Russell Moore

Russell Moore serves as the eighth president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the moral and public policy agency of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

A widely-sought cultural commentator, Dr. Moore has been recognized by a number of influential organizations. The Wall Street Journal has called him “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate” while The Gospel Coalition has referred to him “one of the most astute ethicists in contemporary evangelicalism.”

Dr. Moore blogs frequently at his website RussellMoore.com, and hosts the podcast Signposts. In addition, he is the author of several books, including Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ and Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches.

An ordained minister, Dr. Moore has served as a pastor for a number of Southern Baptist churches—most recently serving as preaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church from 2008-2012. A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five boys.

Prior to his election to this role in 2013, Moore served as provost and dean of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also taught as professor of theology and ethics.

Ann Voskamp

Ann Voskamp is the wife of a farmer, mom to 7, and the author of the four New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way — A Daring Path into the Abundant Life, The Greatest Gift, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift, and the sixty-week New York Times bestseller One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, which has sold more than one million copies and has been translated into more than twenty two languages.

Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, Ann knows unspoken brokenness and big country skies and an intimacy with God that touches wounded places. Millions do life with her at her daily photographic online journal, one of the Top 10 most widely read Christian sites: annvoskamp.com

Benjamin Watson

Benjamin Watson is a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. Majoring in finance at the University of Georgia, Benjamin went on to play for the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, and New Orlean Saints before signing with the Ravens. Off the field, Benjamin stays busy with his foundation One More, his growing family, and the NFL Players Association, where he serves on the Executive Committee. He is the 2018 recipient of the Bart Starr Award. The award honors the NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. He has also authored two books, including Under Our Skin.

Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada, the Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is an international advocate for people with disabilities. A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, without the use of her hands. After two years of rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations.

During her rehabilitation, Joni spent long months learning how to paint with a brush between her teeth. Her high-detail fine art paintings and prints are sought-after and collected.

Her best-selling autobiography Joni and the feature film of the same name have been translated into many languages, introducing her to people around the world. Mrs. Tada has also visited more than 47 countries, several many times.

Joni has written over 50 books and is a regular columnist in several magazines. She was inducted into the Christian Booksellers’ Association’s Hall of Honor in 1995 and received the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Joni’s works cover topics ranging from disability outreach to understanding the goodness of God and the problem of suffering. Her books include: A Christmas Longing, depicting her best-loved Christmas paintings, and Life and Death Dilemma, addressing the complex issues surrounding physician-assisted suicide. The mystery of suffering is systematically examined in When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty, a book written with Steve Estes in 1997 which won ECPA’s Gold Medallion Award.

In 2003, Joni wrote her memoir The God I Love, chronicling a lifetime walking with Jesus. In 2011, A Place of Healing was released, recounting her journey through physical pain and addressing questions concerning prayers for healing. After battling stage III breast cancer in 2010, Joni wrote Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Life after Shock, released in the fall of 2012. Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story was released in 2013. Joni’s book detailing her latest health challenges, Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing, was released in 2014. In October 2016, her new daily devotional, A Spectacle of Glory was released by Zondervan – it won best devotional book in ECPA’s 2017 Christian Book Awards. Joni is General Editor of the new Beyond Suffering Bible, a special edition published by Tyndale for those who suffer chronic conditions, and their caregivers.

Beginning in 1982, she began hosting “Joni and Friends,” a daily five-minute radio program of information and inspiration. Four minutes in length, the program airs on more than 1,000 outlets and reaches one million listeners a week. Her one-minute inspirational program, “Diamonds in the Dust,” also airs daily on more than 800 stations nationwide. In May 2017, the “Joni and Friends” radio program celebrated 35 years of broadcasting.

Joni served as host of a 30-minute television series called “Joni and Friends,” which highlights the stories of people enduring difficult trials while continuing to trust in God. In 2012, the TV episode “Cancer – Joni’s Journey” was released, detailing her battle against stage III breast cancer, including surgery and chemotherapy. Episodes can be viewed on the television page.

She has been interviewed or featured on TV shows such as “Larry King Live,” “ABC World News Tonight,” and Fox News’ “The Kelly File with Megyn Kelly.” PBS’s “Religion & Ethics” program featured Joni and her work among persons with disabilities worldwide. She has appeared in print outlets such as Christianity Today, World Magazine, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times and on radio shows such as “Breakpoint,” “Focus on the Family” and “FamilyTalk with Dr. James Dobson.” Joni’s commentary on disability related issues has appeared in The Wall Street Journal and TIME Magazine.

Joni and her husband, Ken Tada, have been married since 1982 and enjoy serving the Joni and Friends ministry together. On July 30, 2017, Joni celebrated 50 years of living well in her wheelchair, a remarkable testimony to God’s sustaining grace.

Thabiti Anyabwile

Thabiti Anyabwile is one of the pastors for Anacostia River Church. He has served as an elder and pastor in churches in NC, DC and the Cayman Islands. After a few years as a practicing Muslim, Thabiti was converted under the preaching of the gospel in the Washington DC area. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children. Thabiti is the author of several books, including The Life of God in the Soul of the Church; The Gospel for Muslims; What Is a Healthy Church Member?; The Decline of African-American Theology; and The Faithful Preacher. He blogs regularly at The Front Porch and Pure Church.

Danny Akin

Dr. Akin is the sixth president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has been serving in the role since 2004. Known as an advocate for international missions and expository preaching, he also has a reputation as a faithful husband and father and genuine man of God. Akin and his wife Charlotte have four sons, three daughters-in-law, and 12 grandchildren.

Amy Ford

Amy Ford is the Co-Founder and President of Embrace Grace, a non-profit that inspires and equips the church to love on single and pregnant young women and their families. She is also the author of A Bump in Life: True Stories of Hope & Courage during an Unplanned Pregnancy as well as Bump in Life Study Guide. Amy speaks nationally to a varied audiences including women’s ministry events, pro-life and adoption conferences, church leadership equipping and pregnancy center benefits.

Serving in Embrace Grace, she has countless stories of how churches, pregnancy centers and the body of Christ have come together to impact communities in a beautiful way.

She brings a fresh perspective of how one life can make a difference by stepping out of our comfort zones and just loving people. Amy delivers a combination of inspiration, authenticity, and depth to every event.

Amy has been married for over 20 years to her high school sweetheart, Ryan, and has 4 children. Her oldest son, Jess, is now at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and majoring in Ministry and Pastoral Leadership. Mackenzie is a Junior, Landry is in 6th grade and Judah Brave is in 1st grade. The Ford family resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Lynette Ezell

Lynette Ezell co-hosts the The Adopting and Fostering Home Podcast along with Tera Melber at Send Relief. She is the wife of Kevin, who serves as the president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

David Platt

David Platt serves as pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. He is the founder and president of Radical, a resource ministry that serves churches in accomplishing the mission of Christ. Resources from David Platt and Radical can be found at radical.net.

Books by David Platt include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, and Counter Culture, as well as the following volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series: Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and Exalting Jesus in Galatians.

 David Platt received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theology (Th.M.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with his wife and four children, he lives in Washington D.C.

Brian Autry

Dr. Brian Autry serves as Executive Director of the SBC of Virginia, a partnership of more than 700 Southern Baptist churches. SBC of Virginia has a vision for strong churches with a bold commitment to the Great Commission. SBC of Virginia focuses on church planting and revitalization, strengthening local churches and pastors, and mobilizing churches for missions. SBC of Virginia works with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Brian previously served as senior pastor of Parkway Baptist Church in Mosely, Virginia. The Autry’s started Parkway Baptist Church in March 2002, and the church grew from 13 founding families to more than 1,000 people in attendance. The church became known for a focus on families, a heart for community outreach, missions, and prayer ministry. As a pastor, Brian had a particular focus on speaking to and leading men to become spiritual leaders. The church became involved with church planting in Virginia, Colorado, Boston, Romania, and the Philippines.

Previously, Brian served on church staffs in Virginia, including Kempsville Baptist Church.  He also served as the state director for student ministries for the SBC of Virginia. The Autry’s served as missionaries for the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board in evangelism and church planting.

He has served as a trustee for Southern Seminary and Liberty University. Brian received his bachelor’s degree from James Madison University, his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Brian lives with his wife, Jennifer, in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia. They have three children, Melissa, Mark, and Jenna.

Life Verse: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Kevin Ezell

Kevin Ezell is the President of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). He provides strategic vision, direction and leadership as NAMB works to help Southern Baptist churches send the hope of the gospel to North America. He and his wife, Lynette, have six children, Anna, Shelly, Taylor, John Michael, Libby, and Micah Lyn. The Ezells are also blessed with four grandchildren.

Bryant Wright

A successful businessman before answering God’s call to ministry, Bryant Wright is a respected Bible teacher, pastor, husband, father, and community leader. He is a straightforward communicator who uniquely connects God’s unchanging truth with a diverse culture through compelling and creative teaching.

In all services, the message from the pulpit is presented in a teaching style. Always centered on key passages of Scripture, his sermons are practical and seek to explain how Scripture can be applied to everyday life. Bryant doesn’t shy away from controversial issues. If the Bible deals with them, he will seek to deal with them, too.

Bryant was called by Johnson Ferry to become the first pastor when it was a mission of First Baptist Church in Marietta, GA, with a membership of about twenty families meeting in an empty doctor’s office. Johnson Ferry now has over 7,300 members and 7 Sunday morning worship services with an average worship attendance of about 4,000. The church is unique in offering traditional and modern worship in all 3 hours of worship. Bryant alternates preaching live in the Sanctuary and Activities Center, with his messages being broadcast into the opposite venue via video. His messages are also available via live streaming at JohnsonFerry.org.

Bryant is the founder and chairman of Right From the Heart Ministries. Using secular radio, television, print media and the internet, he provides challenging, inspirational and insightful messages to encourage people in this hard-charging world in which we live.

He has authored six books, One Minute of Your Time, Another Minute of Your Time, One Minute of Your Day, Seeds of Turmoil, Right from the Heart, and The Stage is Set. You can learn more about Bryant’s resources, listen or view his messages online, and download podcasts at rightfromtheheart.org.

Bryant graduated from University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1974 and received a Master of Divinity in 1980 from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. In 2007, he was granted an Honorary Doctorate from SEFOVAN seminary in Madrid, Spain, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of South Carolina in 2011.