Speaker Biographies

A-D

• Baldwin, Kenny   more...

  Kenny was raised in a Christian home and received Christ as Savior at an early age. When Kenny was nine years old, he felt the call on his life to preach the Gospel. Throughout the rest of his childhood and teenage years, Kenny was a model student, athlete, and Christian leader. He received the highest honors in high school for Christian excellence, music, and sports. He also was involved in several preaching competitions on a state and national scale and placed first in many of them. 

  With many opportunities available to Kenny, he stayed faithful to the calling upon his life to reach this generation for Christ. With a dynamic preaching style, Kenny has become a favorite speaker among teens across the country and has had opportunities to preach at camps, youth rallies, missions conferences, church revivals, community centers, homeless shelter, and schools. Currently, he acts as the assistant pastor to his father at Crossroads Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia.



• Berg, Jim   more...

  

   

  Jim a South Dakota native graduated from Bob Jones University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible. He also received a Master of Arts degree in Theology in 1976, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Tabernacle Baptist Theological Seminary in Norfolk, Virginia in 1999. Jim currently serves as the Dean of Students at Bob Jones University, a position he has held since 1981.

  Jim has authored several handbooks and other manuals on helping believers make biblical change. He also is involved in being an instructor for the BJU Video Counseling Services, which provides 72 hours of instruction for pastors and laymen on how to help their people with the problems of living. In addition to their responsibilities at BJU, he and his wife, Pat, frequently speak at couples conferences and retreats in churches and camps across America. The Bergs have three daughters.



• Burden, Adrian   more...

  

  Adrian was saved at an early age in a Junior Service at Grace Baptist Church in Morehead City, North Carolina. At the age of sixteen, the Lord impressed upon him the burden to preach. Adrian went to college with this goal, and was involved in several ministry opportunities including summer camp counseling and child evangelism. After completing an undergraduate degree, Adrian received a Master’s in Biblical Exposition in May, 2008. 

  Adrian has been traveling as an evangelist with his wife at his side supporting him. He is a rising favorite among teens as he speaks at camps, teen rallies, schools, church revivals, and overseas outreaches. Adrian has an intense passion to reach this generation of youth for Christ and is pursuing every opportunity to fulfill Christ’s call on his life.



• Dunlop, Ed    more...

  

  Ed is a children’s evangelist who conducts junior camps, teacher-training seminars, kid’s crusades in fundamental churches, and drug and alcohol awareness assemblies in public schools. Through the use of Power Point messages, gospel illusions, ventriloquism, action-packed games, puzzles, contests, and exciting Bible messages that maintain his audiences’ attention Ed has had twenty-five years of successful experience in working with children across the nation. 

  Ed has written several fictional books for children such as The Young Refuge Series, the Sherlock Jones Detective Series, the Jed Cartwright Adventure Series, and The 1,000—Mile Journey. He also has written books specifically instructing teachers on how to help kids listen, implement games into their curriculum, and get their Sunday school children excited about coming to church.



• Crawford, Theron   more...

  was saved at the age of five, called to preach at sixteen, and entered the ministry at the age of twenty-three. Since that time, he has served as a Youth Pastor, Associate Pastor, and as Senior Pastor. In 2005, he started Anchor Baptist Church in South Haven, Michigan, where the Lord has tremendously blessed his ministry. He has a great burden for souls and to see Anchor Baptist be a testament to the might and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Anchor Baptist Church has an ever expanding ministry, including 9 Sunday Classes, 2 Children’s Churches, a teen ministry, a Wednesday “Patch the Pirate” ministry, Reformers Unanimous, and a bus ministry. Pastor Crawford has a passion to not only see souls saved, but to see them grow through discipleship in the church.


E-H
• Farrell, Ben    more...

  

  grew up on the road and felt the call into full-time evangelism during high school. He attended Bob Jones University where he earned his B.A. in Bible and M.A. in Pastoral Studies. After being married to Tara Hamilton in August of 2002, the Farrells moved to Missouri to complete Ben's M.Div. at Heart of America Theological Seminary. Upon completion in 2004, the couple served on staff at the WILDS during the summer months, and then began traveling with Dr. and Mrs. Farrell.

  Both Ben and his wife are accomplished musicians and use their talents each weeks in meetings across the country. Ben has opportunities to speak in Christian School chapels, youth camps, and revival services. Their plan is to one day form their own evangelistic team to further the spread of the Gospel around the world.



• Farrell, Tom    more...

  

  Tom has been traveling in evangelism since 1979. From 1974 until 1990, Tom and Regina faithfully served on the staff of The WILDS Christian Camp and Conference Center in Brevard, North Carolina. Eleven of those years, Dr. Farrell led The WILDS Evangelistic Team in revival meetings across America. In 1990 he formed Tom Farrell Ministries which was relocated to Independence, MO, in 1992.

  The ministry of evangelism has taken Dr. Farrell all over the United States and to many foreign countries. He preaches in local church revivals, area-wide campaigns, Christian colleges, camps, and on many mission fields. Scriptural, simple and straight- forward would sum up the preaching style of this evangelist. His goals are to exalt the Savior, evangelize the sinner, and encourage the saint.

  Being born and reared in a pastor's home has given Dr. Farrell a real heart for the pastor and the local church. Being happily married and having the privilege of raising three children gives him a great desire to help strengthen the families of our nation.

   



• Gleiser, Morris    more...

  

  Morris was saved at an early age and surrendered his life at the age of eight. It wasn’t until Morris was eighteen that the Lord gave him the passion for teenagers. After graduating from Bob Jones University, Morris served as a youth pastor for fourteen years at Providence Baptist Church in Riverview, Florida. In 1987, the Lord started to put the desire of evangelism in Morris’ heart. He and his wife soon moved to help establish a camp in Flagstaff, Arizona. Five years later, the Lord saw fit to move them back into youth ministry at Tri-City Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Morris continued to feel the leading of the Lord for the cause of Revival throughout our Country. In the summer of 2000, Morris entered full time Evangelism/Revival work as the Staff Evangelist of the Burge Terrace Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. His desire is to continue to minister to young and old alike through evangelism and a strong pulpit ministry. 



• Herbster, Debbie more...

  

  Debbie is the wife of Dr. Carl Herbster, pastor of Tri-City Ministries in Independence, Missouri. They have served the Lord at Tri-City for 27 years. in addition to being hte wife of a busy pastor, Debbie leads a large and varied ministry to the women of Tri-City. She also oversees the Seminary Wives ministry of Heart of America Theological Seminary.

  Debbie and her husband have three sons, three wonderful doughter-in-laws, and thirteen grandchildren! Michael and Mark travel across the country with their familes preaching the Gospel and ministering with their music (Herbster Evangelistic Ministries). Matt serves at a christian camp as a program director.God has truly blessed Debbie with a family that seeks to serve God with their whole heart!



• Herbster, Mark   more...

  

  has desired to preach since he was in elementary school. Since that time, God has guided him to be involved specifically in the ministry of evangelism. To prepare for the ministry, Mark earned a B.A. in Bible from Bob Jones University and a M. Div. Degree at Heart of America Theological Seminary. 

  Mark has gained much valuable ministry experience in his local church and at The Wilds Christian Camp. He has preached at many youth rallies, revivals, evangelistic meetings and camps, as well as on the foreign mission field.



• Hightower, Hal   more...

  

  Evangelist Hightower travels throughout the country preaching at local church revivals, missions conferences, family conferences, Christian camps, youth rallies, Bible colleges and preaching conferences. More than 130,000 soldiers heard the gospel and more than 55,000 soldiers were saved through the Free Day Away ministry to the military at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lebanon where Brother Hal served as Pastor for fifteen years. The Lord continues to bless Hal’s ministry as he travels with his wife, Karren, conducting services and meetings throughout the country.



• Hummel, Rand   more...

  

  Rand is the camp director at the WILDS of New England in Deering, New Hampshire. He has faithfully served for twenty-five years in camping ministry, and has had the opportunity to speak to over 18,000 teenagers annually. Rand has authored several Bible helps for teens and adults such as: James: A Teen’s Guide to Spiritual Maturity, Joseph: A Man of Integrity, and Titus: Living a God-Centered Life in a Self-Centered World.

  Teenagers have been Rand’s life since 1978, and his unique and humorous approach to the Word of God has been an encouragement to teens all over the eastern United States. Rand loves God, loves God's Word, and he loves teenagers.


I-L

• Jackson, Kathy   more...

  

  Kathy has been used of God as an inspirational ladies speaker. Kathy is married to Dr. Doug Jackson, Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Saginaw Michigan, where they have served for over thirty years. She is the mother of three unique and delightful children: twin daughters, Kristina (Wilson) and Katrina (Bonner), who are Christian school teachers and assist their husbands in ministry; and Clint who was born with Down Syndrome.

  Kathy is actively engaged in ministering with her husband at Community Baptist Church and Christian School. She teaches a Sunday School Class for Ladies. She is also very involved with her son’s life and education. Kathy’s heart’s desire has been to magnify the Lord, and her insights from the Bible have been a blessing to ladies across America.



• Jones, Dr. Bob III more...

  

  is the chancellor of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.  He grew up in a Christian home and trusted Christ as his personal Savior in his early high school years.  He received a bachelor of arts and a master of arts degree from BJU and holds honorary doctorates from three Bible colleges and seminaries. A third-generation preacher, Dr. Jones has been influential in Christian education and in the pulpit ministry.  He was appointed president of BJU in 1971 and chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1998, the third to hold these offices since the University was founded in 1927 by his late grandfather.  

  He retired as president in May 2005 and was elected chancellor.  He remains as the chairman of the Board of Trustees.  Each year the Bible-believing minister receives more requests than he is able to fill for evangelistic campaigns, youth rallies, and other religious gatherings.  His speaking engagements have taken him to all parts of the world.



• Jones, Beneth   more...

  is the wife of Dr. Bob Jones III who is the chancellor of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Beneth received a bachelor of arts degree in speech interpretation from BJU in 1959 and completed a master of arts degree in 1961. Beneth has directed and appeared in several Vespers and programs at BJU as well as on University-produced, nationally distibuted radio programs.

  Beneth has been the author of several articles and books which have been a blessing to ladies across the country and the world. Some of these books include Ribbing Him Rightly!, a book on Christian wifehood; In the Best Possible Light, a handbook on Christian loveliness; and The Wilderness Within, a book address women’s testings in emotions and attitudes.

  She has been a popular ladies speaker at retreats, conferences, and banquets across the country. The Lord has truly blessed her ministry as she seeks to please Him.



• Levesque, Doug more...

  is the founding pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church, Corunna, MI. As the pastor for fifteen years, he has led the church to start a Christian school in 2000, and a national 21st century missions organization call the Bible Nation Society in 2005. He has been married to his wife, Amy, for eighteen years and have five sons.


M-P

• Manka, Dan more...

  Evangelist Dan Manka has been a teacher since 1976. For the last 22 years he has taught Bible, histories, sciences, speech, family living, practical skills and many other subjects in the 5th to 12th grades at Calvary Christian School in Fairmont, WV. All five of the Manka Family Ministries members are currently teaching in Christian schools from Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean to Ketchikan, Alaska on the Pacific Ocean. Bro. Manka does the preaching. He also has an effective puppet ministry, drama ministry, and object lesson ministry. He plays a wide variety of musical instruments. Some of them are traditional and others are unusual such as: a French hurdy-gurdy, a Russian balalaika, and a Swedish nyckelharpa. The whole family sings and plays instruments together. They have ministered in 38 states, the District of Columbia, several Indian reservations, seven provinces of Canada, and in Mexico. They have seen nearly 1,200 souls saved in the past 22 summers of evangelistic meetings.



• Manor, Mike more...

  Mike Manor was saved in 1975 and called to preach through a missions trip to Canada in 1977. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible from Bob Jones University in 1984. Prior to his salvation and surrender to the ministry he served as Operational Staff and Entertainer at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida; Sports Director and Entertainer for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line; and Entertainer for Steak and Ale Restaurants and Holiday Inns in Florida. Brother Mike serves as Staff Evangelist for Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He travels extensively throughout the United States preaching in revival meetings, mission conference, retreats, family camps and youth camps.



• Marriott, Miriam more...

  

  Miriam Marriott is the doughter of well-known Dr. David and Mary Cummins and is married to Marty Marriot who is serving as the current president of Maranatha Baptist Bible College. Miriam loves being in the ministry with her husband, and although she has enjoyed many areas of responsibility, her greatest passion is the private and public ministry of the Word of God to women. Miriam's life verse is II Corinithians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."


Q-T

• Samms, Bryan more...

  

  Bryan Samms was born in Charleston, WV. He serves on the Bible and Evangelism Faculty at West Coast Baptist College and is an evangelist and representative of the college. He graduated from Bob Jones University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Bible degree and received his Masters of Pastoral Theology from Heart of America Seminary in 2008. He has preached in many youth conferences, revival meetings, evangelistic crusades, camps, chapels, and youth rallies across America. Bryan has been happily married to Angela for seven years and has a two-year-old doughter named Adrianna.



• Schettler, Jim more...

  Dr. Jim Schettler joined the family of First Baptist Church, Santa Maria, California, in January 2007. Jim grew up in Michigan but spent the last 31 years in Pensacola, Florida. After graduating from Pensacola Christian College, he became the Youth Pastor for the Campus Church. After seven years of Bible teaching and youth pasturing, he served as the senior pastor for Campus Church for 18 years. He and his wife Marilee have been married for 26 years and have three sons, Ben (also a pastor), Luke, and Drew. Heard and seen for many years on Rejoice Radio and Rejoice in the Lord television broadcast, Pastor Schettler’s excitement for the Lord and heart’s cry to bring the lost to a saving faith in Jesus Christ permeates his preaching, teaching, and outreach. Jim’s weekly sermons can be accessed from his church’s home page, www.firstbaptistsantamaria.org.



• Sivnksty, Brent more...

  

  Brent was born into a home of an evangelist and started traveling with his family at the age of six weeks old! He was saved at the age of eight and was baptized a short time later. After surrendering to whatever capacity the Lord had for him, the Lord made it clear that he was to serve as an evangelist. After college and graduate school, through the counsel of godly men, the Lord directed Brent to a local church to gain maturity, learn the heart of the pastor, and prepare to serve the pastor and the local church in the ministry of evangelism. In 1998, the Lord led Brent and his wife Becky to Community Baptist Church in South Bend, Indiana where they served under Dr. Bud Steadman. After five years of wonderful ministry, the Lord led them into full-time evangelism. Brent has preached in many revival services, Christian school revivals, youth rallies, youth retreats, and on several mission fields. The Sivnkstys travel together as a family as much as possible, and they enjoy serving the Lord together in the ministry of evangelism.



• Skelly, Kurt more...

  Born in San Antonio, Texas, when his father was in the military, Pastor Skelly was reared in Connecticut, from which his family originated. At 16 years of age, Pastor trusted Christ as his personal Savior in Newington, Connecticut. Pastor met his wife Wanda at Hyles-Anderson College where he also earned a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Masters degree in Pastoral Theology. A Masters of Divinity degree was attained at Emmanuel Baptist Theological Seminary. Pastor and Wanda moved to the New Kensington area in 1996 when he answered the call to pastor here at Harvest. The Skellys have four children: Nathaniel, Joshua, Caleb, and Hannah. Pastor Skelly is a featured speaker at many Youth Conferences and Teen Camps across the country. He is known for is energetic, substantive Bible preaching. Pastor's philosophy of ministry is this: "God has a prepared place for a prepared person. My job is to know Him intimately. He will direct me and use me under the authority of my local church ministry to honor Him." We praise the Lord for Pastor Skelly's sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and for his strong leadership and vision for Harvest Baptist Church.



• Taylor, Bob   more...

  Pastor Taylor was born in Tennessee. He pastored in Greeneville, Tennessee and in 1974 founded the Campus Church of Pensacola Christian College. In 1988 he became the pastor of Colonial Hills Baptist Church. Pastor and Joan have three sons and eight grandchildren.


U-Z

• Young, Dave more...

  

  Evangelist Dave Young has been conducting evangelistic revival campaigns since the fall of 1994. He has preached in over 400 revival campaigns in over 35 states, Canada, Europe, Haiti, and the Philippines. Dave and his wife Bethlie were married in 1993 and have five children: Abigail, Joshua, Matthew, Jacob, and Charity. Bethlie participates in the music programs of each campaign and has her hands full as she homeschools their children.

  Dave not only conducts local church revival campaigns, he also preaches in many Family Matters Conferences, at christian camps, and on college campuses. He also has been instrumental in helping to start Independent Baptist College of Asia-Pacific in Manila, Philippines and helps in a variety of church-planting ministries around the world.