Ashley and her husband, Drew have spent the last 20 years in ministry together, serving the local church in Florida in various roles.  At the end of the first decade, they were both burned out and ready to escape.  Thankfully they stumbled upon the power of the real gospel and it’s truth exploded in their hearts, sending them into the next decade with a passion to share what they’d discovered.  Together with a team of friends and their own four young children, Drew and Ashley planted Church of the Redeemer in Drew’s hometown of Winter Haven in 2008.  They are thrilled to be a part of the PCA Florida Church Planting Network and Renew Polk, a church planting initiative that aims to plant 20 new churches in their county within the next 20 years.  

Ashley has completed Parakaleo’s Basic Training, Alongside Coaching Training and Credentialing Cohort, and the Leadership Training and Assessment.  Ashley has discovered along this journey that what she loves about ministry is simply helping others to believe… how fiercely we are loved, how lavishly we are forgiven, and how trustworthy and good God really is.

Susan Bradford planted a church alongside her husband, Geoff, in Philadelphia, 2002-2011.  She and her husband are now serving at Christ the King Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC where she heads up the women’s ministry.  Susan is actively involved in Parakaleo's ministry, attending multiple trainings, leading a network group, and providing coaching. Susan has participated in years of premarital counseling alongside her husband and has recently counseled couples on her own. She is also mother to 6 sons, Garrison age 20, Sam age 18, Henry age 16, Clay age 13, Ezra age 11, and Asher age 8.  In her spare time, Susan enjoys cultivating her garden, reading, cooking and baking as well as running.  She just ran her second half-marathon!

Jenny grew up as a missionary kid (MK) in Peru, so it’s hard to faze her. But after attending the Church Planting Assessment Center with her husband, Jason, they fell  flat on their faces. They had to put the good news of the gospel to the test: was it really possible to admit to being broken people, and still believe they were loved by God beyond their imagination? They began to tackle the issues raised and received the green light to plant.  She partnered alongside Jason to lead Redeemer Indianapolis, help birth a new presbytery, and launch a daughter congregation. They are currently revitalizing Redeemer Redmond (Washington).  They have been married 23 years and have 4 children whose names all begin with “J”.  She loves porch sitting, drinking good, dark coffee and collecting miniatures for her dollhouse.

Olivia Jackson was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. Shortly after graduating from Auburn University, she moved to Asia where she studied Mandarin and worked with a Campus Ministry in Evangelism and Discipleship. During her first year there she began dating her long time friend Corey Jackson.  In 2000 they returned to the states to get married and to spend a year in Colorado working for Vail Resorts, (and to ski and hike the Colorado mountains every chance they could get.)  After a year in Colorado, Corey and Olivia returned to Asia for three more years to work with the Campus Ministry and to help to start a church plant made up of some of the original college student friends who were now working professionals in the area.  In 2005 Corey and Olivia returned to the states for Corey to finish his seminary education and to re-evaluate where the Lord was calling them. In 2008 she and her husband moved to Cary, North Carolina following a call to plant a multi-cultural church in the diverse community surrounding the Research Triangle Park. In 2010 they launched Trinity Park Church.  Olivia has experienced the highs and the lows of church planting and has a passion for supporting others in church planting process. She has had many official and unofficial jobs in the church from helping coordinate the children’s ministry, serving on the Women’s ministry team and starting the refugee ministry in her church. Currently, she is the Raleigh Network leader for Parakaleo and is working as a part-time pre-k teacher in the Title 1 classroom of the school where three of her kids attend. She is a mom of two boys and two girls ages 13, 11, 8, and 5. Her favorite things to do are running, snow skiing and hiking with her family. If you are looking for her on a Saturday, you will probably find her on the sidelines of a soccer game cheering for one of her kids.