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2012 NMLC Speakers
Once in a generation, a comedian comes along who speaks to everyone.  Today, that comedian is known simply as Michael Jr. Imagine a line from Bill Cosby to Jerry Seinfeld and you’ll have an idea of Michael’s influences. Watch him onstage and you’ll see a man at ease…with himself, his audience, and his message. Listen to his voice and you’ll detect a comfortable, conversational style that hides a sly sense of mischief. Hear his words and you’ll laugh at the universal themes that connect us all. How can one man be equally at home in the heartland and the inner city, churches and prisons, corporate events and youth rallies? Michael calls it comedy accountability. “If I’m in a club, my material has to be clean enough to work in a church. If I’m in a pulpit, it has to be funny enough to work in a club.” It is this versatility that has enabled Michael to author a children’s book – The Parts We Play, to be featured in the wildly successful comedy DVD Thou Shalt Laugh, and to have made his directorial debut with Comedy The Road Less Traveled, that is  available in stores nationally, Amazon.com or www.MichaelJr.com

David Murrow is not a pastor, professor or theologian. He's just a guy in the pews who's tired of seeing churches blow it with men. He's director of Church for Men, an organization that helps congregations reconnect with the world's largest unreached people group. His first book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, was an instant Christian bestseller, with some one hundred thousand copies in print. His efforts have spawned articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Chicago Tribune, to name a few. You may have seen him on PBS, the NBC Nightly News, or the Fox News Channel talking about the gender gap. He lives in Alaska with his wife, three children, and a dachshund named Pepper.

Fivestarman exists to inspire, instruct, and empower men to live the authentic and passionate life that God intended for man. Fivestarman is not a program or a ministry. It is a movement. A movement of like-minded men ready to do an about-face, turning from a life of mediocrity to a passion-filled life of authentic manhood.

Fivestarman was founded in 2008 by Neil Kennedy. Neil has passionately promoted God’s Word for twenty-five plus years of ministry. He is known for practically applying Biblical principles that elevate people to a new level of living. As a business, church, ministry, and life consultant, Neil has helped others strategize the necessary steps to reach their full potential. His full time focus is now on Fivestarman and he travels extensively each week speaking in churches and seminars challenging men to step up and grab the reins of authentic manhood.

Senior Pastor Rev. Wilfredo De Jesús is Senior Pastor of New Life Covenant Ministries, one of the fastest growing churches in Chicago. New Life is a vibrant and caring church that is reaching out to the community. Wilfredo De Jesús received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Trinity University and a Master’s degree in Christian Ministries from North Park Theological Seminary. Rev. De Jesús has been instrumental in the development of several community-based programs. Rev. De Jesus is the Vice President of Social Justice for the nation’s largest Hispanic Christian organization, The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference which serves 18,000 churches and close to 15 million born-again Christians. Since 2004, Rev. De Jesus has served as a commissioner on the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals. He is sought after as a motivational speaker at various church and community events, conferences and school assemblies. Wilfredo possesses a passion to save the lost and is committed in providing necessary services to the community. As he often makes others understand, his accomplishments are based on a life dedicated to God and His purposes.

Ron and Penny Maddux were appointed as missionaries to Asia Pacific in 1978 and served in Hong Kong and Thailand. In 1990 they became area directors for Peninsular Asia which included oversight of missionaries in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. For two years prior to their present assignment, they ministered throughout Asia Pacific as area directors at large. In 2000 they were appointed as directors for Northern Asia, a vast region of more than 1.3 billion people.

Tom Greene serves as the national director of Men’s Ministries for the Assemblies of God, providing leadership to the vision “to reach, teach and release men to grow to their full potential in Christ”. Greene also serves as the national director of Light for the Lost. He is the author of The Game Isn't Over - tgreene.net.

Alton Garrison serves as the assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. In addition, he serves as the executive director of the Division of Church Ministries and Discipleship, giving oversight to 11 departments that serve children, youth, and adults. He has authored the books: Hope in America’s Crisis, Building a Winning Team, Acts 2 Church, and The 360° Disciple.

Doug Clay serves as the General Treasurer for the General Council of the Assemblies of God. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, he brings a clear vision and a strong passion for church health. Doug firmly believes the church is the primary instrument God uses to expand His Kingdom here on earth. That's why he has devoted himself fully to the cause of resourcing ministries and churches for health and growth. His life and work are driven by the truth of Paul's insight written to the Christians in Ephesus: For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (2:10). Clay’s chief goal in life is to help people realize their God-given dreams. Each Monday, Doug shares his thoughts on life and leadership through a video blog Monday Motivator. He loves life and people. He often tells his audience that God has not sentenced us to life as something to endure, but to enjoy, and to enjoy it with others! Follow Clay on Twitter (@DougClay) or you can find him on Facebook. He is the author of Dreaming in 3-D.