The Litfin Divinity School adjunct faculty are experienced scholar-teachers who invest deeply in the academic, spiritual, and vocational growth and mentorship of their students.
Andy Bilhorn
Guest Instructor
Andy works as a management consultant where he consults with Fortune 500 C-suite executives and government leaders in the intersection of strategy, technology, and people operations. He currently serves as a Senior Director at Gartner leading their Digital Talent and Organization consulting practice. Prior to his return to the marketplace, Andy served as a college pastor with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Northwestern University for 8 years, partnering with urban churches both local and global to develop undergraduate student leaders to be faithful witnesses to the gospel on campus. He is curious and passionate about faith and work integration through both theology and liturgy, serving in local churches and parachurch organizations. He and his family live and worship in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago
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Mollie Bond, Ed.D.
Ed.D. Non-Profit Leadership
Guest Instructor
Mollie serves in the fundraising department of Lutheran Community Services Northwest, a health and human services nonprofit with more than 25 offices in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. She also serves on the board of Providence Heights, a second-phase step for women on the brink of becoming homeless. Outside of these two roles, Mollie is the author of Hopelessly Hopeful During Separation, a 28 day devotional for people separated from their spouse due to marital strife. She has a B.A. degree in Radio-Television Production from the University of Montana (2005), an M.B.A. from Kansas Wesleyan University (2011), and an Ed.D. (doctorate of education) in nonprofit leadership (2017) from Governors State University. Mollie and her husband enjoy kayaking and watching seals catch salmon from their home in the Puget Sound region of Washington State.
Mike Breen, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies
Guest Instructor
Mike lives in Greenville, SC, with Sally. Together, they founded 3DM, a movement/organization which has now spread to 5 continents, training thousands of leaders and churches in how to move to a discipling culture and missional mindset. Today Mike and Sally continue to invest in leaders of movements around the world, Writing and speaking on a variety of subjects. Mike has authored numerous best-selling books, most notably Building a Discipling Culture and Family on Mission.
Dr. David Cho
Ph.D.
Guest Instructor
David Cho was born and raised in Chicago, later moving to the western suburbs, the proud child of Korean immigrants in the early 1970s. David came to Wheaton via Hope College (Holland, MI), where he was formerly an Associate Prof. of English and Director of the American Ethnic Studies program. David holds multiple degrees, B.A. from University of Illinois (Pre-Med, Rhetoric), M.F.A. (Creative Writing, Poetry) and M.A. (Postcolonial Studies and Literature) from Purdue University, M.A.T. (Composition, Rhetoric, and Pedagogy) and Ph.D. (19th to 20th Cent. Am Lit, Critical Theory, American Ethnic Studies, conc. in Asian Pacific American Lit) from the University of Washington-Seattle, and an M.A.B.S. from Wheaton College. He is the author of the chapbook, Song of Our Songs; book of poems, Night Sessions; and Lost in Transnation, a scholarly manuscript on twentieth-century Korean American novels. Also, a new book of poems was published summer (2020) by Wayne State University Press, entitled A Half-Life. David loves to travel, play sports, and hang out with his family of five: Sandy (wife), Jonathan, Sarah, and Joanna.
Rev. Charlie Dates, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Historical Theology
Guest Instructor
In 2011, at age 30, Dr. Charlie Edward Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor at Chicago's Progressive Baptist Church; a church celebrating a distinctive 100-year history. He earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communication and Rhetoric at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and both the Master of Divinity and Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Dr. Dates' preaching and publications have been featured broadly through the United States. He is widely invited to preach at churches, conferences, and universities. He is a contributing author to the 2014 book Letters To A Birmingham Jail and Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in The African American Tradition. His first solo book on the subject of Christianity and Social Justice will release in 2020 on IVP Press. Pastor Charlie is married to Kirstie Dates and is the proud father of their children Charlie Edward Dates II and Claire Elisabeth Dates.
Dave Ferguson
Guest Instructor
Dave Ferguson is an award-winning author, founding, and lead pastor of Chicago’s Community Christian Church, a missional multi-site community considered one of the most influential churches in America. Dave is also the visionary for the international church-planting movement Newthing and president of the Exponential Conference.
Jon Ferguson
Guest Instructor
Jon Ferguson is co-founder of Community Christian Church, a church with 14 locations in the Chicagoland area, and NewThing, which is Community’s global church-planting mission. He is the Chicago Network Pastor at Community, overseeing COMMUNITY’S initiatives in the city of Chicago, including three new locations in the last three years. He also serves as Teaching Pastor and leads the team of staff Champions for adult, student, children, and creative arts ministries across all COMMUNITY locations. He is an adjunct professor at Wheaton College Graduate School, and he co-authored The Big Idea, Exponential, and Discover Your Mission Now. He lives in Lincoln Park on the north side of Chicago with his wife, Lisa, and their two children, Graham and Chloe.
Dr. Karen Hurula, Psy.D.
Psy.D.
Guest Instructor
Dr. Hurula trained in a variety of settings including the Wheaton College Counseling Center. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship with training in Anxiety/OCD treatment, and psychology and religion integration. Dr. Hurula believes strongly in the mind/body/soul connection and enjoys helping individuals with spiritual questions, as well as sexual orientation/gender identity concerns. Dr. Hurula is an MK/TCK, who was raised by her missionary parents in Mexico City, Mexico, and speaks Spanish fluently. Her professional memberships include: American Psychological Association and the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Dr. Hurula enjoys reading, a variety of crafts and art-related hobbies as well as working on her golf game.
Josh Laxton, Ph.D.
Guest Instructor
Josh is a scholar-practitioner who is passionate about mobilizing the church to effectively participate in the Missio-Dei. He received a B.A. from Union University in Jackson, TN, an MDiv from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, and a Ph.D. in North American Missiology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He currently serves as the Lead Pastor at Northland Church in Longwood, FL. Before Northland, Josh served as the Co-Director of the Billy Graham Center and Co-Director of Lausanne North America at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. as well as an adjunct professor at the Wheaton College Graduate School of Ministry, Mission, and Leadership.
Josh has authored The Bible in 52 Weeks for Men as well as Crisis Leadership from a Christian Perspective and his writing has also been featured in Christianity Today and Outreach Magazine.
Yulee Lee, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Educational Studies
Guest Instructor
Yulee Lee is the Senior Director of Staff and Partnerships at the fuller youth institute (FYI), where she oversees the leadership development of staff, develops team culture and office systems, helps build strategic partnerships, and facilitates trainings. Yulee, originally from South Korea, grew up in Salt Lake City skiing and snowboarding on the mountains. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Tufts University, an M.A. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. She has served the local church for 12+ years in the areas of revitalization and innovation, worked in government on the local and national levels, and directed strategy for service learning in higher education while also teaching on the topics of organizational and change leadership. Ultimately, Yulee is passionate about collaborating for change in systems to reflect greater human dignity and flourishing for the vulnerable. In her free time, Yulee finds her happy place in any medium where she can nurture her creative and artistic sides.
Melissa Norton
Specialist
Guest Instructor
Melissa has worked in disability supports and services for over twelve years, starting out as a Special Educator and Case Manager at a Chicago Public High School, work which led her to become a certified Transition Specialist for the state of Illinois. Her passion for working in higher education began in Beirut, Lebanon at the American University of Beirut where she founded the Accessible Education Office for students with disabilities. Most recently, she was the Assistant Director at University of California, Irvine’s Disability Services Center. She is passionate about working to destigmatize disability and finding new platforms for student voices to be heard. She knows personally how formative the college years are and cares deeply about participating in the spiritual formation and academic support offered to Wheaton Students through the LAS office.
Melissa and her husband met at their church in Chicago back in 2011 and have been blessed with two young children. She enjoys music, antique stores, and cooking dishes influenced by her time in Lebanon.
Andrew Macdonald, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Church History
Guest Instructor
Dr. MacDonald serves as the associate director of the WCBGC, overseeing the Center’s initiatives and as a key leader in its annual Amplify Conference.
An expert in American religious history, Dr. MacDonald received his Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School after an M.A. in Philosophy of Religion from Talbot School of Theology. His research is focused on the ways in which Protestant adapted their theologies and practices of mission, particularly in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Throughout his tenure at the WCBGC, Dr. MacDonald has lead research on the history and impact of several significant religious movements in America, including the rise of the Megachurch, the Jesus People Movement, and Digital Missiology.
His popular writings have appeared in Christianity Today, the Dallas Morning News, and Outreach Magazine. He is the co-author of Christians at our Best, published by Tyndale, and an editor of Formation for Mission, published by Lexham Press. Dr. MacDonald is adjunct faculty in several neighboring institutions while serving as Guest Professor at Wheaton College.
Mark Moore, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in New Testament
Guest Instructor
Mark joined the staff at Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona in July 2012 as a teaching pastor. CCV currently has eight locations and 28,000 in weekly attendance. Prior to joining the CCV team, Mark was a Professor at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, (1990-2012). Currently, he is an online professor for Ozark, an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University in Fullerton, California and Haus Edelweiss, Vienna, Austria. Mark is also the author and co-author of many books mostly on the Life of Christ, book of Acts, and Revelation.
Dave Pederson, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Theology
Guest Instructor
Dave Pederson is a Wheaton Graduate (’83), TEDS Graduate (MDiv, ’87) and he earned his PhD from the Evangelische Theologische Faculteit (’97). He has taught in seven different schools in areas of communication and theology. His current writing interests focus on theology and theories of addiction in the works John Owen. He served as Senior Pastor of English-speaking Congregations in three different countries (Greece, South Korea, and The Philippines). Since his return, he has been involved in education and local church ministry as a Senior Pastor, interim pastor, preacher, and as a layman. He and Debbie have five adult children.
David Sveen, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Theological Education
Guest Instructor
David Sveen is the Chair of Cedarstone holdings, LLC. He earned his BS in business at Northern Illinois University, and his MBA in finance at DePaul University. He earned his MA in Educational Ministries from Wheaton College Graduate School and his PhD in Theological Education from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His professional background includes thirteen years in senior management with the investment banking firm Griffin, Kubik, Stephens, and Thompson, as well as an adjunct assistant professorship at Wheaton College. He serves as a Trustee of the domanada Foundation and board member of Faith and Learning International, and also serves as a board member for the Heska Corporation and TC Wealth Advisors.
Trevin Wax, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Theology
Guest Instructor
Trevin Wax is senior vice president of theology and communications at LifeWay Christian Resources. He is the general editor of The Gospel Project, and the author of multiple books, including Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, Eschatological Discipleship and Gospel Centered Teaching. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin was named by Christianity Today as one of 33 millennials leading the next generation of evangelicalism. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Trevin lives in Tennessee with his wife, Corina, and their three children.
Revised 2/8/22
Biblical and Theological Studies Adjunct Faculty (Fall 2024)
Lance Higginbotham, Ph.D.
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Taejung (Eric) Kim, Ph.D.
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Nathan LeMahieu, Ph.D.
Wheaton College
Jeremy Lundgren, Ph.D.
Wheaton College
Josh Maurer, Ph.D.
Wheaton College
David McNutt, Ph.D.
University of Cambridge
Lance Peeler, Ph.D.
Drew University
Daniel Somboonsiri, Ph.D.
Wheaton College
Amber Thomas Reynolds, Ph.D.
University of Edinburgh