Main Stage Speakers & Music

EDWIN AGUILAR He lived in an orphanage from the ages of 6-18yrs old. To this day, his family history is unclear and spent most of those years at the institution without any visitors, until the Lord heard his prayers and a young mentor showed up and kept showing up, thru him, the Lord made his love and care palpable. They remain close. He is currently a documental photographer specially focused on social work. He is now Mentor to 8 children from the same orphanage he grew up in, faithfully visiting them.

BISHOP AARON BLAKE The Bishop’s experience with foster children and leadership ignited a call within Greater Faith Community Church. This church of less than 200 members became family to scores of children previously living in the foster care system. As the movement grew stronger, The Blakes launched Harvest Family Life Ministry. They have been successful in their model of teaching and training state staff and church leaders the faith-based concepts of marrying church and state to equip the church to meet the needs of children from prevention to permanency.

KEVAN CHANDLER Kevan Chandler has a BA in Counseling, with a focus in prison ministry, from John Wesley College. He has authored several books, including a memoir of his adventures being carried in a backpack around the world. Kevan is also the founder of We Carry Kevan, a nonprofit striving to redefine accessibility as a cooperative effort between friends. He and his wife, Katie, live in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they bake scones, read aloud to one another, and open their home for friends to join in these pastimes.

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN In a career that has spanned over 30 years, Steven Curtis Chapman is the most awarded artist in Christian music history with 59 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, five GRAMMYs®, an American Music Award, 49 No. 1 singles, selling more than eleven million albums and with ten RIAA-certified gold or platinum albums to his credit. Chapman also became a best-selling author in 2017 with his memoir “Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story”. A vocal supporter of adoption, Chapman, along with his wife Mary Beth, founded Show Hope in 2003, a nonprofit organization that helps restore the hope of a family to orphans.

CROSS WORSHIP Cross Worship is a collaboration of worship leaders with a heart to reconcile the body of Christ across denominational and racial divides. It was founded by Troy Culbreth in Cincinnati, Ohio as a regular gathering, inviting churches from around the city to come and worship together united as one. As a collective team of individual artists, Cross Worship blends the strengths of different styles to create an eclectic sound capable of reaching a unified church. 18 JUSTIN WHITMEL EARLEY I’m trying to figure out how to live a life of love in an age of chaos.The Common Rule is born out of my own tendency towards inward disorder, and the habits of a culture that seem to exacerbate those tendencies. It is a communal way of forming your life in the love of God & neighbor, amidst a culture beset by individualism and consumerism. Whether you’re an office worker, stay-at-home parent, a church, or an organization – I’d love to talk to you. I’d love to share with you the way the most ordinary habits of love can create extraordinary lives of light.

BRIAN FIKKERT Dr. Brian Fikkert is a Professor of Economics and Community Development and the Founder and President of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College. He is coauthor of the best-selling book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself as well as Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions, Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence, and From Dependence to Dignity: How to Alleviate Poverty Through Church-Centered Microfinance.

DIEGO FULLER Diego Fuller a foster care alumni whose past is something you would see in a movie, something so unspeakable, but terribly true. Diego, a troubled kid that grew up without his parents, molested at eight years old & neglected by family, Homeless living in the back of a church. At 15 years old Diego’s life was changed when he was Engrafted into Pastor Aaron Blake’s home. Diego is now founder of B.I.G Records and Foundation. He’s also a highly known Christian hip hop artist, Student Pastor, book author, motivational speaker, and more importantly a Husband and Father.

PARIS GOODYEAR-BROWN Paris Goodyear-Brown, LCSW, RPT-S, is the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model, the founder and Clinical Director of Nurture House, and the Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute. She is an Adjunct Instructor of Psychiatric Mental Health at Vanderbilt University, guest lecturer for several universities, and travels around the world helping clinicians, parents, and teachers better serve children from hard places. She frequently provides parent consultation, dyadic assessment and parent coaching to help parents manage and resolve their children’s behavior problems. She delights in her husband and her three children.

BETH GUCKENBERGER Beth and her husband, Todd, live with their family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they serve as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised ten children. Beth is the author of seven books including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings and church services. Her style is based in storytelling and she draws from her vast field experience as a missionary, #CAFO2021 CAFO2021.ORG/SURVEY Bible teacher and parent for illustrations of biblical concepts.

D.J. JORDAN D.J. Jordan is a Senior Vice President at Pinkston Public Relations in the Washington, DC area, leading the company’s work with faith-based clients. He has served on the boards of several state and nonprofit agencies focused on family issues, including the Virginia State Board of Social Services, which oversees the foster care system in Virginia. D.J. and his wife have four children, including a child who is adopted from the foster care system. D.J. currently serves on the board of Virginia’s Kids Belong, which advocates for children in the foster care system.

JEDD MEDEFIND As husband, father, leader and friend, Jedd desires most of all to reflect the Heart of Jesus Christ. For many years, he has served as president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. Prior to this role, he served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, leading the office of Faith-Based and Community initiatives. Jedd has worked, studied and served in more than 30 countries, with organizations ranging from Price - Waterhouse in Moscow to Christian life Bangladesh. Jedd and his wife, Rachel and their five kids, now live near Washington, DC.

JOHNNA MURRAY Johnna Murray is a 41 year old momma of 3 kiddos, including 2 sweet little girls and the most handsome nephew Elija. Living in Knoxville Tennessee. she plays a big role as a stay at home single mom raising 3 other nieces and nephews too. With an exuberant love of children, she thrives knowing she is leaving a legacy in the world for our future in helping to shape and mold the character’s and minds of her children.

MATT REDMAN Matt Redman is married to Beth and they have five children. His journey as a worship leader and songwriter has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia and the Czech Republic. Along the way he has sung in venues such as Madison Square Garden, Wembley stadium, and the Royal Albert Hall – as well as recording in iconic studios such as Abbey Road in London and Capitol Records in LA. Matt’s best known songs include The Heart of Worship, Blessed Be Your Name, Our God – and the double-Grammy winning 10,000 Reasons. More recent co-writes include Do It Again and Build my Life.

KONDO SIMFUKWE As Lead Pastor, Kondo is charged with setting and communicating the vision and direction for Mission Point Community Church. He is responsible to help deepen a knowledge and love of Jesus Christ that translates into a church on mission to Invite Everyone Everywhere To Life In Christ. Kondo was born in London, raised in Zambia, lived his high school years in Australia and then came to the United States for college. Kondo and his wife Melissa have five children-four daughters and one son. JASON WEBER Jason Weber wants to live in a world where people build great things together rather than good things by themselves, and where there is more than enough for children and families in foster care. Jason has helped to write and produce several books, bible studies, and other tools all created to serve churches as they care for hurting kids. He is the author of the new book Until There’s More Than Enough: Working Together to Transform Foster Care Where You Live and is the host of the brand new More Than Enough Podcast. Jason serves as the CAFO National Director of Foster Care Initiatives and currently lives in Plano Texas with his wife, Trisha, and their five kids.

LEA WRIGHT Lea Wright is Ethiopian by birth and American through adoption. In 2019, she returned to “home” to serve full-time alongside the ministry of Hope for the Fatherless (HFTF). She feels privileged that God has truly brought her story full circle as she participates in HFTF’s work in the growing movement of domestic adoption and foster care in Ethiopia. Lea is newly married to Sammy, and they live in Addis Ababa.