NCUMagazine
Fall 2019
The Magazine of North Central University
HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP AND BIBLICAL JUSTICE Sharing mercy, compassion, and the Gospel Fall 2019 | 1
NCU Magazine Fall 2019 North Central University Administration President Scott Hagan, M.A.
ONLINE PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE OF ARTS CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Gain ministry and leadership skills to become more effective in your local church.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Develop your business expertise in a flexible online environment so that you can meet your career goals.
CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Gain ministry and leadership skills while earning your undergraduate degree. Be prepared to serve in your local church or ministry organization.
DIGITAL MEDIA
As the world becomes more and more digitally driven, earn a degree that will equip you to be on the cutting edge of technology, marketing, design, and more.
HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP
Prepare for leadership and service in both humanitarian crisis and relief organizations, as well as a variety of non-profit settings. This degree is in partnership with Convoy of Hope.
MASTER OF ARTS STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
Prepare for vital leadership roles in businesses, churches, and other organizations as you interact with experts and develop skills that will propel you to the next level of your career and calling.
Learn more at northcentral.edu/online
Executive VP Andrew Denton, Ph.D. VP, Strategy & Online Education; Interim Chief Academic Officer Greg Leeper, M.A. VP, Spiritual Life Doug Graham ’86, D.Min. Editorial Nancy Cawley Zugschwert, ’19 M.A., Editor Abby VandenLangenberg, Lead Designer Photography Erica Hanson ’13 Abby VandenLangenberg Alex Grant ’19 Contributors Gracyanna Boes ’19 Dick Brogden ’92, Ph.D. Madison Errichiello ’18 Tracey Finck, M.A. Lon Flippo, D.Min. Tabby (Wilson ’89) Finton Erica Hanson ’13 Judy Jones Kristie (Lane ’96) Kerr Aimee (Perrin ’97) Robertson Erin White ’05, M.A. Contact Office of Communications communications@northcentral.edu 612.343.5001 Alumni Relations alumni@northcentral.edu 612.343.4743 Admissions admissions@northcentral.edu 800.289.6222 NCU Magazine is produced by the Offices of Communications and Marketing and mailed free of charge to alumni, donors, and friends of North Central University. NCU Mission North Central University is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, Pentecostal school with a commitment to academic excellence that prepares students to fulfill biblical models of leadership and ministry throughout the world. Copyright © 2019 North Central University All Rights Reserved
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NCUMagazine
Fall 2019
In this issue Campus News
Athletics
4 » Letter from the president 5 » NCU Leadership Conference explores the now and the next. 6 » Proposed project strikes positive note with city planners » Rev. Kathy Cannon called as Moen Chair » Act Six scholars energized at regional conference 7 » Modeling new missions in Mozambique » North Central leads in practical preparation for careers 8 » North Central degrees available through Jakes, Academic Partners 9 » New executive staff appointments » Graham serving in Minnesota District leadership role 10 » NCU welcomes new faculty 11 » Academic highlights
12 » Rams athletes sporting new logo, apparel 13 » Rams introduce new coaches: baseball, basketball, track
Features 14 » New Humanitarian Leadership degree 16 » Serenity and violence: Mt. Everest experience 18 » Beauty in brokenness: Jamie McIntosh 20 » Reaching the untouchable, unreachable, and invisible: Jen Meyerson 21 » Trip to Turkey provides perspectives on refugee life 22 » Is there a hole in our holism?
Alumni News 25 » 2019 Alumni Award winners 26 » Alumni and faculty authors 27 » Alumni updates
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ON THE COVER: Photo by Alex Grant ’19 Members of the Everest Base Camp Leadership Trek, sponsored by Venture and North Central University, make their way through a desolate stretch toward Mt. Everest (see page14).
Fall 2019 | 3
Letter from the president This fall, we welcomed our largest class of freshmen since 2013 and saw our overall student enrollment increase by 50 students. These new students bring tremendous enthusiasm, and we continue to see our returning students thriving, as well. It is our goal that every North Central graduate leaves here with great momentum, ready to take this experience of fire and scholarship into the world and make an impact! In addition to excellence in the classroom and online learning, North Central students also have access to the best in practical training through internships. In fact, NCU is a national leader in providing “high-impact practices” such as internships and service learning for our students (see page 7). Equally important is the spiritual climate on campus, which I maintain is second to none among Christian colleges and universities in this country. Our entire community has been energized by the quality and impact of chapel speakers this fall. I encourage you to “do chapel” with us remotely by checking out the new NCU Chapel Playlist on YouTube. In August I traveled to Nepal to climb to Base Camp on Mt. Everest with 11 other men and three Nepalese guides. It was my eighth trip to Nepal and clearly my most unforgettable. I’ve written more about the climb that you can read on page 16. A powerful aspect of that trip was witnessing the fulfillment of a dream born in loss. In 2015, one of our team members, Chris Shepherd, lost his wife, NCU alumna Lizzy (Call ’03) Shepherd, to cancer after she delayed chemotherapy treatments to protect their unborn child. Chris has poured his pain into honoring Lizzy’s passion for victims of human trafficking, and through the annual Lizzy Strong run sponsored by Venture, they raised funds to help start a school in Nepal. We visited that school, and it was a sacred moment of grace and restoration to watch Chris meet and speak to the 500 children whose lives have been changed because of his wife. We are thrilled about our new Humanitarian Leadership degree (see page 15) in partnership with Convoy of Hope. In this issue you will read stories of alumni and students involved in humanitarian leadership and biblical justice. With the launch of this new degree, I can’t wait to see more stories continue to unfold as our graduates make an impact around the world. Looking forward,
President Scott Hagan
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President Scott Hagan stands at Base Camp on Mt. Everest after a life-changing climb.
Photos: Alex Grant
Chris Shepherd’s efforts to honor his wife, Lizzy (Call ’03) Shepherd, helped fund the building of a new school in Nepal.
Conference breakout session
Keynote Speaker Eric Samuel Timm
Keynote Speaker Reggie Dabbs
Conference worship sessions were led by NCU faculty
Leadership Conference explores the now and the next North Central University hosted the first-ever NCU Leadership Conference on campus Sept. 20–21, 2019, with the theme, “The Now and the Next.” Aimed at senior pastors, youth pastors, and worship pastors and leaders, the conference provided opportunities for knowledge and skill development for their roles now and created a forum for conversations about what is next in church leadership. Larry Bach, M.M., Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Conference Co-chair, said the theme for the conference represented what he sees as a pivotal moment for the Christian church. “In our academic world, all of us are trying to teach best practices now, but we also need to look at our students embarking on a 40-year career,” Bach said. “Are we giving them something for what’s next?” The conference was intentionally integrated into campus life, with keynote sessions happening in chapel. This allowed students to become part of the conversation and conference attendees to experience powerful worship with the generation that represents the “next.” Student, staff, and faculty volunteers were on handthroughout the conference to welcome and support attendees and ensure things ran smoothly. For Josh Nelson, a new lead pastor at Relevant Church
in Plymouth, Minnesota, the conference was timely and useful. “As a new lead pastor, the Now and Next Leadership Conference was a great resource to me. Not only did I leave the conference with several new ideas and thoughts about ministry, but I also left with my spirit lifted and my heart full.” The conference included full-group sessions and breakout workshops, plus powerful worship experiences that proved to be defining moments for many in attendance. The complete line up of speakers included Reggie Dabbs ’87, Eric Samuel Timm ’01, Rich Wilkerson, Scott Hagan, Larry Bach, Wayde Goodall, Lon Flippo, Beth Brown ’02, Jeff Deyo, Robyn Wilkerson, Jeff Grenell, Kwame Anku, Aaron Allison, Phil Zarns ’00, Katja Zarns ’00, Doug Graham ’86, Adam Sikorski ’03, Ellington Porter, Allen Tennison, Shawn Sauve, and Vinnie Zarletti ’02. “This conference set the stage for encouragement in ministry in a way I have not seen in my 35 years of work with the church,” observed North Central University President Scott Hagan. “We cannot wait to host this event again with even more power and clarity in the future.” Find more information about the conference and watch for the announcement of future events at nculeadershipconference.com. Fall 2019 | 5
Master facilities plan includes discussions with city, neighborhood The master facilities plan (MFP) for North Central University, developed by DLR Group, proposes a project that would add a new academic building on campus. While working to secure funding for a new building through the quiet phase of a capital campaign, a large-scale project must have concurrent activity with the city and neighborhood organizations to be prepared when the time comes to break ground. DLR group gave two presentations about the project this summer, and the potential for a new academic building on North Central’s campus received an enthusiastic response from Elliot Park Neighborhood, Inc., and the Committee of the Whole of the City of Minneapolis. At press time, a presentation to the City Planning Commission was anticipated for early November. DLR Group has been working with North Central since spring 2018 to develop the MFP. Timelines for the building remain contingent upon fundraising activities and additional approval by the city. Interest in major gifts may be directed to advancement@northcentral.edu.
The NCU footprint may expand through the addition of an academic building.
Rev. Kathy Cannon called as Moen Chair Kathy Cannon, Lead Pastor at Sacred Church in San Bruno, California, is anticipating good things this year as she steps into her role as North Central University’s fall Moen Chair for Pentecostal Preaching. “The cadence, style, and content of Pentecostal preaching is a foundational element of our liturgy as a church movement,” Cannon said. “I am so honored and excited to represent another model of that to the NCU family this fall.”
Kathy Cannon speaks during chapel as the Moen Chair for Pentecostal Preaching.
Doug Graham ’86, D.Min., North Central University’s Vice President for Spiritual Life, spoke about the role of the Moen Chair saying, “The Moen Chair is unique to North Central. The individuals who serve in this role come to campus multiple times, allowing them to develop a theme or message that carries through not only chapel times, but also in the classroom and other gatherings at which students get to interact with the speaker. North Central University is blessed to have Kathy on campus this year.” As Moen Chair, Cannon came to campus three times to preach and interact with students in the classroom.
Act Six scholars energized at regional conference Act Six scholars enjoy the Loyola University campus during a regional conference in Chicago in August.
Nancy Zugschwert
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In August, 23 Act Six scholars from North Central University attended the Act Six Midwest Convention in Chicago. The three-day event welcomed scholars and staff members from eight colleges and universities from throughout the Midwest, as well as representatives from the Act Six founding organization Degrees of Change (degreesofchange.org), and the local partner agencies that facilitate the program. North Central now has four cadres of Act Six scholars on campus. Bill Green, Director of Multicultural Engagement and Support at NCU, has coordinated the Act Six program since the beginning. Green emphasizes that the Act Six scholarship contributes to diversity on campus but is a leadership scholarship, not a diversity scholarship. Now in its 17th year nationally, the Act Six program demonstrates that when young, diverse leaders are empowered with education, relationships, and resources, they persist and transform.
Charles Porter
NCU alumni and students participate in a worship service in Maputo, Mozambique.
Modeling new missions in Mozambique Praising God in English and Portuguese, students from Mozambique and a group of worship leaders from North Central University led powerful times of worship last May in the African nation. The event was the culmination of a week of training and mentorship provided by Jeff Deyo (College of Fine Arts), Charles Porter ’96, M.A., and several Worship Live student and alumni musicians. Porter, who initiated the idea for the trip, sees the Mozambique experience as a model for a different approach to short-term missions, providing targeted training to support and partner with local missionaries around the world.
North Central leads in practical preparation for careers By Madison Errichiello ’18 The 2019 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), indicates that among the colleges surveyed, North Central University out-performs the average institution across all CCCU [Council of Christian Colleges and Universities], Carnegie Class, and Minnesota Schools when it comes to providing meaningful job preparation through internships and field experience. Erin White ’05, M.A., North Central’s Director of Institutional Research, said one of the most commonly reported findings about “Generation Z”—people born between 1995 and 2015—is that they care about educational attainment, and career preparation is a main reason why they choose to attend college. NCU
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CCCU
54
Carnegie Class
54
Minnesota Schools
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Percentage of senior students who have either completed or are in the process of completing an internship or field experience, according to the 2019 National Survey of Student Engagement
Citing the report’s findings, White said, “It’s exciting to see in the survey results that North Central is in the top tier among CCCU schools and Minnesota schools in providing practical, real-world experience prior to graduation.”
Miriam Barnhart ’19 was engaged in “HIP” at North Central and found that her senior project provided invaluable experience and set her up for her current graduate school experience and career. “As an entrepreneurship major, my senior project was ideating, building, and launching a start-up of my own,” Barnhart said. “Designed to allow me to utilize all I had learned over the past four years, it took a lot of time, teamwork, and recognizing that I had no idea what I was doing—and that was okay. “During my final semester at NCU, while launching LEST [a brand of upcycled bow ties], I applied for a master’s program for Sustainable Fashion and Creative Industries in Berlin, Germany. Now I am living in Berlin and attending school with people representing 25 different nations, all here to study how we can make the world a better place through sustainable fashion and business.” Miriam Barnhart ’19 (pictured on right at Praxis Academy in 2017) now applies her career-preparation experiences to work as an entrepreneur and graduate student.
Submitted
White said the NSSE report also indicated 100 percent of North Central University seniors surveyed report participating in “high-impact practices” (HIP) throughout their time at NCU. In addition to internships, such practices can include service learning, community-based projects, participating in a learning community, and/or working with a faculty member on a research project.
Set up for success
Fall 2019 | 7
Teams from Jakes Divinity School and North Central University met in June to plan for the launch of a new academic partnership.
North Central degrees available through Jakes, Academic Partners North Central University has announced a program through which students from the new Jakes Divinity School (JDS) in Dallas (jakesdivinity.org) will have an opportunity to earn fully accredited online degrees through NCU, while augmenting learning and leadership experience through specially designed enrichment activities hosted by JDS. JDS opened in 2019 under the leadership of Antipas Harris, D.Min., President. Founder and Chancellor T.D. Jakes saw a powerful and practical opportunity to combine the knowledge and experience of successful church ministry with highly successful institutions of higher learning to help reach a new generation in need of vision and leadership for the Christian Church. “I want to pour into the next generation of leaders and ministers,” Jakes said. “We need innovative leadership and spiritual formation to advance God’s work for generations to come in both church and society.” North Central President Scott Hagan sees the relationship with JDS as a logical extension of the university’s programming and a good fit for both institutions faithbased missions. “North Central University is thrilled about our new academic partnership with Jakes Divinity School,” Hagan said. “We have the highest respect for the mission and vision of this new initiative by Bishop Jakes and see strategic partnerships like this as the future for making higher education affordable and accessible.” Currently, qualified JDS students are enrolled in North Central’s online Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership program. In spring 2020, program offerings will expand 8 | NCU Magazine
through the addition of bachelor’s degrees in Church Leadership and Humanitarian Leadership.
Expanding opportunities
Last year, Chicago School of Leadership, a ministry of Chicago Tabernacle, was the inaugural Academic Partner for NCU. This year, the program has expanded to partnerships with 10 churches in eight states, in addition to the partnership with JDS. Kim Sharp, Director of the Indy School of Leadership in the Indianapolis area, believes the Academic Partners program will have great impact in their region. “Partnering with North Central University has opened up the opportunity to empower students with a fully accredited degree, handson experience alongside committed mentors, and access to federal funding! Add on the affordable price and the flexibility of online classes ... it just cannot get any better!”
“We need innovative leadership and spiritual formation to advance God’s work for generations to come in both church and society.” –T.D. Jakes For more information about Academic Partners, contact Vice President of Strategy and Online Education Greg Leeper at greg.leeper@northcentral.edu. For more information about online programs, visit northcentral.edu/online.
New executive staff appointments Bethany Harshbarger – Executive Director of Enrollment
Bethany Harshbarger
Bethany (Nelson ’11) Harshbarger has been named Executive Director of Enrollment. Since fall 2015, Harshbarger has provided leadership as Director of Admissions, following a path from Admission Counselor to Senior Counselor to Associate Director of Recruitment. She is a North Central alumna with a degree in Youth Ministry and minors in Bible and Leadership and is completing her Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership. In her new role, Harshbarger oversees the Enrollment Division, which includes Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Marketing.
Brian Li – Interim Chief Financial Officer
Brian Li
Brian Li, MBA, has been appointed to serve as Interim CFO for the 2019–20 academic year. He also serves North Central as the men’s soccer coach. Li oversees the financial and accounting operations of the university and is responsible for all fiscal services, including financial systems, reporting and controls, budgeting process, and fiscal policies and regulations. Li previously served for 4.5 years with BMO Financial Group and 6.5 years with Target Corporation. He holds an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
Aimee Robertson – Executive Director of Advancement
Aimee Robertson
Aimee (Perrin ’97) Robertson was named Executive Director of Advancement in November 2018. She works with the Executive Vice President on fundraising strategies and capital projects, and oversees Development, Planned Giving, Capital Campaign, and Business, Alumni, Donor, Church, and City Relations. Robertson graduated from NCU with a degree in Christian studies but first came to campus as a child when her father, Jac Perrin ’86, Ph.D., was a student. She has worked at North Central previously in multiple roles and also worked for Augustana Care for 10 years.
Jordan Robertson – Executive Director of Operations
Jordan Robertson
Jordan Robertson has been named Executive Director of Operations. He has worked extensively in the trades and construction industry, serving previously on the NCU Facilities Management team and managing projects for a national remodeling contractor. Robertson attended North Central and studied Education and Business. In his new role he oversees operations, which includes Facilities Management, Housekeeping, Campus Safety and Security, Information Technology, Copying and Mailing Services, Facility Events, and Media Services.
Graham serving in Minnesota District leadership role North Central University Vice President for Spiritual Life Doug Graham ’86, D.Min., has been elected to the position of Assistant Superintendent of the Minnesota District of the Assemblies of God. He began his term on June 1.
Doug Graham
While serving in the district role, Graham will continue his work in Spiritual Life and as Campus Pastor at North Central, where he is responsible for providing spiritual oversight for the university, including chapel programming and other spiritual life activities.
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NCU welcomes new faculty Darrin Coe, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Psychology
Darrin Coe
Ph.D. in Psychology and M.S. in General Psychology, Walden University; Bachelor of Elective Studies, St. Cloud State University. Trainer and curriculum developer for Colorado Department of Corrections. Instructor at Liberty University and Indiana Wesleyan University. Current research involves studying psychological aspects of table-top role-playing games, investigating individual sustainability and lifestyle simplification behaviors, and researching the psychology of professional wrestling. Published in three peer-reviewed academic journals.
Sheree Lear, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Old Testament
Sheree Lear
Ph.D. in Old Testament and M.Litt. in Theological Interpretation, University of St. Andrews (Scotland); B.A. in Biblical Languages, Evangel University/Central Bible College; Research Fellow at Humboldt-Universität Deutcher Akademischer Austauschdienst – zu Berlin. Extensive international experience has enabled successful navigation and fostering of academic relationships in the UK, Germany, and South Africa. First monograph published with Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht in 2018 and published articles in both Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and New Testament.
Colin Miller, M.A. – Associate Professor, Computer Science/Management Information Systems Colin Miller
M.A. in Religion, Liberty University; Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Management and Computer Information Systems, Howard University. More than 20 years of technology experience in business, with nine years dedicated to SAP Business objects development in business intelligence. Pastor and founder of Christ Saving Grace Church of God in Christ in Crystal, Minnesota.
Dan Musselman, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, College of Fine Arts
Dan Musselman
Ph.D. and M.A. in Music Composition, University of Minnesota; B.A. in Piano Performance, McNally Smith College of Music. Keyboardist and Music Director for River Valley Church. Composed, recorded, and audio engineered scoring projects for the University of Minnesota, Arcserve, and Best Buy. Published “Learn How Music Works,” Books 1 and 2. Founded American Pop Academy and Corridor Music. Music director and arranger for Kat Perkins, finalist for The Voice (Season 6). YouTube channel, Dan Musselman Worship Piano, has 89,000 subscribers.
Mark Skeba, MBA – Associate Professor, Business & Marketing
Mark Skeba
MBA with emphasis in Marketing and Management Strategy, Kellogg School of Management; B.S., Mathematics and Economics, St. Olaf College. Marketing Consultant for General Mills, including strategy advising, connecting social media to e-commerce, trade communications and building communication plans. Won General Mills Champions award for role in Progresso Rich & Hearty Soup relaunch that drove double-digit sales growth at key retail customers.
Steve Tebbs, M.S. – Associate Professor, Sports Management
Steve Tebbs
Daisy Valentin 10 | NCU Magazine
Master of Science in Recreation & Sport Administration, Western Kentucky University; B.A. in Communication Studies and Public Relations, California State University, Sacramento. More than 20 years working in sports industry, including Operations Manager at Sacramento Kings/ Golden 1 Center and Director of Athletic Operations and Facilities at Sacramento State. Most recently Executive Director of Operations for North Central University.
Daisy Valentin, D.B.A. – Assistant Professor, Accounting and Finance
Doctor of Business Administration, Walden University; Master of Accounting and Finance, Capella University. Accounting and finance career spanning 10 years in construction, retail, hospitality, and nonprofits. Served as Corporate Controller for Walden University. Published “Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment Management, and Profitability.” Volunteer teacher, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Vida Real.
Academic highlights
Notable activities of NCU faculty Bob Brenneman, Ph.D. (Intercultural Studies) has Todd Monger, M.A., LPCC (Student Development) been appointed to the President’s Council of SAT7 (sat7.org), an organization that broadcasts Christian television programming in Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish out of Cyprus, Istanbul, Cairo, and London.
Darrin Coe, Ph.D. (Psychology) published “A Cognitive
Analysis of Role-Playing Game Immersion: Developing an Integrated Model” in the inaugural issue of PhD&D Journal (2019).
Regina Daniels, M.A. (ASL Interpreting) assisted with a
translation project for the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services as part of her doctoral work at St. Mary’s University. She continues to be a sought-after interpreter and instructor in theatre and at conferences nationwide.
Sheree Lear, Ph.D. (Theology) published “The Relationship of Scriptural Reuse to the Redaction of Malachi: Genesis 3133 and Malachi 3.24” in Vetus Testamentum (2019):1-21.
Wayne Matthews ’03, M.A. (Theatre) was recently
featured in a nationally aired commercial for Cheerios. Appearing in the commercial with Matthews was his fouryear-old granddaughter.
presented “An Ecology of Success: Moving Beyond Collaboration” for the 2019 Spring Leadership Institute at St. Cloud State University, focusing on understanding institutions of higher education as ecological systems. He shared how North Central University is seeing dividends from intentional efforts, leading to higher retention rates, increases in recruitment of students, and improvements in cross-departmental initiatives.
Nan Muhovich, Ph.D. (Intercultural Studies) presented at the Evangelical Missiological Society national conference in Dallas on September 14.
Brian Stewart, D.B.A. (Business) traveled to Europe in
September in partnership with Assemblies of God World Mission (AGWM) and The Stone Table to work with missionaries to develop businesses overseas. A group of Stewart’s Entrepreneurship students developed business proposals for the missionaries to implement. The trip marked the initiation of a relationship between the College of Business and Technology and AGWM as a partner for Business as Missions.
Bill Tibbetts, MBA (Business) spoke at a faith and work
Aaron McKain, Ph.D. (Digital Media) co-authored an conference in Paris, France, in September. His talk, “The 4 article published in Nebraska Lawyer Magazine (July/August 2019) addressing the need for the law profession to evolve with changes in technology.
Bob Brenneman
Darrin Coe
Lies We Believe,” addressed how to unshackle the bondage Christians experience when wrestling with understanding their Kingdom purpose at work. Tibbetts also spoke in October at “Faith and Work Unleashed,” a conference at Cedar Valley Church in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Regina Daniels
Sheree Lear
Learn more about North Central Faculty at northcentral.edu/faculty. Wayne Matthews
Aaron McKain
Todd Monger
Nan Muhovich
Brian Stewart
Bill Tibbetts Fall 2019 | 11
Rams athletes sporting new logo, adidas apparel North Central University has forged a new partnership with adidas and has new marks to go on the athletics uniforms and athletic branded apparel. Through BIG Athletics, an athletics supply and marketing firm based in Minneapolis, NCU has affiliated with adidas for its apparel, uniform, footwear, and athletics accessories needs for its 16 varsity sports teams for the next five years. North Central chose BIG Athletics and adidas after a months-long process with several brands and suppliers. BIG Athletics has current partnerships with Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) members Bethany Lutheran College and Crown College as well as several other NCAA Division II- and III-member institutions in the region. In addition to wearing new uniforms and apparel, Rams athletics teams will be sporting a new set of logos on their gear. In conjunction with Phoenix Design Works, North Central’s Athletics and Marketing teams worked throughout the spring to produce an updated visual identity for the Rams. Each part of the new branding package was produced from scratch in an effort to highlight the university and its official color palette, and to provide a modern, three-dimensional Rams mascot. The package also includes a new trademarked NCU wordmark.
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“Partnering with known and trustworthy names such as BIG Athletics and adidas is a significant step for NCU as we continue to develop the unique brand of North Central University Athletics,” said Director of Athletics Greg Johnson, M.O.L. He added, “Our student-athletes, parents, and fans deserve apparel, quality service, and a corresponding graphics package they can be proud of as we pursue success in the UMAC and in Division III. I’m pleased with our new look!” As a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories, adidas’ mission is to make all athletes better. It is the brand and official uniform, footwear, and apparel provider for more than 100 collegiate programs, including major NCAA Division I institutions. adidas has marketing agreements with the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Soccer (MLS). North Central’s new adidas apparel is available for purchase in the Campus Store and online at ramsretail.org. Article courtesy of ncurams.com. The adidas name is lowercased per the branding agreement.
Rams introduce new coaches: baseball, basketball, track Three North Central University teams are operating under new coaches. The new leaders bring personal experience as players and previous coaching expertise as they look to set their teams up for success. David Babcock – Baseball Head Coach
David Babcock
North Central University alumnus David Babcock ’16 has been tapped to take the reins for NCU’s baseball team. He served for four years as an assistant coach, working with fielders and hitters and playing a role in bringing stability to the program as the team reached its highest-placed conference finish in NCU baseball history during the 2018 season. Babcock was a standout player at North Central, twice named to the UMAC Honorable Mention team as an infielder in 2014 and 2015 and as the recipient of the UMAC Sportsmanship Award in 2014. Babcock earned a B.S. in Sports Management from NCU in 2016 and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership at North Central University. In addition to coaching, Babcock works with NCU’s Facilities Management team.
David DeWitt, M.S. – Men’s Basketball Head Coach
David DeWitt
Dan DeWitt takes over for Jon High, who retired from coaching at the end of the 2019 season. DeWitt served most recently as an assistant coach at Bethany Lutheran College, a UMAC member institution and the league’s regular season and tournament champion in 2017–18. DeWitt played for basketball coaching legend Don Meyer at Northern State University (NCAA Division II) in Aberdeen, S.D. He was a three-year starter for the Wolves, helping lead his team to three national tournaments and two trips to the Sweet 16. He served on Tubby Smith’s staff at the University of Minnesota as a graduate assistant, as assistant coach at St. Cloud State University, and as head coach of Mayville State University (North Dakota). DeWitt triple-majored in mathematics, finance, and economics at Northern State and holds a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sport and exercise science from the University of Minnesota.
Michael Knipe – Cross Country, Track Head Coach
Michael Knipe
After serving for a season as co-interim head coach, Michael Knipe ’19 was named permanent head coach for both men’s and women’s cross country and track and field teams. Under Knipe and 2019 co-interim coach Bill Green, the NCU track team posted scores in the UMAC men’s and women’s championships—posting eight Top 10 marks in the two-day event. Knipe has also been a member of the Rams men’s basketball coaching staff since 2017. He serves as a Specialist in the U.S. Army Reserves, earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from North Central University, and is currently pursuing his master’s degree from Georgetown University. Visit ncurams.com for schedules, rosters, and news. Fall 2019 | 13
THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST The launch of a Humanitarian Leadership degree at North Central University marks the beginning of an intentional and specific program to raise up leaders in an important field. But cultivating leaders in the areas of humanitarian leadership and biblical justice is anything but new. High-impact organizations like Venture and 30 for Freedom have a straight line back to NCU alumni who have stepped out to do something when their hearts were pinged for a cause. Youth pastors with North Central roots are part of a movement to activate their youth for causes that matter to the heart of God. The Minnesota District of the Assemblies of God youth, under the leadership of Student Ministries Director Kirby St. John ’97 and district youth directors, has raised more than $1 million for antitrafficking initiatives and Speed the Light, which provides resources for missionaries around the world. You will find North Central alumni on the front lines of humanitarian organizations such as Convoy of Hope, Venture, Compassion, Samaritan’s Purse, Mercy Ships, and more, and serving as Christ-followers in the Peace Corps, United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations. These pages can only contain a few stories, but if you scan the horizon you will see North Central alumni in your backyard and around the world having an impact, bringing aid when disaster strikes, providing food to the hungry, rescuing and caring for victims of trafficking and injustice, tending to the sick, and relentlessly striving to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ while taking care of human needs. 14 | NCU Magazine
Convoy of Hope responds to an outbreak of tornadoes that hit Missouri last spring — providing help and hope in a time of great need.
Hands in the mud, feet in the dirt
New Humanitarian Leadership degree combines knowledge and experience By Lon Flippo, D.Min., Professor of Pastoral Studies, Humanitarian Leadership Program Director “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” – Henry Ford The new Humanitarian Leadership degree offered by North Central University couples the Convoy of Hope– Hope Education Network and North Central University to create a unique partnership in the hopes of a strong beginning, continued progress and long-term success.
Founded in 1994, Convoy of Hope (convoyofhope.org) is a faith-based, nonprofit organization helping to empower others to live with greater independence and freedom from poverty, disease, and hunger, while North Central University seeks to train and educate the next generation of compassionate leaders.
A first in the nation
Wayde Goodall, D.Min., Executive Director of the Hope Education Network, said North Central University is the first in the nation to offer a full Christian Humanitarian Leadership degree under this partnership model. Goodall is a driving force behind the new program, developed in response to a phone call he received from Convoy of Hope President Hal Donaldson. “Is it possible to create a degree loaded with God’s compassion?” Donaldson asked Goodall. Goodall told him it was, and set about the work of embedding 25 years of Convoy of Hope experience into the program. The result is a unique cross-disciplined curriculum of both seated and online courses encompassing non-profit business, social work, intercultural, and pastoral studies classes, as well as seven new classes designed by the Hope Education Network. Students experience integration of proven academics and hands-in-the-dirt, feet-in-the-mud practicums with Convoy of Hope or non-profit organizations of the students’ choosing.
In high demand
Goodall said the demand for graduates with a degree like this is high, and the distinction of coursework that teaches the functional aspects of humanitarian aid built on a foundation of God’s compassion will set them apart. “NGOs [Non-government organizations] all over the country are looking for people like this,” Goodall said of the future graduates of the program. “World Vision wants your graduates. World Concern, Compassion, Salvation Army,
Samaritan’s Purse—all want these students.” He believes graduates of the North Central University program will be set apart because of the way the curriculum integrates the functional aspects of humanitarian aid with God’s compassion. “Human compassion is powerful,” Goodall explained. “We are all created in the image of God. We’re wired to care because God cares, to have mercy. But until we know Christ and become children of God, it’s hard to know true Christ compassion,” and that’s the reason the new Humanitarian Leadership degree is needed. Some specific jobs and types of organizations that are accessible to someone with a Humanitarian Leadership degree may include: »» »» »» »» »» »»
Humanitarian relief and development professional Disaster relief coordinator Nonprofit organization founder Nonprofit organization administrator/leader Youth and family worker Refugee and crisis management liaison
Meeting a desperate need
Goodall admits his bias but stated, “Humanitarian Leadership is one of most attractive degrees a person can get into. People are looking for that kind of degree for ‘helps’ kind of work. All kinds of organizations are looking for interns and hiring people with a degree like this.” But Goodall is quick to point out that the new degree is not about serving students but ministering to a world in need. “In this world we live in,” he reflected, “people need to sense God’s compassion. Many misunderstand God and think he’s angry … [but] He is a God called Love … Compassion … Mercy … Justice.” The new Humanitarian Leadership degree will teach students to embrace this truth and live it out in places and situations where God’s compassion is desperately needed. Convoy of Hope and local partners distribute food and supplies to communities in Southern Malawi after Cyclone Idai.
Convoy of Hope distributes water filtration systems to Hurricane Dorian survivors.
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Suspension bridges up to 500 feet above the ground serve as courage-building challenges for members of the Everest Base Camp Leadership Trek.
would be spent trekking—a nonstop 17-day, 100-mile journey to Base Camp and back. The focus needed to shift from an evangelism-type trip, to more of a discipleship experience with a handful of leaders. I knew just who to talk to. Paul Hurckman ’95, M.A., is an alumnus who knows adventure. As Executive Director of Venture (venture.org), Paul has organized adventure trips and relief efforts all over the world and has a heart for Nepal. Paul and I decided to combine a North Central/Venture trip together, bringing 10 to 15 leaders from the business world and the church world who have a heart for mission—we landed on the vision and name, “Everest Base Camp Leadership Trek.” We agreed on the dates and concept and got word out in the spring, and had no trouble finding people! In fact, 10 others joined us so our number was 12—and we could see why Jesus picked 12 people. It was the perfect number.
Brutal trip up the mountain
Serenity and violence
My unforgettable Mt. Everest experience By Scott Hagan, M.A., President, North Central University For me, Mt. Everest was mythical. An Oz-like destination that had existed in my mind ever since I took my first of eight trips to Nepal. For eight years my Nepalese guides would point to the clouds and say that somewhere behind those clouds was Mt. Everest. I never once saw the mountain. Since 2011, I have gone on numerous smaller treks up and down the southern stretch of the Himalayas, traveling with groups from our church to do humanitarian relief. We’ve preached, prayed, moved rocks, even buried dead animals. Somehow the place and the people have drawn me back year after year. Mt. Everest stands at nearly 30,000 feet in the northern part of the Himalayas and Base Camp, at “only” 17,600 feet, seemed out of reach both physically and with the logistics of my life when I was a pastor. On each visit, though, I would ask Pastor Megh Gurung—my Nepalese friend who organized the pastors’ schools and evangelism effort throughout the mountains—about one day going to Base Camp. My call to North Central University as president has afforded some wonderful new opportunities. I was hoping a trip to Nepal could still fit during the summer months, and last year as summer approached, it seemed like the right time to explore what it would take to make the trip happen. The question was: How do we do this? Unlike my previous trips that involved service and humanitarian aid, this trip 16 | NCU Magazine
Zero out of 12 of us had ever touched Base Camp, although our guide, Megh, had been there more than 30 times. We came from different parts of the country—Minnesota, Texas, California. Our group included five North Central University alumni. Alex Grant ’19, the youngest alumnus, did a masterful job with logistics as administrator for the trip. The trip up that mountain was the most brutal physical thing any of us had ever experienced—and none of us were truly prepared for the demands on our bodies and minds. One of the methods used for a trip like this is called an acclimation day. When we reached 12,000 feet, we stayed in a village and the next day climbed up 3,000 feet to 15,000, then turned around to go back to the same village and sleep for the second night. It’s seven or eight hours of sheer human exertion up this mountain face then coming back down, knowing you would have to do it again the next day—it seriously made us groan (and cry). Among the group we experienced nose bleeds and worse. It was hard. It was dangerous. From the oldest (66) to the youngest (23) in our group, none of us were mentally ready for this level of pain and physicality. But it didn’t matter what shape we were in; it was the physical atmosphere that determined our oxygen supply and caused unpleasant physical responses, and at several points we wanted to quit. But we didn’t quit because we had 12 people doing it as a community. That really was the power of this effort —it was total community. We got up that mountain together.
The terrifying bridge
We also faced multiple terrains and the truly enlightening (frightening) part for all of us: suspension bridges. There were several we crossed, each floating somewhere between 200 to 500 feet in the air. Think “Raiders of the Lost Ark”—
President Scott Hagan (fifth from right), members of the Everest Base Camp Leadership Trek, and their Nepalese guides mark a moment on the grueling journey up the mountain.
shaking, wobbling, and bouncing with each step. Now add the heavy winds as we crossed.
remain stable. And there, in front of me, was the immovable mountain formed by the finger of God.
I do not think of myself as a fearful person, but I have never in my life had to muster as much mental courage as I did to cross those bridges. The way I got across the highest bridge was to make a video for my grandchildren on my phone, singing a nursery rhyme song to them and looking anywhere but down. I’m serious when I say my grandkids helped me get across that bridge.
Never the same
Our “reward” for making it over the highest bridge was several upward hours of brutal leg-lunging straight up mountain rocks. My legs, hips, knees, everything was on fire. On top of the physical rigor, we were not eating well. The places we stayed had limited menus and the cultural flavors did not exactly match our cravings. I dropped 16 pounds. Going through eight days like this was a psych job for my brain. I would end our trek for the day and enter a teahouse, barely pausing to take my pack off, and then fall on the cot with my clothes and boots on, totally immobilized. It felt like somebody ran over my legs with a car, but within about two minutes I’d be asleep, boots and all. We woke up groggy, as if coming out of anesthesia after surgery, to attempt a 30-minute dinner—I would eat (nibble), sip some tea, go back to bed, and be dead asleep by 6:30 p.m. Except for a small handful of variations, this was the cycle.
Indescribable vista
But from that stark landscape I saw it: Mt. Everest—the tallest mountain in the world. I remember struggling for oxygen, but my legs endured and took me to the most wonderous place on earth.
I’m rarely at a loss for words, but in that moment, in that place, I couldn’t get my head around the magnitude of the experience. We were standing at the ends of the earth. It’s uninhabitable—we can’t live there; we can’t dwell there. We could only see it, yet it became part of our experience, our memory, and then we don’t know what to do with it—it’s too big. It’s too monumental. It’s too dangerous. It is violence and it is perfection in this mountain. I found myself trying to behold and interpret creation on a whole new level. The trip down the mountain was challenging, but not as punishing as the climb. Back in Kathmandu we were struck by the hustle and chaos. Poverty, busy streets, taxi exhaust, an airplane, and suddenly I was back home in a grocery store. Back in the ordinary. But three things remain: A quiet feeling of achievement. A renewed awe for creation. A new leadership trajectory. Joining the elite ranks of those who make it to Mt. Everest Base Camp, members of Venture/North Central-sponsored adventure celebrate their success.
Photos: Alex Grant
About two-thirds of the way up the mountain toward Base Camp, we rose above the tree line. The landscape changed; it felt as if we were walking on the face of the moon—there came a point where there was no longer any vegetation.
The power of this sight changed me. I found myself staring at those valleys and the sequence of mountains. I will never read the words “mountain or valley” in the Bible the same again. A mountain has a new definition and the finger of God has a new definition. How did He form this with His finger? With His breath? And I saw how pitiful and weak humans are against these forces of nature, where one tiny little adjustment in the landscape could wipe you off the earth.
The experience was indescribable—a true collision of serenity and violence. I was captured with awe, gazing at this immovable thing called Mt. Everest, right there in front of me, and yet everything around me was shifting. Boulders weighing tons could be unleashed at any moment. I stood there praying that the glacier beneath me would Fall 2019 | 17
At 16,572 tons, Africa Mercy is currently the largest civilian hospital ship in the world. CEO Jamie McIntosh ’97 oversees Mercy Ships Canada, which “resources surgery related programs that bring hope and healing to those who have limited access to healthcare” (mercyships.ca).
Beauty in brokenness
Jamie McIntosh’s journey in humanitarian compassion By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert, ’19 M.A. To know the heart of a man, it may help to know a little bit about his mother. One of thirteen children, Nancy McIntosh, the mother of Mercy Ships Canada CEO Jamie McIntosh ’97, grew up in a desperately poor environment in a small town in southern Ontario. As a four-year-old she was taught to steal clothing to survive, tucking socks from the general store under her dress. The family who ran that same store had a heart for the poor in their community and invited McIntosh’s mother and her siblings to church, but their efforts met with serious resistance. When the store owners drove toward the house to pick up the children for church, “My grandfather would show up drunk with a loaded shotgun and wave them off,” Jamie McIntosh recounted. “Then the people would show up the next week, farther down the lane, to pick up my mom and her sisters and share God’s love with them.” The family even provided clothing for the children. Nancy eventually came to faith in Christ, and felt convicted by the Holy Spirit about stealing from the people who had shown such kindness. She sought to confess. McIntosh explained, “When my mom apologized for stealing from them—all the while they were taking them to church and providing for them—the store owner said, ‘That’s okay sweetie; we knew it all along. Jesus just told us to love you.’”
A legacy of compassion
The compassion his mother experienced became part of a new legacy in the home McIntosh grew up in. “I was raised by parents who were very real, humble, loving Christians who knew they were broken and needed Jesus,” McIntosh said. And his eyes were opened early in life to see himself and others who are broken and in need of a loving Savior.
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The Canadian-born McIntosh, a 2017 Alumni Award winner, came to North Central University after two years at a discipleship training school in California. The book “The Cross and the Switchblade” had touched his heart for ministry to at-risk youth, which drew him to NCU. After graduating from North Central in 1997, McIntosh found himself in youth ministry roles in California, but made his way back to Canada and his first humanitarian-focused role with the child development sponsorship organization Compassion, where he served in a role “traveling around the country raising awareness about God’s love for kids caught up in poverty.” In four years of traveling with Compassion, McIntosh also found himself in places like Haiti and Guatemala, where he was exposed to different forms of injustice that children experienced. “I was just becoming aware—we weren’t really using the term human trafficking yet—and stumbling across these injustices broke my heart and enflamed it at the same time. My wife, Elizabeth, and I wanted to do something more.”
‘I needed to get involved’
The organization he was working for was unable to expand their mission to address some of the issues McIntosh was seeing, and he was burdened that no one seemed to have a solution for every-day, street-level intimidation and violence at a systemic level—until through a providential encounter he learned about International Justice Mission (IJM). “I basically fell in love with what they were doing,” McIntosh recalled. “I knew I needed to get involved.” IJM sought to bring McIntosh on board at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., but instead he proposed a plan to engage Canadians in the mission. Under McIntosh’s leadership, IJM Canada became the first international
partner office, engaging lawyers, law enforcement, and social justice advocates in the cause against human trafficking. For the next 12 years, McIntosh passionately led the resourcing of Canadian projects around justice and anti-trafficking in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. When World Vision Canada approached McIntosh to take over their international programs to integrate advocacy and justice for children with their humanitarian relief efforts, it was an opportunity to learn from their team and to operate at scale. He became Vice President of Programs & Policy for the organization, working with churches and government officials to raise hundreds of millions of dollars and run programs to help people suffering on the brink of famine and in the midst of disease and disaster. His next move was predicated by something much closer to home.
Emerging convictions
During the summer of 2018, the McIntosh family had a series of “near misses and health scares” that involved his own kids. “In a hospital setting where one of my children was in a coma, I was looking around the room and seeing highly trained health care professionals and millions of dollars of equipment working to save my boy’s life,” McIntosh recalled. “I realized we have the blessing and privilege of being able to access that level of care, but I’ve been around the world and most children don’t have that. There was this emerging conviction that every child should have access to life-saving intervention and care. I wanted to be part of that.” McIntosh noted that the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (lancetglobalsurgery.org) found 28 to 32 percent of the global burden of disease can be attributed to surgically treatable conditions. “There are more people who die each year from lack of access to surgery than malaria, TB, and HIV combined,” he said. “And 6.9 million lives are lost to surgically treatable conditions.” Already recognizing the great need, McIntosh was willing to listen when Mercy Ships approached him to take on leadership in Canada. He sensed God had been preparing
McIntosh’s career in humanitarian leadership has been a blessing to him and his family and has had an impact on thousands of people through the organizations he has served. The foundation of compassion he learned as a child has been a constant theme, but it’s the process of seeing Christ’s love for all that motivates him in all he does.
Strength and dignity
“It is a privilege to have been invited into the beautiful brokenness of our world and of people’s lives,” McIntosh said. “I’ve been blown away by the strength and dignity of mothers in Somalia fighting for their children to survive; of giving birth in difficult conditions. Traveling at the excluded margins of humanity, the pages of Scripture come to life— the plight of the refugee, experienced by Christ himself when his parents fled Herod’s violence into Egypt, or being raised under Roman occupation in the Middle East. I’ve traveled to places where there’s war torn strife, conflict, abuse, and yet there is this—I think Helen Keller said it well—‘the world is full of suffering, but it’s also full of the overcoming of suffering.’ “We are all in desperate need of the touch of the Savior. When you see God showing up in the most desolate places in the faces of people who’ve been oppressed, yet still sparkle with a smile, with a hope, with an ingenious idea that helps get water or crops to their community … it gives you deep gratitude for all you have received, but a deep sense of responsibility for not only sharing that but to be willing to become broken bread and poured out wine.” Jamie McIntosh has followed his calling to show mercy and compassion in many settings, living out on a large scale the echo of the words once spoken to his mother, “Jesus just told us to love you.” Submitted
Photos: Mercy Ships
Medical teams provide healing and restoration to thousands each year through surgical procedures aboard Mercy Ships vessels.
the way to make the move. He is now CEO of Mercy Ships Canada (mercyships.ca), enthusiastically committed to the organization’s mission to model Jesus Christ’s example to bring hope and healing to those who suffer from lack of access to affordable surgery and health care around the coast of Africa.
Jamie McIntosh ’97, CEO of Mercy Ships Canada
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@nihab_rahman
Jen Meyerson ’07 visits with women in the Kutapolong Refugee Camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh. Meyerson has spent her career working with humanitarian organizations serving people on multiple continents and in a wide array of circumstances.
Reaching the untouchable, unreachable, and invisible Jen Meyerson’s path from MN to the UN and beyond By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert, ’19 M.A. Jen Meyerson ’07, M.P.H., went on her first mission trip at age eight, and always knew she wanted to help people. From the time she was a teen, her personal mission statement has been, “To love not only my family, but those who are untouchable, unreachable, and invisible, by empowering women to understand the strength that is within them and help them walk in that power.” Fulfilling that mission statement has been the essence of her work and career as she has walked through doors of opportunity to amazing experiences. To meet an internship requirement during her last year at North Central University, Meyerson worked with a missionary and a doctor at a clinic in Maadi, Egypt. After her internship ended, she stayed at the clinic and transitioned with one of the OB/GYNs to a Doctors Without Borders location on the Sudanese border during the Darfur genocide. “That was life changing for me. I had never seen that much trauma in my life,” Meyerson said. “I grew up in church, pretty much born in a pew, so I knew all the right verses, but I didn’t see their application in this. If God is the protector, why did this person die? If God cares for the orphan, why is this happening? It was a time in my life where I had a lot of knowledge, but I didn’t have the steel in my convictions to actually turn that into wisdom.”
‘Faithfulness after faithfulness’
After living abroad for four years, Meyerson’s trajectory was changed after she returned home to Minnesota and was contacted by the United Nations (UN) about a job she had applied for two years prior. She began an extensive interview process and out of over a thousand people who had applied for this position, Meyerson was chosen. She moved to Switzerland two months later and began her job at the Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva. “From the moment I set foot in Geneva it was like provision after provision and faithfulness after faithfulness,” Meyerson recalled. Through some amazing “God-provided-flukes” (as Meyerson calls them) she climbed quickly through the ranks, had a near stranger offer her free housing for six months in a beautiful apartment, and was even able to host people in her home as part of a new church plant. Through her work she found herself in the same room as people like Vladimir Putin, John Kerry, and the Dalai Lama, where world-changing political conversations were taking place. While in Geneva, Meyerson also began pursuing her master’s degree in public health, while still working and traveling with the UN. 20 | NCU Magazine
The inhumanness of humanity
Since graduating from NCU, Meyerson has worked on numerous humanitarian projects. From anti-trafficking initiatives in Panama, to setting up clinics in a Bangladeshi refugee camp, to most recently organizing emergency response efforts in Syria. In her career she has seen horrors and sometimes wrestled with the idea of God’s love for both the hurting and the ones who have caused the hurt. “God did not come to defeat humanity, he came to defeat evil,” Meyerson reflected. “Shifting my perspective to see evil as evil allowed me to see the human in both the victim and the perpetrator. This change in perspective has given me hope in humanity and the confidence to love more like Jesus intended—without exclusion.” Meyerson now works as Program Manager for Preemptive Love, overseeing all projects in Syria and on the U.S.–Mexico border. Preemptive Love is “a coalition stretching across Iraq, Syria, the United States, and beyond, working together to unmake violence and create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible” (preemptivelove.org/our-work). She continues to travel the world launching programs and new initiatives, building teams, and serving humanity. Never straying far from the personal mission she formulated in her youth, Meyerson hopes to continue making amazing connections and serving and empowering people who would otherwise be untouchable, unreachable, and invisible.
Trip to Turkey provides perspectives on refugee life By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert, ’19 M.A. Last May, Professor of Intercultural Studies Bob Brenneman, Ph.D., led 10 students on a 3.5-week trip to Turkey to work and live among refugees. Brenneman makes this trip annually because he sees it as vital for students pursuing an education in intercultural studies.
the refugee situation is one of the great crises of our times. “There are 68 million refugees!” he said. “With this huge mess, I want to alert our students to this issue. Many of the refugees have never met Christians before, so it’s good to see Christians in real life.”
While in Turkey, the group worked with organizations serving refugees from surrounding war-torn countries. At the heart of the experience was the opportunity for the students to stay with refugee families. “Staying in their homes gave students a significant inroad into what refugee life is like,” Brenneman explained.
For Sable Heimer, a junior Intercultural Studies (ICS) major, the trip was life changing. “To be surrounded by a people group, a culture, a language that is not your own … is new, unknown, terrifying, and completely exhilarating,” Heimer said.
Most of the refugees the students met were Iraqi Christians who fled their homes after being threatened by ISIS because of their faith. The students were surprised to learn of the refugees’ plight. One goal Brenneman has for his students is to understand
Max Vasilchuk
Kara Badour
North Central students develop friendships in a short time with refugee families in Turkey.
Senior ICS major Madalyn Meetz found connecting with the Iraqi Christian refugees to be a powerful experience. “As a people group, Iraqis are very hospitable. I was grateful for the endless trays of food and cups of tea, but most appreciated hearing them speak of their hope in our faithful God in the midst of persecution and suffering.”
Ancient architecture in Turkey provides a dramatic backdrop for North Central University students’ intercultural Fall 2019 | 21 studies experience.
Is there a hole in our holism? By Dick Brogden ’92, Ph.D. To consider perspectives on the importance of humanitarian work in the context of biblical justice and Gospel proclamation, we reached out to 2019 Frank J. Lindquist Alumni Award winner Dick Brogden. Here is an excerpt of his thoughts on “holism”—the coexistence of proclamation and compassion ministries. Editor As we wrestle with holism, let us avoid the unhelpful generalizations which posit that those who are engaged in compassionate ministries do not proclaim, that those who evangelize do not touch with compassion, and that compassion or evangelism are best done through programs rather than inter-personally. Arguing against straw men generates heat but not much light. Biblical holism values and cares for the needs of the temporal body while retaining a priority on the eternal soul. There is therefore an undeniable priority on preaching/ verbal evangelism/ conversion of the soul in biblical holism. Faith still comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). The prioritization of proclamation in life and mission need not and should not diminish ordinate attention to physical needs. Prioritizing verbal proclamation is no insult to compassionate touching in the same way that prioritizing loving God in no way diminishes love for my wife and children. Perhaps the clearest text advocating a priority on proclamation in the ministry of Jesus is the extended story found in John 6. The narrative of Jesus feeding the five thousand clearly shows His compassionate touch and care
for the body while underlining the priority of proclamation in His own thinking. After the initial feeding of the hungry, the crowd wants to be fed again. Jesus responds to them in John 6:26: “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal upon Him.” Jesus goes on to state He is the bread of life, a different bread than the repeated manna Moses provided in the wilderness. Jesus is a bread (gives a life) that physical bread and drink cannot rival. Jesus goes on to say that we must feed on Him (John 6:57) which confuses and offends those who viewed him as a free bakery. Jesus then drops the hammer: He states in no uncertain terms the priority of the soul over the body. John 6:61-63: “Does this offend you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life: The flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” [emphasis added] Jesus in no uncertain terms declares His priority on the soul and His priority on the verbal proclamation of the Gospel. Jesus’ incredibly shocking explanation is given in the context of refusing to meet an ongoing physical need of the body. Our work is to proclaim what Christ has accomplished on the cross and in the resurrection. Because humans attribute their own meanings to the actions of others, the clearest way we have to communicate a truth is through verbal or written communication. This premise (that our primary role, the priority in biblical holism is verbal witness of what Jesus has done) is borne out in the way that all the prophets … and the apostolic figures ministered. Here are a couple of examples. Inside a mosque in Cairo, Egypt, Dick Brogden teaches a group of visiting African pastors about cross-cultural ministry.
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The first eight chapters of Acts give us a concise overview of the effect of the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the early apostles. Consistent with the breadth of scripture, the baptism of the Holy Spirit always affects the tongue. The same group who were filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4, speaking in tongues, are assembled in Acts 4:31 and are refilled with the Spirit, speaking the word of God with boldness. Peter, full of the Spirit, stands up, raises his voice and preaches (Acts 2:14–39) and his culminating recorded words are an appeal for the conversion of the soul. In Acts 3, Peter and John are on the way to the temple to pray, having no silver and gold (Acts 3:6), they are used by God to heal a lame man. In an age and place where Christians are wealthy, we can no longer say “Silver and gold have I none.” God forbid that we likewise no longer can say “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk!” In this passage (and all of Acts) we over and again see the clear biblical priority: preaching, teaching, and miraculous healing—which our lives and ministries should emulate if we want to be biblical.
Stephen
Meeting physical needs is important—men full of the Spirit were appointed to wait on tables (Acts 6:3), but what was more important was prayer and the preaching of the word. There was an undeniable priority for the apostles. What is often overlooked is how Stephen fulfilled his service role. What do we know about Stephen’s holism? How many widows did he serve? What kind of programs did he run? The Bible is surprisingly silent on the logistical details of Stephen’s social ministry—and equally surprisingly verbose on Stephen’s priority of proclamation. “Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). His enemies criticized him: “We have heard him speak….” (Acts 6:11), and then most informatively: “This man does not cease to speak…” (Acts 6:13), for “…we have heard him say…” (Acts 6:14). If Stephen is your model for holism then you have no hole—for while we know little of his compassionate work (which he surely did and was incredibly important) we have 52 verses (Acts 7:2–53) of his sermon, and the testimony of his detractors regarding his constant proclamation. A priority on proclamation is not just for apostles, it is also for the layman, the everyday believer, the volunteer at the soup kitchen, the staff at the orphanage, the engineer digging wells, and the dedicated rescuer of the trafficked.
Missional implications
Many people we serve love it when we meet their physical needs, and most resent it when we address their spiritual
Submitted
Peter and John
Dick Brogden ’92
condition. I sincerely advocate the importance and the necessity of touching the lost with the love of Jesus. My wife and I have started centers for women, humanitarian organizations for refugees, schools with feeding programs for children, and adult education centers for the illiterate. We have dug wells, built bio-filters, and encourage others to do so. We believe completely that followers of Jesus should minister in word, sign, and deed to body, soul, and spirit. AND we believe there is biblical priority on proclamation and the saving of the soul. Whenever we have physically loved the lost (through compassionate acts) we have been embraced and lauded. Often when we have spiritually loved the lost (by calling them to repentance) we have been vilified, rejected, and expelled. Let us not minister to the body and neglect the soul because that is how the world accepts us. Let us be careful that we do not cease proclaiming because of what it costs us. Let us with Stephen never cease to speak even as we wait on tables. Let us further be careful that we do not take up institutional compassion because we are bereft of spiritual power. The biblical blueprint for ministry to the sick is divine healing. Every follower of Jesus can pray for the sick. Jesus was not a medical doctor—nor was Peter nor John nor Stephen. Their ministry to the sick was to pray for divine healing. By all means, let us start clinics, dispense medicine, and bind up wounds—but let us never stop standing in faith, praying with risk that God would demonstrate His love and power through the miraculous. Let us with Stephen be used by God in divine healings, signs, and wonders. Let us be truly biblically holistic. Let our lives and ministries constantly include acts of truth, love, and power. If we lack any one of these three, there is a hole in our holism. Let us, with Stephen, be full of the Holy Spirit and prioritize proclaiming the gospel verbally as we seek to save eternal souls. See page 25 to learn about Dick Brogden ’92, Ph.D., the 2019 Frank J. Lindquist Award winner. A version of this article with additional content and Scripture references is available at northcentral.edu/magazine.
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President Scott and Mrs. Karen Hagan
NCU Chorale with Chorale alumni
Partners for Progress supports AGWM scholarships The 52nd Annual Partners for Progress event returned to the historic Depot Hotel on Oct. 24. This year’s event raised support for North Central’s AGWM Scholarship program to provide full-need, four-year scholarships for students whose parents serve full-time with Assemblies of God World Missions. We are grateful to these organizations for supporting Partners for Progress as Silver Sponsors: MCGOUGH Dan Malecha, Regional Vice President, Business Development 651.633.5050 | dmalecha@mcgough.com mcgough.com
LOFFLER COMPANIES, INC. John Hastings, Sr. Vice President of Sales 952.925.6860 | JHastings@loffler.com loffler.com
Elliot Avenue takeover for Homecoming 2019 Saturday, Sept. 28, was THE day to be at North Central University for the classic trifecta of food, fellowship, and fun! Alumni, students, faculty, and staff took advantage of an amazing Minnesota fall day to enjoy athletic events, lunch, snacks, jazz, inflatables, giant Jenga, bean bag toss, root beer floats, and an incredible array of student talent.
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2019 Alumni Award winners
The NCU Alumni Board is pleased to announce the 2019 Alumni Award winners. Dick Brogden ’92, Ph.D
F.J. Lindquist Award, for demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through church or church-related ministry, mission, and service Dick Brogden, Ph.D., co-founder of Live Dead, is passionate about training church planters to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with a goal to plant a church among every unreached people group in the Arab world and beyond. He is the author of several books, including “Loving Muslims,” “Live Dead Journal,” and “Live Dead Joy: 365 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus.” Brogden holds a bachelor’s degree from NCU, an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Global University, and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Jennifer, serve with Assemblies of God World Missions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and have two sons.
Jennifer (Lindeen) Hickle ’00
The Ivan O. Miller Award, for demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through career and community As an entrepreneur herself, Class of 2000 graduate Jennifer Hickle loves to bring freedom and joy to creative business owners in life and in business. She is a master business coach, strategic marketing coach and consultant, owner and director of Rogers School of Music, and homeschool mom. Together, Jennifer and her husband, Chris, own Never Alone Coaching and Marketing Services, where they incorporate marketing and business strategies into everything they teach. The Hickles live in Elk River, Minnesota, and have four children.
Cory Wade ’06
Dr. Roger Sorbo Award, for demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through arts and sciences Cory Wade is a third-grade teacher at Hillcrest Community School and was one of nine finalists in 2019 for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. He is in his 15th year as a teacher in Bloomington Public Schools. He is co-author of the book “Teaching Self-Discipline” and is a former adjunct professor at North Central University. Wade travels nationally and internationally teaching the Responsive Classroom approach and education philosophy. He holds a Master of Education degree from Saint Mary’s University. He says he takes the job of teaching seriously because he gets to spend “seven hours every day with somebody’s somebody.”
Ryan Williams ’07
Larry C. Bach Award, for demonstrating Spirit-filled leadership and excelling in service through fine arts Ryan Williams graduated in 2007 and is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader who loves the local church. He is the lead worship pastor at River Valley Church based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has nine Twin Cities campuses and one international campus. Pastoring people, building teams, and writing songs are his passions. Under his vision and leadership, River Valley Worship has released five critically acclaimed worship albums, and they have become a worship resource for worship leaders and pastors. He and his wife, Alli, live in Lakeville, Minnesota, and have four children.
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Alumni and faculty authors Congratulations to the following North Central University faculty and alumni who have recently published books! Jeremy DeAngelo, Adjunct Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences Outlawry, Liminality, and Sanctity in the Literature of the Early Medieval North Atlantic (Amsterdam University Press, 2018) “In reality, medieval outlaws were dangerous, desperate individuals. In the fiction of the Middle Ages, however, the possibilities afforded by their position on societies’ margins granted them the ability to fill a number of transitory, transgressive roles: young adventurer, freedom fighter, and even saint. [This book] examines the development of the literary outlaw in the early Middle Ages.”* Robert Doorn ’51, Ph.D. Chosen in Him: The Memoir of Bob ‘Papa’ Doorn (CreateSpace, 2017) “This is my Story, This is my Song…” Yes, this is MY STORY and I am praising my Savior all the day long as it was He who brought me out of the miry clay and set my feet on the Rock to stay.”* Dominic Galati ’78 Hope2 the Rescue: Reaching the World Two Feet at at Time (CreateSpace, 2017) “Dominic Galati Jr. thought he had it all. He was on the path to success with a major investment company, but there was an emptiness he couldn’t explain. A simple suggestion led him to a personal encounter with Jesus, which transformed him and a new journey began! Galati has penned an inspiring book that will strengthen your walk and empower you to change others’ lives, too.”* Bill Juoni ’78 More Power: Supersizing the Working of the Holy Spirit (More Power, 2017) “People often wonder and ask – How can I have more power in my life? How can I live a victorious Christian life? How can I be all Jesus wants me to be? How can I fulfill my destiny? MORE POWER [is a] practical handbook on the baptism in the Holy Spirit and living a Spirit-filled life.”* Christopher Palmer ’06 Letters from Jesus: Studies from the Seven Churches of Revelation (Whitaker House, 2019) ‘Letters from Jesus: Studies from the Seven Churches of Revelation’ explores Christ’s warnings to the seven most prominent churches in Asia Minor in the book of Revelation. These letters date back to 95 A.D., but they help us make a fascinating discovery about civilization: life hasn’t changed that much over the last two millennia. Author Chris Palmer illustrates the truths contained in the Letters from Jesus using modern, everyday examples. [The author] unpacks Greek words and phrases in these verses from Revelation with humor, joy, and biblical scholarship.” * Nathan Schroeder ’98 The Best Gift Ever Given (Harvest House, 2019) by Ronnie Martin, Illustrated by Nathan Schroeder “Toys and games are great, but the best gifts from God last a lifetime and beyond. Help your children understand the real meaning of Christmas with this 25-day discovery of the good things God has given us, leading up to the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.” Carolyn Tennant, Ph.D., NCU Professor Emerita Keys to the Apostolic and Prophetic: Embracing the Authentic, Avoiding the Bizarre, Co-author: Joseph Girdler (Meadow Stream, 2019) “Are you unclear about what godly apostolic ministry should look like? Do you wonder why the prophet’s chair is empty? Have you been troubled by false apostles and prophets who care more about their title than an authentic call? Scripture and practical application meet in this valuable guide on the apostolic and prophetic functions in today’s church. At a time when aberrations and misunderstandings are rampant in these two ministry areas, the authors provide keys for discerning the genuine from the false. They chart a path forward for the full recovery of God’s authentic gifts to the church.” * 26 | NCU Magazine
*Source: Amazon.com
Alumni Updates
90s
60s-70s Ted Moody ’60 lives in Rapid City, MI. He celebrated his 90th birthday and looks forward to 100. Gerald Lemberg ’72 has been involved the past 10 years with “Buy A House, Build A Church” (lembergministries. com), a project that involves the churches in Cuba.
80s Rolf Fure ’86 has served as Senior Pastor of Duluth Gospel Tabernacle since 1997. He and his wife, Ann, have been married 41 years, have four sons (three married), and nine grandkids.
Dr. Kevin and Wendy (Kristoff) Beery
Stephanie Keator ’96 works in the School of Medicine at Creighton University in Nebraska. She teaches adult classes at Flatland Church (A/G) and online English classes to students in China. God is calling her deeper into intercessory prayer as time goes on.
Dr. Kevin ’89 and Wendy (Kristoff ’89) Beery are headed back to Europe after 10 years in the U.S. working in Christian higher education. They will continue to focus on training and preparing Christian leaders as they relocate to Continental Theological Seminary in Brussels, Belgium, where Kevin will serve as Provost, and both will teach and be involved in a church plant to reach secular Europeans.
Nathan Schroeder
Beth Baker
Beth Baker ’87 completed her doctorate in Reading and Literacy from Capella University last spring.
Lisa (Cozad) Ellison
Lisa (Cozad ’88) Ellison resigned her job in fundraising and development to homeschool her kids. She volunteers for St. Matthew’s House, where her husband serves as CEO.
Chilly and Netta (Hoke) Chilton
Chilly ’89 and Netta (Hoke ’88) Chilton have joined the staff of Faith Church in Florence, AL, one of the fastest growing churches in America (Outreach Magazine 2019), where Chilly serves as Executive Pastor and heads up their School of Ministry, Youth Adult Ministry, and Staff Development. Netta serves as director of Kids Ministry, working with 500+ kids in five services on two campuses. Chilly says: “Wow! We love our lives and will forever be thankful for our beginning that happened at NCU!” Rodney Smith ’91 pastors The Lord’s Cup Deaf Assembly of God in Glenmoore, PA.
Nathan ’98 and Cristi (Strong ’99) Schroeder married while at North Central and have served the church for nearly 20 years. After planting City Point Church in Stevens Point, WI, Nathan now serves as lead pastor at Highland Church in Plover, WI, where his grandfather pastored for 25 years. Outside of pastoring, Nathan designs album and book covers.
00s
Rebekah Cloninger
Rebekah Cloninger ’00 says, “God has blessed me with a godly husband and five children. I have found my niche in ministry as Bible Quiz Coordinator at our local church. I love discipling future generations this way!” Fall 2019 | 27
Chris ’00 and Kelly (Weiss ’01) Dudley have lived in Springfield, MO, for nine years. Chris is the Stabilization and Humanitarian Intervention Director at Convoy of Hope, and Kelly is the Early Childhood Wellness Expert for the Department of Mental Health in Missouri. They have two children, Iliana and Silas. Deborah Lawrence ’00 was afforded a business opportunity to work with Zambia Deaf Vision and Starkey Hearing Foundation to bring the gift of hearing to 1,500 Zambians in the Copperbelt area with hearing loss.
Peter Hansen
Chris Palmer ’06 hosts a podcast called “Greek for the Week.” It grew from 900 people to now 37,000 followers, all over the world. He also published a book (see p. 26). He writes, “You just never know where your Biblical Studies may take you! Thanks, Dr. Phil Mayo, Dr. Amy Sue Anderson, and NCU!”
Peter Hansen ’04 has lived in Ohio for six years. He is a bi-vocational family pastor at a church in Plain City, OH, and works full time in Residence Life at Ohio State University. He has four kids, ages 11, 9, 7, and 2.
Diane Newcomer
Philip Shorey
Philip Shorey ’01 works with Steiger International as a Come&Live artist. Working as a composer since 2002, he has traveled the world and translated his marionette street theater, The Suitcase Sideshow, into more than 10 languages. His recent work is with orchestras around the world using his original film score to the silent horror film, “Nosferatu,” to show people who Jesus is. He calls this project “Curse of the Vampire Orchestra.” Gina Gregory ’03 and her husband, Brandon, work for a public charter school in Austin, TX, which focuses on the underserved community with a strong emphasis in STEM education. She has served as Area Superintendent for the past three years and recently was promoted to Chief of Development. She is finishing her last course in the Ed.D. program at Capella University.
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Diane Newcomer ’08 and her husband welcomed Wyatt Isaac on April 22, 2019—an answer to prayer for big brother, John. Diane stays at home with the boys full time. Gena Ross
Gena Ross ’05 was recently granted tenure at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College, where she serves as Assistant Professor of Business.
Julia (Butler) Yemma
Samuel and Laura (Shaw) Witwicke
Samuel ’05 and Laura (Shaw ’04) Witwicke have served as youth and children’s pastors in Mora and Braham, MN, but were recently approved as Missionary Assistants with AGWM. They are currently raising support to serve for two years in Asuncion, Paraguay. They have three daughters: Elaina, Elizabeth, and Joanna.
Julia (Butler ’08) married Jordan Yemma, on March 3, 2018. She is employed at Lifetouch, Inc. and with her husband is involved in leadership at River Valley Church at the Minneapolis campus.
10s Davey ’16 and Nicole (Dupuis ’11) Collins served on staff at River Valley Church as youth pastors for the past eight years. Last year, they launched River Valley’s Saint Paul Campus and are living in the city with their two children, Winnie (4) and Tuck (1). Jairus ’11 and his wife, Raina (Hoxie ’10) Dunston, recently moved to the Greater Atlanta area, where he has joined the staff at Mount Paran Church, in Marietta, GA.
Joel Larson
Joel Larson ’14 moved from California to Bradenton, FL, in March 2018 with his wife, Bristol, and children Cameron and Magnolia. He serves at Journey Assembly of God as Worship and Media Director.
Thomas Valtierra III
Thomas Valtierra III ’14 is married and a father of two boys. He currently serves as an urban missionary to Little Earth of United Tribes, where he also works at their Boys & Girls Club as program coordinator. He will be planting a church in South Minneapolis in the coming year. Lily Ewing ’15 earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University in 2018 and is now self-employed as a mental health counselor in Seattle.
Noah Stommel
Noah Stommel ’11 was named Franchise Development Director for NOVUS Glass and is attending Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
Brandon ’14 and Rachel (Ritter ’14) Powell moved to Bangkok, Thailand, in May as fully appointed career missionaries with the Assemblies of God to work with university students and build the local church. They have two daughters.
Chelsea (Hackbarth) Ghigeanu
Chelsea (Hackbarth ’12) Ghigeanu and her husband are serving as missionaries to Arad, Romania, serving youth and young adults in their community by breaking down the barriers of legalism and teaching how having a personal relationship with Jesus is the way to live. Chelsea is also involved with the worship and creative arts ministries and travels throughout Europe to serve in refugee camps.
Alex Sanjari
Alex Sanjari ’14 finished his first year working in Residence Life at Colorado Christian University, after earning a master’s degree in higher education at Geneva College. He writes: “I’m in this work because of my time at NCU and all God did in my life through the student experience. I love it!”
Miranda (Rowenhorst) Barker
Miranda (Rowenhorst ’16) Barker graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master of Social Work degree in July. She was a Title IV-E fellow and has started a new podcast for other social workers titled “Social Work Study Sessions.” Jalissa (Morgan ’16) Ellis and her husband welcomed their second child, Adaline Grace, on March 20, 2019. Fall 2019 | 29
Haley Lueck ’18 lives in Nebraska, where her husband works at Camp Witness Bible Camp as Program Director. She teaches high school math at a nearby high school and coaches cross country.
North Central University extends condolences to the families of these alumni who have passed away. Lawrence “L. B.” Larsen ’50, of Bluefield, WV, on Aug. 19, 2019; former chair of North Central’s Music Department. James Arnold ’54, of Akron, OH, on Nov. 4, 2018.
Kylie Erickson
Kylie Erickson ’17 has worked for one year as Pastor of Groups at Eagle Brook Church – Spring Lake Park (MN) campus. Derek ’17 and Megan (Wilz ’17) Mumm welcomed Ellis John in September 2018. Derek is an associate and youth pastor at The Bridge church in Saint Francis, MN.
In Memory
Jay Howard ’83, of Logan, OH, on Jan. 17, 2019. Darren Lindquist ’02, of Maple Grove, MN, on Sept. 16, 2019. Justin Fure
Justin Fure ’18 serves as a full-time youth pastor at a church within an hour from the cities.
Davana Boushele ’18 moved into fulltime status as Missionary Associate with Chi Alpha at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, serving as worship leader for large group services.
Mallory (Goesh ’15) Bogaczyk, of Minneapolis, MN, on Oct. 11, 2019, and daughter, Minny Louise on Oct. 14, 2019 (born Oct. 11, 2019).
Amanda Whitcomb
Amanda Whitcomb ’18 is Creative Arts Pastor at Central Church in Green Bay (WI) and received her pastoral license with the Assemblies of God.
Hannah Choate
Hannah Choate ’18 is serving as Worship Pastor at New Life Assembly of God in Janesville, WI. She writes: “I’m so thankful for everyone in the Fine Arts department that gave me all the tools I needed for this next season. North Central has changed my life for the better.”
Is your profile up to date? Don’t risk missing out on important North Central news and invitations or the monthly Alumni News! Visit northcentral.edu/alumni/update or call 612.343.4400 to share: »» »» »» »»
Current contact information Wedding, birth, and adoption announcements Significant accomplishments and updates Prayer requests (not published, but prayed for)
Updates submitted to Alumni Relations are considered for publication in NCU Magazine based on available space. Submissions may be edited for style, brevity, and clarity. Publication does not indicate an endorsement of any individual or organization. 30 | NCU Magazine
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