RISE 2021
RISE 2021 | Pastor Sammy Rodriguez
February 24, 2021 • Pastor Sammy Rodriguez
Samuel Rodriguez is the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization with 42,000 plus U.S. churches and many additional churches spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. Rodriguez has been named among the “Top 100 Christian Leaders in America” (Newsmax 2018) and nominated as one of the “100 most influential people in the world” (TIME 2013). Rodriguez is regularly featured in CNN, Fox News, Univision, PBS, Christianity Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, andmany others. Rodriguez was the first Latino to deliver the keynote address at the annual The Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and is the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award presented by the Congress of Racial Equality. Rodriguez, has advised Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, and frequently consults with Congress advancing immigration and criminal justice reform as well as religious freedom and LIFE initiatives. On January 20, 2017, with over 1 billion people watching around the world, Rev. Rodriguez became the first Latino Evangelical to participate in a Presidential swearing-in ceremony reading from Matthew 5, concluding with “In Jesus name!” Rodriguez is executive producer of two films (Flamin’ Hot and BREAKTHROUGH ) in partnership with Franklin Entertainment and 20th Century Fox. He likewise serves as co-founder and lead pastor of TBN Salsa, an international Christian-based broadcast television network, and he is the author of You Are Next, Shake Free, as well as Be Light, a #1 LA Times bestseller. He earned his Masters Degree from Lehigh University and received Honorary Doctorates from Northwest, William Jessup and Baptist University of the America’s. Rodriguez serves as Senior Pastor of New Season Christian Worship Center in Sacramento, California, where he resides with his wife, Eva, and their three children.
RISE 2021 | Pastor Tony Stewart
February 25, 2021 • Pastor Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart is a voice to this generation…. a voice that speaks with passion and unwavering faith in the word of God. With fervency and an energetic delivery, he presents the word and paints the text in a way that challenges believers and non-believers to follow Christ. Pastor Tony is the Senior Pastor of citylife church…a dynamic, 4000 member, multi-campus, multi-racial, multi-generational church that is on the move in the Tampa Bay area. Additionally, citylife church has been named by Outreach Magazine and Lifeway Research as one of the fastest growing churches in America and received this recognition the last 4 out of 5 years. Along with his pastoral responsibilities, Pastor Tony • Travels nationally and internationally speaking in conferences and campmeetings. • Hosts a weekly broadcast of citylife TV reaching into over 10 million homes • Was recognized in 2018 as one of the Top 40 young Kingdom voices in the United States • Served as Chairman of the Executive Council of Eighteen for the Church of God, Cleveland, TN Pastor Tony’s partner in ministry and in life is Kaci Stewart. Kaci serves as the pastor of worship and arts at citylife church. She is a recording artist on several projects including her own album, You Are God. Tony & Kaci are the proud parents of 2 precious girls, Bayli Grace & Hadli Hope. Follow Pastor Tony on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter : @tonydstewart
RISE 2021 | Dr. Sam Chand
February 25, 2021 • Dr. Sam Chand
Who would have thought, when in 1973 “student” Sam Chand was serving Beulah Heights Bible College as janitor, cook and dishwasher that he would return in 1989 as “President” of the same college! Under his leadership it became the country’s largest predominantly African-American Christian College. Sam Chand is a former Pastor, college President, Chancellor and now serves as President Emeritus of Beulah Heights University. In this season of his life, Sam Chand does one thing—Leadership. His singular vision for his life is to help others succeed.
RISE 2021 | Coach Tony Dungy
February 25, 2021 • Coach Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books include Quiet Strength, Uncommon, The Mentor Leader, and Uncommon Marriage. He led the Indianapolis Colts to Super Bowl victory on February 4, 2007, the first such win for an African American head coach. Dungy established another NFL first by becoming the first head coach to lead his teams to the playoffs for ten consecutive years. Dungy joined the Colts in 2002 after serving as the most successful head coach in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history. He has also held assistant coaching positions with the University of Minnesota, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Minnesota Vikings. Before becoming a coach, he played three seasons in the NFL. Dungy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Dungy has been involved in a wide variety of charitable organizations, including All Pro Dad, Abe Brown Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Athletes in Action, Mentors for Life, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Boys & Girls Clubs. He has also worked with Basket of Hope, Impact for Living, the Black Coaches Association National Convention, Indiana Black Expo, the United Way of Central Indiana, and the American Diabetes Association. He retired from coaching in 2009 and now serves as a studio analyst for NBC’s Football Night in America. He and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of ten children.
RISE 2021 | Dr. Tim Hill
February 25, 2021 • Dr. Tim Hill
Dr. Timothy Hill has served in national and international Christian leadership for many years. As General Overseer of the Church of God (Cleveland, TN), he serves as Presiding Bishop for over seven million members of the church in over 180 countries around the world. His past service as General Director of World Missions for the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) took him to more than 100 nations of the world giving oversight to a large multifaceted and diverse global ministry. Previous ministry roles include assistant general overseer and secretary general of the Church of God; chairman of the Church of God International Executive Council; and as administrative bishop of the Church of God in Southern Ohio and Oklahoma. Prior to entering administrative work, Dr. Hill served as senior pastor of Riveroak Church of God in Danville, Virginia, where he hosted daily television and radio programs. He is a graduate of Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee, and received a Doctorate of Ministry from Church of God Theological Seminary, Cleveland, Tennessee. Dr. Hill has authored several books of sermons and has written 200 gospel songs. He is the author of the number one song, He’s Still in the Fire, which was voted Song of the Year by Gospel Voice Magazine. He began recording at age 16 and has 18 recording projects to his credit, including many original songs. Traveling extensively worldwide, Dr. Hill speaks in major denominational and interdenominational conventions and conferences. He is married to Paula and they have three daughters, Melinda, Brittany, and Tara. He is grandfather to Timothy Brayden, Hailey Taylor, Lucas Reed Maness and Jaxon River Sharpe.
RISE 2021 | Dr. Sam Chand
February 25, 2021 • Dr. Sam Chand
Who would have thought, when in 1973 “student” Sam Chand was serving Beulah Heights Bible College as janitor, cook and dishwasher that he would return in 1989 as “President” of the same college! Under his leadership it became the country’s largest predominantly African-American Christian College. Sam Chand is a former Pastor, college President, Chancellor and now serves as President Emeritus of Beulah Heights University. In this season of his life, Sam Chand does one thing—Leadership. His singular vision for his life is to help others succeed.
RISE 2021 | Pastor Maury Davis
February 25, 2021 • Pastor Maury Davis
In 1991, when Maury and his wife, Gail, answered the call to pioneer a church in Nashville, Tennessee, they arrived in a new state with little other than a call from God, a set of triplets, and an intense work ethic. Rather than pioneering a new start-up church, an unexpected chain of events led to Maury’s election as Senior Pastor of a small, 200-member congregation in the suburbs of the city. Maury’s unique and personal journey with God has allowed him to experience the full life cycle of a pastor and the deep satisfaction of growing a ministry. His success is a testimony to his belief in and passion for empowering those around him to grow, take ownership, inspire others, and move forward. Whether through intimate conferences, one-on-one coaching, or consulting relationships, Maury is dedicated to teaching and guiding other ministers to grow their churches. His heart understands that to further the Kingdom, we have to reach people. And that’s what he does, each and every day. Today, that little 200-member church has grown to over 16,000 congregants that call Cornerstone Church home.
RISE 2021 | Author Lisa Bevere
February 25, 2021 • Author Lisa Bevere
Lisa Bevere is a worldwide speaker and best-selling author. Lisa is also a co-host of The Messenger TV program, which covers over 200 countries. Moreover, she is enthusiastic, relatable, practical, and creative. In her straightforward fashion, Lisa offers God’s Word woven with individual encounters to engage lives with flexibility and transformation.