Conference Speakers

Main Session Speakers

  • Kevin Brimner

    LEAD PASTOR
    First Christian Church–Newburgh, IN

    Kevin Brimner serves as Lead Pastor of First Christian Church, where he is passionate about helping people move from unbelief to belief and building stronger, healthier teams. He loves communicating truth in a way that is clear, practical, and meaningful for everyday life. Kevin is always up for a good conversation, believes laughter is contagious, and is convinced sports should be everyone’s second language.

  • Jeremy Brown

    LEAD PASTOR
    Journey Church–Jackson, TN

    Jeremy Brown serves as Lead Pastor of Journey Church in Jackson, TN. In 2010, Jeremy and his wife Sheila packed up and moved to Jackson with their three daughters to plant Journey from the ground up. Since then, they've navigated the full journey of ministry life together — the highs, the hard seasons, and everything in between — and come out the other side with a few bruises, a good story or two, and a lot of grace.

  • Matt Giebler

    Matt Giebler

    SENIOR MINISTER
    Greenwood Christian Church-Greenwood, IN

    Matt Giebler serves as senior minister at Greenwood Christian Church in Greenwood, IN. Matt is married to Alison, with whom he shares 3 adult children and 2 golden retrievers. In addition to preaching and teaching, Matt enjoys movies, woodworking, reading, hiking, word games, and setting things on fire.

  • Dr. Carlos L. Kelly

    SENIOR PASTOR
    Beulahland Bible Church–Macon, GA

    Pastor, Dr. Carlos L. Kelly is the senior pastor of Beulahland Bible Church in Middle Georgia. He was born the fourth of five sons to the late Rev. Don A. Kelly and Jewelene Kelly in Little Rock, Arkansas. He accepted Christ at an early age and was called to preach September 13, 1997. Pastor Kelly earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice and his Masters of Education in Sociology from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS; a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX and a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership degree from Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN.

    In 1999, at the age of 24, Rev. Kelly accepted his first pastorate at New Hope Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas where he served as Senior Pastor for 15 years. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, the late Rev. L. B. Kelly, and father, the late Rev. Don A. Kelly, he became the third generation to serve as pastor of New Hope. On January 16, 2007, God enlarged Pastor Kelly’s vision as he led New Hope in a new direction to Conway, Arkansas, making New Hope one church that meets in two locations. On December 7, 2014, God reassigned Pastor Kelly to Middle Georgia, and he accepted the call to become the fifth pastor of Beulahland Bible Church. Pastor Kelly has been anointed by God to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His personal ministry aims at reaching people where they are and helping them overcome their struggles through the practical teaching of God’s Word. He desires that all will be saved to live a transformed life in Christ.

  • Drew Dickens

    AI & SPIRITUALITY SUBSTACK

    Dr. Drew Dickens is a visionary leader and scholar who has significantly contributed to the intersection of technology, spirituality, and faith-based engagement. 

    He holds a Doctorate in Liberal Studies and Theological Anthropology from Southern Methodist University, where his groundbreaking dissertation explored the impact of generative AI on spiritual direction, positioning him as a thought leader in this emerging field.

    As the founder of the Encountering Peace app and podcast, Drew has created a thriving community of over 300,000 daily subscribers seeking to deepen their spiritual lives and encounter God amidst the chaos of life. 

    Previously, he served as the Director of Content for the Abide meditation app and established Need Him Global, a ministry that leverages cutting-edge media to engage people from diverse backgrounds in meaningful conversations about faith.

    With a Master's from Dallas Theological Seminary and Baylor University, Drew brings a depth of theological knowledge and academic rigor to his innovative approaches to spirituality and faith-based engagement. His unique perspective and expertise have made him a sought-after speaker, consultant, and collaborator in the fields of ministry, technology, and personal growth. 

    Through his multifaceted work, Drew continues to push the boundaries of what is possible at the intersection of faith and technology, inspiring others to embrace new ways of connecting with the divine and cultivating a more profound sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

  • Robbie O'Brien

    LEAD PASTOR
    Salty Church–Ormond Beach, FL

    Robbie O'Brien is the Lead Pastor of Salty Church, which he planted twenty years ago following a deep-sea fishing excursion where he felt challenged to start a church that would reach the unchurched and de-churched along Florida's east coast. That calling shaped a simple mission — Rescue & Empower disciples for Jesus — that still drives everything today. What began in Ormond Beach has grown to campuses in New Smyrna Beach, Flagler Beach, Port Orange, Ponce Inlet, and online, with a vision to continue planting life-saving stations up and down the coast. Beyond Salty, Robbie has invested in church planting as a coach with Intentional Churches and internationally through the Surf Church Collective.

  • Doug Parks

    CO-FOUNDER, CEO
    Intentional Churches–Las Vegas, NV

    Doug’s love and commitment to help churches comes from his own experience of being eternally impacted as a teenager by a committed church leader. He served for seventeen years as the executive pastor at Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to Canyon Ridge, Doug was a Chick-fil-A owner/operator in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he won the coveted Symbol of Success award. Doug and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Las Vegas with their two children, but he still finds time to follow sports, including his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes.

  • Bart Rendel

    CO-FOUNDER, CSO
    Intentional Churches–Las Vegas, NV

    Bart has dedicated his life to helping churches reach more people for Christ. His passion for serving churches comes from his upbringing as a pastor’s kid and learning from his parents about the intentionality of reaching and growing people in Christ. His conviction runs deep. Bart served as an executive leader for over eighteen years at Crossroads Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, and Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he and his family remain deeply connected. He and his wife, Catherine, have two children. Bart occasionally plays a round of golf, but he always takes in Kentucky Wildcats games.

Track Speakers

  • Roger Clark

    OneChurch Track

    Adult Ministry Pastor, Harvester Christian Church
    St. Charles, MO

    Roger Clark serves as Adult Ministry Pastor at Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Missouri. He also coaches churches for Intentional Churches, helping congregations align with the Great Commission by encouraging and equipping the 99 to reach their Ones. Roger has been part of the Intentional Churches team since the early days, playing a pioneering role in the development of the OneChurch framework — helping shape the tools and language that transform entire congregations into One-aware, activated people where Great Commission living becomes the normal culture of the church. Roger is married with three adult children and seven grandchildren. When he's not coaching or in ministry, you'll likely find him with a good book, something simmering on the stove, a baseball game on in the background, and a fresh cup of coffee in hand.

  • Alex Dayvolt

    OneChurch Track

    Worship Pastor, First Christian Church
    Newburgh, IN

    Alex Dayvolt serves as Worship Pastor at First Christian Church in Newburgh, IN, where he leads his congregation in worship with a heart for reaching the ones in the surrounding community — believing that every person matters and that the local church is uniquely positioned to go after them. A small-town Southern Indiana native, Alex is as rooted in his community as he is passionate about it. He and his wife Erin have been married for fifteen years and are raising three daughters — Emmy (12), Hattie (10), and Hazel (7). Together, the Dayvolt family brings that same sense of adventure to life outside the church walls, having explored more than twenty-three states together and counting.

  • Rodney Elliott

    Ministry Area Leaders & Volunteers Track

    Executive Pastor, Pathway Church
    Wichita, KS

    Rodney Elliott serves as Executive Pastor of Pathway Church in Wichita, Kansas — a multisite church with three campuses and five micro-campuses. Rodney's ministry journey began when he felt called to step away from his family farming operation to plant Pathway's first multisite campus in Goddard, KS, which grew to over 1,000 attendees over his ten years as Campus Pastor. He now helps lead a church with a bold vision to plant 100 churches and see 10,000 new followers of Jesus in the next decade. Rodney and his wife Jenny have four children — Ethan, Kailee, Brianna, and Lauren.

  • Becky Freshour

    Ministry Area Leaders & Volunteers Track

    Executive Director of Central Ministries & Finance Pathway Church
    Wichita KS

    Becky Freshour serves as Executive Director of Central Ministries & Finance at Pathway Church in Wichita, Kansas — a multisite church with three campuses and five micro-campuses. Since joining the executive leadership team in 2016, she has helped lead church-wide generosity initiatives and expansion into permanent facilities and future locations. Becky's journey at Pathway began in 2009 as Finance Assistant, growing into the Finance Director role before stepping into her current position. Prior to Pathway, she worked in accounting at Cessna Aircraft and Thales ATM after earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kansas State University, and spent eleven years as a stay-at-home mom raising her two sons, John and Will. Becky is passionate about seeing the local church bring the hope of Jesus to people who feel far from God — and loves helping others step into the gifts and calling God has placed on their lives.

  • Holly Gillespie

    Getting Started with Intentional Churches

    Executive Director, First Christian Church
    Newburgh, IN

    Holly Gillespie has served at First Christian Church in Newburgh, Indiana since 2004, stepping into the Executive role in 2015. A OneTeam and OneChurch Activator and Intentional Churches Coach, Holly's heartbeat is building healthy culture and equipping others to thrive in their unique roles and callings. First Christian first engaged with Intentional Churches in the fall of 2021 and activated OneChurch in 2025. Outside of ministry, Holly enjoys hanging out with her husband, dominating family game nights, hiking, and getting lost in a good book.

  • Sean Kelly

    Senior Pastor Track

    Lead Pastor, Mount Pleasant Christian Church
    Greenwood, IN

    Sean Kelly serves as Lead Pastor of Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood, Indiana — a church with deep roots in the Christian church tradition and incredible momentum for the future. Sean brings over two decades of ministry experience, including a 22-year run leading a multisite church in Northeast Ohio before answering the call to Mount Pleasant a year and a half ago. Known for strategic thinking and a relentless focus on alignment, Sean has been catalyzing his congregation around the Great Commission through intentional preaching, cross-functional teams, and a culture of empowering volunteers to do ministry. He is married with three kids and two Australian Shepherds he freely admits he loves a little too much. A Southern Indiana native, Sean spent years telling his dad he'd never move back — and then did exactly that.

  • Maggie Mobley

    Activator Track

    Executive of Ministries, Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
    Bloomington, IN

    Maggie Mobley grew up at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, joined the staff in 2013, and has served in executive leadership since 2023. She has been married for twenty years and has three kids who keep life full. Outside of ministry, Maggie coaches volleyball, bakes, reads, and is happiest barefoot with one of her two dogs nearby. An extroverted Enneagram 3, she is a visionary at heart with a deep desire for all people to know the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

  • Sarah Peden

    Activator Track

    Executive Pastor, Clear Creek Christian Church and School
    Bloomington, IN

    Sarah Peden was born and raised in Bloomington, IN and now serves as Executive Pastor at Clear Creek Christian Church and School. With eighteen years of experience in nonprofit development, she specializes in vision casting, strategic planning, and shaping healthy culture. Sarah is married to Phil, and together they're raising two teens who couldn't be more opposite. When she's not working, you'll find her enjoying live music, hitting the trails, or saying yes to "type 2" adventures that are questionable in the moment but make great stories later. She keeps Psalm 103 as her anchor and Matthew 5 as her compass.

  • Matthew Robinson

    Senior Pastor Track

    Pastor of Ministries and Administration, First Orlando
    Orlando, FL

    Dr. Matthew Robinson serves on the Executive Team at First Orlando as Pastor of Ministries in Orlando, FL, and also serves as a Coach and Facilitator for Intentional Churches. He loves leading teams to tackle complex ministry opportunities in innovative ways. Originally from Tampa, Matthew is a recovering college mathematics professor and administrator who transitioned into full-time ministry after helping plant a church in Tallahassee fifteen years ago. He loves spreadsheets, baking, monorails, his wife Rachel, and their two daughters.

  • Jim Stanley

    Elder Track

    Executive Pastor, Plainfield Christian Church
    Plainfield, IN

    Jim brings over thirty years of executive church leadership experience across Metro Indianapolis and Southwest Michigan. He has guided organizations through major transitions — including lead pastor succession, a full campus relocation, and multi-campus expansion — while keeping teams aligned to vision and mission through shifting generational and cultural landscapes. Currently, Jim serves as Executive Minister at Plainfield Christian Church west of Indianapolis and leads Whole Measure Coaching, Inc., which he founded in 2020 to help first and second chair leaders achieve clarity, alignment, and breakthrough within healthy organizational relationships. He also serves as Midwest Director and coach for Intentional Churches, where he has coached more than thirty churches across multiple states. Jim and Jennifer have been married since 1989 and live in Zionsville, Indiana. They have four adult children and are enjoying their first grandchild — with a second on the way.

  • Jeremy Thiessen

    Getting Started with Intentional Churches

    Executive Pastor, Shelter Cove Community Church
    Modesto, CA

    Jeremy Thiessen serves as Executive Pastor at Shelter Cove Community Church in Modesto, CA. With a passion for helping people connect with the body of Christ, Jeremy finds deep joy in seeing individuals discover the fulfillment that comes through serving alongside others in community. He is also a champion for healthier church staff cultures. Believing that the local church should be one of the safest and most developmental workplaces in any field, he is committed to driving cultural change and investing intentionally in leadership development — because how a church treats its people matters as much as its mission.

  • Mark Warren

    Elder Board Track

    Executive Pastor, Eastview Christian Church
    Normal, IL

    Mark Warren serves as Executive Pastor at Eastview Christian Church in Normal, Illinois, where he has led strategic planning for over twenty years. Before stepping into the executive role, Mark spearheaded Eastview's transition into a small groups church — a model so effective that over 90% of adult attendees are now in a small group. His greatest passion outside of his family is seeing healthy, dynamic churches reach their fullest potential. Mark is married with four teenage kids, and when he's not at church you'll find him playing games with his family, cheering on Chicago sports teams, quoting Brian Regan, or hiking — with a special stop every March for Madness.