Author: tayloruniversitychapel

Nina Barnes

Nina is a certified spiritual director with a passion for creating space for others to discern and
respond to invitations from God. Through her spiritual direction and coaching practice,
Transforming Journey, Nina considers it an honor to help others experience love, hope,
redemption, and transformation.
Nina currently serves as the Vice President for Student Life and Human Resources at University of
Northwestern- St. Paul. She has extensive human resources experience, stemming from 30+ years
of service within a variety of organizational settings. Nina has a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual
Formation & Leadership, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries.

Additionally, Nina holds multiple certifications, including Human Resources Management (SPHR-
Senior Professional in Human Resources); Christian Spiritual Direction; and Conflict Coaching & Mediation.

Outside of work, Nina desires to make a meaningful impact as she serves at church, on the Board of
a ministry, and an Advisory Council. Her most cherished roles are mother to an adult son and
“daughter-in-love”, along with her newest role as “Gramma Nina” to her two granddaughters.

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-Who are you choosing to become?
-Who and what influences your choices?
-How do you process the potential outcomes of your choices?

Rhona Murungi

Rhona Murungi is World Relief (WR)’s Senior Program Officer and International Operations Manager, roles in which she supports World Relief’s programs in Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda and also promotes effective execution of World Relief programs through coordination of operational, financial and managerial components that support project implementation and program development in WR field offices. Rhona has also served for a number of years as the Director of Programs for World Relief Rwanda where she supervised programs in Child and Youth Development, Agriculture, Savings, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and Church Empowerment. Rhona was born in Hoima, Uganda, as one of six brothers and sisters. She holds a MA in Economic Development from Vanderbilt University and a BA in Developmental Economics and Accounting from Taylor University. She is currently finalizing a PhD in Peace Studies from the International Graduate School of Leadership Asia in Manila, Philippines.”

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-What gender inequality issue matters to you? And if not to you, then perhaps to your sister, or mother, or church, or neighborhood?
-What could allyship look like for you when it comes to gender inequality?

Rev. Steve Norman

Steve is a gifted speaker who has spent the last 25 years serving local churches in the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas as church planter, teaching pastor and lead pastor. He also created and hosted the Bad Soccer Dad Podcast, a resource he designed to help parents and kids explore the intersection of faith, character and the wild world of youth sports.   

Steve uses humor, storytelling, practical illustrations and his own personal experiences to communicate his messages. Audiences will walk away with specific concepts and ideas that they can apply in their life which will help them grow in their faith as well as in their marriage and family.   

As an award-winning author, Steve has written articles for Christianity Today, Preaching Today and the Covenant Companion. He is also the author of the recently released book, The Preacher as Sermon: How Who You Are Shapes What They Hear. He holds a Doctorate of Missiology from Fuller Seminary and is passionate about helping individuals, families, churches and businesses take the next step in their growth and development.   

Steve and his wife, Kelly, have been married for twenty years and reside in West Michigan with their son, three daughters and their Berne doodle, Chewie.  

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-What is a circumstance in your life you are hoping God will lead you out of?
-What is a hope or dream you have that you’re tired of waiting to see fulfilled?
-Who is one your discernment team? Who in your life do you trust to help you discern what God may be leading you to do?

Beth Guckenberger

Beth and her husband, Todd, live with their family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they serve as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children.

Beth is the author of twelve books including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings and church services about reckless faith. Her style is based in story-telling and she draws from her vast field experience as a missionary, Bible teacher and parent for illustrations of biblical concepts.

Beth Guckenberger

Beth and her husband, Todd, live with their family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they serve as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children.

Beth is the author of twelve books including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings and church services about reckless faith. Her style is based in story-telling and she draws from her vast field experience as a missionary, Bible teacher and parent for illustrations of biblical concepts.

Beth Guckenberger

Beth and her husband, Todd, live with their family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they serve as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children.

Beth is the author of twelve books including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings and church services about reckless faith. Her style is based in story-telling and she draws from her vast field experience as a missionary, Bible teacher and parent for illustrations of biblical concepts.

Morning Service:

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-Where do you sense God leading you to go?
-Who are your fellow gladiators?

Evening Service:

Robert Clementz

Robert Clementz is a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Along with his wife, Molly, and now four adult children, he served in Dallas, Texas, Papua New Guinea and currently works remotely from Rockford, Michigan. He has been serving the Bibleless peoples for 34 years. Throughout those years he has filled many roles, but with the same passion – to see minority people groups have God’s Word in the language and form that touches individual hearts and changes entire communities. “Being part of an amazing team of people serving others so they can understand how much God loves them keeps me pressing on each day.” He is currently recruiting more people to join the Bible translation movement. He loves to see young people who cherish God’s Word connect with those who need Him so desperately.  

“I have seen my two daughters grow in their faith, flourish academically and wholly embrace the community here at Taylor University. The professors, staff and students make this Taylor dad excited to endorse the university to future students and Taylor parents whenever possible.”

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-Do you realize the great gift that you have with God’s Word available in a language that touches your heart?
-Are you going to continue to pursue what you think that is best for your life or what God wants for your life?
-Are we being attentive to His guiding hand and flexible enough to move as He leads?

Anwar Smith

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-Consider the condition of your relationship with Jesus today. Is there room for growth? Who will you connect with to help you and hold you accountable?
-What can you do today to help someone, pray for someone, encourage someone and spur someone on towards a stronger relationship with Jesus?
-How many today’s have you missed, looking forward to and planning for tomorrow?

Dr. Michael Lindsay

D. Michael Lindsay, Ph.D., became President of Taylor University on August 16, 2021. As president, Lindsay is committed to furthering the university’s distinctive mission of providing excellent, Christ-centered higher education and strengthening its promising prospects for future growth and development.

Lindsay previously served as president of Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. His decade-long tenure as the eighth president of Gordon coincided with record years of fundraising, campus diversity, sponsored research, athletic success, and faith expression on campus. In October 2019, under Lindsay’s leadership, Gordon publicly announced Faith Rising: The Campaign for Gordon College, with news of a transformational gift that was the largest ever given to a Christian college. In the end, the campaign exceeded its goal by 43% and helped position Gordon with greater financial strength and wider opportunity for students, faculty, and staff. 

Prior to arriving at Gordon, Lindsay was a member of the sociology faculty at Rice University, where he won multiple awards both for his teaching and academic research. He is the author of two dozen scholarly publications and numerous books, including, Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite, which was nominated for the nonfiction Pulitzer Prize in 2007, and his award-winning View from the Top, which has been translated into Chinese and Japanese. His most recent book, Hinge Moments, was launched globally on the Taylor campus in 2021 and is published with InterVarsity Press.

Lindsay earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Princeton University and graduate theological degrees from Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is a summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University where he has been named Outstanding Young Alumnus.

Reflection questions for further engagement:

-Reflect on the moment that you realized your work was in vain because it was not for the LORD? How will you invite the LORD into every aspect of your life this semester?
-Who are the allies and advocates that God has brought into your life?
-Approach God with this posture today: “God, my life is yours. Come and do your work in and through me.”

Rev. Greg Dyson

Rev. Greg Dyson is Taylor’s Vice President for Intercultural Leadership and Church Relations. He is a proven leader with over 30 years of working directly caring for youth and adults of all ages primarily on the East Coast, with a focus on personal developmental and spiritual growth. He also founded the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center of Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, over 45,000 visits by teens since 2002 with established partnerships to over 30 different organizations. www.lionsdenyouth.org. Along with many other things, he co-managed the Cornerstone Bookstore and established a weekly radio show to promote available resources and local community people.

“As we serve together, God has allowed us to conceive a strategic plan for diversity and intercultural leadership, and then to implement that plan. Setting priorities and short-term objectives while tracking progress towards long-term goals. It’s humbling to serve with the amazing team at Taylor University! Our Multicultural Philosophy statement helps you understand our desire and direction at Taylor University

Additionally, I’m encouraged to serve in the area of Church Relations. It is our desire to encourage the work that God is and will continue to do through the local church. With over 30 years of church ministry personally, it’s an honor to work with our Taylor community to foster, encourage, support and advance the efforts of the local church.”

Reflection questions for further engagement:

– The woman left the water pot behind to do outreach for Jesus. Are there some things you need to leave behind for Jesus’ sake?