Speakers
Steve Auld
Steve Auld is the Pastor of Great Victoria Street Baptist Church in Belfast. He is married to Lynsey and they have 3 children: Hudson, Elliot and Grace.
Steve grew up in Caledon, County Tyrone and was on a track to play rugby professionally as a member of the Ulster's development academy and Ireland Schools. All that changed in the summer of 2004 when the trajectory of his life took a significant shift following a powerful personal encounter with the Lord through his Word at New Horizon. This led to commencing student bible studies in Belfast and a role as a youth pastor Elmwood Presbyterian Church.
In 2009 Steve and Lynsey left Northern Ireland to serve as missionaries in Madagascar with Africa Inland Mission, and in 2012 they left Africa to begin theological studies with Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
At Trinity, Steve was mentored for several years by Don Carson. Upon completion of his degree and on Carson's recommendation, he took up an invitation to serve as Associate Pastor at Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge.
Plans of remaining in Cambridge for the foreseeable future were cut short, however, when a random opportunity to preach in Great Victoria Street Baptist Church whilst home on holiday turned into a mutual conviction by both Steve and the elders at Great Vic that the Lord was calling him to pastor this historic church in the heart of Belfast.
It was very much a work of revitalisation. Due to a dwindling numbers, in-fighting among the members who did attend, and the recent loss of their building, the church was on the verge of closure. However, as Steve has quietly gone about the work teaching God's Word and faithfully pastoring the congregation over the past decade, the Lord has graciously renewed the church to around 200 attendees, many of whom are students are young families.
In addition to his work at Great Vic, Steve is also doing a PhD and teaches regularly at the Irish Baptist College.
Steve has a passion for seeing people built up in their faith through good bible teaching and, in my experience, does not come with any of the denominational or theological baggage one might expect from a young Northern Irish man with his enthusiasm. He also has a rich history with New Horizon, having attended for the past 20 years, served in leadership at Livewire for many years, and has even slept in the New Horizon tent as part of the security team!!
Michael Ots
Michael Ots grew up in the UK and started following Jesus at a young age. Living in one of the most multicultural cities in the country he was challenged to consider whether his childhood faith was worth continuing in and whether it stood up to serious questioning. His school years were a significant time when he grew in the conviction that Christianity is objectively true and worth sharing with others. After studying theology in Scotland, Michael went on to become the Minister of Evangelism at Lansdowne Baptist Church in Bournemouth, where he lived and worked for five years before becoming a travelling speaker.
Michael’s passion comes from his own understanding of Christianity and how it informs every area of life, from questions of morality and ethics, to reasons for hope and justice.
Michael is regularly invited to speak on the Christian Faith at University Events and Christian Unions both in the UK and across Europe. He is the Field Director of FEUER (The Fellowship of Evangelistis in the Universities of Europe) - a continent wide network of evangelists seeking to promote the public proclamation of the Gospel in the universities of Europe. He is on the extended regional team of IFES. He is also a member of the Association of Evangelists - a UK charity that supports freelance evangelists.
Michael is the author of numerous books including What Kind of God? which was nominated for a major UK book award and has been translated into seven languages, as well as But is it true?, What Kind of Hope? and his latest release, Making Sense of Life.
Michael lives in the Midlands of England with his wife Rebecca who is an airline pilot. They are regular and active members of St Lukes Church, Thurnby.
Rafael Manzanares
Andy Bannister
Dr. Andy Bannister is the Director of Solas, an evangelism and training organisation based in Scotland (but covering the whole of the UK). Andy regularly speaks and teaches throughout the UK, Europe, Canada, the USA, and the wider world. From universities to churches, business forums to TV and radio, he regularly addresses audiences of both Christians and those of all faiths and none on issues relating to faith, culture, politics and society.
Andy holds a PhD in Islamic studies and has taught extensively at universities across Canada, the USA, the UK and further afield on both Islam and philosophy. He is also an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology and is also Adjunct Faculty at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.