About the Instructors
Janice Rogers has written and edited a number of books, including five with her brother, Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and University of the Nations (U of N). Their first book, Is that Really You, God? has more than 2 million copies in print in 100 languages. Their most recent collaboration is The Book That Transforms Nations: The Power of the Bible to Change Any Country.
Janice and her husband Jim have been full-time missionaries with YWAM since 1966, ministering in 64 nations. They work with YWAM Woodcrest, a U of N campus in East Texas dedicated to training missionary communicators. Janice led the first Authors’ Training School in YWAM in 1986. Since then she has trained hundreds of writers from more than 30 nations in writing schools and workshops. Her students have used their training to write countless books, magazine articles, film scripts, and material for websites.
They have three grown sons, all involved in missionary work, plus six grandchildren. Their family reflects their international calling, with daughters-in-law from Brazil, France, and Sweden.
Sandi Tompkins is an award-winning writer who was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1985. She was a feature writer and investigative reporter at three newspapers for more than 20 years before coming into YWAM in 1990. As the leader of the successful weekly U of N Kona Writers Group for the last 16 years, Sandi is a writing coach, mentor and cheerleader to dozens of aspiring writers. Together with her husband Scott, she has edited more than 35 books and served as senior editor of both the Christian Growth Study Bible in 1997 and the Starting Point Study Bible in 2001. Her first book, Kidnapped at Chowchilla, was a best-seller in 1977.
She has written for a number of magazines over the last 35 years, including Guideposts, Today’s Christian, Woman’s World, Good Housekeeping and two that have ceased publication, Virtue and the Christian Herald.
The Tompkins have two daughters who married awesome men, Bonnie and Preston Crawford of Beaverton OR and Melody and Paul Fillmore and one adorable 8-month-old grandson, Kaeden Asher Fillmore of Irvine CA.
Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) Gold Medallion Awards, affirming what millions of readers have already discovered—the Thoenes are not only master stylists but experts at capturing readers’ minds and hearts.
Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.
Bodie describes Brock as “an essential half of this writing team.” With degrees in both history and education, Brock has, in his role as researcher and story-line consultant, added the vital dimension of historical accuracy. Due to such careful research, The Zion Covenant and The Zion Chronicles series are recognized by the American Library Association, as well as Zionist libraries around the world, as classic historical novels and are used to teach history in college classrooms.
Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake, Luke, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.
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