Alpercy Bennett grew up in Carson California.  He has been involved in church ministries since he was a young child.  He has served as a Junior Deacon, Junior Usher, Deacon, and Minister.  Currently, he serves as the Pastor of the RISE (Relevant-Inspiring-Saturday-Experience) service at Mt. Zion Church Of Ontario, under the leadership of Pastor Brian E. Kennedy Sr. He is active in the couple’s ministry, Sunday School, and the Griefshare Bereavement Ministry. He is currently attending seminary at Gateway University. He lives in Southern California with his family.

Dr. Jeff Cate has been Professor of New Testament and Greek at California Baptist University since 1997. His academic research is primarily on the Greek and Latin manuscripts of the New Testament. Over the years, he has taught courses on an array of aspects regarding the NT including individual books, interpretation, history, and the Greek Language. He is originally from Tennessee and has served in ministry in churches in six different states.

Dr. Julius L. West is the Lead Pastor of Sûnergeõ Christian Fellowship in Upland, CA.  The church was founded in April, 2005 out of Julius’ desire to share the love of Christ with his neighbors through an outreach Bible Study.  Sûnergeõ, which means Work Together, has a mission of “Equipping ordinary people to impact others in extraordinary ways through the life-changing power of the Gospel.” Julius has been blessed with a rich variety of professional experiences from his years of involvement in the entertainment industry, prior to a second act engaged in all aspects of full-time ministry. Julius received Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Gateway Seminary in Ontario, CA. He has been married to Tina since 1990 and has two adult children and two grandchildren.

Yvonne Okonji, Director of Children's Ministry at Mt. Zion Church of Ontario, has served in this capacity for 18 years. With a Bachelors of Arts in Early Childhood Education Administration, she demonstrates a dedicated passion for mentoring and teaching children.

​Martin is a native of Southern California. He graduated from California Baptist University and Gateway Seminary. He has served in a number of churches in California in a variety of positions. He was the Church Growth Consultant for the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association for 27 years. While there, he provided training for Bible Study teachers and leaders. He is the founder and director of the leadership training conference Equipped for Excellence, which was held for 26 years. He has been a regular conference leader for the California Southern Baptist Convention and LifeWay Christian Resources. Martin has a passion for Sunday School and especially for training workers. The thing he loves most about teaching is seeing people grow in their commitment to the Lord and becoming more effective teachers and leaders.

Dr. Jeff Iorg serves as the President of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. In that role, he facilitates the work of the SBC and its entities.  One of his most important roles is managing the distribution of more than $190 million in Cooperative Program funds given by churches to support global ministry and mission initiatives. Prior to his current role, Dr. Iorg served as President of Gateway Seminary for 20 years and as Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for 10 years.  Before that, he was a pastor and church planter.   Dr. Iorg is married to Ann, has three adult children, and five grandchildren. ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Paul Kelly teaches youth ministry and Christian education at Gateway Seminary. He is the author of Being Young: A Biblical Theology of Youth as well as chapters in Navigating Youth Ministry, Christian Education: A Guide to the Foundations of Ministry, and Ministry in the New Marriage Culture. He has served in youth ministry as a full-time, part-time, and volunteer youth minister in large and small churches. Kelly loves teenagers and the adults who pour their lives into them

Adrienne enjoys being part of a serving ministry and has done so by being a teacher, mentor and prayer warrior for the last 40 years. She especially loves  ministering to and with children, youth, women and young couples. She serves as a deaconess, Sunday school teacher, youth worker and praise dancer at Mt. Zion Church of Ontario. Adrienne works hard to let her light shine in every area of her life, and it is her belief that allowing her light to shine will bring others to Jesus Christ.

Roger Byrd is a consultant /coach for the Church Matters Team of the CSBC. He serves in music and worship ministry, Count the Cost! assessment and coaching, as well as training for church groups and discipleship. Roger holds degrees from California Baptist University and Gateway Seminary, is a Certified Church Consultant through Church Central, and holds a Certified Christian Leadership Coach Certificate with Coach Approach Ministries. Roger served on the church staff for over 22 years in three California churches before joining the CSBC staff in March 2001.

Dr. Cliff Jenkins is the Leadership Development and Church Planting pastor for Mt. Zion Church of Ontario. He is also an Associate Director of Gateway’s Doctor of Ministry program and Associate Professor of Leadership Formation. Dr. Jenkins is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but has spent most of his adult life in Pittsburgh, PA. Throughout his ministry career, he has served in various leadership capacities, including pastor, interim pastor, and church planter. Dr. Jenkins is a Gateway in program graduate and also holds degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and Biblical Theological Missionary Seminary. Dr. Jenkins advocates for racial unity within the body of Christ and develops thriving leaders through his company, Onyx Ministries. He is passionate about equipping men and women to grow in their relationship with God and become leaders through discipleship and academic development. Cliff has been married to his bride, Michelle, for over thirty years, and they have two grown children

Dr. ODessa-Elise Downing is a devoted follower of Christ and a passionate advocate for women in ministry. She currently serves as an Executive Assistant and ministry leader at Mt. Zion Church of Ontario, where she brings creativity, strategic vision, and compassion to her work. With extensive experience in teaching, training, and facilitating, she thrives at the intersection of innovation and empathy, empowering others while driving meaningful impact. Her scholarly research, including her dissertation on advancing African American women into leadership positions within Student Affairs, reflects her commitment to diversity, equity, and mentorship in leadership development. Her Christian journey is rooted in faith, purpose, and service, guiding her to mentor women in ministry, nurture the next generation, and inspire others to live with integrity and impact their communities with love. Beyond her professional and academic pursuits, Dr. Downing enjoys cultivating Godly relationships, serving through volunteerism, sharing laughter with her four sons, and cherishing time with loved ones over a good meal.