Bishop Linda Adams
Dr. Linda Adams is a graduate of Spring Arbor University (BA 1977) and Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv 1991; DMin 2000). She has enjoyed serving in three pastoral appointments—pastor for CE at the Spring Arbor, Michigan FMC; lead pastor of the St. Charles, Illinois FMC; and lead pastor of New Hope Church in Rochester, New York. To learn more, click here.
Bishop Keith Cowart
Dr. Keith Cowart is a graduate of Georgia Southern University (BBA, 1986) and Asbury Theological Seminary (M. Div., 1991; D. Min. 2002). His wife, Pam Taylor Cowart, is also a graduate of ATS (M. Div., 1991). Keith and Pam have 2 adult sons, Andrew and Aaron. In 1997, Keith planted Christ Community Church in Columbus, Georgia. To learn more click here.
Bishop Matt Whitehead
Dr. Matt Whitehead was elected as one of the three FMCUSA Bishops at Free Methodist General Conference in Orlando, Florida in July 2019. For the previous 20 years, Bishop Matt served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Northwest Conference headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Prior to his election as Superintendent, Matt served as Lead Pastor at two churches in the Pacific Northwest Conference.
To learn more click here.
Edward Song
Edward Song is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, where he has taught since 2013. Ed has a BA from Yale, an MA from Oxford, and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Prior to arriving at Westmont, he and his wife taught for 7 years at Louisiana State University.
Ed teaches and writes on matters of moral and political philosophy, philosophy of law, and public policy. He is particularly interested in inequality, political theology, the efficacy of free markets, and in more practical public policy related issues regarding poverty. Ed and his family worship at the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara.
Bruce N.G. Cromwell
In addition to SCOD, Bruce helps lead Ecclesiademy and GSTS, both of which involve Free Methodist persons with graduate degrees. He has served on the denominational Committee for History & Archives, has been Vice President of the Free Methodist Urban Fellowship, and represents the FMC-USA on the Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue.
Bruce has his B.A. from Greenville College, and both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Historical Theology (Patristics) from St. Louis University.
He and his wife, the Rev. Dr. Mindi Grieser Cromwell, have two sons, Levi and Bennet.
Elisée Ouoba
Elisée Ouoba is an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Spring Arbor University. He has a PhD in Biblical Theology from Wheaton College, IL and a ThM in Biblical Studies from the Bangui Evangelical School of Theology in Central African Republic.
Elisée served as missionary in the city of Bangui where he taught full time at the seminary and preached in various churches. Prior to serving in Bangui Elisée was a Bible College professor and an Associate Pastor in his home country, Burkina Faso. His research focuses on biblical theology and hermeneutics in the context of world Christianity. He and his family are active members of the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church.
Daniel Castelo
Daniel Castelo (PhD, Duke University) is Professor of Dogmatic and Constructive Theology at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary. Among other publications, he is the coauthor of The Marks of Scripture and coeditor of The T & T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology.
David Bauer
David Bauer is an ordained elder in the Ohio Conference and has served under pastoral appointment there, but most of his professional life has been invested in the academy. He has a B.A. from Spring Arbor College, an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia and has done post-doctoral studies as a visiting scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Since 1984, David has been a member of the faculty at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is presently the Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies and dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation at Asbury Seminary. He is active in the Wilmore (Ky.) Free Methodist Church, serving as team leader for ministry to seminarians. He also serves as the coordinator for the Free Methodist Fellowship at Asbury Theological Seminary.
In addition to the Study Commission on Doctrine, David serves on the board of The Word is Out Ministries. He has served on the executive committee of the Institute for Biblical Research, and has been co-chair of the Matthew Group and the Hebrews Consultation of the Society of Biblical Literature. His website on inductive study of the Bible is inductivebiblicalstudy.com.
Denny Wayman
Rev. Dr. Denny Wayman has served the Study Commission for over twenty years and moderates the SCOD’s FREE METHODIST CONVERSATIONS website. Denny was the lead pastor of the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara for 40 years and Lead Superintendent of the Southern California Conference for 8 years. Denny is now retired continuing to write CINEMA IN FOCUS, a commentary on the spiritual and social implications of film with Hal Conklin. Denny is married to Cheryl who is a Marriage and Family Therapist and they have two sons and five grandchildren.
Allison Coventry
I’m a reflective practitioner who values the intersection of experience with solid research.
I completed my Doctor of Ministry (DMIN) degree in 2013 at Northeastern Seminary.
My dissertation title is: “Immersion in a Culturally Intelligent Biblical Worldview: Becoming effective and responsible participants in God’s mission.”
I am a pastor serving in Seattle and fill a variety of roles.
The most important part is investing in people, having spiritual conversations, and seeking to engage our neighborhoods and world in ways that lead to health and wholeness.