Speakers

Darrin Crowder

Master Sergeant Darrin Crowder is a 20 year veteran of the United States Army. For over 15 years he served as a "Green Beret" with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) throughout the Middle East and Africa.

Master Sergeant Crowder has seen combat during the Gulf War, Somalia , Haiti , Afghanistan , and two tours in Iraq . His service awards and decorations number over 60 including, three Bronze Stars for valor or service, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantry Badge (2nd Award), Static Line and Military Freefall Jump Master Badges, and numerous other United States and Foreign Decorations.

He entered the military at the age of seventeen and began a life-journey that would test both his will and his faith. Through God's grace, he has persevered through both physical and spiritual adversity across 15 countries and within more than 8 cultures. The spiritual trail that he has walked could only have been blazed by God.

Stand Strength Team

Stand Strength Team is a national and international non-profit organization standing before thousands of people yearly. The Stand Strength Team goes into public and private schools. They have now become the #1 school assembly program in the nation; promoting anti-drugs, anti-alcohol, abstinence and academic excellence. The athletes use feats of strength to demonstrate a positive, motivating message on making the right choices.

Jeff Allen

Jeff Allen combines clean, hilarious humor with inspiration like no other comedian working today. He performs on television and radio, in night clubs and large churches, and as a keynote speaker for corporations.

Newell Cerak

The Gaylord area was rocked in the spring of 2006 when Newell's college daughter was thought killed in a terrible car accident near Upland, Indiana. The tragedy lead to a "standing room only" funeral held at the the Gaylord Evangelical Free church. What no one knew at the time was that Whitney Cerak was alive! Her body had been misidentified as another girl. Through a heart wrenching sequence of events Whitney was reunited with her family after being thought dead.

Newel Cerak is a New Jersey boy from the town of Clayton. He graduated from Taylor University (Indiana) and came to Gaylord in 1989 after serving as the youth director of the Upland Evangelical Mennonite Church.

He serves as the Pastor of Young Adults (High School through college-age) and has been working with youth for 28 years. He feels that God has called him to continue serving in this capacity for some time to come. He attributes his good health and good looks to God and the youth.

His wife, Colleen, actively serves with him. They have two daughters.