Gary has been serving as a pastor in the United Methodist Church since the age of 18. His passion for fruitful ministry over the years as pastor, fund-raising consultant and leadership coach has resulted in revitalizing existing congregations and planting two new communities of faith. Gary believes the best days of our church are yet ahead of us and is excited to be part of a team that will re-imagine what it means to be the church as we seek to re-evangelize our new United States. Gary is the author of two books focused on spiritual leadership and congregational development: The Meandering Way-Leading by Following the Spirit (2007) and Imagining Church: Seeing Hope In a World of Change (2009) which he co-wrote with his wife Kim, both published by Alban Institute. Gary and Kim have two sons, Aaron and Jake.

Bener is originally from Manila, Philippines. Prior to his coming to the United States, he served the United Methodist Church in the Philippines as a local pastor, new church developer, and district superintendent for over 20 years. Previously, he was a delegate to the 1996 and 2000 Philippines Central Conference and the 2000 General Conference, representing the Philippines Annual Conference.

In 2002, Bener transferred his membership to Wisconsin Annual Conference, where he served as local pastor for Cicero and Seymour congregations as chair of the Asian Caucus and the Conference Board of Congregational, Parish, and Circuit Ministry Development. Bener joined the General Board of Discipleship staff in January 2007, serving as director of Conference and Ethnic Church Stewardship.

Joanna Appel moved back to Nashville in the fall of 2009 after spending five years near London, England working with youth in an Anglican Church.   While living in the UK she was part of a dynamic breakout church movement which was excellent preparation for her current position on the New Church Starts staff as the Team Assistant.   Joanna grew up in Minnesota but has thought of Nashville as “home” since attending Belmont University where she earned a double BA in Mathematics and French.  She is married to Tom and is passionate about good music, adventurous food, and her British cat, Sophie.

Becky is originally from Ypsilanti, MI.  She moved to Nashville with her family when she was in junior high.  Becky graduated with a degree in ChristianMinistries with an emphasis in Missions from the Free Will Baptist Bible College in May, 2006.  Becky has been at GBOD since January, 2006.  She begin in the Discipleship Ministries Division has recently moved to the New Church Starts Team as of April, 2009.  Becky enjoys spending time with her family; especially her niece.

Candace is an Ordained Elder from the Florida Annual Conference. Upon graduation from Gammon Theological Seminary, she was appointed to plant a new church.  Candace and a team of committed laity have spent the last 12 years successfully planting the New Life Community UMC, a new African American congregation in Jacksonville, Florida. Their book, A New Day: A New Way - Planting, Starting & Revitalizing Ministries (2009), will be available through Discipleship Resources soon. Candace is a sought after preacher, leader, coach, consultant and passionate servant of the church.

Blanca was born in Chicago, Illinois, but has lived in Nashville, Tennessee for most of her adult life. She is of Mexican heritage and fluent both in the English and Spanish languages. She has been with the GBOD since 1988 and represents the Office of Hispanic/Latino Ministries as Assistant Director for Hispanic/Latino Ministries for New Church Starts. Blanca’s role is to support the implementation of a comprehensive plan for promoting and marketing resources and training that will help meet the goal of 75 chartered Hispanic churches and 500 new Hispanic faith communities, also to form and coordinate the network of persons who lead new faith communities and/or who start new churches that serve the Hispanic/Latino community.

Paul Nixon is author of four books on church leadership, the latest of which is titled: Finding Jesus on the Metro: And Other Surprises Doing Church in a New Day.  Paul serves part time on the Path 1 team and part time as a mission developer working with young urban adults in the Washington DC area. Previously he served as Director of Congregational Development for Alabama-West Florida Conference and as the founding pastor of the Soundside Campus of Gulf Breeze UMC in northwest Florida.

Alma joined the General Board of Discipleship in June 2000, as the Acquisitions Editor for Spanish Language Resources. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she obtained a master’s degree in public administration, with concentration in training and a bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies/foreign languages (Portuguese, Italian and French), from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. In addition, she has taken studies leading to a master’s degree in Instructional Systems and Educational Technology at the University of Sacred Heart in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Alma is married to Migdiel E. Pérez. They have the blessing of having a wonderful six-year-old boy named Dale Esteban. They worship and serve God at Hamilton United Methodist Church, Antioch, Tennessee.

Reared in Muncie, Indiana, Emily Reece joined the New Church Starts staff from United Methodist Communications, where she served as Director of Program and Training for the denomination’s “Open hearts” advertising and welcoming ministry. During her tenure there, Emily authored several resources for local churches to implement marketing and hospitality ministries, including Beyond 30 Seconds: Developing a Welcoming Congregation. A veteran of two new church launch teams, Emily brings the perspective of a lay staff person to her role, particularly as developer of the Lay Missionary Planting Network curriculum for Path 1. Prior to her several years of ministry at the denominational level, Emily served in lay ministry coordination for congregations in Illinois and Indiana and worked in a variety of corporate and non-profit organizations before beginning her ministry career.

Samuel Rodriguez was a commissioned missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church from October 2000 to May 2009. In the last seven years, he was assigned to the Central Texas Conference as Conference Coordinator for Hispanic/ Latino Ministries. While serving there, Sam facilitated training opportunities for the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry. As a staff member of the Office of Church Growth and Development, Sam helped create opportunities for several Hispanic /Latino New Church Starts. He holds BA in English and American Literature from the University of Texas in El Paso and an MA in Christian Service from Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University. Sam is married to Demetria J. Rodriguez, and they have two children, Samuel Joseph, 19, and Vanessa Rae, 15.