Annual Connect Conference

Nate has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Amy, for 38 years, and together they have 6 children and 9 grandkids. He planted Cascade Church in Monroe, WA, in 1997 and led it through many seasons of growth over 23 years. Cascade is known for generosity, faith, disciple-making, and church multiplication.

In January 2020, Nate became the Regional President for Converge Northwest, overseeing over 100 churches in 5 Northwest states. He is passionate about multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches. In his free time, he enjoys gardening, beekeeping, archery, hunting, and hanging with family and friends.

John has been preaching the Good News since he was licensed as a minister in 1973 at 15 years old. From an early age, he developed a love for the Lord and felt the call to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. His pastoral journey began in February 1987 as the senior pastor at Union Bethel Church in King George, VA. His nearly three years of pastoring proved to be the training ground for his upcoming assignment. In 1989, he returned to his home church to First Baptist Church of Glenarden to become the seventh shepherd. For two year, he served as vice president/executive director of National Ministries for Converge. He recently made history when he was appointed as president of Converge in September 2022, making him the first African American to lead the 170-year old organization.

Kent is passionate about helping people see their financial legacy through the lens of faith. As Converge’s Vice President of Development and Planned Giving Officer, he guides individuals in understanding how their resources—whether tithes, offerings, appreciated assets, or legacy gifts—can fuel kingdom impact both during their lifetime and beyond.

With over two decades of experience helping people steward their finances for good, Kent previously served as CEO of Habitat for Humanity. His deep understanding of donor psychology, especially regarding significant gifts, makes him a natural fit for Converge’s development efforts.

Brookes has been the lead pastor at Foundation Bible Church in Prosser, WA, since 2024, following his role in planting the church, which was previously a campus of a multi-site church in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. He and his wife, Amanda, who have been married for 9 years, moved to Prosser in 2020. Currently, they enjoy the lively season of raising two young girls at home. When not engaging in prince and princess play with his daughters or involved in ministry, Brookes enjoys trying to golf or rooting against the Chiefs. Having guided the church through an innovative planting strategy from a multi-site model, he has adapted his approach to connect with a rural, over 60% Hispanic and Spanish-speaking population. Over the past year, Foundation Bible Church has seen over 10% of its attendees baptized, alongside a growth rate exceeding 25%.

Jim is a pastor and intercultural and multi-faith consultant. He grew up in Bangladesh, which gave him a third-culture perspective. In college, he met Natalie, who quickly won his heart. He attended seminary and earned two master’s degrees in biblical studies. The Eatons have served in intercultural ministry in South Africa, Germany, Chicago, and the Washington, DC area. In 2005, they founded Mosaic Church to reach diverse, pluralistic communities in Frederick and the I-270 biotech corridor of Washington, DC. In 2024, Jim launched PeaceBuilders Table, a consulting ministry that guides leaders in practical steps toward cultural intelligence and multifaith engagement in public spaces. Around the same time, he joined Converge as part-time Co-Director of Biblical Diversity, leading this national network of churches in cultural intelligence and racial healing. Jim has participated in various peacebuilding initiatives internationally, in the Washington, DC metro area, and across the U.S. He loves cities, different cultures, and good coffee. The Eatons have three married children and four grandchildren and live in suburban Washington, DC. He is active on multiple social media platforms.

Kevin works with local churches and their leadership to help them clarify their mission, cultivate a healthy culture, and create the structure to deliver on their mission. He also has served in rural churches, small-town congregations, and metro areas. He earned his M.Div. degree from Bethel Theological Seminary and D.Min. degree in Biblical Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Kevin enjoys spending time with his family, going on hikes, playing basketball, and having a good conversation over a cup of coffee. 

Julio was born and raised in a Christian family in Peru. At 13, he accepted Jesus as his Savior, a transformative experience that gave his life new purpose. At 18, he left his family to move to Trujillo, Peru, where he graduated from medical school after ten years. In 1994, he migrated to the United States and, with God’s help, completed his Family Medicine residency in Seattle in 2000. Since then, he has worked as a family physician. From a young age, Julio felt called to serve God through preaching and teaching His Word, which has been his passion and guiding force. In 2012, he joined Edgewood Baptist Church as pastor of the Hispanic Ministry, witnessing God’s work in many lives. God blessed Julio with Liana, his loving wife and faithful ministry partner. Their sons—Andree, Alex, and Carlos—use their talents in the service of the Lord alongside them. In 2025, the Hispanic Ministry officially became Iglesia Bautista Esperanza (IBE), where Julio, Liana, and their children continue serving the Lord to this day.

Tiger has been involved in youth and family ministry for over 50 years. He served in the church for 15 years, then led the youth ministry program at Bethel Seminary for 25 years. He is now the Founder and President of Youth Ministry Consultants—a ministry dedicated to equipping leaders and churches to share Jesus with the next generation, especially in smaller churches. 

Ian is a native of Wheaton, IL, a 20-year military veteran, and a retired Master Chief (E9) from the United States Navy. His passion is to see people discover and follow Jesus. His goal is to inspire everyday Christians to impact the world for Christ every day. He graduated from Southern Illinois University and Bethel Seminary in San Diego. He is the lead pastor at Sylvan Way Church in Bremerton, WA.

Jeremiah has been in full-time pastoral ministry since 2007, serving churches in Colorado, Oregon, and currently in Washington. Since 2017, he has worked as a Renewal Coach with Strategic Renewal and now The 6:3 Discipleship, guiding churches to develop a dynamic culture of prayer. In 2019, Jeremiah began dedicating one day a week as a Regional Director for The 6:4 Fellowship. He and Kim have been married since 2002 and enjoy raising four energetic children to follow Jesus. In their free time, the Porters love outdoor adventures—hiking, mountain biking, dirt biking, skiing, cliff jumping, backpacking, camping, and many other adrenaline-pumping activities.

Joseph currently serves as the Lead Pastor at Trellis Church in Kirkland, WA. He’s also an adjunct professor at Northwest University and an executive leadership coach with Leaders Edge, where he primarily works with small business and nonprofit leaders. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies, an M.A. in International Community Development, and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. His family lived and served as missionaries in Latin America for almost ten years, during which they founded a non-profit organization and ministry focused on education, leadership development, community development, and discipleship. Joseph enjoys the challenge that comes with innovation and creativity in ministry and finds fulfillment in walking with others through difficult life circumstances. He is married to Hailey, and they have four children: Micah (15), Abigail (13), Emma (10), and Noel (6). 

Phil has dedicated 33 years to pastoral ministry, including 25 years as a Lead Pastor, with the last 15 at Sunrise Baptist Church in Custer, WA. His call to serve was confirmed in 1984 during Inter-Varsity’s Urbana Missions conference. Phil was clear that God wanted him to serve as a pastor while never losing his passion for missions. Over the years, he has preached, led, and served with a focus on fulfilling the Great Commission. Currently, as the full-time Director of Church Engagement at International Christian Response (ICR) and Converge NW’s volunteer Send Director, he aims to inspire and challenge Converge NW churches to expand their efforts in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Tammi grew up in a ministry family and felt the call to teach the Word of God at the age of 19. She and her husband, Dusty, have been married and ministering in various capacities for 27 years, including teen ministry, creative arts and worship, and church planting. They planted Revive in their hometown in Idaho 17 years ago, and God has been faithful. She relies on the leading and kindness of God’s presence every day. She gets excited about the image of God in women and feels passionate about helping sisters walk in freedom with Jesus in their identity, value, and calling.