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YOUTH LEADER TRAINING
Speaker Bios
Brent Harriman
Brent is an Area Coordinator with RUF, overseeing TN, KY and parts of of the
Midwest. He lives in Knoxville, TN and is married with two children. He was
the RUF campus minister at the University of Tennessee, from 2004-2012.
Prior to working with RUF, he spent 10 years directly involved with youth
ministry in a variety of contexts. He has served as a volunteer leader with
Young Life and as full-time and part-time youth pastor (both middle school
and high school). Additionally, he was on staff at the Youth In Ministry
Institute (YIMI) at Covenant Seminary, and over the last 20 years he has been a
frequent speaker for youth conferences. Even to this day, he still wakes up, in
the middle of the night with cold sweats, worried that he is on a bus full of Sr.
High students headed across the country or is in the middle of a Jr. High lockin.
Mark Devries
Currently the Associate Pastor for New Projects, Mark has previously served as the
Associate Pastor for Youth and Their Families at First Presbyterian Church
(Nashville, TN) for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Baylor University and
Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of several books, including FamilyBased Youth Ministry, Sustainable Youth Ministry and The Most Important Year of a
Man's/Woman's Life. In 2001, Mark moved to a part-time role at the church, where
he continues to provide oversight for the FPC youth and college ministry.
Mark is the founder and president of Youth Ministry Architects, a consulting firm
specializing in working with youth and children's ministries in transition. Mark's
work at FPC includes a combination of volunteer and staff development, teaching
and preaching, relational ministry with youth and their families, as well as regularly
participating in the worship and mission life of the church. Mark and his wife, Susan
have three grown children and two grandchildren.
John Stone
John is the assistant coordinator for RUF. He lives with is family in Knoxville TN. John is
married to Marisa who received both a BA and MA from Ole Miss in English and was also an
RUF intern at Clemson. They have three wonderful girls Sarah, 18, Katherine 16, and Mary
Simpson 14. These three wonderful women love to dance, ski and go to Dollywood, where
John and Marisa have been season ticket holders for 12 years! John graduated from
Clemson University, where he attended RUF and also Covenant Seminary. After seminary
John was the RUF campus minister for 4 years at Belhaven College in Jackson MS and then
the campus minister for 7 years at the University of Tennessee Knoxville
Les Newsom
Les is a native of Memphis, TN and graduated from The University of Memphis
in the 1991. He earned a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological
Seminary in Jackson, MS. Les moved back to Memphis to start the ministry of
RUF at The University of Memphis in 1994. After five years in Memphis, Les
was called to The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in ’99. In 2011, Les
accepted a position as Area Coordinator of RUF ministries in Arkansas, West
Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Les and his wife Ginger have three
children.
Julia Friedman
Julia has worked with teenage girls for over a decade. She has a Masters Degree in
Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS. She has
served as the Director of Women's Student Ministries at Pear Orchard Presbyterian
(Ridgeland, MS), Highlands Presbyterian (Ridgeland, MS) and Riveroaks Reformed
Presbyterian (Germantown, TN). Julia currently teaches Women's Bible Studies at
North Shore Fellowship (Chattanooga, TN) and is a guest speaker for various
ministry events. She loves hanging out and being the wife of Kevin Friedman, RYM
Ministry Coordinator.
Joel Hathaway
Joel is the Director of Alumni Relations and Placement for Covenant Seminary. As the
son of a pastor, he has experienced the ups and downs of the impact of ministry on the
pastor and his family. This has given Joel a passion to see Covenant graduates placed
well and churches conduct the hiring process well. Over the past six years, he has
evaluated hundreds of job descriptions, consulted with over fifty churches, and
advised and assessed nearly 500 pastoral candidates. He is certified in the Myers
Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree
with a focus on leadership issues in the church. Joel and his wife Shannon moved to St.
Louis in 2000 after working with Mission to the World in Atlanta. They have four kids.
Michael Hall
Michael is a native of Shreveport, LA, who attended Ole Miss. God was
gracious and called Michael to faith in Christ through the ministry of RUF as
a freshman at Ole Miss. After graduation he spent a year of study in
Salzburg, Austria. Michael is a graduate of Covenant Theological
Seminary. He served as the Youth Pastor at Clemson Presbyterian Church
and Kirk of the Hills before being called to Trinity Presbyterian Church in
Charlottesville, VA. Michael and his wife Kirby have three children.
Joey Stewart
Joey is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and
Reformed Theological Seminary. Joey served as the
Director of Youth and Educational Ministries at First
Presbyterian in Yazoo City, MS for nearly 5 years. From
1993-2007 he served as the organizing pastor and later
senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian Mission in Cookeville,
TN. In 2007, Joey accepted a call to become the Executive
Director of Reformed Youth Movement (RYM). Joey has
served on the TN Area Joint Presbytery Committee on
Campus Ministry (RUF) since 1994 and as chairman of that
committee since 1998. Additionally, he has been a member
of the board of directors for Reformed Youth Movement
since 1990 and possesses a resolute zeal and passion to serve the church and extend the kingdom through the
expanding mission of RYM. Joey and his wife Connie have four children.
John Trapp
John, originally from Alabama, graduated from Vanderbilt
University where he was heavily involved in RUF. He
then served on staff at Christ the King Presbyterian in Houston,
TX from 2008-2014. While he was originally called to CTK as the
Director of Student Ministries, John finished his time as the
Director of Children and Student Ministries, where he developed
a cohesive ministry to children from birth through high school.
In 2014, John moved to Austin, TX to begin pursuing his MDiv. at
Redeemer Theological Seminary. John and his wife, Chrissy, have
three children.
Chad Dirkse
Chad has served in Christian education for 25 years in roles that
include, math and science teacher, coach, athletic director,
principal, head of school and board member. He is currently the
President of Chattanooga Christian School where he serves more
1,100 students and 130 faculty and staff. Chad has an
undergraduate degree in education from Covenant College and an
MBA with a specialization in school leadership from LeTourneau
University. Chad teaches and speaks regularly to groups from
middle school to adults about a variety of topics but most often
about the reality of identity secured in Christ and considering all
of life as an act of worship.