2026 Courage to Face the Fire Summer Dinner
Join Alaska Family Council for our next inspiring Dinner with former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran. Come and be encouraged on how and why to stand firm for your faith despite the heat we each often face for doing so.
Kelvin’s Story
The city and mayor of Atlanta terminated the employment of Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran because of his Christian faith and beliefs. Mayor Kasim Reed first suspended Cochran for 30 days and announced that he would have to complete “sensitivity training” after activists who don’t agree with the fire chief’s Christian views on sex complained about a men’s devotional book Cochran had written on his personal time. Biblical sexual morality is mentioned only briefly in the 162-page book. After an investigation that included interviews with employees found Cochran did not discriminate against anyone, the mayor fired him anyway—citing as his basis, ironically, the need to tolerate diverse views. Ultimately, Kelvin won in court and the City of Atlanta agreed to pay Kelvin $1.2 million in the wake of the court’s decision.
“Chief Cochran is an example of the character and the cost required of those who choose to live for something beyond themselves…. He has that character, forged through years of hard work and commitment to God, and he’s experienced the cost of choosing obedience over comfort, believing that Christ would be present in his fiery trial. I thank God that this story is now available to the world in this book.” — JOHN STONESTREET, president of the Colson Center and host of BreakPoint
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Bayshore Clubhouse
3131 Amber Bay Loop
Anchorage, AK 99515
Private Reception at 5:30pm
Doors open at 6:15pm
Program begins at 6:45pm
Register Now
Kelvin J. Cochran serves as senior fellow and vice president at Alliance Defending Freedom, a longtime ministry partner of Alaska Family Council and the top legal firm in the country defending family, faith and freedom.
In this role, he oversees the spiritual care of ADF team members, speaks at ADF events and conferences, and assists the ADF Church and Ministry Alliance by expanding alliances with pastors and minority faith communities.
Cochran dedicated over 30 years of his life to fighting fires and protecting the communities in which he’s lived and worked. After being born into extreme poverty in Shreveport, Louisiana, he worked his way up the ranks and became Shreveport’s fire chief in 1999 where he served until he was appointed fire chief for the city of Atlanta,Georgia in 2008.
His exemplary service record drew the attention of President Obama who appointed Cochran as the administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration in 2009, the highest office in the profession. He then resumed his post as Atlanta Fire Chief in 2010. After the city of Atlanta terminated Cochran’s employment because of his Christian faith and beliefs, ADF represented him in a federal lawsuit.
A federal court ruled the city of Atlanta discriminated against Cochran’s religious views and violated his First Amendment rights, and the city of Atlanta agreed to a favorable settlement.
Prior to his role at ADF, Cochran served as chief operating officer of Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta. He received his doctorate of education in interdisciplinary leadership from Creighton University and is the author of two books, a sought-after public speaker, and is an advocate for religious liberty and unity of the body of Christ.
