Chapel Speaker Profiles
Special Series:
Torrey Memorial Bible Conference
R. A. Torrey (1856-1928) was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. He graduated from Yale University (B.A., 1875) and from the theological department there (B.D., 1878), and studied at the universities of Leipzig and Erlangen. Inspired by D.L. Moody, he held evangelistic meetings around the world with song leader Charles Alexander, and at age 33 was called by Moody to head the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now the Moody Bible Institute). He would later become the first Dean of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA), from 1912- 1924. His pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial Church) and the Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles. He wrote more than forty books. At his funeral, it was said that “... those who knew Dr. Torrey more intimately knew him as a man of regular and uninterrupted prayer. He knew what it meant to pray without ceasing. With hours set systematically apart for prayer, he gave himself diligently to this ministry.” A short biography of Torrey is available at www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=62
Missions Conference
Biola’s annual Missions Conference is currently the largest annual Missions Conference in the world. For over 80 years Biola’s Missions Conference (planned and organized by Biola's Student Missionary Union, a wholly-student-run missions organization) has sought to educate, equip and inspire students to embrace their role in the completion of the Great Commission. We transmit this vision to the student body during the three-day-conference, during which time all classes are cancelled. To accomplish this vision through the utilization of speakers, bands, worship, cultural events, global awareness, etc. to bring the nations to Biola’s campus and ignite students’ hearts. This conference is simply about Jesus – and His glory in the nations.
2012-2013 Speakers (alphabetically):
A.S.: Associated Students
AS exists to serve you, the student. As an entirely student-led organization we seek to represent your best interests to the Administration while also communicating its activities to you. While we constantly strive to provide events and services that enrich your Biola experience, we ultimately hope to be an organization that brings unity to a campus that is seeking to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Larry Acosta
Larry Acosta is the President and Founder of the Hispanic Ministry Center, Urban Youth Workers Institute, & KIDWORKS. Larry's passion is to envision and shape the emerging generation of urban leadership for transformational ministry. Larry is both a Biola and a Talbot grad, and holds a D.Min. from Fuller. "The coolest part of my job is I get to meet young energetic Kingdom minded visionary leaders who want to reach the last, the lost and the least of our cities!"
Khristi Adams
Associate Campus Pastor for Preaching and Spiritual Programming at Azusa Pacific University. Khristi holds an M.Div from Princeton Theological Seminary and has a B.A. in Advertising from Temple University. She joined Azusa’s Campus Pastors staff from New Jersey where she was the Director of Youth Ministries at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens. Khristi’s passions include urban youth studies, ethics and social justice.
Clint Arnold
Dean of Talbot School of Theology; Professor of New Testament Language and Literature. Dr. Arnold's interest lies in the historical and cultural context of the New Testament, especially the letters of Paul. He has written and edited numerous books and articles, is the editor of the four-volume Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary for which he wrote commentaries on Acts, Ephesians, and Colossians. He is the general editor of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament for which he has written the volume on Ephesians. He has published in Christianity Today and was a regular columnist for Discipleship Journal. Dr. Arnold, his wife and three boys are vitally involved in their local church. Visit his webpage at http://people.biola.edu/faculty/clinta
Walter Augustine
Financial Aid Analyst, Biola University. Walter is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Theological Ethics, with an emphasis on Economic Ethics, at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He also an ordained Baptist minister who previously served as Pastor of Discipleship at Merrill Avenue Baptist Church in Chicago.
Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry since 1975. Following graduation from The London School of Theology, he served eight years in Scotland at both Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. In 1983, he became the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. He has written several books and is heard daily and weekly on the radio program, Truth For Life. The teaching on Truth For Life stems from the week by week Bible teaching at Parkside Church. He and his wife, Susan, were married in 1975 and they have three grown children.
Ken Berding
Associate Professor of New Testament, Hermeneutics and Greek at Talbot. Dr. Berding is author of Polycarp and Paul, What Are Spiritual Gifts? Rethinking the Conventional View, and Sing and Learn New Testament Greek, and co-editor of What the New Testament Authors Really Cared About and Three Views on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. He has published articles in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vigiliae Christiane, Evangelical Quarterly, New Testament Studies, and Tyndale Bulletin. Before coming to Talbot, Dr. Berding was a church planter in the Middle East and taught at Nyack College just north of New York City. He has a heart for God and ministry, and has written many worship songs and served as a worship pastor in local church ministry.
Daniel Block
Gunther H. Knoedler professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College. He holds a BA. in History/German from the University of Saskatchewan, an M.A. in Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a D.Phil. in Semitics: Classical Hebrew at the University of Liverpool and has lectured and preached in Russia, Denmark, and China. A prolific writer, Block's previous books include the Judges, Ruth volume of B&H Publishing Group's esteemed New American Commentary series.
Laurel Bunker
For more than 20 years, Laurel has been a leader in the fields of education, nonprofit business, and church and parachurch ministry. Her mission is to radically impact marginalized people groups and disadvantaged communities through empowered teaching, training, leadership development, and preaching the uncompromised Word of God. She serves as Dean of Campus Ministries and Campus Pastor at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, where she oversees the spiritual development initiatives of the campus and manages a dynamic team of people who develop the missions, discipleship, prayer, outreach, and worship ministries for the university. Laurel and her husband, Joshua, make their home in the Twin Cities with their two daughters, Naomi and Camile.
Jamie Campbell
Assistant professor, Torrey Honors Institute. After earning her B.A. in Humanities from Biola, Campbell moved to Washington, D.C., where she earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown, she had the unique opportunity of arguing as amicus curiae before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Having grown up as an African-American in Japan, she Campbell expresses and appreciates distinct perspectives on various issues such as multiculturalism, literature, justice, education, and writing. All of the art displayed in the home she shares with her husband Andrew is her own creative work.
Freddy Cardoza
Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Christian Education, Biola University. Dr. Cardoza ministered 20 years in church and parachurch ministries of all sizes, and has taught academically for more than 15 years at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. At Talbot, Freddy serves as Chair of the Department of Christian Education's undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. He is also Biola University's Director of Distributed Learning and Instructional Technology, where he oversees the areas of distance and online learning, BlackBoard, educational technology, and new digital-learning initiatives. Dr. Cardoza is the Executive Administrator for the North American Professors of Christian Education (NAPCE).
Lia Chavez
Internationally exhibited visual and performance artist who lives and works in New York City. Focusing on themes of illumination, embodiment and becoming, her practice incorporates a diverse range of media with an emphasis on performance-generated photography. Her work has been exhibited at the 52nd and 53rd Venice Biennale; The Armory Show, New York; 10th Istanbul Biennial; Frieze Art Fair, London; Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Atlanta; and Affirmation Arts, New York. Chavez embraces the physics of the camera to create "performed images" that investigate how light embodies relationships and delineates change. Examining the co-existence of the gorgeous and grotesque through large-scale oil paintings, photographs and videos, to collaborating with documentary filmmakers, choreographers and other artists, Chavez’s life as an artist, like her work, is one of perpetual motion.
James Choung
Director of InterVarsity’s Asian American Ministries. Born in Chicago, James grew up in Seattle, and attended college in Massachusetts. He studied management science and marketing at MIT. He then attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he received a Masters of Divinity. Along the way he pastored a church plant in Cambridge, MA, and served a pastoral internship at an English-speaking church in Seoul, South Korea. James earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, writing his dissertation on postmodern leadership development.
Justin Christian
Pastor of Worship at The First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton. Justin is involved in leading worship in Sunday services as well as mentoring young worship leaders. He also ministers to young families through adult fellowships and targeted events. Justin and his wife Christiana have three children: Adeline, Asher and Ewan.
Ivan Chung
Director of International Student Services at Biola University since 2006. Ivan has a Bachelor of Music w/Elective Studies in Christian Education and Bible/Theology from Wheaton College and received his M.Div from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He supports international students, students from missionary families, and third culture students in their transition and accommodation at Biola; serve as a visionary leader, university resource, educator on issues related to these students through globalizing the campus and mutual enculturation. Ivan is at Biola because of God's calling and guidance - wanting to disciple the nations, and to lead/serve them in a way that would empower them to do the same.
Derek Clark
Christian Businessman who is also a current candidate in the Doctor of Ministry at Talbot with an emphasis in Discipleship.
Kenny Clark
Staff Elder to Children and Youth at Grace Evangelical Free Church here in La Mirada. He received a Bachelor of Music degree after studying at Cal State Fullerton and Pacific Christian College. A few years later he went back to study at Talbot School of Theology where he earned a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies. He has worked in student ministry in one capacity or another for about 18 years, the last eight at Grace. Kenny has also led worship for camps and conferences over the years and produced one worship CD in 2000 called Music of the Spheres.
John Coe
Director, Institute of Spiritual Formation, Biola University. Dr. Coe teaches and writes in the areas of spirituality, theology and psychological maturity, and gender issues as well as the integration between theology, psychology, philosophy and ethics. He is also serving as teaching elder at Redeemer Church La Mirada. His articles have been published in Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology, Journal of Christian Education, Journal of Psychology and Theology, Journal of Psychology and Christianity, Faculty Dialogue, and Ethics and Medicine.
President Barry Corey
Dr. Barry H. Corey became the eighth president of Biola University on July 1, 2007. He holds a BA in English and biblical studies from Evangel University, an MA in American Studies from Boston College, and a PhD from Boston College in curriculum, instruction and administration. Corey, a Massachusetts native, came to Biola from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, where he served as vice president/chief academic officer and academic dean. Corey was also a Fulbright Scholar and lived in Bangladesh among the rural poor from 1990 to 1991. He has served on a number of non-profit boards including "Convoy of Hope," and "The Boston Theological Consortium." He has also completed two Boston Marathons. He and his wife, Paula, have three children: Anders, Ella, and Samuel.
Andy Crouch
Andy is the author of Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, winner of Christianity Today’s 2009 Book Award for Christianity and Culture and named one of the best books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly, Relevant, Outreach and Leadership. For ten years he was a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Harvard University. From 1998 to 2003, Andy was the editor-in-chief of re:generation quarterly, a magazine for an emerging generation of culturally creative Christians. In December 2012 he became executive editor of Christianity Today, where he is also executive producer of This Is Our City, a multi-year project about Christians seeking the flourishing of their cities.
Shelly Cunningham
Associate Professor, Christian Education. Dr. Cunningham is a Christian educator whose ministry experience includes staff positions in youth ministry and Christian education in the local church. She was a contributor to The Life Recovery Bible; Foundations of Ministry: An Introduction to Christian Education for a New Generation; Baker Dictionary of Christian Education; The Journal of Higher Education; and Theological Education. Her work has appeared in Children's Ministry Magazine and Faculty Dialogue. She continues to be involved in the local church, serving as a consultant and retreat speaker. Dr. Cunningham is an Instructional Consultant for the Center for Faculty Development at Biola University.
Murray Decker
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies, Biola University. Dr. Decker has taught at Biola University since 1993, teaching courses such as Interpersonal and Intercultural Adjustment, Foundations of Global Studies, Short-term Mission Leadership, Experiential Learning Theory, and Gospel and Culture. His field experience includes serving in Cameroon, West Africa as an educator, as well as numerous trips to Eastern Europe and Latin America. He has served as a missions consultant to churches and has spoken at numerous missions conferences at churches, schools and seminaries. Dr. Decker's research interests include sojourner adjustment (the process of cross-cultural adaptation and adjustment to living in new environments), missions mobilization, spiritual formation and experiential learning. Murray's passion over the years has been to mentor students and journey with them in life as they prepare to impact the world for Jesus. Murray is married to DeAnn, and has two children, Nathan and Lauren. They make their home in La Mirada.
Bruce Demarest
Professor of spiritual formation, Denver Seminary. Among his many books, he is perhaps best known for co-authoring Integrative Theology with Gordon Lewis. He has also authored many articles in journals and magazines and is a contributing editor to the Renovaré Spiritual Formation Study Bible. Dr. Demarest presents workshops and retreats on spiritual formation, the spiritual journey, and spiritual mentoring and direction. He holds a Ph.D. in biblical and historical theology from the University of Manchester, England, an M.A. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and an M.S. from Adelphi University.
Curtiss de Young
Professor of Reconciliation Studies, Bethel University. With degrees from Anderson University, Howard University and the University of St. Thomas, Dr. deYoung has spent his life working both nationally and internationally to develop networks for reconciliation, peace, justice and human rights. He has traveled to South Africa on nine occasions speaking on reconciliation and the multiculturalism of the Bible.
Kathleen Doyle
Kathleen has worked in ministry for over 15 years, teaching and training lay people in leadership development, counseling ministry skills and community outreach. She has worked at Rock Harbor, Saddleback Church and Emmanuel Faith Church. While attending Talbot, she was an RD or ARD in Alpha, Stewart and Thompson Halls...she loves Biola. Currently, she works full time as a Pastoral Counselor and does consulting for churches and businesses.
Andy Draycott
Assistant Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies. He is passionate about understanding church life and especially preaching as engaged publically for the glory of God and the mission of his Kingdom. Teaching undergraduates across the whole range of disciplines at Biola is a providentially appointed setting for theology that loves the diversity of callings, gifts and mutual ministry in the church. This reflects his upbringing in a missionary family in Brazil, as well as eight years college campus ministry in the UK and Portugal.
William Dyrness
Professor of Theology and Culture, Fuller Seminary. With over 30 years of teaching all over the world, William Dyrness has been at Fuller since 1990 and served as dean of the School of Theology from 1990 to 2000. He teaches courses in theology, culture and the arts, and was a founding member of the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology and the Arts. He has published work in a variety of fields, including theology and culture, apologetics, theology and art, and global missions.
Adam Edgerly
As Pastor of Newsong Los Angeles Covenant Church, Adam is responsible for preaching and teaching. Adam earned his BA and MA in Inter-Cultural Studies from Biola University and his MBA from Emory University. Adam has published articles on Islam in the African American community, and the growing impact of Third Culture Churches. He served as the Director of Community Transformation Ministries, the Associate Director of Evangelism and Regional Director of Church Planting with the Evangelical Covenant churches. He loves to learn about other cultures and world religions and he has visited 15 countries. He enjoys the bohemian environment of coffee houses (he used to own one). Adam also enjoys reading, attending poetry slams, mountain biking and body surfing. Read more...
Tom Finley
Dr. Finley's area of expertise is Northwest Semitic languages, specifically Hebrew and Aramaic. He authored the Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary (Joel, Amos, Obadiah) (reprinted by Galaxie Software), the Everyman's Bible (Commentary on Joel, Obadiah, Micah) (Moody), and co-authored How Biblical Languages Work: A Student's Guide to Learning Hebrew and Greek (Kregel). He also contributed notes on the prophets mentioned above to The Life Recovery Bible. He authored chapters in three books, and his articles have appeared in Grace Theological Journal, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Journal of Psychology and Theology, Vetus Testamentum, Zeitschrift für Althebraistik, and Decision Magazine. He has addressed both regional and national meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, and he has served as a translation consultant for portions of the Old Testament for the NIV Children's Version.
Dave Gibbons
As the founding pastor of Newsong Church in Irvine, recognized as one of the most innovative churches in America, Dave is the author of The Monkey and the Fish, an award-winning book on culture. He has been on the board of World Vision US, and holds a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
Ron Gleason
Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Yorba Linda, CA. He holds degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary, Theological Seminary of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and The Citadel.
Nancy Grisham
Founded Livin’ Ignited to present Christ’s life-changing message of hope. Nancy’s engaging style of teaching helps people to freshly encounter God, enjoy their relationship with Him, and make Him known to others. With relevance, clarity, and authenticity Nancy speaks to the heart and mind about experiencing a life that is full and purposeful in Christ. Nancy also serves churches and ministries to help them become more effective in outreach for today.
Lisa Sharon Harper
Lisa earned her master’s in human rights from Columbia University in New York City. She serves on the board of directors of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good and is a member of Metro Hope Church in New York City, an Evangelical Covenant Church. Lisa is Sojourners’ director of mobilizing, was the founding executive director of New York Faith & Justice—an organization at the hub of a new ecumenical movement to end poverty in New York City. She has written extensively on tax reform, comprehensive immigration reform, health-care reform, poverty, racial justice, and transformational civic engagement for publications and blogs.
Craig Hazen
Director of M.A. Program in Christian Apologetics; Associate Professor of Comparative Religion and Apologetics, Biola University. Director of M.A. Program in Christian Apologetics; Associate Professor of Comparative Religion and Apologetics, Biola University. Dr. Hazen is the editor of the philosophy journal, Philosophia Christi. He is also the author of the monograph The Village Enlightenment in America, the acclaimed apologetics novel Five Sacred Crossings, and dozens of articles and chapters in various books and journals. He is a recipient of the Fischer Award, the highest faculty honor at Biola and has lectured across North America and Europe on key apologetics topics—including lectures on Capitol Hill and in the White House. He is a popular church and conference speaker and former co-host of a national radio talk program.
David Horner
Professor of Philosophy and Biblical Studies, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University David Horner received the M.Phil. in Philosophical Theology and D.Phil. in Philosophy from Oxford University. He is a fly-fishing, guitar-picking, fourth-generation Colorado native whose childhood pet was a donkey (Jack A. Horner). His primary research interests are in ancient and medieval philosophy, particularly ethics. He has published journal articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia entries in early Christian thought, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, C.S. Lewis, virtue ethics, ethical eudaimonism, aesthetics, worship, and apologetics. He is the author of Mind Your Faith: A Student's Guide to Thinking and Living Well (IVP Academic, 2011). He no longer owns a donkey, but is keeping his options open.
Andrea Humphrey
Enterpreneur, educator, consultant, speaker, co-founder H.O.P.E. (Hope, Opportunity, Purpose and Encouragement) Community Development Center. As Co-Pastor, her dynamic and relatable teaching style enables her to impact diverse groups of people from corporate America to the Church. The expression of her warm and loving personality fosters an environment of family and belonging.
Lisa Ishihara
Director of Chapel Programs at Biola University since 2008, Lisa Ishihara has an MA Business (Marketing), CSU Fullerton; M.Div., Talbot School of Theology. Lisa oversees morning chapels, AfterDark and Singspiration chapels and the Annual Torrey Memorial Bible Conference. She also focuses on the spiritual and student development of our chapel staffs, worship teams and interns. Lisa is at Biola because God has equipped her and given her the opportunity to serve Him, worship Him and use the skills and giftedness He has given her.
Clay Jones
Assistant Professor of Christian Apologetics. Dr. Jones was previously the executive director of Simon Greenleaf University (now Trinity Law School), which offered degrees in law, Christian apologetics, and international human rights. Formerly hosted Contend for Truth, a call-in nationally syndicated talk radio program where he debated many people over eight years. Author of a forthcoming book, Why God Allows Evil, Dr. Jones has been on the pastoral staff of two large churches, has authored apologetic software as well as encyclopedia and journal articles, and speaks widely on why God allows evil, crusades, inquisitions, witch-hunts, and related topics.
Willie Jordan
President, Fred Jordan Mission, Los Angeles. For well over half a century Willie Jordan has been giving help and hope to lost, hurting, impoverished children, men, and women all over the world. She is internationally recognized for her experience and knowledge in the fields of poverty, hunger, homelessness, domestic violence and children’s issues. She has served the poor in the streets of LA’s Skid Row, war-torn Korea, the jungles of Mexico, the congested cities of Asia, as well as California’s migrant farm-laborers.
Bianca Juarez
Speaker, teacher and preacher, and founder of "In the Name of Love Ministries." She is passionate about sharing the gospel, speaking in love and in partnership with the A21 Campaign, which was established to abolish injustice in the 21st century.
Joanne Jung
Dr. Jung's interests lie in hermeneutics and spiritual formation. Her research of the English Puritans, specifically their spiritual practices and community, continues to fuel Dr. Jung's passion to nurture her students' growth in their knowledge of the Bible and seeing that knowledge impact their spiritual transformation. This passion to see others grow in Christ extends beyond her students, serving those within her local church and community.
David Kinnaman
President of the Barna Group, Biola alum. He speaks and writes about new models of church experience, the profile of young leaders, and generational changes. In 2007, Kinnaman released his first book, unChristian, and is currently speaking about his latest book, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving the Church.
Mickey Klink
Assistant Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies. Dr. Klink’s interests lie in the Gospel of John, hermeneutics, Edward (Mickey) Klink holds a PhD in New Testament from the University of St. Andrews. Currently also Pastor of Young Adults at Calvary Church of Placentia. Dr. Klink is the author of The Sheep of the Fold: The Audience and Origin of the Gospel of Joh (Cambridge University Press, 2007), editor of The Audience of the Gospels: The Origin and Function of the Gospels in Early Christianity (T. & T. Clark, 2010), and is currently writing Types of Biblical Theology (Zondervan, 2012) and John in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series (Zondervan, 2014). Dr. Klink is passionate about his calling to an academic ministry where his teaching, research, and ministerial relationships become a witness to Christ and a service to the Church. He and his wife, Laura, are both originally from the midwest, and they have two sons, Jacob and Benjamin.
Rick Langer
Professor, Biblical Studies and Theological Integration. Langer also serves as the Director of the Office of Faith and Learning. His teaching and research focus is on the integration of faith and learning. He has also spoken and published in the areas of bioethics, theology, and Christian political thought. Prior to coming to Biola, he served for over twenty years as a pastor at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from UC Riverside, as well as an MDiv from Talbot and a BS in Chemistry from Colorado State.
Kevin Lewis
Dr. Lewis specializes in the topics of systematic and polemical theology, theology and law integration, jurisprudence, and Christian apologetics. He is the Founder and Director of the Evangelical Legal Society, an organization dedicated to the task of restoring the theological foundations of law and justice in society and providing Christians with the resources necessary to do law, justice, and public policy from a foundation of evangelical theology. Dr. Lewis is an active lecturer at churches, colleges, and conferences and has appeared on several radio and television shows, addressing a variety of topics.
Jon Lunde
Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies. Dr. Lunde's main interests lie in the study of Jesus, both as he is presented in the gospels and in the more specialized Historical Jesus field. He also enjoys studying how the writers of the New Testament use the Old Testament. Prior to coming to Talbot, he taught for seven years at Trinity College in Deerfield, Illinois, and also has local church ministry experience. His passion is to present Jesus to his students in such a way that they personally respond to him as their Suffering Servant and as their King.
GV Mathai
Director of India Evangelical Mission in Norwalk, CA. Burdened by the millions of Indians headed toward a Christless eternity, GV Mathai founded the India Evangelical Mission, Inc. in 1966. IEM is a multifaceted ministry with the goal of winning the lost, building and equipping the saints, and then sending them forth to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord. (Matthew 28:19-20).
Teri McCarthy
Dr. McCarthy is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at Vilnius Pedagogical University in Lithuania. She chaired the English Department at LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania. She writes extensively on the topic of mobilizing the Church for missions and issues of Christian worldview.
Alex McLellan
Alex McLellan is the Founder and Executive Director of Reason Why International, a Bible teaching and apologetics ministry dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, strengthening the belief of Christians and interacting with non-Christians who are interested in matters of faith and understanding. Alex serves as an associate with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and Josh McDowell Ministries (JMM). He works with churches, para-churches, camps, universities, colleges, and schools. He has featured on Moody Broadcasting's Prime Time America and Chris Fabry Live!, RZIM's Just Thinking, TalkSport UK's Big Debate and Ireland's LifeFM. Alex's first book A Jigsaw Guide to Making Sense of the World will be published in November 2012 (InterVarsity Press).
Miles McPherson
Miles McPherson is the President of Miles Ahead and Senior Pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, California. Miles is viewed as an expert on relevant issues such as teen pregnancy, drug use, suicide and gangs, as well as dynamic church leadership and outreach strategies. While a pro football player, Miles was living a very immoral lifestyle; following an all-night cocaine session and realizing that his life was empty, Miles asked Christ to come into his life in 1984. In 1992 he founded Miles Ahead, a non-profit organization that reaches out to the world’s youth with the Gospel.
David Mitchell
Senior Pastor at Calvary Church in Santa Ana; member, Biola Board of Trustees. He attended Westmont College where he graduated with a degree in psychology. He also studied church growth, leadership and pastoral ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary and Talbot School of Theology. Biola's history with Calvary Church goes back many years; Biola's Calvary Chapel was built with a large gift in the name of the Calvary Church congregation.
Faustin Ntamushobora
CEO and President of TLAfrica, Inc and currently serves as Adjunct Professor at Biola University where he is finishing his Ph.D. dissertation.Before founding TLAfrica, Inc., Faustin worked as a pastor for 18 years, and served as African Director for Africa Leadership & Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM, Inc.). In addition to teaching part-time at Nairobi International School of Theology, Faustin also served on the Board of Amani ya Juu, a holistic ministry empowering African women. He says, "During the 20 years I have served as a church leader on the African continent, the more I became convinced that leadership is at the core of the problems that the African continent is facing."
David Nystrom
Appointed in 2010 as Provost and Senior Vice-President, Biola University. Before coming to Biola, Nystrom served as vice president for academic affairs at William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif. Before that, he spent 12 years at North Park University and North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, as professor and chair of biblical and theological studies and director of the Institute for Christian Studies. He has also taught at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he received his M.Div., and UC Davis, where he received his B.A. and Ph.D. Nystrom's academic background includes expertise in Roman history and the history of Christianity. Dr. Nystrom has been married to his wife, Kristina, for 30 years and they have one daughter, Annika.
Todd Pickett
Associate Dean for Spiritual Development, Biola University. In July 2008, Todd became the point person for undergrad students' spiritual development. Prior to this, he served for three years as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Biola, and for nine years before that was a faculty member in, and chairman of, the English Dept. During that time, he was doing Bible teaching and pastoring in both official and unofficial capacities. He has a BA from Stanford University, an MA from Trinity College Dublin, a Ph.D. from UCI, and another MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Talbot. He is married to Dottie, a marriage and family therapist, and they have two children: Carly and Abbey.
Mary Poplin
Professor at Claremont Graduate University where she has held various positions, including developer and director of the Masters Teacher Education Program and Dean of the School. She currently works with PhD students and directs a research institute. Her academic foci in education include 1) the advancement of the education of the poor, 2) learning and pedagogical theories, 3) research methods, and 4) the engagement of secularism’s exclusivity in higher education. Her book, Finding Calcutta, about her time at Mother Teresa’s in Calcutta was published by InterVarsity Press in 2008 and a new book, Is Reality Secular? What if Christianity is True? will be published also by InterVarsity Press next year.
Dan Radmacher
Singer, songwriter and worship leader in Southern California and currently leads worship at Sierra Madre Congregational Church. He received his degree in classical voice performance from Biola University in 1990, and then embarked on a career in the record industry. In 2004, Dan completed his M.Div at Talbot Seminary, having left his career at Virgin Records to pursue more theological training. While at Talbot, he became involved as a worship leader in the Intentional Character Development program.
Scott Rae
Dr. Rae's primary interests are medical ethics and business ethics, dealing with the application of Christian ethics to medicine and the marketplace. He has authored 10 books in ethics including The Ethics of Commercial Surrogate Motherhood; Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics; Brave New Families: Biblical Ethics and Reproductive Technologies; Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics; and Body and Soul: Human Nature and the Crisis in Ethics. His work has appeared in The Linacre Quarterly, Religion and Liberty, Journal of Markets and Morality, Southern California Journal of Law and Women's Studies, National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, and Ethics and Medicine. He is a consultant for ethics for four Southern California hospitals. He is a fellow of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and a fellow of the Wilberforce Forum.
Fred Sanders
Fred Sanders is a systematic theologian who studies and teaches across the entire range of classic Christian doctrine, but with a special focus on the doctrine of the Trinity. He has taught in the Torrey Honors Institute since 1999, and is an amateur historian of Biola's institutional history. He and his wife Susan live in La Mirada with their two children, Freddy and Phoebe. They are members of Grace Evangelical Free Church.
Scott Smith
Associate Professor of Ethics and Christian Apologetics here at Biola University. Scott has a Ph.D & M.A. from USC, another M.A. from Talbot, and a B.A. from California State University, Hayward. He is the author of Virtue Ethics and Moral Knowledge. Dr. Smith has lectured and presented numerous times on his specialty, postmodernism, and he is also the secretary-treasurer of the Evangelical Philosophical Society.
Linnea Spransy
Linnea Spransy's paintings, drawings and installations are generated using systems and rules, which are distillations of her interest in science, philosophy, theology, and quantum physics. Graduating from Yale in 2001 with an MFA in painting, her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally at numerous academic institutions and galleries and is featured in corporate collections. Spransy lives in Kansas City where she leads a rather unorthodox lifestyle, architected entirely round her core values: spirituality, community, art, and simplicity.
Brian Stiller
Global Ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance; lives with his wife Lily in the Toronto, Canada area. Stiller was raised in a Pentecostal minister’s home on the prairies. Educated at the University of Toronto (BA in History), Wycliffe College (Master of Religion), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry), he has received honorary doctorates from Briercrest College and Trinity Western University. He is the author of eleven books. The most recent “Find a Broken Wall – 7 Ancient Principles for Transforming Leadership (2012). His life mission comes from the time King David was rebuilding Israel. One group assisting him was described as those “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (I Chronicles 12:32).
Nell Sunukjian
Nell is the former Director of Women’s Ministries at the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton where she served for over 10 years. Prior to that, she played a formative role in establishing Women’s Ministries at Scottsdale Bible Church (1972-1979) and Austin Ridge Bible Church (1986-1995) while her husband was senior pastor at the churches. She continues to mentor several Directors of women’s ministries at both Anglo and ethnic churches, and maintains an active speaking schedule at retreats and conferences. Her husband, Don Sunukjian, is currently professor of Preaching at Talbot. They have five grown children and fourteen grandchildren.
Erik Thoennes
Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, Biola University. Dr. Thoennes is committed to teaching biblical and systematic theology so that he and his students love God and people more fully. He strives to make the necessary connections between the study of theology, obedience to Jesus, and fulfilling the Great Commission. He has taught theology and evangelism at the college and seminary levels for several years and is a frequent guest speaker at churches, conferences, and retreats, in addition to co-pastoring a local church. Dr. Thoennes has received the University award for faculty excellence and professor of the year. His research interests include godly jealousy, the atonement, the exclusivity of Christ, and theology of culture.
Laverne Tolbert
Dr. Tolbert is Founder and President of Teaching Like Jesus Ministries, Inc., a non-profit parachurch ministry that equips leaders in the local church. She is also Director of the Society for Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspectives, a triennial gathering of scholars and practitioners exploring research in the field of children's Christian formation.
Todd Vasquez
Dr. Todd D. Vasquez has spent his entire academic career developing a broad interdisciplinary expertise in the fields of Theology, New Testament, Philosophy, Ethics, and Psychology as they bear on his core preoccupation in laying out constructive frameworks for individual formation and social action.
Michael Wilkins
Dr. Michael Wilkins is Distinguished Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and the Dean of the Faculty at Talbot, where he has served since 1983. He has an M.Div. from Talbot and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary, and specializes in New Testament theology, Christology, and discipleship. He is ordained in and has been senior pastor of two Evangelical Free Churches. Mike is an award-winning author, having written or edited numerous books, among which are Following the Master: A Biblical Theology of Discipleship; Matthew (NIVAC series); Matthew (ZIBBC series); In His Image: Reflecting Christ in Everyday Life; and Discipleship in the Ancient World. He was also co-editor of Worship, Theology and Ministry in the Early Church (Festschrift for Ralph Martin) and Jesus Under Fire. He is a member of the IBR Historical Jesus Study Group, and visiting professor at international schools, including University of Aberdeen, Asian Graduate School of Theology, Chongshin Theological Seminary, and Sheffield University. Mike and his wife Lynne have been married for 40+ years, live in San Clemente where they surf and walk the beach, and have two daughters and two granddaughters.
Peter J. Williams
Peter is the Warden (CEO) of Tyndale House and a member of the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. He received his MA, MPhil and PhD, in the study of ancient languages related to the Bible from Cambridge University. After his PhD, he was on staff in the Faculty of Divinity, Cambridge University (1997–1998), and thereafter taught Hebrew and Old Testament there as Affiliated Lecturer in Hebrew and Aramaic and as Research Fellow in Old Testament at Tyndale House, Cambridge (1998–2003). From 2003 to 2007 he was on the faculty of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he became a Senior Lecturer in New Testament and Deputy Head of the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy. In July 2007 he became the youngest Warden in the history of Tyndale House.
Ev Worthington
Everett Worthington, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is also a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia. He began conducting research on forgiveness in 1990. In the last ten years, he has studied how forgiveness and justice work together and can oppose each other. He focused his research on forgiveness and reconciliation in couples and families. He also has developed and studied the effectiveness of psychoeducational groups in secular settings to help people deal with unforgiveness across a variety of relationship within the same group. He has published over 20 books and over 200 articles and scholarly chapters, mostly on forgiveness, marriage, and family topics.
Mark Yarhouse
From Regent University, Dr. Yarhouse speaks, teaches and publishes on the topic of Christian Thought in Mental Health Practice, specifically promoting dialogue between people who view the topic of sexual identity differently. Dr. Yarhouse provides counseling services for adolescents who are experiencing sexual identity confusion. He has authored and coauthored several books and published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles.
