At Work in the Garden: Creativity, Cultivation, and Care

Jordan Raynor

Jordan Raynor is a leading voice of the faith and work movement.

Through his bestselling books (Five Mere Christians, The Sacredness of Secular Work, Redeeming Your Time, The Creator in You, etc.), keynote speeches, and devotionals, Jordan has helped millions of Christians in every country on earth connect the gospel to their work.

In addition to his writing and speaking, Jordan serves as the Executive Chairman of Threshold 360, a venture-backed tech startup which Jordan previously ran as CEO following a string of successful ventures of his own.

Jordan has twice been selected as a Google Fellow and served in The White House under President George W. Bush. A sixth-generation Floridian, Jordan lives in Tampa with his wife and their three young daughters. The Raynors are proud members of The Church at Odessa.

The Porter's Gate

The Porter's Gate is a sacred ecumenical arts collective reimagining and recreating worship that welcomes, reflects and impacts both the community and the church.

The group was founded in 2017 by Isaac and Megan Wardell with a mission to be a "porter" for the Christian Church - one who looks beyond church doors for guests to welcome. It started as a group of 50-plus songwriters, musicians, scholars, pastors and music industry professionals from a variety of worship traditions and cultural backgrounds who gathered to discuss challenges in the church and write songs in response.

Artists of The Porter's Gate include Audrey Assad, Aaron Keyes, Casey J, Diana Gameros, Josh Garrels, Joy Ike, David Gungor, Latifah Alattas, Lauren Goans, Madison Cunningham, Leslie Jordan, Liz Vice, Paul Zach, Sandra McCracken, Urban Doxology, Wendall Kimbrough, Zach Bolen, and more.

Michaela O'Donnell, Ph.D.

Michaela O’Donnell is the Mary and Dale Andringa Executive Director Chair at the Max De Pree Center for Leadership. She is also an assistant professor of marketplace leadership and the lead professor for Fuller Seminary's Doctor of Global Leadership, Redemptive Imagination in the Marketplace program.

Michaela’s role at the De Pree Center is to oversee the center’s vision, strategy, and dynamic team all toward the goal of resourcing leaders like you as you grow in your sense of purpose and seek the flourishing of the people and systems entrusted to your care.

She is the author of two books, Life in Flux: Navigational Skills to Guide and Ground You in an Ever-Changing World written with Lisa Pratt Slayton (Baker Books, 2024), and Make Work Matter: Your Guide to Meaningful Work in a Changing World (Baker Books, 2021).

In addition to her academic work, Michaela has over 15 years of experience as a leader in the marketplace. Principally, as the Owner and Managing Director of Long Winter Media, a vibrant creative agency that helps brands make social impact through multi-media content. Long Winter Media’s roster of clients includes Google, YouTube, NBC Universal, the University of Southern California, Presbyterian Church (USA), and many more.

The Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities seeks to strengthen the quality and shape the character of church-related institutions of higher learning in the twenty-first century.

The Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE) is dedicated to facilitating this process of sharing best practices in Christian education – collaborating with Christian school thought leaders, innovative practitioners, and Christian education supporters of all shapes and sizes to promote, innovate, advocate, improve, and sustain Christian education at all levels.

The K and K Dooyema Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides students and alumni with best business practices and guidance rooted in a reformed Christian context, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship and innovation in non-profit, for-profit, and family business organizations. The center seeks to equip students, alumni and the broader community for Christ-centered renewal through unique leadership and entrepreneurial thinking and practices.