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Wilfred Graves

Wilfred Graves Jr. (Ph.D., M.Div., Fuller Theological Seminary) is the executive director of ministerial training and development at West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. He also serves as an associate pastor and adjunct professor of historical theology. He formerly worked as an aerospace engineer and was trained in mathematics (S.B., MIT) and statistics (M.S., Stanford) before answering the call to full-time ministry. Dr. Graves is the founder and CEO of Wilfred Graves Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on evangelism, spiritual formation, Christian scholarship, and leadership training. He is author of In Pursuit of Wholeness: Experiencing God’s Salvation for the Total Person. He is married to Dr. Malaika E. Graves, a board-certified pediatrician who currently practices in Southern California.

Joy Qualls

Joy Qualls is a nationally recognized writer and speaker. Joy currently serves as an Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Department Chair at 51����. Joy writes and speaks on effective communication, leadership and who we are as images bearers of Christ. Joy has a passion for the local church and serving the body of Christ through teaching and consultation. Joy is married to Kevin (a licensed professional counselor) and together they teach on healthy relationships including marriage and parenting. They are parents to Blakeley and Soren as well as a fur baby, Madeleine. Joy is the author of God Forgive Us For Being Women: Rhetoric, Theology and the Pentecostal Tradition (Wipf and Stock, 2018) and is featured in several publications including Influence Magazine, The Table, and 51���� Magazine as well as an author in several edited volumes. Joy has been the featured speaker for local church services and events as well as a sought after conference speaker and communication consultant.

Allen Yeh

Allen Yeh is  an associate professor of Intercultural Studies and Missiology at the Cook School of Intercultural Studies at 51����. His areas of geographical expertise are Latin America and China. He serves on the Board of the Evangelical Missiological Society, and the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for Theological Education in Southeast Asia. He earned his B.A. from Yale, M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell, M.Th. from Edinburgh, and D.Phil. from Oxford. Allen has been to over 60 countries on every continent, to study, do missions work and experience the culture. He is joyfully married to Arianna Molloy, a professor in 51����'s Communication Studies Department.

Leon Harris

Leon Harris enjoys expanding students’ appreciation, while teaching Theology 2 at 51����, for what God is doing in Jesus Christ to redeem His creation. Harris graduated from Talbot School of Theology with M.Div. and Th.M. degrees. He also graduated from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland with a Ph.D. in Divinity, where he successfully defended his thesis on the topic of pneumatology as communion and koinonia. He has also presented several papers at theology conferences both in the U.K. and at ETS in the U.S. Harris has published book reviews and articles in several theological journals. He also enjoys participating in the life of the church, and is currently a Life Group leader at his local church. He also enjoys reading, movies, attending plays and musicals, watching sports and traveling with his wife. Harris’ current research interests include pneumatology, ecclesiology, African American theology in relation to the family and relational ontology.

Octavio Esqueda

Octavio Javier Esqueda is a professor of Christian higher education and the director of the doctoral programs in educational studies at Talbot School of Theology at 51����. He was born and raised in Guadalajara, México, where he graduated with a Licenciatura in Latin American Literature from the University of Guadalajara as well as two additional diplomas, one on religion and society and the second on journalism. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Christian Education and completed his doctorate (Ph.D.) in Higher Education at the University of North Texas. He is an avid soccer fan. He and his wife Angélica have two children, Darío and Salma. Dr. Esqueda has several publications on theological education, Christian higher education and literature. Teaching is his passion and has had the opportunity to teach in several countries on different academic levels.

Nate Bell

Nate Bell is Internship Manager for 51����'s School of Cinema & Media Arts. He earned his M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University and writes film criticism for L.A. Weekly and the Village Voice.

Lester Ruth

Lester Ruth is a research professor of Christian Worship at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC. He came to this position after teaching at Asbury Theological Seminary and Yale Divinity School. Prior to teaching, he served several pastoral appointments in the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. His doctorate in worship history is from the University of Notre Dame. His recent publications have focused on Contemporary Praise and Worship and include Flow: The Ancient Way to Do Contemporary Worship, essays on the history of contemporary praise and worship (with Lim Swee Hong), Lovin’ On Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship, and (with Lim Swee Hong) the forthcoming A History of Contemporary Praise and Worship: Understanding the Ideas that Reshaped the Protestant Church. Most of his publications have dealt either with worship in the patristic period or worship in American Evangelicalism. He remains dedicated to exploring how classic worship can renew the church today.

Birgitta Johnson

Dr. Birgitta Johnson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in world music, African American music, African music and ethnomusicology. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Music from Agnes Scott College and her masters and doctorate degrees in Ethnomusicology from UCLA, where she worked with Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje, Cheryl L. Keyes and Francisco Aguabella in African American and African music, and Afro-Cuban music, drumming and dance. She has served as a lecturer at the University of California, Pomona College, Pitzer College, and Scripps College and as a postdoctoral fellow in ethnomusicology at Syracuse University teaching courses African American sacred music, African music, the blues, hip-hop and world music. A multi-instrumentalist and singer, she has performed professionally and/or recorded with artists and ensembles from a variety of genres including the African American Philharmonic of Atlanta, the Southeast Symphony Orchestra of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA The Tampa Experience and GMWA Live in Kansas City 2004), the ESPY Awards with Justin Timberlake, The O’Jays, Yolanda Adams, and more. She also serves as a faculty member in the USC African American Studies Program, the School of Music’s first joint-appointment faculty member with the program.

David Horner

David Horner is a fly-fisherman and guitar picker who teaches theology and philosophy at 51����. He grew up in the mountains of Colorado, wandering the hills with his pet donkey, Jack A. Horner. After working as a laborer in an iron foundry and as an underground missionary in communist Eastern Europe, he decided to try the bigger challenge of teaching college students. He has been married to Debbie for 40 years, and they have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. He is the author of Mind Your Faith: A Student’s Guide to Thinking and Living Well (IVP) and numerous articles and book chapters in ethics, apologetics, and ancient and medieval philosophy.

Gerardo Marti

Dr. Gerardo Martí is a professor of sociology at Davidson College. He is also president-elect of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, and his book, The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2014), co-written with Gladys Ganiel, received the 2015 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Having served in church ministry and now invested in several research partnerships, Martí’s publications include articles in Social Forces, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Religion and American Culture and Sociology of Religion. His books include Worship Across the Racial Divide (2012), Latino Protestants in America (with Mark T. Mulder and Aida I. Ramos, 2017), The Glass Church: Robert H. Schuller, The Crystal Cathedral, and the Strain of Megachurch Ministry (with Mark T. Mulder, 2020), and American Blindspot: Race, Class, Religion, and the Trump Presidency (2020). Currently, Dr. Martí’s research is funded generously through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative and focused on churches actively confronting racial injustice. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @praxishabitus.

Oden Fong

Oden was born and raised in Hollywood, California. His great grandfather had come from China in around 1840 to work on the railroads in Northern California. His family migrated to Southern California when his father became a motion picture actor. His mother was also a motion picture actor. Oden was raised in social privilege among the rich and famous. In the sixties, he became involved in the counter-culture movement. He was part of a group of young people who were attempting to change the world through the use of LSD. One day, while seeking to know God, he took an overdose of the most powerful LSD in the world and had an experience of being present in Hell and Eternal Darkness. This vision led him to Jesus Christ and he became a devout believer. He immediately became involved with others who had become believers, and because he was a musician for most of his life, he joined a band that traveled and preached the Gospel to countless people for about seven years. Upon the dissolution of this band, he continued doing the same task by himself as a solo artist. In 1985, Oden took a pastoral position at the church he was mentored in. He started a bible study fellowship which became one fo the primary weekly meetings at church. He also became the director of an arm of the ministry which helps plant and establish hundreds of church affiliates worldwide. In 1995, he left his position to become a church planter. He currently serves as both worship leader and senior pastor of a third church plant in Costa Mesa, CA.

Brian Brodersen

Brian Brodersen is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California, and the president of Calvary Chapel Bible College. He is the featured speaker on the “Back to Basics” radio program and the director of Creation Fest (UK). Brian has written multiple books, including Essentials in Ministry and Spiritual Warfare. He is extensively involved in missions and church planting around the world.

Alan Frow

Alan Frow is an author, musician, preacher and pastor at Southlands Church Brea. He is the author of the online blog Roots and Wings From the Southlands to the Nations. He was raised in South Africa but is currently rooted in Los Angeles. He is the husband of Rynelle, and has three children: Asher, Sophia and Levi.

Steve Chang

Steve Chang is the senior pastor at Living Hope Community Church. He is a graduate of UCLA (B.S. in Computer Engineering), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M) and Talbot School of Theology (D.Min.). He is on the council of SOLA Network and has a passion for influencing the emerging generation of leaders with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is blessed to be married to Hannah and to be a father to two adult children, Christine and Janice.

Wayne Chaney

Pastor Wayne Chaney, Jr., affectionately known as Pastor Wayne, is the prototypical contemporary spiritual leader. His relevant teaching style and ability to cultivate spirited worship environments, aids in unifying people from diverse, cultural, ethnic and generational backgrounds. Born into a three generation long spiritual lineage, he continues the legacy left by his grandfather, Joe Chaney, Jr., through his work as pastor of Antioch Church of Long Beach. However, Pastor Wayne’s ministry extends beyond the congregation. His determination to influence societal culture, with the culture of Christ’s kingdom, is evident in his work both inside and outside of the local church context. He has served on the Executive Board of Global Tribe International, whose mission is to rescue those in physical and spiritual poverty, reach communities with the gospel and recruit and empower young leaders. He is also the past president of the Long Beach Ministers Alliance, and continues to serve as a mentor and friend to many leaders across the region and the globe. 

As an intellectually curious individual, Pastor Wayne has committed himself to remaining a lifelong learner. He has studied at Morehouse College, Luther Rice University, Fuller Seminary, Claremont School of Theology and is currently in doctoral studies at Duke University’s Divinity School.

Richard Kim

Richard is the director of Kristos Campus Mission (KCM) and the associate pastor at the church of Southland. Richard got his bachelors degree in Business Economics at UC Santa Barbara and his M.Div. at Talbot Theological Seminary and is currently in the D.Min. program at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Richard is the husband of Christina and father to Evie and Elly.

Rene Molina Jr.

Rene Molina Jr. is a lead pastor of RLA Church. After pastoring the youth department for several years, He began pastoring the English ministry that branched from the Spanish ministry in June of 2015. Rene was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles. He received his B.A. in Vanguard University in pastoral studies, and is now getting his Master’s in Theology and Ministry with an emphasis on Ethics (MATM) at Fuller Seminary.

Oscar Garcia-Johnson

Oscar García-Johnson, associate professor of theology and Latino/a studies, assumed leadership of Fuller’s Centro Latino in October 2015 as associate dean, and in 2020 was named academic dean for the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community (Centro Latino). Prior to joining the Fuller faculty in 2008, he taught for 10 years as an adjunct faculty member at Fuller. He also served as a regional minister with the American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles for 11 years and planted four new churches in Southern California. 

Born in Honduras, García-Johnson immigrated to the United States as a young adult to complete a degree in electrical engineering. While in college, he committed to Jesus Christ and experienced a vocational conversion into philosophical and theological studies, leading him to a life that has commuted between academia and the church. García-Johnson teaches in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. His research methodology interlaces de/postcolonial studies, classical theologies and US Latino/Latin American studies into a critical hermeneutic he calls Transoccidentality.

John-Paul Foster

John-Paul Foster is an emerging leader who has a passion for teaching and preaching. He serves as a co-pastor at Faithful Central Bible Church with Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, and is an adjunct professor at 51����, Talbot School of Theology. His leadership and biblical exposition has impacted thousands in the Los Angeles area and around the world as he encourages people to build their lives on God’s word. John-Paul received his B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies at 51����. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he received his Masters degree at Talbot Theological Seminary. He has also studied Church Unity and Reconciliation at Oxford University in England, Organization Leadership at the King's University and is now a doctoral candidate at Talbot School of Theology. When John-Paul is not inspiring others outside his home he is enjoying the inspiration God has given him within his home. To date, he and his wife, Karmen have celebrated 12 years of marriage and have been blessed with two beautiful children, John-Paul II and Payton.

Oscar Merlo

Oscar is the founding Director of the Center for the Study of the Work and Ministry of the Holy Spirit Today at 51����. The Center is housed in Talbot School of Theology. He has developed EDEAM (School of Evangelists, known today as Alberto Mottesi University) academic programs expanding to 136 international centers throughout Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. In addition, he is the organizer of the Ablaze Conference and initiative. 

Oscar Merlo is passionate about empowering the new generations through the Holy Spirit and for illuminating the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has served in executive leadership positions for profit and nonprofit multinational organizations. As a practitioner, Merlo has traveled extensively to over 35 countries in five continents and has experienced how God’s Missio-Dei is at work in diverse places such as: Cuba, Tel Aviv, Bissau, Istanbul, the mountains of the Dry Corridor in Guatemala, local communities in Los Angeles and other places in the global south. He leads global plans in Evangelism & Transformation initiatives and has participated in social justice advocacy, the Latin America Free of Corruption Initiative and coordinated global leadership training programs. Merlo served as a co-founder of the OMEGA generation project; an initiative to mentor Latin-X millennials in the 21st century. He has developed EDEAM (School of Evangelists Alberto Mottesi) academic programs expanding to 136 international centers throughout Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Oscar is happily married to Lexa, and they have two daughters. He enjoys traveling and exploring the gastronomy of the world.

Andrew MacDonald

Andrew MacDonald is an associate director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Research Institute and a doctoral candidate in historical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Larry Eskridge

Larry Eskridge, a member of the Jesus People movement in the Chicago suburbs in the 1970s, is the author of God's Forever Family: the Jesus People Movement in America (Oxford, 2013), which was named Christianity Today's 2014 "Book of the Year" as well as the Religion Newswriters' 2014 non-fiction "Book of the Year." A student of evangelicals' relationship to mass media and pop culture, he received his PhD from the University of Stirling (Scotland) and was on the staff of the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals (ISAE) at Wheaton College for over 26 years. The co-editor (with Mark Noll) of More Money, More Ministry: Evangelicals and Money in Recent North American History (Eerdmans, 2001), he has written articles for Christianity Today, Church History, The Christian Century, Worship Leader, and Youth Worker Journal. He is currently editing a volume by the late Edith Blumhofer on the music of the Billy Graham crusades for Eerdmans Publishing. Retired, he lives with his wife, Joni, in western North Carolina.

Gerson Hernandez

Gerson Hernandez was raised in Mexico City in a God-fearing home. Since his younger days, he has served in multiple areas of ministry. In 1986, he received the call to the mission field. Alongside his family and with the help of an excellent team of missionaries, a church was founded in Chalco, Mexico. This adventure in faith continued later in California, where he graduated from the School of Ministry at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa in 1998 and served as an assistant pastor. In 2001, while at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, he established the first School of Ministry for Spanish speaking students, and planted a church in Santa Ana, California as the home of a Hispanic fellowship known as "La Semilla" which is dedicated to teaching the word of God. As the current senior pastor, Gerson continues to train and mentor individuals seeking to establish churches geared toward Hispanic communities. He and his wife Maribel have three grown children, Nohemi, Judith and Gerson​.

Gary Lindblad

Dr. Gary Lindblad is Dean of the Crowell School of Business at 51���� since 2014.

He earned his masters and doctorate from UCLA in higher education, work and organizational change. In addition, Gary has a M.A. in Christian Education from Talbot School of Theology at 51���� and a B.A. in English and Education from the SUNY, College at Fredonia.

Prior to returning to 51����, Lindblad served for nine years as assistant dean and assistant dean and director of the MBA and M.S. Programs at the Paul Merage School of Business at UC, Irvine. From 2002 to 2005 he was assistant dean and executive director of the MBA Programs at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, in Canada; Lindblad has also served in leadership roles at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota and at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management. Lindblad’s doctoral dissertation researched innovations in the use of computing technology in business school graduate education.

In the 1980s, Lindblad performed and recorded with the bands Famous Last Words, Gary Lindblad and the Undergrads, and the Randall Waller Band. You can find his most current music, including A Story Tonight and A New Day at , on Spotify, and all digital platforms.

From the first time Gary picked up a Silvertone guitar at the age of twelve, he’s been telling stories through songs. When he’s not busy serving as Dean of the Crowell School of Business you’ll find him writing new songs that relate to issues of the day or times long past.

His current interests include following innovations in business education, the faith@work movement, the digitally-enabled music industry, and the influence social media has on all forms of education and the creative class. Lindblad has been married to his wife, Cindi, for 43 years. The couple has two grown children, Matthew and Grace, both professionals in creative fields.

Dan Rupple

Dan Rupple has over 40 years of media experience as a respected producer, writer and speaker. Today, Dan serves as CEO of Mastermedia International, a respected voice of faith and trusted Christian presence within the mainstream global media industry. Mastermedia consults regularly with leading media executives and influencers world-wide.

In his 10 years as a supervisor at CBS Television, Dan oversaw some of the most iconic shows in America television history, including The Price Is Right and The Late Show with David Letterman. Later he served as head of digital programming and development for five Internet TV companies. Dan began his career as a founding member of the pioneering Christian comedy team Isaac Air Freight. As a respected producer, writer and speaker, Dan has been featured on NBC Nightly News, CNN, FOX News, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Radio America and more. His lecture series, “Analog Shepherds and Digital Sheep: Connecting Leaders in the Digital Age” offered game-changing concepts on how the leaders can regain their relevancy with the emerging generation.

Dan is co-founder and Honorary Chairman of the national Christian Comedy Association and is a contributing partner of the Windrider Film Forum at the Sundance Film Festival. He is an honored graduate of 51����, with MFA work in Screenwriting from Regent University and an ordained Foursquare minister.

Today, along with his wife Peggy, Dan co-hosts the web series and podcast, “Life Off Screen.” Dan has been married to the love of his life Peggy, for over 42 years, and together they celebrate three married children and seven wonderful grandkids.