Paul Washer

Paul Washer became a believer while attending the University of Texas studying to become an oil and gas lawyer. He completed his undergraduate studies and enrolled at Southwestern Theological Seminary where he received his Master of Divinity degree. Paul left the states shortly after graduation as a North American missionary to Peru.

Paul ministered as a missionary in Peru for 10 years, during which time he founded the HeartCry Missionary Society to support Peruvian Church planters. HeartCry's work now supports over 80 indigenous missionaries in 15 different countries throughout Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

At the present, Paul serves as the Director of HeartCry Missionary Society and resides in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with his wife Charo and two sons Ian and Evan, and one daughter Rowan.

Francis Chan

Francis Chan is the pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA, a church he and his wife started in 1994. He is also the Founder and Chancellor of Eternity Bible College and author of the best-selling book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God.

Thabiti Anyabwile

Thabiti Anyabwile, Senior Pastor, is a native of Lexington, North Carolina (U.S.).  He is the happy husband of Kristie and the adoring father of two daughters, Afiya and Eden, and son, Titus.  He began serving as elder/senior pastor in August 2006. He served previously as an elder/assistant pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church (Washington, DC) and as an elder at Church on the Rock (Raleigh, NC). Thabiti holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in psychology from North Carolina State University. A former high school basketball coach and bookstore owner, he enjoys preaching, reading, sports, and watching sci-fi films.

Aaron Youngren

Pastor Aaron Youngren was an intern at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, before helping plant a daughter church of Mars Hill in South Seattle. After seven years working at Amazon.com and helping plant Harambee Church, Aaron and his family moved to Chicago to pursue their lifelong dream of planting The Line. The Line exists "To laugh louder, build higher, taste richer; to drink Jesus to the dregs, and see others do the same."

Adam Thomason

Adam was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Though he attended church during his childhood and adolescence, he did not truly know and follow Jesus until he turned 18 in college. Upon finishing Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in fashion design, he attended Tom Nelson's leadership program in 2003. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2006 and married his lovely wife, Dawntoya, in 2007. The Lord has been gracious to give Adam an itinerant ministry called Red Revolution for the past five years which centers around racial reconciliation. Adam now serves as the Care & Recovery Pastor at The Village Church in Dallas, TX.

Bobby Scott

Robert "Bobby" Scott, Sr. has served the Lord as the Pastor-Teacher of the Los Angeles Community Bible Church since 1994. In addition, he is an instructor at the historic Los Angeles Bible Training School near Watts, a visiting lecturer at The Master’s Seminary, and a lecturer in Biola University’s BOLD Program. Pastor Scott was honored with the distinction of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2005, and in the prestigious inaugural edition of Who’s Who in Black Los Angeles 2008. He holds a B.S. degree from UCLA, a M.Div., from The Master’s Seminary (TMS) where he served as student body president, and a Th.M. from TMS graduating Summa Cum Laude. Bobby has also been a member of the Evangelical Theological Society since 1999 and the IFCA International since 1994.

Brian Jenkins

Brian Jenkins is President and Founder of Entrenuity, a not-for-profit organization that provides entrepreneurship training to urban youth. Under Brian’s leadership, Entrenuity trained student businesses have generated $125,000 in gross sales since 1999.

For more than 10 years, Brian has led entrepreneurship training workshops for teachers and youth workers nationally and internationally. He is directly responsible for training thousands of urban young people in the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and financial literacy, in addition to teaching the biblical foundation behind creating and managing financial wealth. Brian has also directed on-site program management for schools, youth programs, and community-based organizations.

Charles Butler

Charles is pastor for shepherding and men’s ministry at The Moody Memorial Church. Regarding how he came to be a pastor, Rev. Butler says this, “I had chosen architecture as my profession while in the fourth grade. After my conversion at age 14, it occurred to me that my career should be a matter of prayer. During my first year at University of Detroit School of Architectural Design, both my parents took ill which required me to step out of school to care for them. During that year out of school, God redirected me to the ministry. I discussed my understanding of God’s call on my life with my pastor and several other Christian leaders I knew and trusted. All confirmed that God’s gift and calling were evident in my life, pointing to the Bible teaching that I had done, the leadership I had provided in various areas of ministry, my love for God and my love for His Word.”

Rev. Butler graduated in 1981 from the three-year program at the Moody Bible Institute with a degree in Bible and Theology, emphasis in New Testament Greek. He is currently enrolled at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in the Masters in Divinity program.

Damon 'Azriel' Horton

D.A. Horton, a.k.a Azriel currently serves as Senior Pastor at Truth Bible Fellowship (an inner-city church plant in Kansas City, MO), which is strategically positioned in the center of the KC Metropolis, literally placing D.A. and his congregation at the heart of 2 million people. D.A. is preparing his congregation to begin evangelistic efforts involving the contextualization the modern day culture in order to; win the lost to Jesus Christ and set up Bible-Centered Covenant Communities for the growth of genuine believers. D.A. has become known for his devotion to unashamedly proclaiming Jesus Christ to the urban context.

Dhati Lewis

Dhati and Angie have been married for 7 years and have four beautiful children.  Trinity is 6, Jade 5, Briaiah 3 and Dhati Jr. 20 months.  They met in Denton, TX and served in ministry for 12 years there. Dhati is originally from California, and moved to Denton on a football scholarship at UNT.  As the son of a pro-football player, he loves athletics and has often used that as a platform for the gospel--he has both coached high school football and served with FCA as UNT's football chaplain.  Angie was born and raised in Texas. After serving in the military, she taught for several years, and presently enjoys managing her home and raising their children. Both Dhati and Angie have attended Dallas Theological Seminary--Dhati graduated with a MACM (master of cross cultural ministries).  For the past 7 years, Dhati was on staff at Denton Bible Church.  While on staff at DBC, they started a successful urban college ministry that has impacted not only UNT's campus but many others, and have also planted a church in Denton, TX.

DJ Morph

When it comes to discovering and empowering the very best Hip-Hop acts around, recording in the studio, hosting events or on tour, few know their craft better than DJ Morph. "The main focus is on impacting people about God's love, to be effective in sharing God's word via music and culture". DJ Morph was born in Chicago IL and currently resides in South Florida. He started DJing in middle school and having already embraced Hip Hop, DJing only involved him more into Hip Hop culture. In early 1995, he received Christ in his heart and God performed a metamorphosis in his life. He later met Christian rap groups and with the God’s guidance began using his gifts for the Lord. In addition he has also served as a youth leader, a Sunday school teacher, a workshop leader and speaker.

Eric Mason

Eric Mason (ThM, DMin) is a native of Washington, DC.  Eric serves as the Lead Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship Church.  His role is to cast vision, preaching/teaching, leadership development, and curriculum development.  Christ has allowed Eric to serve in multiple pastoral roles over the past 10+ years.

Ernest Gray

Ernest Gray Jr. is an Instructor of Bible at the Moody Bible institute.  He is a graduate of the Institute with a degree in Pastoral Ministries, and a graduate of Wheaton College with a Master’s Degree in Biblical Exegesis.  During his undergraduate years, Ernest was privileged to work with a small team of undergraduate students along with Dr. Winfred Neely in planting Living Hope Community church in village of South Holland, IL.   A liscenced pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Ernest enjoys proclaiming the Word of God on a monthly basis.   Ernest is a frequent contributor to the radio program “Urban Praise,” with Roy Patterson, on AM 1110, and has been a special guest on Prime Time America with Paul Butler.   Currently, Mr. Gray teaches undergraduate students in the areas of Hermeneutics, first year Greek Grammar, and the Gospel of John.

Hazakim

Founded in 1997, Hazakim (Hebrew for "strong ones") consists of emcees/producers, Michael and Anthony, who also happen to be blood brothers. Due to an upbringing in the Messianic Jewish movement, as well as multicultural roots which include Jewish ancestry, their sound possesses a trademark Hebrew influence which sets them apart from other hip-hop artists. By applying as their motto the charge of Rav Sha’ul (Paul) in II Timothy 4:2, "preach the Word, be urgent in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, and exhort – be unfailing in patience and in teaching", using the medium of hip-hop culture and through the scriptures they strive to: 1) Convince the non-believer of the Messiahship of Jesus and their need for Him as Redeemer and Lord. 2) Encourage and admonish the believer to trust the Word of God in faith and knowledge. 3) Adhere to and teach the sound doctrine which was taught by the Lord and his disciples.

Jason Harms

The Lord's creature, Jason Harms, has been graced with one wife and five children, thus far, who reside together in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Artistically, the Lord has given him a whole lot of fellowship and pleasure in singing, playing, and writing in the jazz vernacular with the Jason Harms Quintet, and directing the jazz orchestras at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. The book "The Affections of the Heart in Art" is his most deliberate effort to pursue and enjoy the fullest pleasures that God would have for him in how God cut him, while the arts non-profit "The Gaius Project" is his effort to exhort other artists to pursue the same. "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).

Justin Peters

Throughout his years as a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, Justin studied at great depth the Word of Faith movement. The thesis he wrote for his Master’s of Theology (Th.M.) degree is entitled An Examination and Critique of the Life, Ministry and Theology of Healing evangelist Benny Hinn.

In addition to his academic research, Justin also has attended numerous Benny Hinn crusades and has been witness first hand to the harm, both physical and spiritual, that the Word of Faith movement inflicts upon so many. As a teenager, Justin himself attended faith-healing services in hopes of being delivered from his Cerebral Palsy. Though the potential was there to shake his faith in the Lord, in the long run, these experiences had the opposite effect.

Katalyst

Kareem Manuel is a Student Mentor with Young Men’s Educational Network and also served as Peace and Leadership Council Coordinator for Mikva Challenge, working with high school students throughout the city of Chicago. In addition, he ministers through the medium of hip hop and goes by the name Katalyst. He released his debut album in 2009 titled Death by Design. He has been married to his wife, Ashley, since February 2008. His passion is to see Christ glorified in all the earth, while spending his life making disciples of Christ for all nations. Above all his desire is to see those in the urban context see God through a biblical context and to love and honor in him in everything that they do.

K-Drama

K-Drama, born Anthony Regis Jones, has been immersed in ministry since 1998, starting at 14 years old. Outside of music, K-Drama is heavily involved in his Cincinnati neighborhood, teaming up with churches to reach inner city youth. He's married to Charde', who is also featured on BoomBaptism. They have a 2 year old daughter Naima, a vivacious little girl with a lot to say! She holds a deep love for her daddy and his music, she's his biggest little fan. K-Drama's also involved in an initiative in his city, CeaseFire Cincinnati, to reduce gun violence.

LeCrae

Born and raised by his mother in a struggling community on the south side of Houston, LeCrae moved around to several places giving him the versatile background and cultural awareness he carries with him. San Diego, Denver, and Dallas have also once been home to him and the street life he once idolized and pursued. Along the way, like many in the inner city, he took to rapping as a way of communicating his mind. It wasn't until after high school that his hobby became a passion after his hip hop background was redeemed by Jesus Christ. He would begin Reach Records, releasing his first album at the age of 25.

A graduate of University of North Texas, LeCrae now resides in Atlanta. With new avenues and strategic partnerships LeCrae prays that the impact from Reach will spread far beyond simply the music and into the lives of believers across the world.

Manny Mill

Manny Mill is Executive Director of Koinonia House® National Ministries (KHNM). Since 1999 when KHNM began, Manny has been developing a core of post-prison ministry leaders to equip the church to meet the needs of Christian ex-prisoners returning to society. He currently invests much of his time traveling to different churches, prisons, ministries, colleges and conferences to present the mission to "equip, assist and support" members of the local church in their ability to embrace Christians coming out of prison.

Marc Glass

In March 2007, Marc Glass joined HeartCry as Assistant to Director Paul Washer. He, as well, oversees all of HeartCry's endeavors in the Middle East and Africa. He and his family relocated to Alabama at the end of 2006 from Metropolis, IL. Marc graduated from Union University in 2003 with a B.A. in Theology.

Marcus 'Flame' Gray

FLAME, aka Marcus Gray, graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from Boyce College, a school of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has a passion for biblical counseling and applied theology. He enjoys giving counsel to hurting people and providing them with hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. FLAME is currently working on his Master’s degree in Biblical Counseling at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. He is married to his best friend Crystal Gray and is an active member at Immanuel Baptist Church.

FLAME is a Christian Hip-Hop recording artist and has released four albums including: self-titled FLAME, Rewind, Our World Fallen, and Our World Redeemed.

Marcus Mitchell

Marcus was born and raised on the rough streets of Chicago’s westside, where he was involved in gang activity and crime. Due to his reckless lifestyle he was arrested over 10 times and spent 3 years in a state penitentiary. It was in February of 2004, when he was regenerated and became a new creature. He is now a husband and a father of two children. He is an active Chaplain at the Cook County Correctional Center, where he conducts and teaches Bible studies to the inmates. He has a strong passion for evangelism, and because of that he currently serves as deacon over evangelism at Legacy Fellowship.

Mark Rodriguez

Mark Rodriguez is the Executive Director of Ministry Development for Children's Hunger Fund, an international non-profit that seeks to equip churches for Gospel focused compassion ministry.  He graduated from the Master's Seminary and has been involved in pastoral ministry over the past 16 years as both a youth pastor and senior pastor.  In addition to his duties at CHF, Mark serves as the chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.  Mark and his wife, Elena, have four children, Amanda, Nathanael, Zachary, and Alyssa, and live in Santa Clarita, California.

Miguel Davilla

Miguel was born and raised in the Bronx, NYC and currently serves as Executive Director of ReachLife Ministries, a non-profit organization that seeks to resource the movement of emerging urban leaders throughout the country. A graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL, Miguel is passionate about seeing the gap bridged between biblical truth and the urban context. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife Cassie and their daughter Emily.

Mike Busch

Mike Busch serves as the Ministry Development Director, Midwest for Children’s Hunger Fund.  Born, raised and once again living in the Chicago area, Mike and his wife, Valerie, have one son and are in the process of adopting their second child.  He has degrees from Moody Theological Seminary (M.A.B.S.) and The Master’s Seminary (M.Div., Th.M. (ABT)).  He has been in various teaching ministry through local churches for 15 years.

Mujahid El Masih

Pakistan was Mujahid’s home until 1997. In Pakistan 98 percent of the people are Muslims.  While growing up, I studied the Koran and Islam for 14 years in Pakistani schools.  I also had Military Training in Pakistan.  From Islamic teachers and the military I was taught to hate Israel, Christians and all non-Muslims, and I was very passionate to be a martyr for Country and the Religion.  Then I came to know that Jesus is the Way, and the Truth and the Life, and He set me free from all evil of this world. I gave my life to Jesus when I was 25 years old. Then Jesus called me to preach His gospel and He opened doors for me to go to Bible College, where I studied for three years. I started planting churches with the power of the Holy Spirit and by His power we succeeded in planting 24 churches in different areas of Pakistan.

Nathan Carter

Nathan grew up in rural Indiana, came to college in the western suburbs of Chicago at Wheaton College (B.A. Biblical & Theological Studies, M.A. Biblical Exegesis), and now lives and pastors in the city of Chicago at Immanuel Baptist Church.  Before coming to Immanuel in 2004, Nathan was on staff at Evanston Bible Fellowship while his wife, Andrea, was in grad school at Northwestern University.  Nathan and Andrea have been married 8 years and have two girls – Lucy (3) and Mary (1).  Nathan’s passion is to see God glorified by his Gospel going out and his Word being learned, loved, and lived.

Oscar Leiva

Oscar Leiva is an Assistant Pastor at Holy Trinity Church with a focus on the West Side congregation. Oscar was born in El Salvador and moved to the United States at a very young age. He holds a BA from Moody Bible Institute in Pastoral Studies and graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Moody Graduate School in 2006. He completed Holy Trinity Church’s ministry training program, The Chicago Plan, in May 2006. Oscar and his wife, Megan, live on the west side of Chicago. He hopes that God will use him to grow a multi-racial congregation and focused on organic community development on Chicago’s west side.

Phanatik

Brady Goodwin co-founded the pioneering Christian rap/recording ministry The Cross Movement with whom he was nominated for two Grammy Awards (2006 and 2008). He has traveled nonstop across the country and across the ocean for fourteen years speaking to youth and young adults about the integration of faith and culture. Fueled by a desire to see the faith and values of the older transmitted to his generation and those that follow, Brady developed and has taught a character education course in Philadelphia public schools since 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Christian Service degree from Lancaster Bible College (2009).

Sean Slaughter

Sean has traveled nationally and internationally for the last 9 years performing with passion, revealing the truth, and having fun doing it. He loves his ministry to young people because he understands their struggles and frustrations.

Sean, son of Integrity recording artist Alvin Slaughter grew up in a Christian household but hated church. Instead of following in the family's footsteps, Sean chose the thug life. He was an excellent athlete, receiving a full scholarship worth $100,000 to the University of Rhode Island, but failed out of school because of his party lifestyle. Soon after, Sean attended the Instituteof Audio Research in NY, receiving his audio engineer diploma. In 1999 Sean, dedicated his life to Jesus Christ and uses his music to penetrate the hearts of young people all over the world.

Sam Shamoun

Sam Shamoun is a native of Kuwait. He moved to the United States with his family at an early age. His religious background is based on teachings of the "Church of the East" or the "Nestorian Church," commonly practiced in most Assyrian homes.

As an adolescent, Shamoun's faith often came under fire. His Christian beliefs were frequently challenged by those who maintained Islam as the "one true religion." From these unsettling encounters, he began to dig deeply into the basics of the Christian faith he confessed but wanted to know more about. After a thorough and critical examination of the Scriptures, his ability to share the Gospel and his capacity to answer skeptics' questions -- specifically Muslim objections -- increased dramatically.

Today, Shamoun is a frequent contributor to a prominent Web site dedicated to challenging the teachings of Islam. Additionally, he engages in debates as an informed apologist refuting accusations and attacks leveled by proponents of Islam against Christianity.

Shai Linne

Shai Linne is living proof that God has a wonderful sense of humor. He once told his mom that he would never, ever become a Christian, completely oblivious to the fact that God had chosen him to be a Christian before time began. He doesn’t like the spotlight, so God gave him natural gifts that put him on stage as an actor. He doesn’t like to be in front of people, so God gave him spiritual gifts that are mostly public in nature. Shai has appeared on numerous independent and national Christian Hip-hop releases, including his 2005 full-length debut, The Solus Christus Project. All this from someone who doesn’t like hip-hop and never pursued a career in music. Someone in heaven is having a big laugh at his expense.

Steven the Levite

Stephen the Levite is living proof that God rewards and provides for those who step out on faith and follow His call. Originally born in Southern California, Stephen the Levite met muzeONE at Bible College where they joined Redeemed Thought. Sensing God’s leading them to re-locate in Philadelphia, they packed up MuzeOne’s car and travelled cross-country to the East Coast, where they were immediately embraced by the Holy hip-hop community. In 2005, RT independently released their debut album, “Truth, Beauty, Goodness”, a rich blend of underground west coast lyricism and Biblical depth. In 2006, Stephen the Levite hooked up with Lamp Mode and dropped his solo project, “To Die is Gain”, a critically-acclaimed lyrical masterpiece.

Tedashii

On his debut album, Kingdom People, Tedashii a.k.a Tdot, communicates his heart with boldness and authenticity wanting listeners to understand that we are people with a purpose bigger than ourselves. With roots down in Houston, TX, Tedashii brings a distinct flavor you won't find anywhere else. Southern bangers like "Houston We Have a Problem", and introspective tracks like "This Song's For You", Kingdom People is an album that hits from all angles.

Thi'sl

Thi’sl (This House I Shall Live) was born in Mississippi but raised in St Louis by his single mother. Like so many before him, Thi’sl started rapping as a way to express himself. His mother was addicted to drugs, he was running with a gang and he dropped out of high school in the tenth grade to sell drugs full time.

In 1999, God moved Thi’sl heart so forcibly that he committed his life to Christ. Since then he has found his purpose. First and foremost to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, secondly to reverence God his creator with his music and life, and lastly as an artist to make hip-hop music that glorifies God.

His mission through rap music is two sided. One side is to present a proper picture of Jesus to the hip hop culture; how Jesus intends for us to live while on this earth. The other side is to make awareness to the church, discipleship, and local missions on how important it is for them not to forsake the urban culture.

He currently lives in St Louis, MO with his wife and children and attends New Direction Christian Church where he is a Minister.

Victor C

Victor is a child of God who serves as Regional Mobilizer for OMF International, a missions agency reaching East Asia's peoples. Though he's lived all his life in Chicagoland, his missionary experience stretches from inner city Chicago and Champaign-Urbana to Taiwan, Ecuador, and Kyrgyzstan.   â€¨â€¨Victor's passion is to see inner city Chinese youth throughout the world equipped to make disciples of all nations. He currently attends Parkwood Community Church in Villa Park, IL and formerly worked as an English teacher in a Chicagoland public high school.