Leadership & Editorial Staff

Dr. Christopher Chou began serving as Chief Executive Officer of The Christian Post (CP) in August 2018. Before coming to CP, Dr. Chou served eight years as the Chief-of-Staff and Chief Operating Officer at the World Evangelical Alliance, opening its New York offices, and revitalizing key operations in the areas of communications, development, finance, administration and human resources to better serve Christians in over 120 countries. Since committing his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 18, Dr. Chou has founded and operated several international Christian ministries. Dr. Chou is an ordained pastor and he and his wife, Miriam, are active members of their local church. They have two young daughters.

Dr. Richard Land serves as the Executive Editor of The Christian Post, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary, and President Emeritus of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, where he has served since 1988. Dr. Land was featured in Time Magazine as one of "The Twenty-five Most Influential Evangelicals in America,” and had served five terms with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom after his appointment by former President George W. Bush. Dr. Land, however, says his proudest accomplishment is his more than 35-year marriage to his wife, Dr. Rebekah Land, and his personal investment with her in the lives of their three adult children: Jennifer, Richard, Jr., and Rachel.

John Grano serves as Senior Managing Editor of The Christian Post. Mr. Grano worked at Inside Washington Publishers from 1980 to 2011 and was IWP's primary editorial director for over 20 years. During his time at IWP, he was responsible for starting more than 20 new publications, covering environmental policy, defense, international trade, health regulation, and energy. IWP's newsletters have international reputations and have won numerous national reporting awards. In addition to his journalism work, Mr. Grano has served in his church as a care group leader, worship leader, and youth pastor. He lives with his wife, Cyndy, in the Virginia Piedmont, and has three adult children.

Melissa Barnhart serves as Managing Editor for The Christian Post. She graduated from Liberty University with a bachelor of science degrees in government, religion and communications. Ms. Barnhart began her reporting career while still in college by working for a local newspaper outside Dallas, Texas, where she interviewed pastors, politicians, Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch, a U.S. women's softball player in the 2004 Olympic Games, and former President of Mexico Vicente Fox. She joined The Christian Post in 2013.

Samuel Smith serves as U.S. Section Editor for The Christian Post. He began working for CP in 2014 as a staff reporter. Prior to working for CP, Mr. Smith covered Maryland state politics as well as college and high school athletics. His areas of interest include human rights, religious freedom, politics and sports. Mr. Smith also serves on the international missions team of his local church. He lives in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with his family.