The John Wesley Institute (JWI) Teaching Fellows program is designed to connect faithful Wesleyan scholars with local churches and organizations looking for speakers, preachers, and retreat leaders. As the Next Methodism emerges, it is imperative that local churches and missional organizations have access to scholarship they can trust from scholars who embrace what Wesley called “scriptural Christianity.”

Teaching Fellows are scholars who have made themselves available to teach, preach, and lead retreats in local churches or with other Christian organizations. These scholars come from various academic disciplines and are able to speak on a number of different topics pertaining to Christian faith and life. Topics of interest have been provided by the Fellows below.

Fellows embrace the Faith Statement of the Institute summarized as:

  • the historic faith of the undivided church outlined in the Nicene Creed
  • the doctrinal emphases of the Wesleyan revival
  • the normative moral vision of biblical Christianity   

Fellows come from Anglican, Holiness, Methodist, and Pentecostal traditions, reflecting the broad contours of the Wesleyan movement. All Fellows have research doctorates and new Fellows are being added as we expand the program. 

  • Local churches or organizations can use this website to request any of the Teaching Fellows through the JWI by filling out the form below, providing necessary information about the event.
  • Churches or organizations that engage a Teaching Fellow must provide an honorarium to the scholar and cover any costs related to travel and/or lodging.
  • Events in local churches with Teaching Fellows will be advertised on JWI social media accounts.
  • Pictures and information from the JWI website can be used to promote events.

At present, all Teaching Fellows are in North America.

To begin the process of engaging a Teaching Fellow for your event, fill out the form below indicating which Teaching Fellow you would like to engage and other details about your proposed event. The John Wesley Institute will coordinate contact with the Teaching Fellow until the Fellow has accepted or rejected the proposal. Please understand that given busy schedules, not every request can be accepted.   

Address(Required)
Contact Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Teaching Fellows

Bill T. Arnold

Ph.D., Hebrew Union College

Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky 

Select Publications: Genesis (The New Cambridge Bible Commentary, Cambridge); The Book of Deuteronomy, Chapters 1-11 (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Eerdmans); Introduction to the Old Testament (Cambridge); Seeing Black and White in a Gray World (Seedbed); 1 and 2 Samuel (NIV Application Commentary, Zondervan).

Topics of Interest: Biblical Worldview in Today’s Culture; Biblical Interpretation, Science and Faith, Old Testament Roots of Christianity

Matt Ayars

Ph.D., St. John’s College of Nottingham

Lead Pastor, Wellspring Church

Location: Mississippi

Select Publications: Holiness: A Biblical, Theological, and Historical Theology (IVP Academic, 2023); The Holy Spirit: An Introduction (Seedbed, 2023); Holiness in the Old Testament: A Textual and Thematic Study (Kregal Academic, 2023)

Topics of Interest: The Psalms, Pneumatology, Soteriology/Views of the Atonement, Sanctification, Spiritual Warfare

Pete Bellini

Ph.D., Asbury Theological Seminary

Professor of Church Renewal and Evangelization in the Heisel Chair, Director of Non-Degree Programs, United Theological Seminary

Location: Ohio

Constance Cherry

Ph.D., Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Professor Emeritus of Christian Worship, Indiana Wesleyan Univeristy

Location: Indiana

Select Publications: The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services (Baker Academic)

Rachel L. Coleman

Ph.D., Regent University

Key Adjunct, Indiana Wesleyan University / Adjunct, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Ohio

Select Publications: The Lukan Lens on Wealth and Possessions: A Perspective Shaped by the Themes of Reversal and Right Response (Brill, 2020) 

Topics of Interest: Gospels, Luke-Acts, Biblical Narrative, Equipping the Church to Read Scripture, The Book of Revelation

Dale M. Coulter

DPhil, University of Oxford

Professor of Historical Theology, Pentecostal Theological Seminary (Cleveland, TN)

Location: Tennessee and Georgia 

Select Publications: Holiness: The Beauty of Perfection (Pathway Press, 2004; reprint, Seymour Press, 2021) 

Topics of Interest: Church history, Holiness movements, Pentecostalism, creation, holiness/sanctification, salvation, sin

Ryan N. Danker

Th.D., Boston University 

Director, The John Wesley Institute, Washington, DC 

Location: Virginia/Washington, DC  

Select Publications:  Wesley and the Anglicans: Political Division in Early Evangelicalism (IVP Academic, 2016), co-editor, The Next Methodism (Seedbed, 2022).

Topics of Interest: Church history, Methodism, John and Charles Wesley, Wesleyan beliefs, Evangelicalism, Worship/Sacraments

Lane Davis

Ph.D., Southern Methodist University

Instructor of Religion, Huntingdon College

Location: Alabama

Topics of Interest: American Methodist History, Methodism in the Ecumenical Movement, and Methodist Doctrine. 

From Lane: I also would be very interested to speak to youth and young people, particularly in confirmation or college ministry settings. Before attending graduate school, I was a pastor of youth and then a pastor of discipleship in two Methodist congregations in Atlanta and Nashville where I extensively taught young people.

Robert E. Haynes

Ph.D., Durham University

Director of Education and Leadership, World Methodist Evangelism

Location: Alabama 

Select Publications: Consuming Mission: Towards a Theology of Short-Term Mission and Pilgrimage (Pickwick, 2018)

Topics of Interest: Missions, Small-Group Discipleship (Classes and Bands), Evangelism, Wesleyan Beliefs, Methodism

Drew S. Holland

Ph.D., Asbury Theological Seminary

Program Director and Assistant Professor of Religion and Philosophy, The University of Tennessee Southern, Pulaski, TN

Location: Mississippi and Tennessee

Select Publications: (with David B. Schreiner) On the Convergence of Form Criticism and the Contextual Approach: Silhouetting the Old Testament against the Ancient Near East (Lexington Books)

Topics of Interests: Old Testament, Israelite History and the Ancient Near East, New Testament, Biblical Interpretation

Ken Loyer

Ph.D., Southern Methodist University  

Position: Pastor, Spry Church  

Location: Pennsylvania  

Select Publications: God’s Love Through the Spirit: The Holy Spirit in Thomas Aquinas and John Wesley (Catholic University of America Press, 2014), Holy Communion: Celebrating God With Us (Abingdon Press, 2014)  

Topics of Interest: Christian theology, Wesleyan beliefs, the Holy Spirit, Holy Communion, Christian unity, Church renewal

Joy J. Moore

Ph.D., Brunel University/London School of Theology

Professor of Biblical Preaching, Luther Seminary

Location: Minnesota

Select Publications:  “Preaching: Telling the Story in a Sound-bite Culture,” in Andrew Thompson (ed), Generation Rising, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2011). Topics of Interest: Wesleyan beliefs, Homiletics, Story Telling, Media, Narrative Biblical Hermeneutics, Wesleyan Ecclesiology, Evangelicalism, Cultural Diversity, and Practical Theology

Luther Jeremiah Oconer

Ph.D., Drew University

Associate Professor of Global Wesleyan Theology, Asbury Theological Seminary 

Location: Florida

Select Publications: Spirit Filled Protestantism: Holiness-Pentecostal Revivals and the Making of Filipino Methodist Identity  (Pickwick, 2017) 

Topics of Interest: Global Methodism, Wesleyan Theology, UMC History, Doctrine and Polity, Revivalism, and Holiness, Pentecostal, and Charismatic movements

Joseph Okello

Ph.D., University of Kentucky

Professor of Philosophy of Christian Religion, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Florida

Select Publications: Revisiting God: A Commonsense Approach to Theism (Xulon Press, 2008).

Matt O’Reilly

Ph.D., University of Gloucestershire

Lead Pastor, Hope Hull United Methodist Church; Director of Research, Wesley Biblical Seminary

Location: Alabama

Select Publications: Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice (SBL Press, 2020) and The Letters to the Thessalonians (Seedbed, 2020)

Topics of Interest: Biblical Theology and Interpretation, Theology of Apostle Paul, Theology of Holiness and Sanctification, Biblical Basis of Women in Ministry, Biblical Basis of Racial Reconciliation, Preaching and Ministry, Christian Vision of Marriage and Sexuality

Jonathan A. Powers

D.W.S., Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies

Assistant Professor of Worship Studies & Associate Dean of the School of Mission and Ministry, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky

Select Publications: Books: Echo: A Catechism for Discipleship in the Ancient Christian Tradition (Seedbed, 2012); Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (general editor – Seedbed, 2022); New Life in the Risen Christ: A Wesleyan Theology of Baptism (general editor – Cascade, 2022). 

Topics of Interest: Worship, Sacraments, Catechesis, Spiritual Formation, Virtue in Classical Christianity, Songwriting/Lyrical Theology

Phil Tallon

PhD, University of Saint Andrews

Associate Professor Theology and Dean of the School of Christian Thought – Houston Baptist University

Location: Texas

Select Publications: The Poetics of Evil (Oxford, 2012); The Absolute Basics of the Christian Faith (Seedbed, 2016)

Topics of Interest: Theology and the Arts, Theology and Beauty, The Problem of Evil

Stephen Rankin

Ph.D., Northwestern University

Executive Director, Spiritual Maturity Project; Pastor, Arkansas City (Kansas) United Methodist Church

Location: Kansas

Select Publications: Aiming at Maturity: The Goal of the Christian Life

Topics of Interest: How we become mature believers through practices that transform desires into Christlike dispositions; Understanding the nature of scripture and developing fruitful Bible reading habits

Kimberly D. Reisman

Ph.D., Durham University, Durham, UK

Executive Director, World Methodist Evangelism

Location: Indiana

Select Publications: Embrace: Showing and Sharing the Love of Jesus, The Christ-Centered Woman: Finding Balance in a World of Extremes, The Workbook on the Beatitudes

Topics of Interest: Evangelism/Faith-Sharing, Spiritual Formation, Intersection between Faith and Culture

Stephen A. Seamands

Ph.D., Drew University

Professor Emeritus of Christian Doctrine, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky

Select Publications: Wounds that Heal (IVP 2003); Ministry in the Image of God (IVP 2005); The Unseen Real (Seedbed, 2016).

Topics of Interest: Methodist Theology since Wesley, Revival and Awakening; Healing, The Holy Spirit.

Mark R. Teasdale

Ph.D., Southern Methodist University

E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Location: Illinois

Topics of Interest: evangelism and mission, history of Methodism, church development and metrics, strategic planning and leadership

C. Chappell Temple

Ph.D. Rice University

Lead Pastor, Christ Church Sugar Land (TX), Adjunct Instructor, Truett Theological Seminary (Baylor)

Location: Texas 

Publications:  Numerous articles for periodicals and on-line journals

Topics of Interest: Church History, Methodism, Wesley studies, Church-State Relations, Christianity and Culture

Thomas F. Tumblin

Ph.D., University of Michigan

Professor of Leadership, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky 

Publications: Ad-Ministry: The Nuts and Bolts of Church Administration (Abingdon Press, 2017)

Topics of Interest: Organizational structures and systems, stewarding change, church administration and finance

Jason Vickers

Ph.D., Southern Methodist University

Professor of Theology, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky  

Selected Publications: Minding the Good Ground: A Theology of Church Renewal;Wesley: A Guide for the Perplexed; Invocation and Assent: The Making and Remaking of Trinitarian Theology 

Topics of Interest: Major doctrines of the faith, especially the doctrine of the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, and the person and work of the Holy Spirit; The Nicene Creed: What it is and why it matters; Wesleyan Theology; Holiness

Michael C. Voigts

Ph.D, Brunel University

Professor of Spiritual Formation, Asbury Theological Seminary

Location: Kentucky

Select Publications: The Fourth Degree of Prayer (Cascade, 2022), Letters of Ascent: Spiritual Direction in the Letters of Bernard of Clairvaux (Wipf & Stock, 2014).

Topics of Interest: The Means of Grace, Christian Discipleship, Prayer, Spiritual Formation in the Local Church, Historical Theology, Christian Spirituality

David F. Watson

Ph.D., Southern Methodist University

Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament, United Theological Seminary

Location: Ohio

Select Publications: Scripture and the Life of God (Seedbed, 2017); Key United Methodist Beliefs (with William J. Abraham, Abingdon, 2013)

Topics of Interest: Biblical interpretation, Methodism and the Bible, church renewal, charismatic Christianity, global Christianity

Jonathan Powers

Ph.D., London School of Theology