Testimonials
 

Contributors

| Holy Moly | Bibles | re:form | The Hardest Question |

Holy Moly

Vicky Goplin

Vicky Goplin is a freelance editor and writer and serves as Adjunct Faculty in Educational Leadership at Luther Seminary where she tries to convince pastors they are also teachers. She was an editor for Holy Moly. If Vicki could sum up the Bible in just six words, she would say it’s “people figuring out who they are.”

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Rebecca Ninke

Rebecca Ninke is a freelance writer for sparkhouse and Pastor at Brooklyn Lutheran Church outside of Madison. She wrote feature content for the Connect Bible and is voted the Holy Moly contributor most likely to protest.

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Rachel Baughman

Rachel Griffin Baughman is an associate pastor at University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. She wrote book intros for the Connect Bible. She would voted the Holy Moly contributor most likely to scrapbook.

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Mike Baughman

Mike Baughman is currently the Lead Curator for Union Coffee, a coffee house/church in Dallas, Texas. He is also the husband of a Methodist pastor, a blogger, writer, dad, fencing coach and Duke basketball fan. Follow him on Twitter @ireverant, check out his blog. Mike helped develop the Connect Bible and Connect curriculum and was a video brief and feature content writer for Holy Moly.

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Melissa Cooper

Melissa Cooper is Program Coordinator at Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park, Florida. Follow her on Twitter @revmelissa or check out her blog. Melissa is a Holy Moly Bible Storybook poet and video reviewer for Holy Moly. Melissa claims she’s the Holy Moly contributor most likely to be able to justify an outdoor office.

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Melanie Heuiser Hill

Melanie Heuiser Hill recently put her job as an ELCA pastor on pause to pursue her Masters of Fine Arts in Children’s Literature at Hamline University in St. Paul. She is a video brief writer and theological reviewer for Holy Moly.

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Mary Lindberg

Mary Lindberg currently works as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Compass Housing Alliance, a 100-year-old Lutheran nonprofit in Seattle. Her job is to advocate the mission of Compass—caring for homeless people and creating affordable housing—in church congregations. In addition to her heart for the homeless, Mary is an accomplished writer and editor, earning her Writing Certificate from Northwestern and an Editing Certificate from University of Washington. Oh yeah, and she’s an ordained Lutheran pastor. For Holy Moly, she wrote Holy Moly Bible Storybook poems and reviewed videos.

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Laura Gentry

Laura Gentry wrote book intros for the Connect Bible.  She is pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lansing, Iowa and Director of the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga. To find out more, visit her website!

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Kevin Alton

Kevin Alton is a full-time United Methodist Church youth worker. He also writes a bit, contributing regularly to the Youthworker Movement as well as his own Wesleyan curriculum site, Youthworker Circuit. Kevin wrote book introductions for the Connect Bible. He lives near Chattanooga, TN with his wife, Britta, and his two sons, Grey and Penner.

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Kelly Hanson

Kelly Hanson is a freelance writer who wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. Kelly has her Masters of Arts in Pastoral Theology from Luther Seminary. She’s the Holy Moly contributor most likely to eat seaweed salad, claiming it’s “rather tasty.”

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Karl Jacobson

Karl Jacobson, a theological reviewer for the Connect Bible, currently serves as Assistant Professor of Religion at Augsburg College. He has also contributed to the Augsburg Fortress books Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms (2008) and Crazy Book: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Biblical Terms (2009). He would describe himself as “OldTestamenty—that should be a word.”

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Justin Rimbo

Justin Rimbo, who wrote NRSV feature content for Holy Moly, has a whole slew of jobs. He serves as the Music and Band Director at Jacob's Well in Minneapolis. He’s the Community Worship Arts Curator at Humble Walk in St. Paul. Justin is also the Chief Executive Wiper of All Things and People at his house, where he helps raise his two kids, Owen and Zoe, with his wife Angie.

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June Wilkins

June Wilkins is Pastor at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio and wrote NRSV feature content for Holy Moly. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and a Masters of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. She describes herself as witty, enthusiastic, and minty. Read her blog here.

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Jim Kast-Keat

Jim Kast-Keat always wears a tie. He a divergent thinker, ideation specialist, and aspiring minimalist. He is, among other things, a writer, speaker, theologian, and photographer. Jim spent over half a decade as a pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI and currently works as a Product Designer with sparkhouse. He contributed NRSV feature content for Holy Moly. Go to his website to learn more about him.

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Emma Trihart & Bill Ferenc

Emma Trithart is an art developer for Holy Moly. She currently works as an in-house graphic designer and freelance illustrator. To learn more about Emma and see the art she creates, visit her website. Bill Ferenc is also an art developer for Holy Moly. Bill earned his Bachelors in Fine Arts from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and currently works as a graphic designer at Augeo+Greer, a creative marketing agency in Minneapolis.

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Emily Odean

Emily Odean is Youth Minister at Plainfield Congregational United Church of Christ, Interim Youth Minister at the Reconciliation Table Church in Plainfield, IL, knitting and reading fanatic, and Holy Moly NRSV feature content contributor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and English Writing from Elmhurst College and her Masters in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. She wrote NRSV feature content for Holy Moly. Follow her on Twitter: @emmyohere.

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Darin Wiebe

Pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in West Bend, Wisconsin, husband to another pastor, father of two teenage girls, and avid robot builder, Darin Wiebe wrote video briefs for Holy Moly. If you’re curious what robot builder really means, click here to check out his robot army. Darin reports his youth ministry superpower as “a psyche impenetrable to the fact that youth do not think I am cool.”

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Curtis Allen

Based in Los Angeles, Curtis Allen composes music for Holy Moly. He also writes scores for movies, short films, or any other visual media that comes his way. His passion for composing started when he was a young boy, blossomed in college, and since then, he has arranged pieces for choirs and bands nationwide.

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Cindy Blobaum

Cindy Blobaum, a writer for Holy Moly, is currently a part time naturalist (aka field trip lady) with Dallas County Conservation in Iowa and a children’s book author. She feels quite at home outside with all the critters – whether they have two, four, six, eight legs, or none at all!

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Christy Olson

Christy Olson has her Masters of Arts in Theology and Pastoral Ministry from St. Catherine University, spent most of her life as a teacher, and now writes for Holy Moly. Talk about versatile!

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Cathy Kolwey

Cathy Kolwey, a writer for Holy Moly, also works as a part-time Christian Educator at a Presbyterian church. In other words, Cathy is “the Sunday School and Youth Group lady.” On top of her work at church, she is studying to get her Masters in Divinity at United Theological Seminary.

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Barbara Wilson

Barbara S. Wilson’s name appears in small letters among the editorial credits. Her contribution to the Holy Moly process was to smooth out unintended rough places so that writers say what they want to say, with all of the bumps, zaps, and jolts they intend.

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April Karli

April Karli is a writer, thinker, disciple, wife, mother, homeschool teacher, pastor’s kid, and leader of her own organic house church. Read more about her house church here.

 

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Bibles

Tara Eastman

If Tara Lamont Eastman won a free trip to any Bible time destination, she would want to travel to the day that Noah and all the animals got to exit from the Ark and set their feet on dry ground. “I would love to see their excitement to be out in the open and having an opportunity the start fresh,” she says. Tara wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. To learn more about Tara, follow her blog at http://lamont-uphill.blogspot.com/. 

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Scott Tunseth

Scott Tunseth, who wrote Bible book intros for the Connect Bible, is also an editor at Augsburg Fortress. He lives in Roseville, MN with his wife Kathy and has three daughters and two grandchildren. Through his work on the Connect Bible, Scott discovered that communicating the meaning of a 2,000 year-old book is not that simple.

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Rebecca Ninke

Rebecca Ninke hails from Madison, Wisconsin and currently splits her time between preaching at a stellar little joint called Brooklyn Lutheran Church and freelance writing. Rebecca wrote feature content for the Connect Bible and through her work, rediscovered that so much in the Bible is so relatable, even thousands of years later. She also discovered that people have probably been annoying God for a very long time.

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Rachel Baughman

If Rachel Baughman could draw her faith in one image, she would draw hands. Rachel, an associate pastor at University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX, was a writer of book intros for the Connect Bible. She lives with her husband Mike and four crazy wonderful kids in Sunnyvale, TX.

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Mike Baughman

The Rev. Mike Baughman is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, working on a new church start /coffee house in Dallas, TX. He is the co-author of one book and has contributed to a long list of books, curricula, resources and research. He also trains and consults with churches non-profits and small businesses on social media and how it can be used to help their work and ministry. He lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife (also a pastor) and four kids. You can learn more about him at www.mikebaughman.com , follow him on twitter @ireverant and read his blog, ireverant.wordpress.com

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Meghan Murphy

Meghan Murphy was the Bible timeline illustrator and designer for the Connect Bible. She is also the artist for the upcoming Connect videos. In addition to her work on Connect, Meghan is is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Paper Darts Literary Magazine. Basically she’s smart, interesting, and really really good at art. 

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Matthew Marohl

Matthew Marohl, a reviewer for the Connect Bible, has a lot of schooling. After his undergraduate work, he earned his Masters in Divinity at Luther Seminary, followed by his Masters in Theology from Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, followed by his Ph.D. in New Testament from University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He recently accepted the position of Campus Pastor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.

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Margaret Ellsworth

Margaret Ellsworth is a freelance writer, theology graduate student, and media studies assistant at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Margaret was a proofreader for the Connect Bible, and claims that that the most challenging part about working on the Connect Bible was keeping the K’s straight in Habakkuk!  

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Louis R. Carlozo

Louis R. Carlozo is an author and award-winning journalist based in Chicago. He wrote and edited book intros and section dividers for the Connect Bible. Fun fact about Louis: he is also the co-owner of Kingsize Sound Labs, one of the largest recording studios in the Midwest, where he produces records and serves as a multi-instrumentalist studio musician.

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Laura Larsen

If Laura Larsen won a free trip to any Bible time destination, she would go to Old Testament Egypt to soak in all the history. She wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. Laura currently serves as the Interim Director of Student Ministry at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX.

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Laura Gentry

Laura Gentry wrote book intros for the Connect Bible. She is pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lansing, IA and Director of the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga. To find out more, visit her website!

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Kevin Alton

Kevin Alton hails from Ringgold, GA, a suburb of Chattanooga, TN. He is the coordinator of youth ministry at a Methodist church and wrote book intros for the Connect Bible. If Kevin could ask God one question, he said he would not want to be the one talking—he would rather listen.

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Karl Jacobson

Karl Jacobson, a reviewer for the Connect Bible, is a religion professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN. He is married to Pastor Kristen Jacobson and has three kids: Hannah, Sam, and Lucy. Karl admits that the most challenging part of working on the Connect Bible was “keeping its awesomeness under wraps until it was done.” 

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Justin Rimbo

Justin Rimbo, who wrote feature content for the Connect Bible, has a whole slew of jobs. He serves as the Music and Band Director at Jacob's Well in Minneapolis. He’s the Community Worship Arts Curator at Humble Walk in St. Paul. Justin is also the Chief Executive Wiper of All Things and People at his house, where he helps raise his two kids, Owen and Zoe, with his wife Angie.

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Jon Wasson

Jon Wasson works as the Director of Middle School at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX. He wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. If he could draw his faith, he would draw an old ship.

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Erin Davis

Erin Davis works as the Coordinator of Young Adult and Group Ministries at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, MN. She is also the sole proprietor of Wellspring Editorial. As an editor for the Connect Bible, she struggled with finding the balance between appropriate (so that the public church will approve) and disgusting (so that preteen boys will approve).

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Erik Ullestad

Erik Ullestad calls himself a “ministry mutt.” He works at an ELCA congregation in West Des Moines, IA in children, youth, family, young adult, and music ministry. Erik wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. If he could draw his faith, he would draw a giant question mark, because he asks a lot of questions. 

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Darin Wiebe

If Darin Wiebe could ask God one question, he would ask how God came up with the smell of rain. Darin wrote book intros and feature content for the Connect Bible. He currently lives in West Bend, WI with his wife and two daughters and serves as the pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. In addition to being a pastor, Connect Bible contributor, husband, and father, Darin is a robot builder. Click HERE (http://www.flickr.com/photos/friarjunk/) to check out the robots he builds.

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Austin Ariail

Austin Ariail is currently the Student Ministry Director of Programs and Resources at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX.  He wrote feature content for the Connect Bible. When asked for three words to describe himself, Austin provided four: Alpha male, insatiable, jackhammer. Follow him on Twitter @AustinAriail.

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Alexis Twito

Alexis Twito wrote and edited the book intros and section dividers for the Connect Bible. She hails from Moorhead, Minnesota, where she serves as the Social Concerns Ministry Pastor and Pastor to Children’s Ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church. If she could win a trip to any Bible time destination, she’d like to see the oaks of Mamre and the cedars of Lebanon. She’s a big tree fan.

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re:form

Vicky Goplin

Vicky Goplin is currently a freelance editor and writer and Adjunct Faculty in Educational Leadership at Luther Seminary where she tries to convince pastors they are teachers. Vicky edited re:form Traditions and Ancestors. When asked for 3 words that describe her, Vicky responded with 2 words and ellipses: I wonder . . .

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Todd J. Query

Todd Query is currently Youth Minister at Williamsburg United Methodist Church in Virginia. Todd reviewed re:form Traditions and wrote leader guide sessions for re:form Ancestors. During his writing, one of the amazing thing he learned was that the Rahab story is an analog for the Passover story.

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Todd Fadel

Todd Fadel is currently Co-Facilitator of the arts/music collective Agents of Future at the Bridge Christian Church in Portland, OR. Todd has worked with community-building small groups for over 15 years. Todd created Anti-Workbook content for re:form Traditions.  When asked for 3 words that describe him, Todd replied, “Megaphone for others.”

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Rebekah Wedge Thornhill

Rebekah Wedge Thornhill is Director of Family and Youth Ministries at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Jamaica, Queens, NY where she handles most of the Education and Programing for toddlers to young adults. Follow her on Twitter @rebekahwedge. She is also a contributing blogger for the Metro New York Synod's Children Youth and Family Committee blog atstoriesinfaith.wordpress.com. Rebekah reviewed content for re:form Traditions. She would be voted the re:form contributor most likely to be heard three rooms away by her laugh.

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Rebecca Ninke

Rebecca Ninke is Pastor at Brooklyn Lutheran Church outside of Madison, WI. She created Leader Guide content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. A favorite quote of hers from a theologian is The church must sound strange to the world if it is not to be dull” (Karl Barth).

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Raul Garcia III

Raul Garcia is Associate Director of Children, Youth and Family—Junior High at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove, MN and currently enrolled at Luther Seminary. Follow him on Twitter @futbolraul. Raul reviewed re:form Traditions. For his youth ministry superpower, Raul would choose the ability to disappear.

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Neal Presa

Neal Presa is pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church in Middlesex, New Jersey, and a member of the residential faculty of New Brunswick Theological Seminary in the capacity of Affiliated Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship. Neal is a candidate for Moderator of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He and his wife have two sons, and have traveled to six continents, including the Caribbean. He loves black coffee, running, Banana Republic suits, and NPR’s “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.” He dabbles in the world of liturgical and ecumenical theology through writings, meetings, and teaching. Visit www.NealPresa.com

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Nate Houge

Nate Houge is a performing songwriter, freelance writer, and Campus Ministry Outreach Team Leader at the University of Minnesota. Check out his web site at natehouge.com. Nate created Anti-Workbook content for re:form Ancestors and also worked on ReNew: the Green VBS. His youth ministry superpower is delegation.

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Mike Baughman

Mike Baughman is currently Associate Pastor for Young Adults at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, TX. He is also a pastor’s husband, blogger, writer, dad, fencing coach and Duke Basketball fan. Follow him on Twitter @ireverant, check out his blog (ireverant.wordpress.com), or go to mikebaughman.com. Mike created Anti-Workbook content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors and is a contributor on The Hardest Question. He would be voted the re:form contributor most likely to make a mess on the sparkhouse walls and ceiling.

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Melissa Cooper

Melissa Cooper is Program Coordinator at Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park, Florida. Follow her on Twitter @revmelissa or check out her blog (revcooper.com). Melissa created Leader Guide content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. Her desired Youth Ministry superpower is the same one every youth minister desires...the ability to capture the full attention of a junior high boy, just once.

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Laura Gentry

Laura Gentry (nicknamed Laughing Laura) is currently Pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing, IA. Check out her web site at LaughingLaura.com. Laura created Anti-Workbook content for re:form Ancestors. When asked to name her favorite ancestors, Laura replied, “I groove on them all, but I particularly relate to Jonah because I don’t like fish or worms either.”

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Karl Jacobson

Karl Jacobson is Assistant Professor of Religion at Augsburg College. He reviewed re:form Ancestors. When asked who his favorite ancestor was, Karl responded “Jacob. He is the younger brother, and the Bible and I are in complete agreement on this point: the younger brother is preferred.”

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Kara Kristen Root

Kara Kristen Root is Pastor of Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, MN. Check out her blog about ministry and motherhood at kara-root.blogspot.com. Kara wrote Leader Guide content for re:form Traditions. While working on this project, Kara gained this insight about her tradition’s founders: “Whatever else they were (and they were all shades of crazy), they were brave. Seriously.”

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June Wilkins

June Wilkins is currently Pastor at Gethsamane Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. She blogs at revjune.blogspot.com. June wrote Anti-Workbook content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. While working on Traditions, June learned that Martin Luther’s wife Katie escaped her convent in a pickle barrel (or maybe it was herring).

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Jon Wasson

Jon Wasson is a Middle School Director at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX. Follow him on Twitter @jonwasson and check out his web site at www.jonwasson.com. Jon reviewed content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. During his work on Traditions, Jon reports “It was fun to work out the differences between Barthian and Calvinistic understandings of election."

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Jim Kast-Keat

Jim Kast-Keat is Middle School Program + Content Pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI.

Jim achieves social media dominance through his personal blog (www.jimkastkeat.com), theology blog with his wife (www.practicallytheology.com), and apophatic worship blog (www.theothersideofworship.com). Follow him on Twitter @jimkastkeat and check out his photos on flickr @jimkastkeat. Jim created Anti-Workbook content for Traditions and Ancestors. Jim would be voted the re:form contributor most likely to wear a tie.

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Jeni Grangaard

Jeni Grangaard is currently Pastor at Glyndon Lutheran Church in Glyndon, MN. Follow her on Twitter @jgrangaard or check out her web site here: jfalkmangrangaard.posterous.com. Jeni reviewed re:form Ancestors. The ancestor she identifies with most is Jonah, with a hint of Ruth.

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Hansen Wendlandt

Hansen Westlandt is currently Associate Pastor for Youth and Mission at Providence Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. Hansen reviewed re:form Traditions and would be voted the re:form contributor most likely to ski off a cliff.

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Erin Davis

Erin Davis is currently Coordinator of Young Adult and Group Ministries at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, MN. Follow her on Twitter @erinmariedavis. Erin edited re:form Traditions. As she prepares for her marriage to sweetheart Nick, she recalls a favorite quote from her Grandma: Marriage isn't easy. Some days you'll love him. Some days you'll hate him. It's when you stop trying that you know there's a problem.

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Erik Ullestad

Erik Ullestad is currently Family Life and Youth Director at Windsor Heights Lutheran Church in Des Moines, IA. Follow him on Twitter @erikullestad and check out his blog at erikullestad.blogspot.com. Erik reviewed Traditions and wrote Leader Guide content for Ancestors. He would be voted the re:form contributor most likely to submit a manuscript at 3:00 a.m.

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Emily Odean

Emily Odean is Youth Minister at Plainfield Congregational Church of Christ in Plainfield, IL. Follow her on Twitter @emmyohere. Emily wrote Leader Guide content for re:form Ancestors. Her favorite ancestor is Mary Magdalene, about whom she says, “To follow your calling simply because it’s your calling…now that’s something we can all admire!”

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Dave Buerstetta

Dave Buerstetta is Koinonia Pastor at Woodridge United Methodist Church in Woodridge, IL. Follow him on Twitter @davebuer or check out his blog All That I Can’t Leave Unsaid (cantleaveunsaid.wordpress.com). Dave reviewed re:form Traditions and Ancestors.

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Darin Wiebe

Darin Wiebe is Pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in West Bend, WI. You can see his robot army at flickr.com/photos/friarjunk/. Darin created Anti-Workbook content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. Darin reports his youth ministry superpower as “a psyche impenetrable to the fact that youth do not think I am cool.

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Dan Haugh

Dan Haugh was Pastor of Student Ministries at Bedford Community Church in New York but has recently moved to Paris to work at the American Church in Paris serving as Pastor of Youth and Young Adults. Follow him on Twitter @danhaugh or check out emergingyouth.com. Dan reviewed re:form Ancestors. If leading a youth lock-in while stranded on a desert island, Dan’s essential would be a cell phone to call for rescue and let the kids fend for themselves.

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Barbara Wilson

Barbara S. Wilson’s name appears in small letters among the editorial credits. Her contribution to the re:form Ancestors process was to smooth out unintended rough places so that writers say what they want to say, with all of the bumps, zaps, and jolts they intend.

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Austin Ariail

Austin Ariail is currently Student Ministry Director of Programs and Resources at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX. Follow him on Twitter @AustinAriail. Austin reviewed re:form Ancestors. When asked for 3 words to describe himself, Austin provided 4: Alpha male, insatiable, jackhammer.

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Andy Sahl

Andy Sahl is Director of Youth Ministry at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Dallas, TX.

Follow him on Twitter @andysahl or check out his blog (Unpackthis.com). Andy reviewed re:form Ancestors. If he could choose a youth ministry superpower, it would be calculating the exact amount of pizza to order for ravenous 7th grade boys.

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Andrea Hall

Andrea Hall is currently Director of Christian Education at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Mobile, AL. Andrea reviewed re:form Traditions. If she could have anyone as a dinner guest (in addition to Jesus, of course), she’d invite John Calvin.

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Amihan Valdez Barker

Amihan Valdez Barker is Project Manager for the Vital Congregations Project for The United Methodist Church and works with UMVitalCongregations.org to “develop resources for churches moving towards health and vitality.” Check out her blog at amihanvb.wordpress.com. Amy reviewed content for re:form Traditions and would be voted re:form contributor most likely to jump out of a plane or travel the world.

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Adam Walker Cleaveland

Adam Walker Cleaveland is Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Ashland, Oregon. Follow him on Twitter @adamwc. Adam also blogs at Pomomusings (technology, theology, ministry); Dazed Dad (fatherhood, grief, and loss); and #RunRevRun, a community blog (running, health, and fitness). Adam reviewed content for re:form Ancestors. A favorite theologian quote of Adam’s is “It’s always a good time to change your mind when to do so will widen your heart” (William Sloane Coffin).

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Adam Copeland

Adam Copeland is currently Mission Developer for The Project F-M, an emerging ELCA congregation in Fargo, ND. Previously he was pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hallock, MN. Follow him on Twitter @ajc123 or check out his blog (adamjcopeland.com). Adam reviewed re:form Traditions and Ancestors. After working on Traditions, Adam commented, “Who knew Calvin’s accent was that cute?”

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The Hardest Question

Unvirtuous Abbey

Unvirtuous Abbey appeared on the Twitter scene on August 6th, 2010. They are a slightly sarcastic, yet hopeful, group of monks. They try to elevate the conversation with humorous tweets about the Bible, God, and Jesus.

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Tripp Hudgins

Tripp Hudgins is baptimonastic, mandolin-playing Jesus enthusiast, a preaching pastor, baptist cantor, liturgist, ecumenist, writer of articles, tangentist, and husband. He is the pastor of The Community Church of Wilmette in Wilmette, IL, a suburb of Chicago. His blog can be found at www.anglobaptist.org and he tweets as @anglobaptist.

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Stephen Marsh

Stephen Marsh is a grateful child of God who was born, raised and schooled in the windy city of Chicago. He was baptized in 1961, and between then and now has been called to serve God’s people in many capacities, from acolyte to bishop.

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Sonya Olson

Sonya Olson is a trained sculptor working as a preschool and elementary art teacher. An amateur theologian, she is learning to love the Old Testament as much as she loves her table saw. She lives in Saint Paul with two recovering barn cats.

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Ruth Everhart

Ruth Everhart is the author of Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land , which traces her pilgrimage through Israel and Palestine.

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Russell Rathbun

Russell Rathbun is the curator of The Hardest Question. He’s also a preacher at House of Mercy in St. Paul, Minnesota and the author of several books, including Midrash on the Juanitos (Cathedral Hill Press, 2010).

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Roy Terry IV

Rev. Roy Terry serves as the pastor of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Naples, FL. In addition to working at the church, Roy enjoys supporting his wife and daughter's equestrian pursuits, playing in the Holy Moly Band, getting a few tattoos and singing classic rock tunes at the local sports pub. He has been published in Christian Century, Duke Divinity School's publication Divinity, The Ekklesia Project, and was a contributor in Diana Butler Bass’ work on re-traditioning churches, From Nomads to Pilgrims and Christianity for the Rest of Us.

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Phyllis Tickle

Phyllis Tickle is the award-winning author of many books and the founding religion editor at Publisher’s Weekly. Tickle is an authority on religion in America and a much sought after lecturer and writer on the subject.

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Neal Presa

Neal Presa is pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church in Middlesex, New Jersey, and a member of the residential faculty of New Brunswick Theological Seminary in the capacity of Affiliated Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship. Neal is a candidate for Moderator of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He and his wife have two sons, and have traveled to six continents, including the Caribbean. He loves black coffee, running, Banana Republic suits, and NPR’s “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.” He dabbles in the world of liturgical and ecumenical theology through writings, meetings, and teaching. Visit www.NealPresa.com

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Nanette Sawyer

Nanette Sawyer is the founding pastor of Grace Commons (formerly known as Wicker Park Grace), an emerging faith community that began in an art gallery on the west side of Chicago. She currently serves both Grace Commons and St. James Presbyterian Church as solo pastor. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), she has blogged at The Christian Century’s lectionary blog, the Emergent Village Blog at Patheos, and at nanettesawyer.com. She has a Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and an MDiv from McCormick Theological Studies, where she has also taught as adjunct faculty. She is the author of Hospitality: The Sacred Art.

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Nadia Bolz-Weber

Nadia Bolz-Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the author of Salvation on the Small Screen? 24 Hours of Christian Television (Seabury, 2008) and blogs at Sarcastic Lutheran and at God’s Politics. 

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Mike Stavlund

Mike Stavlund writes from a 5-car pile-up at the intersection of his Christian faith and real life. A husband of over 15 years and a father of 4 children, he lives with his wife and 3 daughters in a small house outside Washington, DC.

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Mike Baughman

The Rev. Mike Baughman is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, working on a new church start /coffee house in Dallas, TX. He is the co-author of one book and has contributed to a long list of books, curricula, resources and research. He also trains and consults with churches non-profits and small businesses on social media and how it can be used to help their work and ministry. He lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife (also a pastor) and four kids. You can learn more about him at www.mikebaughman.com , follow him on twitter @ireverant and read his blog, ireverant.wordpress.com

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Michael Danner

Michael Danner is an ordained pastor of the Mennonite Church USA. He serves as Lead Pastor at Metamora Mennonite Church, a rural community on the outskirts of the empire (easy to miss unless you live nearby).

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MaryAnn McKibben Dana

MaryAnn McKibben Dana is pastor of Idylwood Presbyterian Church, a small and growing congregation in Falls Church, VA.

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Mark Stenberg

Mark Stenberg is a trained academic theologian who got side-tracked planting churches. He started House of Mercy House of Mercy, with co-pastors Debbie Blue and Russell Rathbun in 1996 and ten years later he left that call to launch Mercy Seat Lutheran Church along with his current colleague, Kae Evensen. Mark holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University where he studied philosophy with the likes of Jürgen Habermas. He is also an adjunct professor at Luther Seminary, teaching in homiletics and in the D.Min. program. Mark lost his spouse to cancer in March of 2007 but is profoundly grateful for every moment he gets to spend with his amazing children, Angela and Mateo.

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Mark Labberton

Mark Labberton is the Lloyd John Ogilvie Associate Professor of Preaching and Director of the Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to that, Mark was a Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor for over 30 years, and he’s the author of The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice.

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Lisa Scholl

Rev. Lia Scholl serves as pastor at the Richmond Mennonite Fellowship in Richmond, Virginia and is a sex work ally, a Board member at the Red Umbrella Project. Her book, I <3 Sex Workers, is forthcoming from Chalice Press. Find out more at www.liascholl.com or you can find her on twitter at http://twitter.com/roguereverend.

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Lauren Winner

Reverend Dr. Lauren Winner writes and lectures widely on Christian practice, the history of Christianity in America, and Jewish-Christian relations.

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Karen Gibson

Karen N Gibson is the transition pastor at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Lexington, SC. She's been told more than once, she doesn't fit the stereotype of grandmomma or a pastor because neither - sport tats, cuss, want their daughter to dye a blue streak in her hair, and want another motorcycle. The loves of her life are her husband, her family, her dogs, books, a quiet beach, driving, and serving God (but not always in that order).

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Jodi-Renee Adams

Jodi-Renee Adams is a mess of heretical orthodoxy serving the Evangelical Covenant Church. She pastors Ecclesia Denver and does her best to write evangelical liturgy that has beauty and truth and not too many fluffy adjectives. The rest of her time is spent giving rest to Denver’s weary souls at her gigs as a jazz and soul singer.

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Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer Johnson is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA). She is the associate pastor for family and children’s ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Ashland, Kentucky. Her alter ego of the same name writes romance novels, and she has had four novels published since 2008 with two more books due out in 2011.

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Jake Bouma

Jake Bouma is the Director of Youth Ministries at Faith Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Clive, Iowa. His quest to be an autodidact recently ended with enrollment in a distance learning Master’s program at Luther Seminary.

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Doug Pagitt

Doug Pagitt is the founder of Solomon’s Porch -a holistic missional Christian community in Minneapolis. Www.solomonsporch.com. For more on Doug and his latest book, Church in the Inventive Age (sparkhouse press, 2010), check outhttp://dougpagitt.com/.

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Debbie Blue

Debbie Blue is one of the founding pastors of House of Mercy in St. Paul, MN, the author of Sensual Orthodoxy and From Stone to Living Word. She lives on a farm with her family, friends, and animals.

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Dave Buerstetta

Dave Buerstetta is a life-long and ordained American Baptist who has served as one of the pastors at the Woodridge United Methodist Church (Woodridge, IL) since 1995. Striving (but mostly failing) to love God, love neighbors and love enemies makes social justice, contemplative practices, equality and sustainability some of Dave’s passions.

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Danielle Shroyer

Danielle Shroyer is the Pastor of Journey Church in Dallas, TX. She is the author of The Boundary-Breaking God: An Unfolding Story of Hope and Promise (Jossey-Bass, 2009) and blogs at www.danielleshroyer.com. Danielle lives with her husband, two children, and two wild and crazy dogs in Dallas.

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Clint Schnekloth

Clint Schnekloth is the Lead Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas. He has written extensively for Augsburg Fortress, including the Seasonal Essays for Sundays and Seasons and the baptismal resource Washed and Welcome. Clint blogs at http://lutheranconfessions.blogspot.com.

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Carol Howard Merritt

Carol Howard Merritt grew up along the beaches of Florida. After being raised as a conservative Baptist and attending a fundamentalist Bible college, she went to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and decided to become a minister. Carol has been a pastor for 13 years, serving growing Presbyterian Churches in the swamps of Cajun Louisiana, a bayside village in Rhode Island, and in an urban neighborhood in D.C. She is the award-winning author of Tribal Church (Alban 2007) and Reframing Hope (Alban 2010). She has contributed to numerous books, websites, magazines, and journalsHer blog, TribalChurch.org, is hosted by the Christian Century. She blogs regularly at Huffington Post and Dukes Divinity's Faith and Leadership siteCarol is a sought-after speaker. She hosts Unco (short for Unconference), open-space gatherings where participants dream about and plan for the future of the church.  And she co-hosts God Complex Radio, a podcast with Derrick Weston. Carol lives in Chattanooga, TN with her daughter and husband, Brian Merritt, who is starting a new church. You can follow her on Twitter (@CarolHoward) or  Facebook.

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Carl Gregg

Carl Gregg is a trained spiritual director, a D.Min. graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary, and the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland. He loves The New York Times, biking to work, and playing Ultimate Frisbee. Carl lives with his wife Magin LaSov Gregg, who is a Lecturer in English at Bowie State University. They have three cats and two dogs.

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Bruce Reyes-Chow

Bruce Reyes-Chow is a native Northern Californian and third generation Chinese/Filipino. He was the founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church, a church of 20/30-somethings in San Francisco, CA and from 2008-2010 was Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 

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