JONATHAN FALWELL, CONFERENCE HOST
SENIOR PASTOR, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
The Lord has uniquely equipped Pastor Jonathan for the role of Senior Pastor and TRBC has continued to grow with the vision and mission set forth by Dr. Jerry Falwell. In addition to preaching to over 12,000 people each week, Jonathan also serves as the Executive Vice President of Spiritual Affairs at Liberty University.
CHUCK COLSON
FOUNDER, PRISON FELLOWSHIP
Chuck Colson served as special counsel to President Nixon and went to prison in 1974 for Watergate-related crimes. When he got out of prison, God radically redirected this former attorney's career goals-leading him to go back to prison, this time to minister to the men and women behind bars.
JIM CYMBALA
PASTOR, BROOKLYN TABERNACLE
Jim Cymbala took over the leadership of The Brooklyn Tabernacle during the fall of 1971. The small, struggling congregation numbered less than 30 people and met in a small run-down building surrounded by the physical and moral blight of the inner-city. Today, two new buildings provide over 250,000 square feet housing ministries to reach the community.
Pastor Dr. Tom Mullins is the founder and Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His desire to make a difference in Palm Beach County inspired him to launch Christ Fellowship in 1984. He leads a congregation of 12,000 people, on four campuses, to accomplish God's purposes in the community and around the world.
Rick Warren is the founder and Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California, the largest Christian church in California. He is also the best-selling author of many Christian books, including The Purpose Driven Life, and an influential evangelical leader.
Ed has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia and transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. He is currently the Director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway's Missiologist in Residence.
Dr. Wheeler moved to Lynchburg in 2006 to represent the North American Mission Board as a field missionary at LU and LTS. He also teaches Personal Evangelism and Church Growth at LTS. Dr. Wheeler has spent the past 5 years as the Evangelism Resource Group Leader for the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.
HEALTHY WORSHIP
CHARLES BILLINGSLEY
WORSHIP LEADER, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
Charles serves as Worship Leader at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA and the nationally broadcast program, Jonathan Falwell Live at Thomas Road television program. Charles also serves as Artist-in-Residence for the 10,000 resident students at Liberty University and a senior advisor to the over 500 students of the Liberty University Center for Worship.
HEALTHY FAITH
ERGUN CANER
PRESIDENT, LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Dr. Ergun Caner became the first former Muslim to become the leader of an evangelical seminary. Along with his brother Emir, Caner has become a leading voice for evangelicalism on the national stage. He has been a guest on such networks as FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC, the BBC, and TBN.
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
TIM CLINTON
PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COUNSELORS
Dr. Tim Clinton is President of the 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). He serves as Executive Director of the Liberty University Center for Counseling and Family Studies and is a Professor of Counseling and Pastoral Care.
HEALTHY LEADERSHIP
ELMER TOWNS
VICE PRESIDENT, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY DEAN, SCHOOL OF RELIGION
Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University, is a college and seminary professor, an author of popular and scholarly works (the editor of two encyclopedias), a popular seminar lecturer, and dedicated worker in Sunday School, and has developed over 20 resource packets for leadership education. Dr. Towns, prolific writer, has authored 125 books.
TOM MULLINS
SENIOR PASTOR,CHRIST FELLOWSHIP
Pastor Dr. Tom Mullins is the founder and Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His desire to make a difference in Palm Beach County inspired him to launch Christ Fellowship in 1984. He leads a congregation of 12,000 people, on four campuses, to accomplish God's purposes in the community and around the world.
ELMER TOWNS
VICE PRESIDENT, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY DEAN, SCHOOL OF RELIGION
Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University, is a college and seminary professor, an author of popular and scholarly works (the editor of two encyclopedias), a popular seminar lecturer, and dedicated worker in Sunday School, and has developed over 20 resource packets for leadership education. Dr. Towns, prolific writer, has authored 125 books.
RON HAWKINS
VICE PROVOST, LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Dr. Ron Hawkins is the Vice Provost for Distance Learning and Graduate Programs and a Professor of Counseling and Practical Theology in the Center for Counseling and Family Studies at Liberty University. He has varied professional experiences including Pastoral Ministry, practicing as a Licensed Professional Counselor, serving as a President, Associate Provost, Academic dean and Professor in a Collegiate and Seminary setting.
CHARLES BILLINGSLEY
WORSHIP LEADER, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
Charles serves as Worship Leader at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA and the nationally broadcast program, Jonathan Falwell Live at Thomas Road television program. Charles also serves as Artist-in-Residence for the 10,000 resident students at Liberty University and a senior advisor to the over 500 students of the Liberty University Center for Worship.
ED STETZER
DIRECTOR, LIFEWAY RESEARCH
Ed has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia, and transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two Masters Degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. He is currently the Director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway's Missiologist in Residence.
DAVE EARLEY
DIRECTOR, LIBERTY CENTER FOR CHURCH PLANTING
Dr. Dave Earley is Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Leadership at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as Director of the Center for Ministry Training at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Director of the Center for Church Planting of Liberty University. Dave is the founding Senior Pastor of the New Life Church of Gahanna, a church which started in his basement with 12 people and grew to nearly 2,000 in attendance and planted seven churches.
TIM CLINTON
PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN COUNSELORS
Dr. Tim Clinton is President of the 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). He serves as Executive Director of the Liberty University Center for Counseling and Family Studies and is a Professor of Counseling and Pastoral Care.
SHARI FALWELL
THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
Shari Falwell has been actively involved at Thomas Road Baptist Church for over twenty years. After graduating from Azusa Pacific University, she joined the Contemporary Christian group TRUTH. Shari came to Lynchburg in 1987 to be involved in the music ministry at TRBC. It was during this time she met her husband, Jonathan. Shari is heavily involved in the music ministry and the women's ministry at TRBC.
MATHEW D. STAVER
DEAN, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
After completing his studies in religion and becoming a pastor, Staver entered law school and the legal profession. In 1989, Dean Staver became the Founder, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Dean Staver serves as Director of the Liberty Center for Law and Policy (LCLP), a partnership between Liberty Counsel and Liberty University School of Law.
ROD DEMPSEY
DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
Dr. Rod Dempsey is the Chairman of Discipleship Ministries at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Discipleship Pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church, in Lynchburg Virginia. Rod has served as a church planter, Christian Education Pastor, Membership Pastor, Small Group Pastor and Elder prior to coming to Lynchburg. His main interest and expertise is developing discipleship systems at the local church level.
DANIEL HENDERSON
PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC RENEWAL
After serving as Sr. Pastor of several very large churches, Daniel has joined the staff of Thomas Road Baptist Church as Pastor of Renewal and teaches part-time at Liberty University. Strategic Renewal exists to ignite the heart of the church through personal renewal, congregational revival and leadership restoration.
SHERI ROSE SHEPHERD
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND SPEAKER
Sheri Rose Shepherd was named the # 1 Show of the Year (2006) on Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson. Her book, Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal, is endorsed by Women of Faith speakers Patsy Clairmont, Barbara Johnson and Thelma Wells. Her inspiring life story and books have been featured on Lifetime Television for Women and NBC's Inside Edition.
TOMMY WALKER
WORSHIP LEADER, CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY, LOS ANGELES
Tommy has traveled with Promise Keepers, Greg Laurie Harvest Crusades and Franklin Graham. He has written over 100 songs that are currently being tracked by C.C.L.I. and are being sung in churches around the world, including "He Knows My Name," "Only A God Like You," "That's Why We Praise Him," "Lord I Believe In You," "Mourning Into Dancing," "Break Through," and "This is What Christmas Means to Me."
DOUG RANDLETT
EXECUTIVE PASTOR, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
In October 2007, Doug returned to TRBC as Executive Pastor. He spent the previous nine years as Director of Ministries at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens where he saw attendance grow from 3,500 to 12,000. Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Tom Mullins, Doug became the Campus Pastor at the Royal Palm Beach extension campus in 2005, seeing this site grow to over 4,000 in weekly attendance.
JULIE CLINTON
PRESIDENT, EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN
Julie Clinton, M.Ad., M.B.A., is President of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. A woman of deep faith, she cares passionately about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.
BEN GUTIERREZ
CHAIRMAN, PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Dr. Gutierrez is the author of "Living Out the Mind of Christ: Practical Keys to Discovering and Applying the Mind of Christ in Every Day Life" , a recommended Innovate Church resource for all pastors and Christian Leaders. Dr. Gutierrez received his A.A. and B.S. in Religion from Liberty University, a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Regent University. Dr. Gutierrez and his wife Tammy have two daughters, Lauren and Emma.
MATT WILLMINGTON
ASSOCIATE PASTOR, THOMAS ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH
Matt has been a Christ-follower for 38 years, husband for 20 years of an incredible kindergarten teacher, and a dad of two teenagers and one preteen. He ministered at Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University for 13 years as a youth ministry educator and minister of education. He served as executive pastor and small groups pastor at West Ridge Church for eight years. He presently works as an associate pastor at Thomas Road. Matt did his undergraduate and seminary work at Liberty and has an Ed.D. from Argosy University at Sarasota.
