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biography |
I grew up in Southern California where I surfed,
played football, and grew up with a virtual zoo in my
backyard (pet mountain lions, monkeys and honey bears).
I embraced the “sex, drugs, and rock & roll” lifestyle
on offer during the ‘60s. In 1970, my life changed
radically after I experienced God’s love and
forgiveness. That’s when I encountered Jesus during what
is now known as the “Jesus Movement.” Almost
immediately, I began inviting others to share in this
new life.
I met my wife, Fran, while attending Westmont College
in California. She was an excellent student, while I was
a zealous “Jesus Freak” who cared little about
academics. I was too busy trying to change the world.
During the last few months at Westmont I had what I
consider an “academic conversion.” Up to this point I
had loved God with my whole heart, soul and strength.
But now I realized I needed to love God with my mind as
well. I applied to Fuller Theological Seminary, where I
was accepted on academic probation.
Over the next nine years, I earned an M.A. in
theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Th.M. in
New Testament from Westminster Theological Seminary, and
an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL)
from William Carey International University. During this
time I was ordained as a Vineyard pastor, where I served
as Associate Pastor in the Channel Islands Vineyard.
(See
vineyardusa.org.)
From 1984-1992, our family and some friends moved to
West Java, Indonesia, where I taught English, raised
our family, learned Pencak Silat (an Indonesian martial
art), and talked with Sundanese about Jesus. During this
time, a community of Sundanese who wanted to follow
Jesus gathered together.
We returned to the United States in 1992 where I
began leading the U.S. branch of
Frontiers. Frontiers is a faith-based global
community seeking to bless Muslims. Their purpose: “With
love and respect, inviting all Muslim peoples to follow
Jesus.”
From 1992-1999 I earned a
Doctor of Ministry degree (D.Min.) in Urban Studies from
Westminster Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in
Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.
I’ve served as an Adjunct Professor in Islamics for
Fuller Theological Seminary and Columbia International
University. In 2000, I moved to England to become the
International Director of Frontiers.
From the time when I lived
in Indonesia, I have been on a journey to understand
what Jesus meant when he said, “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God1.”
My interest in peacemaking is described in my book,
Peacemaking (available at
amazon.com or you can contact me directly for
discounted rate).
Since the terrorist attacks
of 9/11, my thinking on peacemaking has deepened and
broadened. I believe that Jesus founded a peace
movement and that the church is called to be a peace
institute2. This aspect of peacemaking was
not addressed in my book, for I am just beginning to
understand how to live this out.
One of the reasons I stepped
down from my role as International Director of Frontiers
in 2007 was to pursue my passion for peacemaking. In
2008 I spent my sabbatical as a Postdoctoral Fellow in
the Yale Center for Faith and Culture’s Reconciliation
Program at Yale Divinity School (http://www.yale.edu/faith/rp.htm).
The goal of the Reconciliation Program is to promote
reconciliation between Muslims and Christians, and
between Muslim nations and the West, drawing on the
resources of the Abrahamic faiths and the teaching and
person of Jesus. The highlight of my time at Yale was
helping to put on the “Common
Word” – a dialogue between high level Muslim and
Christian leaders.
In addition to peacemaking, I have
a passion to help followers of Christ live out their
faith with greater wisdom, integrity and boldness in the
21st century. How do we communicate about
blessing the nations in a google-ized world where
private communication so easily becomes public
knowledge? How can “sent ones” (aka apostles,
cross-cultural disciple makers, or social entrepreneurs)
find an integrated identity -- in other words, they are
"over there" what they are "over here." A huge part of
the answer is helping people discern a core message
worth dying for, an integrated identity worth living for
and an apostolic mandate worth suffering for (see my “Blessing
the Nations in the 21st Century: A 3D Approach to
Apostolic Ministry”)
I presently serve as
Consultant for Christian-Muslim Relations in the
Vineyard USA, which allows me to focus both on
peacemaking and helping followers of Jesus live out
their faith in a post 9/11, globalized, and pluralistic
world. In addition, I serve on the Executive Team for
the World Evangelical Alliance Peacebuilding and
Reconciliation Initiative and on the Steering Team for
Evangelicals for Human Rights.
(1) Matthew 5:9
(2) Ephesians 2:11-17; Ephesians 6:15; Romans 12:18;
Hebrews 12:14
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