Chapel 2010 - 2011

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Felix Huang is a senior here at Westmont College majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Religious Studies and Economics & Business. He loves Westmont, and desires for a vibrant culture of prayer to develop and thrive among the student body and faculty/staff alike. The son of Taiwanese immigrants who came to the United States three decades ago, Felix is passionate about ecumenical and intercultural dialogue, and longs to see the fulfillment of the eschatological vision of saints from every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping the Lamb.

Jamie Noling is the Associate Campus Pastor at Azusa Pacific University. Jamie comes from Gordon College, where she directed student ministries. A native Californian, Noling earned her Doctor of Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, her M. A. in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and B. A. in communication from Pepperdine University.

Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J., a Jesuit priest renowned for his work with at-risk youth in Los Angeles. Fr. Boyle will describe his work with gang members and others who live in South Central Los Angeles, and how it is guided and strengthened by Jesuit principles. Fr. Boyle, who received an honorary degree from Holy Cross in 1998, has spent much of his life determined to help end gang violence and raise awareness about the causes of gang violence in the U.S. He is the founder and executive director of Jobs for a Future/Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles. His widely-acclaimed organization provides employment, training, counseling and tattoo removal — among other services — for ex-gang members and those at risk of becoming involved in gang culture. A Los Angeles native, he earned an M. A. from Loyola Marymount University, and the Weston School of Theology, and an S.T.M (Masters of Sacred Theology) from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. From 1986 to 1992 Fr. Boyle was a pastor of Dolores Mission, the poorest church in the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese. The parish is home of the largest public housing developments west of the Mississippi and the highest concentration of gang activity in the city of Los Angeles. He is also the subject of the book G-Dog and the Homeboys by Celeste Fremon (University of New Mexico Press, 2004), which tells the story of his successes with his unconventional ministry.

John Ortberg, is passionate about "spiritual formation," which is how people become more like Jesus. His teaching brings Scripture alive and invariably includes practical applications and warm humor. John is the author of many books, including "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" and "The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Growth for Ordinary People", and his latest book, "Faith & Doubt". He has also contributed to many other books and periodicals.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Libby Vincent is a pastor and teaches systematic theology for Fuller Seminary in Northern California. She is passionate about integrating the truths of Christian faith with the realities of daily life. She has a particular interest in working with students and young adults and also speaks regularly at Christian conferences.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Peter Thorrington has donated his time, talent and treasure to Opportunity International since 1990. He joined the Opportunity International-US Board in 2004 and is now Chairman of the Board of Directors. Peter’s interest in Africa has added value to Opportunity’s operations in Mozam-bique and South Africa. He serves on the board of Banco Oportunidade de Mozambique and Opportunity Finance in South Africa, and is a member of the Opportunity International President’s Council. Prior to working with Opportunity International, Peter served as Presi-dent and Chief Operating Officer at UTi Worldwide Inc (UTIW) where he had been a director since its formation. The company went public on NASDAQ in 2000. He has held previously many other positions includ-ing joint chief executive of BAX Global Inc, president of WTC Interna-tional Inc, co founder and managing director of Rand Freight Ltd in South Africa. Peter received a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Cape Town and a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Natal, both in South Africa. Peter is a member of Life Covenant Church and serves as a Trustee of Westmont College.

Dr. Mark Yarhouse specializes in the areas of marriage and family therapy, human sexuality, integration of psychology and theology, sexual identity, and ethics. Since 1998 he has taught in the doctoral program at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has published a number of books, including Modern Psychopathologies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (2005), and Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate (2000). In 2004 Dr. Yarhouse developed the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity (ISSI) at Regent. He received a Psy.D. in clinical studies, an M.A. in clinical psychology, and an M.A. in theological studies from Wheaton College, as well as a B.A. in philosophy and art with a minor in psychology from Calvin College.

Dr. Tremper Longman III is the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. He earned a B.A. in Religion at Ohio Wesleyan University, an M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in ancient Near Eastern studies from Yale University. Tremper has authored or co-authored twenty books and written numerous articles. A number of these works are interdisciplinary. His Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation (Zondervan, 1987); Complete Literary Guide to the Bible (contributor and co-editor along with Leland Ryken; Zondervan, 1993) and numerous articles approach the study of the Bible through literary criticism. A commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations is forthcoming with Hendriksen Press. For InterVarsity Press, he has produced three books: How to Read Psalms, How to Read Proverbs, and How to Read Genesis. In addition, he is one of the main translators of the popular New Living Translation and has served as a consultant on other popular translations of the Bible including the Message, the New Century Version, and the Holman Standard Bible.

Dr. Bob Bakke is the senior teaching pastor at Bloomington Baptist Church in Bloomington, MN, and executive director of the Global Day of Prayer North America. He formerly served as head of the National Prayer Advance of the Evangelical Free Church of America. He is the author of The Power of Extraordinary Prayer.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

A former Westmont basketball player, a successful businessman and a longtime Warrior supporter, Dave Odell is Westmont's athletic director. Odell, who has served as an adjunct professor in the economics and business department for the past six years, has a long history of involvement with Westmont athletics. A men’s basketball player from 1985-1989 and a scholar-athlete, he has maintained a close connection to the Warrior program. From 2002-05, and again since 2007, Odell served as the chair of the Warrior Sports Advisory Board, which provides advice for the athletics program and assists in fundraising. At the request of former Westmont President Stan Gaede, he also served as a member of the Presidential Task Force on Athletics commissioned in 2005.

Dr. Jon Ireland is the founding and Lead Pastor of Ocean Hills Covenant Church in downtown Santa Barbara. He has been married to his best friend Nathalie for 27 years and they have a 17 year old daughter who really wants to go to Westmont next year. He never ever got straight A's in school, has always driven a convertible, and his favorite book is "The Same Kind Of Different As Me." Jon has a love for adventure - he ran with the bulls in Pamplona, climbed the Matterhorn in Switzerland (not Disneyland), and hitch hiked across America. But most of all, his passion is living a fully surrendered life following Jesus, mentoring next generation leaders, and taking guys on road trips to places they have never been before - geographically, relationally, physically, and spiritually.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Caryn Reeder joined the Religious Studies department in 2007 and teaches Life and Literature of the New Testament and New Testament Greek. She is a proud graduate of Atwood-Hammond High School, and also holds a BA in Religion and Psychology from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois; an MA in Biblical Exegesis from Wheaton College, also in Illinois; and an MPhil in Old Testament and PhD in New Testament from the University of Cambridge (the one in England). Her doctoral dissertation, The enemy within: Biblical and intertestamental traditions of family violence, traces the place of legislated violence in the family in the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Jewish texts, and the New Testament.

Kevin G. Harney is the Teaching Pastor and Evangelism Champion at Faith Church in Dyer, Indiana and Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, MI. He is also on the Teaching Team of the campus ministry at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Harney is the author of several books.

Rino and his wife Brenda have just begun their 20th year as the senior/ lead pastors of South Coast Church in Goleta. They moved to the area with a knowing in their hearts that God had sovereignly call them to restart a church that had “almost” closed many times but finally did in the summer of 1990. The journey has been one of many challenges but great rewards. Rino severs as presbyter of the Central Coast of the Assemblies of God overseeing 19 churches.

J. Budziszewski received his Ph.D. from Yale in 1981, and is a professor in the departments of Government and Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. Budziszewski is an ethical and political philosopher. He is also a nationally-known authority on the tradition of Natural Law, which is germane to intelligent design because natural teleology is at heart a design concept. Much of his work focuses on the repression of moral knowledge -- on what goes wrong when we try to convince ourselves that we don't know what we really do. Another of his interests is the intersection of philosophy with theology. Budziszewski's scholarly books include Evangelicals in the Public Square (2006), What We Can't Not Know: A Guide (2003), The Revenge of Conscience: Politics and the Fall of Man (1999), and Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law (1997), which received a Christianity Today book award. Budziszewski's works appear in both scholarly and popular venues, and he has also written several books for young people.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Britt Merrick grew up near Santa Barbara, Calif. in a little town on the beach named Carpinteria. In his childhood years Britt’s singular passion was surfing, and soon he was making surfboards along side his father (Al Merrick) at the Channel Islands, Inc. surfboard factory for some of the best surfers in the world. Britt was also handling the famous company’s advertising, marketing, and amateur surf team. Shortly after re-committing his life to the Lord in his early twenties Britt began to teach bible studies at his parent’s home for the surfer kids in Carpinteria. These bible studies eventually led to Britt teaching and preaching at a Friday night college ministry at a local church in Santa Barbara. In the fall of 2003, sensing a further call to ministry, he and his wife and some close friends started a church called Reality in his hometown of Carpinteria. Reality Carpinteria is active in, and passionate about: youth, community transformation, birthing other churches, sending missionaries overseas, and equipping the next generation of leaders. By the grace and to the glory of God, the Reality network of churches has grown to include churches in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Stockton, CA, London and San Francisco.

In keeping with our fall theme "Christianity: Counter Cultural" Pastor Ben Patterson will share how Christians throughout the ages have viewed the meaning of death and the funeral service.

Russell Willingham is the Executive Director of NCM. He oversees individual counseling, group counseling and the overall vision of the ministry. He speaks at events around the nation on issues related to sexual brokenness, the healing process and spiritual formation. He has found much wholeness from Jesus for the broken areas of his own life that date back to childhood. He is the author of two books, Breaking Free and Relational Masks (both published by InterVarsity Press).

Joel Pelsue is the Founder and President of Arts and Entertainment Ministries (AEM) in Los Angeles, CA. AEM is dedicated to equipping artists on the front lines of the mainstream culture, and educating the church about the biblical call to engage the culture. Joel has a B.A in Philosophy from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA., and his M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary. He's been ordained in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) for over 10 years, and has been a pastor in New York and in Los Angeles. He and his wife Michelle are both artists, and have been married and ministering to artists for over 18 years. Joel has taught, lectured or preached all over the country for colleges, arts ministries, churches and seminaries As a musician, Joel started playing in orchestra pits when he was 14, and plays sax, flute, clarinet, and oboe. His first CD, "Windsome Thirst" played on radio stations across the country and is currently in its second printing.

Nancy Ortberg served as a teaching pastor for eight years at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. During that time she lead Network, a ministry that helps people identify their spiritual gifts and find a place of service in the church, and Axis, a weekly gathering for the eighteen- to twenty-something generation. She is a founding partner of Teamworx2, a business and leadership consulting firm that provides fast-paced, practical, and compelling sessions to leaders and their teams. Teamworx2 works with businesses, schools, nonprofit's, and churches to address issues of organizational effectiveness and teamwork. Nancy is a gifted communicator who is passionate about helping people connect what they believe with their everyday lives. A highly sought-after speaker, Nancy has been a featured presenter at the Catalyst and Orange conferences, and has been a regular contributor to Rev! Magazine. Nancy is the author of Looking for God: An Unexpected Journey through tattoos, tofu, & pronouns and Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands, lessons in no-linear leadership.

Old Skool Café is a non profit organization dedicated to helping neighborhood youth avoid gangs, drugs, and crime through mentoring and apprenticeship. It was launched in 2005 by Teresa Goines, a former corrections officer who has worked with gang-affiliated boys and girls for over a decade. Through working with incarcerated youth, Ms. Goines realized filling jails was not solving the root causes driving young people to gangs, crime, and violence. As a result, she conceived of Old Skool Café as a way to teach at-risk kids job and life skills, build within them a sense of responsibility, and pave their way out of poverty and hopelessness. Addressing the fact the fact that high crime rates go hand in hand with unemployment, Old Skool Café draws youth from all over San Francisco and engages them in learning experiences which give them solid, realistic alternatives to lives of crime and poverty. Today, 100% of those young people are attending school full-time, have increased their GPA over 3.0, and are preparing for college. The Old Skool Café continues to expand and hopes to move into the old 1912 Portrero Hill police station as a permanent home. The vision is to turn the abandoned police station into a 1940s style fine-dining restaurant complete with live, youth-presented entertainment and a menu hand-crafted by the same young people that have been mentored through Old Skool Café’s apprenticeship program.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Jean M. Geran is a member of the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff. She joined Policy Planning in February 2006 and is responsible for democracy, human rights, trafficking in persons, women, children, refugees, and international organization issues. Dr. Geran began work at the State Department as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Diplomacy Fellow in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor covering bilateral human rights policy in Asia. She also has served as the Director for Democracy and Human Rights on the National Security Council, as Advisor on United Nations Reform at the State Department and as an Abuse Prevention Officer on USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team in southern Iraq. She twice has been awarded the State Department's Superior Honor Award for outstanding performance and has extensive professional and academic research experience in developing countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America. Dr. Geran received her B.A. in business administration from Georgetown University (1989), her M.S. in rural development from Michigan State University (1995), and her Ph.D. in development studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2001).

Moore came to Westmont in the summer of 2005 from the University of California, Berkeley where she served as an assistant women’s basketball coach for four years. Prior to working at Cal, Kirsten was initially a walk-on at the University of Oregon,where she earned a full scholarship and became team captain through a relentless work ethic and positive attitude. After graduation in 1998, Moore served as an assistant coach in the Duck’s women’s basketball program for three years, during which time Oregon won two PAC-10 championships and made three trips to the NCAA Tournament. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oregon in 1998, Moore continued her education in Eugene, earning an MBA in 2001 with a concentration in marketing and an emphasis in sports business.

During Class Chapel, Freshman, Sophmores, Juniors, and Seniors all meet with the members of their own class for a message specifically for them.

Chiraphone is the Director for the Office of World Missions at Azusa Pactific University. A Lao native, Chiraphone escaped with her family of twelve to a Thailand refugee camp before immigrating to the U.S. in 1982. Chiraphone earned a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and minored in Leadership Development, Culture, and Religion at Azusa Pacific University (APU). She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa with the Zulu people from 1998-2000 as an Education and Community Resource Worker. Upon returning from South Africa, Chiraphone became the Residence Director of Global Village, an international and multicultural living area at APU. In May 2003, she obtained a Master of Arts in Human and Organizational Development from APU’s School of Business and Management and became a Peace Corps recruiter through the Los Angeles Regional Office. Chiraphone is passionate about people, holistic sustainable development, and strives for excellence as a life-long learner and educator across the globe.

A.T. has extensive international experience working at Citibank. His positions have included: Country Corporate Officer (CCO) Liberia; CCO and General Manager for 11 countries in Central and Eastern Africa; Regional Supervisor for Citibank’s Business Risk Review for Brazil and six other South American countries; Division Credit Officer for Spain and Portugal; and Emerging Markets Region Head responsible for relationships with global companies in Central & Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa. In July 2002, he was promoted to Head of Corporate Credit Risk for Emerging Markets. Until recently, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Corporate Council on Africa, a not-for-profit organization focusing on promoting capital and trade flows between the United States and Africa, and serving as a representative of Citigroup. A.T. is currently Risk Director for the Wholesale and International Banking Division of Lloyds TSB Bank. He Holds a B.A. in Economics and a M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College. A.T. was born and grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kevin DeYoung has been the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church since August 2004. His three main responsibilities include preaching, leadership, and administration. Kevin was born outside of Chicago in South Holland, Illinois and from third grade on, grew up in Jenison, Michigan. He attended Hope College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Prior to serving at URC, Kevin was the Associate Pastor at First Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa.

2010 Oscar® nominee and Student Academy Award® Winner, Gregg Helvey, has traveled the world to film in countries such as El Salvador, China, Kenya and England on projects ranging from National Geographic and BBC1 documentaries to independent fictional films. As a filmmaker, Helvey seeks to combine his passion for social justice with powerful story telling. Helvey wrote, directed and produced "Kavi," the 2010 Oscar®nominated and 2009 Student Academy Award® gold medal winner in the narrative category. "Kavi" was filmed entirely on location in India and tells the story of a young boy who wants to play cricket and go to school, but instead he is forced to work in a brick kiln as a modern-day slave. Kavi must either accept what he's always been told, or fight for a different life even if he's unsure of the ultimate outcome. Helvey received his M.F.A in film production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, and his B.A.s in English and French from the University of Virginia.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Ben Patterson earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne University in 1966 and his master’s of divinity from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in 1972. Ben served the New Providence Presbyterian Church of New Jersey from 1989 until his appointment as Dean of the Chapel at Hope College in 1993. From 1975 to 1989 he was with the Irvine Presbyterian Church of California, of which he was the founding pastor. Ben has written several books including: Serving God: The Grand Essentials of Work & Worship, Waiting: Finding Hope When God Seems Silent, amongst many others. For over ten years the Reverend Ben Patterson has been the Campus Pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Helen Sterk (Ph.D. in Rhetoric, University of Iowa, 1986) is a professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at Calvin College. Over the years, she has taught a variety of courses, including Communication and Gender, Interpersonal Communication, Group Communication, and Communication and Culture. From 2004-2010, she chaired the CAS department at Calvin. Deeply interested in how faith and life intersect in communication, Dr. Sterk's research focuses on how gender finds its expression in conversation, careers, life choices, and families. Her most recent book is Gender, Culture, and Physicality: Paradoxes and Taboos (Lexington Press, 2009), co-authored with the Dutch sport sociologist, Annelies Knoppers, from the University of Utrecht.

As a young child, Carri Lynn Svoboda moved often as her father, who was in the Air Force, was stationed all over the world. The family finally settled down in Atwater, which is in Central California. After high school, Carri moved to Santa Barbara, where in 1992 she received her Bachelors Degree in English from UCSB and the following year she received her teaching credential from the same institution. Carri taught 8th grade English for seven years at Santa Barbara Junior High and is currently teaching 6,7, & 8 English, 7 Bible & 8 History at Santa Barbara Christian School. Carri's religious training was eclectic, as her mother was raised in a Mormon home and her dad was raised Catholic. She accepted Christ after a Divine revelation when I was 8. She was the only Christian in my family growing up and attended the local First Southern Baptist Church with her neighbors. Locally, Carri attends the Free Methodist Church.