_{Join us for a powerful time to be refreshed, encouraged, equipped, and to worship.}

_{Experience powerful speakers, dynamic preaching, and enlightening, interactive workshops.}

_{Meet other leaders, exchange ideas, learn from premiere ministers and teachers.}  

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Efrem Smith

Pastor, Consultant, Speaker, and Author

Let’s go to the Next Level!

SPEAKERS

"Transformational Leadership in Turbulent Times"

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^{Dr. Efrem D. Smith}

 ^{Dr. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, racial righteousness, thriving churches, and community development. Efrem was the founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN. Rev. Smith served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. He also served as the President and CEO of World Impact, an urban missions organization. Currently, Efrem is the Co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church Midtown, a thriving and multi-ethnic community in Sacramento, California. He is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, and Killing Us Softly. Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary. He has an earned Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Seminary and has received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. Efrem is married to Donecia and has two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya.} 

Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon

_{Dr. Jo Anne Lyon has served as the Ambassador of The Wesleyan Church following her service of eight years as the General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church Globally. Prior to being the General Superintendent, she was the founder of World Hope International, a faith-based non-governmental agency serving in over 20 countries in the areas of community development, health, education, and market-based solutions. As an ordained minister she serves on the board of directors of many organizations, including vice-chair of the board of the National Association of Evangelicals, Bread for the World, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Council on Faith of the World Economic Forum, and previously President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Dr. Lyon holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with continued Graduate Studies in Historical Theology and has been granted five honorary doctorates. She is the recipient of the 2016 World Methodist Peace Award and National Immigration Forum 2017 Keeper of the American Dream Award. She has participated in various multi-faith dialogues over past years including the Abrahamic Dialogue with Religious Leaders of Iran.
Dr. Lyon and husband, Rev. Wayne Lyon, live in the Indianapolis area. They have four children and 10 grandchildren.}

Julian S. Newman

_{Julian S. Newman, founder and CEO of Culture Creative, is a certified diversity and inclusion thought leader based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a cultural intelligence strategist, author and motivational speaker, Julian has spoken to more than 100,000 people nationally and internationally during the past 20 years. Culture Creative’s clients include advertising agency Leo Burnett, United Nations (UN) Women, and Michigan State, along with other universities, school districts, and philanthropic organizations.
Since the launch of Culture Creative in 2014, Julian and his team have worked with more than 100 companies and non-profit organizations globally to develop culturally aware leaders, employees, and more empowered communities. Julian inspires people to believe in their inner-hero and be world changers. Julian shares his leadership development expertise with corporate, non-profit, creative, and faith-based clients. He has a unique gift of bringing people of diverse backgrounds together to find common ground and become more beautiful together. Culture Creative empowers them with curated seminars, training materials, and lectures that are specific to a client's needs.
Julian is a #GirlDad of four lovely daughters and advocate for women’s empowerment. He speaks on behalf of the National Diversity Council and serves as an advisor to the Disruptive Technologists Think Tank. He is a 2021 altMBA candidate, has published writings with various media outlets, including Relevant Magazine, and will soon be releasing a series of books and cultural intelligence reports.}

Rev. Dr. Joanne Solis-Walker 

_{Joanne Solis-Walker is an ordained minister of The Wesleyan Church. She serves at Northwest Nazarene as Associate Professor of Practical Theology at the College of Theology and Christian Ministry and Special Assistant to the President on matters of Diversity. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Development with an emphasis on Ecclesial Leadership from Regent University and a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. Joanne is a practical theologian with extensive experience in leadership, global missions, pastoral ministry, and education and has significantly contributed to the contextualization of curriculums, programs, and processes. She is the co-founder of CaminoRoad, A Development Company that focuses on Leadership, Culture and Praxis where she serves as a consultant, certified coach, and a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Her consulting work involves leading institutions and organizations through the change processes required to be more culturally responsive. Joanne uses her voice to speak about issues of justice, equity and the accessibility of education. Previously, Dr. Solis-Walker served as Assistant Dean of Global Theological Education at Wesley Seminary and Director of Education for Latin@s. She teaches leadership courses as an adjunct professor at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and travels extensively speaking in Spanish and English, throughout the United States and internationally. She is married, has four children, and currently resides in Marion, IN.}

Rev. Dr. Curtis A. Thompson 

_{Dr. Curtis A. Thompson accepted his call into ministry in the fall of 2001 and was ordained as a license minister in 2005. Educational background includes Tennessee State University, with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, a M.Div. from Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, and a doctorate in Transformational Leadership at Wesley Seminary in May 2020.
He has served as a senior leader and associate minister and believes that proper development in spiritual leadership is essential in transforming the lives of believers. Likewise, the concept and principles of team building is imperative in the implementation of God’s Agenda for His Kingdom. As the Connect, Care and Grow Pastor of Kentwood Community Church (KCC), he provides leadership for shepherding people who are first attenders, new believers and church attenders to get them faithfully connected and invested in KCC as indicated by growing membership, salvations, volunteerism, leadership development and building discipleship relationships. This pastoral role provides oversight for connection opportunities in adult ministries, and church operations associated with first impressions, congregational care ministries, leadership development, discipleship, ministerial education process, resident/intern recruitment, ministry cohorts, baptism, prayer and the multiethnic ministry.
Dr. Thompson has a passion for his family and the people of God. He is dedicated to transforming lives by teaching and preaching that an intimate holistic relationship with God is the most important relationship in our lives.}

Rev. Dr. David Drury

^{Known for his heart and humor, David Drury is a multi-vocational minister who teaches in a way that is relevant to the next generation and faithful to the core Christian beliefs. Starting as a night janitor for a church at the age of 19, David says he’s had similar jobs ever since, such as church planter, org founder, executive pastor, and chief of staff of the international headquarters of The Wesleyan Church. He is the author or co-author of twelve books, including Marketplace Multipliers, God is for Real, Transforming Presence, Being Dad, SoulHacks, SoulShift, and Ageless Faith. Find him online at DavidDrury.com. David and his wife, Kathy, have three children: Maxim, Karina, and Lauren. Subscribe to access his work at DavidDrury.Substack.com.}

Rev. Dr. Debbye Turner Bell 

_{Dr. Debbye Turner Bell is a veterinarian, broadcast journalist, motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, corporate trainer and Miss America 1990. In August, 2021, Turner Bell will add author to her many roles with the publication of her first book, “Courageous Faith: A Lifelong Pursuit of Faith Over Fear.” For more than two decades, she has addressed audiences in the corporate, academic, and community service arenas. Among the topics she has addressed are “Being A Woman in A Man’s World,” “Effective Communication,” “Power of Influence,” and “Enhancing Diversity in Health Professions.” In addition to her speaking and media work, she is the Founder and CEO of Debbye Turner Bell Consulting, providing leadership development training in communications, influence, and diversity to corporate and business leaders, managers, and executives. She has been a guest lecturer and commencement speaker on numerous college campuses.
Since she was crowned Miss America 1990, Debbye has spoken to thousands of students at
hundreds of schools, youth organizations, and college campuses. Her topics include personal excellence, unrelenting determination, goal setting, and the importance of a solid education. She strongly believes that any person has the potential for success no matter their race, socio-economic background, or gender. She uses her own life as an example of triumphing over the odds. It took seven years, eleven tries in two states to get to the Miss America Pageant. Dr. Turner Bell ministers the Word of God to youth, singles, women’s groups, and church services nationwide. She became a licensed minister in 2005, an ordained deacon in 2009 and an ordained Elder in 2011. She now serves as Leadership Development Pastor at Kentwood Community Church. Dr. Turner Bell combined her expertise from her Veterinary Medical degree and her vast public relations and speaking experience as Miss America to forge a career in broadcast journalism. Recently, Turner Bell served as the lead U.S. news anchor for Arise News, a global cable news network. For 11 years, Turner Bell was a staff correspondent for CBS News. She covered a variety of subjects, and was often called upon to cover breaking and developing news. During her time at CBS, she appeared on “The Early Show,” “CBS Evening News,” and “CBS Sunday Morning.”
After many years of being single, God provided His perfect choice for Debbye at the tender
age of 42. God sure is faithful!! Debbye married Gerald Bell in 2008 and the happy couple welcomed their first child, Lynlee, into the world in February, 2010. The Bells live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.}

Pastor Mick Veach

_{Whether smuggling Bibles, feeding lepers or working/living amongst a Muslim people group as a Humanitarian Pastor, Mick Veach’s commitment to share the love of God has taken him all over the world.
Mick has served as a Global Partners’ Area Director for Central Asia and the Middle East, he has presented the gospel in more than 60 countries, been the Lead Pastor of a larger church, planted Mosaic Midtown in Detroit and is now the Lead Pastor of Kentwood Community Church in Kentwood Michigan.
Mick’s desire is and always has been to see God’s truth compel others to action and to foster healthy local churches that engage in evangelism and discipleship.
He and his wife, Melanie, have three children and live in the West Michigan community}