Presenters

Mark Robert Laaser, PhD, CCSAS is an internationally known author and speaker. His first book, now called Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction, was the first Christian book to address the issue of sexual addiction. He has since written six other books including, Talking to Your Kids About Sex and The Pornography Trap (with Dr. Ralph Earle). He has also authored two workbooks for men which are being used by Christian and church based support groups around the world. Dr. Laaser has compassionately ministered to hundreds of sex addicts and their families, consulted with numerous churches, developed treatment programs for a variety of hospitals, and has conducted workshops and seminars worldwide. Dr. Laaser currently serves as director of the Institute for Healthy Sexuality of the American Association of Christian Counselors and as executive director of Faithful and True Ministries. He has been a member of the National Council on Sexual Addiction/Compulsivity, the National Advisory Board of the National Association for Christian Recovery, and the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute at St. John's Abbey and University. Dr. Laaser is a frequent guest on both radio and television and has been a lecturer, workshop leader, seminar designer and presenter, both nationally and internationally, for the last 25 years. He is currently an adjunct faculty member of Denver Theological Seminary, Fuller Seminary, and the Psychological Studies Institute. He and his wife frequently teach around the world with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). Dr. Laaser holds a PhD in Religion and Psychology from the University of Iowa, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Bachelors degree in Religion and Philosophy from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. He currently resides in Minnesota with his wife Debbie. They have three grown children: Sarah, Jonathan and Benjamin. For more information on Dr. Laaser, visit www.marklaaser.com.

Terrence Taylor was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in the Glendale SDA Church. Later he moved to Seattle, Washington and graduated from Auburn Adventist Academy where he first felt the call to ministry. He attended Oakwood University for one year but then ran from his calling to ministry. After a few years of unhappiness, he finally accepted his call and attended Walla Walla University. There, he met his wife, Melissa, and graduated with two girls, Edynn (4) and Amaya (2). After he graduate from Walla Walla University, Terrance served as Associate/Youth Pastor at the Emerald City Community SDA Church in Seattle for 2 years. Now, Terrance and his family live in Berrien Springs, Michigan where he and his wife are attending Andrews University. Terrance loves to see people worship God from their own culture and personal contexts and desires to see true diversity and unity if Godís church. He has decided to focus his ministry on helping people discover and develop their spiritual gifts and finding creative ways to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

Principal Sponsors

General Conference Family Ministries
Karen and Ron Flowers co-direct the Department of Family Ministries at the Seventh-day Adventist World Headquarters. Ron has a D.Min. from Denver Seminary with an emphasis in marriage and family counseling; Karen is a Ph.D. candidate (a.b.d.) at Andrews University in Religious Education with an emphasis in family life education. The Flowers have presented family life seminars on sexuality and marriage and family living in over 80 countries. They have two sons: Jeff, who is married to Pam and works in development in Azerbaijan, and Jon, who is a genetics researcher at New York University in Manhattan, New York.

Ministry information is available at familyministries.gc.adventist.org/.

North American Division Family Ministries
Willie Oliver is an ordained minister, and a graduate of Northern Caribbean University (BA in Theology), Andrews University (MA in Pastoral Counseling). Columbia University (MA in Family Sociology), and American University (PhD in Family Sociology), Dr. Willie Oliver has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the past 27 years in a number of ministry capacities, including youth pastor and senior pastor in New York City; Director of Youth and Family Ministries for the Greater New York Conference; Director of Youth and Family Ministries for the Atlantic Union Conference; Pathfinder and Camp Ministries Director for the North American Division; and 14 years as Director of Family Ministries for the North American Division of the General Conference. He has been married for 25 years to the former Elaine Powell who is Associate Vice-President for Enrollment Management at Columbia Union College. Willie and Elaine have two children‹Jessica and Julian, students at Andrews and Oakwood Universities respectively. The Oliver's are directors of Journey Toward Intimacy marriage retreats, From This Day Forward marriage conferences and authors of, From This Day Forward column in Message Magazine. Dr. Oliver has been to every continent on the globe teaching and preaching about stronger and healthier relationships.

Ministry information is available at www.adventistfamilyministries.com.

The Oliver's Mission: Our mission of evangelism is to provide resources, training events, and networking opportunities for those working to strengthen or rebuild families within the territory of the North American Division. We believe that working under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, our efforts will help to restore people to wholeness, to intimacy with God, and to unity with each other and to be ready for the coming of the Lord.

The Oliver's Vision: Healthy families for eternity.

Adventist Association of Family Life Professionals
Jorge Mayer was born on June 1, 1953 in Argentina and was the last of four kids Minister’s kids. Jorge and his brothers Edwin and Carlos are ordained ministers of the Gospel and his sister Susana is married to an ordained minister. Jorge is Married to Nibia Pereyra from Uruguay, born the second of two daughter’s from a Minister’s home, on February 16, 1976 at the River Plate Adventist University Church. He and his wife have three children: Ronald (26), Lissie (23), and Kevin (21), all born United States citiz! ens. Jorge worked as Youth Pastor at the River Plate Adventist University Church (3,500 member Church) for one year, and Associate Boy’s Dean at the River Plate Adventist University for another year until he came to the United States in 1980. He was also assigned as pastor of the Arlington Spanish Company in the Potomac Conference for four years and served as Senior Pastor of the Berrien Springs Spanish Church and Hispanic Coordinator for the Michigan Conference for 6 years. Among other positions he served as Florida Conference Vice President for Spanish Language Ministries, as well as the Southern Union Hispanic Coordinator for four years (1998-2001). Jorge is currently, serving the Southern Union Conference as the Hispanic Ministries Director and Church Ministries Associate Director since January, 2002.

Ministry information available at www.adventistfamilyministries.com/article.php?id=9.

Advent Source
Brad Forbes lives in Lincoln, Nebraska where he is the director of AdventSource. He is a member of the College View Church where he is a leader in Primary Sabbath School. Brad grew up in Malawi, Africa where he and his family were missionaries. Brad and Jennifer enjoy flower gardening, riding their tandem bicycle, traveling to new places and reading.

AdventSource is a non-profit company organized as a part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. We provide resources for local church leaders in the North American Division and around the world. AdventSource partners with other organizations to develop, and produce leadership resources in a wide range of ministries. Ministry information is available at www.plusline.org or you can purchase resources from www.adventsource.org.

Religious Education Program
A. Allan Martin, PhD, CFLE an ordained minister, holds Masters degrees in Theology [Christian Formation and Discipleship] and Psychology, as well as a PhD in Clinical Psychology. He is the Associate Professor of Discipleship & Family Ministry at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. At the seminary, Martin also serves as the interim director of the Religious Education Program, which offers Family Life Education courses approved by the National Council on Family Relations and the Adventist Association of Family Life Professionals. He and his wife, Deirdre, are part of the presenting team for the nationally touring marriage celebration, From This Day Forward. Along with daughter Alexa, they reside in Niles, Michigan.

The Religious Education Program (RELED) embraces the mission of Andrews University and the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, preparing men and women to fulfill the teaching and discipling mandates of the gospel commission. To this end, RELED offers graduate studies which include emphasis in family life education, campus spiritual leadership, Christian formation and discipleship, and denominational certification for secondary religion teaching. Discover more at http://www.growingdisciples.info/