Home > Denominational Ministries > Christian Formation > Departmental Ministries > Youth & Family > Speaker Team

What is the Speaker Team?

The Speaker Team grew out of a desire to assist Covenant Church Youth Ministries by providing quality speakers for conference retreats, leadership-training, or gatherings of two or more Covenant churches.  Our goal is to challenge and assist the Evangelical Covenant Church to reach, disciple, and equip youth and families for growth toward spiritual maturity and to serve the community and the world for Christ.

What qualifications do the speakers possess? (see speakers bios below)We expect all of our speakers to be: excellent presenters,  spiritually and theologically deep and currently in ministry.

What costs are involved?
Christian Formation covers the speakers’ travel expenses and stipend.

What do you do to take advantage of this service? Contact Marti Burger.

NOTE: Hosting sites must involve multiple churches. Due to limited resources we cannot service summer camp experiences.

A New Retreat: A Time to Breathe

Breathe… an invitation to a place and time to hear God’s still small voice. “A Time to Breathe” is an interactive and experiential retreat designed to provide guidance and experience in spiritual practices so that participants may grow in their journey with God. Youth Workers and students explore together what it means to be in the presence of God. Come take time to breathe! CV Hartline, Heather Monkmeyer, Ben Pease, and Melissa Wall are the speakers for this retreat.

Speakers 

CV Hartline is the pastor at Vibrant. He grew up in Texas and received a BA in Telecommunications and Film as well as a MDiv at Baylor University. Before moving to Oregon in 1999 he was a hospital chaplain, barista, scuba instructor, and food server at various points along the journey. CV and his wife, Stacy, moved to Portland to start a new community called Vibrant and for Stacy to attend graduate school in March 2004. They have one golden retriever, Rufus, and a fat cat, Cleo.

Heather Monkmeyer is pastor of community life at Christ Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan, where she provides spiritual direction and formation and develops caring Christian communities and the leaders for those communities. After more than 15 years in youth ministry, she is excited to be a part of a project that brings together two areas of deep passion: spirituality and students. When she finds a spare moment she loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, get outdoors and make things with her hands.

Ben Pease is Youth Pastor at Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton, Minnesota. His favorite part of youth ministry is when students recognize God's work in, through and around their lives, and respond with wonder, commitment and faith. Ben loves being with his family and in the outdoors. 

Melissa Wall is a Pastor of Youth, Family, and Children at DeerGrove Covenant Church in Inverness Illinois where she has been serving for the last three and a half years. She has loved this first call because of the breadth of ministry she is responsible for. She plans worship, preaches 2-3 times a month, preaching for intergenerational worship services as well, and serves in pastoral care needs in addition to her responsibilities with Christian Formation. Melissa is a graduate of North Park Undergrad in youth ministry and received her M.Div. in 2004 from North Park Theological Seminary, and was ordained in 2006. Her Husband Fredrik serves in the Denominational Offices as the financial manager for Church Growth and Evangelism for the Covenant, and Melissa and Fredrik are excited for they are expecting their first child! 

Rescue 101

Rescue 101 is a four session program aimed at helping students identify the need to share their faith. By equipping students with tools for sharing their faith and helping to nurture their hearts for ministry to their friends, these speakers will help them grow in discipleship and evangelism. Kris Causton, Tim Ciccone, and Chris Pappenfus are the speakers for this retreat.

Kris Causton, A former youth pastor, Kris keeps in touch with youth culture by being part of the speaker team, teaching a Bible class at Bethel University, serving on the CHIC 2006 council, and watching Happy Days  every afternoon. Kris’ goals are to start each day breathing and end each day with ice cream. Kris loves Jesus, her husband Jeff, daughter Petra, and others too numerous to mention.

Tim Ciccone is the pastor of student ministries at Forest Park Covenant Church in Muskegon, Michigan. "Students ROCK and God is doing great things with them! It has truly been a blessing to be a part of youth ministry the last ten years. I look forward to the opportunity to rub shoulders with you as we jump in together to facilitate what God has already begun in our students' lives."

We're Here to Serve

This team's specialty is to take the text and topic you choose and share it with youth. All of the below are speakers for this retreat.

Chris Brooks has been ministering to Youth and families for nearly 15 years, primarily in an inner-city context. He currently serves as the National Coordinator of UrbNet, the National Network of Youth Ministries’ Urban Division.  Chris has been married to Bobbi Jo for 11 years, and they have 2 children – Selah (7), and Gabriel (5).

Kris Causton, A former youth pastor, Kris keeps in touch with youth culture by being part of the speaker team, teaching a Bible class at Bethel University, serving on the CHIC 2006 council, and watching Happy Days  every afternoon. Kris’ goals are to start each day breathing and end each day with ice cream. Kris loves Jesus, her husband Jeff, daughter Petra, and others too numerous to mention.

Tim Ciccone is the pastor of student ministries at Forest Park Covenant Church in Muskegon, Michigan. "Students ROCK and God is doing great things with them! It has truly been a blessing to be a part of youth ministry the last ten years. I look forward to the opportunity to rub shoulders with you as we jump in together to facilitate what God has already begun in our students' lives."

Wally Coots started in youth ministry during his college days back in 1973. After his graduation from NPTS in 1980 he served two Covenant churches. Since 2002 he has been Youth Pastor at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya. There he ministers to missionary kids from over two dozen countries of origin as well as helping to develope youth ministry for the nearby Maasai tribe.

Having served the Lord and pastored students in three countries on two continents Wally communicates a love for the Lord, a passion for kids and a unique perspective that can only come from 35 years of youth ministry experience.

Danelle Delgado is the Middle School Pastor at Crossroads Church in Loveland, Colorado. She has a passion to help teens discover how incredibly they were created and how amazing a life led by Christ can truly be. She loves to inspire teens to “not let anyone look down on them because they are young” and give them extra tools to develop a deeper relationship with Christ. For fun she loves spending time with her husband, playing soccer, Starbucks visits and anything outdoors. “I can’t wait to meet more of the body of Christ and do life together with you.”

Carlos DeVitis is the Senior High Youth Pastor at Mankato Covenant Church. "I'm amazed at the way of Jesus, and committed to spending my life pursuing it as the best possible way to live. My heart for ministry is 'moving students Godward...in faith, hope, and love.' It's thrilling to pursue this by building open, authentic, and often messy spiritual community with our teens."

Kevin Farmer is an Associate Pastor and Director of Equipping and Formation at the Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, MN.  A 15 year veteran of working with children, youth & young adults, Kevin has a tremendous desire to see young people as well as those who shepherd them grow into the fullness of all that God desires for them.  Kevin received his BA in Africana Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and his MA in Christian Education from Bethel Theological Seminary.  Kevin lives with his 3 favorite people, his wife Lynn, son Noah and daughter Maya.

Lloyd Gilbert is the junior high pastor at Rolling Hills Covenant Church in California. He loves to challenge students to unpack the recorded scripts they heard growing up about Jesus Christ. He is passionate to set students free to be who God designed them to be and that God never leaves them even when life becomes messy. I want students to know that God is able to work beyond their wildest imagination in whatever circumstance. He loves to read, travel, and spend his free time with his wife and three kids.

Whitney Hall is currently a student at North Park Theological Seminary, where she is studying to receive an MDiv and Masters of Business Management. Prior to this insanity, she was a Jr & Sr high youth pastor for 7 years at Trinity Covenant Church in Lexington, MA. Whitney believes that teenagers need to know they were created by God - unique & special and that they have a huge impact on each other, their communities and their world. Discovering how they are designed by God will help them to know Him better. When Whitney's not studying, she likes to read, watch TV & movies, talk to her family on the phone and play board games and volleyball, and she wholeheartedly believes in the value of good vocabulary.

Rob Jacobson has a passion for Jesus and teens that can't be missed. Rob has been working with teenagers for over 10 years and currently serves at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville, Minnesota as an Associate Pastor. He loves teenagers and is not afraid to talk about the things teenagers are thinking about and questioning. He is animated and articulate with God's truth, bringing it to students through their eyes. His great story-telling ability makes teens laugh and cry and points them to God's truth. "I am genuinely interested in each student and what God has done and will do in their life if we allow Him."  He enjoys the short summers by racing triathlons, camping, and relaxing with his family. Ask him about spandex, superheroes, or his kids and you're sure to have a memorable conversation.

Jeff Mazzariello is the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Marin Covenant Church in San Rafael, California.  He has over 20 years experience speaking to students and their families.   Jeff and Linda have four children ranging from college age to middle school, all of whom are turning out only marginally goofed up... 

Scott Nelson is Pastor of Student Ministries at Modesto Covenant Church.  Scott loves to combine Bible- heart- relevance- humor- depth- interaction- and passion all into one to make a great message. Sound complicated? No way! It all comes together for an amazing experience where students are moved to make a difference for Jesus.

Nate Severson has been working with junior high students on a volunteer or full-time basis for fifteen years. He is currently serving as the junior high youth pastor at Hillcrest Covenant Church in Overland Park, Kansas. Some things to know about Nate...He has a beautiful wife (Kirsten) and three studly boys (Will, Jay and Ty); he loves any and all sports, he is a total coffee snob, his Grandma used to buy him his underwear (really awkward) and he loves observing the changes God can make in a person's life.

Kara Stromberg works at Youth Leadership, training youth workers and youth ministry graduate students through a partnership with Bethel Seminary. A former youth pastor, she tries to stay cool and relevant through involvement with a community youth outreach center.  She loves sunny days, time with family, feeding her caffeine addiction and avoiding housework. She lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband, Nate, and two kids.

HURT Seminar

The Hurt Seminar provides churches training and tools they need to understand the adolescent experience and help them to more fully assimilate and integrate their students into the full life of the church family.

Grounded in a solid theology of church life and community, the seminar helps men and women grapple with their own fears regarding our changing world, and allows for them to recognize and address how these fears get passed down to the kids that God is calling each of us to serve, nurture, embrace, and love. Specific application strategies and tips will provide the hope we adults so desperately need in learning how to serve this so highly misunderstood and abandoned generation.

Bill MacPhee has been involved in student ministries for over twenty-five years and is currently leading student and family ministries at Rolling Hills Covenant Church in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Bill has graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with an M.Div and recently a Doctor of Ministry in Youth and Family Ministries. Bill has also served in student ministries at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, CA, and at Hillcrest Covenant Church, in Prairie Village, KS. A family man, Bill has been married to Cynthia for twenty two years, and has two children, 20 year old Conner, and 12 year old Heather. Bill also enjoys camping, surfing, biking, and reading. "I am passionate about how our adolescents are navigating a rapidly changing culture which demands more skills, yet they are given fewer resources, including our time. I love kids and long for our churches and homes to be places of safety, protection, nurture, and wild fun."

ParenTeen™ Seminar

The ParenTeen Seminar, based on solid research and years of experience, equips parents to both understand and nurture their children in a constantly changing cultural environment. Tailored to the specific issues and needs of a community or hosting churches, a ParenTeen Seminar is guaranteed to help parents gain insight into their child's journey, and to develop a more authentic and effective parenting strategy throughout the teen years and beyond.

The seminar is specifically focused on what it means to see parenting as stewardship from God. The focus will be on how God is calling parents to respond to their children in a highly secular and fragmented culture, what biblical discipleship looks like during the teen years, and how parents who have an authentic faith have the best chance of leading their children into a lifetime of commitment to God and his kingdom work.

Bill MacPhee has been involved in student ministries for over twenty-five years and is currently leading student and family ministries at Rolling Hills Covenant Church in Rolling Hills Estates, California. Bill has graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with an M.Div and recently a Doctor of Ministry in Youth and Family Ministries. Bill has also served in student ministries at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, CA, and at Hillcrest Covenant Church, in Prairie Village, KS. A family man, Bill has been married to Cynthia for twenty two years, and has two children, 20 year old Conner, and 12 year old Heather. Bill also enjoys camping, surfing, biking, and reading. "I am passionate about how our adolescents are navigating a rapidly changing culture which demands more skills, yet they are given fewer resources, including our time. I love kids and long for our churches and homes to be places of safety, protection, nurture, and wild fun."