Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Religion News Service, and Christianity Today, and has been interviewed on NPR, CBS, and the BBC, among other outlets. Her most recent book is Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation.

Kristin will be the keynote speaker at the Leadership Forum, the professional/spiritual development workshop on Thursday, March 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Rev. Dr. Paul Baxley was unanimously elected as the fourth executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in January 2019. He frequently preaches and teaches across the 30-year-old Fellowship as he leads this diverse community that includes nearly 1,400 congregations, thousands of individuals, 19 state and regional organizations, 800-plus chaplains and pastoral counselors, dozens of theological education and ministry partners, and 60-plus field personnel serving in 20 countries.

Paul will be preaching in General Session 1/Worship on Thursday, March 23, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

Before joining the FBC Wilmington staff in 2001, Jayne was the executive director for the New Hanover County Partnership for Children (Smart Start), Good Shepherd House administrative director and Coalition for the Homeless (NYC) assistant director.

Jayne will be preaching in General Session 2/Worship on Friday, March 24, from 2:45 to 4:00 p.m.