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Speakers
REV. ROB SCHMUTZ
KEYNOTE SPEAKER & PANELIST
Originally from Abilene, Kansas, Rob Schmutz is a traveling evangelist and is credentialed through the Church of the Nazarene. As an evangelist, Rob has a passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helping people find faith, hope, healing, and deliverance through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a life surrendered completely to God's Holy Spirit. As a pastor and evangelist with more than 30 years of ministry experience, Rob also consults with pastors, church planters, and congregations, regarding local Church growth, renewal, and revitalization possibilities and works with pastors, churches, and communities in local evangelistic outreach missions and activities.
In 1989, Rob had a dramatic conversion experience in which he was delivered from a self-destructive lifestyle of alcohol and drug abuse. In 1991, Rob graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Kansas State University, and in 1996 he completed his seminary education with a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. In 1998 he was awarded the “Harry Denman Evangelism Award” and in 1999 was inducted into “The Order of the Flame,” an evangelistic association of the World Methodist Council. Since July of 1992, Rob had been a United Methodist pastor and had been an ordained elder in the UMC since June of 2000. On June 13th of 2015, Rob surrendered his credentials with the UMC as he took a stand on an issue regarding Scriptural authority, Scriptural holiness, and the sanctity of marriage. Rob has been a licensed pastor with the Church of the Nazarene since July of 2015, and an ordained elder and a registered evangelist in the Church of the Nazarene since July of 2016.
In his ministerial career, Rob has served rural, urban, suburban, and small community churches. As an evangelist, he has been involved in a wide variety of ministry opportunities, and has preached at revivals, crusades, retreats, and many different kinds of events in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, Kentucky, Illinois, Texas, California, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Honduras, Nicaragua, Liberia West Africa, and Vietnam. From 2011 to 2015, Rob was the pastor of the United Methodist Church at Park City, a thriving and rapidly growing new church start on the northeast side of Wichita, KS. Since June of 2015, Rob has been on the road and in full-time evangelism ministry. Currently, Rob and his wife, Angel, live with their family in rural Reno county, KS.
For the most current info, follow Rob on FaceBook at:
Or on his ministry pages at:
facebook.com/WatchmanEvangelism
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KATE ELLEGOOD
SPEAKER & PANELIST
Kate Ellegood has served as an attorney in Great Bend, Kansas, since 2015 and recently launched her own law practice. Outside the courtroom, she wears many hats — foster mom, travel enthusiast, and part-time farm hand among them.
In the fall of 2023, Kate encountered Jesus in a life-changing way and immediately experienced His love, forgiveness, and healing. Since then, she has been passionate about reaching the lost and equipping others to boldly share their faith and walk in freedom through Christ.
Kate serves in youth ministry at Encounter Church in Great Bend, where she and her husband attend. She is a board member for the Bold Faith Conference Foundation and for Underground Movement Ministries, Inc. — the latter being a non-denominational multi-faceted ministry where Kate focuses on supporting and encouraging individuals who identify as LGBT+ as they discover their identity in Jesus. Through both ministry and everyday life, Kate is committed to helping people encounter the transforming love of God.
JILL SAUER
PANELIST
Jill Sauer is passionate about making disciples for Christ. She and her husband, Aaron, will celebrate 39 years of marriage in September. They run Sauer Chiropractic & Sports Clinic in Ellinwood and have raised three children over those years. During that time, Jill has been active with various kinds of ministry. Youth leader, children's director, women's Bible study leader, Sunday School leader, leadership in Mothers of Preschoolers, organized the Rise Above women's event, and has been on several ministry boards.
Jill is currently finishing a women's discipleship workbook scheduled to print in August titled Am I a Disciple? In addition to pouring into women, she loves going to coffee shops and spending time with her family, including three grandkids with the 4th on the way!
ERIC ROSTINE
PANELIST
Eric Rostine grew up in McPherson, KS and graduated high school from Elyria Christian School. He moved to Great Bend in 2010 to work for his father-in-law at Great Bend Appliance, which he now co-owns. Eric married Audra (Pruter) 16 years ago this June. They have three children: Kaiden, Kenzlie, and Kooper. Eric gave his life to Christ when he was 12 years old. He is an “encourager” for men desiring to walk through the "Steps to Freedom in Christ.” As a layperson, he taught the Word from the pulpit (rotating with others) in Claflin for four years, teaching on the subject of eschatology.
He currently serves on the board at First Church of the Nazarene in Great Bend and the school board at Central Kansas Christian Academy. He enjoys fishing in his “down time.”
REV. ADAM HATTEN
PANELIST
Adam Hatten is a credentialed minister through the Assemblies of God Kansas Ministries Network and serves as a board member at Encounter Church in Great Bend, Kansas, where he oversees the Young Adult ministry. For the past four years, Adam has worked with the Kansas Department of Commerce, helping individuals overcome employment barriers and take meaningful steps forward in their lives. He also serves with Barton County Juvenile Services, assisting families during emergency situations. Before that, Adam spent seven years at Park Elementary as a library tech, teaching library classes and working one-on-one with students facing personal and academic challenges.
His heart for ministry, discipleship, and youth has been shaped by years of serving people in both practical and spiritual ways. Adam is passionate about Scripture, getting Bibles into hands that will open them, and using media to help share the message of Christ!