Real Life Theology | Hard Conversations
RENEW.org Leaders Unpack the Real Life Theology that Fuels Disciple Making
Main Stage Speakers


Shodankeh Johnson
Shodankeh Johnson is part of the Core Team of New Generations. He is responsible for the mobilization of intercessors across all regions and the training of Disciple Making Movement (DMM) leaders in the ‘pioneer places’ where the gospel has never been or has never flourished. In addition, Shodankeh provides DMM training for movement-minded ministries around the world. Shodankeh is also the leader of New Harvest ministries in Sierra Leone, West Africa. New Harvest is an indigenous DMM organization that plants churches throughout the region and incorporates a wide-spectrum of ministries such as compassion, business development, leadership development, skills training and advanced education.
Jim Putman
Jim is the founder and senior pastor of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho. Prior to his role as senior pastor, he served as a youth minister in two small churches. In college, Jim won three All American titles in wrestling and went on to become a successful wrestling coach. Real Life Ministries began as a small group in 1998 and has grown to a membership of more than eight thousand. Ninety percent of its fellowship is active in small groups. Outreach Magazine continually lists Real Life Ministries among the top one hundred most influential churches in America.
Tina Wilson
Tina Wilson is a pastor’s wife and mom of seven. Alongside her husband Matt, she has committed her life to serving King Jesus as a church planter, Bible teacher, author, and advocate for all-in family ministry. She also serves on the board for the Christian Standard. She is passionate about making Christ and his church famous in South Carolina and beyond.
Matt Wilson
Matt is the planting and lead pastor of Ekklesia Christian Church in Conway / Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His passion is leading in audacious, faith-filled moves to make Christ and His Church famous in SC and beyond. He loves seeing God work in unconventional ways so that His name is glorified. Matt and his wife Tina have been married for twenty years and have seven kids whose names all start with “R.”
Orpheus J. Heyward
Dr. Orpheus J. Heyward is Senior Minister of the Renaissance Church of Christ. He is considered one of the most dynamic and scripturally sound gospel preachers among churches of Christ today. Having received his Masters of Arts in Theology, Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and doctorate degree in Theological Exegesis, he is a constant student of the Bible.
Kimberly Beam Holmes
Kimberly Beam Holmes is passionate about saving marriages and strengthening families. During her six-year tenure as CEO of Marriage Helper, she has led the company to 6x financially and grown to more than 300,000 followers per month across multiple platforms. Because of their unique process, Marriage Helper has a 70 percent success rate in saving marriages. A frequent speaker at women’s conferences and marriage events, Holmes holds a master’s degree and is currently completing her Ph.D. in Psychology. She co-hosts Relationship Radio, a Top 100 podcast in Apple’s Society and Relationships as well as hosting her own podcast on attraction which has received more than 400,000 downloads. She lives in Tennessee with her husband of 11 years and her two children adopted from India.
David Young
David Young serves as the senior minister for the North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He has worked for churches in Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee, taught New Testament at several universities, and travelled widely teaching and preaching. He is the former host of the New Day Television Program, a board member for the Renew Network, and the author of several books, including A New Day (NB Press), The Rhetoric of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, (Fortress Press, co-authored with Michael Strickland), A Grand Illusion (Renew Publications), and King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship (Zondervan). He holds the B.A. from Freed-Hardeman University, the M.A. from Harding School of Theology, and the M.A. and Ph.D. in New Testament from Vanderbilt University. David and his wife Julie have two married children.Over 20 Breakout Speakers (click images for bio)

Matt Reagan
Matt Reagan is a Lead Team/Vision Team pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He is a visionary leader with a passion to see an entire generation awakened to the glory of God, and spends his energies creating a movement of disciple makers both locally and around the world.
Anthony Walker
Anthony Walker has been preaching the gospel for 20 years. He has been actively involved in the church as a song leader, youth worker, preacher, and any other role God calls him. He attended Lipscomb University in pursuit of an Art Education Degree. For 12 years, he has been the full-time minister of the Highway 231 Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, TN. He and his wife Jenny are the proud parents of 2 young children: a son, Remington, and a daughter, Reign.
Joe Beam
Dr. Joe Beam is an internationally-known inspirational speaker and best-selling author. He founded Marriage Helper, INC and serves as its chairman. He has spoken to millions of people worldwide in personal appearances as well as appearances on television and radio, including ABC’s Good Morning America, Focus on the Family, the Montel Williams Show, NBC’s Today Show, The Dave Ramsey Show, The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, and magazines such as People and Better Homes and Gardens. After earning his bachelor’s degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Southern Christian University, Dr. Beam did graduate studies in Clinical Psychology at the University of Evansville. He earned his Ph.D. in health science from the University of Sydney, consistently rated one of the top fifty universities in the world. Dr. Beam has authored many magazine articles, corporate training programs, and is the author of several books:
Buddy Bell
Buddy is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. After working in campus and preaching ministry at churches in Alabama and Florida, Buddy returned to Montgomery in 1996 to serve as senior minister of Landmark. Buddy leads Landmark through preaching, overseeing the small groups ministry, and, with the Elders, casting vision for the church. He is married to Stephanie and they have four children and two son-in-laws: Laura (Charlie), Lindsey (Ben), Luke, and Lincoln…AND he is the proud Grandbuddy to 5 precious grandchildren.
Joel Singleton
Joel Singleton is the Lead Minister of the San Jose Church of Christ in Jacksonville FL. Joel is married to Alison and they have two children, Truitt and Quinn. Joel has served in full time ministry for the last 14 years and in that time he has written several resources devoted to disciple making and family. His desire first and foremost is for Christians to relearn how to make disciples in the home and in the church.
Paul Huyghebaert

Scott Sager
Scott is vice president for church services at Lipscomb University, where he also teaches in the College of Bible and Ministry. Prior to Lipscomb, Scott served for 15 years as senior minister of the Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, where he founded Christ’s Family Ministries, a fully functioning health clinic that serves the working poor. He serves on the board of Christ’s Family Ministries and the Christian Relief Fund where his focus is on supporting AIDS orphans in Africa. Sager earned a D.Min. in evangelism from Southern Methodist University as well as undergraduate and master's degrees from Abilene Christian University.
Daniel McCoy
Daniel is happily married to Susanna, and they have 3 daughters and 2 sons. He is the editorial director for Renew.org as well as an online adjunct instructor for Ozark Christian College. He has a bachelor’s in theology (Ozark Christian College), master of arts in apologetics (Veritas International University), and PhD in theology (North-West University, South Africa). His books include the Popular Handbook of World Religions (general editor), Real Life Theology: Fuel for Effective and Faithful Disciple Making (co-general editor), Mirage: 5 Things People Want From God That Don't Exist, and The Atheist's Fatal Flaw (co-authored with Norman Geisler).
Guy Hammond
Guy Hammond started Strength in Weakness ministry which has helped thousands in 58 countries. He has taught over 100,000 people in churches, universities and faith based groups globally, has written 6 books and had a documentary movie made about his life and ministry called Finding Guy. Before becoming a Christian, Guy lived an active gay life until he was 24 years old. After becoming a Christian, he left that life behind forever. Guy is a news junkie, loves anything political, loves to read, and is an avid hockey and baseball fan.
Chad Harrington
Chad is owner and publisher at Harrington Interactive Media and serves as a deacon of teaching at Harpeth Christian Church in Franklin, Tennessee. He holds degrees from Ozark Christian College and Asbury Theological Seminary and is a coauthor of The Revolutionary Disciple and Dedicated and the author of Your Spiritual Formation Plan.Christ Church Nashville, Nashville, TN 37211
This is the RENEW.org National Gathering you do not want to miss!
In today’s cultural reality there are hard conversations that Christians face. Content and tone in these conversations matter. Do you want help?
We believe a focus on a theology that fuels disciples and disciple making is the key. Our lineup will include the usual rapid fire mix of TED-style presentations, worship, prayer, and discussion time.
We will explore the hard conversations around Real Life Theology that fuel disciple making.
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