Grady King (Executive Director)
Grady has over 40 years of ministry in Churches of Christ. His ministry passion is summed up in a basic conviction: healthy leaders, healthy churches. He has served in a leadership role with HOPE Network since 2012. In 2016, he expanded his role to include serving as Director of Church Resources at OC.
He earned a B.S. in Education from Oklahoma Christian University (1977); M.S. in Ministry (1989) and Doctor of Ministry (2005) from Abilene Christian University.
He and his wife, Karen live in Irving, TX, and are members of the Mansfield Church of Christ. They have two grown children and two grandchildren: Josh, Carolyn, and Madeline King; Chad, Christin, and Sawyer Paradowski.
He enjoys reading, sports, international travel, and Sooner Youth Camp, since age 13.
Jimmy Adcox
Jimmy Adcox has served as a minister with the Southwest Church of Christ in Jonesboro, AR since 1977. Having retired from his role as lead minister, he continues in a part time role teaching, equipping disciples and disciple makers, mentoring, and pastoral ministry. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Abilene Christian University and has a special interest in mentoring church leaders and helping churches develop a culture that makes disciples who make disciples. In addition to being a partner with Hope Network, he is an Associate Director of Learning Communities with Renew.org. He is married to Ann. They are parents to three children and ten grandchildren.
Greg Anderson
Greg has over 30 years of ministry experience in Churches of Christ. He is the President of Midland Christian School, serves as a non-profit leadership development specialist, and has facilitated hundreds of workshops for cities, counties, and other non-profit organizations throughout the United States.
In May 2017, Greg completed his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He and his wife Dalene live in Midland, Texas.
Jon Anderson
Jon earned his Master’s degree, in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Abilene Christian University. Jon’s passion is to promote healthy marriage and to equip churches to minister effectively to marriages. He founded Growing Love Network and has worked with thousands of couples and individuals through counseling and therapy. Through GLN, he and his wife, Joanna, have led more than 160 workshops around the nation for struggling marriages, Love Reboot. In addition, Jon has worked with numerous churches to help them develop more effective marriage ministries, and conducting his marriage retreat, My Love Lasts.
He has trained more than 200 couples to lead marriage courses and has developed a curriculum – Growing Love – which is useful in various settings such as: bible classes, home studies, as a mentoring tool and with a counselor or therapist. He is also the author of The Acceptance: What Brings and Keeps Lifelong Love, and 365 Days of Growing Love.
Steven Carrizal
Steven serves as Associate Minister at Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth (since 2010). He has been in full-time congregational ministry since 1991 also serving as youth minister in churches in Houston and Denton (TX). He is a graduate of Abilene Christian University with an undergraduate degree in Youth & Family Ministry and a graduate degree in Christian Ministry. Steven is a certified Grip-Birkman Coach and Catalyze Coach. He has a passion for helping young ministers who are just getting started or making a transition.
Steven is an avid reader of theology, spiritual formation, leadership, business, personal growth as well as a little history and fiction. He loves great food and great conversation. Most of all he finds great joy spending time with his family.
Steven and Debbi have been married since 1992. They have three grown children and one grandchild.
Mark Frost
Mark Frost currently leads our Interim Ministry Division. He spent 34 years preaching for a congregation in metropolitan Detroit and, for eight of those years, he also served as an elder. In that time, he has encountered many of the typical challenges, struggles, and conflicts that face leaders in growing churches. He retired from full-time ministry in May 2012.
Since then, he has completed interim ministries in Michigan, Kentucky, California, Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, in addition to consulting with other congregations in transition. His goal is to help make the transition season a time of self-examination and spiritual growth for congregational leaders.
Mark was born into an Air Force family in Roswell, New Mexico, and grew up in New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii, California, and Arkansas. He has a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Psychology from Harding University and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Cincinnati Christian University.
Mark and his wife Niki were married in December 2013. Both were widowed after long-term first marriages and are thankful to God for His grace in bringing them together. Mark and Niki have three grown children and seven grandchildren. They enjoy hiking, cycling, and travel.
Chris Goldman
Chris Goldman is a native of Hobbs, New Mexico. He serves as the preaching minister and catalyst leader at the Northwest Church in Seattle, Washington. Married to Kim (Christensen) Goldman of Puyallup, Washington in 1986, he is the father of two children, Ashley and Joshua. Having a B.S. from Abilene Christian University (’87) and an M.S. from Pepperdine University (’93), he has also completed the continuing education certification program in business management from California State University, Sacramento (’98).
Certified as a Professional Coach/LifeCoach (2012), he has also been a featured speaker at Pepperdine University, Abilene Christian University, and Ozark Christian in addition to retreats, camps, and conferences. He serves as a mentoring partner for Hope Network Ministry. His ministry experience includes work in Texas at Abilene (’83 – ’87) and Ft. Worth (’87-’88), in California in the Bay Area (’88 – ’95) and Sacramento (’95 – ’09), and presently in Seattle, since ’09. He has authored one book, Vibrant Faith – A Study of James.
Carlus Gupton
Carlus grew up playing trombone, singing, and acting. This presumed call to entertainment arts was profoundly redirected by his conversion at age 17 and a small congregation that welcomed him as their teen preacher. This led to training at Lipscomb University (B.A.), Harding School of Theology (M.Div.), and Abilene Christian University (D.Min.).
He spent 20 years preaching for congregations from 80 – 800 before transitioning into teaching leadership, conflict, and spiritual formation. He taught at Johnson University (2001-2013) and the University of Tennessee School of Communication Studies (2001-2011). Since 2014, he has been Professor of Ministry, Director of Field Education, and Co-Director of the Doctor of Ministry at Harding School of Theology.
Dr. Gupton has consulted with churches for 25 years. He has expertise in numerous forms of congregational development, is an ICF credentialed coach, and is certified in an extensive suite of psychometric instruments for leadership and team effectiveness. He published two websites, LifeandLeadership.com and DISCPersonalitySource.com.
Carlus and Ann have been married for 37 years and have two grown daughters, Katlyn (David) Nowers and Erin. He reads voraciously, loves listening to music, enjoys TED Talks and Ken Burns documentaries, and runs slowly to the tunes of 70s classic rock.
Evertt Huffard
Dr. Evertt W. Huffard is Professor Emeritus of missions and leadership at Harding School of Theology in Memphis, TN where he taught from 1987-2019. He also served as VP/Dean at HST from 1999-2014. He currently works part-time with church equipping for Mission Resource Network, a resource for consulting church leaders in the USA, and coaches church leaders in equipping emerging leaders internationally.
The son of church planters in the Middle East, he has also served among the Arabs in Nazareth, Israel. They have also served in an urban ministry in Los Angeles, CA.
Evertt has been involved in church consulting nationally and internationally for over 25 years. In 2017 he hosted three tour groups to Israel, excavated at Beth Shemesh, taught for a church leaders retreat in South Africa, and spoke for a retreat in Germany. In 2018 he has consulted for seven churches (in Montana, Colorado, Arkansas, Florida, Australia), attended the Middle East Consultation in Malta, and spoke for a conference of church leaders in Australia. He helped initiate the Shepherd’s Network at HST to encourage and to equip church leaders.
He is married to Ileene and they have three children and eight grandchildren.
Brent Isbell
Brent Isbell was born and raised in Texas. He spent 33 years preaching for a wide variety of churches in Texas—the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, Houston, and Abilene.
Brent sensed a call from God early in life to serve churches. He earned degrees from Abilene Christian University (BA in Finance, Master of Religious Education, Master of Divinity) and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry).
He is married to Melinda, a faculty research librarian at Abilene Christian University. They have two daughters, Jordan serving in the U.S. Navy and Sarah attending Abilene High School. Brent spends a lot of time with college students, teaching religion and Bible classes at both the University of Houston and Abilene Christian since 2004.
Brent and Melinda love to travel and have led large tour groups to Israel and Jordan multiple times. Brent has a special passion for missions and missionaries, traveling to South Africa, Russia, and Mexico, equipping local ministers for success in their leadership roles.
Jay Jarboe
Jay Jarboe is the Empower Team Lead and Director of the Emerging Leadership Initiative at Mission Resource Network (MRN), a global network with the vision to multiply healthy leaders to disciple the unreached and under-served people groups of the world. He is a coach and mentor for global leaders with a focus on equipping them to multiply healthy leaders for future generations.
Before joining the ministry of MRN, Jay served as the Lead Minister for the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. During his 25-year ministry with the Sunset Church of Christ and Sunset International Bible Institute (SIBI), Jay served the Director of the Adventures in Missions (AIM) program, an apprentice missionary training program, and as the Dean of Missions and instructor at SIBI.
He is married to Sherry, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren: Kenny, Meagan, Cash, and Adelaide Husband; Ryan, Mary, Oliver, and Lucy Jarboe. Jay and Sherry were missionaries in Mexico City and now they work with global workers, leaders, and churches around the world. His passion is seeking to be transformed into the image of Christ and helping others in that same quest.
Jim Martin
Since January 2014, Jim Martin has served as Vice-President of Harding School of Theology in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jim formerly served as a preaching minister for 36 years, including the Crestview Church of Christ in Waco, Texas from 1993 – 2013. He has also served churches in Missouri and Alabama. He was reared in Dallas and received his M.Div from Abilene Christian University and the D.Min from Harding School of Theology in Memphis, Tennessee. Jim has led a number of mentoring groups for church leaders. Jim writes a newsletter, “Jim Martin’s Encouragement Note.” Jim is a certified coach (ACC) and is invested in coaching ministers and other church leaders. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Insta
Jon Mullican
Jon is passionate about enhancing relationships within the church by facilitating authentic, open dialogue. He has a gift for discernment and listening in a way that allows people to be heard and understood, and provides opportunities for deep connection with God and with others. Jon has served two congregations as Executive Minister, one in Tulsa and one in Dallas. He coaches church leaders using the Enneagram and other assessments to support their personal growth and self-awareness.
Jon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from United States Naval Academy in 1985 and a Masters of Science degree in Organization Development from Pepperdine University in 2005.
In his free time, Jon enjoys spending time with his family and taking his wife, Dana, out on dates. Jon and Dana have three grown children, Katie, Sarah, and Daniel.
Doug Peters
Doug Peters is the Executive Director for Heritage 21 Foundation. Prior to accepting this position, he was a “second career” minister who started out in the world of electrical engineering at a nuclear power facility. Sensing a call from God to focus on church ministry like his dad, Doug left the utility company to pursue degrees in Bible and Ministry from Abilene Christian University (BA, MS, DMin). Doug and his wife, Sheryl, are blessed with two daughters: Lauren and Alani.
With diverse experience in congregational ministry (mostly in Abilene, Arlington, and Houston, TX), Doug has also served as a professor in the College of Biblical Studies at Oklahoma Christian University where he still serves as a visiting professor. His doctoral work focused on “Communal Spiritual Discernment and the Selection of Church Leaders.”
Doug has a special interest in helping churches and their leaders think through how they may be more spiritually discerning as they prayerfully live out their God-given mission, vision and values in their unique context.
Jason Thompson
Jason Thompson is the Executive Minister at the Harpeth Hills Church of Christ in Brentwood, TN. He also serves as a Partner and Senior Consultant with the Carpenter’s Plan, assisting churches and non-profits with capital fundraising, strategic planning, and governance. His work with churches and nonprofits has raised millions of dollars for good works.
Before moving to Nashville, Jason ministered in the Atlanta area for eleven years. Jason holds religious degrees from Faulkner University and Harding School of Theology. He completed additional studies at Emory University and was awarded a Doctorate of Education in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from Lipscomb University. Jason was named by the Nashville Business Journal as one of the 40 leaders in Nashville under the age of 40 making a difference in Middle Tennessee. He serves on the executive boards of the World Convention of Churches and Onward Church Planting.
Jason is married to Megan, and they have three children: Kelsey Joy, Ella Grace, and Will Hudson.
Associates
An ASSOCIATE is someone whose competence and reputation in congregational ministry is endorsed by a partner for the purpose of assisting in the work and/or the future development (getting younger) of HOPE Network.
Pat Bills
As Lead Minister, Pat is charged to be a primary voice of leadership for the Highland Oaks Church of Christ. By working in close relationship with the shepherd group and ministry staff, Pat’s hope is to become a pastor-teacher who embodies a bold vision for God’s dream at the HOCC.
Amanda Box
As the self-appointed communication evangelist, Amanda Box coaches people on all things communication as president of Box Communication, Inc. Amanda served Meadowbrook Church of Christ in Jackson, Mississippi in two different roles for 11 years as children’s minister and connections minister. As connections minister, she worked with ministry leaders, small groups, and new members. Other career adventures include all things communication. Amanda has consulted with business and industry for over 20 years to equip people with improved communication skills in critical areas such as conflict, presentation skills and team building. Additionally, Amanda was a full-time college professor for 10 years and spent four years as the public relations professional for a non-profit. Amanda earned her undergraduate degree in communication from Freed-Hardeman University in 1991 and a master’s degree in communication from Mississippi College in 1993. Amanda and her husband Chuck live in College Station, Texas.
Brad Cox
Brad Cox serves as the Senior Minister for the High Pointe Church of Christ in McKinney, Texas. Brad has over 25 years of youth and pulpit ministry experience in Churches of Christ.
He received his Doctorate in Adolescent Development and Family Systems from Fuller Theological Seminary. Brad has a passion for helping churches to minister effectively to teens, young adults, and young families.
Brad and his wife, Jill, have been married 25 years and have two children: Maggie (18) and Colby (17).
Kaley Ihfe
Kaley Ihfe serves as the Director of Lavish HOPE, a ministry which provides spiritual, emotional and physical care for wives of ministers. She has a B.S. in Communications, an MEd in School Counseling, and an MA in Christian Ministry. She has worked as the Leadership Development Manager at the Volunteer Center of Lubbock, as a teacher and school counselor at Pflugerville ISD, and as Campus Activities Director at Abilene Christian University. She has served alongside her husband, Karl Ihfe, in ministry for 23 years first in Austin and currently in Lubbock. She teaches adult Bible classes, writes Bible study curriculum, and speaks at retreats. She and Karl have a son at the University of North Texas and a daughter who is a senior in high school.
Scott Laird
Scott Laird became a Christian through the campus ministry at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT in 1978. There he met his wife of forty-one years, Patty. They have two married children and four grandchildren.
Scott and Patty served as missionaries to Canada for twelve years before moving back to Montana to serve as the evangelist for the Great Falls Church of Christ. Scott began his twenty-ninth year of ministry in Great Falls on November 1, 2022. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Montana State University and a Master of Arts of Christian Ministry and Doctor of Ministry from Harding School of Theology.
Jason Locke
Jason Locke preaches for the College Church of Christ in Fresno, California, and he serves on the board for Mission Alive. He and his wife Julie have been married since 1992. Jason was born in Ohio and grew up mostly in Middle Tennessee. They have two grown sons: Jericho who lives in Washington, DC, and works for NASA, and soon to be married; and Jacob who lives in Fresno with his wife and works for Fresno State University.
Jason & Julie previously served as church planters in Prague, Czech Republic. Jason later worked as campus minister at West Virginia University. He graduated from Tennessee Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering, but felt the call to ministry while serving in the campus ministry there. He went on to complete two master’s degrees and the doctor of ministry degree from Abilene Christian University.
In his spare time, Jason loves to follow sports, reads lots of books, enjoys cooking, and is happy to travel abroad whenever possible.
Stacey Losher
Stacey Losher serves as the Children and Family Minister at the Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. Stacey has 20 years of children’s ministry experience which allows her to offer churches a rich, well-versed ministry perspective. While Stacey is a professionally sought after expert in the field of Children’s Ministry, she also has a passion for equipping and mentoring women in all paths of ministry. Her firsthand experience serving as the only woman in ministry leadership at a church has helped her develop an awareness for and knowledge of how to navigate that role in a way that is life giving to both the church and the minister. Additionally, she demonstrates comprehensive insight in 1) curriculum development and implementation, 2) programming, 3) volunteer recruitment, training, and care, 4) special events, 5) policies and practices, and 6) vision-casting.
Stacey was born and raised in Fort Worth, TX, and attended Abilene Christian University where she studied Elementary Education. She also has a degree in Human Behavior and Development from Amberton University. Throughout her 20 years in Children’s Ministry, Stacey is recognized for her big, over-the-top ideas that not only translate into fun-filled experiences but bring the Bible to life. However, her greatest joy comes from partnering with and walking alongside families as they journey through faith development. Stacey has been married to Greg for 25 years and loves traveling, musical theater, and cheering on their 4 incredible kids in all they do!
Rob McRay
Rob has served as a preaching minister for over thirty years in Nashville, Houston, Milwaukee, and Chicago, working with churches from 60 to 1,000 members. He also spent several years planting and leading a small missional congregation in downtown Nashville and was Executive Director of Youth Encouragement Services (YES), a nonprofit Christian ministry serving inner-city children. Rob knows the church, the kingdom, and the mission of God.
Rob graduated from Abilene Christian University with a B.A. in Biblical Studies, received an M.A. in Theological Studies from Wheaton College Graduate School, and has done graduate study in New Testament backgrounds at the University of Chicago. Rob is presently an adjunct professor of Bible at Lipscomb University. Rob’s father was a Bible professor (at Harding College, David Lipscomb College, and Wheaton College), a preacher, and a noted archaeologist. Their family traveled extensively in the Middle East and lived in Jerusalem for a year while Rob was in high school. Now, Rob and Judy lead groups to the Holy Land every few years.
Judy is an R.N., and they have two grown children, and two grandchildren (he has pictures if you’re interested). They love travel (anywhere), sports (all kinds), and music (anything but rap).
Bryan Moss
Bryan Moss has been the Senior Minister for Lake Como Church of Christ is Fort Worth, TX for the last 12 years and he and his wife, Tondra, have been blessed to see God bless their Kingdom efforts in a wide variety of ministries at Lake Como. Bryan recently accepted the Minister position for the Brooks Avenue Church in Raleigh, NC. He will begin his ministry there at the end of August 2023.
Bryan conducts annual teaching/training on personal evangelism, has taught a personal evangelism workshop for National Crusade for Christ, and has served as a chaplain for Texas Health Resources.
Bryan also developed the Atlantic Bridge Initiative – a two-fold international ministry (in partnership with Mission Resource Network) dedicated to building a metaphorical bridge across the racial divide between African American Churches of Christ and historically white congregations of the Churches of Christ. The second part of the ABI is dedicated to building a bridge across the Atlantic Ocean between African American Churches of Christ and African Churches of Christ.
He has a BA in Economics from East Carolina University, a Religious Studies degree from Southwestern Christian College, and a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from Liberty Theological Seminary.
Shane Mushonga
Shane J. Mushonga was born in Zimbabwe in Central Africa and came to the US to attend Southwestern Christian College in preparation for work in Christian ministry. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies. He furthered his education at Amberton University in Dallas where he majored in Counseling and at Brite Divinity and Southwest Seminary in Ft Worth where he pursued a MDiv. He is currently considering Doctoral work in Ministry or Counseling.
His work in the ministry includes several churches in the brotherhood as Lead Minister with the Faith Pointe Church of Christ in Ft Worth, Senior Minister at the Metropolitan CoC, Assoc. Minister at the Lake Como Church of Christ, Minister of Evangelism at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Dallas, and Youth Minister with the Wagner Ave Church of Christ in St Louis, MO. Shane also worked at Southwestern Christian College as Director of Admissions, Asst. to the President, as well an Instructor in the Bible Department. This time at Southwestern allowed him to travel extensively around the brotherhood and establish meaningful relationships. He currently serves as the lead minister for the New Braunfels Church of Christ in New Braunfels, TX.
Shane has been married to the former Brenee Session of Ft Worth, TX for 19 years. They are the proud parents to three wonderful children, Jacoby (Senior in H/S), Shanen (Sophomore in H/S), and Breea (5th Grade).
Rodney Plunket
Rodney Plunket holds the MDiv from Harding School of Theology and the PhD from Durham University (England). He has served churches in Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, New Zealand, and England. He is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths coach. Since retiring from full time ministry, he serves as an IMP representative.
Rodney and Margaret have been married for 48 years. They have two children and five grandchildren. He enjoys backpacking, canoeing, fishing, gardening, and spending time with the grandchildren.
Shannon Rains
Shannon joined the faculty at LCU in 2016 after fifteen years in church ministry, specializing in children and family ministry. She has a Masters of Science from ACU as well as additional coursework on the graduate and doctoral level from LCU and Concordia in both theology and early childhood education. Shannon is currently in the last year of the D. Min. program at ACU. Her research interests include: training and equipping children’s ministers, working alongside church leaderships to develop a cohesive vision for the ministry and practice of children and family ministry, and contemplative practices with children.
Shannon, her husband, David, and children River and Reese are actively involved at Tahoka Church of Christ.