BOB GOFF
Returning to Spark for 2015, Bob Goff is the New York Times Best-Selling Author of Love Does, as well as an attorney who founded Restore International, a nonprofit human rights organization operating in Uganda, India and Somalia. Bob has pioneered the vision of Restore International to fight for freedom and human rights, working to improve educational opportunities and to be helpful to those in need of a voice and a friend.
Bob is passionate about inspiring current and future influencers to get to the ”do” part of life. In his book Love Does, he says, "Love is never stationary. In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it. Simply put: love does.” Choosing to live audaciously, Bob connects to audiences in a powerfully inspirational, yet down to earth manner.
If you've never seen him speak, check out this 45 second video to see him for yourself. Then buy a ticket to actually see him for yourself!
HUGH HALTER
Hugh Halter is a church planter, pastor, and missionary to the United States. He is the national director of Missio and the lead architect of Adullam, a congregational network of missional communities in Denver, Colorado. He is author of books The Tangible Kingdom, The Gathered & Scattered Church, Sacrilege, and Flesh (you can purchase them all here). Hugh is an advocate for disoriented God seekers and loves to inspire and re-orient leaders around mission focused on immersing Christians into local cultures.
Take a minute to get to know him and also check out his blog here.
Hugh has three grown children and lives in Denver with his wife Cheryl on a small ranch, with two horses, two chickens, two yellow labs, one cat, and one bunny.
BOB SORGE
Bob Sorge is an author and itinerant speaker. In 1992, he suffered a vocal injury that caused his voice to be reduced to nothing more than a faint whisper. As a result of the injury, he is only able to speak for an hour each day before the pain forces him to be silent. Before the injury occurred, Bob was a senior pastor and worship leader. As a result of the vocal pain and weakness, he was forced to resign after serving his church for 13 years. He was faced with a profound question: "What do you do when you can't quit and you can't keep going?" Since that time, God has led him on an unexpected journey as a minister in the body of Christ. Through his personal suffering and the desperation of his own pursuit of Jesus, God has given him a message that empowers believers to find God’s redemptive purposes in the greatest trials of life. See his powerful story and testimony by clicking here.
JOHN RICHMOND
John is a justice seeker, crime fighter and memory maker. His career has led him to fight injustice head on, investigating and prosecuting numerous labor and sex trafficking cases around the world. John pioneered International Justice Mission’s slavery work in India and has worked on the front lines combating human trafficking for more than a decade.
His knowledge and experience have led him to serve as an expert on human trafficking to entities including: the United Nations, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, as well as non-governmental organizations. He has won awards including the Outstanding Investigative Accomplishment in Human Trafficking Award from the Department of Homeland Security, the Distinguished Law Enforcement Teamwork Award from the Federal Executive Board, and many more.
John is deeply energized by his work and has persistently helped slavery victims tell their stories as well as bring traffickers to justice. He also enjoys getting away for amazing adventures with his wife and three children. Visit his website by clicking here.
DAVID & PATRICK NELSON
David and Patrick will lead a very special discussion forum as a part of Spark 2015.
David Nelson is a wide receiver for the New York Jets. He played college football for the University of Florida, where he was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He joined the New York Jets in 2013.
Patrick, David's youngest brother, also enjoyed sports as an important part of his life growing up, and it provided an opportunity for him to excel and express himself. He struggled through school and fought through the insecurities that came with a stammer. He was able to secure an athletic scholarship and played collegiate football for four years. During his fifth year of college, Patrick felt the Lord calling him to walk away from school.
Since then, David and Patrick have partnered in founding "I'm ME." Responding to the huge needs in the country of Haiti, they are focused on empowering orphans of the world to find their true identity with the cultivation of families, orphan care and stewardship.
BETH GUCKENBERGER
Beth’s passion is working with orphans through Back2Back Ministries. Her desire is to see lasting change in the lives of the orphans she serves. Beth serves alongside her husband, Todd, as Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries – a leader in the field of orphan care and child development.
Back2Back Ministries is an international Christian non-profit organization that is dedicated to being a voice for orphans. Since 1996, Back2Back has been impacting the lives of children across the globe, with a focus in Haiti, India, Mexico, and Nigeria. It exists to transform the lives of orphans and impoverished children in developing countries by meeting their physical, spiritual, educational, social and emotional needs so that they might overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.
Beth and her husband, Todd, live in Maineville, Ohio with their biological and adopted children.
PAT GOODMAN
Pat has served on Young Life staff in some capacity for over 38 years (26 full-time). Presently, he serves Young Life as a National Training Associate and is a volunteer leader in a local club ministry. Pat presently serves part time as Director of Men’s Ministry at Grace Fellowship Church in Baltimore Maryland where he also served as part of the weekend teaching team for the past 13 years. He continues to develop his work with men in Baltimore through a ministry called “Kardia.”
Pat has been married to his wife Betsy for 36 years. They live in Baltimore, Maryland they have 3 grown children: Amber and Mike Hamilton, Jessica and Ryan Middlemiss, and Joshua and Lindsay Goodman. They also have 5 grandchildren (4 grandsons and a granddaughter).
NOEL BREWER YEATTS
Noel Brewer Yeatts is the Vice President of World Help, a faith-based nonprofit serving the physical and spiritual needs of impoverished communities around the world. Noel’s extensive expertise in advocacy and engagement has enabled World Help’s story to be shared on a global scale, prompting unprecedented levels of growth in recent years. In addition to her active role in campaign planning, Noel personally spearheads causelife, a movement of people dedicated to providing access to clean, safe drinking water as well as Operation Baby Rescue, another supporter-fueled initiative that helps save the lives of children affected by extreme malnutrition, disease, and abject poverty. Noel regularly takes the stage for speaking engagements and advocacy events around the country and has been widely recognized for her groundbreaking book, Awake: Doing a World of Good One Person at a Time. Noel lives in Virginia with her husband Pat and their two sons.
ROGER BAIN
Roger Bain serves on the mobilization team at International Justice Mission. International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects the poor from violence by partnering with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems. Inspired by God’s call to love all and seek justice for the oppressed, IJM combats crimes such as sex trafficking, sexual violence, slavery and other forms of violent oppression.
Before joining IJM, Roger served in several ministry roles through preaching, writing, and aiding churches in creating and developing new ministries. A passionate and articulate speaker, Roger engages churches and ministry leaders with the truth about modern forms of slavery in our world and encourages the church to contend for the faith while embracing its historical role as protectors of the widow, orphan, and the poor.
Roger and his wife Sarai, along with their daughter, live in the Washington, DC area.
MIKE MASSEY
Strike up a conversation with Mike, and he will quickly remind you of who and whose you are in Jesus, that you are free in Jesus, and that you have an “Abba” Father who deeply loves you. Mike has a passion to teach and mentor the next generation toward an authentic and active faith in Jesus and to live into their God-given dreams. Since 2008, Mike and his wife, Shenna, have led a weekly gathering of twenty-somethings who desire to connect the word of God with the reality of their lives.
In 2012, Mike and Shenna had a vision to create a launching pad for believers to move from an average faith to a vibrant, active, bold and courageous faith in Jesus. Thus, SPARK was born! Mike and Shenna’s desire is to see the masses inspired to participate in the great adventure in their local communities, churches and the mission field, and they yearn to do their part to “fan the flame” within them. Mike and Shenna reside in Salem, Virginia with their three children and two dogs. When he is not practicing law, Mike coaches his son’s teams and volunteers on the teaching staff at Restoration Church in Salem, Virginia.
