|
Register
Now
Welcome
Registration Info
Conference Policies
Housing & Roommates
Meals
Special Needs
Program
Featured Speakers
Workshops
Location/Transportation
Things To Do
Youth
Volunteering
Exhibitors/Advertisers
Scholarships
FAQ
International Guests
Contact Us
Promotions |
FEATURED
SPEAKERS TEN
Conference is a place for biblical training, eduacation, and to hear the
message proclaimed that you can live an abundant life in Christ no
matter your sexual orientation. Sexual orientation and
Christianity are not and do not have to be at war with one another. TEN
2008 Speakers
*Note: Speakers and Special
guests are subject to change
 Troy
Perry had been involved in Christian
ministry since he was 13. As a young man, he entered full-time ministry
in a Pentecostal
Church
and married a pastor's daughter, with whom he had two sons. He was
unable to ignore his homosexual feelings which ultimately brought an end
to his marriage and his ministry. In 1968, after a suicide
attempt and witnessing a close friend being arrested by the police who
often raided gay bars, Perry felt called to return to his faith and to
offer a place for gay people to worship God freely. He never expected to
return to Christian ministry, but he did, founding a congregation which
grew into the MCC denomination. Putting an advertisement in The
Advocate magazine, Perry announced the first worship service
of what was to become MCC, to take place in the small rented house he
shared with a friend in a working class district of Los Angeles. Twelve people turned up on 6
October 1968 for that first
service. MCC now has over 300 congregations which worship all around the
world. Recently, there's a documentary film titled "Call Me Troy"
which is based on his life along with mainly telling about his founding
of MCC.
Rev. Perry's activism has taken many turns, including positions on
a number of boards of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered
organizations. He held a seat on the Los
Angeles County Commission on Human Relations. In 1978 he was
honored by the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian and
Gay Rights Chapter with its Humanitarian Award. He holds honorary
doctorates from Episcopal Divinity School (
Boston
),
Samaritan
College
(
Los Angeles
), and Sierra University (Santa Monica),
California
for his work in civil rights, and was recently lauded by the Gay Press
Association with its Humanitarian Award. Rev. Perry was invited to the
White House in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter to discuss the gay and lesbian civil rights, and
by President Bill Clinton in 1995 for the first White House Conference on
HIV/AIDS and in 1997 to the first White
House Conference on Hate Crimes. Perry was also a guest of the President that same
year for breakfast in the State dining room in the White House to be
honored with 90 other clergy for their work in the American society. He
retired as Moderator of the MCC in 2005, and the Reverend Elder Nancy Wilson succeeded him at an
installation service on 29 October 2005.
He remains active in public speaking and writing.
 Fred Pattison
was saved at 15 and began preaching at the young age of 16. He graduated
from
Northeastern
Bible
College
in 1955. Fred has had a powerful sojourning in his experience as a
disciple of Christ. Having begun his ministry as a fundamental Baptist,
he shifted to a non-denominational position, and then in the 80’s,
came into a deeper understanding of the Person, the gifts, and the
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
While pastoring in
Phoenix
from the late 70’s to the mid-90’s, he founded the ministries of
T-E-N, Cristo AIDS Ministry, Phoenix Evangelical Bible
Institute, and Cristo Press Literature Ministry. Along with a desire to
reach men and women (GLBT and others) with his messages of
reconciliation and restoration, Fred also has a great love for the Jews,
for
Israel
, Davidic praise and worship, and our Jewish roots.
In 1996, Fred retired
from pastoring, but went on to found the very unique, Olive Tree
Ministries. Having many years of church planting, teaching, and pastoral
experiences, he brings with him the treasures of a pioneer’s wisdom,
with thought-provoking perspectives and invaluable insights for the
church today.
He and his spouse,
Joseph currently hold a weekly house-church in the home they built
together in the small mountain community of Strawberry,
Arizona
. There, and anywhere he is invited to go, Fred provides a wide range
and variety of seminars and workshops through Olive Tree Ministries.
 Dr. Ralph Blair is a psychotherapist
in private practice in
New York City
. He founded The Homosexual Community Counseling Center in
New York City
and is founder and president of Evangelicals Concerned, Inc.
A fellow of The
American Orthopsychiatric Association, he is a graduate of Bowling Green
State University, The University of Southern California Graduate School
of Religion, and The Graduate School of The Pennsylvania State
University. He also studied at
Bob
Jones
University
, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary.
Dr. Blair speaks
throughout the
U.S.
and is the editor of a quarterly literature review
on religion and homosexuality.
Since 1980, Dr. Blair
has organized and sponsored ConnECtion, conferences which have been life
changing experiences for hundreds of gay men, lesbians, and friends who
are responding with trust to God's love and who seek to live thankfully
and faithfully under God's grace and peace.
 Joan
Wakeford was born and brought up in
South Africa
. She was a member of the
Full
Gospel
Church
, which sent her to
Japan
as missionary, where she served the Lord for five (5) years.
Out of the blue, God opened the door for her to attend the
Four
Square
Gospel
Bible
College
in
Los Angeles
,
CA
, where she graduated, was licensed and ordained. She and her co-workers
traveled as Evangelists throughout the
United States
and
Canada
.
It was a great surprise when the Greater Los Angeles Sunday Schools
urged her to return to
South Africa
as the Director of the National Sunday School Association in
Natal
and
Free State
, with headquarters in
Durban
, her home town.
There was no doubt God was leading Joan. She later linked up with MCC as
assistant to Rev. Don Eastman in
Dallas
,
TX
. She was also Pastor for two (2) years of the Austin MCC and helped
established Trinity MCC in Mid-Cities. She was interim Pastor of
Corpus Christi MCC. When God called her to start Joan Wakeford
Ministries (a complete faith venture), her life partner, Sharon Boatman,
supported her completely.
Sharon
passed away in June 2005.
Joan was able to assist Rev. Nico Kleynhans to establish a Church in
Cape Town
,
South Africa
, with her suggestions, they linked up with MCC. She continues to
encourage groups to gather. A small group is forming in
Sumerset West
,
South Africa
and with her encouragement will soon organize.
 Linda Harris was brought up in a
Catholic home, but didn’t attend church. She attended several church
growing up but was put of many of them because of her openness about her
sexuality. Linda’s daughter, Monica, had become ill and the
doctors told Linda that Monica would not live and there were no
medicines to help her. Linda made a pact with God at that time,
promising she would go to church if God would heal Monica. At a
Wednesday night service at The Happy Church (Pastors Wally and Marilyn
Hickey), Linda was confronted by the church about becoming saved. Later
that same night while at home God came to Linda and ministered to her
showing her that he was real. It was this night that Linda gave her
heart to God.
In 1982 Linda bought a fishing lodge and was
taking Christian courses at the time. Her lodge was used for many
Christian retreats and that later developed into SpiritFest. SpiritFest
still meets under
Joshua
Ministries
.
God continued to use and groom Linda for ministry. In 1985 as she wait
for her mother to pass in a hospital, one of the men from her church was
just two doors down. Linda went to him for a visit and he began to sob.
He’d called three churches asking for a minister to come and pray with
him. All the ministers had excuses for why they could not or would
not come. Linda began ministering to him words of life and encouragement
and she remained there with him until he passed away. She had
experienced the death of two people she knew and was close to in one
day, and although she was not a minister in an official capacity, she
asked the Lord to send her to those that no one else would go to.
Today she is still
going to those that no one else will go to.
Linda has been
assistant and co-pastor of Grace Fellowship In Christ Jesus of Dallas,
Texas, officer on the board of directors for Grace Ministries (now
Joshua Ministries), and founder and pastor of Sanctuary of Love Church
in Dallas, Texas.
 Evelyn
Schave has worked in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ for over fifty
years. At the age of eight, she preached at the first
Church
of
God
conference ever held in the State of
California
. Later years found her serving as youth pastor, worship leader,
and then as pastor of churches in
California
and
Washington
. She was co-founder of two church works in
Washington
State
and was also founder and director of a drug rehabilitation center.
Evelyn considers her main calling to be serving in the office of
Evangelist. In recent years, she has travelled extensively
throughout
North America
and has made three trips to the African Continent preaching the good
news of the Gospel!
In 1989, God called
Evelyn and her husband, Dennis, to share the love of Jesus Christ with
the Gay and Lesbian Community. Since that beginning, she has come
to be recognized as a powerful and loving servant of God by the many
thousands of lives she has touched. Evelyn has authored a book
entitled "For Such a Time as This", which depicts her
experiences and insights gained over the years.
Chuck Smith, Jr. planted Capo Beach Calvary in Dana Point,
California
and served as its Senior Pastor for thirty years. He entered ministry
during the time when his father's church, Calvary Chapel of
Costa Mesa
, was one of the epicenters for the Jesus Movement in
Southern California
. Chuck, Jr. is known for building bridges (rather than barriers)
between various Christian traditions, Christians and popular culture,
and anyone else who feels estranged from God. He is the author of There
Is A Season, Epiphany, and co-author of Frequently Avoided Questions.
 In
October 2007,
Anthony Venn-Brown
was voted one of The
25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians.
As
a leader in the Assemblies of God and high profile preacher in
mega-churches
Australia
, Anthony had tried desperately to change his sexual orientation through
psychiatric treatment, exorcisms, ex-gay programs, 40-day fasts and
daily battles with his ‘problem’. After for 22 years, including 16
years of marriage and two daughters, he eventually had to admit that
nothing had changed. In 1991 Anthony faced the toughest decision of his
life; be true to himself (which would result in losing everything he
held dear) or live a lie. A
public confession, rejection by his fellow ministers and friends, left
Anthony alone on his journey to find meaning, purpose and healing in his
life.
His final resolution with God, himself and others has inspired young,
old, gay and straight to courageously face their fears.
Anthony
now lives as a proud gay man who is committed to educating others about
the issues of same-sex-orientation and supporting people resolving
faith/sexuality conflict. He is Co-founder and Convenor of Freedom
2 b[e], a growing network of GLBTIQ people from Pentecostal and
Charismatic backgrounds. Anthony is also an internationally
accredited coach who works with clients, not only in the areas of
success creation, but also coming out, resolving mixed orientation
marriages and living a life of integrity and authenticity.
His
autobiography, ‘A
Life of Unlearning’ (2004) was awarded the SGLBA’s ‘Book of
the Year’. The revised second edition (with additional 80 pages) was
released internationally in 2007. Read Chapter 1 'The
Confession'
Bob Barker was born and raised in North Texas and has lived in
Dallas
for over twenty-five years. Bob went to college at
Oral
Roberts
University
in
Tulsa
,
Oklahoma
. He started in ministry there in 1971 by becoming a member of the ORU
World Action Singers. He sang at ORU, traveled with the World Action
Singers and appeared with Oral Roberts on his weekly television program
and national television specials. During that time Bob was privileged to
sing with such leading personalities as Doc Severinson (The Tonight
Show), The Lenin Sisters, Dela Reece (Touched by an Angel), Burle Ives,
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Johnny Cash and many others.
In
1974, he married Joan Hunter, daughter of Charles and Frances Hunter -
the Happy Hunters, and traveled and spoke with them for many
years. Bob did not deal with his sexuality until late in life. He
was married and the father of four great daughters.
Experiencing
spiritual and emotional alienation first hand from those he loved and
cared for, Bob could have grown cold and angry with God like so many in
our community. Instead, he felt a tremendous need to do something and to
reach out and help others who, like himself, did not have a welcoming
church home to attend. He wanted to create a place where others who had
previously been involved in a church or ministry could come and feel a
sense of purpose again. He wanted a place where they could come and be
used by God.
A
year passed and Bob started a small Bible study that developed, grew and
became what is now known as
Crossroads
Community
Church
.
 Dr.
Joseph Adam Pearson has been President of Christ Evangelical Bible
Institute (www.cebiaz.com) for the past fifteen years.
CEBI currently has Branch campuses in
India
,
Tanzania
(East Africa),
Myanmar
(
Burma
) and the
Philippines
. In addition, Dr. Pearson
is an ordained minister and is Pastor Emeritus of Healing Waters
Ministries, where he served as Senior Pastor for ten years until his
retirement in 2007. He earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology
from
Loyola
University
(
Chicago
) and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with specialization in
Language and Literacy from
Arizona
State
University
. He was also Chairperson of
the Biology Department Chairperson at
Scottsdale
Community College
(
Arizona
), where he taught Medical Education to students of Allied Health; and,
he served as Dean of Instruction at
Mesa
Community College
(
Arizona
) from 1997 until 2007.
In addition to
regularly presenting the seminar and workshop in Phoenix (AZ), Dr.
Pearson has recently brought this seminar and workshop to Scottsdale
(AZ), Tempe (AZ), Tucson (AZ), Long Beach (CA), San Francisco (CA), San
Jose (CA), North Hollywood (CA), Tampa (FL), Atlanta (GA), Michigan City
(IN), La Porte (IN), St. Louis (MO), Albuquerque (NM), Dallas (TX), Fort
Worth (TX), Houston (TX), Gatlinburg (TN), Vancouver (BC), Salvador
(Brazil), Kampala (Uganda), and Mbeya (Tanzania).
Dr. Pearson
will present biological, historical and scriptural (i.e., literary as
well as contextual) aspects for understanding reconciliation from a
Christian Evangelical and Biblical perspective.
This well traveled seminar and workshop promises to be especially
helpful to both heterosexuals and homosexuals within the Body of Christ
who are struggling with the issue of reconciliation from a biblical
perspective.
[read
more about seminar]
 Louis
Rameriz believes that a true worshipper worships as fervently from the pew as
he/she does from the stage. He loves to lead people into God’s Throne
room where miracles and healings happen.
Louis comes from the UPC, and has decades of experience as a
musician, singer, arranger, composer, and recording artist.
 Justin
Lee founded The Gay Christian Network in 2001 as a place for
Christ-centered support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
individuals. He currently serves as executive director, overseeing the
organization's operations and working to ensure a continued focus on
Christ in all things.
 Pastor
Rada served in the ministry for over 20 years. She helped establish
Cornerstone
Fellowship
Church
in
Tucson
,
Arizona
and was the first pastor there. She also helped create God’s Love In
Action, the first Christian ministry to HIV/AIDS people in
Arizona
. After
serving for 18 years she retired from pastoring, but not from
ministering. She knows how difficult and lonely being a pastor can be.
It has been her hope to mentor, challenge and encourage the rising
pastors in our community.
Rada and her partner of 24 years, Lana, are now members of Rincon
Congregational United Church of Christ in
Tucson
Arizona
. Rada is serving there as the Interim Community Visitation Minister,
visiting homebound and hospitalized members of her congregation.
Rada has always had a burden on her heart for Africa and was blessed to
make a mission trip to
Tanzania with Joan Wakeford Ministries in 2006.
Currently
both Rada and Lana are teachers of the blind. Rada holds a
Master’s Degree in Special Education and teaches the blind and
visually impaired at the Arizona state school. They both plan on ministering
and teaching the blind in
Africa
when they retire.
Originally
from
Atlanta
,
GA
, Carl Smith became involved with the Southern
Baptist Church at eight years old. By age 16, he was serving as a
youth pastor. In
2001, Carl became a member of the United
Pentecostal Church. Following God’s calling, Carl moved to
Stockton
,
CA
to attend Christian
Life College. While attending school he traveled the country leading
in worship, and ministering to adults, youth, and children. After being
asked to leave Bible College Carl moved to
San Francisco
to attend Freedom In
Christ Church.
He celebrated 4 years as a member of FIC in December of 2007.
Over the years, he has been involved in the worship team, preaching,
outreach, and promotions for the church. He has also served TEN
by helping to create logos and other promotional materials for the
annual conferences.
Dr.
Michael McBride seeks to create a world of faith, hope, and love by
first being authentic and then inviting others to join. He is an
active composer, performer, conductor, and educator, who teaches music
at Northwestern
University
and North Park
University
in
Chicago,
IL, and freelances as a composer and performer. Having received
degrees from Northwestern
University
and Wheaton
College, Dr. McBride had the pleasure of serving four years as Director of
Worship and Music at a church on the North Shore of Chicago.
 Douglas
Shaffer began his life and spiritual journey within Assemblies of
God churches which lead him to 4 years of study at Assemblies of God
Colleges in
Springfield
,
Missouri
. His
journey has taken him through ministries in music and with children and
through liturgical churches on his way to
White
Rock
Community
Church
in
Dallas
Texas
. He
currently serves as the Associate Pastor, overseeing outreach and
HIV/AIDS ministry.
Since its inception 16 years ago, White Rock Friends served over
5,000 people throughout North Central Texas
with a
current active
client base of 900.
As administrator of the Friends ministry,
Douglas
has experience in grant writing, working in collaboration with other
Aids Service Organizations, and providing direct practical care to
improve the quality of life of those living with HIV and Aids.
 KaDee
McCormick has been in full gospel independent church ministries for
over 30 years.
She is a dedicated Christian woman, but she is also the father of
2 sets of compassionate twins and grandfather to 5 high spirited
grandchildren.
She
has BS degrees in Biology and Chemistry, a Masters degree in Christian
Counseling, 3 state
environmental licenses and was in the final stages of completing
her earned doctorate in Church Administration in 1999 when stress
from her gender identification versus her duty to an image forced
her to communicate to her wife her gender identity which ultimately
ended their marriage in 2003 after 27 years.
KaDee
was born physically male but in 2005 completed her journey when she had
sexual reassignment surgery in
Thailand
to become the woman she is today, finally aligning her body with her
mind. She has been a leader in the transgendered community
overseeing a support group that covered 4 states AR, OK, MO and KS
eventually building ties to 2 other major support
groups in
St. Louis
and
Kansas City
.
 Luke
Turco
 Michael
Bussee -
And many more...TEN Conference 2008!
|
