Speaker Bios
Chuck Swindoll
Senior Pastor
Stonebriar Community Church
One of the nation's most well-known Bible teachers, Chuck Swindoll is the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Chuck is also chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, where he served as the seminary's president for seven years.
Two passions have directed the life and ministry of Chuck Swindoll: an unwavering commitment to the practical communication and application of God's Word and an untiring devotion to seeing lives transformed by God's grace. For more than forty years, Chuck's teaching has emphasized God's grace with an uncompromising commitment to practical, biblical truth and its application.
Chuck's broadcast ministry, Insight for Living, airs in all 50 states, on more than 2,100 outlets around the world in seven languages, and on the Internet.
Chuck's prolific writing has blessed the body of Christ for more than thirty years. Beginning with You and Your Child in 1977, Chuck has written more than 70 titles, including bestsellers Strengthening Your Grip, Improving Your Serve, and The Grace Awakening. His most recent book is Jesus: The Greatest Life of All.
John MacArthur
Pastor
Grace Community Church
John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. In addition, he is an author, conference speaker, and president of The Master's College and Seminary.
John came to Grace Community Church in 1969, after graduating with honors from Talbot Theological Seminary. The emphasis of his ministry is the careful study and verse-by-verse exposition of the Bible, with special attention on the historical and grammatical background behind each passage.
John's Grace to You radio teaching program airs around the world in English and Spanish. The Grace to You television program can be seen in the United States and the United Kingdom on many satellite and cable outlets, and online worldwide.
The author of an acclaimed New Testament commentary series, John also contributed study notes for The MacArthur Study Bible. He has also written numerous books, including The Gospel According to Jesus, Preaching: How to Preach Biblically, and The Truth War.
John and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California and have four grown children and fourteen grandchildren.
Alistair Begg
Senior Pastor
Parkside Church
Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry for 32 years. He is the senior pastor of Parkside Church, near Cleveland, Ohio.
Alistair is a graduate of the London School of Theology. He served eight years as a pastor in Scotland at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. In 1983, he was invited to become Parkside's senior pastor.
He has written six books, including The Hand of God: Finding His Care in all Circumstances; Made for His Pleasure: Ten Benchmarks of a Vital Faith; Pathway to Freedom: A Study on the Ten Commandments; and On Being a Pastor.
Alistair's teaching can be heard daily and weekly on the radio program, Truth For Life, which is heard on more than 1,000 outlets around the world. He and his wife, Susan, have been married 32 years and they have three grown children.
Listen to Alistair Begg in studio with Greg Laurie Click Here
Alistair Begg at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
James MacDonald
Senior Pastor
Harvest Bible Chapel
James MacDonald has committed his whole life to proclaiming the truth of God's transforming power. As a pastor, author, and speaker, James ignites a bold passion for God in every avenue of influence.
He is the founding and senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in the Chicago suburbs, ministering to nearly 11,000 people on multiple campuses. Additionally, Harvest has launched 23 thriving new churches around the world.
James' teaching can be heard on Walk in the Word, a daily radio program heard on more than 800 outlets across North America. James is a popular speaker at Bible and pastors' conferences, and also hosts a ministry leadership conference called, Straight Up: Engaging in Ministry God Energizes.
James has authored eight books, including Downpour: He Will Come to Us Like the Rain, Ancient Wisdom, and The Way of Wisdom.
Born in London, Ontario, James received a Doctorate of Ministry from Phoenix Seminary. James and his wife Kathy have three children, and reside in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
James MacDonald at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
Pastor Bob Coy
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale
Bob Coy is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, which has been named by Church Growth Magazine as one of the fastest growing churches in the nation, ranking eighth in size. Starting from a home fellowship of just four people, Pastor Bob has received an invaluable education in what God can do when given full reign in the hearts and lives of God's church.
At the age of 24, Bob left an executive position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, he and his wife, Diane, moved to South Florida and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale.
Pastor Bob's messages are heard nationally on The Active Word via radio and television. Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale also holds outreaches in more than 80 different ministries from foster care to missions, from benevolence to nursing homes.
Bob Coy at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
James Merritt
Senior Pastor
Cross Pointe Church
Dr. James Merritt is the host of Touching Lives international broadcast ministries. He is also the founder and Senior Pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia. Best known for his uncompromising commitment to preaching the Word of God, and a preaching style characterized by a clear, concise explanation of Scripture with a down-to-earth delivery, Dr. Merritt is one of the most recognized and popular preachers/teachers in the country.
Dr. Merritt earned an undergraduate degree from Stetson University and earned his Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Philosophy degrees from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. From 2000-2002, Dr. Merritt served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
He has also been featured on numerous television programs including Hannity and Colmes, Scarborough Country and 60 Minutes. A popular speaker at conferences, he has also written several books.
He and his wife, Teresa, have been married for more than 32 years and have three sons, a daughter-in-law, and one grandson.
James Merritt at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
Chuck Smith
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
In 1965, Pastor Chuck Smith began his ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Only twenty-five people attended. What began as a small chapel has now grown into a church that seats more than 2,000 and is filled almost nightly.
From the beginning, Pastor Chuck welcomed all, young and old, without judgment, placing his emphasis on the teaching of the Word of God. His simple, yet sound, biblical approach draws 25,000 people weekly.
With a sincere concern for the lost, Pastor Chuck made room in his heart and his home for a generation of hippies and surfers; generating a movement of the Holy Spirit that spread from the West Coast to the East Coast, bringing thousands of young people to Jesus Christ. The so-called Jesus Movement helped raise up a generation of new believers that included Greg Laurie, Mike MacIntosh, Raul Ries, and Skip Heitzig, as well as hundreds of others who now have ministries of their own.
Listen to Chuck Smith in studio with Greg Laurie Click Here
Chuck Smith at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
Dr. Jack Graham
Senior Pastor
Prestonwood Baptist Church
Dr. Jack Graham is the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the nation's largest congregations, in Plano, Texas. Prestonwood Baptist has more than 28,000 members and recently opened a second location, 20 miles north of Plano.
Dr. Graham served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and also served as president of the SBC Pastor's Conference.
He has written numerous books, including A Hope and a Future, and Life According to Jesus. His most recent book, Are You Fit for Life?, was released in January 2008.
Jack Graham's teaching is also broadcast around the world through PowerPoint Ministries. This television, radio, and online ministry addresses relevant, everyday issues prevalent in our culture and that strike a chord with audiences worldwide.
Dr. Graham was ordained in 1970, and has a master of divinity degree with honors and a doctor of ministry degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He and Deb live in Frisco, Texas. They have one daughter, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and one grandson.
Dr. Jack Graham at Harvest Christian Fellowship Click Here
Greg Laurie
Senior Pastor
Harvest Christian Fellowship
Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship—one of America's largest churches—in Riverside, California.
Laurie has authored a number of books, including his new autobiography, Lost Boy. In addition, Laurie has authored the Gold Medallion Award winner The Upside-Down Church, and Losers and Winners, Saints and Sinners, as well as authoring study notes for two Bibles in the New Living Translation: the New Believer's Bible and The Seeker's Bible.
Host of the nationally-syndicated radio program A New Beginning, Laurie is also the featured speaker for Harvest Crusades—contemporary, large-scale evangelistic outreaches organized by local churches nationally and internationally. Laurie has also appeared on CNN's Larry King Live and ABC World News Tonight, sharing how the Bible is relevant for people today.
The trademark of a Greg Laurie sermon, book, or broadcast is his contemporary, yet straightforward style and format, applying biblical principles to current events in a relevant way. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Cathe. They have two sons, Christopher—who went to be with the Lord in 2008—and Jonathan, and one granddaughter, Stella.