Raymond Bakke
Raised in a rural farm background, found himself in pastoral ministry in inner city Chicago and Seattle. God has used him around the world in over 200 cities and six continents, speaking on resolving issues in urban ministry. Dr. Bakke is Founder and Executive Director of International Urban Associates, an organization that seeks to find and develop leaders who take the whole gospel with the whole church to whole cities with its network of more than 100 church and mission leaders in some of the world’s largest cities. Dr. Bakke also is professor of global urban ministry at Northwest Graduate School for the Ministry in Seattle. He has degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and McCormick Theological Seminary. Dr. Bakke is the author of The Urban Christian, A Theology as Big as the City, A Biblical Word for an Urban World, and other publications.
Noel Castellanos
Noel has worked in full - time ministry in Latino, urban communities since 1982. He has served in youth ministry, church planting, advocacy and community development in San Francisco, San Jose, and Chicago . After serving on the Board of the Christian Community Development Association for many years, he established the CCDA Institute, which equips emerging church leaders in the philosophy of Christian Community Development, and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of CCDA. Noel was appointed to serve on President Obama's Council for Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships, and is a highly sought after speaker, motivator, and mentor to young leaders throughout the USA, and has a deep passion to serve and invest in the lives of leaders committed to serving the poor. Noel is the co - author of A Heart for the Community, New Models for Urban and Suburban Ministry, and has contributed to various other books and publications, including Deep Justice in a Broken World , A Heart for the City , and Crazy Enough to Care . He and his wife, Marianne, have three children; Noel Luis, Stefan, and Anna, and make their home in the barrio of La Villita in Chicago.
Andrew Young Jr.
A native New Orleanian who was an American politician, diplomat, activist and pastor from Georgia. He began his career as an ordained minister serving at Bethany Congregational Church in Thomasville, GA. He served as a Congressman from Georgia's 5th congressional district, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and Mayor of Atlanta. He served as President of the National Council of Churches USA, was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the 1960's Civil Rights Movement, and was a supporter and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He serves on a number of boards, including: The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change and the United Nations Foundation. He is the author of three books that include: A Way Out of No Way; An Easy Burden; and Walk in My Shoes. Andrew Young Jr. founded the Andrew Young Foundation in 2003, the foundation has produced an Emmy-nominated documentary series called Andrew Young Presents that addresses topics related to the American Civil Rights Movement and other themes.
