SPEAKERS
Matt Miofsky
Lead Pastor | The Gathering
Matt Miofsky is founding pastor of The Gathering in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2006, The Gathering has grown into a thriving multi-site congregation with five locations scattered throughout St. Louis and a vibrant online presence. It was recently named the 3rd fastest growing large United Methodist Church. Matt is editor of The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer ; author of Let Go: Leaning into the Future Without Fear, Fail: What to Do When Things Go Wrong , Happy? What It Is and How to Find It; and co-author of Eight Virtues of Rapidly Growing Churches.
Winnie Varghese
Dean | Cathedral of St. John the Divine
The Very Reverend Winnie Varghese is the 12th Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. A national leader in The Episcopal Church, she is known for her inspired writing, teaching, and preaching. Rev. Varghese serves on the Board of Trustees of Union Theological Seminary, chaired the General Convention’s Committee on the State of the Church from 2015 to 2018, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Divinity School from 2013 to 2016. She is a published author, editor, podcaster, and daughter of Indian immigrants who spent part of her early childhood years in Kerala, India.
Magrey deVega
Senior Pastor | Hyde Park United Methodist Church
Magrey deVega is a pastor, author, and speaker known for his thoughtful and engaging approach to Scripture, leadership, and the life of the church. He currently serves as Senior Pastor of Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida and is the author of 13 books, including titles by Abingdon Press that help congregations engage Scripture with both depth and imagination. His writing and speaking often explore the intersection of biblical interpretation, spiritual formation, and the mission of the church in a changing world. A frequent speaker for conferences, clergy gatherings, and denominational events, Magrey brings a pastor’s heart, a scholar’s curiosity, and a storyteller’s voice to his work.
Nicole Caldwell-Gross
Senior Pastor | Noblesville First United Methodist Church
Nicole Caldwell-Gross is Senior Pastor of Noblesville First United Methodist Church in Indiana. She is an ordained elder, a passionate preacher, and a millennial ministry leader. Her journey began at her grandparents’ church in Detroit and led to Mount Holyoke College and Princeton Theological Seminary. Nicole has served in various leadership roles, including Director of Mission and Community Development for the United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey, where she launched impactful outreach programs. Nicole also co-hosts The Well Unfiltered podcast and co-authored Justice or Just Us.
Adam Hamilton
Senior Pastor | Resurrection
Adam Hamilton is founding pastor of Resurrection, A United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, one of the fastest growing, most visible churches in the country. The Church Report named Resurrection the most influential mainline church in America. Adam grew up in the Kansas City area, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts University and a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Methodist University. He served as a presidential appointee in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, frequently speaks on leadership across the U.S., and is the award-winning author of The Call, Love to Stay, The Journey, The Way, 24 Hours That Changed the World, Revival, Not a Silent Night, Enough, When Christians Get It Wrong, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, Speaking Well, John, Moses, Unafraid, Half Truths, Faithful, Forgiveness, Simon Peter, The Walk, Incarnation, The Lord’s Prayer, Prepare the Way, and Luke all published by Abingdon Press.
Stephanie Spellers
Canon in Residence | St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church
The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers is a renowned preacher, teacher and leader around progressive Christianity in America. The author of The Church Cracked Open and Radical Welcome, her newest book – Church Tomorrow?: What the ‘Nones’ and ‘Dones’ Teach Us About the Future of Faith – wrestles with the decline of traditional religion and the spiritual wisdom of nonreligious Millennials and Gen Zers. After nearly a decade overseeing The Episcopal Church’s work on evangelism, racial reconciliation, social justice and church planting, Stephanie currently serves as Canon in Residence at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City. She has served as chaplain to the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops, directed evangelism and reconciliation at General Theological Seminary, and led church vitality efforts in the Diocese of Long Island. Her professional ministry began at St. Paul’s Cathedral-Boston, where she founded The Crossing, a ground-breaking church that weaves Episcopal tradition with voices from the margins. A graduate of both Episcopal Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School, prior to priesthood, she was a newspaper reporter in East Tennessee.
Ashley Boggan
General Secretary | United Methodist Commission on Archives and History
Dr. Ashley Boggan is the General Secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History. In this role, she ensures that The United Methodist Church understands its past, in order to envision a more equitable future for all Methodists. She earned her PhD from Drew Theological School’s Graduate Division of Religion, specializing in both Methodist/Wesleyan Studies and Women’s/Gender Studies. A lay member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference and daughter of two ordained United Methodist ministers, Ashley’s Methodist lineage dates back to the early 19th century when her great-great-great-grandfathers were Methodist circuit-riders. She is author of Entangled: A History of American Methodism, Politics, and Sexuality; Nevertheless: American Methodists and Women’s Rights; Wesleyan Vile-tality: Reclaiming the Heart of Methodist Identity; Calling on Fire: Reclaiming the Method of Methodism; and contributed to the revised American Methodism: Revised and Updated.
Lovett Weems
Distinguished Professor Emeritus | Wesley Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Lovett Weems is distinguished professor of church leadership emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He arrived in Washington in 2003 as the founding director of Wesley’s Lewis Center for Church Leadership after eighteen years as president of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. Prior to that, he was a pastor in Mississippi for many years. Lovett is a graduate of Millsaps College; Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University; and Wesley Theological Seminary. He holds honorary degrees from Baker University, Central Methodist University, and Millsaps College. His years in local church ministry in Mississippi were marked by both evangelism and social concerns. His work in Mississippi led distinguished Mississippi writer Willie Morris to describe him as “one of the persons who added much to the growing civility of Mississippi.” He is the author of numerous books including his widely used church leadership text, Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture, and Integrity, described by Rosabeth Moss Kanter of Harvard Business School as “an invaluable guide to leadership in the church.”
Brad Aycock
Executive Director | Ohio United Methodist Office of Fresh Starts and New Beginnings
Brad Aycock serves as Executive Director of the Office of Fresh Starts and New Beginnings for the Ohio Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church, where he helps cultivate leader development, renewal, innovation, and new faith communities across West and East Ohio. Before ministry, Brad was a business owner. He is originally from Missouri.
Rachel Billups
Senior Pastor | New Albany United Methodist Church
Rachel Billups is an innovative thinker, inspirational speaker, and collaborative leader who serves as Senior Pastor at New Albany United Methodist Church in New Albany, Ohio. She previously served as Senior Pastor at Ginghamsburg Church multi-campus ministry in Tipp City/Dayton Ohio. With a visionary approach, Rachel embraces her love for community and her zeal for creating new avenues for ministry. She is an ordained elder and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Bible/Religion and History from Anderson University and a Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. Rachel is known for leading national gatherings, co-founding Hub4Innovtion, and writing An Unlikely Lent: Extraordinary People of the Easter Story, BE BOLD: Finding Your Fierce, and An Unlikely Advent: Extraordinary People of the Christmas Story, all published by Abingdon Press.
Matt Rawle
Co-Founder | Hub4Innovation
Matt Rawle is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, currently serving in New Orleans, Louisiana; co-founder of the Hub4Innovation; and international speaker. He has several titles through Abingdon Press, including The Final Days, Jesus Revealed, The Heart that Grew Three Sizes, The Grace of Les Miserables, The Redemption of Scrooge, and Faith of a Mockingbird, as well as Dare, Dream, Disrupt from Friendship Press. Matt has a Bachelor’s degree in Music/Philosophy from Louisiana State University and a Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School.
Jason Moore
Author, Speaker, Trainer
Creativity, storytelling and visual communication are evidenced passions of Jason Moore throughout his more than two decades of designing dynamic resources, training, coaching, and consulting for churches of all sizes, styles, and means. His childhood dream of becoming a Hollywood filmmaker shifted as Jason experienced a call to ministry, joining the Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church staff in the 1990s. Jason has also collaborated with several Hollywood producers in film and television, and has produced numerous book trailers for New York Times best selling authors such as Ariana Huffington, Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Ryan Holiday and Mark Ecko. A graduate of The Modern College of Design, he is author of 12 books, a frequent keynote speaker, and a sought-after trainer. His most recent book is AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous.
Helpful Links
This conference is brought to you by ShareChurch,
a ministry of Resurrection, a United Methodist Church,
Leawood, Kansas, U.S.A.