APCOMM 2022 FACULTY
APCOMM 2022 FACULTY & PANELISTS
The Rev Shaun Lambert
Mindfulness Reseacher, Author, Speaker
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
The Rev Shaun Lambert is a minister and counsellor, researching mindfulness for the past 8 years and looking to explore mindful church/community. He is part of the New Wine leader’s network and Mind & Soul Foundation network. He has been a faith guest on Clare Balding’s Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2, & presented a spiritual reflection for BBC Radio 4’s Daily Service. The author of ‘A Book of Sparks – A Study in Christian MindFullness’, his latest books include ‘Putting On The Wakeful One: Attuning to the Spirit of Jesus through Watchfulness’.
Dr Brad H. Young
Founder and President of the
Gospel Research Foundation, USA.
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
Residing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr Brad H. Young is an Emeritus Professor of the Faculty of the Graduate School of Theology at Oral Roberts University (ORU), where he served as a Tenured Professor of Judaic-Christian Studies teaching Bible and theology for 31 years. He received his Ph.D. from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Dr Young is an internationally recognized authority on the comparative study of the Gospel and Rabbinic Parables. Dr Young’s work has challenged audiences to see Jesus of Nazareth in Second Temple Period Judaism.
Dr Brad Young was the Plenary Speaker at the 1st Asia-Pacific Consultation On Discipleship (APCOD 2001) held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. He is a renown authority on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith. Dr Young has published his new rendition of the Hebrew Heritage Bible Newer Testament which communicates the Hebrew meaning of the sayings of Jesus of Nazareth.
Dr Kenneth Boa
President, Reflections Ministries
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
Dr Kenneth (Ken) Boa is engaged in a ministry of relational evangelism and discipleship, teaching, writing, and speaking. He holds a BS from Case Institute of Technology, a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, a PhD from New York University, and a DPhil from the University of Oxford in England. He leads four weekly Bible studies in the Atlanta area, including two men’s fellowships and one at Christ Church of Atlanta.
Dr. Boa is the president of Reflections Ministries, an organization that seeks to encourage, teach, and equip people to know Christ, follow Him, become progressively conformed to His image, and reproduce His life in others. Dr Ken Boa was Plenary Speaker at the 1st Asia Pacific Consultation On Discipleship (APCOD) in 2001 in Malaysia and the 3rd Asia Pacific Consultation On Discipleship (APCOD) in 2006 in New Zealand. Visit Dr Ken Boa’s website at: https://www.kenboa.org
Richard H H Johnston
Mindfulness Teacher, Co-Founder,
National Mindfulness Day for Christians, UK
Plenary Speaker
Mindfulness Practice & Meditation
4:30PM – 5:00PM – Saturday, 30 April 2022 – Meditation on Christ
4:00PM – 4:30PM – Sunday, 01 May 2022 – Meditation on The Beloved
Christian Mindfulness in UK was founded by Richard Johnston, born out of over 20 years of mindfulness, meditation and contemplative practice. Richard has completed the UK Mindfulness Association Practitioner Certificate and Mindfulness Association Foundation Course. He has a Living Life to the Full CBT Practitioner Certificate with Five Areas and a BA (Honors) degree specializing in Marketing and Economics. He is also the founder of Revive Us Again Ministries.
Richard Johnston offers a Christian Mindfulness course in several formats – Accredited Certificate in Christian Mindfulness, Day Workshop, Six Session Online Course and Eight Session On Site Course. There is also a Free Online Session available through the website. The course integrates biblical theology, contemplative practices and the latest findings of science in the areas of mindfulness and meditation. Visit www.christianmindfulness.co.uk for more information.
Dr Bradley Stuart
Director, YADA Ministries, Contemplative Teacher
Dr Bradley Stuart is from South Africa and is the founding Director of Yada Ministries and an ordained minister who has served the Body of Christ since 1984. Bradley now resides in Moses Lake, WA, teaches Contemplative Prayer and networks with various prayer ministries internationally. His ‘Call to Intercession’ began in 1988 when he heard God calling him to teach the Body about Intercession, which led him to write a book entitled ‘A Call to Intercession’. This biblical foundation teaching covers the following topics: Introducing Intercession, Travail, Warfare, Fasting, Group Intercession, and The Intercessor’s Character. Principles in his first book is covered fully in the Yada School courses. Bradley is committed to a local church.
Dr Bradley Stuart was Plenary Speaker at the 1st Asia Pacific Consultation On Discipleship (APCOD) in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in 2001.For more information, visit Dr Bradley’s website: www.yadainternational.com
Dr Latha Christie
Senior Scientist, Doctor of Philosophy, Author and Social Activist
Plenary Speaker
Dr. Latha Christie is a Senior Scientist from Bangalore, India. She has around 34 years of experience with the government of India. After graduating in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Government College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu with Honors, she completed her Master’s and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. She completed her International Executive Diploma in Project Management from I2P2M in collaboration with George Washington University School of Business, Washington DC, USA.
She received the prestigious Prof. Satish Dhawan Award for Engineers, instituted by the Government of Karnataka, for outstanding achievements in the field of engineering sciences for the year 2014, awarded by the Government of Karnataka, India. Other awards include the AGNI Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance, the DRDO Technology award, and the Best Technical Paper award for papers submitted at various conferences. Rashtriya Vidyalaya Engineering College, Bangalore, conferred on her a Citation of Honor for her distinguished achievements and contribution to the field of Microwave Engineering and Technology in India on “World Telecommunication & Information Society Day”.
Dr Latha has around 70 published papers in peer-reviewed Journals and Conferences, and has authored six books. She is a renown speaker on Science, Faith and Reason and a motivational speaker. Visit her website www.lathachristie.com for more information.
LT Jeyachandran
Bible Expositor, Speaker
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
L.T. discovered the meaning of new life in Christ Jesus during his days as an undergraduate student. He has been involved in preaching the Gospel at conferences and is well known as a Bible expositor. A keen student of theology and comparative religions. He is knowledgeable in both Hebrew and Greek and is thus able to bring a depth of contextual references to his expositions.
L.T. worked in several parts of India for 28 years as a Senior Civil Engineer with the Central (Federal) Government. The last position he held was that of Chief Engineer in charge of 13 states of India in the Eastern Zone while based in the city of Calcutta.LT Jeyachandran was the Plenary Speaker at the 5th Asia Pacific Consultation On Discipleship (APCOD 2012) in Kota Kinabalu.
Dr Lois Tverberg
Hebrew Studies Scholar, Author, Speaker
Plenary Speaker
Lois Tverberg has been teaching and writing about the Jewish background of Christianity for the past twenty years. Her passion is to translate the Bible’s ancient setting into fresh insights that deepen and strengthen Christian faith.
In 2009 Lois partnered with Ann Spangler to write the bestselling Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus (Zondervan). Together they discovered how restoring Jesus of Nazareth to his first-century Jewish reality sheds light on his life and ministry.
Later Lois followed with Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus (Zondervan, 2012), which challenged readers to follow their Rabbi more closely by hearing his words in light of Jewish thought. In her latest book, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus, (Baker, 2018), Lois equips readers to encounter the Scriptures more like first-century disciples. The book helps us bridge the cultural divide that separates us from Jesus’ original Middle Eastern context. Lois brings to her writing a surprising set of tools from her training as a scientist. She received her BA in physics and her PhD in Molecular Physiology. She has published several scientific papers and holds a patent from her PhD research.
In 2001 she cofounded the En-Gedi Resource Center (EnGediResourceCenter.com), an educational ministry with a goal of deepening Christian understanding of the Bible in its context. There she published her first book, Listening to the Language of the Bible, a devotional guide to Hebrew words and ideas. Lois currently writes from her home in Holland, Michigan. Along with writing, she speaks at churches, conferences, and retreats. Her current news and articles are available on her website, OurRabbiJesus.com.
Dr Irene Kraegel
Clinical Psychologist & Mindfulness Practitioner
Plenary Speaker
Abstract of Plenary:
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with acceptance and openness, setting aside the filter of cognitive analysis in order to relate to our experience more directly through sensory input and curious observation. While mindfulness is in vogue within the medical and psychological communities as a tool for increasing wellness (both physical and emotional), it is also consistent with centuries of Christian teaching and spiritual disciplines that emphasize present-moment awareness as a prerequisite for living in awareness of God’s presence throughout each day. From a Christian perspective, mindfulness meditation has the capacity to increase the practitioner’s openness to hearing God’s voice, observing God’s kingdom, and receiving God’s peace in the midst of life’s challenges. Based on the book The Mindful Christian: Cultivating a Life of Intentionality, Openness, and Faith, this session by Dr. Irene Kraegel will present an overview of mindfulness practices (both formal and informal) and corresponding scientific evidence of the benefits. An integrative approach to mindfulness and Christian theology will be explored, laying a foundation for the application of mindfulness as a spiritual discipline in the life of the Christian believer.
Dr Irene Kraegel is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who serves as Director of the Center for Counseling and Wellness at Calvin University. She has worked as a counselor within numerous settings, including psychiatric inpatient, school, community mental health, private practice, and higher education.
As a Mindfulness Practitioner, Irene facilitates mindfulness groups for college students and church groups who are interested in pursuing mindfulness practice within a Christian framework. Her book, The Mindful Christian: Cultivating a Life of Intentionality, Openness, and Faith, explores the intersection of mindfulness and Christian faith, providing Christians with a practical and inspiring tool for deepening their appreciation for the life God has given.
Dr Amy Oden
Seminary Professor, Author, Contemplative Teacher
Plenary Speaker
Dr. Amy G. Oden is a Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality, currently teaching for several seminaries. She has served on the faculties of Oklahoma City University, Saint Paul School of Theology and Wesley Theological Seminary where she also served as Dean. She holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University and a baccalaureate in Letters from University of Oklahoma.
Born and raised on the prairies of Oklahoma, Amy has found her spiritual home under the wide-open sky. Her passion is to introduce spiritual practices that can ground and nourish lives for justice in the world.
Amy teaches theology, history of Christianity and spiritual formation, walking with students in learning. She has won teaching awards and is in demand as a speaker. Amy is a spiritual director, companioning people as they listen for God in day-to-day life. She has published 4 books that all focus on bringing voices of ancient wisdom to inform and illuminate contemporary life.
Visit Amy’s website: https://www.amyoden.com/
Maureen Metcalf
Senior Business Leader, Author, Speaker
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
Maureen Metcalf is the CEO of the Innovative Leadership Institute. An award-winning Senior Business Leader, Chair and Board Member with a proven history of success in leveraging business trends to drive organizational transformation. With over 30 years of industry insight in the marketplace, Maureen has garnered a reputation as a credible change agent with a passion for innovation and an ability to align key strategies with corporate objectives. Both an adept communicator and trusted advisor, she has built and mobilized empowered workforces, supported Executives by developing leadership capabilities and restructured boards to improve business performance.
She is also the host of an international radio show focusing on innovative leadership, and the author of an award-winning book series on Innovative Leadership, including the Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations, winner of a 2014 International Book Award.
Dr Rob Waller
Consultant Psychiatrist
Plenary Speaker
Panel Discussion
Dr Rob Waller is a Consultant Psychiatrist based in Scotland with over 20 years experience. He grew up in London, studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and then studied postgraduate psychiatry in Yorkshire. He has been a Consultant Psychiatrist for almost 15 years, including two years spent working overseas in New Zealand.
He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and holds postgraduate qualifications in Teaching (PGCLTHE) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (PGDIP CBT). He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh.
He has spoken widely at both church and academic events on mental health and spirituality. He is a much sought after speaker on mental health topics including the role of mental health services, the use of medication and therapy and how the brain works.
Dr Rob has authored a number of books including: The Power of Belonging, The Perfectionism Book, The Guilt Book, The Worry Book, The Stuff of Life.
David Nekrutman
Executive Director of The Centre for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation
Guest Speaker
David Nekrutman is an American-Israeli Jewish theologian, writer, director, columnist and public speaker. He is a prominent figure and pioneer in the world of Jewish-Christian relations, and is the Executive Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), co-founder of the Day to Praise global interfaith initiative, and founder of the Blessing Bethlehem aid organization. In addition, Nekrutman is a columnist who has written for The Jerusalem Post, Charisma Magazine, and The Times of Israel.
Dr Mihael Černetič
Psychologist & Psychotherapist
Plenary Speaker
Professor Dr Mihael Černetič is an EuroPsy Psychologist and a Certified Integrative Psychotherapist (IIPA). He has a private practice in psychotherapy and counselling and conducts mindfulness workshops. He teaches courses on scientific research methods to psychology and psychotherapy students at the Sigmund Freud University in Ljubljana, Slovenia. His research is focused on mindfulness in psychology, psychotherapy, and Christian spirituality/religion.