Good News For The City's Podcast

Pastor Jorge Pina joined the show to discuss his journey from drug dealer to Pastor and talk about his church, Jesus Church.

Rev. Mark Barnard talked about Blessing Point Ministries, a ministry that aims to be a blessing to churches by helping to restore God's blessing on them, and in doing so, spark a movement that transforms the Church and the culture at large.Rev. Mark Barnard grew up in Morristown, NJ and came to know the Lord at the age of fifteen. He holds a BA in Bible from Nyack College and an MA in Pastoral Studies from the International School of Theology (CRU). He has served in various pastoral and teaching capacities across a spectrum of evangelical denominations. Mark is the author or co-author of ten books including The Path of Revival, Diagnosing the Heart of Your Church, The Eighth Letter, and the soon-to-be-released Getting Our House in Order. Mark is the father of four and the grandfather of two. He and his wife, Jeannie, reside in the Atlanta area.

Mark David Kennerly and his daughter Madison Kennerly joined the show to talk about using creative gifts in filmmaking to influence unacceptable social realities like racism to make our world better and to disciple people to know and follow Jesus.Mark David Kennerly is a Pastor, Filmmaker & Author. He attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (NYC) and has worked as a professional actor and writer in NYC and Hollywood. He became a Christian in 1994. In 2004, he founded Impact Christian Church (formerly Impact Christian Center) in Stephens City, VA (near Winchester) where he currently serves as senior pastor. Under his leadership many generations of individuals and families are being discipled. Mark David took a 23-year hiatus from the entertainment industry and has returned to focus on Christ-centered and family-friendly filmmaking, television, and multimedia under the umbrella of 1922 Productions  that he and Kimberley, his wife of 28 years, founded,. In 2020, along with their daughter Madison Kennerly, they produced the feature film …”if My People”… aimed at uniting the Body of Christ through racial reconciliation. Mark David has recently released two books related to the movie, …if My People… 40 Day Transformation and …if My People… 40 Day Devotional. He will soon launch a video podcast entitled …if My People… Reconcile.Madison Kennerly, daughter of Mark David Kennerly, was a Producer on the film  “If My People”. Madison graduated from Liberty University's Cinematic Arts program in 2020, and has since worked as a Producer on another faith-based feature film, Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No's, which was also filmed in Northern Virginia. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia and works as a Production Coordinator on several projects each year. Madison is an active member of Victory Church in Atlanta & believes that in the film industry, one of the most valuable places that a believer can be is working alongside cast and crew members who do not know the Lord and sharing the gospel through engagement and relationships.

Tony Alany talked about HouseRight, a team of ministry leaders from across the country focused on helping the local church use smart and innovative technology to communicate the most important message the world has ever known.Tony Alany is a pastor and a musician who has experience as a worship leader, singer/songwriter, audio engineer, and record producer. After 24 years of volunteering, time as a part time staff member, culminating with 10 years of full time ministry at McLean Bible Church, Tony embarked on a new journey, seeking to invest his experience into the capital C Church.

Bishop Derek Grier joined the show to discuss National Unity Weekend, a nation-wide initiative in pursuit of unify the church and break racial barriers.National Unity Weekend Next Action Steps1. Go- to the website unityweekend.com2. Sign-  Statement of Change3. Register-  yourself, your church or Christ-centered organization to support the vision and mission of National Unity Weekend4. Participate-  by preaching on unity on June 11 and serving during the Community Day outreaches on June 10.5. Stay actively involved-  being an advocate for the vision and mission of National Unity Weekend by helping your church and the Church at large build unity across all lines of division  inside the Church and affecting the communities you serve (particularly along racial and ethnic lines).Bishop Derek Grier currently serves as the founding pastor of Grace Church inDumfries, Virginia. Grace Church began in 1998 with 12 people and has grown to more than 6,000 members. Grace was listed in Outreach Magazine's annual  Fastest Growing Churches in America; as the 7th fastest growing church in the UnitedStates. His radio and television programs are heard and viewed by millions in the United States and around the globe. Grier was ordained a bishop in 2008 by the late Dr. Myles Munroe. He currently mentors hundreds of Christian leaders and business owners through the Renaissance Leadership Network (RLN). He serves on several boards – including the Board of Directors for the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate standards for financial accountability and transparency.He has also served as an associate trainer for Equip, founded by John Maxwell. In 2011, he founded the now fully accredited Virginia Bible College, a world-classChristian learning institute, where he serves as Chancellor. Grier studied businessadministration at Howard University and earned a Master of Education degree fromRegent University, and a Doctorate in Practical Ministry from Wagner University. He has received numerous awards and was honored in the United States CongressionalRecord on several occasions.He is the author of several books, including his latest release, When God Stops,published by Thomas Nelson Publishing in August of 2019. Derek and his wife, Yeromitou, reside in northern Virginia and have two adult sons: Derek Jr. and David.

Manny Jennings (along with mom and dad) joined the show to discuss his book, It's Ok To Be Me, that inspires everyone to embrace what makes you who you are!“Manny,” Claude Jennings III, is a 10 year old native of Silver Spring,Maryland. Manny is a YouTuber and has a YouTube channel called “Manny Time.”He's a big sports fan. His favorite athlete is Steph Curry! Manny plays in the PGAJunior League in PG George's County where he was his team's MVP in 2021 and a part of the championship team in 2022. He loves to help and inspire people, which is why he decided to write the book "It's OK to Be Me" and start the Confident K.I.D.S. movement.Manny's father Claude Jennings, Jr. is a Washington, DC area native and a veteran broadcast media expert. He has worked for Christian music station WGTS 91.9 for the past 21 years a producer and on air personality on the WGTS 91.9 morning show with the morning show. Claude also produces the Saturday morning program “Breakaway”. He runs his own media production and consulting company – Hope Line Media. Claude is a big football and and golf fan. If he is not in a studio behind a mic or editing, you will probably find him on a local golf course. Claude has done so much for our community including leading the Impact Fellowship which is a church ministry that mobilizes Christians to engage and impact the DMV in the name of Jesus Christ. Manny's mother, Cierra Jennings is also a native Washingtonian. She is a humanresource benefits specialist by profession and a singer by passion. Cierra has sung inthe DMV on various occasions as a worship leader, solo artist and have graced thestages of the Kennedy Center, the Strathmore and other venues. Cierra has performed with Gospel icon Richard Smallwood, the Washington Performing Arts Society, Men and Women of the Gospel to name a few.

VA State Trooper and motivational speaker Michael McSellers discussed how to discern and align with how God is providentially and sovereignly working in our lives.Michael McSellers is a mentor, leader in his community who also travels the country as a motivational speaker. Growing up in a fatherless home in the inner city of East St. Louis. Michael desired to beat the odds of what society would paint as his future. As a young boy he always dreamed of one day being a police officer. This passion was driven by his desire to help and serve others.Michael was first given the opportunity to serve our country as a United States Marine and has served as a VA State Trooper for nineteen years. Michael passionately speaks about godly marriages, families, relationships, overcoming trauma, hardships, and also speaks to first responders. He's spoken at conferences for marriages, faith, men, youth and first responders.He's been interviewed on podcasts, local radio stations, as well as local and national news media outlets discussing numerous topics on several occasions. Michael resides in Northern Virginia with his beautiful and talented wife Arianne and son.

This Easter weekend we focus on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Good News of the Gospel with Pastor Chris Sicks. Chris Sicks is the pastor of One Voice Fellowship, a multilingual church in Falls Church, Virginia with members from 16 countries. He is founder and president of ‘For the Nations DC', offering English classes to refugees and immigrants so our new neighbors can learn English and experience the love of Jesus. Chris served on staff at Alexandria Presbyterian Church for 20 years. As Pastor of Mercy, he labored to show compassion in Word and deed to the congregation and community. Previously, he worked at Gospel Rescue Mission (homeless shelter and drug treatment program in Washington, DC) and ran a scholarship/mentoring program for inner-city youth. He's been a newspaper editor, restaurant manager, and Army officer.Chris is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary DC. Chris is the author of Tangible: Making God Known through Deeds of Mercy and Words of Truth (NavPress 2013).Chris lost his first wife, Sara, to breast cancer. Now married to Naomi, they have four teenagers.

Brooke Ackerman joined the show to talk about Blueprint Mental Health Coaching (blueprintmhc.com).Brooke Ackerman is a former middle/high school English teacher and youth pastor who now owns Blueprint Mental Health Coaching (blueprintmhc.com). She blends Christian life coaching and inner healing prayer to help clients uncover the unique, original design God has placed in each of us. She is also an experienced presenter for local conferences and small groups in the Northern Virginia area on those same topics. Brooke and her husband, Jon, live on a small but slowly expanding farm in Purcellville, VA.

Tom Moyer shared how God started WAVA, Good News For The City and has worked through him to advance the Gospel in metro Washington DC and beyond.Tom Moyer recently moved on to new Kingdom assignments after serving for 31 years with the Salem Media Group, most recently as the General Manager overseeing this station WAVA 105.1 FM and several other stations. Salem Media is America's leading radio broadcaster, digital and print content provider - targeting audiences interested in Christian and family-themed content and conservative values. Salem owns and operates 115 radio stations, with 72 stations in the nation's top 25 markets – and 30 in the top 10. Salem is publicly traded (SALM) with over 1600 employees.Tom grew up here in the DMV and currently resides in our Maryland suburbs. He is married to Sharon and they have 4 grown children. 

Pastor Mark Batterson joined the show to talk about Easter Sunrise Service 2023.Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, one church with multiple locations. NCC also owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Miracle Theatre, the DC Dream Center, and Capital Turnaround as gathering places for the community and funding for Kingdom causes. Mark serves as lead visionary for The Dream Collective, which equips and supports dreamers who long for revival in the church, reformation in the kingdom, and renaissance in culture.Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the author of 23 books including the New York Times bestselling The Circle Maker as well as In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Double Blessing, Whisper, and, most recently, Win the Day and Do it for a Day. Mark is married to Lora and they live on Capitol Hill. They have three children: Parker, Summer (married to Austin), and Josiah.

 Randy Newman talked about the 3rd edition of “Questioning Evangelism” and introduced the way of engaging non-believers in spiritual conversations by asking questions, much as Jesus did. Randy Newman is the Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism at The C. S. Lewis Institute in the Washington, DC area. He has taught at several evangelical seminaries, Patrick Henry College in Loudoun County, VA, and is currently an adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary. His background as a Jewish believer uniquely informs his perspectives and teaching.After serving for over 30 years with Campus Crusade for Christ, he established Connection Points, a ministry to help Christians engage people's hearts the way Jesus did. He has written several books, including the award winning Questioning Evangelism (that we are discussing today) as well as numerous articles about evangelism and other ways our lives intertwine with God's creation. Randy has been our guest on this show discussing his books Mere Evangelism and Bringing the Gospel Home, witnessing to family members and close friends. If you missed these shows, please check out www.goodnewsforthecity.com or your favorite podcast platforms to listen.

Kim Luckubaugh joined the show to update us on the wok happening at Reset 180, a Christian organization dedicated to eradicating sex trafficking through prevention, disruption and restoration.Kim Luckabaugh became executive director of Reset180 in May of 2022. She is a passionate servant, seeking to work wherever God places her. He has given her a heart to care for those who are overlooked by our community and desperately needing to know someone cares. God placed a tenderness in her heart for victims and survivors of trafficking at a women's conference at her church, Reston Bible.Ever since, she has been seeking for ways to support these special women when God called her to this role leading Reset180. Kim previously was a senior program manager at Volunteer Fairfax, a dedicated volunteer in the community, and a stay at home mom when her children were young. In the fall of 2022, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed her to serve on his Advisory Board for Service and Volunteerism.She also serves on the Averett University Alumni Board and other local boards. A native of Northern Virginia, Kim and her husband, Dan, live in the City of Fairfax, where their three adult children have been raised. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, visiting the beach, and helping others.

Sarah Herndon joined the show to talk about Five Talents, a ministry focused on eradicating extreme poverty and creating sustainable communities in nine countries by partnering with local churches to provide programs for business and literacy training.Sarah Herndon joined the Five Talents team in March 2019. Her work centers on finding meaningful ways to more deeply involve Five Talents' local church partners into their mission.Sarah comes with a media and communications background. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Media Arts and Design and Sports Communication from James Madison University. During her senior year, Sarah caught the news bug while working as a morning production assistant for the ABC affiliate in Harrisonburg and went on to report, produce and anchor at a small station in Winchester where she also met her husband. Two years later, she traded in her high heels for flip flops to report for WINK News in sunny Southwest Florida. When she moved back to the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia a few years later, she worked in marketing and eventually joined the Five Talents team as the Church Engagement and Events Coordinator. Sarah never totally gave up her microphone though, as she also teaches group fitness classes several days a week at two local gyms. In her spare time, you can find Sarah and her husband, Mason chasing around their 17-month-old son, MJ. They attend Christ Church Vienna where Sarah sings in the worship band.

Rabbi Aaron Allsbrook shared the significance of the celebration of Passover for Christians and Jews alike and shared an opportunity to participate at a Seder at the Museum of the Bible and of ongoing opportunities to reach Jewish people with the Gospel.Born and raised in Southern California, Rabbi Aaron has known Yeshua (or Jesus) his whole life. He shared about Yeshua to his Jewish and non-Jewish friends in high school. At the end of high school Rabbi Aaron began to feel that there was more to his Jewishness than just Passover and Hanukkah at his grandparents. At this time he made his first visit to a messianic synagogue in Philadelphia, his first trip to Israel, and then his first visit to an Orthodox synagogue. God certainly was moving in his life, revealing to him that his Jewishness was something central to his identity. He went so far as to begin to live like an Orthodox Jew, including getting Orthodox rabbinic ordination. Not longer after that Rabbi Aaron knew there was something missing, something more. While the traditions were great, he craved for more of the Spirit of God and the love of Yeshua. He left the Orthodox world, and began to seek a way of living an authentic Jewish life under the leading of the Spirit. His travels brought him to Israel, where he lived for four years, and then to New York, where he met his beautiful wife, Brooke, with whom he has three children. It was in New York that he was a special education teacher and an assistant rabbi at a Messianic synagogue on Long Island. After several years of serving in this capacity, he wanted to pursue being a full-time Messianic rabbi, which is what led him to congregation Ohev Yisrael. He desires to see Jewish people come to know Yeshua, their Messiah, and live their life in service of our Master as Jews full of the Spirit of God. 

Jim Dempsey joined the show to discuss the benefits and best methods of ministry development and fundraising.Mr. Dempsey is a graduate of both New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico and California State University in San Bernardino, California.After working in the private sector, Mr. Dempsey joined the staff of Cru, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ in 1984, soon rising to become the Director of Development Administration and Direct Marketing. Within his first four years with Cru, he helped design the first internationally oriented pledge program. His experience also included supervision and administration of foundation and major donor field representatives in pledge fulfillment of Campus Crusade's Billion Dollar "Here's Life" Capital Campaign and the applicable events. In addition, he served for eighteen months working with CCC Founder and President Bill Bright to create “the President's Strategy” major donor relationship effort. In 1998, Mr. Dempsey became the Associate Director of Development for the Campus Ministry -- the position he currently holds -- where he directs all global, national and local development efforts for that division which includes funding a $26 million budget -- having taken them from under $1 million per year in revenue to more than $16 million annually in less than 20 years. He also serves as an internal consultant for ministries within Cru.Mr. Dempsey is a frequent lecturer on development and management and creates content for a successful YouTube channel, "Jim Dempsey - Fundraising.” The channel includes a library of more than 225 training videos. Additionally, he has created a curriculum featured through Fundraising Masterminds.Mr. Dempsey serves on the board of numerous non-profit organizations such as Arts for Relief in Missions (IL) and Connection Points (VA) and has served as Board President for Sanctity of Life Ministries in Fairfax, VA and Assist Crisis Pregnancy Center in Annandale, VA.Mr. Dempsey lives in Orlando, FL with his wife Diane and is active in his local church. Prior to that, he attended Knollwood Community Church in Burke, VA for 30 years, where he chaired various committees and served as Chairman of the Deacon Board and served as an Elder.

Brad Hill provided an update on the ongoing campaign “He Gets Us”, which is saturating the US with messages focused on the person and message of Jesus. Brad Hill joins us again on the show to provide some exciting updates (was on previously July 30-31, https://goodnewsforthecity.com/he-gets-us/). Brad serves as the Chief Success Officer for Gloo, an organization that helps extend the Church's capacity to reach, know and move every person it serves. They are a partner in the biggest faith campaign in history, “He Gets Us” (i.e., Jesus “gets us”). Brad has been deeply involved in solving technology challenges for the Church for over 20 years. He serves on the executive team at Gloo (www.gloo.us), and is responsible for marketing, sales, success, and all facets of growing and serving Gloo's network of churches, networks, and faith partners.Prior to Gloo, Brad co-founded Ministry Brands, which is the world's largest church/ministry technology company, As President, he completed over 40+ roll-up acquisitions and led the company to win Private Equity deal of the year for 2017. In addition to his experience starting, building and coaching companies for Kingdom and business impact, Brad has also served in lay leadership at several churches across multiple denominations. Brad currently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife and two kids. He is a native of the DMV with family still living in the area.

Ryan Chew shared his story of how a diverse group of Christ followers are coming together here in the DMV and beyond , and how you can get involved. Ryan Chew is a Christian artist and the worship pastor at New Life Alexandria. He was born in Silver Spring, MD. From a very young age, Ryan has had been heavily involved in music in the church. This has allowed him the opportunity to share the stage with some popular worship groups/artists like Circuit Riders, Black Voices Movement, Maverick City Music, UPPER ROOM, Kierra Sheard, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Kierra Sheard & Tye Tribbett, along with other local DMV artists including The Blessing DMV worship video project produced by OneHeartDC. Along with his growing career in music, Ryan is leading a movement called Unity Nights which is a growing worship gathering for bringing together local churches. Unity Nights has gained attention across other states, and will be soon bringing churches together in other regions outside the DMV.

Dr. Jessica Moerman is a scientist and a Pastor. Today she shared her passion for educating the church and spurring us on to action in the area of creation care. Dr. Jessica Moerman is a climate scientist, pastor, educator, and advocate. She serves as Vice President of Science and Policy at the Evangelical Environmental Network and is co-founding pastor at Grace Capital City, which she planted in 2016 with her husband Chris in Washington, DC. Jessica is a Board Member of the National Association of Evangelicals and a research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.She has testified before Congress and appeared on major media outlets, including the NBC TODAY Show, Good Morning America, Christian Broadcasting Network, and Newsmax. She has served as a Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy and researcher at Johns Hopkins University.She received her Ph.D. in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Jessica is passionate about leading church communities towards positive solutions to safeguard our cities, neighborhoods, and the next generation from the effects of a warming world and life-threatening pollution, and leads the Creation Care Justice Ministry at her church, Grace Capital City. Jessica originally hails from East Tennessee and remains a southern girl at heart. She is married to Chris and has two young boys.FOR MORE INFORMATIONEvangelical Environmental Network website, CLICK HERE.Loving the Least of These: Addressing a Changing Environment, A report by the National Association of Evangelicals https://www.nae.org/loving-the-least-of-these/ Evangelicals Magazine by the National Association of Evangelicals 2022 Spring/Summer Issue "When Recycling Isn't Enough" https://www.nae.org/when-recycling-isnt-enough/ Grace Capital City Generations Campaign; https://www.gracecapitalcity.com/generationsWith All Creation: A Weekend of Worship, Service, and Celebration of our Creator God. April 21-22 at Grace Capital City in Washington, DC

Reverend Christian B. Aaron joined us to talk about RISE (Reclaiming Identity through Self-Empowerment). A movement focused on allowing believers to overcome their challenges, follow their passion and purpose, and strengthen and revive their faith. To understand holistic wellness, the avenue by which RISE achieves its mission.Christian B. Aaron is a faith-driven millennial native of Birmingham, Alabama andgraduate of Howard University, where she received a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. She is a registered nurse and graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, where she obtained a Master's of Divinity. She daily combines both nursing and ministry by creating platforms through holistic wellness. Christian is the owner of RISE Enterprises LLC, a Certified Life and Health Coach, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Host, and author of two daily devotional books entitled, “Rise and Shine” and“Single is not a Sin.” She has also extended her ministry beyond the borders of the United States while journeying to Capetown, South Africa and El Salvador on mission trips. She is a 2019 Black Alumni Influencer, 2019 Howard University Move-maker, and featured on WYCB Radio. Christian considers her faith and family as her foundation and is honored to be the only girl of six boys.She was ordained at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, where she served as the Youth Minister. She is the proud wife to Mr. Matt Aaron and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Jon and Brooke Ackerman shared their experience with infertility and how they have looked to God every step of the way.Brooke Ackerman is a former middle/high school English teacher and youth pastor who now owns Blueprint Mental Health Coaching (blueprintmhc.com). She blends Christian life coaching and inner healing prayer to help clients uncover the unique, original design God has placed in each of us. She is also an experienced presenter for local conferences and small groups in the Northern Virginia area on those same topics. Brooke and her husband, Jon, live on a small but slowly expanding farm in Purcellville, VA.Jon Ackerman is the Director of Spiritual Development and Freedom Ministries at Christian Fellowship Church. After growing up all over the Midwest, he began his professional career in Virginia as a high school social studies teacher, department chair, and volleyball coach in Sterling, VA. While teaching, he also began working part-time at CFC in 2016 as the Director of Freedom Ministries. In 2020, after 16 wonderful years in the classroom, Jon followed God's calling into full-time ministry. His greatest passion is helping believers in Jesus learn to personally communicate with their Heavenly Father and experience the transformation and adventure of the abundant life with God. Jon and his wife, Brooke, have been married for 11 years, and love the rural life they have recently embraced in western Loudoun County.

Rev. Joel Galan joined the show to discuss an Association of evangelical Hispanic ministers who are building each other up for more fruitful ministry together than any could do alone here in the DMV.For 19 years our guest Joel Galan and his wife and partner in ministry Abigail have served as “Bridges” connecting their generation with the love, grace, revelation and restoration through Jesus Christ. God rescued the Galans from very difficult childhoods. Their story of transformation provides hope for the present generation. They have ministered in 32 countries touching the lives of thousands of people in congresses, evangelistic crusades, conventions and training events. They presently concentrate on “prophetic evangelization inside and outside the church". They work to reach the lost, break traditions contrary to the culture of the Kingdom of God, and transform Christian leadership. Joel serves as Sr. Pastor of Transformation Church in Columbia MD and President of the Association of Evangelical Hispanic Ministers (AEMH). He holds a Bachelor of Theological Arts from Hosanna University.

Rev Elliott H Johnson Sr. joined the show to share his story of faithfulness to God's calling on his life even when under the crushing circumstances of a serious medical condition.Rev. Dr. Elliott Johnson was born and raised in the Hyde Park Community of Chicago. He graduated from Howard University School of Business with a BS in Management/Marketing and an MBA in International Business. He also holds a Doctorate degree in The Art of 21st Century Urban Ministry from the McCormick Theological Seminary.He has worked as a City Manager for 4 Mayor's, and held Sr. Executive Sales/Marketing positions for 3 of the top 5 American Brewing Companies. He has chaired the Boards of the United Way and YMCA in the Midwest Region. He has served in elected offices in Illinois, and as an Advisor to 3 Presidential Administrations; most recently the Biden Administration for the Office of Faith & Community Partnerships. He currently oversees operations of a family Industrial Medicine/Occupational Health Medical Services Corporation and Heyward & Johnson LLC a business and nonprofit management consulting firm focused on Risk Management, Sales / Marketing / Business Development Strategies, Information Technology, Economic/Community Development, and Christian Education / Philanthropy Services.  He has been married for over 40 years to Hope, a retired Chief Virologist and has two children who both graduated from Howard University.

Dr. David Renwick joined the show to discuss an ancient marble tablet was found seemingly pointing to Jesus Christ. Please fill our listeners in.Dr. David Renwick grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and received his B.S. in Applied Math from St. Andrews University.While a student at St. Andrews University, David spent his junior year in the United States, and returned to the United States to pursue his theological education at Gordon-Conwell Seminary in Massachusetts, and later a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.David has served churches from 50-2,500 members  -- in Labrador, Canada; and here in the United States: in Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina, and, most recently, in Washington, DC – where he was Sr. Pastor of The National Presbyterian Church for eleven years until retirement this past September.David has been married for 47 years to his wife, Currie, who comes from Gainesville, GA (David and Currie met at St. Andrews University in Scotland when Currie was on a junior year abroad program from Tulane).Currie retired this June as an elementary school librarian in the DC public school sys-tem. They have three adult children and five grandchildren, in DC, Virginia and Louisiana.

Eric and Collen Fleshood  shared their journey with their son Aiden and how the Lord held them together through various health challenges.Colleen was born and raised in Sterling Heights, MI. Came to know Christ as student at U of Michigan when a fellow student challenged her to read the Bible every day for a month. She was called to join the staff of Cru as a missionary in 1994 and served at Indiana University. Eric has been on Good News before highlighting the Cru ministry of Cru Foundation where he serves as CEO. He was born and raised in Virginia and has served with Cru for 25 years, including two years as Bill Bright's traveling assistant and here in the DMV as Campus Director at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. In addition to the U.S., he has been involved in projects to take the gospel to Venezuela, Africa, Australia, Kazakhstan, and Asia.Eric has earned the Chartered Adviser in Philanthropy designation from the American College and enjoys helping others experience God's pleasure in their stewardship.Eric and Colleen were set up on a blind date and were married in 1998. They are the parents of five children. 

Eric Fleshood, the CEO of Cru Foundation, a ministry of Cru, formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ, shared how they walk you through the use of planned giving tools to invest in building the kingdom of God now, during retirement and beyond your lifetime.Eric Fleshood was born and raised in Virginia and has served with Cru for 25 years, including two years as Bill Bright's traveling assistant and here in the DMV as Campus Director at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. In addition to the U.S., he has been involved in projects to take the gospel to Venezuela, Africa, Australia, Kazakhstan, and Asia. In 2016 Eric was named CEO of Cru Foundation. He has earned the Chartered Adviser in Philanthropy designation from the American College and enjoys helping others experience God's pleasure in their stewardship. Eric and his wife Colleen have five children. They enjoy golf, soccer, volleyball, board games, and camping.

Pastor Jim Supp joined the show for a special Thanksgiving message.Jim Supp has been in a pastor in the Northern Virginia area for nearly 25 years.  Having been at Reston Bible Church for 4 years, Jim has recently accepted the position of Senior Teaching pastor at RBC.  He has been married to his amazing wife Sharon for 22 years.  Their oldest child Natalie, is in college and their youngest Adam, is in high school.  Together, Jim and Sharon share a passion for bringing the truths of Scripture to bear in the lives of followers of Jesus and culture in which we live.  Aside from a passion to preach the Word of God, he enjoys staying shape and heads to the gym 4 or 5 times per week.  Jim finds the environment to be conducive to engaging others in spiritual conversations. 

Patrick Farrell shared about angel investing, a practice that can bring blessing by partnering with faith-driven entrepreneurs and stewarding capital for the Kingdom.Patrick is the Co-Founder of Potomac Angel Capital, an angel network based in Washington, D.C. that invests in early-stage, mission-focused entrepreneurs from around the globe. As Executive Director, Patrick is responsible for the overall strategy and operations of the network, including deal flow, events, and diligence. Patrick is also the Founder of Keystone Collective, where he serves entrepreneurs as a consultant advising his clients in preparing for investment and executing on fundraising opportunities.As an early member (pre-revenue) of the executive team at Nehemiah Security, Patrick was responsible for evaluating acquisition and funding opportunities to grow and eventually exit the business. While at Nehemiah, Patrick successfully executed four (4) transactions, including two acquisitions, a divestiture, and a sale. Patrick was also responsible for Operations at Nehemiah, where he functioned as an executive leader in legal, recruiting, compliance, security, procurement, and cross departmental projects. Prior to Nehemiah, Patrick was a management consultant at Booz, Allen, Hamilton in their civil-commercial practice where he functioned in several different critical roles supporting a large IT management contract.Patrick is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a double major in Human & Organizational Development and Economics, where he attended on a full-tuition Dean's Academic Scholarship.

The Reverend Matthew Lawrence Watley shared his perspective on the unique challenges of spiritual leadership in these times of cultural chaos and leading through the challenges being faced by churches.The Reverend Matthew Lawrence Watley is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, Calverton, MD.  Kingdom Fellowship has an active membership of over 5,000 people and reaches thousands more through the church's online platform.A third-generation preacher, author, businessman, lecturer, and professor, Pastor Watley is nationally and globally recognized for his extensive work in ministry and his experience in leadership development.Additionally, Rev. Watley is Chair of The Black Idea Coalition, whose mission is to fulfill the promise of diversity and inclusion by empowering organizations and institutions to achieve Black parity in employment, investment, and contracting. Pastor Watley is the author of Ignite, 50 Days of Prayer that Will Change Your Life, and co-author of Poems of a Son, Prayers of a Father with the Rev. Dr. William D. Watley.  His writings have also been included in several other works.Rev. Watley holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Master of Divinity from Howard University in Washington, D.C. an Executive Master's in leadership from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business in 2009, a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Wiley College in 2020 and he is presently a candidate for a Doctorate in Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary.Rev. Watley is married to the former Ms. Shawna Francis, Senior Policy Advisor in the Government Group of Holland and Knight.  They are the proud parents of the beautiful and talented Miss Alexandra Elizabeth.

Gabriel Knowlton and Jonathan Switzer share the story of God's supernatural work in building unity in Christ that magnifies Him, His love and His Gospel message in Frederick, Maryland.Gabriel KnowltonGabriel is the Executive Director of Move Toward Unity and current Vice President of the Evangelical Ministerial Fellowship of Frederick. For over 30 years, he and his wife Nicole have served the Body of Christ coast to coast, leading in numerous interdenominational contexts. Moving to MD in 2003, they have continued to build connections throughout the DC region to see the Unity of John 17 manifest in His Ekklesia. Jonathan SwitzerJonathan Switzer and his spouse Carol pastored together from 1995-2018. They pastored in Frederick from 2001-2018, during which time Jonathan served as President of the Evangelical Ministerial Fellowship representing over 60 local churches and ministries. The fellowship partnered with the Convoy of Hope to serve community needs and started the Frederick48 fundraising campaign, now called the UNITY campaign, which to date has raised over 3 million for over 30 different non-profits in Frederick. In March of 2018, they started Crossed Bridges which unifies the community to meet our greatest needs to restore the good that God intends. Initiatives include a 35-church prayer canopy, the Frederick County Goes Purple community wide response to opioids with Purple Certified Training for Businesses, and The Bridge which connects business, community and church volunteers with crisis family needs identified by local non-profits in real time. They continue to identify strategic initiatives to bridge the community together in these polarized times.

Paul Smith, CEO of Tree of Life ministries, shared a unique way that a local coffee shop is provided jobs, a chance to develop life skills and a “seat at the table” in our community.Paul Smith, Born in England, moved to the US in 2003 from Scotland. He worked for 20 years with The Royal Bank of Scotland. He served as a church deacon in Scotland for 9 years and a church elder at Purcellville Baptist Church for 6 years. He is currently the CEO of Tree of Life Ministries (formed in 2008 and established as a 501c3 in 2012) with a stated Purpose: to reach out to the poor and needy in our community with the love of Jesus Christ. He is married to Pamela with 4 amazing children and 3 wonderful grandchildren.

Susie Kumah joined the show to share all that God has been doing to grow the network of Alpha churches in the DMV.Susie Kumah is the Network Director of Alpha in the DMV (Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia), who was born to Ghanaian parents, raised in London, and currently resides in Northern Virginia. Prior to joining Alpha USA, Susie worked as a worship leader at a Holy Trinity Church in McLean, VA. In addition, she managed both the outreach ministry and the Alpha course.Susie longs to see heartfelt praise and worship of God across the DMV. She hopes that everyone regardless of race, gender, age, class and more would experience the true love of God that would allow them to know Him abundantly…. As the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1:17, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit  of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

Dr. Bobby Manning , joined the show to help us apply our understanding of the generations to what leaders - in the Church or any context - must know and apply to align and motivate people for success. Dr. Bobby Manning is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and Senior Pastor of The Heights Church. He also serves on the Board of Directors of OneHeartDC, sponsor of this Good News for the City show. Under Dr. Manning's leadership in empowering the community, “The Heights” has been recognized in local and national publications such as Outreach Magazine, BET, and The Washington Post. Dr. Manning is the author of four books. Saving Our Sons, Move Like a King, Are You Afraid of Heights, and GENTEGRATION: Connecting Leaders Across Generations. In addition to serving his local church, he also serves as a seminary professor, church consultant, leadership coach, and President of the Collective Empowerment Group. He is a native of the Washington, D.C. area where he and his wife LaVera currently reside with their three sons Levi, Reuben and Joseph.The Heights Church is a 70 year-old church in District Heights, MD committed to Connecting with Communities to Cultivate Strong Christians. The Collective Empowerment Group is a 26 year-old non-profit organization that leverages the collective strength of local church leaders, business leaders and banking leaders for the economic empowerment of the DMV community.

Mike Minter joined the show to discuss his book “Stay the Course - A PASTOR'S GUIDE to Navigating the Restless Waters of Ministry”. This is part 2 of that discussion.Mike Minter was born into a Navy family in Providence, Rhode Island. His father was an Admiral. He attended the Naval Academy and has a degree from Old Dominion University in Political Science. While traveling with a friend through Europe, Mike trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior through this friend's consistent witness.With a growing desire to study and teach the Scriptures, Mike entered Florida Bible College and graduated with a degree in Bible. He met and married his wife, Kay, and was called to the ministry to start an evangelical work in Reston. Reston Bible Church started in 1974 in a home Bible study. This year after 48 years of faithful service at RBC Mike completed his service there and took on new Kingdom assignments in Nashville, TN.

Mike Minter joined the show to discuss his book “Stay the Course - A PASTOR'S GUIDE to Navigating the Restless Waters of Ministry”. This is part 1 of that discussion.Mike Minter was born into a Navy family in Providence, Rhode Island. His father was an Admiral. He attended the Naval Academy and has a degree from Old Dominion University in Political Science. While traveling with a friend through Europe, Mike trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior through this friend's consistent witness.With a growing desire to study and teach the Scriptures, Mike entered Florida Bible College and graduated with a degree in Bible. He met and married his wife, Kay, and was called to the ministry to start an evangelical work in Reston. Reston Bible Church started in 1974 in a home Bible study. This year after 48 years of faithful service at RBC Mike completed his service there and took on new Kingdom assignments in Nashville, TN.

Annie Hsiao, the founder and president of Capitol Hill Christian Academy, joined the show to share about the new school that will open its doors next Fall. Annie Hsiao has had nearly 15 years of service in government, policy, and education. She has served as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Baltimore City Public Schools, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to this she worked at the Walton Family Foundation, the leading grant-maker in K-12 education reform and parental choice and was the Director of Government and Community Relations with an appointment from the George W. Bush Administration at the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her writing has appeared in Politico, National Review, Weekly Standard, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Daily Caller and other publications. Originally from California, Ms. Hsiao received her B.A. in Political Science and Asian American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her Masters in Education Policy from Harvard University and was a Publius Fellow at the Claremont Institute. Her volunteer work also includes serving as a board member of a Charter School in Washington, D.C. and serving as a deaconess, teacher, and Bible study leader at her church, Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

Chris Sicks talked about For the Nations DC, a ministry that embodies that truth for immigrants and refugees and strives to provide hope and help to our new neighbors. Vera Fernandes also shared  her 30 years of missions work overseas and her current trauma healing ministry.Chris Sicks is founder and board president of FTNDC, offering English classes to refugees and immigrants four days a week to help our new neighbors acclimate and discover the truth and love of Jesus. Chris served on staff at Alexandria Presbyterian Church for 20 years, and is now pastor of One Voice Fellowship, a multi-lingual church in Northern Virginia focused on refugees and recent immigrants. Chris is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary DC. He is also the author of Tangible: Making God Known through Deeds of Mercy and Words of Truth, published by NavPress in 2013). Previously, he worked at Gospel Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter and drug treatment program in Washington, DC, and ran a scholarship/mentoring program for inner-city youth. He has been a newspaper editor, restaurant manager, and Army officer. Chris lost his first wife, Sara, to breast cancer. Now married to Naomi, they have four children.Vera Fernandes grew up in Mumbai, India and has lived cross-culturally most of her life. She is presently re-settling in the US. Vera has served overseas for three decades with at-risk women and children in the Ukraine, India and Afghanistan. She managed night shelters and play therapy centers in some of the most broken and devastated places in the world. She has cared for child survivors of trauma and worked towards their recovery and restoration. She loves being a bridge between cultures and sharing her stories of Christ's transforming power.

Brett Andrews joined us to discuss New Life Christian Church's innovative strategies for creating safe places for people to discover God.Brett Andrews is Lead Pastor at New Life Christian Church in Chantilly, VA. New Life is one church in 3 locations around Northern VA with influence around the world.Married to Laura for 33 years. They have four children. Brett started New Life in 1993 with a sense of calling to be a church that obeys the Great Commission by starting new churches. New Life's ministries include ‘Passion 4 Planting' that offers project management tools and coaching for new churches. New Life has also been instrumental in the start and leadership of Exponential, an international church planting resource ministry. In an effort to focus New Life's ministries on evangelism, New Life's gathering place, the nZone, is used as a 7 day-a-week exercise and health facility. The goal of the nZone is pre-evangelism-- to help people experience God before they know they are experiencing God.

Brett Andrews joined the show to share about Exponential, an international ministry that provides resources on church planting, including conferences, leadership communities, articles, books, and highlighted the upcoming Expo DC conference in Chantilly, VA.Empowered: Moving with The Spirit! We invite you to join us at EXPO DC, September 12-13 at New Life Christian Church, Chantilly, VA. Register here: https://exponential.org/washington-dc-2022/Use discount code DC2022 to save $29 per person.Hear from Today's Top Church Multiplication Practitioners10+ national speakers in 5 main sessions!Brett Andrews has been married to Laura for 33 years and has four children. He started New Life Christian Church in 1993 with a sense of calling to be a church that obeys the Great Commission by starting new churches. New Life has been instrumental in the launch and leadership of Exponential, an international church-planting resource ministry. In an effort to focus their ministries on evangelism, New Life's building, the nZone, is used as a 7-day-a-week exercise and health facility. The goal of the nZone is pre-evangelism -- to help people experience God before they know they are experiencing God.

Brad Hill joined the show to talk about the biggest faith campaign in history, “He Gets Us".Brad Hill has been deeply involved in solving technology challenges for the Church for over 20 years. He serves on the executive team at Gloo (www.gloo.us), and is responsible for marketing, sales, success, and all facets of growing and serving Gloo's network of churches, networks, and faith partners.Prior to Gloo, Brad co-founded Ministry Brands, which is the world's largest church/ministry technology company, As President, he completed over 40+ roll-up acquisitions and led the company to win Private Equity deal of the year for 2017. In addition to his experience starting, building and coaching companies for Kingdom and business impact, Brad has also served in lay leadership at several churches across multiple denominations. Brad lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife and two kids.

Joel White, Founder and CEO of Arlington Bridge Builders, joined the show to provide an update on how God is continuing to work through Arlington Bridge Builders.Joel White founded Arlington Bridge Builders in 2010 based on a strong desire to unite churches to serve our neighbors, encourage discipleship, and share the Gospel. He is also the founder and President of Horizon Government Affairs, a DC-based consultancy that has helped enact 40 laws since its founding in 2007. The ABB model is based on Joel's decades of experience in building successful coalitions to advance policies that provide affordable health coverage and that use data and technology to make health care work better.Joel is on the boards of Samaritan Inns, one of the largest homeless and addiction treatment organizations in DC, the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance, a patient advocacy group, SafeNetRx, which delivers free medicine to those in need, and Chaddock Behavioral Health, which serves children with severe mental and emotional needs.He is a member of Cherrydale Baptist Church and resides in Virginia with his wife and three sons.

Dr. Bobby Manning joined the show to discuss his book, “GENTEGRATION: Connecting Leaders Across Generations”.Dr. Bobby Manning is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and Senior Pastor of The Heights Church. He also serves on the Board of Directors of OneHeartDC, sponsor of this Good News for the City show. Under Dr. Manning's leadership in empowering the community, “The Heights” has been recognized in local and national publications such as Outreach Magazine, BET, and The Washington Post. Dr. Manning is the author of four books. Saving Our Sons, Move Like a King, Are You Afraid of Heights, and GENTEGRATION: Connecting Leaders Across Generations. In addition to serving his local church, he also serves as a seminary professor, church consultant, leadership coach, and President of the Collective Empowerment Group. He is a native of the Washington, D.C. area where he and his wife LaVera currently reside with their three sons Levi, Reuben and Joseph.The Heights Church is a 70 year-old church in District Heights, MD committed to Connecting with Communities to Cultivate Strong Christians. The Collective Empowerment Group is a 26 year-old non-profit organization that leverages the collective strength of local church leaders, business leaders and banking leaders for the economic empowerment of the DMV community.

Pastor Michael A. Dada spoke about his efforts to help his pastoral colleagues stay the course of their callings and even thrive.Pastor Michael A. Dada, a former banker turned preacher is a dynamic Spirit-filled preacher whose ministry has witnessed conversion of souls and miracles. He joined the Deeper Life Bible Church in 1981 shortly after giving his life to Christ. Currently, he oversees over seventy church locations of the Deeper Life Bible Church in the United States. More than fifty of those churches were planted under his leadership within a period of twenty years.Like his spiritual father and mentor, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, Pastor Dada is a Speaker, Teacher, Preacher and Evangelist who has ministered in different parts of the United States, United Kingdom, Africa, and the Caribbean. In addition to serving as Regional Overseer in Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Dada serves as the Chairman Board of Directors of the African Ministers Fellowship (A.M.F.) in the USA and Europe. He is the National Vice Chairman and Regional Mobilization Coordinator for Africa Strategic Leadership Prayer Network (A.S.L.P.N.) in the USA. Pastor Dada is a member of the board of trustees of Nigeria Prays, an organization founded by General Yakubu Gowon - a former Nigerian Military Head of State.FOR MORE INFORMATION: deeperlifedc@yahoo.comhttp://www.deeperlifedc.org/https://www.facebook.com/deeperlifedcSpecial Ministers' ConferenceFriday, July 29, 2022, 4:00 – 7:00 PM, Eastern Time Saturday, July 30, 2022, 4:00 – 7:00 PM, Eastern Time Location: Deeper Life Bible Church, 4915 Sargent Road, Washington DC 20017

Johnny Scott shared his testimony of redemption after being incarcerated and facing a 30-year prison sentence to having a culinary career and a full-service catering business, The Mission Kitchen.Chef Johnny was born in South Carolina and developed a fascination with cooking at an early age. Later, Johnny was facing a possible 30-year prison sentence. During his time of incarceration, he learned how to cook, and upon his release he received his degree from the Culinary Institute of Savannah in Savannah, Georgia and became a chef. He then continued his education at the Art Institute of Tennessee in Nashville. Today, Johnny has become a man of faith, a husband, a father of three, a business owner, an author, and an inspiration to others.

Janine Buser shared about Operation Christmas Child, a ministry that delivers shoebox gifts to children around the world as a tangible expression of God's love. Alex Nsengimana, a shoebox recipient, shared how one of there gifts transformed his life.Janine Buser is a graduate of Georgetown University with a first career in government affairs. After homeschooling for 20 years, she is currently a Boots & Roots early childhood teacher for the Scent of Water homeschool learning community in Dunn Loring, Virginia. Janine is married, has four adult children, and is a member of Cherrydale Baptist Church in Arlington.Janine is the Volunteer Area Coordinator of Operation Christmas Child's DC Metro Area Team, serving Washington, DC, Arlington, and the City of Falls Church. She has volunteered year-round with the team since 2016 but has been packing shoeboxes since 1999. Understanding how a single, simple gift can eternally impact a child's life compels her to seek ways to increase the number of shoeboxes packed by our community.Alex Nsengimana: Growing up in midst of an unstable Rwandan government, Alex Nsengimana experienced first-hand the travesties of his nation's genocide. At the height of tribal unrest, the genocide claimed the lives of his caregivers. Fleeing for his life, Alex escaped gunmen and eventually ended up in an orphanage that was his home for the next several years. Alex received a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child one year after arriving at the orphanage and remembers being so excited to have a gift to call his own. Alex now serves with Operation Christmas Child, paying forward the hope and love he received through a shoebox gift.

 Jose Lopez joined the show to discuss SANTO Outreach Ministry and their marquee event, FreedomFest DC. A grassroots multi-church ministry outreach made up of volunteers who have a passion to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the thousands on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. each 4th of July.Jose Lopez is an evangelist and the founder of SANTO Outreach Ministry, which sponsors the annual event FreedomFest DC that is held every July 4th on the National Mall to share the Gospel message of Christ with the thousands of people celebrating our nation's independence. Jose came to the United States from Nicaragua in 1989.  In 2001, he asked Jesus Christ to be his personal Lord and Savior and less than a year later he started going out to the streets to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Jose has a calling to not just share the Gospel message to the lost, but also with those who say they are Christians but are not born again followers of Christ. Through SANTO Outreach Ministry, he talks with church congregations and Christian groups and teaches them how to go out and share Gospel message and realize that evangelism is not a scary thing to do, but can simply be done by listening and having a conversation with people.

Kevin Copeland joined the show to discuss “My Brothers and Sisters Keeper” ministry and it's work redeeming the lives of at-risk youth.For more information, contact Kevin: copeland77@aol.com, Brothersandsisterskeeper365@gmail.com, 202-528-2668Evangelist Kevin Copeland was born in Washington, D.C. After graduating from Anacostia High School in Washington, D.C., he attended Norfolk State University. In 1988, he joined the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department. After serving 28 years as a Metropolitan Police Detective, he retired in 2016. He served in the Narcotics Division, Homicide Division, Intelligence Division, and Asset Forfeiture Division. In his tenure with the department, he received both the Medal of Valor and the Medal of Honor awards for bravery. Evangelist Copeland has been married for 20 years to Natasha Copeland, his partner in life and ministry. They have seven beautiful children who work fervently in their outreach ministry. Evangelist Copeland was called to the Ministry of God in the year of 1999, and has been teaching, preaching and sharing the Gospel since that time. In 2006, he and his family were led to start a multi-faceted faith-based community outreach ministry “Brother and Sisters Keeper.” The ministry is committed to providing spiritual and practical resources and skills that empower individual and community change. As they like to say, “patrolling for souls.” For his outstanding work in the community, Evangelist Copeland has received numerous awards. He lives his life according to his favorite scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

Randy Newman joined the show to discuss his book "Mere Evangelism: 10 Insights from C.S. Lewis to Help You Share Your Faith.Randy Newman is the Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism at The C. S. Lewis Institute in the Washington, DC area. He has taught at several evangelical seminaries,  Patrick Henry College, and is currently an adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary. After serving for over 30 years with Campus Crusade for Christ, he established Connection Points, a ministry to help Christians engage people's hearts the way Jesus did. He has written several books, including the award-winning Questioning Evangelism as well as numerous articles about evangelism and other ways our lives intertwine with God's creation. He and his wife Pam live in Annandale, VA and have three grown sons, two delightful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of adorable grandchildren. Randy blogs occasionally at www.connectionpoints.us.

Mary & Edward Powers joined the show to talk about Brave Neighbor Homes, a company that approaches real estate from a relationship perspective and gives back to Kingdom causes. Mary Powers follows Jesus alongside her husband Edward. They have been together for 30 years and have four adult children: Charles and Julia (biological), and Abby and Stephen (chosen). All four are awesome and thriving! Mary grew up in a loving home that experienced extreme poverty. Athletics dominated her high school and college years before she experienced severe knee injuries that halted those pursuits prematurely. She met and married Edward during college, and they chose together Edward's commissioning in the Marine Corps. For over two decades, she dedicated herself to raising their remarkable children, while becoming the model of a supportive Marine spouse. She led the Marines' families while Edward led the Marines. She endured years of deployments rendering her a de facto single mom and thrived in the midst of them. In 2019, as the nest emptied out and Edward retired from the military, it became her turn to explore her passion. Her passion is helping people find their homes and navigate the stressful world of real estate transactions in relationship, as a friend. Brave Neighbor Homes is the expression of her diligent efforts to do real estate differently, to do real estate according to Kingdom values as opposed to the predominant values of our culture. Mary is a tenacious friend who you will share your life story with within five minutes of meeting her (it's amazing, really!). She loves watching movies snuggled with family, and she really, really, really loves looking at and remodeling homes, which is convenient.Edward is a retired Lieutenant Colonel who served 22 years as a helicopter pilot in the United States Marine Corps. His career culminated as squadron commander of a Light Attack Helicopter Squadron. He served combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan and deployed throughout the Western Pacific during his time in uniform. Following retirement in 2019, he spent a year on mission with Pulse ministries, a non-profit organization that exists to make Jesus known, where he was their Partnership Director. Currently, his day job is leading a college faculty development team. He spends the rest of his time supporting Mary as a real estate agent for Brave Neighbor Homes, as well as providing personal leadership development coaching and mentoring services for Brave Neighbor Think. Edward is a learner, teacher, coach and mentor who enjoys gathering with people. He loves to play games with friends, run, hike and have deep philosophical discussions about how to change us so we can change the world.

Kelly shared her story of freedom from addiction and how she encourages others who are walking a similar path.Kelly is an alcoholic, who has not had a drink since May 29, 2004. She is a philanthropist with a desire to serve God by serving others.  Born in Omaha, she holds a degree from the University of Nebraska and spent several years as a Corporate Event Planner before focusing her efforts on charitable endeavors while raising children. As a wife, mother and volunteer in the community, few people knew of her struggle with alcohol.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, Kelly has been an active member in her church, and has led various Bible studies where she now shares openly about her addiction and recovery. A long- time resident of Northern Virginia, Kelly and her husband support various worldwide ministries targeting diverse and critical social issues.  They have two grown children and split their time between homes in McLean, Virginia and Naples, Florida.

 Diane Eland and Sally Grizzard joined the show to discuss Community Bible Study, it's nearly 650  classes in the US and how the ministry has expanded across the globe.Diane Eland currently serves as Associate North American Director for Community Bible Study, shepherding classes in the northeast subregion of the United States. She has served in leadership within Community Bible Study for the past 19 years. She obtained a Mechanical Engineering Degree from University of Delaware and worked in the corporate world for The Boeing Company and DuPont before becoming a full-time domestic engineer.Diane and her husband Ken live in Chadds Ford, PA and also enjoy time in Ocean City, NJ. They have three adult children and two Pomskies. Diane's life verse is  Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”Sally Grizzard currently serves as the Zone Director of the Baltimore/DC Metro Zone, shepherding Area Directors as they shepherd the classes in Northern VA, MD and the DC Metro Area. She has been a part of Community Bible Study for the past 14 years and has spent the past 11 years in different areas of leadership. She has a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Special Education from George Mason University.  She worked as a speech therapist and early childhood special education classroom teacher in the public school system for 10 years before having children and making the decision to stay home with her boys. Sally and her husband John live in Chantilly, VA and also enjoy time in Canaan Valley, WV skiing and hiking.  They have three adult children and two Labrador Retriever puppies.