Dr. Mimi Haddad

Dr. Mimi Haddad serves as president and CEO of CBE International and as an adjunct associate professor of historical theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Summa Cum Laude). She holds a PhD in historical theology from the University of Durham, England. Mimi received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University in 2013. She serves in leadership with Evangelicals for Justice and is a founding member of the Evangelicals and Women Study Group at the Evangelical Theological Society. Mimi is an award-winning author and has written more than one hundred academic, popular, and blog articles. Mimi has taught for colleges and seminaries around the world. She has served as a gender and theology consultant with World Relief, World Vision International, and SASA! Faith Beyond Borders. Haddad served as convener of the Issue Group 24 for the 2004 Lausanne III Committee for World Evangelization. Mimi writes, teaches, and speaks on matters related to development, justice, faith, and gender. Mimi and her husband, Dale, live in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and are involved in local ministries.

Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Dr. Padilla DeBorst is a renowned practitioner, teacher, and speaker with decades of experience in ministry throughout Latin America through organizations such as the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), and Latin American Theological Fellowship. She has served the worldwide church through World Vision International, Resonate Global Mission (of the Christian Reformed Church of North America) and the International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation (INFEMIT), among others. She has served on boards and councils ranging from the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization Latin America, A Rocha International, and the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies to the International Justice Mission and the American Society of Missiology.  Dr. Padilla DeBorst has also served as Centro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios (CETI) president, dedicated to providing theological education to pastors and lay Christians throughout Latin America. In addition to her academic leadership, she has taught numerous courses through CETI and for theological schools throughout North America.

She has a B.Ed in Linguistics and TESL, from Lenguas Vivas in Buenos Aries, Argentina, an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Wheaton College, and a Ph.D. of Theology in Missiology and Social Ethics from Boston University.

Bishop David Zac Niringiye

Dr. Niringiye is a bishop in the Church of Uganda; a scholar-practitioner theologian; a peace and social justice activist; and, an organizational development consultant. He is currently a Visiting Scholar in Residence at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena California. His research interests are in Theology and Mission History; Church and Society; and, Religion, Culture and Public Life.

Bishop Niringiye holds a Physics degree (Honours) and a teaching Diploma from Makerere University; a Master’s degree in Theology from Wheaton College, USA; and, a PhD in Theology and Mission History from Edinburgh University.

Among Dr. Niringiye’s publications is The Church: God’s Pilgrim People (Carlisle, UK: Langham Global Library, 2014) and The Church in the World: A Historical-Ecclesiological Study of the Church of Uganda with Particular Reference to Post-Independence Uganda, 1962-1992(Carlisle, Cumbria UK: Langham Monographs, 2016) as well as several papers in journals and chapters in books.

Dr. Willie James Jennings

Dr. Jennings was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Jennings received his B.A. in Religion and Theological Studies from Calvin College (1984), his M.Div. (Master of Divinity degree) from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena California, and his Ph.D. degree from Duke University. Dr. Jennings who is a systematic theologian teaches in the areas of theology, black church and Africana studies, as well as post-colonial and race theory. Dr. Jennings is the author of The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race published by Yale University Press. It is one of the most important books in theology written in the last 25 years and is now a standard text read in colleges, seminaries, and universities. Dr. Jennings is also the recipient of the 2015 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his groundbreaking work on race and Christianity. Dr. Jennings recently authored commentary on the Book of Acts won the Reference Book of the Year Award, from The Academy of Parish Clergy. He is also the author of After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging, which is the inaugural book in the much anticipated book series, Theological Education between the Times, and has already become an instant classic, winning the 2020 book of the year award from Publisher’s Weekly, and being selected as a finalist for the 2021 American Academy of Religion Book of the Year in the Constructive- Reflective Studies category. And now Dr. Jennings is hard at work on a book on the doctrine of creation, tentatively entitled, “Reframing the World.”
In addition to being a frequent lecturer at colleges, universities, and seminaries, Dr. Jennings is also a regular workshop leader at pastor conferences. He is also a consultant for the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, and for the Association of Theological Schools.
He served along with his wife, the Reverend Joanne L. Browne Jennings as associate ministers at the Mount Level Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, and for many years, they served together as interim pastors for several Presbyterian and Baptist churches in North Carolina. They are the parents of two wonderful daughters, Njeri and Safiya Jennings.

Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac

Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian. He now pastors the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem. He is also the academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College, and is the director of the highly acclaimed and influential Christ at the Checkpoint conferences.

Munther is passionate about issues related to the Palestinian theology. He speaks locally and internationally and has published numerous articles on issues related to the theology of the land, Palestinian Christians and Palestinian theology, holistic mission and reconciliation. He is the author of “The Other Side of the Wall”, “From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth”, “An Introduction to Palestinian Theology” (in Arabic), and a commentary on the book of Daniel (in Arabic). He is also involved in many reconciliation and interfaith forums. He is also a Kairos Palestine board member.

Munther originally studied civil engineering in Birzeit University in Palestine. He then obtained a Master in Biblical Studies from Westminster Theological Seminary and then a PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.

Munther is married to Rudaina – an architect, and together they have two boys: Karam (9) and Zaid (7).

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara is the President of Bethlehem Bible College. He is an ordained minister with Evangelical Alliance Church in the Holy Land where he still maintains an overseeing role with the leadership of the churches. He currently serves at the board of several local and international ministries and organizations. Today, Rev. Jack travels the globe, speaking in conferences and teaching about Missions and Cross-Cultural work in the Middle East. He is happiest when he can bring his family with him on these journeys.

Jack is married to Madleine Sahwani Sara, who has served alongside him in ministry for their entire married life.  They are the proud parents of Nathan, Maranatha and Mickel.