Speakers - Compassionate Boldness Conference

Cory Anderson
Shadow Mountain Church

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

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. Ross was born and raised in an active LDS family before coming to faith in Jesus in college. He is married to Nancy and has two children, aged 18 and 20. He enjoys bicycle touring, various sports, and reading. 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.

Mike Bell
South Mountain Community Church

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 has been an associate Pastor at South Mountain Community Church in Draper, Utah since it opened in 1998. One of Mike's passions is running a home group which cycles every two years with new people, having the primary focus of providing a spiritual 'transfusion' -- transitioning formerly LDS people to the historic Christian faith.

Marvin Cowan
Utah Christian Publications

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.

Doris Hanson
A Shield and a Refuge Ministries

Born and raised in a Utah polygamist group, Doris escaped when she reached legal age and at the same time, ran away from God. 25 years later, she accepted Christ after learning that instead of God hating her as she'd always been taught, He actually loved her. Doris now has the privilege of bringing the true gospel to polygamists through A Shield and Refuge Ministries which is a ministry of the Living Hope Fellowship in Brigham City, Utah. She also desires to inform the Body of Christ of the polygamists unique needs and to bring awareness to Christians of this huge missions field in our own back yard. Doris enjoys Bible Study, she teaches a church adult Sunday School class. She has authored a book, and an audio book, "Is Polygamy Biblical?" which is based on her findings from a passion to discover the truth about Biblical polygamy.

Dennis and Rauni Higley
H.I.S. Ministries International

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. They founded H.I.S. Ministries International to help questioning LDS people to evaluate their beliefs and find the biblical Jesus.

Ron Huggins Th.D.
Salt Lake Theological Seminary

Ron is Associate Professor of Historical & Theological Studies at Salt Lake Theological Seminary. His writings have appeared in a number of settings, including the Journal of Biblical Literature, Novum Testamentum, Revue de Qumran, Westminster Theological Journal, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and the Salt Lake City Messenger. He has four daughters scattered about the globe and lives with his wife Marguerite in Salt Lake City.

Bryan Hurlbutt
Lifeline Community Church

Bryan 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 two daughters, Brynne (8), and Reghan (5). They are expecting their third daughter in June.

Bill McKeever
Mormonism Research Ministry

Bill currently 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 shortly after his conversion to Christianity in 1973 when his Mormon friends attempted to proselytize him into the LDS faith. 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 and co-author of Mormonism 101, the editor of MRM's newsletter, Mormonism Researched, and occasional contributor to MRM's blog site, Mormon Coffee. He and his wife Tamar have three grown children.

Paul Robie
South Mountain Community Church

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 is doctoral dissertation on reaching disenfranchised Mormons. Today South Mountain Community Church has an average weekend attendance of more than 1400 people on two campuses. About 25% of the congregation previously came from the Mormon faith.

Sandra Tanner
Utah Lighthouse Ministry

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.

Chip Thompson
Tri-Grace Ministries

Chip dedicated his life to serve Jesus at the age of 21 and serving Jesus is the passion of his life. For the past 16 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.