Speakers

Anita Morrison

Anita Morrison has been a member of Hope Alliance Bible Church in Maple Heights, Ohio, for 27 years where her husband, Ron, is the founding and senior pastor. They have been married for 43 years. Anita obtained a bachelor’s degree in social work from Ohio State University. For over 10 years, she worked at Laurelwood Hospital with families dealing with alcohol and drug addiction. Later, Anita attended John Carroll University and received her master’s in education. She holds a permanent teaching certificate in the state of Ohio. Anita currently works with the tutoring program Alliance for Family Hope and enjoys working with middle and elementary school students and faculty in the Maple Heights school district. She also leads worship, teaches a women’s Bible study, has been in a women’s accountability group for 35 years, and has taught the Word of God at women’s retreats in the U.S. and abroad with her husband.

Evening Service Tuesday 7:00 pm

John Stumbo

Dr. John Stumbo is serving in his third term as president of the U.S. Alliance. He and Joanna, his bride of four decades, have three grown children and five grandchildren. They love being with the Alliance family and are enjoying making Ohio their new home as the National Office has relocated to the Columbus region. John has authored four books including his newest A Stained Beauty: Churches Ancient and Present.

Evening Service Monday 7:00 pm

President’s Report Tuesday 9:00 am

President’s Report Wednesday 9:00 am

President’s Report Friday 9:00 am

Mark Yarhouse

Mark Yarhouse is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Wheaton College, where he directs the Sexual & Gender Identity Institute. Dr. Yarhouse is the chair of the task force on LGBTQ+ issues for Division 36 (Psychology of Religion & Spirituality) of the American Psychological Association, and he has been a subject-matter expert on behalf of a convened panel from the APA to offer recommendations to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on care of LGBTQ+ youth. He has also written the featured white paper on sexual identity for the Christ on Campus Initiative, edited by Don Carson, for the Gospel Coalition. Dr. Yarhouse is the author and/or coauthor of several books, including Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture, Understanding Sexual Identity: A Resource for Youth Ministry, and When Children Come Out: A Guide for Christian Parents.

Alliance Youth Pre-Council Monday 8:30 am

Martin Chaaya

Martin Chaaya is the coordinator of Alliance Diaspora Ministry in Europe with The Christian and Missionary Alliance. He was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, and holds a degree in telecommunications and an MDiv from Columbia International University. Martin lives in Spain with his wife, Joanna, and their three children. He is passionate about church planting and has been part of several church plants among the diaspora in Europe. He started several outreach ministries among immigrants and refugees, which include social work and micro-businesses. He regularly teaches about diaspora to students and churches in the U.S. and Europe. Martin is currently involved in the leadership of various networks that focus on diaspora ministry in Europe.

Evening Service Wednesday 6:45 pm

Monty Wright

Monty Wright is currently serving as the district superintendent of the Alliance Northwest. He has a passion to develop leaders and engage in spiritual conversations with people contemplating the reality of God. He longs to see the Church really become the Church and stop playing religious games. Monty has a PhD in apologetics and philosophy, has authored two books, planted three churches, and believes the best days of the Church are ahead of us. He has learned that a consistent rhythm of being with Jesus is the soil from which all Kingdom-doing must flow. He and his wife, Amy, have two children, Emma and Liam, and one granddaughter, Cambria.

Evening Service Thursday 7:00 pm

Rick Richardson

Rick Richardson is a professor of evangelism and leadership at Wheaton College and directs the Church Evangelism and Research Institutes for the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. Rick founded the Church Evangelism Institute and has worked with hundreds of senior pastors and their leaders in revitalizing churches through conversion growth. He and his wife, Mary Kay, have three boys. He worked in campus ministry for 25 years and regularly speaks and ministers as an evangelist on campuses in many different parts of the country. He was the national coordinator of evangelism with InterVarsity in the late 1990s. In addition, Rick is an ordained Anglican priest and served for several years as a pastor of evangelism and small groups. He also helped launch the Willow Creek DuPage site, Willow Creek’s first multi-site campus. He consults widely with churches on evangelism, church revitalization, healing, reconciliation, the emerging generation, and contemporary missional churches and missional movements. Rick earned his MDiv from Northern Baptist Seminary and focused his studies on evangelism and urban ministry. He received his PhD in intercultural studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2007. Rick also serves as an affiliate professor for TEDS working with the PhD program. He seeks to bring together his passions for evangelism, prayer, and racial reconciliation in order to cast vision and equip an emerging generation and the churches who want to disciple them in ministry for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

EquippingU Council Featuring Dr. Rick Richardson Monday 1:00 pm

Ron Morrison

Ron Morrison is the founding and senior pastor of Hope Alliance Bible Church in Maple Heights (Cleveland), Ohio, which was planted in 1995. He and his wife, Anita, have been married for 43 years. Ron served in the U.S. Army (1971–1973) and worked in a factory for 21 years before going into full-time ministry. Ron and Anita have spent time with Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) international workers in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and Brazil. Ron is also the president of the African American Association for C&MA licensed workers. Ron has served four terms on the Board of Directors, including four years as chairman. He earned his DMin from Alliance Theological Seminary, enjoys being an adjunct professor at various schools, and is a mentor for younger urban C&MA pastors.

Sam Lai

Sam Lai has been serving as an Alliance pastor for 15 years—previously at New York Queens Herald Church and now at San Francisco Chinese Alliance Church—intertwining 10 years of working experience in the Hong Kong marketplace as a civil engineer. He currently serves on the CPD DEXCOM, CCA (Chinese Churches Association) Executive Committee and on the Board of Directors at the Alliance Redwood Conference Grounds. Sam desires to fulfill the Great Commission through building generations of disciples in his Jerusalem (local church), all of Judea (the unchurched community), Samaria (the marketplace), and the ends of the earth (overseas missions). Sam and his wife, Po Yee, have two teenage children, Ezra and Joelle.

Missions Rally Friday 7:00 pm

Worship Leaders

Kelvin Walker

After 30 years of serving the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) as a local church pastor in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York, as well as in college ministry in Nyack, N.Y., Kelvin Walker currently serves as the district superintendent of the C&MA’s Metropolitan District. He also currently serves as a member of both the C&MA Board of Directors and the President’s Cabinet and was elected to a four-year term as corporate vice president at the C&MA’s 2019 General Council. He previously served three terms as the president of the Association of African American Pastors, Consecrated Women, and Licensed Workers of the C&MA. Kelvin and his wife, Doni, have six adult children—three of whom are married—and one beautiful granddaughter.