Dr. Heather Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has over 17 years of experience providing individual, marriage, and family therapy to children, adolescents, and adults in inpatient, outpatient, nonprofit and residential settings. She received her undergraduate degrees in Biblical Studies and Social Work from Cairn University, Master of Social Work from Rutgers University, and Doctor of Clinical Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In the past, she has served as Regional Director for Lydia Counseling Center in Hillsborough, NJ and as adjunct professor at Cairn University.

Heather is co-founder of the Valley Against Sex Trafficking (VAST) Coalition, a united movement to resist the spread of human trafficking in the Lehigh Valley, PA region and world. She is co-chair of the Aftercare team and assists in training, equipping and mobilizing local individuals, organizations and service providers to address sex trafficking. In 2013, Heather received the Allied Professional Award from Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley for outstanding commitment to victims’ services.

Heather has diverse experience in group-facilitating, teaching, speaking, and coordinating in various settings for children, youth, women, and families. It is her passion to use her counseling training and experience to educate others. Heather’s teaching style and topics are appropriate for diverse settings including retreats, special events, one-day workshops, churches, schools, universities, service provider agencies and more. In appropriate settings, Heather welcomes opportunities to reach individuals and families of all ages through educating, equipping, and teaching the truth of God’s Word.

(via Evans Counseling Services)

Danny Kwon, PhD,  has been serving 27 years in ministry, 25 years leading the family and youth ministry at Yuong Sang Church. Along with his love for sports, eating, and making people laugh, he is married to Monica, a family and marriage counselor and professor, and has three, young-adult children,

He completed his PhD in Organizational Leadership, with his dissertation focusing on innovation theory and emerging intergenerational ministry paradigms.  He also completed his ThM in Biblical and Pastoral Theology and an MDiv, and is a certified ministry coach.  He is speaker/trainer for The Youth Cartel, teaches as an adjunct professor at Missio Seminary and Eastern University. as well as teaches at The Next Institute at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.  He has authored three books  “A Youth Worker’s Field Guide to Parents: Understanding Parents of Teenagers”  and Mission Tripping: A Comprehensive Guide to Short Term Missions (Book and Team Journal), as well as numerous articles in a variety of publications.

With his diverse ministry experiences in various church and educational contexts in the U.S. and abroad, leading over 50 short-term mission trips, and teaching and preaching in various international and cross-cultural contexts, he has taught and teaches a wide variety of course for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. These include courses in applied and practical theology in preaching, organizational leadership and change, emerging generations/youth ministry, and educational ministries.

Dr. Drake Williams has been involved with teaching at the seminary level for the past 20 years. He is Associate Professor of New Testament at Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven, Belgium and is on the Doctoral faculty. He travels annually to Bucharest State University where he teaches at the Baptist Institute at Bucharest State University.

Previously, he spent 13 years as a lecturer at Tyndale Theological Seminary in Badhoevedorp, the Netherlands where he was also the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean. In the late 1990’s, he was an adjunct faculty member at Biblical Theological Seminary. Dr. Williams has also taught in Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

He serves as Minister of Theology and Mission at Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA where he grew up and was ordained. He and his wife Andrea have three children.

Rev. Dr. Philip J. Ginyard is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Swedesboro, NJ. As a servant-leader in his community, he has been on the forefront of an awakening missional movement to advance the Kingdom of God in tangible ways throughout the Tri-Townships of Swedesboro, Woolwich and Logan Township. This has been accomplished by building coalitions with multiple churches of varying denominations to incarnate the gospel and promote unity. As the Police Chaplain for Woolwich Township Police Department, Dr. Ginyard facilitates the New Jersey Station House Adjustment-Community service program for juveniles, providing youth with counseling a second chance opportunity and avoidance of a criminal record.

Dr. Ginyard is passionate about making Seminary education readily accessible to those in the city of Philadelphia and the tri-state region that may not possess certain academic credentials or perhaps have been away from the rigors of the classroom. Accordingly, he proposed an unprecedented program at Missio Seminary, called the “Diploma in Biblical and Missional Theology”, which has now come to fruition with the help of Faculty member, Dr. Todd Mangum and will launch in the Fall of 2021. This purpose of this program is to provide Seminary level theological education to adult learners that desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dr. Ginyard holds a BA Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Diploma in Biblical and Theological Studies from Palmer Seminary. He also holds a MDiv and DMin from Missio Seminary. He has been married for over 22 years to his wife, Donna. He has one son, Quentin.

Hannah Wildasin graduated from Missio’s MA in Counseling Program in 2010. She also completed the Global Trauma Recovery Institute. Hannah served on the team that launched Cornerstone Counseling Ministries, a Christ-centered counseling center in Easton, Pa., and served as the executive director for a season. She continues to counsel there (with many other Missio grads!). She helped launch Restoring Hope Ministries–a ministry initiative in Congo focused on restoration, training, and asset-based community development—and led the communications team. Hannah has been counseling for over ten years and has teaching, supervision, and research experience. She has her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University.

Hannah previously worked for Missio in the institutional advancement department. Her most recent role was director of development communications. Hannah is married to Josh and has four children–Rees, McKenzie, Joshua, and Zayn. She also has two fur babies, Coco and Laila.

You will often hear Nicole talk about her love of the counseling profession’s uniqueness in placing equal value on both the art and science techniques of treatment. She first learned this in 2001 as a foster care and adoptions case manager in Florida then at a mental health agency for children in Cincinnati. Since then, Nicole has worked as a counselor in a university counseling center, a community mental health agency and in private practice. She uses her Certified Trauma Therapist certification to work with victims of interpersonal violence and with couples to help them cope with trauma between, before and upon the relationship.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Arts and Psychology from Cedarville University and a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Counseling from Xavier University. She is currently ABD with a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University; her dissertation focuses on the intersection of multicultural and spiritual competency in counselors. Nicole taught as an adjunct professor in the counseling department at Xavier University for 2 ½ years before coming to Missio Seminary.

The Reverend Dr. Valerie Andrews was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, and attended the Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, where she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at the age of 12. In 1977, her family relocated to Philadelphia, where she attended and graduated as Class Salutatorian from the William Penn High School. Rev. Val, as she is fondly called, furthered her education by attending Millersville University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts English, and a Master’s degree in Counseling Education. In 2008, Rev. Andrews graduated from the Palmer Theological Seminary with a Masters in Divinity, and in December, 2021, she received a Doctoral degree in Management, from the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Her dissertation was entitled: “Designing a Program to Help Urban Pastors Cope with and Manage Compassion Stress”.

During her tenure in graduate school, Reverend Val attended the Bright Side Baptist Church, where the Reverend Dr. Louis A. Butcher, Jr., served as her pastor. She was called to the gospel ministry of preaching and was licensed by this congregation on January 24, 1986. Returning to Philadelphia, she joined the Triumph Baptist Church in 1988, where she served for 17 years under the pastorate of Reverend Dr. James S. Hall, Jr. At Triumph, she served as a Sunday School teacher, member of the Victory Choir, Instructor for the Bible Institute and Servant Leader of the Women’s Ministry. In addition, she was the Principal of the Triumph Christian School and gave vision to and served as the Coordinator of the Partners in Prayer Ministry. In 2005, she was ordained by the Philadelphia Eastern Keystone Baptist Association, and began her studies at the Palmer Theological Seminary. Rev. Val served as an Intern at The Church of the Redeemer Baptist, and in 2007, she joined this body of believers and served on staff as Business Manager for nine years. In this role, she managed the day-to-day operations of the church under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr.

As an advocate of education, Dr. Andrews has been employed by several institutions of Higher Education including Cheyney University, Bucks County Community College, and Harcum College.

In 2013, Dr. Andrews was the Award Recipient of One of One-hundred four Influential Black Women Leaders by the NAACP-Philadelphia Chapter. She has been actively engaged in church ministries including President of the Women’s Division of the Pennsylvania Eastern Keystone Baptist Association, Pastoral Leader of the American Baptist Churches-USA, Consultant for the Prince of Peace Baptist Church Women’s Ministry Leaders, member of the Philadelphia Baptist Minister’s Council, Executive Board Member and Events Coordinator for the American Baptist Women’s Ministries, and Advisory Board Member of the Manna Bible Institute. Dr. Andrews is exceptionally gifted in managing church operations and highly skilled in training church leadership. From 2015-2017, she served as an Instructor at United Lutheran Seminary (formerly, Lutheran, The Philadelphia Seminary), for its Urban Theological Institute Certificate Program; she taught Servant Leadership, Church Administration and Managing Church Conflict at the St. Paul’s Baptist Church’s satellite campus of West Chester, PA. Dr. Andrews formerly served at St. Paul’s as an Associate Minister under Dr. Wayne E. Croft, Sr., and is presently the Pastor of the Eternal Life Missionary Baptist Church, a Liberian congregation in Southwest Philadelphia.

Dr. Andrews is the proud mother of three children: Joy, Jasmine and Ronald Jr. Her life scripture is Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” Her passion in ministry is to enhance leadership for the Kingdom of God by providing training and tools for church effectiveness!

Rachel Lindemuth (BS, Lancaster Bible College; MDiv, Missio Seminary; ABD, ThD, La Salle University) serves as Co-Director of Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development in Camp Hill, PA. She received her MDiv from Missio Seminary and is currently working on a ThD at La Salle University in Christian spirituality, with a focus on contemplation and mysticism. Her ongoing research interests include the intersection of Christianity and science, contemplative interfaith dialogue, and mining the depths of our vast Christian tradition to find and implement practices that deepen our love and relationship with God and others. Trained in Spiritual Direction, Rachel enjoys companioning others on their journey deeper into the abyss of God’s incomprehensible love and leading retreats. She is passionate about expressing the fullness of the message of Christ in creative ways that are both faithful to our rich tradition and mindful of our current context, experience, and understanding.

Education

• Doctor of Ministry, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio May 2013
• Masters of Divinity, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia May 2002
• Masters of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania December 1996
• Bachelors Criminology/Sociology, Lincoln University, Lincoln, Pennsylvania May 1994

Ordination

• Licensed and Ordained Baptist Minister-Mount Ararat Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, PA, Rev. Dr. William Houston Curtis, Senior Pastor

Biography

Dr. Andre Ivy is the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights in Washington, DC. He has served in ministry for over 20 years. He has worked as a clinical therapist for 20 years with a focus in the following areas: individual, group, and family therapy. He has worked as an independent contractor working in schools, homeless shelters, group homes, and medical facilities.

He worked for over 10 years with the Federal Government in the area of social work. His responsibilities were working on the inpatient psychiatry unit and outpatient clinic providing mental health treatment.

He serves on the Executive Board of the Baptist Convention of Washington, DC and Vicinity. He is active in the local community providing workshops and trainings to help churches and pastors with effective approaches to address mental health concerns with their congregations.

He wants to ensure that congregations are well equipped to manage mental health concerns that they are faced with and that they have effective strategies. He believes that we can believe in Jesus Christ and his principles but also be willing to access mental health services when needed.

Dave is a lead consultant with The Center, whose mission is to advance organizational health. His 35 years of pastoral ministry enable him to serve well a variety of faith-based organizations throughout the United States and Canada. He brought practical theology to life in the classroom using sound biblical principles and tested organizational theory. Dave believes using case studies, purposeful discussions, and hands-on projects will help students experience the benefits of leading wisely.