Speakers
Mercer & Rachelle Lawrenson
Hosts & Panel Moderator
Mercer and Rachelle Lawrenson are homeschool graduates with three young children. They have a passion for filmmaking, gardening and event planning. They are thrilled to host the Raising Strong Disciples Conference. They live in Letellier MB.
Chuck & Danea Lawrenson
Speakers & Panelists
Chuck is married to Danea and the father of eight, Opa of three. Together, they serve Christ through homeschooling, farming and hosting events and field trips near Sanford, MB.
Vince & Deb Zacharias
Panelists
Vince and Deb Zacharias have been married for 30 years. They have loved raising their seven children, and they are delighting in the eight grandchildren they have so far. Vince and Deb are encouragers; they love to help the families around them thrive and grow in the Lord. Vince and Deb are from Haskett, MB.
Helmut Friesen
Speaker
Helmut is a husband, father of eight, and a passionate advocate for biblical family discipleship.
With a background in construction, he has spent over two decades intentionally integrating his work and life to disciple his children, viewing every aspect of life as an opportunity to learn.
Earl Toews
Speaker
Earl & Maureen have been blessed with 32 years of marriage. Their meal table has been surrounded with many children and grandchildren, presently 14 call them mom & dad and 10 call them grandma & grandpa. Some were born in, others invited in, but all loved as family. The family started their home discipleship journey in 1998 when their first child was born. In the last few years, though not yet “empty nesters”, they have graduated to cheering the next generation on this journey. The blessing of watching the Lord’s faithfulness in their family is truly joyful and humbling and they have a passion to encourage others in this joy.
Karsten & Abby Mueller
Panelists
Karsten and Abby Mueller are raising their five energetic children on a grain farm near Woodmore, Manitoba. They can be found adventuring together as a family, dirt biking, gardening, and always looking for ways to help others.
Riley and Jaimie
Semchuk
Panelists
Dave Meunier
Panelist
Riley and Jaimie were both born and raised around the Saskatoon area in Saskatchewan. In 2020, their family moved to Manitoba. Riley has served as principal at a Hutterian school, while Jaimie has been homeschooling their four children. Together, they have been heavily involved in children's ministry, from teaching in Christian schools to organizing and instructing Sunday School programs, as well as leading youth groups.
They are active homesteaders who enjoy hunting, gardening, animal husbandry, and foraging. Their guiding verse over the past five years, as they have transitioned from city life to homesteading, has been 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12.
“Mr.Dave” has been on adventures for King and Kingdom for almost three decades. During his 25-year career as a high school teacher, he passionately presented the solid scientific and logical evidence for the truth of the Biblical worldview in a variety of subject areas, and helped young people experience the outdoors, grow their confidence, and find their identity in Messiah. The journey included helping his wife, Esther, homeschool three sons from K-8 and supporting their high school education at a Christian school. Now grown, those sons are each currently pursuing their own unique Kingdom adventures.
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