The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is based in Iowa and applies Christian teaching to agriculture and food issues. The conference supports farm bill provisions that would “feed the hungry, preserve God’s creation, support small family farmers, and help rural America thrive.” It also supports creation care as part of its mission to protect rural life in America.

Ahmed E. Souaiaia is associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He teaches a course on Islamic law and is the author of Contesting Justice: Women, Islam, Law and Society.

Swasti Bhattacharyya is associate professor of philosophy and religion at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. She specializes in environmental ethics, comparative religious ethics, peace studies, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

Stephen Winzenburg a is a professor of communications at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he has studied the fund-raising activities of televangelists, some of whom avow the prosperity gospel.

Anne Clifford is a Catholic nun and associate professor of theology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She says what is needed in the debate is not the replacement of natural science with theistic science, but a dialogue between scientists and theologians.

Part of the Evangelical Free Church of America responsible for church planting. Operations divided into 17 districts which support 1,500 congregations across the United States. Based in Minneapolis, Minn.

Oversees church planting for the Souther Baptist Convention. The web site has information in two areas: The church-planting group, which trains, plans, supports and mentors church planters, and the church-planting “village,” an online resource area. 

Has offices in Lombard, Ill. and Roseville, Cali. Family of churches in the U.S. and Canada. Church planting is an emphasis.

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Claims membership of over 4 million people in 13,609 churches in 81 countries and territories including more than 2,000 churches in the United States. Contact Rev. William (Bill) W. Malick, director of church multiplication ministries.