Speaker Biographies Affirming the Faith Seminar 2023

Jeremie Beller

Jeremie Beller has served as the Congregational Minister for the Wilshire Church of Christ in Oklahoma City since 2002. He was recently appointed to serve as Chair of Bible and Director of Church Relations for Oklahoma Christian University. He also serves as the Opinions Editor for the Christian Chronicle. Jeremie received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Bible and Ministry from Oklahoma Christian. He completed his PhD in Communication from the University of Oklahoma, studying religious communication and religion and racism. He and his wife, Delaina, have been married since 1999 and have a son (Keaton) and a daughter (Kayden).

Travis Bookout

Travis Bookout is the preaching minister for the Maryville church of Christ in Maryville, TN. Beginning in 2008, Travis has preached in Denison, TX, Monroe, LA, and Maryville, TN. He graduated from the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver and Heritage Christian University, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from each institution. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Amridge University. Travis is the author of King of Glory: 52 Reflections on the Gospel of John and Cruciform Christ: 52 Reflections on the Gospel of Mark. Travis and his wife Lauren have been married for over 14 years and have two sons, Oliver (6) and Levi (4).

Logan Cates

Logan Cates has been a minister of the gospel at the Durant Church of Christ for six years. His wife is Summer, and they have five children: Southern, Tucker, Oakley, Noble and Sunshine. Logan has earned degrees from OSU, Bear Valley Bible Institute and Freed Hardeman University.

Matt Cook

Matt is a professor of Bible and Missions at FHU and preaches for the Stantonville, Tennessee congregation. He is married to Charla and has 2 kids, Gabbi (12) and Conner (10), and 1 crazy dog. He and his family love to camp, hike, play disc golf, and visit National Parks. Matt is a native of WV and loves to cheer for the WV Mountaineers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jack Dodgen

Jack Dodgen preaches for the Eastside Church of Christ in Midwest City, OK. He and his wife, Anna, live in Moore with their 3 children, Luke (8), Juliet (6), and Emmy (3). When he's not preaching, he's likely throwing plastic discs through the woods into tiny metal baskets.

Scott Franks

Scott Franks grew up in Montana and attended Oklahoma Christian University. He has served churches in Houston, TX, Edmond, OK, Marietta, GA and is currently the preaching minister at the Edgemere Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, TX. He and Sheree have two daughters: Darby and Roxy. You can find his sermons at Edgemere.org. He also contributes to the Facebook page 728b.

Keith Harris

Keith Harris is blessed to serve the Lewisville church family, in Lewisville, TX. He has been involved in ministry for over 25 years. He moved to the Lewisville Church in 2021. He is a graduate of Harding University, where he received an undergraduate degree in Bible and Ministry (2004) and a Masters degree in Bible and Ministry (2008). Keith also earned an additional Masters degree from Lubbock Christian University in 2013. He is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry degree at Freed-Hardeman University. He is blessed to be involved in many lectureships and seminars across the country. Keith is married to Lindsey, and they have a son and daughter, Kade and Zoe. He enjoys spending time with his family, great food, and sports.

Curtis Hartshorn

Curtis Hartshorn has been married to Kathy since 1984 and preaching the gospel since 1987.  His Bachelor of Arts degree is in English and he has a Master of Biblical Studies from Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver with an emphasis in Biblical Counseling. He has taught college level courses on Principles of Marriage and Death and Dying. Brother Hartshorn has authored four books:
 “My First 52 Days in Christ”
 “Reaching New Levels of Faith”
 “The Essence of Revelation”
 “From Atheist to Preacher”
He serves on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Oklahoma Christian Youth Camp. He is on the board for the Eastern Oklahoma State College Bible Chair. He is a Teacher and the Church Relations Representative for BibleTalk.tv. He is also the Course Designer, Founder and President of the Lake Eufaula Disc Golf Alliance. Curtis and Kathy have three grown sons and three grandchildren.

Jeff Jenkins

Jeff Jenkins has been preaching for more than forty-five years. He is currently working full-time with The Jenkins Institute which he co-founded with his brother Dale. This ministry was formed to honor their father and is committed to helping preachers around the world. Jeff is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees. He also serves on the Board of Directors for both World Bible School and Lads-to-Leaders. Jeff has two children, Amanda Jenkins Scott and Jeremy Jenkins. He is richly blessed to be enjoying his three grandchildren.

Jackie Jordan

Jackie Stallworth Jordan is the daughter of the late Bennie and Jenette Stallworth, she is retired from her vocation as a licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in the State of Oklahoma. She was the CEO of Second Wind Recovery and Support Services, working primarily with nurses who suffered with addiction. She is the divorced mother of two handsome sons, the grandmother of those who she refers to as the fantastic four, and the new great grandmother of Josiah! Jackie obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Central State University and has been employed as:
 - A Probation Officer for the Oklahoma City Municipal Court
 - A Drug and Alcohol Counselor/Case Manager for the St. Anthony Hospital Care Unit
 - An Executive Director of the Norman Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program
 - A Case Manager for the Oklahoma Board of Nursing’s Peer Assistance Program
Jackie described her vocation as her “Leap of Faith Walk,” believing God gives each of us a purpose for being here. She also believes we find contentment only when we do what we are called to do. Jackie enjoys gardening and most crafts. She loves her family, good gospel music, and the Lord. She also loves to laugh, stating we are all a joke, some of us just don’t get it!

Tyler King

Tyler King originally embarked on a career in welding for the oil and natural gas industry beginning in 2012. Along the way, he felt the need to engage himself more fully in the life of ministry. Tyler received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Heritage Christian University. Tyler remains active in his education, currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary. He has served as an associate minister, youth minister, and currently works as Director of Development and Instructor at Bear Valley Bible Institute. Tyler and his wife, Natalie, were both born and raised in Colorado and continue to be active in the church there.

Eric Lyons

Eric Lyons has served as a full-time member of the Bible Department at Apologetics Press since 2001. Eric and his wife Jana live in Wetumpka, Alabama, where Eric has also served the Wetumpka church of Christ since 2007, formally as a minister, and since 2018 as an elder. Eric has authored or co-authored more than 20 books and has recorded hundreds of Bible videos. In addition, he writes for the Apologetics Press website. Eric loves to teach and preach about the fundamentals of Christianity, and frequently speaks at seminars and Gospel meetings around the country.

Garrett Marshall

Garrett Marshall has been the youth minister at the Westside church of Christ in Norman, OK for two and a half years. Before that, Garrett was a practicing attorney. When asked what prompted the switch, he often responds "I had mastered the laws of man, now I will try my hand at the laws of God." Garrett has been married to his beautiful wife, Paige, for 5 years, and they have a one-year-old son, Finnick.

Daniel Mayfield

Daniel serves as a preacher and teacher for the church of Christ in Kingfisher, OK. He does this work with the invaluable aid, wisdom, and encouragement of his wife, Miranda. They have two young boys, Judah and Zion, and one beautiful daughter, Eden. Daniel has served in Kingfisher for four years, before which time he and Miranda served as missionaries in the Caribbean. Daniel is a graduate of both Bear Valley and Oklahoma Christian University. His greatest passion is to preach the good news of Jesus to any who will listen.

Wes McAdams

Wes McAdams has served as the preaching minister at the church of Christ on McDermott Road (Plano, TX) since 2016. He has also served congregations in Midland, Texas; Leachville, Arkansas, Hot Springs, Arkansas; and Abilene, Texas. In addition to preaching and teaching, he publishes a blog and podcast at RadicallyChristian.com and is the author of the book, Beyond the Verse. Wes is a graduate of Amridge University. He and his wife, Hollee, have been married since 2005. They have two sons, Malachi (14) and Noah (11).

Charlie Powell

Charlie Powell began full-time ministry in 1972. He currently serves as an elder and outreach minister for the Britton Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. Along with his wife, Debbie, and their four children, Charlie served as a missionary in Australia from 1983-1992. They were supported by Britton Road, with whom they began working in 1980. Charlie earned a B.A. in Bible with a minor in Greek from Oklahoma Christian in 1972, and an MTh from Harding Graduate School in 1980. His special areas of interest are Koine Greek and New Testament letters. He taught Greek for nine years at the Macquarie School of Biblical Studies in Sydney, Australia, as well as special courses as an adjunct at OC. He has also been teaching a free community Greek class at Britton Road for over 15 years.

Robert Prater

Robert Prater has been in full-time ministry for 23 years.  Since August of 2021, he has been serving as the pulpit minister for the Mannford Church of Christ.  Previously, he preached for congregations in Tulsa (Crosstown), Shawnee (Central) and Cleveland, Oklahoma.  He received his undergraduate degree in Bible and Ministry from Harding University and has done post-graduate work at Oklahoma Christian University.  He is also a certified facilitator with Prepare/Enrich premarital and marriage assessment.  He has been happily married for 25 years to Maggie (Rampey) who teaches at Jenks Public Schools; they have three children: daughters, Megan (21) and Mackenzie (19), who both attend Harding University, and a 16-year-old son, Camden.

Jeremy Roberts

Jeremy is the Youth and Family Minister with the North MacArthur church in Oklahoma City. He and his wife, Carrie, have worked alongside that congregation since December of 2013. Jeremy is a graduate of the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver and Oklahoma Christian University. Jeremy and Carrie have two daughters, Darci and Penny.

Wayne Roberts

Wayne Roberts has been in ministry for over 30 years working with churches in Colorado, California, Oklahoma and Texas. He has done extensive study and teaching in Homiletics (The art of preaching) and has been involved in preacher training for 20+ years. He serves as Co-director of MIGHTY Men's Mentoring Conference in Dallas. Wayne is a master storyteller and his creative approach to communicating God’s word has made him effective in teaching all ages and a sought-after speaker. Currently he and his wife Tami conduct the His Shoes, Her Shoes Marriage and Family Seminars. They have been married since 1981. They have 5 grown children and 10 grandchildren. They live in Houston where Wayne serves as the Connection Minister for the Memorial Church of Christ. Their interests are their faith, their family, and each other.

Richard Sutton

Richard Sutton began his adult life working as a non-destructive Quality Assurance inspector constructing nuclear reactors in central California and the Handford Area in Southeast Washington. After seven years, in 1979, Richard resigned from that position and enrolled in Preston Road School of Preaching and graduated in 1981. He has been preaching the gospel for 40 years. For the past 20 years he has served the Linder Road church of Christ in Meridian, Idaho as the pulpit minister. He also currently serves as one of seven shepherds. Richard has served congregations in Hayward, CA, Caldwell, ID and Loveland, CO. He has made numerous trips to both Ghana and Cameroon West Africa since 1986 participating in evangelistic efforts in Ghana from 1986-1996. In 1998 he began traveling to Cameroon to conduct seminars developing itinerant preachers in their ministries to present date. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Lori (Wahlstrom) Sutton, for 48 years and has three daughters and seven grandchildren.

Reed Swindle

Reed Swindle grew up in Tennessee and attended Freed-Hardeman University where he received an Undergrad and Masters in Bible. He served as a Youth and Family Minister in Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas for 15 years. He has been the Preacher at the Foote Street Church of Christ in Corinth, MS for over 9 years. Reed serves as an Adjunct Bible Professor at Freed-Hardeman University, teaching Youth and Family Ministry. He has been married to Bridget for 18 years. They have 2 children: Roman (13) and Scarlet (10).

Noel Whitlock

Noel Whitlock was raised in Enid, OK, and graduated Oklahoma Christian in 1986. He has done some graduate work at Oklahoma Christian University and the Austin Graduate School of Theology. Noel and Lael met while students at OC and were married in 1985. Lael is a registered dental hygienist. They have two married daughters who graduated from Harding University: Joelle is married to Cody Krantz and lives in Nashville; and Natalie is married to Dylan Stirrup and lives in Little Rock, AR. Noel and Lael are proud grandparents of Wells (born March, 2021) Noel has served congregations in Tulsa, OK (85-90), Kaufman, TX (90-98) and Round Rock, TX (98-06). He has been the preaching minister for the College Church of Christ in Searcy since August, 2006. He is a talented communicator, and has extended his influence through gospel meetings, lectureships, workshops, short-term mission trips, and retreats. He enjoys golfing (with his dog, Deacon), hunting, reading and coffee shops. Noel is strong in his understanding of the Scriptures, and blends Bible-based lessons with practical life-applications.