Faculty
Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.
Program Directors & Lead Faculty
Jeannine Brown
Professor of New Testament and Program Director | j-brown@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2000
Dr. Brown has focused much of her research and writing on the Gospels, hermeneutics, and interdisciplinary integration. In addition to a book on biblical hermeneutics (Scripture as Communication, now in second edition) and two books on integration, she has published three commentaries on Matthew's Gospel and one on Philippians (Tyndale NT series). She is a member of the NIV translation team and is an editor for the NIV Study Bible, revised edition (2020). Her current writing projects includ. . . read more.
John Anthony Dunne
Program Director and Associate Professor of New Testament | j-dunne@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Dr. Dunne's research interests lie primarily in the New Testament, the life and letters of Paul (esp. Galatians), Christian origins, and second temple Judaism. Within these frameworks he is fascinated by many things, including: theologies of suffering, eschatology, intertextuality, missiology and identity, participation with Christ, and the critique of imperial ideology.
Herb Grant
Program Director and Professor of Marriage & Family Therapy | h-grant@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2012
Dr. Grant's clinical and research interests focus on couples therapy, ambiguous loss, mental health for underserved populations and clinical supervision. Dr. Grant brings over 20 years of clinical experience and 16 years of regulatory experience to his teaching at Bethel. He is committed to helping students develop their faith as they develop their clinical ability.
Mark McCloskey
Program Director and Professor | m-mccloskey@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1998
Biblical theology of leadership, leadership formation, organizational leadership development, team building, virtue-based leadership, strategic planning
Denise Muir Kjesbo
Program Director, Professor and Director of The Cory Center for Children's Ministry | denise-kjesbo@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2000
Children's and Family Ministry - I am committed to equipping leaders to serve in ministries with children and youth as the crucial mission field of our time - both in the States and around the world. I am passionate about partnering with parents in the spiritual formation of their children and releasing the church as family for all.
Faculty
AMY ANDERSON
Adjunct Faculty | asa45448@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2021
Dr Amy Anderson has a background in student ministry, including nine years as a missionary to German college students. Seeing how God grows His people in such settings has led her to do a lot of thinking and writing in the area of ecclesiology. At the same time, her scholarly expertise is in New Testament, Koine Greek, and the study of ancient Greek manuscripts. She recently co-wrote "Textual Criticism of the Bible" with Wendy Widder (Huisken), a book that highlights her ability to take . . . read more.
Eric Bryant
Professor | bryeri@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2013
Missional Ministry, Intercultural Communication, Missional Innovation, Missional Contextualization, Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness, Leading a Missional Organization
Joshua Carroll
Dmin Technical Reader and Adjunct Professor | joc23858@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2021
After over 20 years in a variety of church ministry and non-profit roles, Dr. Joshua O. Carroll is currently serving as the Lead Pastor of Ethnos Bible Church, a small but vibrant multi-ethnic church in Richardson, TX. His academic credentials include a double M.A., Theology and Spiritual Formation, from Talbot School of Theology (Biola University, 2012) and a PhD in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland, UK, 2017). In addition to his church work, Dr. Carroll works with. . . read more.
David Clark
Professor of Theology | d-clark@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1988
Dr. Clark's academic discipline is philosophy of religion. In addition to philosophy of religion, he teaches theology, ethics, and apologetics. He has special interests in epistemology, the problem of evil, and the relation of theology to science. His approach to these topics emphasizes dialogue: he invites students to learn how to ground their faith perspectives with solid critical reason. And, in this day of uncivil discourse, he also challenges students to share the Gospel by first liste. . . read more.
Paul Ferris
Professor Emeritus | pferris@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1998
Content and exegesis of the First Testament and biblical languages
Anne-Marie Finsaas
Adjunct Professor | afinsaas@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2007
spiritual formation; 'the dark night of the soul' and the role of suffering in formation; pastoral ministry in the local church; children's and family ministry; cross-cultural, global ministry; chaplaincy
Katie Friesen Smith
Faculty, D.Min. Thesis Advisor | smikatj@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
Dr. Friesen Smith has 25+ years of experience in the local church, higher education and camping ministry. As a practical theologian, she seeks to create a bridge between Scripture and living out faith in a post-modern era. Her research interests are in spiritual formation, leadership and emotional intelligence. Along with teaching, she serves as the director of Bethel's Youth Theology Institute for high school students.
Tedi Anne Hasapopoulos
Adjunct Professor | tedi-hasapopoulos@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2006
New product development and strategic planning, applied ethics, data and decision making, business plan development, marketing, customer insights and research. Recent developing expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion organization best practices.
Kaz Hayashi
Associate Professor of Old Testament | kah54922@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022
A Japanese Old Testament scholar, archaeologist, minister, and husband and father.
Tim Henderson
Adjunct Instructor of Biblical Studies | timothy-henderson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2006
New Testament and early Christianity
Natalie Hendrickson
Adjunct Faculty and Adjunct Faculty | natalie-hendrickson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2000
Natalie is an Adjunct Faculty member who teaches internship and spiritual formation courses for the seminary. She formerly served as the Director of Supervised Ministry and Student Assessment at Bethel Seminary San Diego.
DesAnne Hippe
Professor of Theology | dhippe@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2003
DesAnne Hippe brings with her over 20 years of experience teaching systematic theology, ethics, and practical ministry on campus, online, and in the church. Over the years, she has taught for Marquette University, Trinity International University's Milwaukee extension site, Bethel Seminary, and Wesley Seminary. This experience, along with her time working as a psychiatric social worker and a pastor, helps her to equip her students and ministry leaders in solid biblical and theological fou. . . read more.
Justin Irving
Adjunct Faculty | j-irving@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2000
Leadership Studies; Servant Leadership; Team Effectiveness; Cross-Cultural Leadership; Organizational Change; Ministry Leadership; Purpose in Leadership; Leadership Assessment; Research Methodology and Design; Spiritual and Personal Formation for Leaders
Peter Jankowski
Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy | pjankows@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2004
Jankowski's research focuses on differentiation of self and spirituality; forgiveness; faith integration in psychotherapy; narrative and experiential therapy; and clinical supervision.
Donna Johnson
Director of Internship and Placement | de-johnson@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1999
Director of Internship and Placement /Adjunct Professor
Peter Kapsner
Teaching Partner in Theological Studies | kappet@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2002
New Testament and Practical Theology
Ben K Lim
Professor Emeritus | b-lim@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2002
Dr. Lim's teaching, writing, and specializations include systemic relational therapy, premarital counseling, marriage enrichment, parenting, multicultural therapy, spiritual issues, missionaries, and pastoral self-care, trauma, grief, and loss issues. In addition to training therapists, he also teaches pastoral care classes for ministers of the Gospel. An ordained minister, Ben has pastored for many years in different churches in Malaysia, Singapore, Texas, and California. Ben is a Clinical. . . read more.
Deb Moncauskas
Adjunct Professor | debra-moncauskas@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2004
Dr. Deb Moncauskas is an Adjunct Professor at Bethel Seminary, teaching since 2004 in the Master of Arts degree program in Children and Family Ministry. Her areas of focus are leadership and staff development, generational distinctives and ministry administration. She earned her D.Min in 2012. Her dissertation focused on strengths-based leadership development for pre-teens. Dr. Deb's current courses at Bethel are Leadership in Children and Family Ministry and The Teaching and Learning Proce. . . read more.
Lyn Nixon
Adjunct Faculty | nixlyn@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2009
NT Greek, Hermeneutics, New Testament, Biblical Theology, The Use of the OT in the NT
Meredith Nyberg
Adjunct Instructor of Old Testament/ Hebrew Bible | meredith-nyberg@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2004
Adjunct Instructor of Biblical and Theological Studies
Stephanie O'Brien
Adjunct Faculty in Preaching and Biblical Communication | wilstek@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2005
Stephanie specializes in Biblical communication, storytelling, practical theology, missional theology and church governance and structure. She is a Lead Pastor at Mill City Church in Northeast Minneapolis. In addition, she is a consultant in the areas of church leadership, structure, and mission.
Andre Ong
Adjunct Professor | a-ong@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
André Ong is Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Bethel Theological Seminary, San Diego.
Sandra Oslund
Collection Planning and Interlibrary Loan Librarian | s-oslund@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2003
As a member of the Seminary faculty, I collaborate with the teaching faculty in fulfilling the seminary’s educational mission. I am also the University Library liaison to Seminary programs and provide research assistance to Seminary students.
Loren Pankratz
Adjunct | pankratz@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022
Loren lives in Utah and is the planting pastor of The Bridge Community, a church in the Rocky Mountain District of Converge Worldwide. Loren is a lifelong learner and has a passion to immerse students in theology and equip them to engage in ministry.
Jeanine Parolini
Associate Professor, Dissertation Adviser, Faculty Reader | j-parolini@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2007
Dr. Parolini has developed thousands of leaders in hundreds of organizations throughout the world. Her passion is to invest in principled people, leaders and learning organizations. Jeanine coaches leaders, teams and organizations to be continuous learners, self-aware, trustworthy, responsible, collaborative, empowering and innovative. She speaks and writes on a variety of topics involving effective leadership, teams and organizational life.
Ramon Pastrano
Adjunct Faculty | ramon-pastrano@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2003
Dr. Pastrano is the CEO and Founder of ImpactLives Inc. He founded ImpactLives in 2007 as a laboratory for social responsibility and innovation. Through awareness-based leadership and critical thinking, his model is designed to assist individuals and organizations in developing new frameworks from where to solve the world's most challenging problems. By critically reflecting on the social-cultural and geopolitical structures as a whole, his model helps to provide a better understanding of c. . . read more.
Cristina Plaza Ruiz
Adjunct Assistant Professor | cplazaru@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
Professor Plaza Ruiz is a Marriage and Family Therapist and adjunct assistant professor at Bethel Seminary. She is passionate about seeing families thrive and live healthy lives. Her focus is clinical practice serving the immigrant and refugee community in the Twin Cities supporting immigrant families in the adjustment process to a new culture and a new environment, processing immigration trauma and loss, and the accompanying life challenges that come with it. Her interest in leadership in. . . read more.
Andrew Rowell
Assistant Professor of Ministry Leadership | a-rowell@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2013
Dr. Andy Rowell has taught mission, discipleship, and church leadership at Bethel Seminary since 2013.
Andrew Russell
Teaching Partner | andrew-russell@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2013
Andrew Russell teaches church history courses at Bethel Seminary. He also teaches a variety of theology and humanities courses in the College of Arts and Sciences. Some of his research interests include the Keswick movement, the East African Revival, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and John Wesley.
James D. Smith III
Professor | jd-smith@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1988
Church History; Historical Theology; Christian biography; Spiritual life & ministry; History of Missions; Women in the Christian Tradition; Henri Nouwen; baseball history
Kris Song
Adjunct Professor | song@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2023
Educator, Business Executive, Father.
Mark Strauss
University Professor of New Testament | m-strauss@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1993
Dr. Strauss is the author/coauthor of 20 books and many articles, and editor/co-editor of 40 volumes, with expertise in Gospels, Hermeneutics and Bible Translation. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Committee on Bible Translation for the New International Version and as an associate editor for the NIV Study Bible.
Peter Vogt
Seminary Dean | p-vogt@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2001-2014 as Professor, 2019 as Dean
As the Dean of Bethel Seminary today, Peter is passionate about striving to be a radically counter-cultural follower of Jesus and helping others grow in their capacity in this area as well. His responsibilities include casting a vision for robust online education, partnership with local churches and denominations, identifying ways of serving alumni and local pastors, maintaining all aspects of accreditation for degree programs, representing the seminary to internal and external partners, an. . . read more.