Compassionate Boldness Conference

James White

Alpha and Omega Ministries

Topics: "Can we trust the New Testament: Responding to Article Eight" and "The doctrine of the Trinity: Does the LDS view of the godhead fit the biblical text?"

Dr. James White is the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, a Christian apologetics organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a professor, having taught Greek, Systematic Theology, and various topics in the field of apologetics. He has authored or contributed to more than twenty books, including The King James Only Controversy, The Forgotten Trinity, The Potter's Freedom, and The God Who Justifies. He is an accomplished debater, having engaged in more than sixty moderated, public debates with leading proponents of Roman Catholicism, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormonism. He is an elder of the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church, has been married to Kelli for more than twenty-five years, and has two children, Joshua and Summer.

Sandra Tanner

Utah Lighthouse Ministry

Topic: "The Role of 'Prophet, Seer, and Revelator' in the Mormon Church"

Sandra is the great-great granddaughter of Brigham Young and was a fifth generation member of the LDS Church. After extensively investigating the claims of Mormonism with her husband Jerald (1938-2006), they left the church to found Modern Microfilm, a company that provided reprints of hard to find documents regarding early LDS history. In 1983 Modern Microfilm Company became Utah Lighthouse Ministry. Together they wrote over 40 books dealing with Mormon history and doctrine. Sandra is currently the director of UTLM which operates the Utah Lighthouse bookstore on West Temple. She is often sought out by the national media when it comes to issues pertaining with the LDS Church.

Bill McKeever

Mormonism Research Ministry

Topic: "Is it time to embrace the LDS Church as Christian? Looking at Mormonism through a 21st century lens"

Bill serves as the director of Mormonism Research Ministry, a Christian organization he founded in 1979 that is based in the Salt Lake City area. His interest in Mormonism began when his Mormon friends attempted to proselytize him into the LDS faith shortly after his conversion to Christianity in 1973 . The more he discussed spiritual issues with his LDS friends, the more concerned for them he became. Bill is the author of Answering Mormons’ Questions, co-author of Mormonism 101, and compiler for the newly released In Their Own Words: A Collection of Mormon Quotations. He is also the editor of MRM’s newsletter, Mormonism Researched, occasional contributor to MRM’s blog site, Mormon Coffee and a contributing writer to the Christian Research Journal. Bill and his wife Tamar have three grown children.

Cory Anderson

Shadow Mountain Church

Topic: "A Biblical Assessment of Mormonism's View of The Fall of Adam & Eve"

Cory is the Lead Pastor of Shadow Mountain Church in West Jordan, Utah. He holds a B.A in Theology from Briercrest Bible College and a M.A in New Testament from Briercrest Biblical Seminary. Prior to launching Shadow Mountain Church, Cory served as an Associate/Youth Pastor for 7 years in Canada. His passion is teaching the Word of God and providing answers to tough questions regarding theology and doctrine. He has published an article in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought entitled "Jude's Use of the Pseudepigraphal Book of 1 Enoch" (Vol. 36, No.2, Summer 2003). He is married to Trina and has four children.

Ross Anderson

Wasatch Evangelical Free Church

Topic: “'Likening the Scriptures to Our Lives': The Book of Mormon in LDS Experience”

Ross serves as Senior Pastor of Wasatch Evangelical Free Church in Roy, Utah, which he founded in 1983. He is also the regional Director of Church Planting for the Evangelical Free Church and recently started Utah Advance as a ministry to advance healthy churches in the Mormon culture. Ross was born and raised in an active LDS family before coming to faith in Jesus in college. He has earned a M.Div. in Missions and a D.Min. in Leadership. He has a particular interest in the challenges former Latter-day Saints must overcome to become integrated into evangelical churches - the topic of his Doctor of Ministry dissertation. His published works include: "The Virtues of Hard Work and Self-Reliance Rooted in Biblical Versus Latter-day Saint Worldviews." Trinity Journal, Spring 2006 and Understanding the Book of Mormon. Zondervan Publishers, Spring 2009.

Mike Bell

South Mountain Community Church

Topic: "Missionary Meat And Potatoes: Examining Some of the Common Topics that Come Up, Both with Missionaries and LDS People at Large"

After becoming a Christian in 1990, Mike became fascinated and burdened with the story of the LDS church. He has been studying LDS history and theology for eighteen years, and served as an associate Pastor at South Mountain Community Church in Draper, Utah for ten years. He recently became the National Director for Hungry For Life U.S., a global relief and development organization. One of Mike's passions in life is helping formerly LDS people deconstruct their previous world view and understand the historic Christian faith.

Marvin Cowan

Utah Christian Publications

Topic: "Did a Universal Apostasy and Restoration Really Happen?"

Marvin grew up in the LDS Church. His great-grandparents were Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake area. After some discussions with Christians Marv began a serious study of the Bible in comparison to LDS scripture and doctrine which led him to become a Christian. He then went to Bible college and seminary and became a missionary to Utah in 1961 where he still ministers. He has started churches and developed a special ministry to Mormons. He is the author of Mormon Claims Answered and What Every Mormon Should Ask, as well as numerous tracts and articles. He and his wife, Janet, live in the Salt Lake area.

Dennis and Rauni Higley

H.I.S. Ministries International

Topic: "Communicating the Biblical Message of Salvation with our Mormon Friends"

Dennis was a sixth generation Mormon, born and raised in Idaho by very active LDS parents. He served his LDS mission to Finland. He married Rauni in the Salt Lake temple and served in various leadership positions including Elders Quorum president, Executive Secretary, Priesthood Quorum teacher and a High Priest who served as a Stake High Councilman. Rauni was a convert to Mormonism in Finland, where she also served an LDS mission. She worked over 14 years for the LDS Church as a translator, language coordinator, and interpreter as well as held teaching positions in her ward. She also served many years as a member of the Stake Relief Society Board. Her translation and research work for the Church gave her access to materials that caused her to start questioning the validity of the Mormon Church. She presented her findings to Dennis and together they “studied themselves out of the Church” and into biblical Christianity. Dennis and Rauni live in Sandy, Utah. They have three grown daughters who also live in Utah. They founded H.I.S. Ministries International in 1984 to help questioning LDS people to evaluate their beliefs and find the biblical Jesus. Dennis and Rauni have been teaching courses on LDS origins and history in local evangelical churches, focusing on the differences between Mormonism and biblical Christianity. During these years they have also traveled across the nation to do the same in many evangelical Churches and Seminaries.

Bryan Hurlbutt

Lifeline Community Church

Topic: "What Jonathan Edwards Would Say to Joseph Smith: Wisdom from the Father of the First Great Awakening for the Wayward Son of the Second Great Awakening"

Is the lead pastor at Lifeline Community in West Jordan, Utah. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, his passions include historical theology, worldviews, philosophy, and discipleship. Bryan is currently enrolled in a doctoral studies program at Biola University that focuses on engaging mind and culture. He and his wife Jennifer have three daughters, Brynne (9), Reghan (6), and Tierney (1).

Paul Robie

South Mountain Community Church

Topic: "The Role of the Local Church in Reaching Mormons"

Paul moved to Utah 10 years ago to start the only Christian church in a 30,000 person town. His goal was to reach disenfranchised Mormons and see them fully devoted and fully delighted in Jesus Christ. During this time he wrote his doctoral dissertation on reaching disenfranchised Mormons. Today South Mountain Community Church has an average weekend attendance of more than 1600 people on three campuses. About 25% of the congregation previously came from the Mormon faith.

Aaron Shafovaloff

Mormonism Research Ministry

Topic: "A Holistic Approach to Mormon Teachings and Beliefs: Engaging What Matters Without Misrepresenting People"

Aaron has been a student of Mormonism for over ten years. As a research associate and web developer, he works with Mormonism Research Ministry to reach a culture that increasingly turns to the internet for spiritual purposes. Aaron and his wife Stacie live in Midvale, UT, as missionaries to the Mormon people. They have a son, John, and a daughter, Lydia.

Chip Thompson

Tri-Grace Ministries

Topic: “Visual Aids that will Enhance your Witness to Mormons”

Chip dedicated his life to serve Jesus at the age of 21 and serving Jesus is the passion of his life. For the past 17 years Chip and his wife, Jamie, have served the Lord in Ephraim, UT. During their first 13 years in Utah the Thompsons planted and pastored the Ephraim Church of the Bible. Presently, Chip and Jamie are the Executive Directors of Tri-Grace Ministries. TGM has a three-fold emphasis: First and foremost it directs the Solid Rock Christian Fellowship and Cafe - a Christian club on the Snow College campus in Ephraim; secondly, it encourages and participates in Christian evangelistic outreach in Utah and abroad; and finally TGM provides training resources and evangelism seminars in Christian churches and colleges around the country. Chip Thompson is the author of a witnessing training manual titled The Mormon Scrapbook which encourages Christians to enter into meaningful religious dialogue with LDS friends and family. Chip, Jamie and their four children - Britney, Kristin, Travis, and Josiah - love Utah, its people, and the ministry to which God has called them.