On October 11th we will be celebrating clergy in Grand Rapids with a hot breakfast, panel discussion with Acton Affiliate Pastors Wes Hamilton & Ronjour Locke, and Justin Beene the Director of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation. Additionally resources will be distributed including Acton DVD’s and books. If you’re a Grand Rapids clergy member, please join us for the FREE event!
Justin Beene
Justin Beene lives with his wife, Karianne, and their two children, Jelani and Cheyenne, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Justin holds a master’s of social work in management of human services from the University of Michigan, a master's of arts in ministry leadership from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in transformational leadership with an emphasis on entrepreneurial transformation from Bakke Graduate University. Justin is the founder/director of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation, a partnership between Building Bridges Professional Services, Rising Grinds Café, two social enterprises that train and employ high-risk youth, Bethany Christian Services, and Double O Supply and Craftsman. Justin serves on the Board of Mosaic Christian Community Development Association in Benton Harbor, MI. and the International Advisory Board of the Center For Transforming Mission in Guatemala City.
Wes Hamilton
Wes Hamilton is the husband to Lesley, father to Jake and Elle, lead pastor of Hulen Street Church, and a lover of Texas and of good food. According to various assessments Wes is a lion/otter, maximizing communicator who is strategic and adaptable, but with a strong vein of belief.
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University Wes and Lesley moved to Fort Worth to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It was during their time at Southwestern they both began to fall in love with the city of Fort Worth. It was also during this time that Wes began traveling and speaking to students across the state of Texas and eventually the United States. After graduating from Southwestern he founded Shoeless Ministries and continued to travel and speak full time.
In 2005 Wes joined the staff of Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, Texas as Teaching Pastor. It was during this time God began to renew his passion for the local church. As much as they loved the church and the people of Lake Pointe, Wes and Lesley both saw that God was leading him to take on the role of lead Pastor. It was during this season that Hulen Street Church reached out and gave Wes and Lesley the chance to come home to a city they loved. In the spring of 2017 Wes joined the Acton Institute as an Affiliate Pastor.
Ronjour Locke, M.Div.
Ronjour Locke pastors First Baptist Church of Brooklyn, located on the south side of Baltimore, MD. He is a graduate of Washington Bible College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is happily married to his wife, Annie, and they have four children.
