David Mathis is executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at Cities Church. He is a husband, father of four, and author of Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders (2022).

Jonathan Parnell is the lead pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis-St.Paul, a church he and his team planted in 2015. He also serves as the Send Network’s City Missionary in the Twin Cities, where he works to encourage fellow pastors and train church planters. He is the author of Mercy for Today: A Daily Prayer from Psalm 51 (2020), Never Settle for Normal: The Proven Path to Significance and Happiness (2017) and coauthor of How to Stay Christian in Seminary (2014).

A graduate of Bethlehem College and Seminary, he previously worked on the content team at desiringGod.org where he’s written hundreds of articles over the years. He and his wife, Melissa, live in the Twin Cities with their eight children.

A Massachusetts native, Erik moved to Nebraska with the Air Force, and it was there that he heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Soon after becoming a Christian, ministry became a driving priority for Erik. After serving as a pastoral intern and associate pastor, he was sent out to plant Emmaus Bible Church in Omaha, NE. In 2018, he came back to New England to serve as the Senior Pastor of Redeemer. Erik is a frequent contributor to several publications including Tabletalk, 9Marks, Desiring God, and Crossway. His blog, Ordinary Pastor, which he’s written since 2006, is hosted at The Gospel Coalition. He's the author of Chasing Contentment: Trusting God in a Discontented Age, Is Hell for Real?, and He Is Not Ashamed: The Staggering Love of Christ for His People. Erik enjoys spending time with his wife Christie, and their six children, and one grandchild.

Adam is the Lead Pastor of Aletheia Church in Boston, MA and married to the love of his life, Hope. About 4 months after marriage, they were unexpectedly called into ministry, moving them to Edinburgh, Scotland to help plant two new churches. In 2010, they planted Aletheia Church in Boston.

Completing Master’s Degrees at Reformed Theological Seminary (M.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and a D.Min from Gordon-Conwell, he will soon complete his Ph.D. at The University of Aberdeen. In 2019, he joined the faculty of Every Nation Seminary as a Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies.

He presently resides in the Boston area with his wife, Hope, and their four children, Alanna, Nora, Cole, and Wyatt.

Ryan Griffith (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Chief of Staff, and Associate Professor of Church History at Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO). In addition to his love for building and strengthening Christ-centered institutions, Ryan’s is passionate about equipping men and women to walk deeply with Jesus and display his glory in the home, church, and world. When he’s not plotting a project, he loves reading, spending time with friends, backcountry camping, and chasing his dog, Copper. Ryan serves at Hill City Church (Springfield, MO).