Featured Speaker 2024 - Lisa McMurray
Lisa grew up in Northern California and worked with her father in their family business for over 25 years serving as a board member, shareholder, and Vice-President where she assisted in building and managing commercial real estate, developing wireless communication facilities, and overseeing tower expansion and colocations. Lisa was active in asset management and lease compliance as well as tower development, lease negotiations and tenant relations.
In 2017, Lisa joined her husband, Bill, in operating Accel Fusion, LLC a pipe fusing company in Odessa, Texas. In her current role as Vice-President, she manages pre-construction compliance, contract negotiations, employee operations, and finances.
Lisa and her husband also own a ranch in rural Idaho where they run an angus cow/calf and hay production operation and are working hard expanding and improving the ranch facilities. Lisa is passionate about prayer and running successful business ventures and is always looking for the next opportunity for spiritual, personal, and professional growth. Lisa is a proud graduate of the Colson Fellows Program which is a 10-month intensive Biblical Worldview study that encourages Christians to live faithfully and courageously in this current cultural moment.
In 2022, Lisa founded the ministry, National Prayer Weekly which brings believers from around the world together to pray. Each Wednesday a text notification is sent out as a reminder to pause wherever you may be and join with others to pray for our nation and for a mighty move of the spirit that sparks revival in our own hearts and spreads throughout the land. National Prayer Weekly is expanding its reach by sponsoring digital and static billboard advertising in capitol cities around the country, encouraging people to pray.
“I have had many faithful prayer warriors in my life that have led me to this place in time. I have a beautiful heritage of believers on both sides of my family and am so thankful for the prayers of those who have gone before me. I want to honor their commitment and pass on the high calling we have in Christ. I pray the heart-felt awareness of what a privilege it is to communicate with our Creator will continue for generations to come.”
Lisa is a businesswoman, speaker, and writer and is currently working on launching a podcast in 2024 as well as beginning a prayer retreat ministry for pastors and missionary leadership at their ranch in Idaho. She spends time traveling between the ranch and Odessa, Texas and has three amazing children and two awesome grandsons.
Lisa grew up in Northern California and worked with her father in their family business for over 25 years serving as a board member, shareholder, and Vice-President where she assisted in building and managing commercial real estate, developing wireless communication facilities, and overseeing tower expansion and colocations. Lisa was active in asset management and lease compliance as well as tower development, lease negotiations and tenant relations.
In 2017, Lisa joined her husband, Bill, in operating Accel Fusion, LLC a pipe fusing company in Odessa, Texas. In her current role as Vice-President, she manages pre-construction compliance, contract negotiations, employee operations, and finances.
Lisa and her husband also own a ranch in rural Idaho where they run an angus cow/calf and hay production operation and are working hard expanding and improving the ranch facilities. Lisa is passionate about prayer and running successful business ventures and is always looking for the next opportunity for spiritual, personal, and professional growth. Lisa is a proud graduate of the Colson Fellows Program which is a 10-month intensive Biblical Worldview study that encourages Christians to live faithfully and courageously in this current cultural moment.
In 2022, Lisa founded the ministry, National Prayer Weekly which brings believers from around the world together to pray. Each Wednesday a text notification is sent out as a reminder to pause wherever you may be and join with others to pray for our nation and for a mighty move of the spirit that sparks revival in our own hearts and spreads throughout the land. National Prayer Weekly is expanding its reach by sponsoring digital and static billboard advertising in capitol cities around the country, encouraging people to pray.
“I have had many faithful prayer warriors in my life that have led me to this place in time. I have a beautiful heritage of believers on both sides of my family and am so thankful for the prayers of those who have gone before me. I want to honor their commitment and pass on the high calling we have in Christ. I pray the heart-felt awareness of what a privilege it is to communicate with our Creator will continue for generations to come.”
Lisa is a businesswoman, speaker, and writer and is currently working on launching a podcast in 2024 as well as beginning a prayer retreat ministry for pastors and missionary leadership at their ranch in Idaho. She spends time traveling between the ranch and Odessa, Texas and has three amazing children and two awesome grandsons.
In 2022 and 2023 we moved from a speaker format to a more interactive format utilizing stories and more time for guided prayer around the tables. This has been met with a great response that allows for all to participate. We believe prayer is the foundation of the the Church, and there is no better way to express this than by praying together for the needs of our community, state and country.
Featured Speaker 2021 - Chad Clark
Chad is a former Battalion Chief with the Midland Fire Department. During his last six years at the fire department and since retiring from MFD in 2012, Chad has worked in the financial services industry. Chad is the founder of Fuel the Fire Ministries and more recently, One Hope Movement. Through ministry, he has shared the gospel with thousands in many places including stadiums, churches, prisons, parks, and schools. Chad often says, “Nothing makes me feel more alive than sharing the gospel.” His calling to take the gospel to the world has become evident to many. Chad is a member of the Next Generation Alliance, a network of 770 members who are committed to seeing the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed throughout the world! He authored his first book, Be the Spark, in 2015.
Chad continues ministry while working as a founding partner of Redemption Capital, a Midland-based wealth management firm that focuses on Biblically- Responsible Investing. Chad is married to Tia and has two children, Cohen and Celie.
Chad is a former Battalion Chief with the Midland Fire Department. During his last six years at the fire department and since retiring from MFD in 2012, Chad has worked in the financial services industry. Chad is the founder of Fuel the Fire Ministries and more recently, One Hope Movement. Through ministry, he has shared the gospel with thousands in many places including stadiums, churches, prisons, parks, and schools. Chad often says, “Nothing makes me feel more alive than sharing the gospel.” His calling to take the gospel to the world has become evident to many. Chad is a member of the Next Generation Alliance, a network of 770 members who are committed to seeing the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed throughout the world! He authored his first book, Be the Spark, in 2015.
Chad continues ministry while working as a founding partner of Redemption Capital, a Midland-based wealth management firm that focuses on Biblically- Responsible Investing. Chad is married to Tia and has two children, Cohen and Celie.
Featured Speaker 2020 - Jill Briscoe
Jill was born in Liverpool England in 1935. Educated at Cambridge she taught school for a number of years before marrying Stuart and raising their three children. In addition to sharing with her husband in ministry with Torchbearers and in pastoring a church in the United States for 30 years, Jill has written more than 40 books, travelled on every continent teaching and encouraging, served on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief, and now acts as Executive Editor of a magazine for women called Just Between Us. Jill can be heard regularly on the worldwide media ministry called Telling the Truth.
Jill was born in Liverpool England in 1935. Educated at Cambridge she taught school for a number of years before marrying Stuart and raising their three children. In addition to sharing with her husband in ministry with Torchbearers and in pastoring a church in the United States for 30 years, Jill has written more than 40 books, travelled on every continent teaching and encouraging, served on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief, and now acts as Executive Editor of a magazine for women called Just Between Us. Jill can be heard regularly on the worldwide media ministry called Telling the Truth.
Featured Speaker 2019 - Craig Denison
Craig Denison is the author of First15, a daily devotional guiding tens of thousands of believers into a fresh experience with God’s presence every day. He writes, speaks, and he and his wife, Rachel lead worship to help believers establish a more tangible, meaningful connection with God. You can check out his work by signing up to receive First15 every morning for free, and by engaging with First15 on social media.
Craig Denison is the author of First15, a daily devotional guiding tens of thousands of believers into a fresh experience with God’s presence every day. He writes, speaks, and he and his wife, Rachel lead worship to help believers establish a more tangible, meaningful connection with God. You can check out his work by signing up to receive First15 every morning for free, and by engaging with First15 on social media.
Featured Speaker 2018 - Randel Everett, Founder and President 21Wilberforce
Dr. Randel Everett is founding President of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative. Everett has spent four decades pastoring churches, most recently as the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas.
During the past two years with 21CWI, Everett and the Wilberforce team have been to the front lines of Iraq just 1.5 miles from ISIS held territory and traveled throughout the Middle Belt of Nigeria witnessing the atrocities committed by Boko Haram and the Fulani Militants. Reports from these two trips include Edge of Extinction (Iraq) and Fractured and Forgotten (Nigeria). They have been translated in numerous languages and have become trusted resources by government, NGO’s and religious institutions. These reports have been the featured documents by the American Enterprise Institute, the Hudson Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Holocaust Museum and the Newseum. Congressman Frank Wolf joined the staff of 21CWI upon his retirement from Congress.
Everett served as Chaplain to the Arkansas Legislature during President Bill Clinton’s term as Governor, as Chuck Colson’s minister while pastor of the Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and as Executive Director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Everett founded the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Falls Church, Virginia.
During his time as leader of Texas Baptists the Baptist General Convention of Texas had 5500 churches including more than fifty different ethnic groups. The BGCT also includes nine educational institutions including Baylor University, four child service institutions including Buckner International and Baptist Family and Child Care that provides care for hundreds of immigrant children who come into the country through the Mexican border without parental supervision.
Religious freedom has always been a priority for Everett. When he was the founding president of a new seminary in the DC community he recommended it to be named for the Virginia Baptist pastor John Leland who was most instrumental in persuading James Madison to include religious freedom in the US Constitution. The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative was named for the 19th Century British Parliamentarian who led the effort to abolish slavery.
As a leader in the Baptist World Alliance, Everett has met with religious and government leaders and spoken to congregations in over 40 different countries. He was the Chair for the 2015 BWA Congress in South Africa that was attended by thousands of Baptist leaders from around the world.
In 2014, Everett announced he would step down from the pulpit to pursue the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative so he could shed light on both religious persecution abroad and the chipping away of religious freedom here in the United States.
“The church in America is facing a crisis of relevance, “ Pastor Everett said. “For the last few decades, the church has become marginalized. The declining influence of the church is creating a crisis that threatens the freedoms for a nation that has offered unprecedented opportunity for its citizens and hope for oppressed people around the world.”
Pastor Everett’s church in Midland has taken in religious refugees fleeing persecution in China and Ethiopia. Before his time as senior pastor there, he was the senior pastor of many churches, including: the First Baptist Church of Newport News, Virginia; Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia; First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida; and University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
Everett earned his B.A. from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and received two honorary degrees including the Doctor of Divinity from the University of Richmond and the Doctor of Humanities from Dallas Baptist University.
He resides in Flower Mound, Texas with his wife, Sheila. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Dr. Randel Everett is founding President of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative. Everett has spent four decades pastoring churches, most recently as the senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas.
During the past two years with 21CWI, Everett and the Wilberforce team have been to the front lines of Iraq just 1.5 miles from ISIS held territory and traveled throughout the Middle Belt of Nigeria witnessing the atrocities committed by Boko Haram and the Fulani Militants. Reports from these two trips include Edge of Extinction (Iraq) and Fractured and Forgotten (Nigeria). They have been translated in numerous languages and have become trusted resources by government, NGO’s and religious institutions. These reports have been the featured documents by the American Enterprise Institute, the Hudson Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Holocaust Museum and the Newseum. Congressman Frank Wolf joined the staff of 21CWI upon his retirement from Congress.
Everett served as Chaplain to the Arkansas Legislature during President Bill Clinton’s term as Governor, as Chuck Colson’s minister while pastor of the Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and as Executive Director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Everett founded the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Falls Church, Virginia.
During his time as leader of Texas Baptists the Baptist General Convention of Texas had 5500 churches including more than fifty different ethnic groups. The BGCT also includes nine educational institutions including Baylor University, four child service institutions including Buckner International and Baptist Family and Child Care that provides care for hundreds of immigrant children who come into the country through the Mexican border without parental supervision.
Religious freedom has always been a priority for Everett. When he was the founding president of a new seminary in the DC community he recommended it to be named for the Virginia Baptist pastor John Leland who was most instrumental in persuading James Madison to include religious freedom in the US Constitution. The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative was named for the 19th Century British Parliamentarian who led the effort to abolish slavery.
As a leader in the Baptist World Alliance, Everett has met with religious and government leaders and spoken to congregations in over 40 different countries. He was the Chair for the 2015 BWA Congress in South Africa that was attended by thousands of Baptist leaders from around the world.
In 2014, Everett announced he would step down from the pulpit to pursue the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative so he could shed light on both religious persecution abroad and the chipping away of religious freedom here in the United States.
“The church in America is facing a crisis of relevance, “ Pastor Everett said. “For the last few decades, the church has become marginalized. The declining influence of the church is creating a crisis that threatens the freedoms for a nation that has offered unprecedented opportunity for its citizens and hope for oppressed people around the world.”
Pastor Everett’s church in Midland has taken in religious refugees fleeing persecution in China and Ethiopia. Before his time as senior pastor there, he was the senior pastor of many churches, including: the First Baptist Church of Newport News, Virginia; Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia; First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida; and University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
Everett earned his B.A. from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and received two honorary degrees including the Doctor of Divinity from the University of Richmond and the Doctor of Humanities from Dallas Baptist University.
He resides in Flower Mound, Texas with his wife, Sheila. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Featured Speaker 2018 - Bob Fu, Founder and President of China Aid
Bob (Xiqiu) Fu is one of the leading voices in the world for persecuted faith communities in China. Fu was born and raised in mainland China and was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations for freedom and democracy in 1989.
Fu graduated from the School of International Relations at the People's (Renmin) University in Beijing and taught English to Communist Party officials at the Beijing Administrative College and Beijing Party School of the Chinese Communist Party from 1993-1996. Fu was also a house church leader in Beijing until he and his wife, Heidi, were imprisoned for two months for “illegal evangelism” in 1996. Bob and Heidi fled to the United States as religious refugees in 1997.
As president of ChinaAid, Fu has testified before the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (USCHR), the Foreign Press Association, and the European Commission and European Union Parliament. Fu also regularly briefs the State Department and Members of Congress, including Members of the International Religious Freedom Caucus on the status of religious freedom and rule of law in China. In 2008, Fu was invited to the White House to brief President George W. Bush on religious freedom and human rights in China, and in 2011, the Nobel Prize Committee recognized Fu’s efforts.
Bob Fu is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Durham University, U.K., graduated from the Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree on Global Christian Leadership from Midwest University, where he has served as a distinguished professor on religion and public policy. Fu serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Law and Religion Monitor, a journal on religious freedom and the rule of law in China, and as a guest editor for Chinese Law and Government, a journal by University of California, Los Angeles.
Bob (Xiqiu) Fu is one of the leading voices in the world for persecuted faith communities in China. Fu was born and raised in mainland China and was a student leader during the Tiananmen Square demonstrations for freedom and democracy in 1989.
Fu graduated from the School of International Relations at the People's (Renmin) University in Beijing and taught English to Communist Party officials at the Beijing Administrative College and Beijing Party School of the Chinese Communist Party from 1993-1996. Fu was also a house church leader in Beijing until he and his wife, Heidi, were imprisoned for two months for “illegal evangelism” in 1996. Bob and Heidi fled to the United States as religious refugees in 1997.
As president of ChinaAid, Fu has testified before the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (USCHR), the Foreign Press Association, and the European Commission and European Union Parliament. Fu also regularly briefs the State Department and Members of Congress, including Members of the International Religious Freedom Caucus on the status of religious freedom and rule of law in China. In 2008, Fu was invited to the White House to brief President George W. Bush on religious freedom and human rights in China, and in 2011, the Nobel Prize Committee recognized Fu’s efforts.
Bob Fu is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Durham University, U.K., graduated from the Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree on Global Christian Leadership from Midwest University, where he has served as a distinguished professor on religion and public policy. Fu serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Law and Religion Monitor, a journal on religious freedom and the rule of law in China, and as a guest editor for Chinese Law and Government, a journal by University of California, Los Angeles.
Featured Speaker 2017 - Janet Denison
Janet Croswhite Denison grew up in California and moved to Texas during her college years. She is a graduate of Houston Baptist University where she majored in Elementary Education and English. Janet met her husband, Jim, at HBU and they married in 1980. They have two sons, Ryan and Craig. Ryan married Candice Williams in June of 2011 and their daughter, Axia Jane, joined the family in January of 2014. Ryan and Candice live in Tyler, Texas where Ryan is pursuing a PhD in church history with the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, and Candice is a dentist at Bullard Family Dental. Craig married Rachel Chapman in June of 2012 and their son, Wesley Noah, joined the family in August of 2016. They both work for the Denison Forum. Craig is the author of First15 and the Director of Brand Strategies and Spiritual Formation and Rachel is the Administrative and Marketing Coordinator for Spiritual Formation.
Jim and Janet have been privileged to pastor four churches, New Hope Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas; First Baptist Church Midland, Texas; Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia; and Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Jim is now the Founder and President of the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture and Janet is the Director of Spiritual Formation for that ministry. The Denison Forum exists to address cultural issues with moral and biblical truth. The goal is to equip the Church, nationally and internationally, with biblical resource and perspective so they will be “prepared to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15).
Janet is the author of Content to Be Good – Called to Be Godly, a book/Bible study that encourages Christians to work towards a higher standard for their spiritual lives. She has written her first children’s book, Felix Navidad, which is a Christmas story written to remind children of the true meaning of the season. Janet is a popular speaker for church and community events, and a respected Bible teacher.
Jim and Janet live in Dallas, Texas and enjoy spending time with family, friends and one another. “It is my great joy and privilege to teach God’s word and help others apply that truth to their lives. I often say the goal of every Christian should be to live a life God is able to bless.” Janet’s passion is to share that goal with others, hoping they will gain a greater knowledge of Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Read more about Janet
Janet Croswhite Denison grew up in California and moved to Texas during her college years. She is a graduate of Houston Baptist University where she majored in Elementary Education and English. Janet met her husband, Jim, at HBU and they married in 1980. They have two sons, Ryan and Craig. Ryan married Candice Williams in June of 2011 and their daughter, Axia Jane, joined the family in January of 2014. Ryan and Candice live in Tyler, Texas where Ryan is pursuing a PhD in church history with the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, and Candice is a dentist at Bullard Family Dental. Craig married Rachel Chapman in June of 2012 and their son, Wesley Noah, joined the family in August of 2016. They both work for the Denison Forum. Craig is the author of First15 and the Director of Brand Strategies and Spiritual Formation and Rachel is the Administrative and Marketing Coordinator for Spiritual Formation.
Jim and Janet have been privileged to pastor four churches, New Hope Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas; First Baptist Church Midland, Texas; Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia; and Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Jim is now the Founder and President of the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture and Janet is the Director of Spiritual Formation for that ministry. The Denison Forum exists to address cultural issues with moral and biblical truth. The goal is to equip the Church, nationally and internationally, with biblical resource and perspective so they will be “prepared to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15).
Janet is the author of Content to Be Good – Called to Be Godly, a book/Bible study that encourages Christians to work towards a higher standard for their spiritual lives. She has written her first children’s book, Felix Navidad, which is a Christmas story written to remind children of the true meaning of the season. Janet is a popular speaker for church and community events, and a respected Bible teacher.
Jim and Janet live in Dallas, Texas and enjoy spending time with family, friends and one another. “It is my great joy and privilege to teach God’s word and help others apply that truth to their lives. I often say the goal of every Christian should be to live a life God is able to bless.” Janet’s passion is to share that goal with others, hoping they will gain a greater knowledge of Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Read more about Janet
Featured Speaker 2016 - Bishop Michael J. Sis
Before his appointment as sixth Bishop of San Angelo on December 12, 2013, the Most Rev. Michael J. Sis was the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin. He was appointed by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in June of 2010.
Bishop Sis grew up in Bryan. He is the son of Raymond and Janice Sis. Born on January 9, 1960, he is the fourth of five children. His siblings are Susan Sis-Boyd of Georgetown; Valerie Bourque of Salado; Mark Sis of Broomfield, Colo.; and Amy Short of Bryan. He has seven nieces and nephews and two great-nephews. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School and Bryan Public Schools in Bryan.
He graduated from Bryan High School in 1978. He earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy in 1982 from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., where he attended Moreau Seminary.
He studied Theology at the North American College in Rome, receiving degrees from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1985 and the Alphonsian Academy of the Pontifical Lateran University in 1990.
He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Austin in 1986 by Bishop John E. McCarthy. Bishop Sis served in a variety of roles in the Diocese of Austin. His first assignment was in Hispanic ministry at Cristo Rey Parish in East Austin. He assisted Bishop John E. McCarthy and Msgr. Edward C. Matocha in the administration of historic St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin. His longest term of service was in campus ministry at St. Mary Catholic Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, serving first as parochial vicar, then as pastor, for a total of 13.5 years. Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond then appointed him in 2006 as full-time Vocation Director for the Diocese of Austin. Then, after serving one year as pastor of the large suburban parish of St. Thomas More in Austin, he was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in 2010.
In his role as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, he assisted Bishop Vasquez as coordinator of diocesan administration and as supervisor of the secretariat directors.
Over the years, Bishop Sis has served as a member of the Presbyteral Council, the Priest Personnel Board, the College of Consultors, the Vocation Team, the Permanent Diaconate Admissions Committee, and the Bishop's Advisory Council. He also served as Dean of the Bryan-College Station Deanery. Some of the most formative experiences that have helped shape his life of Christian faith have been the following: the training he received from his parents at home; his participation as a teenager in the religious education and CYO programs of St. Anthony Parish in Bryan; volunteer service in Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America; his academic and seminary studies; a summer of volunteer missionary service in Tanzania, East Africa; working with Ethiopian refugees in Rome; teaching religion at Marymount International School in Rome; making the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola; celebrating the Catholic sacraments as a parish priest, especially Confession and the Eucharist; pastoral ministry with Hispanic immigrants in Texas; campus ministry with the students of Texas A&M; ecumenical and interreligious collaboration; the Cursillo and Awakening retreats; assisting in the formation of seminarians; the good example of fellow priests; the influence of friends; and the experience of spiritual direction. He considers his most precious treasure to be his personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Before his appointment as sixth Bishop of San Angelo on December 12, 2013, the Most Rev. Michael J. Sis was the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin. He was appointed by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in June of 2010.
Before his appointment as sixth Bishop of San Angelo on December 12, 2013, the Most Rev. Michael J. Sis was the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin. He was appointed by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in June of 2010.
Bishop Sis grew up in Bryan. He is the son of Raymond and Janice Sis. Born on January 9, 1960, he is the fourth of five children. His siblings are Susan Sis-Boyd of Georgetown; Valerie Bourque of Salado; Mark Sis of Broomfield, Colo.; and Amy Short of Bryan. He has seven nieces and nephews and two great-nephews. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School and Bryan Public Schools in Bryan.
He graduated from Bryan High School in 1978. He earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy in 1982 from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., where he attended Moreau Seminary.
He studied Theology at the North American College in Rome, receiving degrees from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1985 and the Alphonsian Academy of the Pontifical Lateran University in 1990.
He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Austin in 1986 by Bishop John E. McCarthy. Bishop Sis served in a variety of roles in the Diocese of Austin. His first assignment was in Hispanic ministry at Cristo Rey Parish in East Austin. He assisted Bishop John E. McCarthy and Msgr. Edward C. Matocha in the administration of historic St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin. His longest term of service was in campus ministry at St. Mary Catholic Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, serving first as parochial vicar, then as pastor, for a total of 13.5 years. Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond then appointed him in 2006 as full-time Vocation Director for the Diocese of Austin. Then, after serving one year as pastor of the large suburban parish of St. Thomas More in Austin, he was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in 2010.
In his role as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, he assisted Bishop Vasquez as coordinator of diocesan administration and as supervisor of the secretariat directors.
Over the years, Bishop Sis has served as a member of the Presbyteral Council, the Priest Personnel Board, the College of Consultors, the Vocation Team, the Permanent Diaconate Admissions Committee, and the Bishop's Advisory Council. He also served as Dean of the Bryan-College Station Deanery. Some of the most formative experiences that have helped shape his life of Christian faith have been the following: the training he received from his parents at home; his participation as a teenager in the religious education and CYO programs of St. Anthony Parish in Bryan; volunteer service in Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America; his academic and seminary studies; a summer of volunteer missionary service in Tanzania, East Africa; working with Ethiopian refugees in Rome; teaching religion at Marymount International School in Rome; making the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola; celebrating the Catholic sacraments as a parish priest, especially Confession and the Eucharist; pastoral ministry with Hispanic immigrants in Texas; campus ministry with the students of Texas A&M; ecumenical and interreligious collaboration; the Cursillo and Awakening retreats; assisting in the formation of seminarians; the good example of fellow priests; the influence of friends; and the experience of spiritual direction. He considers his most precious treasure to be his personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Before his appointment as sixth Bishop of San Angelo on December 12, 2013, the Most Rev. Michael J. Sis was the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin. He was appointed by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez in June of 2010.
Featured Speaker 2015 - Frank Wolf
Frank Wolf has been widely recognized as the “conscience” of the Congress. First elected in 1980, he announced in December 2013 that he would leave the House of Representatives at the end of his 17th term to focus exclusively on human rights and religious freedom, with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative.
In announcing his decision, Wolf said that as a follower of Jesus, he is called to work for justice and reconciliation, and to be an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Wolf is the author of the International Religious Freedom Act, which infused America’s first freedom – religious freedom – into U.S. foreign policy by creating the International Religious Freedom Office at the State Department headed by an Ambassador-at-Large. It also established the bipartisan, independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as both a watchdog of repressive regimes and a truth-teller to our own State Department, which is too often reluctant to champion human rights issues abroad lest it complicate bilateral relations.
Wolf also is the author of the legislation to create a special envoy at the U.S. State Department to advocate for religious minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. Long before the “Arab Spring” turned into an “Arab Winter,” Wolf sounded the alarm about the worsening plight of religious minorities, notably the ancient Christian communities in Iraq, Egypt and Syria.
Wolf helped found and served as co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan organization made up of nearly 200 Members of Congress who work together to raise awareness about international human rights issues. He has traveled to Ethiopia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and other countries in Africa to see firsthand the tremendous suffering due to corrupt governments, war, AIDS and famine. He led the first congressional delegation to Darfur. He also has worked to call attention to the human rights abuses and religious persecution in the People's Republic of China, Tibet, Romania, Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and the Middle East.
During his time in Congress, Wolf has been honored by a number of organizations for his work on human rights and religious persecution. Among them: the Presidential Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights; the Christian Legal Society’s William Bentley Ball Life and Religious Liberty Defense Award; the Alliance for Defending Freedom’s Originalism & Religious Freedom Award; Prison Fellowship Ministries William Wilberforce Award; the Faith and Freedom Award from the National Religious Broadcasters; and International Freedom Roundtable's Thomas Jefferson Lifetime Champion Award.
In addition to his work on human rights and religious persecution, Wolf has been a leader in a number of other areas in Congress addressing some of the most challenging issues of our time. He is the author of the legislation that created the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission, which played a critical role in building public support among the American people for the “surge” of U.S. troops in 2007.
He was the driving force behind the National Commission on Terrorism, the National Gambling Impact Study Commission and the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography, also known as the Meese Commission. He also worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to lower the national blood alcohol, making .08 BAC the new standard for drunk driving.
Wolf authored legislation to create a National Hunger Commission to find ways to alleviate hunger in the United States. He also successfully pushed for the creation of a bipartisan blue ribbon commission to reform our nation’s prisons named after the late Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship.
Wolf was born in 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. degree from Penn State University in 1961 and his law degree from Georgetown University in 1965. He lives in Vienna, Virginia, with his wife, Carolyn. They have five adult children and 16 grandchildren. Wolf wrote a memoir in 2011 entitled "Prisoner of Conscience."
Frank Wolf has been widely recognized as the “conscience” of the Congress. First elected in 1980, he announced in December 2013 that he would leave the House of Representatives at the end of his 17th term to focus exclusively on human rights and religious freedom, with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative.
In announcing his decision, Wolf said that as a follower of Jesus, he is called to work for justice and reconciliation, and to be an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Wolf is the author of the International Religious Freedom Act, which infused America’s first freedom – religious freedom – into U.S. foreign policy by creating the International Religious Freedom Office at the State Department headed by an Ambassador-at-Large. It also established the bipartisan, independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as both a watchdog of repressive regimes and a truth-teller to our own State Department, which is too often reluctant to champion human rights issues abroad lest it complicate bilateral relations.
Wolf also is the author of the legislation to create a special envoy at the U.S. State Department to advocate for religious minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. Long before the “Arab Spring” turned into an “Arab Winter,” Wolf sounded the alarm about the worsening plight of religious minorities, notably the ancient Christian communities in Iraq, Egypt and Syria.
Wolf helped found and served as co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan organization made up of nearly 200 Members of Congress who work together to raise awareness about international human rights issues. He has traveled to Ethiopia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and other countries in Africa to see firsthand the tremendous suffering due to corrupt governments, war, AIDS and famine. He led the first congressional delegation to Darfur. He also has worked to call attention to the human rights abuses and religious persecution in the People's Republic of China, Tibet, Romania, Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and the Middle East.
During his time in Congress, Wolf has been honored by a number of organizations for his work on human rights and religious persecution. Among them: the Presidential Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights; the Christian Legal Society’s William Bentley Ball Life and Religious Liberty Defense Award; the Alliance for Defending Freedom’s Originalism & Religious Freedom Award; Prison Fellowship Ministries William Wilberforce Award; the Faith and Freedom Award from the National Religious Broadcasters; and International Freedom Roundtable's Thomas Jefferson Lifetime Champion Award.
In addition to his work on human rights and religious persecution, Wolf has been a leader in a number of other areas in Congress addressing some of the most challenging issues of our time. He is the author of the legislation that created the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission, which played a critical role in building public support among the American people for the “surge” of U.S. troops in 2007.
He was the driving force behind the National Commission on Terrorism, the National Gambling Impact Study Commission and the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography, also known as the Meese Commission. He also worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to lower the national blood alcohol, making .08 BAC the new standard for drunk driving.
Wolf authored legislation to create a National Hunger Commission to find ways to alleviate hunger in the United States. He also successfully pushed for the creation of a bipartisan blue ribbon commission to reform our nation’s prisons named after the late Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship.
Wolf was born in 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. degree from Penn State University in 1961 and his law degree from Georgetown University in 1965. He lives in Vienna, Virginia, with his wife, Carolyn. They have five adult children and 16 grandchildren. Wolf wrote a memoir in 2011 entitled "Prisoner of Conscience."
Featured Speaker 2014 - Bob Goff
Bob Goff is the New York Times Best-Selling Author of Love Does, as well as an attorney who founded Restore International, a nonprofit human rights organization operating in Uganda and India. Bob often appears at various leadership and university events, inspiring current and future influencers to get to the ”do” part of life.
With a team of dedicated people, Restore International has pursued justice for the needy. Restore worked with Uganda’s judiciary in bringing to trial over 200 cases, including cases involving children who were languishing in jail without trial. In India, Restore investigated and intervened to relieve minor girls from a life of forced prostitution, leading to the identification and arrest of over 80 perpetrators. Restore now has a school in Northern Uganda called the Restore Leadership Academy.
Bob’s inspiration has been fueled by the friendships he has developed with others around the world who desire to pursue strategic ways to help people in need. As an attorney, Bob shares leadership in a Washington law firm, Goff & DeWalt. Additionally, he serves as the Hon. Consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States. He is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School where he teaches Nonprofit Law, and Point Loma Nazarene University, where he teaches Business Law.
Bob Goff is the New York Times Best-Selling Author of Love Does, as well as an attorney who founded Restore International, a nonprofit human rights organization operating in Uganda and India. Bob often appears at various leadership and university events, inspiring current and future influencers to get to the ”do” part of life.
With a team of dedicated people, Restore International has pursued justice for the needy. Restore worked with Uganda’s judiciary in bringing to trial over 200 cases, including cases involving children who were languishing in jail without trial. In India, Restore investigated and intervened to relieve minor girls from a life of forced prostitution, leading to the identification and arrest of over 80 perpetrators. Restore now has a school in Northern Uganda called the Restore Leadership Academy.
Bob’s inspiration has been fueled by the friendships he has developed with others around the world who desire to pursue strategic ways to help people in need. As an attorney, Bob shares leadership in a Washington law firm, Goff & DeWalt. Additionally, he serves as the Hon. Consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States. He is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School where he teaches Nonprofit Law, and Point Loma Nazarene University, where he teaches Business Law.
Featured Speaker 2013 - Rosemary D. Trible
Rosemary Trible, the wife of former United States Congressman and Senator Paul Trible, has dedicated her life to public service and the importance of encouraging excellence and leadership among young people.
For sixteen years, Paul has served as President of Christopher Newport University, and Rosemary has played an active role in the university and the lives of students. In addition to her public life as First Lady, she is devoted to walking alongside so many young women to inspire them to lead fulfilled lives and empower them to overcome past challenges. She shares not only their joys but also where their hearts are breaking.
Rosemary’s compassion to help others move from victim to victory led her to author the newly-released book, Fear to Freedom. It shares her story of redeemed hope and healing through her journey from fear to forgiveness to freedom to encourage others dealing with pain.
She formed a global non-profit called Fear 2 Freedom because every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in America. By partnering universities, churches and community groups with hospitals they are providing after care kits for those going to the hospital after sexual assault or domestic violence. This can make a tangible difference in the lives of those wounded bringing them hope and healing. This last year 928 kits were delivered helping to transform the lives of those abused and restore joy.
Rosemary and Paul have two children: Paul Trible, III who has completed his MBA at Oxford University and has a custom men’s shirts business, Ledbury, and Mary Katherine Peters, married to Barrett Peters. Her grandson Lochlan and granddaughter Truitt, just born August 9th, are the joy of her heart.
Rosemary Trible, the wife of former United States Congressman and Senator Paul Trible, has dedicated her life to public service and the importance of encouraging excellence and leadership among young people.
For sixteen years, Paul has served as President of Christopher Newport University, and Rosemary has played an active role in the university and the lives of students. In addition to her public life as First Lady, she is devoted to walking alongside so many young women to inspire them to lead fulfilled lives and empower them to overcome past challenges. She shares not only their joys but also where their hearts are breaking.
Rosemary’s compassion to help others move from victim to victory led her to author the newly-released book, Fear to Freedom. It shares her story of redeemed hope and healing through her journey from fear to forgiveness to freedom to encourage others dealing with pain.
She formed a global non-profit called Fear 2 Freedom because every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in America. By partnering universities, churches and community groups with hospitals they are providing after care kits for those going to the hospital after sexual assault or domestic violence. This can make a tangible difference in the lives of those wounded bringing them hope and healing. This last year 928 kits were delivered helping to transform the lives of those abused and restore joy.
Rosemary and Paul have two children: Paul Trible, III who has completed his MBA at Oxford University and has a custom men’s shirts business, Ledbury, and Mary Katherine Peters, married to Barrett Peters. Her grandson Lochlan and granddaughter Truitt, just born August 9th, are the joy of her heart.
Featured Speaker 2011 - Jim Denison
He is the co-founder and Chief Vision Officer of the Denison Forum, a Dallas-based nonprofit that comments on current issues through a biblical lens.
Every weekday morning, his Daily Article email newsletter reaches more than 240,000 readers, and The Daily Article podcast is downloaded more than 80,000 times each month. Dr. Denison’s social media following has a reach of 2.1 million, with over 400,000 Facebook followers.
He is a widely sought speaker, podcaster, and subject-matter expert on radio about cultural issues from a biblical perspective. Dr. Denison has been a frequent guest on Equipped with Chris Brooks (Moody Radio) and the nationally syndicated Point of View with Kerby Anderson (360+ radio stations).
He is the author of multiple books, including:
His residencies and fellowships include:
Prior to launching Denison Forum in 2009, he pastored churches in Texas and Georgia. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jim and his wife, Janet, live in Dallas, Texas. They have two sons and four grandchildren.
He is the co-founder and Chief Vision Officer of the Denison Forum, a Dallas-based nonprofit that comments on current issues through a biblical lens.
Every weekday morning, his Daily Article email newsletter reaches more than 240,000 readers, and The Daily Article podcast is downloaded more than 80,000 times each month. Dr. Denison’s social media following has a reach of 2.1 million, with over 400,000 Facebook followers.
He is a widely sought speaker, podcaster, and subject-matter expert on radio about cultural issues from a biblical perspective. Dr. Denison has been a frequent guest on Equipped with Chris Brooks (Moody Radio) and the nationally syndicated Point of View with Kerby Anderson (360+ radio stations).
He is the author of multiple books, including:
- Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Jesus’ Parables Illuminate Our Darkest Days
- Respectfully, I Disagree: How to Be a Civil Person in an Uncivil Time
- and the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series
His residencies and fellowships include:
- Resident Scholar for Ethics with Baylor Scott & White Health
- Senior Fellow with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative.
- Senior Fellow for Cultural Studies at Dallas Baptist University’s Institute for Global Engagement.
Prior to launching Denison Forum in 2009, he pastored churches in Texas and Georgia. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jim and his wife, Janet, live in Dallas, Texas. They have two sons and four grandchildren.