LCMC Annual Gathering Keynote Speakers
Register is Now Closed!
Gathering Information | Gathering Schedule | Keynote Speakers | Lodging | Breakout Registration
WALTER WANGERIN, JR.
Starting with the renowned Book of the Dun Cow, Wangerin’s writing career has encompassed most every genre: fiction, essay, short essay, children’s story, meditation, biblical exposition. His writing voice is immediately recognizable, and his fans number in the hundreds of thousands. The author of over forty books, Wangerin has won the National Book Award, New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year Award, and several Gold Medallions, including best-fiction awards for the Book of God and Paul: A Novel.
Wangerin’s most recent work, released May 2008, is a truly touching and personal story. Wangerin, together with his adopted son Matthew, tell the story of their own lifelong relationship in Father and Son: finding freedom. Father and Son: finding freedom weaves together each writer’s personal story and shows how earthly fathers and sons are shaped by a Creator’s relationship with his creation, and how within the human experience of parenting we discover insights into the spiritual nature of home, family, and eternity itself.
Wangerin also released in February 2008 the illustrated children’s story, I Am My Grandpa’s Enkelin. This original tale is told by a granddaughter (Enkelin, in German), looking back at all that her German-American grandpa taught her. The Grandpa shows his precious Enkelin how to live well – and at the end of his life, he also shows her that death is not an end, but a new beginning.
Wangerin was speaker for the Lutheran Vespers radio program from 1994 through January 2005, and prior to joining Valparaiso’s faculty he served as an inner-city pastor in Evansville, Indiana for 16 years.
MARILEE PIERCE DUNKER
The daughter of World Vision founder Bob Pierce, Marilee is a dedicated advocate for women and children around the world. She describes her motivation as “the simple heart of a mom combined with a passion to see suffering eased.”
With experience as an author, speaker, and radio personality, Marilee rediscovered World Vision in 2001—and uncovered a passion for the ministry her father had begun five decades earlier. “I realized this is what God was preparing me for,” she says.
Today, Marilee travels the globe to speak on behalf of children affected by poverty, “putting a name and a face to the overwhelming issues of our time so that we can empower ordinary individuals to make a difference.” She is a passionate voice to the Church—helping to inspire and equip churches, womens and youth groups to fulfill their God-given mandate to care for the poor.
With her gift for storytelling, Marilee is able to bring to life the remarkable stories of people she’s met around the world. “World Vision is not about programs—it’s about people,” she says, adding that she finds deep satisfaction in connecting people in need with those who have the ability to touch their lives and make a difference.
Her speaking style has been described as passionate, engaging, transparent, and vulnerable. As World Vision president Rich Stearns notes with both truth and humor, “Whenever Marilee speaks, you want to bring some tissue—it gets a little weepy.”
In addition to her role as a public speaker and advocate for the poor, Marilee serves as senior advisor to Women of Vision, a volunteer ministry of World Vision. As such Marilee often speaks to women’s groups and conferences on the impact poverty, AIDS and world violence is having on women and children. “The mission of Women of Vision is to connect, educate and empower women to make a difference in the lives of impoverished women and children both here and around the world,” she explains.
Not least of Marilee’s contributions are her efforts to nurture World Vision staff around the world and help ensure that World Vision remains faithful to its original calling. “It is imperative that we stay connected to our spiritual roots,” she says, “so that we will continue to be a light in the darkness, pointing people to the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Marilee has been married for more than 30 years, has two daughters and is the proud grandmother of three. She has written four books, including the acclaimed biography Man of Vision: The Candid, Compelling Story of Bob and Lorraine Pierce.
In everything she does, Marilee’s calling is crystal clear: “I want to bring attention to the fact that each of us by God’s grace can do something to ease suffering in our world.”
DR WALT KALLESTAD
Assigned to a tiny Lutheran congregation in Glendale, Arizona in 1978, Walt Kallestad quickly learned humility and value of strong communications: Within the first few months, the congregation had dropped by 50 percent, and the young idealist was faced with the challenge of rebuilding constituency or finding a new profession.
The challenge has obviously been met. Today, under Walt Kallestad's direction, the Community Church of Joy supports nearly 8,000 participants. In the Spring of 1998, this affiliate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), dedicated the first phase of a 187-acre campus which encompasses a Christian Preschool, Elementary and High School with sports fields, an International Leadership Discipleship Center, a Memorial Gardens, a Conference Center and a Christian Counseling Center.
As chairman of the Joy Company, Dr. Kallestad oversees this expansive project while he continues pastoral leadership of the Joy congregation. Under his direction, the Church has developed a Biblically based Evangelical Discipleship Community, which draws from all areas of metropolitan Phoenix. He has written several books, including The Everyday, Anytime Guide to Leadership; The Everyday, Anytime Guide to Prayer; Total Quality Ministry; Wake Up Your Dreams; Entertainment Evangelism; Christian Faith: The Basics; Be Your Own Creative Coach; Turn Your Church Inside Out, Entrepreneurial Faith, Passionate Life and Passionate Church, World Changers and his latest ReignDown, A Call to Personal Repentance.
Dr. Kallestad, is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and Luther-Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and received his doctorate at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He spends his leisure time with Mary, his wife and best friend, their grown children and grandchildren, pursuing interests in writing, music and golf .
Have Questions?
Contact Sharon at
sharon [at] lcmc [dot] net
for more information.