Guest Profiles

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David Wells, General Superintendent
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David (Dave) Wells was elected as General Superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) in May 2008 after serving as the District Superintendent of the BC/Yukon District of the PAOC since June 2001. The PAOC has over 1,100 affiliated churches in Canada and 3,500 credentialed ministers with a constituency of over 250,000 people. Internationally, the PAOC has over 250 workers serving in over 50 nations.

He served as senior associate pastor at Broadway Church, Vancouver, BC from 1994 to 1999, where he developed an urban and multi-cultural ministry model with a number of partner ministries. He previously pastored in Hamilton, ON, Calgary, AB and Red Deer, AB.

Dave has served as a chaplain for Canada’s Olympic (2004, 2006, 2008) and Commonwealth Games (1990,1994, 2002) teams and is currently the Chair of the Vancouver-Whistler Olympic organizing committee’s multi-faith committee, preparing for chaplaincy at the 2010 Games. He is also a board member for the More than Gold Network which is preparing for the Christian churches' witness and service at the Games.

He serves as Chair of the Board for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and has an MA in Christian Ministry from Briercrest Seminary, SK.

Dave and his wife Susan have three children--Shannon (Eric), Jonathan (Melissa) and Jordan and make their home in Delta, BC.

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George O. Wood, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God U.S.
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Dr. George O. Wood was elected chief executive officer of the Assemblies of God at the 52^nd General Council in August 2007. As general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, USA, part of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, he is a member of the denomination’s Executive Leadership Team and Executive Presbytery. The church has over 12,300 congregations in the United States with some 2.8 million members and adherents. The U.S. Assemblies of God is part of a larger World Assemblies of God fellowship with a membership of over 60 million.

Prior to his present position, Wood served the church as its general secretary for 14 years. He was assistant superintendent of the Southern California District from 1988-93. Wood pastored Newport-Mesa Christian Center in Costa Mesa, California, for 17 years. He was elected to serve as chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship at its meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in May, 2008.

The son of missionary parents to China and Tibet, Wood holds a doctoral degree in pastoral theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a juris doctorate from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. He did his undergraduate work at Evangel University (College) in Springfield, Missouri, and served the college in several capacities, including being director of spiritual life and student life from 1965-71. He was ordained by the Southern Missouri District in 1967.

Dr. Wood is author of a number of books including his most recent Living in the Spirit along with A Psalm In Your Heart, Living Fully, The Successful Life, and a college text on the Book of Acts. Sermons by Dr. Wood may be heard at www.georgeowood.com.

Wood and his wife, Jewel, have a daughter and son.

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Wayne Cordeiro, Senior Pastor, Honolulu, Hawaii
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Dr. Wayne Cordeiro is senior pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu,
Hawaii, one of the nation’s fastest growing churches. New Hope, on the island of O`ahu, is Pastor Wayne’s eleventh pioneer work, opening its doors in September of 1995. Since then New Hope has grown to over 10,000 in weekend attendance with 8,500 of those being first-time decisions.

Wayne is an author, songwriter, and highly sought after speaker. He has authored eight books, including Doing Church as a Team, Dream Releasers, The Seven Rules of Success, The Divine Mentor and Leading On Empty in addition to releasing several music CDs. His speaking schedule takes him around the State of Hawaii weekly as well as around the continental United States, into Canada and around the world.

As a motivational speaker for businesses and civic organizations, Pastor Wayne’s most popular talks include subjects on leadership, building relationships, and restructuring for success.

Prior to relocating to O`ahu, Wayne pastored in Hilo, Hawaii for 12 years. He is a church planter at heart and has helped to plant 80 churches in the Pacific Rim and beyond, including Hawaii, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Philippines, Japan, Australia and Myanmar.

Today, New Hope continues to build and train leaders and pastors through the Pacific Rim Christian College, New Hope International Ministries and the Hawaii Leadership Practicum. New Hope O`ahu also hosts their annual “Doing Church as a Team” conference. This popular leadership conference fills to maximum capacity with registrants from around the State of Hawaii and the world.

Pastor Wayne and his wife, Anna, celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary this year with their three children, Amy, Aaron, and Abigail. His hobbies include riding his Harley Davidson and spending time with his grandchildren.

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Gordon Franklin, Director of the School of Pastoral Leadership, Vanguard College
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Dr. Gordon K. Franklin is the director of the School of Pastoral Leadership at Vanguard College in Edmonton, AB, where he has ministered for almost 30 years. While serving as president from 1988-1994, he was instrumental in initiating Vanguard's prototypical His Majesty’s Service one year missions-based discipleship training program. He has also pastored for seven years in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. A gifted communicator who employs a unique and practical approach to biblical texts, Dr. Franklin has traveled extensively, speaking in camp meetings, seminars, and youth conferences throughout Canada and United States.

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Ivan Satyavrata, Senior Pastor, Kolkata (Calcutta), India _________________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Ivan Satyavrata spent the early years of his ministry as a pioneer pastor in
downtown Bombay, India, where he was active in street evangelism and outreach in the city slums. He studied undergraduate theology at SABC, Bangalore and UBS, Pune. He later earned his Th. M. at Regent College, Vancouver, Canada, and his Ph.D. through the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, Oxford, U.K.

He served on the teaching faculty and in various administrative capacities at Southern Asia Bible College, Bangalore since 1985, prior to his appointment as president in 1998. He has played an active role in evangelical theological education in India, served on the boards of several institutions, including chair of ATA [India] for several years. He serves presently as chairman of the Governing Board of the Centre for Global Leadership Development [formerly SABC], Bangalore.

Ivan has also been heavily engaged in a variety of compassion and development ministries, and is currently chairman of Bombay Teen Challenge, a Christian NGO involved in the rehabilitation of street children, drug addicts and commercial sex workers in the city of Bombay. He also serves on the National Board of World Vision, India.

An ordained minister of the Assemblies of God, Ivan has been serving as senior pastor of the Assembly of God Church in the city of Kolkata since April 2006. He also serves as the head of the AG Mission which provides education and basic health care for over 10,000 children in the city of Kolkata and gives support and oversight to over 350 churches in the wider region.

He recently published his first book Holy Spirit: Lord & Life-Giver, and his Ph.D. thesis is due for publication. His chief interest has been in issues relating to the Christian witness to people of other faiths. Ivan’s wife Sheila [Elizabeth] partners closely together with him in their ministry. They have two sons, Rahul Benjohn and Rohan Joel.

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Ed Stetzer, President, LifeWay Research
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Ed Stetzer has planted, revitalized, and pastored several churches. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. Ed is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine and Catalyst Monthly, serves on the advisory council of Sermon Central and Christianity Today's Building Church Leaders, and is frequently cited or interviewed in news outlets such as USAToday and CNN.

Ed is Visiting Professor of Research and Missiology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Visiting Research Professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has taught at 15 other colleges and seminaries. He also serves on the Church Services Team at the International Mission Board.

Ed’s primary role is president of LifeWay Research and LifeWay’s Missiologist in Residence. He has written the following books:

Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age (2003)

Perimeters of Light: Biblical Boundaries for the Emerging Church (w/ Elmer Towns, 2004)

Breaking the Missional Code (w/ David Putman, 2006)

Planting Missional Churches (2006)

Comeback Churches (with Mike Dodson, 2007)

11 Innovations in the Local Church (with Elmer Towns and Warren Bird, 2007)

Compelled by Love: The Most Excellent Way to Missional Living (with Philip Nation, 2008)

Lost and Found (with Richie Stanley and Jason Hayes, 2009)

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David and Jessica DiSabatino, Senior Pastors, Liberty International Church
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After spending some time on the mission field in Asia, Dave and Jess felt a distinct call back to Canada to reach people with a practical message of God’s love and hope. They specifically set out to build a church that would be diverse both on ethnic and socio-economic levels. Dave and Jess are committed to making a difference in the city of Toronto and the nation of Canada. They are the parents of two children.

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Tracy Dunham, Worship Leader
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Tracy is the assistant pastor at Freedom in Christ Church in Kitchener, ON where she leads the worship and creative arts ministries as a major part of her portfolio. She spent seven years on staff at Mill Woods Assembly in Edmonton, AB working with the young adult ministry known as The Project. Tracy and her husband Rob still travel and minister with their Edmonton-based band (creatively named “The Band”). Tracy has been involved in worship ministry for over 10 years and has a passion to bring Christ to her community through authentic worship and genuine relationship. They have three children--Ruthie, Shay and Malachi.
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Melanie Melo, Worship Leader
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Melanie Melo is currently the Worship and Arts pastor of First Assembly Church in Calgary, AB. She has led worship for almost 10 years in various nations, but her heart has always burned with a passion to see Canada swept by the Spirit and power of God. Trained at Hillsong College in Sydney Australia, she leads with a raw authenticity that draws hearts of any age to the feet of Jesus. Her desire is see passion and intimacy released through worship in every gathering, so that people may encounter the power of the living God and release that power in the streets to see our nation changed.




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Eric Samuel Timm, No One Underground, Minneapolis, MN _________________________________________________________________________________________

He’s part artist, speaker, author and all passion—this is what gives the Rev. Eric Samuel Timm relevance in today’s world. As he speaks, paints and performs, Eric captivates his audiences with his unique style and unforgettable one-of-a-kind live art performances. He is sought after for his ability to creatively present truth where words fall short. Eric stirs up what lays dormant and leaves his audiences inspired. When he speaks, they’ll listen—when he paints, people can finally see what they could never hear. Eric resides north of Minneapolis, MN, with his wife Danielle and son Xavier, creating with purpose. Visit www.nooneunderground.com, www.twitter.com/ericsamueltimm or www.facebook.com/nooneunderground.