Dr. Jerry Newcombe serves as the host and senior producer for The Coral Ridge Hour, the television outreach of the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, the senior pastor of the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church for 48 years, until his death in 2007. Jerry earned his B.A. in history with honors at Tulane University (1978) and his M.A. with honors in communications at Wheaton Graduate School (1983) and his D.Min. (Doctorate of Ministry) from Knox Theological Seminary (2008). Dr. Newcombe wrote his thesis on the importance of America's Christian heritage and how pastors and laypeople can pass on that heritage.

Jerry has produced or co-produced more than 50 one hour television specials with Dr. Kennedy as the host. These programs have aired nationwide and have dealt with such subjects as church and state, creation/evolution, indecency on the airwaves, gambling, the ACLU, Judge Roy Moore (the Ten Commandments Judge), and so on. Perhaps the most widely seen specials Jerry has had the privilege of serving as lead producer was the Christmas 2000 program, WHO IS THIS JESUS, and the Easter 2001 special, WHO IS THIS JESUS: IS HE RISEN? and  WHAT IF JESUS HAD NEVER BEEN BORN?, a documentary based on the best-selling book by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe. Other specials have included: THE DA VINCI DELUSION, DARWIN'S DEADLY LEGACY, CROSS PURPOSES, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THE ATTACK ON JESUS, and IS JESUS GOD?

President - Evangelism Explosion International

John grew up as the son of a preacher in the Christian Church, was baptized in a river on Easter Sunday at the age of 7, and at 16 became a full-time student at a Christian college.  During these years, however, he observed very few professing Christians who behaved as such, especially himself.  Disheartened, he left college and began his young adult life as a radio D.J. in Omaha, NE, then went on to build his own sound recording studios.  He won many regional and national awards for his TV and radio ads, and sound design for films.  Still, he felt lost and far from God.

At the suggestion of a friend, John started attending Christ Community Church where Dr. Tom Stebbins took him through the Evangelism Explosion Gospel presentation and lead him to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord!  His new spouse, Ann, also accepted Christ; and they immediately felt God’s call in their lives. John and Ann both took EE and fell in love with seeing people come to Christ.  John became a trainer and teacher-trainer in EE, then joined the staff in 1997.  John served as the Director of Marketing, Vice President of Ministry Advancement, and Executive Vice President before being appointed President in 2008, an office held previously only by EE’s founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy.

This past year the ministry of Evangelism Explosion International conducted over 900 leadership training clinics, ran over 20,000 EE courses, equipped over 250,000 Christians worldwide to be witnesses for Christ, and saw, by the grace of God, over five million people make a profession of faith in Jesus!

John earned a Master of Arts in Evangelism at Knox Theological Seminary.  While at Knox, John earned the award for the most outstanding work in the department of Missions and Evangelism.

EE International's website.

John L Wilson is Director of the Music Ministrires at The New Presbyterian Church, where he administers a full program Adult, Youth and Children's Choirs and Handbell Ensembles. Before joining the staff of The New Presbyterian Church, he was director of Music Ministries at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church for 12 Years. There he oversaw 15 choirs including the 100 voice Chancel Choir, which appeared weekly on the international television program, The Coral Ridge Hour. He previously served 11 years as Director of Music at Haddonfield United Methodist Church in New Jersey.

Dr. Wilson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and a Master of Sacred Music Degree from the School of Sacred Music at Union Seminary in New York City, where he studied organ with Alec Wyton and conducting with Abraham Kaplan. He has also studied conducting with Robert Shaw, Joseph Flummerfelt, Rene Clausen, Elaine Brown, and Clarence Martin.

Samuel Metzger was born in Rochester, NY, but from an early age grew up in northern Arizona where his father was a missionary to the Navajo Indians. He began his music studies at the age of 11 and was soon assisting in the mission services. Early studies were at Northern Arizona State University in Flagstaff, where he was accepted into the Preparatory School of Music as a student of Dr. Marilyn Brandon. In high school he studied with Dr. Royce Johnson at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Mr. Metzger began undergraduate studies in 1990 at Arizona State University where he was a student of Robert Clark. There he studied on a Regents Scholarship and at graduation was named “Most Outstanding Undergraduate in Performance.” In 1995 he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and began studies with Jon Laukvik at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart, Germany.