Summer Fellowship 2010
Our Speakers
Glenn Smith (June 23)
Glenn Smith holds a BA from University of Michigan, an MA from the University of Ottawa, a DMin from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and an Honorary Doctorate from the Union of Private Universities (Haiti), given in recognition of his contribution to urban theological practice in that country. Since 1983 He has been the Executive Director of Christian Direction in Montreal - a multi-faceted ministry committed to the spiritual transformation by Jesus Christ of all of life in the cities of the Francophone world. He is a professor of urban theology and missiology at three Protestant faculties in Montreal, a sessional lecturer at McGill University and at the Université chrétienne du Nord d’Haïti. He occasionally teaches in Europe and Africa. Author of numerous books and articles, his forthcoming book is entitled, City Air Makes You Free: To transform the city through a fresh, biblical hermeneutic. Glenn is married to Sandra and together they have three daughters, Jenna, Julia, and Christa.
Donna Dong (June 30)
Donna Dong has served in campus ministry for a total of 30 years with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. Since January of 2002 she has served as the National Director for Multiethnic / Multicultural Ministry for Inter-Varsity Canada. Donna became a follower of Jesus in her first-year at university and her love for the university, Bible study, and student work date from those early student years with Inter-Varsity. She knows from personal experience the strategic importance of laying good foundations in relating to God that result in following Jesus for a life-time. Donna attended the University of California at Berkeley in the late, turbulent 60's during the student protest years, and earned a B. A. (double major) in English Literature and Spanish Language & Literature. Then, also at Cal, Berkeley, she earned a M.A. in Comparative Education. Donna is also a graduate of the Discipleship Training Centre in Singapore, where she did two years of biblical and theological training.
Rick Tobias (July 7)
Rick Tobias is best known for his life-long advocacy on behalf of low-income and marginalized people. His early professional experience in his native Saint John, New Brunswick introduced him to poverty that spans generations and requires a broad-based approach to change. Rick began refining his understanding through his undergraduate degree in Sociology (B.A.) from Acadia University. He pursued a focus on urban communities, graduating from the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, in Chicago, and completing a Master of Divinity degree at Acadia Divinity College. In 1983, he became coordinator of YSM’s Evergreen Centre, which he refocused to address needs of street youth. His innovative work at Evergreen led to the invitation to become YSM’s CEO, a position he has held since 1989. Rick lives in Toronto with his wife Charis, who owns a graphic design business. They have two adult sons, Jeremy and James. Apart from family and work, his key interests are motorcycling, music, and deepening his understanding of personal spirituality.
Connie denBok (July 14)
Rev. Dr. Connie denBok is a Toronto pastor and Associate Professor at Wycliffe College, teaching Mission Shaped Ministry, a Fresh Expressions course for those learning how to develop Christian community for those who are not already part of a Christian community. She has church planted two intercultural congregations and partnered with teams for more traditional new churches. Minister of Alderwood United Church in Etobicoke for 10 years, she is also a Fellow of the Wycliffe Institute for Evangelism, a columnist and writer for the United Church Observer. She and her husband DougMcLeod live in Brampton. They have two daughters, both attending the University of Toronto.
Geoff Ryan (July 28)
Geoff Ryan and his wife Sandra are Majors in The Salvation Army. After working in the First Nations village of Gitwink-sihlkw, BC, Geoff and Sandra were appointed as members of a team sent to reopen the work of The Salvation Army in the Soviet Union following a 70 year absence. Returning to Canada in the summer of 2000, Geoff accepted responsibil-ity for operations in Regent Park. The Ryans have three children - Sergei, Sasha, and Anya.
Ray Bakke (July 21)
Ray Bakke founded International Urban Associates (IUA) in 1989. IUA animated a network of more than 100 urban-based church and mission leaders in many of the largest cities of the world. Currently, Dr. Bakke is Chancellor and distinguished professor of global urban ministry at BGU. From 1959 through 1979 Ray pastored inner-city churches in Seattle and Chicago. During that time he also co-founded the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education (SCUPE) and taught Bible at Trinity College and Church History at McCormick Theological Seminary. He was a professor at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and Professor of Global Urban Ministry at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Senior Associate for Large Cities with the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism from 1979 to 1995. Since 1979 Dr. Bakke has personally led or served as a major resource leader for urban ministry consultations in more than 200 large cities on six continents. He is author of several books, including The Urban Christian and A Theology as Big as the City.
John Bowen (August 4)
John Bowen teaches evangelism at Wycliffe College. He has been a friend of Knox Church since he and his family came to Canada and settled on Huron Street in 1977. John’s wife Deborah is Head of the English Department at Redeemer University College in Ancaster. They have been proud to be members of the Knox Missionary family for over 30 years. Their two children, who came with them to Knox, are now grown and married: Ben has a 3-year old daughter, Abigail, and Anna is expecting any day now. John is the author of three books, Evangelism for Normal People, The Spirituality of Narnia, and Growing Up Christian.
Victor Shepherd (August 11)
Victor Shepherd is Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Tyndale, and Adjunct Professor of Theology at University of Toronto. Ordained in 1970, Dr. Shepherd has served four pastorates in New Brunswick and Ontario. He is also a frequent lecturer, having addressed societies both in Canada and abroad. He is the author of eight books and over 250 journal articles that reflect his extensive pastoral and academic experience. Dr. Shepherd’s research specializations include Systematic Theology, Reformation Studies, Historical Theology, John Wesley, Philosophy, and Jewish-Christian Relations. A long-time advocate for the mentally ill and the underhoused, he has served on the board of the Peel Mental Health Housing Coalition and Pathway Community Developments. He belongs to several professional societies, including the Canadian Philosophical Association, the Sixteenth Century Studies Society, the Canadian Methodist Historical Society, the Toronto Renaissance and Reformation Colloquium, and The Writers' Union of Canada.
A. Donald MacLeod (August 18)
A. Donald MacLeod is Research Professor of Church History, Tyndale Theological Seminary, and also chair of the Committee on History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and President of the Canadian Society of Presbyterian History. He was at Knox Church from 1980 to 1987 and then served for ten years in Boston, returning to Canada in 1997. He has written numerous articles and books, including his most recent title C. Stacey Woods and the Evangelical Rediscovery of the University.
