Beyond These Walls 2025

Dr. Brian Fikkert is the Founder and President of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College, where he also serves as a Professor of Economics and Community Development.

He is coauthor of the best-selling book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself as well as:

• Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions

• Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence

• From Dependence to Dignity: How to Alleviate Poverty Through Church-Centered Microfinance

• Practicing the King’s Economy: Honoring Jesus in How we Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give

• Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn’t the American Dream

• A Field Guide to Becoming Whole: Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministries

Dr. Fikkert earned a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University, specializing in international economics and economic development. He is the author of numerous articles in both academic and popular journals. Prior to coming to Covenant College in 1997, he was a professor at the University of Maryland—College Park and a research fellow at the Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector.

He and his wife Jill have 3 adult children and live in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dr. Keith Cowart is a graduate of Georgia Southern University (BBA, 1986) and Asbury Theological Seminary (M. Div., 1991; D. Min. 2002). His wife, Pam Taylor Cowart, is also a graduate of ATS (M. Div., 1991). Keith and Pam have 2 adult sons, Andrew and Aaron. In 1997, Keith planted Christ Community Church in Columbus, Georgia. Over the 21 years that he served as Lead Pastor, Christ Community planted or played a major role in planting 4 other churches and sent out more than 35 men and women to serve as pastors, parachurch ministry directors, military chaplains or missionaries around the world. During that tenure, Keith also served as Area Director of Southern Europe for FMWM in 2014-2015. Following a brief term as Superintendent of the Southeast Region (FMC), Keith was elected Bishop of the FMC in 2019. For fun Keith loves following the home teams (Go Braves, Dawgs, Falcons!), reading, racquetball, treasure hunting (Pam calls it junk), and almost anything that puts him in the outdoors.

Rev. Dr. Kimberly Reisman, is Executive Director of World Methodist Evangelism, a ministry that equips the global Wesleyan Methodist family of Christians for the work of evangelism. An author, pastor, teacher and theologian, Kim is a frequent speaker, focusing on evangelism, spiritual formation, women’s ministries, leadership development and the intersection between faith and culture. She has written numerous books and articles, her most recent being Embrace: Showing and Sharing the Love of Jesus.

Dr. Prabhu Singh — Dr. Singh is a trained missiological anthropologist, with a PhD in Inter Cultural Studies, from Asbury Theological Seminary, USA. He has been in ministry for 30 years and has supervised the Christward Movement research in his country, India. Currently, he is the President of the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies [SAIACS], one of the premier theological institutions in the Global South, based in Bangalore, India.

Paul Lawler is a husband, father, teacher, pastor, and church planter. He began serving as the Senior Pastor of Christ Church Memphis in June of 2007. Prior to serving Christ Church, Paul was the founding Pastor of a church plant he served for 16 years in Huntsville, Alabama. He often speaks at conferences and events and has taught in locations ranging from Ocean Grove Camp in New Jersey to the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville to Dave Ramsey’s employees at Ramsey Solutions.

He is a graduate of Asbury University, and Asbury Theological Seminary. He has led local churches to engage in planting hundreds of new churches on four different continents. Paul and his brother, Dallas businessman, Patrick Lawler, worked with the Compassionate Hope Foundation in founding and establishing two Patricia B. Hammonds Homes of Hope for orphans in Thailand. He is also President of the North Alabama Wesleyan Covenant Association.

Paul and Missy have four children and one daughter in law. As an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church, UMs in North Alabama honored Paul by awarding him the Denman Evangelism Award for his servant-leadership in reaching new people for Jesus Christ. In his spare time, he enjoys family time, hiking, writing, reading, and a well brewed cup of coffee.

Carlos Jose Pirona is the Bishop of the Methodist Church of Venezuela, founder of the Global Restoration Network, Engineer, Rector of the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela, and coordinator of the International Leadership Institute. He is dedicated to teaching and mentoring pastors and planting new churches and has more than 33 years of ministry, family coaching, and organizational work in the work of God. He is married to Dr. Maria de Pirona, the father of three children, and happy grandfather of Mía Alegría.

Carolyn Moore has practiced as an ordained pastor since 1998, spending her days creating conversations and communities that welcome and advance the Kingdom of God. She is a podcaster (Art of Holiness) and the author of four Bible studies and two books. Her latest, When Women Lead (Zondervan), is written for women who are ready to embrace their God-given authority, move beyond barriers to effective ministry, and find joy in leading others. She is happily married to Steve Moore, a retired high school history teacher and happy truck driver.

A passion for all things “mission” has been the heartbeat of Karen Tyler’s life and faith from the time she was a freshman in high school in southeast Texas, where she lived most of her life. Her mission experiences with the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and the Pee-Posh (Maricopa) tribes near Phoenix, Arizona launched her into a life-long mission of caring for the marginalized and sharing the gospel both in the United States and globally.

Trained and licensed as a pharmacist, Karen has birthed several non-profit organizations that care for the health and well-being of struggling families both in the United States and in Guatemala. Her current role as Pastor of Missions at The Woodlands Methodist Church (TWMC) has allowed her to expand her ministry globally to help equip and encourage Christians to share the gospel. Karen served in a variety of ministry roles in Houston area churches prior to her role at TWMC.

Karen graduated from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and then obtained her theological education through Candler School of Theology (Emory University) and Duke Divinity School.

Karen has five adult children and four grandchildren and currently resides in The Woodlands, Texas.

Mrs. Krystl Dawn Gauld is a nonprofit executive, a doting wife, a dedicated Christian leader, and a dual student. Yes! She is pursuing a Doctor of Theology degree at Kairos University and a Nonprofit Leadership Certification through LaSalle University. With much prayer, both will be completed by the end of 2023.

Krystl spent her early years in Chester, Pennsylvania and Swedesboro, New Jersey. Her parents, Anita and Inocencio (pronounced /ē/ · /nō/ · /sin/ · /sē/ · /ō/) Amaro, Sr., directed her Christian upbringing at St. Daniel’s United Methodist Church, where she was introduced and accepted Christ as Lord and Savior at a young age. She considers herself a servant of God and is currently serving as the Executive Director to FaithCare, Inc, a global network of medical providers and volunteers that provides free health care through its inner-city clinics and international hospitals.

Current Methodist assignments include serving as the president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association of Eastern Pennsylvania, Member of the GMC’s Transitional Leadership Council, and steering committee member for the Institute on Religion and Democracy’s United Methodist Action. Krystl also donates her time as a professor and educational specialist at the School of Graduate & Professional Studies for United Methodist University in Monrovia, Liberia.

Krystl has a twin sister, Rev. Britni M. Johnson, and a younger brother, Inocencio, Jr. Her favorite Bible verses are Luke 19:5, 9-10. Her favorite color is purple. When she is not serving or studying, she enjoys painting, cooking, writing, and date nights with her husband, Damian Gauld.