Meet Mark Goins, Ben Woods, & Ryan Mifflin
This year AgapeFest is fortunate to land two of the best speakers in the area to come speak, and Second Stage Emcee, Ryan Mifflin. On Friday night everyone will get to hear from Mark David Goins. Mark is best known as the front man for the band Mark David and Surface Deep. His band will be kicking off the festival on Friday night. Then on Saturday we are extremely happy to bring back Ben Woods. A lot of you know Ben for his work in the band Slingshot57. Ben spoke on our second stage last year, and we knew we had to bring him back to speak on the main stage! Ryan Mifflin will be sharing in between sets on second stage, and everyone should check out his ministry: Dirty Roots Rvolution! All are phenomenal speakers, and they are definitely worth listening to. For more info about each of our speakers keep on reading.
Mark David Goins- Friday Night Speaker
Meet Mark Goins.
Rev. Mark David Goins, 25, was born in 1985 to Rev. David & Sheila Goins of Alton, Il. His family resided in a community which exposed Mark to a variety of different cultures including people, churches, and a diverse selection of music venues.
Mark attended the public school system in Alton, Il., and graduated from Alton Sr. High in 2003. After high school Mark went on to Greenville College, where he accepted The Call to Ministry in 2004.
Mark began to lead bible studies on campus and at church on a weekly basis. Also, he founded the first all men Midnight Prayer Group for Greenville College. As a member of his college town worship team, he played the drums and worked closely with the music coordinator on the music arrangements for each service. In addition, Mark began writing and co-writing worship songs. Then in 2007, Mark graduated from Greenville College with a double BA in Sociology and Psychology.
Mark has been ministering in word and song at various venues throughout Illinois and the surrounding area. He has a sincere desire to minister and reach the hearts of those who are lost and dying spiritually. Mark founded the band, Mark David and Surface Deep, which recorded and released their first CD demo in 2009.
The Lord’s favor continued to shine on his life as he wasmarried on August 29th, 2009 to his lovely wife, Marqueta
Stewart-Goins. Mark is known by his peers to be a very kind, passionate, likable, and professional Man of God.
Meet Ben Woods.
What led you to begin speaking to youth groups? How long have you been doing this, and what drives you?
I have a passion to help people to know that they are loved. I toured nationally as the front man of a rock band called Slingshot57 for over 8 years, performed over 800 dates and have spoken that message to thousands of people. I want to inspire people to do something that matters with their life…I want to see people use their God-given gifts and God-given passions to expand His kingdom through the opportunities that He sets before them.
How would you describe your journey of faith thus far? Do you think that that’s something that’s helped you connect with the youth?
I grew up in a strong Christian home where I was encouraged to dream. That’s shaped so much of who I am today. I’m not a go-with-the-flow kind of guy…I’m just unconventional. I believe wholeheartedly that God equips us to be creative and to serve Him with our gifts and passions. That can and will look entirely different for everyone. My ministry today looks entirely different from what it did a year ago, but my message is the same…do something that matters. For me, whether I was touring and performing or hanging out with college students I was encouraging them, “God desires to use you…let Him take you into the unknown” while trying to live that out in my own experiences. My story is, like everyone else, God has made me unique… with a unique part to play in His purpose. And His faithfulness is way bigger than my brokenness so He can still use me in creative ways to impact my world.
What sorts of things have you chosen to discuss Saturday afternoon, and why do you think those are important issues?
I want to challenge the complacency and jadedness of this generation. I want to encourage them to find the place where their gifts and passions collide for the Kingdom…no matter what it costs.
Do you see yourself doing this for the next ten years?
I’m just trying to be obedient to what God has called me to…to respond to the opportunities He places before me and serve Him humbly. Currently, I’m a campus minister at the University of Illinois where I have the freedom to teach, preach, disciple, mentor, lead worship, be involved with foreign missions and interact with people of all walks of life. And I’m loving it, but my hope is that I’ll always go where He sends, trusting He’ll equip me with what it takes.
Just for kicks, who’s your favorite musical artist? Favorite tv show? Favorite food?
Artist… that list is long… but at the top are Foo Fighters and Bleach. For TV shows 24, LOST, Arrested Development, and Scrubs. When it come to food, well, festival food is pretty hard to beat… those sweet action curly fries and strawberry shake-ups are particular favorites.
Meet Ryan Mifflin.
A healthcare administrator by day, a revolutionary by night…
Ryan Mifflin is a 15-year veteran of the small and major-market radio industry. He currently spends his days in the world of non-profit healthcare marketing and public relations. His evening and weekends, however, are dedicating to spreading the message of the Dirty Roots Revolution: That one person CAN make a difference.
Mifflin also serves as the volunteer director of Wired: The College Ministry of the First Christian Church in Greenville, IL. Inspired by his work with those college students – and by many late-night coffee-fueled conversations with like-minded revolutionaries – Mifflin formed the Dirty Roots Revolution in 2008.
The group conducts a homeless outreach every Saturday in St. Louis, facilitates a nursing home partnership in Greenville, IL, and many other programs and events – all dedicated to giving individuals the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people around them.
“When most of us look around the world, we see so much pain and suffering and so many things that are just bad. It doesn’t take an expert to know that things in our world are just ‘off’”, said Mifflin. “I was beginning to think that if we all stopped saying ‘It’s too big – I can’t do anything to make a difference’, maybe we COULD make a difference. No one can do everything, but we can all do something. Joe Strummer once said, ‘People can change anything they want to…and that means everything in the world’. They just have to want to.”
Mifflin is still active in radio broadcasting, hosting the “voice of the revolution”, the Dirty Roots Radio program every Thursday night from 8 to 10 p.m. (Central) on WGRN 89.5 FM (listen online www.wgrn.net). Dirty Roots Radio is an old school radio show specializing in renegade country, vintage gospel, raw blues, greasy soul, punk, funk, and reggae – all with a revolutionary message of struggle, change, protest, and hope.
Ryan enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, acting, coffee, general buffoonery, and spending time with his family and dog, Gracie. He has a heart for the homeless and is passionate about Fair Trade.
Ryan Mifflin would love to share the Dirty Roots Revolution message with your church, club, organization, or group. Join the revolution online at www.DirtyRootsRevolution.com or find us on Facebook.
