2025 Speakers
Updated: November 30, 2025
Plenary
Justin Kim serves as the editor of Adventist Review at the global headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He has served as a missionary, ordained pastor, and director of multiple departments, most recently being the General Conference Associate Director of Sabbath School & Personal Ministries. Pr. Kim graduated from a Catholic secondary school; majored in sociology and biology at the Jewish-sponsored Brandeis University; studied theology and pastoral ministry at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary; preached in about 40 countries; and is a friend of books and an enemy of cilantro/coriander. He was the co-founder of GYC, the creator of the young adult Sabbath School inVerse Bible Study Guide, and currently hosts inVerse on Hope Channel. He and his wife Rachel have two sons.
Plenary
Dr. Stephen Waterbrook is a missionary surgeon and a longtime supporter of GYC, where he currently serves on the board. He was converted while attending a public university—a turning point that ignited his passion for Christ and His mission. He was part of the early team that helped start GYC and is honored to return as a speaker for the Divine Hour service. Married to Katie and blessed with three children, Dr. Waterbrook has a heart for medical ministry, youth discipleship, and spiritual revival. He seeks to encourage young people to do the hardest things for God and pursue Him with wholehearted passion.
Plenary
Jermaine Gayle is the Senior Pastor of the Kalamazoo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Michigan. His ministerial experience includes serving as a chaplain for First Responders, where he provides hope and guidance to those on the front lines. Additionally, he is a co-founder and co-host of the GodInk podcast, which aims to reach young people who are thoughtfully exploring spiritual themes. A graduate of Hartland College, Jermaine is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. As an international speaker, he is passionate about sharing the Word of God across different cultures and contexts, inspiring people to experience the transformative power of Christ. When he isn’t preaching, studying, or serving, Jermaine enjoys reading, biking, and connecting with individuals from all walks of life to hear their stories.
Plenary
David Wright is the VP for Pastoral Ministries for the Georgia-Cumberland Conference. He is a firm believer in our Seventh-day Adventist Message and believes that God is using our youth and young adults to finish the work. He loves to travel, backpack, ski and enjoys being outside any chance he gets. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Georgia with their three children – Lauren, Matthew, and Maryanne.
Seminar
Erhard Gallos is an associate professor of Religion at Andrews University. He pastored in Germany for six years before coming to Andrews University. He joined the faculty in 2008 and teaches New Testament courses, Greek, Ethics, Hermeneutics, and SDA Heritage and the Gift of Prophecy. His focus of intense study has been in the book of Hebrews and his PhD dissertation was on the Sabbath-rest of Hebrews 4.
Seminar
Pastor Mark Howard is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with over twenty years of experience in pastoral ministry and evangelism. He currently serves as the associate director of the Sabbath School & Personal Ministries Department in the Michigan Conference. Pastor Howard is known for his clear, compelling presentations and his passion for the Adventist Message.
Seminar
Dr. Eric Walsh is a graduate of the university of Miami school of medicine, Loma Linda university school of public health where he received his masters and doctorate in public health. His most important educational experience was his time at Oakwood University. He has served 2 US presidents (George W Bush and Barak Obama) as an advisor on HIV/AIDS. Dr. Walsh has training in Addiction Medicine as part of his Preventive Medicine residency. Dr Walsh has served at several churches as an associate Pastor and is currently the associate Pastor at the country life SDA Church in Cleburne, Texas. He is now a practicing physician and health care administrator. He travels the globe speaking on many subjects. His wife Jacqueline is his partner in ministry and his best friend.
Seminar
Garhett is a pastor in the Michigan Conference and a master’s student at Andrews University. He’s passionate about history, wide reading, and finding creative ways to share Jesus. His greatest joy is life with his wife, Dakota, and the dad life with his son, Maverick. Garhett also co-hosts the God Ink podcast with his best friend, Jermaine Gayle
Seminar
Scotty Mayer grew up with a dream to work in the film and television industry. After attending film school in college he ended up in Hollywood for 10 years. shortly after getting lost in the fast paced allurements of Los Angeles, God reached his heart and opened the door for him to leave Hollywood and work in media ministry. Scotty currently serves as a speaker/director for Little Light Studios. Their focus is to create thought provoking documentaries on current events and pop culture leading many young people to filter the world around them through the lens of the Bible.
Seminar
Pastor Christian Martin was born in Argentina, raised in the mission field and called to ministry at the age of 16. He began pastoral ministry as a youth pastor in Battle Creek, Michigan after graduating from Southern Adventist University. His hobbies include long distance running but it’s his passionate love for Christ that has blessed his congregations. Heidi Martin was born in Michigan and attended Andrews University, graduating with degrees in Social Work, Spanish and later a Master’s in Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and uses her degrees in both ministry and the Home Health field. Her hobbies include international travel, vegan cooking and decorating. Heidi is also an accomplished pianist. She has a passion to see men and women find spiritual and emotional freedom in Christ. She married Christian in 2001, and they are the happy parents of two teens, Elijah and Moriah, and together look for ways to enjoy life to the fullest. Christian served as pastor in Oregon and Colorado before serving as Lead Pastor of the Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Haymarket, Virginia where he has been serving since May of 2019. Together they host the morning show “Wake Up with Hope,” on Hope Channel International.
Seminar
Carlos serves as AFCOE director and is a bilingual evangelist for Amazing Facts. As a young man, Carlos lived for the pleasures of this world, but he felt empty and without purpose until he surrendered all to Jesus. He has been married to Sicely for 10 years, and they love to read, travel, and do Crossfit together. They are both passionate about sharing Bible truths through prophecy seminars, revival series, and training churches in evangelism.
Seminar
Dr. Micheal Goetz is lead pastor at the Centerville Adventist Church in the Dayton/Kettering community of Ohio. He began pastoral ministry and law enforcement chaplaincy in Pennsylvania before joining the pastoral team at Pioneer Memorial Church on the Campus of Andrews University. He studied theology at the University of Montemorelos in Mexico and has a doctorate in homiletics from Andrews University. He contributes to the practice of preaching through writing and speaking and pouring his own preaching into the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Oregon is his home state and enjoys travel, running, mountain climbing, and reading. His musically gifted wife Melanie, also a runner, is a dental hygienist. Daughter, Cana, is 11 and son, Micah, is 10.
Seminar
My name is Jordan Reichert. I live in central Indiana with my wife, three amazing kids, and two dogs. I teach History and Bible classes at Indiana Academy. I love Jesus and the Bible, reading, guitars, Thai food, tacos, good jokes and good people, being with my students, pretending I can cook, church family life, puttering around my property with a chainsaw, and opportunities to share about eternal things that matter most. My greatest joy is helping someone to see a clearer picture of the awesome goodness of God in Scripture.
Seminar
Joe Reeves serves as an assistant director of the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department of the General Conference. His responsibilities include being the editor of the inVerse Sabbath School lesson for young adults (www.inversebible.org) and the host for the inVerse program on Hope Channel (www.hopetv.org/inverse). He is supported in ministry by his wife, Ruthie, and two young children. His favorite hobbies include music and outdoor adventure.
Seminar
Mark Finley currently serves as the President of Hope Lives Evangelistic Ministries and is an Assistant to the President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He has traveled to nearly 100 countries sharing the good news of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word. He is an international evangelist, an author of over 70 books, and a tv and radio personality. His You Tube channel Hope Lives 365 has over 300,000 subscribers. His passion is to share Jesus and the beautiful truths of God’s Word with others.
Seminar
I am originally from Mexico, married, and the father of two children. Throughout my journey, God has allowed me to serve as an educator, psychotherapist, and psychologist in several countries. In Mexico, I practice as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and hold a Master’s degree in Cognitive Psychotherapy. I currently serve as the Head of the Department of Biblical Counseling at Hartland College in Virginia, USA. Together with my family, I lead the Sapareachi Emotional Lifestyle Center and an online course in Biblical Psychology for missionaries, serving among the Tarahumara communities. I also collaborate with the ministry “Straight 2 The Heart,” supporting the work of emotional and spiritual restoration through Christ-centered principles. My passion is to promote biblical emotional health integrated with a Christ-like lifestyle, combining psychological understanding and Scripture-based truth to guide others toward healing, wholeness, and the restoration of God’s image in humanity.
Seminar
Pastor Kameron DeVasher is the director of the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries department of the Michigan Conference. A firm believer in the message and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist movement, he has a passion for biblical soul-winning and church growth. He and his wife, Emilie, have three children (Henry, 15; Edward, 13; and Molly, 10) and love to spend their family time on adventures exploring God’s second book of nature.
Seminar
Some Adventist Women is an Instagram-based project that creates a thoughtful space for Adventists to engage with the most pressing issues facing both the church and society today. The platform brings together diverse perspectives rooted in faith and scholarship. This year, the team is bringing their conversations to life at GYC. Thando Amankwah(public health specialist), Sikhu Daco (associate editor, Adventist Review), Esther Kim (social psychology Ph.D. candidate), Michel Lee (history professor), and is bringing their conversations to life at GYC invite you to listen, reflect, and join in.
Seminar
After graduating from Southern Adventist University, Ann and her husband, Adrian, served as missionaries in Burundi and Rwanda from 1979 to 1990. In 1990, a tragic car accident in Rwanda took Adrian’s life and seriously injured Ann and their youngest son. She returned to the U.S. with her three sons and later married Dr. Loren Hamel, a single father of four, creating a blended family of nine. Ann earned a PhD in Psychology from Andrews University and a DM in in Formational Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. For over 30 years, she has specialized in trauma care and supported missionaries during times of crisis.
Seminar
Loren grew up in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University and a master’s in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan. After 25 years of medical practice, he became president and CEO of Lakeland Regional Medical Center in 2009. He led its integration with Spectrum Health, forming Corewell Health, now Michigan’s largest healthcare system. Loren has served on Andrews University’s board for 20 years and co-chairs the Integrative Health Care Rwanda board. He and Ann share a passion for supporting those who serve and promote Christian education and healthcare.