Orpheus J. Heyward
Bible, canon, inspiration, and interpretation
Dr. Orpheus J. Heyward is a noted expert in Biblical Exposition and the Minister to one of the largest African-American churches of Christ, the renaissance church in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Heyward has been involved with pastoral work for 18 years and continues to guide churches across the country with church growth and development strategies. His academic journey has afforded him several degrees. He has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies, a Master’s Degree in Theology, a second Master’s in Biblical Studies, and a Doctorate Degree in Theological Exegesis. He continues this journey as he is completing a PHD in Biblical Exposition. He is a Faculty Affiliate Professor for Expository Preaching and Christian Leadership at Lipscomb University. Dr. Orpheus Heyward is passionate about teaching the process of Biblical Interpretation and loves imparting knowledge regarding expositional preaching. He consistently thanks God for the privilege of being a perpetual student of scripture.
Zach Breitenbach
Apologetics and Christian Evidences
Dr. Zach Breitenbach is the Director of the Worldview Center at Connection Pointe in Brownsburg, IN and the former Associate Director of Room For Doubt. Zach graduated with a BS in Computer Science from North Carolina State University, where he was Valedictorian, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. While at NC State, he also earned Academic All-American honors three times as an NCAA Division I college wrestler. Zach earned his MBA at NC State and worked for American Airlines in Dallas as a contract negotiator.
With a passion for Christian apologetics, Zach was led to the Seminary at Lincoln Christian University. He taught undergraduate courses in business and theology and received an MA in Christian Apologetics with highest honors. For several years after graduating from Lincoln, Zach taught New Testament, Apologetics, and World Religions to high school students at Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he also served as wrestling coach. In 2019, he completed a PhD in Theology & Apologetics from Liberty University and became the Room For Doubt Assistant Director. He has published articles in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Southeastern Theological Review, Journal of the International Society of Christian Apologetics, Themelios, and Irish Theological Quarterly. In 2021, he published the book, Slipping Through the Cracks: Are Some Lost Who Would Have Been Saved in Different Circumstances? Zach grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has traveled to China, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Hawaii, Haiti, Israel, Italy, and more. His hobbies include Bible study, listening to podcasts, playing games with friends and family, coaching wrestling, and watching sports.
Jeff Duerler
Survey of the Old Testament
Jeff Duerler grew up in Ohio but was born in Indonesia (his parents were medical missionaries). He married Julie in 1997 after graduating from Toccoa Falls Bible College in Georgia, and they moved to New York to attend Alliance Theological Seminary. After graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in 2001, they moved back to Ohio for Jeff to get his Ph.D. at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. After settling on the west side of Cincinnati, starting a family, and launching a rental property business, Jeff and Julie helped pioneer a third location of LifeSpring in Harrison, OH in 2008. When the decision was made to become autonomous churches in 2016, Jeff transitioned into the Senior Pastor role of LifeSpring Community Christian Church. He also serves as an adjunct online professor with Nyack College – Alliance Theological Seminary. Jeff loves to get off the beaten path to explore something new. When he was in high school, he thought Christianity was just for young kids and elderly women, but when he encountered the real Jesus, everything changed. His passion today is to help others know, love, and serve a Jesus who doesn’t just offer eternal life for the future but who calls us to brave, adventurous, abundant living now.
Jason Ishmael
The book of Romans
Jason was called to ministry at 12 and is doing exactly what he loves to do the most. He and his wife Brittney were married in 2006 and have 4 children. He graduated from St. Louis Christian College with a B.A. in Preaching and later from Lincoln Christian University with an M.A. in Church History/Historical Theology. Jason serves as the Lead Pastor for the Antioch Christian Church, a multi-site mega church in central Iowa. If there’s anything you should know about him, it’s that he doesn’t do anything halfway. From ministry to a handful of ridiculous hobbies, he’s all in. Just ask him what he did to his kid’s power wheels toy.
Rowlie Hutton
Chief Development Officer
Rowlie spent over 35 years preaching in The Dakotas, Montana, and Nebraska. He is a graduate of Dakota Bible College and Montana State University-Northern. Rowlie, and his wife, Suzette, have five children and eight grandchildren. While preaching in Havre, MT, Rowlie served one session in the Montana State Senate focusing on the Sanctity of Life Bills. Rowlie enjoys laughing with his friends over a stout cup of coffee, reading good books, and pouring into the next generation of “young guns”.
Bobby Harrington
Church History and the Restoration, Disciplemaking
Bobby Harrington is the point-leader of RENEW.org and Discipleship.org, both collaborative, disciple making organizations. He is the founding and lead pastor of Harpeth Christian Church (by the Harpeth River, just outside of Nashville, TN). He has an M.A.R. and an M.Div. from Harding School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 12 books on discipleship, including Discipleshift (with Jim Putman and Robert Coleman), The Disciple Maker’s Handbook (with Josh Patrick) and Becoming a Disciple Maker: The Pursuit of Level 5 Disciple Making (with Greg Weins). He lives in the greater Nashville area with his wife and near his children and grandchildren.
David Young
Jesus and the Gospels, Acts and the Apostle Paul, Church History
A Tennessee native, David Young is a founder of New Day Resources and a board member of the Renew Network. He began ministry work at the age of 16 by preaching for his local congregation, and throughout his career, he has worked for churches in Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee; taught New Testament at several universities; and has traveled widely teaching and preaching. He was a teaching and senior minister at the North Boulevard church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for twenty-six years. He is also the author of several books including King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship (Zondervan), A Grand Illusion (Renew.org), The Rhetoric of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark (Fortress Press, co-authored with Michael Strickland), and A New Day: Restoring the Revolutionary Mission of Christ’s Church (New Day Resources). David holds a B.A. from Freed-Hardeman University, an M.A. from Harding School of Theology, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in New Testament from Vanderbilt University.
