This year’s Global Missions Conference invites you to explore “The Good News of the Kingdom” - discovering what it means to live as people of both Good News and Good Deeds, at home and around the world. We’re thrilled to welcome our guest speaker, Gideon Banda, lead pastor of Crossroads Church in Mombasa, Kenya. Alongside his wife, Joy, Gideon founded Renewal Project Africa, a ministry dedicated to developing leaders and sharing the hope of the Gospel throughout Africa. You will be challenged and inspired by his passion and vision for God’s Kingdom.
 
Throughout the day, you’ll also hear powerful stories of how God is moving across the globe as well as right here in our own region. You can expect a time of inspiration, motivation, and practical application designed to equip and encourage everyone, whether your heart beats for global missions or local outreach. Come ready to be inspired, connected, and reminded of the incredible story we get to be part of, the Good News of the Kingdom!

Shawn Hart, President of The Ambassadors Forum in Portland, Oregon, is a gifted apologist with a heart for sharing the gospel. His passion for answering big questions about faith has led him to speak at 22 universities around the world, including UC Berkeley, Oxford, and the University of Virginia. His calling has taken him to minister in 21 countries, including South Sudan, India, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Following God’s call, as an overseas missionary for nearly four years, Shawn and his wife lived among unreached people groups in South Sudan’s remote mountains and a Muslim community on a coastal African island.  

Since his early volunteer work with Young Life after becoming a follower of Jesus in 2003, Shawn has followed God’s lead into various ministries. Shawn served as an itinerant speaker with RZIM, helped establish the Zacharias Institute, pioneered university “mission weeks” in North America that reached campuses like UC Berkeley and the University of Florida, and co-hosted the Cover to Cover Podcast, engaging listeners with thoughtful discussions on faith. Most recently, as Global Missions Pastor at Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, Maryland, Shawn oversaw a vibrant global missions program, developing partnerships across continents, mobilizing hundreds for short-term mission teams, and leading the annual Souls World Missions Conference to inspire and equip believers to share the gospel worldwide. With humility, he credits God’s guidance for every step, even in challenging settings like trains, pubs, and juvenile detention centers where he’s proclaimed the gospel.

Shawn holds a Master’s in Ministry and Leadership from Western Seminary and studied theology at Oxford. He lives in Portland with his wife, three children, dog, and cat, enjoying soccer, fitness, and family time.

Planted in Mombasa, Kenya, with his wife Joy and three boys, Gideon serves the Kingdom at the intersection of theory and practice, helping churches and networks facilitate reflective practice, dialogue across contexts, and develop training models that connect practical theology, contextual ministry, and policy innovation.
 
At a grassroots level, Gideon is the Founder of Renewal Project Africa, a Church Planting Movement integrating holistic community transformational approaches and a Lead Pastor at Crossroads Fellowship.
 
At a regional and training level, Gideon leads Crossroads Bible Institute, the Africa Sending Initiative (A project of East West Ministries) and leads vision of the annual Kingdom Conference held in Mombasa.
 
At a continental and global level, Gideon consults with the Association of Christian Theological Education in Africa, Times 12 and the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication (GACX).

Chris and Kim Todd are natives of Alabama. They raised their four children in Tyre while developing a thriving ministry which serves refugees of war in the Middle East who suffer PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
 
Chris and Kim founded and operate the Healing Path trauma therapy center in Tyre, Lebanon. The Healing Path therapy is a clinical approach offered in the name of Jesus by trained ministry and community workers. The therapy is evidence-based treatment for PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Over the past five years Chris and Kim have trained more than 100 community workers in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. They are also opening a second center in Damascus, Syria. The outgrowth of this healing ministry is a network of home Church meetings where those who have been healed in the name of Jesus can learn to follow their Savior.