthy families, Dr. Kathy writes (6 books and counting) and speaks (a lot and often) on a wide range of topics that are both timeless and current. Her humorous and easy-to-learn-from speaking style, foundational wisdom, and practical and relevant details leave her audiences empowered with strategies to navigate the challenges of raising and teaching children. She warmly speaks to young people and their adults with compassion and understanding, never shying away from tough topics in our current culture. Her messages are always beautifully woven with Biblical truth and hope.
Kathy has become a wildly popular speaker offering keynote presentations for conventions and seminars for educators and students held at schools, and conferences; and programs for parents, schools, conventions, and youth and parent organizations.
With audiences ranging in age from 10 to 100, Kathy has a unique gift of engaging, entertaining, and teaching them all. She attributes much of her excellence to the three degrees she earned from Purdue University, including a Ph.D. in reading and educational psychology. She taught second graders, coached middle schoolers, was a tenured associate professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and finally a school board member before becoming a full-time conference and keynote speaker in 1991.
Dr. Kathy founded Celebrate Kids, Inc., in 1991 and co-founded Ignite the Family in 2018. It is now the conference ministry of Celebrate Kids.
https://celebratekids.com/
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Author/Speaker
Celebrate Kids
We The Kingdom
Musicians
Artists
This year's Worship Night will feature a group whose journey in the music industry, marked by faith and collaboration, has been deeply influential. With notable songs like "Jesus Does," "Holy Water," and "Miracle Power" featuring Anne Wilson. Their story exemplifies the transformative power of faith, shaping the Christian music scene. A multi-generational family band known for their unique collaborations that resonate with audiences across generations. We will be blessed to worship together with “We the Kingdom”.
https://www.wethekingdom.com/#/
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Musicians
Artists
Riley Gaines
Athlete/Advocate/Woman
Swimmer
Riley Gaines, a 12-time All-American swimmer with 5 SEC titles was a successful female swimmer at University of Kentucky with ambitions to pursue a dental degree. That post-graduate ambition and her entire life was changed when she was forced to share a locker room and then compete against biological male Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship.
This uneven challenge, not just for Riley but for every woman competing in the pool that day, was made even more traumatic when the NCAA officials insisted on giving Lia Thomas the trophy, despite tying Riley down to the hundredth of a second in the event. Riley can recall wondering why no one was standing up for her or for any women in the room.
This moment became her call to action – to defend and protect America’s daughters against the woke left and their gender-denying ideology. Biological men should not take opportunities for success in sports away from women. Biological men should not share locker rooms with women.
https://www.rileygaines.com/
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Athlete/Advocate/Woman
Swimmer
Joe & Betsy Pittenger
Worship Band
UPLIFT Church
Joe and Betsy have been in ministry for over 30 years. They are both graduates of Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. The Northwest has been their home since 1994, residing in Spokane since 1998. As a team, they have been leading worship throughout the Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene area, and have participated in multiple conferences, camps, churches, and other events. Their heart is to lift up the name of Jesus. Currently, they pastor UPLiFT Church in Spokane Valley.
1 Thess. 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…
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Worship Band
UPLIFT Church
Candace Cameron-Bure
Actress/CCO
Great American Media
Candace Cameron Bure is best known as everyone’s big sister, DJ Tanner, in the iconic television show Full House, and Netflix’s recent reboot Fuller House. She’s also known for her Christmas movies and has starred in and produced over 40 Rom-Coms and mysteries she recently moved to her new network Great American Family Channel where she serves as the CCO (Chief Creative Officer.) Candace has her own fashion brand, home goods brand, a faith-based product line that includes NYT bestselling books and devotionals to bring people one step closer to Jesus. She is the CEO of Candy Rock Entertainment and most recently Candace launched her own podcast. With a total of 3 million streams in just 7 months, each season of The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast does a deep dive with one expert into a single theme with the hope of encouraging listeners to grow in their experiences of faith, family and purposeful living. Candace also has a new Great American Family Christmas Movie premiering this Winter, titled My Christmas Hero. While Candace is thankful for all of these opportunities and titles, she feels that the most life-changing one she identifies with is “Christian.” Candace is a Christian woman who loves Jesus and seeks to give Him the glory above all else.
https://candacecbure.com/
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Actress/CCO
Great American Media
Gov. Mike Huckabee
TV Show Host/Former Governor
Trinity Broadcasting Network
Mike Huckabee is the host of the TV show "Huckabee" on TBN each weekend and is a Fox News contributor, NY Times best-selling author of 14 books, and a frequent speaker for corporate, civic, and non-profit groups all over the world. He also hosts the podcast "Huckabee" on Quake Media. He was the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 until 2007, becoming one of the longest serving Governors in his state's history. He left a legacy of tax cuts, job creation, the reconstruction of his state's road system, K-16 education reform, and a nationally heralded and duplicated health initiative that focused on prevention. His administration fought long-standing corruption in the state's political machine, resulting in numerous indictments and convictions of powerful legislators and other elected officials. He ran in 2008 and 2016 for President, finishing 2nd in the Republican primary in 2008.
He is a frequent visitor to Israel since 1973 and since 1981 has been taking groups to the Bible Lands.
Governing Magazine named him as one of its "Public Officials of the Year" for 2005, and Time Magazine honored him as one of the five best governors in America. He served as the Chairman of the prestigious National Governors Association as well as the Education Commission of the States, the Southern Governors Association, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Commission. He has been nationally recognized for his advocacy of the arts in education and raises money to provide musical instruments for children.
Huckabee an avid musician since age 11, is a bass player and often joins guest artists on his weekly television show, having played with Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Toby Keith, the late George Jones, and many others. He owns radio stations in Arkansas and Missouri.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing, and music. He was named one of the "25 Most Influential People" for Conservation by Outdoor Life Magazine, and was named "Man of the Year" by the American Sportfishing Association in 1997. The former governor and his wife, Janet, spend time in Arkansas and have three grown children - John Mark Huckabee, David Huckabee and his wife, Lauren, and Sarah Sanders and her husband, Bryan - and seven grandchildren.
https://www.huckabee.tv/
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TV Show Host/Former Governor
Trinity Broadcasting Network
Dr. Gary Chapman
Marriage Expert
5 Love Languages
As anyone who has attended one of his marriage conferences knows, Dr. Gary Chapman's expertise in marriage begins with the success and failures he and his wife Karolyn have experienced in their marriage for more than 45 years. He is just the man to turn to for help on improving or healing our most important relationships. His own life experiences, plus over thirty-five years of pastoring and marriage counseling, led him to publish his first book in the Love Language series, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. Many of the millions of readers credit this continual New York Times bestseller with saving their marriages by showing them simple and practical ways to communicate love.
Since the success of his first book, Dr. Chapman has expanded his 5 Love Languages series with special editions that reach out specifically to singles, men, and parents of teens and young children.
He is the author of numerous other books published by Moody Publishers/Northfield Publishing, including Anger, The Family You've Always Wanted, The Marriage You've Always Wanted, Desperate Marriages, God Speaks Your Love Language, How to Really Love Your Adult Child, and One More Try. With Dr. Jennifer Thomas, he co-authored When Sorry Isn't Enough, which introduces readers to the 5 languages of apology.
Dr. Chapman speaks to thousands of couples nationwide through his weekend marriage conferences. He hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, A Love Language Minute, and a Saturday morning program, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, both airing on more than 400 stations. Dr. Chapman and his wife have two grown children and currently live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he serves as senior associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church.
Dr. Chapman holds BA and MA degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively, MRE and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has completed postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.
https://5lovelanguages.com/
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Marriage Expert
5 Love Languages
Kevin Sorbo
Actor
TV/Movies
Kevin Sorbo, played the lead role on the ground-breaking “Hercules” TV series, speaks from the heart to audiences around the world. As the titular star of the number one TV show in the world for seven years and the victim of three strokes during that time, he carries a gravitas to his audiences on the topics he’s passionate about: health and perseverance, honesty and overcoming, and pro-life. After his prolonged recovery and another hugely successful TV series (Andromeda), the best-seller author of?True Strength?spent the next few decades smashing box-office records in movies like?God’s Not Dead,?Soul Surfer,?Let There Be Light,?and?Left Behind.??Sorbo's clients have now declared him their best choice for record-breaking fund-raising events, because he takes their messages and artfully weaves them into compelling, personal story-telling, bringing audiences to their feet in enthusiasm.
https://www.sorbostudios.com/kevinsorbo
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Actor
TV/Movies
Dallas Jenkins
American Film Maker/TV Director
The Chosen
Dallas Jenkins, son of celebrated Left Behind author Jerry Jenkins, first produced the independent feature Hometown Legend at the age of 25 and shepherded it to distribution by Warner Brothers. In the nearly 20 years since then, he has directed and produced over a dozen feature and short films for companies such as Universal, Lionsgate, Pureflix, Hallmark Channel, and Amazon. His most recent film, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, released in theaters in 2017. He is now the creator of the largest crowd-funded media project of all-time, a multi-season series about the life of Christ entitled The Chosen.
https://thechosen.tv/en-us
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American Film Maker/TV Director
The Chosen
