Speakers: Ashley Evans
Ashley Evans is the Senior Pastor of Paradise Community Church in Adelaide, South Australia. This vibrant church is on the move, and is one of the largest and most successful in Australia, ministering to over 6000 people each weekend.
Ashley's leadership is well recognised across the nation. He serves as a National Executive Member of the ACC in Australia, overseeing more than 1000 churches and is also S.A. State President. He is known as a man of wisdom and faith, and is a daring risk-taker. He is creative, highly resourceful and his ability to raise leadership and build teams is recognised widely.
The heartbeat of Ashley's ministry is "influence". To profoundly impact and influence the intrinsic values and culture of society. His long-term vision is to see society changed from the inside out and for people to be all that God desires them to be – vibrant, crucial, extraordinary members of their community.
He is passionate about Christians being critically involved in ALL spheres of society - media, politics, business, sport, entertainment - and through that involvement become agents of positive change. This insatiable passion to "make a difference" has seen some phenomenal developments take place. Over the last few years, Ashley’s vision for the city has seen him create events which draw crowds of over 20,000 people from the community.
In 2001, Ashley co-founded the "Family First" political party which has seen a number of senators elected to parliament and is a voice for families in Australia.
In 2003, one of the church's worship singers, Guy Sebastian, won the coveted national singing competition, Australian Idol, which thrust the church into the national spotlight. Paradise Community Church regularly features in the media and the secular recognition of the church within the city and nation, has increased exponentially.
Ashley has spoken at Bishop TD Jakes' Mega-Fest Conference at the Georgia Dome, in front of over 80,000 people. His 2005 appearance went to a potential, worldwide television audience of 300 million people. His own television program, “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” now appears on commercial TV reaching thousands in his state weekly.
Ashley is married to Jane (with whom he co-pastors the Paradise Church) and they have three boys Mark, Nathan, and Benjamin.