Jorge Acevedo loves Jesus Christ and his Church. Touched by the grace of God at seventeen and rescued from a life of addictions, his greatest delight is connecting people to Jesus and the Church. He is married to Cheryl Montgomery. His son, Daniel, is married to Courtney and they have 4 children. Jorge and Cheryl also have a younger son, Nathan. Jorge is the Lead Pastor at Grace Church, a multi-site United Methodist congregation in SW Florida. In August 2023, he will step away from the church to begin a coaching, consulting, writing, and speaking ministry. Jorge has authored or co-authored six books and has received numerous awards for ministry and evangelism.

Deb Lewis & Doug Adams went on a fifty-state - 18k mile bicycling tour to raise awareness of veteran and military issues. Their passion is to help others build stronger relationships, love their lives and fulfill their dreams. Deb is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, pioneer, retired Colonel, Combat Veteran, Harvard MBA, Author, Speaker, Leader, Adventure Guide and much more... Doug is a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, retired Lieutenant Colonel, Cyclist, Lawyer, Author, Speaker, Non-profit Leader, Adventure Guide.

Jacob Armstrong is the founding pastor of Providence Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Providence’s vision is to see those who feel disconnected from God and the church find hope, healing, and wholeness in Jesus Christ. Jacob is the author of many books including, Breaking Open, The New Adapters, and God’s Messy Family. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of the South, School of Theology and is a doctoral student at the Western Theological Seminary’s Eugene Peterson Center. He is a frequent speaker at church leadership conferences and retreats around the country. 

Dr. Bill T. Arnold joined the faculty of the Old Testament Department at Asbury Theological Seminary in 1995, and became the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation in 2007. During his time at Asbury, he has taught scores of pastors, missionaries, and teachers, and has published seventeen books, most recently the edited volume The Cambridge Companion to Genesis (Cambridge University Press, 2021). His research and writing cover several aspects of biblical interpretation, including the history of ancient Israel and the Hebrew language. His publications include commentaries on Genesis, Deuteronomy, and 1 & 2 Samuel, as well as a grammar of Biblical Hebrew and introductory textbooks.

Arnold served as an editor for the Old Testament notes in The Wesley Study Bible (Abingdon, 2009), and contributed its study notes on Genesis. He also served as co-translator of Genesis for the Common English Bible (Abingdon, 2011). He is an Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church (1984), and has been a delegate to four General Conferences.

Karl is an Associate Professor of History at Prairie View A&M University in Texas where he specializes in the Roman Empire and early Christianity. After receiving an MA at Concordia Seminary, he earned his Ph.D. at Western Michigan University under the supervision of Rev. Dr. Paul Maier, and like his mentor, Karl continually endeavors to share the joys of history with audiences everywhere he can. In addition to publishing a book and several articles on his specializations, he also dabbles a bit in the wider ancient Mediterranean and the connections between Classical and modern understandings of the past.

Mike has served as Archdeacon for 5 years and arrived in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas after serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Texas; he has been ordained since 2004. Mike has been married to his wife Ellen for 32 years and they have an adopted son, Lorenzo, who is 16 years old. They live in San Antonio. In 2013, Mike traveled to the Holy Land, which he counts as a life-changing experience. Seeing the scriptures come to life and visiting places he had previously only read about enabled him to understand the Bible in an entirely different way. Mike looks forward to traveling to the places associated with the Apostle Paul to experience the beauty of the area and to see the scriptures come to life again!

Rachel Billups is a visionary, leader, speaker and author. Currently she serves as Senior Pastor at Ginghamsburg Church multi-campus ministry in Tipp City/Dayton Ohio. Rachel draws on her love of people and passion to explore new venues for ministry and mission.

Rachel is an ordained Elder within the United Methodist Church and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible/Religion and History from Anderson University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Duke Divinity School.

Most days you can find Rachel reaching out – praying online, hosting Open Table gatherings in her home or enjoying moments with husband Jon and their four loves: Adeline, Christopher, David and Sarah. She also might be cheering for those Duke Blue Devils and The OSU Buckeyes.

Rachel is a popular speaker for national gatherings and has recently authored BE BOLD: finding your fierce as well as co-authoring Down to Earth: Hopes and Fears of all the Year Are Met in Thee Tonight and Sent: Delivering the Gift of Hope at Christmas – all by Abingdon Press. You can find her on social media at: @rlbillups.