Kaleo Backstage Webinar: Strategies for Discussing Calling with Youth and a Preview of our Kaleo Youth Conference.
An exclusive pre-conference webinar that will set you up for a great experience at the upcoming Kaleo Youth Conference! This is your chance to get to know our conference speakers, Sam and Alexander, and gain invaluable insights, tips, and resources for discussing calling with youth in your community.
Speakers
Alexander James
Youth Strategist and Trainer Curriculum, Light and Life Christian Fellowship Long Beach, Speaker, Poet
Alexander James is a Los Angeles born speaker, poet, husband and father. Alexander has shared his heart on countless stages over his ten-year career. Alexander has performed on 5 different continents and to as many as 8000 at one time.
Alexander is passionate about Issues of justice, love, marriage, fatherhood, and faith. Trained and sculpted by the streets of South LA. Alexander gained a sharp wit and a natural curiosity that gives him a unique perspective. The absence of a father in the home growing up caused a vacuum in Alexander life that for a season drew him down some dark paths. But the combination of a praying mother and loving a sacrificial pastor rescued him from a life of continuing cycles of brokenness and shame. Now Alexander seeks to use his creative and inquisitive mind to shape the leaders that will turn the world upside down.
Sam Aguirre
Middle School Pastor, Fellowship Monrovia, Speaker
Sam Aguirre is a Spirit-filled, multifaceted leader, speaker, and pastor who has served in various capacities of ministry over the past decade of her life. She is a SoCal native, single, latina woman who is passionate about preaching the gospel, spiritual formation, and is dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders. Some of her core values include authenticity, vulnerability, belonging, hospitality, and truth-telling, which are conveyed through her leadership, preaching and pastoral care. She currently serves as one of the youth pastors for Fellowship Monrovia, where she has been privileged to walk alongside students in their discipleship journey. With her breadth of experience in church ministry, seminary background and her heart for Jesus and people, she hopes to continue to build the Kingdom and Church for God’s glory.
Martin Rodriguez
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
He completed his Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. Since 2011, he has been the minister of a multicultural congregation in central Los Angeles. He also worked in Hubei, China, for five years where he partnered with local house-church leaders. He grew up in Puebla, Mexico, and currently resides in Altadena, California with his beloved wife, Erin, and their two children. His current research interests explore the intersection of hybridity theory and late-modern leadership theory. He serves as editor of Missio Dei: A Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis and producer of missiology.com.
Freddy Rivas
Program Director, APU Youth Leadership Initiative & Kaleo Conference Director
Freddy has over 20 years of church youth ministry experience. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained pastor with Friends Southwest and the lead pastor of a church he planted, Living Hope Church, in Temple City, CA. A husband and father, Freddy enjoys coaching his kids’ sports teams and taking road trips with his family.
Freddy is passionate about supporting the faith formation of high school students and collaborating with ministry leaders. “I made a lot of significant life decisions as a teenager to know and follow Jesus. I have a passion to help teengers today make decisions to follow and serve Jesus where they live.