Chapel Speakers
We are looking forward to having the following speakers with us for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 at George Fox.
University Chapel is open to the public, so anyone is welcome to join us.
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Robin Baker, University President
Speaking dates: 1/9, 3/5
Robin E. Baker, a historian and experienced university administrator, is the 12th president of George Fox University. Baker completed a doctorate in history with honors at Texas A&M University in 1989. He was named outstanding graduating student at Hardin-Simmons University, where he earned his master's degree in history in 1982. He earned his undergraduate degree with high honors from Grand Canyon University in 1980.
In addition to his work in political history, Baker speaks frequently on the integration of faith and learning in the Christian university and he has a special interest in the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Sarah Baldwin, University Pastor
Speaking dates: 1/11, 2/27
Sarah Thomas Baldwin is in her seventh year as university pastor and dean of spiritual life at George Fox. Over the past 18 years, Sarah has served four different institutions of Christian higher education in a variety of leadership and teaching roles. Sarah is completing a Doctor in Ministry at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in leadership and the emerging culture. She is passionate about her work with the international urban poor as the U.S. chair of Word Made Flesh.
You can connect with Sarah via: sarahthomasbaldwin.blogspot.com, soulmidwife.blogspot.com, facebook.com/sarahthomasbaldwin, twitter.com/sbaldwin
T. Allen Bethel, Senior Pastor at Maranatha Church, Portland
Speaking date: 1/18
Dr. Bethel has been Senior Pastor at Maranatha for fifteen years, having served churches in Boston and Kansas City, Kansas prior. He also serves on the faculty of North Portland Bible College and Warner Pacific College. Rev. Bethel has been married to Daphne for 32 years and together they have two children, Allen Lauren and Monica Lynn.
Bob Goff, Founder of Restore Intl.
Speaking date: 1/23
Bob Goff is the founder and chief executive officer of Restore International, a nonprofit organization which was established to address the atrocities and injustices committed against children. With a passion and vision for finding audacious ways to restore justice to children and the poorest of the poor, Restore’s mission is to make a difference on behalf of those who do not otherwise have a voice.
He is also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School in Malibu, Calif., where he teaches non-profit law, as well Point Nazarene University in San Diego, where he teaches business law.
Lisa Espineli Chinn, Director of InterVarsity's International Student Ministry
Speaking date: 1/25
Lisa Chinn is currently the national director of the International Student Ministry (ISM) Department of Inter Varsity USA. Lisa was born in the Philippines. After completing a bachelor's degree in foreign service from the University of the Philippines, she joined InterVarsity, Philippines. After graduate work at Wheaton, Lisa returned to work with InterVarsity in the Philippines, where she pioneered the literature department and grad teams throughout the country. She is known for her pioneering work in international student Re-Entry, is the author of Think Home: A Practical Guide for Christian Internationals Preparing to Return Home and Customs and Culture, the only Re-Entry simulation game. Her husband Leiton is past president of ACMI.
Scott Rueck, Head Coach, OSU Women's Basketball
Speaking date: 1/30
Scott Rueck became the head coach of the women's basketball team at George Fox University in 1996 and also coached the women's tennis team from 1995 to 1996. While at George Fox, Rueck had coached the Bruins to an 85-8 record from 2007 to 2010 and was named the Northwest Conference’s top coach for the fourth consecutive season. In 2009, Rueck guided the Bruins to a 32-0 record and the NCAA Division III national title. That year he was also named national coach of the year for Division III women's basketball. Rueck was named coach of the Beavers in July 2010 to replace LaVonda Wagner.
Susan Isaacs, Actor and Writer
Speaking date: 2/1
Susan Isaacs is a writer, actor, and comedienne with many credits in TV, film, stage and radio. She teaches screenwriting and sketch comedy at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Aside from a year in London and several years in New York City, Susan has spent most of her time in Southern California indoors, trying to avoid skin cancer and old age.
Jenny and Tyler, Musical Artists
Speaking dates: 2/7-8
"In 2007, we released a record called A Prelude. We chose the title because we felt like the songs on the record were really just the beginning of what we were to become as a duo. Admittedly, we didn’t know what we were doing when we recorded A Prelude, but we somehow managed to produce a collection of songs that, despite their imperfections, communicated what was on our hearts at the time.
"In 2008, we loaded up a U-Haul with our belongings and moved to Nashville. We didn’t know what we were getting into, but did know that we wanted to pursue music a bit more seriously. In 2009, we quit our day jobs and released This Isn’t a Dream ..." Read more at jennyandtylermusic.com.
Jerome Daley, Author and Speaker
Speaking date: 2/8
Jerome Daley pursues the passion of his life – intimacy with God and people – in partnership with his wife, Kellie. Jerome and Kellie speak, write, and coach leaders toward spiritual and relational intimacy. Jerome is the author of five books and earned his master’s degree from Columbia Biblical Seminary and his doctoral degree from Wagner Leadership Institute. Kellie, who co-authors two of these books, also has her master’s degree from Columbia Seminary.
After 10 years as worship pastor and women’s leader in a non-denominational North Carolina church, Jerome and Kellie began to reach for a new destiny. A year’s sabbatical in the mountains of Colorado birthed a new vision for life: to get off the gerbil wheel of frantic busyness and put relationships first. Together with their three children, ages 9-13, they currently make their home in Greensboro, N.C. Jerome’s interests include cycling, rock climbing, strong coffee and close friends. Kellie loves running, reading, homeschooling the kids, and empowering other women.
Evvy Campbell, professor at Wheaton College
Speaking date: 2/13, 2/15
Dr. Evvy Campbell is the adjunct associate professor of intercultural studies at Wheaton College. Her personal and professional interests include the fields of international health, medical missions, AIDS, holistic mission, and the Christian life. Over 300 presentations in these areas have been given to university, college, seminary, hospital, community, church, youth camp, health professional, and retreat groups.
Gerald Gabrielse, Harvard Physicist
Speaking date: 2/20
Gerald Gabrielse graduated with a BS (honors) from Calvin College. He then completed his MS (1975) and PhD (1980) in physics from the University of Chicago.
After completing his PhD, he joined the faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle. He became a professor of physics at Harvard University in 1987. He was named the George Vasmer Leverett Professor of Physics at Harvard University in 2003.
Mark Terry, professor of art
Speaking date: 2/22
Mark teaches in the undergraduate visual art department at Fox. In addition to his art assignments, he usually teaches courses that support the school's general education program: First Year Seminar and Juniors Abroad. To date, he has led nine international study trips focused on art and history in Western Europe. He is also often called upon to teach in the university's graduate programs, and routinely takes on assignments in the MAT, MEd and MBA programs. Read more about Mark Terry
DJ Jey Mbiro, Compassion Speaker
Speaking date: 3/7
DJ Jey Mbiro is a Christian music DJ representing Compassion who, as a child in the slums of Kenya, received care through Compassion's child sponsorship program.
Rusty St. Cyr, Director of Spiritual Formation
Speaking date: 3/12, 4/9
Rusty St. Cyr serves as the director for spiritual formation at George Fox. He is a grateful student of 22 years to Christ, a lucky husband of 12 years to Stephanie, a stoked dad to 2-year-old Ella Sophia, newly born Matea Frances, and a Jack Russell Terrorist named "Woody" (a.k.a. "El Capitan").
After studying for a bachelor's degree in biblical studies in Missouri, a master's in teaching in California, and beginning seminary in Austin, Texas, Rusty continues his seminary studies at George Fox University in spiritual formation and Christian earth keeping.
Rusty came to the spiritual life team at Fox in 2009 after 10 years of student ministry in Springfield, Mo., Inverness, Scotland, Santa Cruz, Calif., as well as serving as director for spiritual formation at Bethany University near Santa Cruz, Calif.
Along with all of this, Rusty is also thankful to experience playing all kinds of drums to music, for stand-up paddling and surfing waves, for opportunities to love and learn from people of other cultures, for reconciliation, for the Shalom-growing principle that we are blessed in order TO BE a blessing, and, of course, for Spinach smoothies.
Christopher Yuan, Author and Speaker
Speaking date: 3/14
While attending dental school, Christopher Yuan began living promiscuously as a gay man and experimenting with illicit drugs. Within a few years, he was expelled from dental school, imprisoned for drug dealing and discovered that he was HIV positive. God has turned his nightmare into an exciting and inspiring story of redemption, transformation and grace. Christopher has an understanding heart for and a desire to minister to those working through issues of sexuality and to those living with HIV/AIDS. He speaks locally and internationally to youth, on college campuses, in churches and in prisons. Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005 and Wheaton College Graduate School in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis. He now teaches at Moody while continuing his speaking ministry.
Sarita Gallagher, Assistant Professor of Religion
Speaking date: 3/19
Sarita Gallagher joined the Department of Religious Studies in 2010 as an assistant professor of religion after spending the previous four years as a global studies adjunct professor at Azusa Pacific University. During that time, she also assisted in teaching graduate masters and doctoral courses in the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.
She has traveled extensively, teaching at the World Missions Faith Training School in Papua New Guinea in the mid-2000s and serving as an English as a Second Language teacher at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, in 2003 and 2005. She also taught at Tabor College in Australia in 2003. Sarita is a doctoral candidate in Fuller’s School of Intercultural Studies program and earned a master’s degree in intercultural studies from Wheaton Graduate School in 2002. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and Spanish literature and language from Wheaton College.
Jamie Johnson, Director of Friends Leadership
Speaking date: 4/2
Jamie Johnson, director of the Friends Leadership program, has found the Quaker church to be the best expression of Christian life and practice. He works as the director of Friends leadership at George Fox University. He was born and raised in Newberg, and now he and his wife Erin are raising their own family of three children here. Jamie likes to write about issues connected to the church, Quakers, culture, and higher education. Check out his blog!
Brad Lau, Vice President of Student Life
Speaking date: 4/16
Brad Lau, vice president of student life, is married to a wonderful woman named Pam and they have three daughters (Gabrielle, 10; Annalise, 12, and Michaela, 14). They also have two dogs (Biscuit and Shasta), a cat named Sally, and a fish with no name. He enjoys Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings movies. He is also an avid Denver Broncos fan. Other hobbies and interests include tennis, reading, Bible study, football and theology. Learning about other cultures is also an important part of his journey.
Patrick Allen, University Provost
Speaking date: 4/18
"My vision is that George Fox University will be recognized as one of the finest small teaching universities in the Northwest - with the most formative educational experience on the face of the earth. The more I get to know our faculty, the more I am convinced that this is truly possible. And as you learn more about George Fox, I believe that you will be convinced, too! Simply put, faculty build bridges that students walk across. They are the true heroes of this good place, and I am very proud to serve with them. I remind our faculty often that the job is not simply to teach. Rather, the challenge is to teach, to shape, and to send." Read more of Patrick Allen's vision