2024-25 Multipliers Learning Community Roster

I currently serve as district superintendent of the Prairie Lakes District Church of the Nazarene (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota). I have been in this role since August of 2014. I pastored three churches: Church of the Nazarene, Aurora, Missouri (1986-1991); SonLight Church of the Nazarene, Blaine, Minnesota (1991-2000); The Naz, Fergus Falls, Minnesota (2000-2014). I am married to Jeanna, and we have just celebrated 41 years of marriage. We have six children and eight grandchildren. Of my six children, four are adopted.

Pete loves the adventure and camaraderie that can be found in a good day of downhill skiing or uphill hiking. Like you, he is challenged daily to embrace the Adventure that the Spirit is leading.

After relaunching a Mission Church Plant in Lakeway, Texas, in early 2009, Pete now serves the mission of ACTS Church Lakeway through vision casting, communication, and leadership development. Pete also leads the ACTS Church Network, helping churches launch churches within the greater Austin area.

Prior to leading the Community of ACTS, Pete served churches in Ellisville, Missouri and Phoenix, Arizona.

Most importantly, I am married to the Rev. Dr. Mindi Cromwell and we have 2 sons, Levi and Bennet. I am in my 7th year as Superintendent of the Central Region Conference of the Free Methodist Church. Since my first pastorate in 1991 I have served 7 congregations, with 2 being on a circuit. Through those years I have had the privilege of working to plant over 25 new churches both here in the States and around the world and to mentor multiple women and men in ministry. Denominationally I have served as Vice-President of the Urban Fellowship, a member of the National Student Ministries Team, on the BOA, and currently as a member of the Study Commission on Doctrine and as the Protestant Chair of the USCCB's Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue.

I am an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church, currently serving as the Interim Superintendent of the Pacific Northwest Conference. I am passionate about equipping and mentoring pastors and future leaders, as well as fostering healthy churches focused on discipleship and multiplication. In my spare time, I love snow skiing with my husband and traveling to new places.

Chad Woolf, Alliance Southeast Church Multiplication Director.

Chad and his wife Kari live in southwest Florida with their two children, Turner and Kate. Chad has served in church ministry for twenty-five years and has participated in or led four multiplication efforts. He holds an undergraduate degree from Emmaus Bible College and a Master of Arts degree in Apologetics from the Talbot School of Theology. Chad is passionate about helping the church thrive by developing leaders and planting new expressions of God’s Kingdom.

Chris has ministered to students, young adults, and adults in both large and small church venues. He grew up in San Diego and has ministered from New York to North Carolina. Chris has served as a Church Planter, Staff Pastor, as well as Lead Pastor. Chris has serves as an Itinerant Speaker for the past 20 years, previously with Forge Ministries, and now working with Preach.com. Chris married his beautiful wife in 1995 and they have 4 children and 2 grandchildren Chris is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University.

I was raised in a very traditional Seventh-Day Adventist church, walked away from God through my teen years and came to know a personal relationship with Jesus at the age of 25. Now at 49, I have been a pastor for 16 years, full time for 14. I have been married for 27 years to a mental health therapist and have 3 grown children. I am also a part-time Army National Guard chaplain. I have served as a lead pastor, mission pastor, and campus pastor. For the past 6 years I have been leading a multi-campus church in Ashtabula OH, just a few miles from Lake Erie (I love being on the lake). In 2020 we developed an online congregation during Covid, and in 2022 we merged two 100+ year old congregations.

Eddie DeJesus was a soldier and a NYC police officer by trade but a pastor by heart. Honorably discharged as a sergeant in the reserves after 12 years and took early retirement as a NYC police officer to pursue God’s call as a co-vocational church planter and as Executive Director of New Life Association of Churches also as the Chaplain of the NY Mets. Planted a Church in NYC under Pete Scazzero. Then 6 more church plant in southwest Florida. Currently serving Church Planting Director in Texas and Multiplication Coordinator on the Alliance National team.Eddie & Norma married 37 years with 3 adult sons.

I, Marco Lopez, was born in Brownsville, TX. After serving as a Marine in the US armed forces, I studied mathematics at UT Brownsville. My wife and I have three children: a 6th grader, 5th grader and a 3rd grader. I retired from public education as a high school math teacher. I was called to work as a principal at St. Paul Lutheran School. I am working towards acceptance into a Hispanic Studies program to eventually become an ordained minister.

Karen Blanchard
Director of Worship Arts
Karen joined the Community Evangelical Church staff in March of 2016. She graduated from Temple University with master’s degrees in vocal performance and choral conducting. Her desire is to equip the Church to use their God-given gifts and talents as their true act of worship to glorify and bless God. When not leading worship, Karen can be heard singing with the Grammy-winning chamber choir, The Crossing. She loves taking walks and traveling with her husband, Tom, as well as visiting her kids Amelia and Justin (and his wife Anna) in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Allison Nye is currently the Director of Discipleship and Connections at Alpharetta Methodist. In this role, she works with Sunday school classes, small groups, and Bible studies, as well as helping connect newcomers to the life of the church. She is also on the Board of Directors of Family Promise North Fulton/Dekalb, a non-profit that helps families who are experiencing or close to experiencing homelessness. In her free time, you can find Allison at a thrift store buying her next book!

An ordained elder in the Allegheny West Provisional Annual Conference, Laura Saffell, is
the pastor of two churches in southwest Pennsylvania, a member of the Board of Ministry, and
serving as Presiding Elder over the Pittsburgh South Circuit. She also had the privilege of serving
on the TCAT and continues to serve on the Conference Council. In addition to her roles in
Allegheny West, she has served as the Chair of the Western Pennsylvania Wesleyan Covenant
Association for the past few years.

Laura has two adult children, Kathryn and Nicholas, and one grandchild. She is
married to Jarrett Saffell who is an incredible partner in ministry serving in ways
that benefit Laura and the churches and communities in which they live.

Erick serves as Superintendent of the North Michigan Conference of the Free Methodist. In addition to this role, he also serves as the Director of Coaching for Mission Igniter, a church planting incubator in the Free Methodist Church. Prior to these roles, Erick pastored Free Methodist churches in Southern Michigan and in Chicagoland. He has been married to his wife, Bekki (also an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church), since October 2004, and together, they have three boys: Noah, William, and Miles. Erick is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry in Organizational Leadership at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Mark began working at Living Water Church in Dalton, Ohio 1999 as the Youth Pastor. Since that first role, He has served in various leadership roles including Worship Leader and Organizational Development. In 2011, he became the Lead Pastor. Under his leadership, the church has become a network with churches located in Dalton (est. 1986), Massillon (2014), and Orrville (2022), Canton (2023), and Perry (2024). Along with leading at Living Water, Mark is also serving as Director of Church Multiplication for the Free Methodist Church in Ohio. He is leading the way in planting churches across the state of Ohio.

I started attending Crossroads in 2019 and became a leader in the recovery program. I loved being able to use my broken past to connect others to Jesus. God then called me to vocational ministry, so I started classes at Nazarene Bible College. I went on staff with Crossroads in March of 2021 as an assistant, received my district ministry license, then became an associate pastor at one of our satellite campuses, learning how to be a campus pastor. In April of this year, my husband and I moved to Nashville to launch a new campus for Crossroads! I’m finishing up my degree in leadership and management at Trevecca with a minor in Christian Ministry. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my cats, Topgolf, and trying new restaurants.

I have served in the LCMS Texas District for 30 years as a Teacher, Youth Minister and Campus Director. I now serve as the Director of Ministry Operations at Camp Lone Star. My focus has been on our second site in Tomball known as the Pines Campus. I've been married to Amantha, a Southwest flight attendant, for 24 years and have 2 children, Jacob and Sara. My years of work inside the church and now within the camping ministry has forced me to reconsider how the church can be effective to an affluent and complacent society. I'm also looking forward to hearing from other church leaders as we push our mission forward in the challenging years to come.

Chris Ritter has served Geneseo First Methodist since 2009, a church twice recognized for high numbers of professions of faith. (Geneseo First has an attendance of 450 in a town of 6500.) A 3-time General Conference delegate, Chris currently chairs the Global Episcopacy Committee for the GMC. He blogs at PeopleNeedJesus.net and is the author of "Seven Things John Wesley Expected Us to Do for Kids" (Abingdon 2016). Chris was recognized with academic honors at Perkins (D.Min. in Evangelism) and Candler (M.Div.) Schools of Theology. An Illinois State Police Chaplain, he holds leadership roles in the Great Lakes Conference and has served on the boards of WCA and Confessing Movement. Chris & his wife of 36 years, Becky, have four adult children.

Steve grew up following Jesus in Knoxville, Tennessee. After graduating from Emory, spent a year as a missionary in Yucumo, Bolivia. After graduating law school at William & Mary, was an attorney for several years. God called him into ministry in North Georgia in 1994. He’s been a Methodist Pastor for 30 years; he currently is the Senior Pastor at Dahlonega Methodist Church and is the Presiding Elder of District 2 in North Georgia in the Global Methodist Church. He is married to Debbie and has two children, Faith and Luke.

I am an elder in the Global Methodist Church. My wife (Kate) and I co-pastor the Garden Church in Muncie, IN. This fall we shifted the church to a church of house church model. I also serve on the Great Lakes GMC leadership council as the multiplication lead. Previously I served as the Assoc. Director for Leadership Development - Laity & Discipleship for the Indiana Annual Conference (UMC).

My wife and I have three boys aged 10, 8, and 6. I was born in southern New Jersey and haven't been able to kick Philly sports.

Pastor Jim Copenhaver has over 20 years of ministry experience and he's just as excited about what God has in store for the future. His passion to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and equip others to do so, is the driving force behind his ministry. Jim is a District Licensed Minister in the Church of The Nazarene. Jim received his Biblical Studies certificate from Liberty University, and is also the recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. He and his wife Angela, and their son Hutson live in Wooster, Ohio.

I was born in PR. My mother made a commitment to Christ when I was 2 years old so I practically grew "in church" but at 9 years old I made a decision for Christ when reading Romans chapter 5. Was always involved in music, youth ministry and teaching the Word was always my passion so much that I insisted to enroll in the church bible institute (Iglesias Asambleas Iglesias Unidas),at 14 and completed the 3 years required. After college, I served 4 years in the US Navy as a sonar technician. Being married to my beautiful Daisy for 31 years and have 3 kids and now 7 grandkids. Being in ministry for 24 years, planted or being part of planting 4 churches in PA, Florida and Texas. For the past 4 years serving an accredited church in Brooklyn, NY.

I am married with 3 boys. Ages 19, 17, 15. My wife is a high school math teacher and I am a second career pastor. Before ministry, I was a vice president of a bank.

I just started serving at Westview Community Church in Manhattan, KS as Pastor of Leadership. In conjunction with this role, I serve as the Kansas District of the Wesleyan Church's Multiplication Director and help lead the Awaken Network. Before moving to Manhattan, I served on staff as the Executive Pastor and in a few other roles at Ransom Church in Sioux Falls, SD for 11.5 years.

Dr. Deb Walkemeyer is Co-Pastor of Light & Life Christian Fellowship in North Long Beach, CA. Over the past 31 years Light & Life has grown significantly and built a national reputation as a multi-ethnic, missional church which is planting new churches locally and globally.

Deb is a licensed marriage family therapist who also has a Doctorate from Fuller Seminary in Church Leadership. She co-authored “Together with Family – Growing a Level 5 Marriage” with her husband, Larry.

As the former Pastor of the Light & Life Community Center she led a thriving Community Theater program for under-resourced youth as well as many other missional initiatives.

She is also a recognized Master Gardener who pioneered the Compton Community Garden which h

After 25 years in corporate America as an IT and Operations leader, I joined the staff at Alpharetta Methodist in 2024 as Executive Pastor. Prior to joining the staff, I was engaged in the church for 22 years in a variety of ways, most recently as Lay Leader. I am married to my high school sweetheart Danielle, and we have 2 children ages 20 and 17. In my free time I enjoy running, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits.

I've been a follower of Jesus my whole life, but felt God's call when he was 12 and 28. I've been a Methodist pastor for over 20 years, ordained in the UMC 2011, and served 2 congregations. I was baptized, confirmed, and heard his call to ministry through the Church and Christian camping. I hold a BS in environmental engineering from SUNY ESF, and a Mdiv from Asbury. My spiritual gifts are leadership, administration, teaching, and discernment. My wife and I have two grown and married children, who are all serving the Lord, and three amazing grandchildren. I enjoy flying my drone as an FAA-certified drone pilot, disc golfing, hiking anywhere, archery hunting, motorcycle riding, and spending lots of time with our growing family.