Israel

I was born in Kazakhstan, the former republic of USSR. While pursuing a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering, I sensed God’s call to ministry. In 1993, not long after the fall of Communism, I came to the United States to pursue studies in Scripture and Theology. I have been at LeTourneau since 2005 and I have come to value and appreciate this university’s unique role in the arena of Christian higher education. I love to explore ways in which our students’ lives and disciplines can participate in the story of God’s mission of redemption and reconciliation of all things. Currently, my interests lie in working with the New Testament texts and early Church’s rich ways of interpreting them and discovering how those shape and inform all that we are and do. Having grown up in the Eastern part of the world, I enjoy bringing and exploring some rich insights and ideas from the Eastern Church to my classroom and scholarship. I feel honored to be working at LeTourneau.

I am honored to be part of the Honors College at LeTourneau University. It is truly a special place. Our students are remarkable and the chance continually to dive deeper into reflection on our Christian calling, to grow in wisdom, and to seek the good of the communities we find ourselves in is a unique opportunity.

I joined LeTourneau University in 2018 as the Director of the Honors College. Originally from Washington State, I am joining LeTourneau after nine years of living in the United Kingdom. For the six years prior to joining the Honors College I was a Member of the Faculty of Theology and Religious studies at Oxford University and taught at Wycliffe Hall, an evangelical Anglican college that is a constituent part of Oxford University. At Wycliffe I was the Director of the Bachelor of Theology Program. I did my doctoral research at Durham University on the Greek translation of the David and Goliath story. I have always had a fascination with the character David and turn to his story time and time again. While in Oxford I did additional training in Education and graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK. My major areas of research are around how biblical narrative works and how we might engage with it. This interest drives from my conviction that the biblical story has the power to transform our lives and we ought to return to it continually that our stories might be shaped in light of the Bible’s story.