Speakers

Faith@Work  Previous Luncheon Speakers


 
 
                

 

 

October 10, 2008
 

Ed Silvoso

Harvest Evangelism (www.harvestevan.org)


Ed Silvoso, founder and president of Harvest Evangelism is widely recognized as a missions strategist and solid Bible teacher who specializes in evangelism, city and nation reaching, marketplace transformation and gender reconciliation.
Ed is known as a practitioner who equips the church for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4). He has equipped the masses in Argentina for years through the Harvest Evangelism International Institute in addition to live television and radio broadcasts, and has reached U.S. audiences through events such as Light the Nation which was a live broadcast from Madison Square Garden down linked to over 600 sites. Ed and his team pioneered city transformation in Argentina in 1990 when the city of Resistencia (population 400,000) was totally reached for Christ, thus shifting a paradigm that since then has made city transformation part of the church lifestyle worldwide.
 
Over 300 cities have been impacted by the ministry of Harvest Evangelism, and the development of a nation transformation prototype in Argentina is in progress under Ed's leadership. His scriptural insights on the role of the church in the marketplace and his Bible based strategies on how to take the presence and power of God to the workplace have motivated and equipped scores of people to find their spiritual destiny by turning their job into their ministry. Ed is an author of several books including: Prayer Evangelism, God's Ticker Tape, Anointed for Business and his most recent book, Transformation.

 
 
August 20, 2008

 

Trisha Frost

Founder of Shiloh Place Ministries (www.shilohplace.org)

 

Jack and Trisha experienced many things through the 35 years of their relationship; some joyful and exciting, others disappointing and wounding. They lived, loved and fought their way into finally finding their destiny.

From their life journey to find the love they had so desperately been seeking came a revelation of unconditional agape love that brought healing to their family and also to the lives of many families around the world as Jack traveled and shared their story. Now the message of agape continues in the life of Trisha and their children.

Jack had for years encouraged Trisha to tell her side of the story, saying to the Shiloh Place staff that "there is a Niagara Falls of teaching in her, waiting to be released" but until now the circumstances of life and ministry have kept her travel schedule at a minimum. Today is the hour of her release as one of many Shiloh Place teachers as we chart our way through new challenges of life without Jack.

Trisha's life used to flow from feeling like an orphan, abandoned by her own loving father, and then by her husband; she felt she constantly had to take a back seat to Jack 's other loves. Now she can take you on the journey to find your place in the heart of God as she shares the breakthrough of her own revelation of love at the culmination of her pathway to healing, foremost as a favored child of God, then also as a wife and a mother.

Trisha is ordained with Evangel Fellowship International.
 

July 29th, 2008

 

Governor Tim & First Lady Mary Pawlenty

State of MN http://www.governor.state.mn.us/

 

Tim Pawlenty is regarded as one of the nation's most innovative, energetic, reform-minded and accomplished governors.  Now serving his second term as the 39th governor of Minnesota, Governor Pawlenty has brought increased accountability to state government, held the line on taxes, improved K-12 education standards and made Minnesota a leader in energy reform.

As Governor, he has balanced Minnesota's budget three times without raising taxes, despite facing record budget deficits.  Governor Pawlenty's most notable accomplishments include proposing and signing into law significant new benefits for veterans and members of the military; enacting a property tax cap, eliminating the marriage penalty and cutting taxes; toughening the state's education standards; reforming the way teachers are paid through a nation-leading performance pay plan; instituting free-market health care reforms that increase accountability and provide tax credits to encourage the use of health savings accounts; and implementing a plan to Americanize our energy sources by generating 25% of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Under Governor Pawlenty's leadership, Minnesota leads the nation in a variety of measures.  Minnesota ranks first among states in Fortune 500 companies per capita, first in overall quality of life, first in homeownership, first in percentage of residents with a high school diploma, and first in residents over 25 with a bachelors degree.  Minnesota has the highest average ACT scores in the nation and is among the "Healthiest States in America."

Pawlenty grew up in South St. Paul, Minnesota.  The only child in his family to graduate from college, he attended the University of Minnesota and practiced law in the private sector.  His public service career includes serving as a criminal prosecutor, Eagan City Councilmember, and ten-year member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, including four years as House Majority Leader.  Pawlenty served as Chair of the National Governors Association and on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, the Achieve Inc. Board of Directors and the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute Board of Directors.  He is Chair of the Education Commission of the States and former Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association.

As First Lady of Minnesota, Mary Anderson Pawlenty has dedicated her time to supporting military families, raising awareness about heart disease and educating elementary school students about our three branches of government.

Mrs. Pawlenty created First Lady's Military Family Care Initiative, a program that allows community-based organizations to volunteer their time and services to help families of deployed soldiers. She also has launched the First Lady's Heart Health Initiative, an awareness campaign for women about reducing the risk of heart disease. The first lady frequently visits elementary schools to teach students about U.S. democracy and the three branches of government, with a special emphasis on the judiciary.

The first lady has received two distinguished awards for her work supporting military families. She received the Patrick Henry Award from the National Guard Association of the United States. The Patrick Henry Award recognizes leaders who provide outstanding and exceptional service to the Armed Forces. She also received the Order of St. Maurice Civis Award from The National Infantry Association. This award is given to civilian supporters who have made significant or outstanding contributions to the Infantry.

The first lady earned a bachelor's degree in political science, summa cum laude, from Bethel College in 1983, and a juris doctor, cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1986. In addition to practicing law, she served as a district court judge from 1994 to 2007. Currently, Mrs. Pawlenty is a mediator of civil disputes, assisting parties in resolving their differences by mutual agreement rather than through litigation.

The first lady and her husband, Governor Tim Pawlenty, are the proud parents of two daughters, ages 11 and 15.
 

May 14th, 2008

 

Chuck Ripka

Ripka Enterprises www.chuckripka.com, Rivercenter Int'l Network of Christians www.rivercenterinc.com

Chuck is a firm believer in bringing "church" outside of the four walls and into his sphere of influence in the marketplace; reaching business, education and government within the Elk River community, the State of Minnesota and into the nations.  Prayer and radical obedience are in the forefront of his ministry.

In October 2004, the New York Times Magazine featured Chuck for his openness to bring Christian faith and prayer into his business resulting in extraordinary financial and spiritual growth. He was also featured as the cover story of New Man magazine in November 2007. Chuck's testimonies in his book titled God Out of the Box shares how God can use a simple man to do extraordinary things through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Chuck serves as an elder at Alliance Community Church in Elk River.  He has been meeting with the Elk River area pastors and marketplace for over eight years praying for transformation within their community.  Chuck and Kathi have been married for 30 years.  They also have been abundantly blessed with five children, four of whom are married, and ten grandchildren.

 

September 7, 2006
 

Millard Fuller

Fuller Center for Housing (www.fullercenter.org) and founder of Habitat for Humanity  (www.habitat.org)


Millard Fuller is the founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International. Fuller founded Habitat with his wife, Linda, in 1976. His 29-year leadership forged Habitat into a worldwide Christian housing ministry building 200,000 homes with projects in 100 countries worldwide. Former President Clinton has said, "Millard Fuller has done as much to make the dream of homeownership a reality in our country and throughout the world as any living person."

From humble beginnings in Alabama, Millard Fuller rose to become a young, self-made millionaire. A graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and the University of Alabama Law School in Tuscaloosa, he and a college friend began a marketing firm while still in school. Fuller's business expertise and entrepreneurial drive made him a millionaire at age 29. But as the business prospered, his health, integrity and marriage suffered. These crises prompted Fuller to re-evaluate his values and direction. His soul-searching led to reconciliation with his wife and to a renewal of his Christian commitment. The Fullers then took a drastic step: They decided to sell all of their possessions, give the money to the poor and begin searching for a new focus for their lives. This search led them to Koinonia Farm, a Christian community located near Americus, Ga., where people were looking for practical ways to apply Christ's teachings.

In January of 2005, Millard and Linda Fuller were fired from the organization they founded and nurtured for 29 years. Rather than dwelling on the end of a career, Fuller immediately began planning for the next phase of his life's work, and in April he and Linda and a group of like-minded partners founded the Fuller Center for Housing. This new organization provides a vehicle for Fuller to continue striving towards the goal of eliminating poverty housing. This ministry has gotten off to such a positive start that it is clearly another inspired venture.

The Fuller Center will raise money for housing efforts around the world, and provide a base from which Fuller can continue his remarkable work in motivating donors and volunteers to join him in his quest to make decent shelter available to all of God's people. "I see life as both a gift and a responsibility. My responsibility is to use what God has given me to help his people in need."
 

*Millard went to his heavenly home on February 3rd, 2009.
 
 
July 6, 2006


Jack Frost

Founder of Shiloh Place Ministries (www.shilohplace.org)

 

Jack Frost, ministry leader and teacher, reveals the love that God has for each of His children. His love is not doled out by age, race, gender, politics, or denomination - His embrace is for all.
Jack is a former commercial fisherman.  His drive to achieve week in and week out nearly cost Captain Jack Frost and his crew their lives.  They battled 50 to 60 knot winds and 20 to 30 foot seas in a small commercial fishing boat. Sometimes it paid off. He once caught 28 Warsaw groupers weighing as much as 319 lbs. at one catch. Then, one day, a close friend was lost at sea with his crew and Captain Jack had to deal with being the last person to see him alive.

Then Captain Jack found the perfect Love that set him free, restored his marriage, healed his wife of depression, and restored his heart to his children and their hearts to him.   His life since then has been spent sharing the Father's Love.  His message will bring both new and seasoned believers closer to our Heavenly Father. The truths Jack shares will make a positive difference in your life, in the lives of your loved ones and especially in your relationship with God the father - who yearns for your companionship.

 

*Jack went home to be with Father God on March 5, 2007 after a heroic battle with cancer.
 
 
December 14, 2005


Graham Power

President of Power Companies, founder of the Global Day of Prayer  (www.globaldayofprayer.com)


Graham Power is a successful businessman who has recently been awarded the 2005 Businessman of the Year award from the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce in South Africa. In July 2000, as a relatively new convert to Christianity, Graham received two visions from God, comprising of five stages: 

• Rent Newlands Rugby Stadium for a Day of Prayer for his city   Cape Town; South Africa
• Move into the rest of South Africa for a Day of Prayer
• Reach the whole of Southern Africa in the same way
• Implement this vision into the whole of Africa
• Mobilize the whole world in a Global Day of Prayer.


On March 21, 2001, the Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa was filled with the joyous sounds of a 45,000 strong crowd. Following the day of prayer in Cape Town, 8 other areas across South Africa hosted similar events in 2002.  In May 2003 millions of Christians across barriers of race, color, language and denomination joined in prayer at 70 different stadiums in South Africa as well as 60 stadiums in Africa (28 different countries) to pray for transformation in Africa. On 2 May 2004, all 58 African countries (including the islands) united in prayer. Then Africa invited the world to join hands with the African continent in a Global Day of Prayer.

On May 15, 2005, history was made when Christians from all denominations in more than 156 countries united in prayer to ask God to bless the nations . . . so that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord (Hab.2:14).  Million participated in 24/7 prayer rallies in the 10 days leading up to Pentecost Sunday. This event marked the greatest Christian gathering in the world with more than 220 million Christians praying together.  Reports from across the world were submitted and all had one message to tell:  "God touched us in a special way!" 
 
 
September 14, 2005
 
Joe Senser

Co-owner, Joe Senser's Sports Bar (www.sensers.com)


Joe Senser was raised in the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania. He is a former professional American football player. A 6'4", 240 lbs. tight end from West Chester University, Senser was selected in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He ranks third in Vikings history among tight ends for catches, touchdowns and earned a birth in the Pro Bowl following the 1981 season. He played in all sixteen games in 1981, setting career-highs in receptions, yards, yards per catch and touchdowns. He also was a one time leader in NCAA basketball statistics for field goal percentage.

Joe Senser is also part owner of Joe Senser's Sports Bar which has locations in Bloomington, Eagan, Plymouth and Roseville, Minnesota where he has been a backer of a plan (in April 2002) to build a large orphanage-children's home. Joe has a heart to restore relationships with fathers and their children.
 
 

June 15, 2005


Chuck Knapp

Radio announcer for K-BOB, 104.9 FM


Chuck Knapp is one of the premiere voices in Minnesota.  Currently works as radio announcer with K-BOB, 106.1.   He formerly was half of the wildly popular "Knapper and The Pastor" team on KTIS FM.98.5; Chuck energized the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with great music, lots of laughs and great personal insights.  Chuck has a unique perspective on current events that you won't get anywhere else.  Chuck is former KS95-FM Station manager, Program Director and Morning Drive Co-host of "Knapp and Donuts" and Executive Producer for the 80 station Minnesota Vikings Radio Network.  He was named one of the top four radio personalities of the decade in the Minneapolis Star & Tribune.

Knapp hadn't worked in radio for four years when he joined KTIS. His path there was a tortured one: Knapp says that during his three-decade run on commercial radio he suffered from chronic depression. Several times a year he would be overcome by what he describes as a "tsunami of sadness," during which he would become obsessed with the thought of suicide. In December of 1991, as Knapp describes it, he hit bottom. "All alone. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. Knapp says he finally freed himself from depression not with a handgun or therapy, but through Jesus Christ. "Finally I just broke," he recounts. "I just screamed out, 'I give up. I surrender.'" He asked Jesus Christ to guide his life "and from that moment on changes started to occur."


Larry Kutzler

Executive Director of CitySites Urban Media (www.citysitesurbanmedia.com)


Larry Kutzler has been a pastor for over 27 years and has earned a Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Seminary. Eleven of those years he spent planting churches in the inner city of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Larry left the pastorate in 2002 to become the Founder and Executive Director of CiteSites Media, a ministry that focuses on using media to share the Gospel. Larry is married to Paulette Kutzler from KTIS radio. They have two grown children.

CitySites has a specialty of producing state of the art audio and video presentations for churches and non-profit ministries to help them tell their stories of how faith is lived out through everyday routines. One of Larry's gifts is to network people together in the Body of Christ so that more effective and proficient ministry can take place in the community. He has been a consultant to many non-profits on how to market their ministry and get their message out to the general population.
 
 
April 21, 2005


Paul Ridgeway

Ridgeway International   (www.ridgewayevents.com)

 

Paul Ridgeway brings global expertise to event management, transportation, and public affairs. Prior to forming his own firm 20 years ago, Paul served six years as Director of Governmental Affairs for Carlson Companies, a multi-billion dollar company. Paul has corporate experience in government affairs, public affairs and community development, media relations, fund-raising, and annual direct mail appeals.

Paul has managed visits to Minnesota for Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, President Bill Clinton, Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He directed Pope John Paul II's trip to Denver.  Paul also has served a number of elected officials and campaigns. He coordinated and advanced logistics and special events for President Carter and Vice Presidents Humphrey and Mondale.

Paul has created opening events for Rainforest Cafe, originated Coca-Cola Hoop City for the NCAA, and planned, created, and implemented numerous events for universities and corporations.

Paul chaired several campaigns including "Keep the Twins at Home," a grass roots effort to prevent the Minnesota Twins from being contracted; "Minnesota Remember-A Memorial From the Heartland," a September 11th memorial that aired live on all Minnesota networks; and Monopoly-A Play for Affordable Housing, raising over $100,000 and generating 90 minutes of news footage for affordable housing in Minnesota.
 
 
January 6, 2005


James Dismore

CEO of Ultimate Support Systems, Inc. and former CEO of Walmart


Jim was one of the original officers of Wal-Mart, and served for many years as a senior officer for the belated Sam Walton. He now spends his time helping businessmen and women learn how to operate according to biblical principles. 
Ultimate Support Systems, Inc. is a Business in Ministry, which markets, designs, and distributes quality support solutions while seeking to know Jesus Christ, to be like Him, and to share His life and love with the world.  A key priority at Ultimate Support is the company's commitment to Christian values, including a deep respect and honor for God, employees, customers and vendors. These principles are also inherent in good business practices: dedication to meeting customer needs. To contribute to the success of others, the company contributes a percentage of annual sales to various charitable causes and ministries.
"We maintain faith that God will continue to sustain us as long as we continue to honor Him, our customers, vendors and employees," says Jim Dismore, CEO and Chairman.
 
 

June 1, 2004

 

The Elk River Story testimonies shared by:

Pastor Greg Pagh, Christ Church, Otsego, MN

www.clcotsego.org

 

Pastor Bob Pullar, Living Waters Church, Elk River, MN

www.livingwaterschurch-er.org

 

Pastor Paul Salfrank, Alliance Community Church , Elk River, MN

www.elkriveralliance.com

 

Stephanie Klinzing, Mayor, City of Elk River, MN  www.ci.elk-river.mn.us

 

Ken Beaudry, President/CEO of Beaudry Oil, Elk River, MN  www.beaudryoil.com

 

Chuck Ripka, former Senior VP/co-founder of Riverview Community Bank, Otsego, MN 

www.riverviewcb.com

 

Locals shared stories of events that have changed the spiritual climate of Elk River and the surrounding area.  The Elk River Story is a book written by Rick Heeren.
Rick
(www.rickheeren.org) writes, "Ed Silvoso called me in late 1999 and said that he felt that there were four cities in the USA where Harvest Evangelism was already working which would be so successful in their implementation of prayer evangelism that they would detonate other cities to follow their example. He said that one of those four cities would be Elk River, Minnesota."
 
 

September 29, 2004

 

Os Hillman

Director of the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries (ICWM), President of Marketplace Leaders (www.marketplaceleaders.org)


Os Hillman is an internationally recognized speaker on the subject of faith at work. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Marketplace Leaders Ministries, an organization whose purpose is to help men and women discover and fulfill God's complete purposes through their work and view their work as ministry. He is the author of 11 books and a daily workplace email devotional called TGIF Today God Is First which has over 130,000 daily subscribers worldwide. His most recent book is TGIF Today God Is First, Volume 2. He also developed and teaches The 9 to 5 Window Workshop. Os has been featured on CNBC, NBC, LA Times, New York Times, and many other national media as a spokesperson on faith at work.
 

Os is also Founder and Director of the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries (ICWM) and is President of Aslan Inc. which publishes books and provides a leading online bookstore to serve the "faith-at-work" movement called FaithandWorkResources.com. He serves as president for the International Christian Chamber of Commerce USA, is a faculty member of the Wagner Leadership Institute on Workplace Ministry, and is an international board member for the Dead Sea Fishing Foundation, a humanitarian foundation for the nation of Israel.

Os attended the University of South Carolina and Calvary Chapel Bible School, a ministry of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California. Os is married to Angie and has one daughter, Charis. They live in Cumming, Georgia, a suburb in northern Atlanta.
 
January 27, 2004


Ed Silvoso

Harvest Evangelism (www.harvestevan.org)


Ed Silvoso, founder and president of Harvest Evangelism is widely recognized as a missions strategist and solid Bible teacher who specializes in evangelism, city and nation reaching, marketplace transformation and gender reconciliation.

Ed is known as a practitioner who equips the church for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4). He has equipped the masses in Argentina for years through the Harvest Evangelism International Institute in addition to live television and radio broadcasts, and has reached U.S. audiences through events such as Light the Nation which was a live broadcast from Madison Square Garden down linked to over 600 sites. Ed and his team pioneered city transformation in Argentina in 1990 when the city of Resistencia (population 400,000) was totally reached for Christ, thus shifting a paradigm that since then has made city transformation part of the church lifestyle worldwide.
 
Over 300 cities have been impacted by the ministry of Harvest Evangelism, and the development of a nation transformation prototype in Argentina is in progress under Ed's leadership. His scriptural insights on the role of the church in the marketplace and his Bible based strategies on how to take the presence and power of God to the workplace have motivated and equipped scores of people to find their spiritual destiny by turning their job into their ministry. Ed is an author of several books including: Prayer Evangelism, God's Ticker Tape, and Anointed for Business.
 
 

U.S. Congressman Mark Kennedy

State of Minnesota (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Kennedy)


Mark Kennedy is a fourth-generation Minnesotan who brings common sense solutions to Congress. Mark's service to Minnesota continues a century-long family tradition that began with his great-grandfather, a Swift County Commissioner in the 1890s. Growing up in Benson Minnesota, Mark's parents instilled in him the family values that Minnesotans share: hard work, common sense, faith and service.
Mark served Minnesota in the House of Representatives from 2001 - 2007. He worked to keep the highest possible ethical standards in Congress, and has encouraged his colleagues to enact lobbying reform including his proposed lifetime lobbying ban for Members of Congress. Mark believes candidates should run for Congress to serve, not as a stepping stone to a million dollar per year lobbying job.
Recognizing freedom to worship as one of our most fundamental rights, Mark has discussed religious freedom when traveling abroad and meeting with foreign governments. He has encouraged Secretary Rice to urge the Government of Afghanistan to abide by the religious freedom guarantees of its constitution in the case of Abdul Rahman and future religious converts. Mark's resolution to stop the religious persecution of individuals in China, and to revise Chinese law so it conforms to international standards passed the House.
 
 
November 24, 2003


Dennis Doyle

Welsh Companies (www.welshco.com)
Hope For The City (www.hope4thecity.com)


Dennis Doyle is owner and co-founder of Welsh Companies, one of the largest, full-service commercial real estate companies in Minnesota today.  Under Dennis' guidance and leadership, today Welsh and its affiliates provide a complete menu of services for commercial and residential property owners and users. Jointly, these companies are involved in leasing and brokerage, client representation, property management, facility management, corporate real estate services, architecture, construction, development, mortgage banking, facility services, and non-profit consulting services.

Dennis is strongly committed to helping those in need. In 2000, Dennis founded Hope For The City (HFTC) , a relief organization that mobilizes the private sector to address need here and abroad. HFTC uses corporate surplus to fight poverty, hunger and disease in the United States and overseas.  A strategic visionary both professionally and philanthropically, Dennis created this organization to better leverage the connections and resources at his disposal. By handling all aspects of procuring, shipping, and storing donated goods, Hope For the City amplifies the effectiveness of other non-profits by equipping them with the resources they need to serve the poor. Moreover, HFTC provides corporations with an easy, efficient means of charitably disposing of their excess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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