We are thrilled to have the following diverse voices and perspectives as part of our Africa and the Global Church seminars. These CI friends have a wealth of experience in strengthening the church in Africa and beyond and we believe will inspire and inform your own work in cultivating impactful local and global relationships.
Jan 16: Where have we been? Historical roots to today’s realities and our response of celebration and lament
Panelist: James Byensi, Evangelical Church in Central Africa
Rev. James Byensi is the Founder and President of The Rebuilders Ministry, a non-denominational Christian organization laboring in rebuilding broken lives, hopes, homes and walls in Eastern DRC through spiritual, socio-economic and educational programs. James served as Missions Director for the Evangelical Church in Central Africa for ten years, where he oversaw more than 1,400 churches. He holds a B.A. in theology and a M.A. in leadership studies from Nairobi International School of Theology. He is highly involved in preaching, teaching, peacebuilding, pastoral and leadership training nationally and internationally. James is married to Riziki, and they are blessed with 3 children. They live in Bunia where he serves as associate pastor in a local church and teaches part time at UCBC in Beni.
Panelist: Mark Shaw, Africa International University
Dr. Mark Shaw is the director of the Centre for World Christianity at Africa International University in Nairobi, Kenya. He is the author of a number of books, including Work, Play, Love: A Visual Guide to Calling, Career and the Mission of God, Global Awakening: How Twentieth Century Revivals created a Religious Revolution, and The Kingdom of God in Africa: A Short History of African Christianity. Mark and his wife, Lois, divide their time between the United States and Kenya, where they have worked for over twenty-five years. Mark studied world Christianity at the University of Edinburgh (MTh) and the history of Christianity at Westminster Theological Seminary (ThD). He enjoys speaking to churches and campus groups across North America on topics related to his books. He loves listening to Dylan, following the Red Sox, and hanging with his grandsons.
Respondent: Doug Slaughter, Second Baptist Church, Aiken, SC
With 40 years in ministry and leadership, Rev. Douglas Slaughter has led Second Baptist since 1992 and previous ministered at St. Paul Community Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Doug earned an undergraduate degree in Classical Studies from the College of William & Mary, an M.Div. from Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center, and a Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership at the University of Phoenix. Both in New York and South Carolina, his work included leading many community projects, providing access to affordable housing, quality education and youth mentoring and job readiness training. His ministry has been defined by serving as a champion for positive community efforts that help improve the quality of life for others. He also is a former member of the CI-USA board. Doug’s most rewarding responsibilities include being married to his wife Kelley, a father to his 5 children and grandfather to one awesome grandson.
Jan 30: Where is God leading us? The New We as God’s intent for the Church
Panelist: Emmanuel Katongole, University of Notre Dame
Professor Emmanuel Katongole earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain, undergraduate degrees in philosophy and in theology (Urbaniana, Rome) and a diploma in theology and religious studies from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Katongole, a Catholic priest ordained by the Archdiocese of Kampala, is a core faculty member of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, an integral part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He has served as associate professor of theology and world Christianity at Duke University, where he was the founding co-director of the Duke Divinity School’s Center for Reconciliation. He is the author of books on the Christian social imagination, the crisis of faith following the genocide in Rwanda, and Christian approaches to justice, peace, and reconciliation. His most recent books are Born from Lament: On the Theology and Politics of Hope in Africa (Eerdmans, 2017) and The Journey of Reconciliation: Groaning for A New Creation in Africa (Orbis, 2017).
Panelist: David Kasali, CI President
Dr. David Kasali was raised in a Christian family in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He earned a M.A. in geography and education in DRC and worked in the private sector before the Lord called him to full time Christian ministry. He earned a M.Div. from Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) in 1987. As Coordinator of the department on Ethics, Society and Development of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA), he traveled extensively in the continent of Africa. In 1989, David and his family joined Trinity International University (TIU) in Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated with a PhD in New Testament. Upon their return to Africa, David served for two years as a faculty member and eight years as President of NEGST, equipping pastors and Bible teachers for churches in Africa, before God called them back to war-torn DRC. Together, David and his wife Kaswera created Congo Initiative with a vision to rebuild lives, families and communities through holistic ministry. They formally inaugurated CI’s Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo in Beni in 2007, which now has over 700 alumni. David and Kaswera have three sons and three grandchildren.
Respondent: David Dunderdale, Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church
Rev. David Dunderdale is the Associate Pastor for Missions and Discipleship at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina. He received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. David is the husband of Kim Dunderdale and father of Lucy, Nellie, Nora, Samuel and Abraham, and grandfather to John, Elaine, and Moses. He was a youth pastor for several years in churches in Ohio and Iowa and was a lead pastor for 12 years in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kim and David also served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Yaounde, Cameroon where he taught Bible and Physical Education at Rain Forest International School. In addition to Cameroon and three trips to Beni, DRC, he has been to Malawi twice as part of a previous congregation’s partnership.
Feb 13: Forming a new kind of leader for a new kind of future global community
Panelist: Honoré Bunduki, UCBC Rector
Dr. Honoré Bunduki was born in a Christian family in DRC, where he earned degrees in English and Applied Pedagogy. After completing a MA in translation studies and theology at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST), he served on the team that translated the Lendu Bible in eastern DRC. Since the very beginning of UCBC, Honoré served passionately as an English and Theology teacher and as Academic Dean and then Vice-Rector of UCBC, establishing and implementing UCBC’s programs and structure. He earned his Ph.D. in Education Science and Philosophy from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and was appointed as the second Rector of UCBC in 2018. Honoré’s vision is to establish UCBC as a university of excellence in the heart of Africa for the development and transformation of communities, and for the thriving of global Christian higher education as a way of ushering God’s Kingdom in all corners of the world. Honoré is married to Decky and they have four children and two adopted daughters, who are the children of his late cousins. Honoré is also an associate pastor at the CECA 20 Francophone church in Beni.
Panelist: Paul Robinson, CI Co-founder
CI and UCBC co-founder, Professor Paul Robinson was born in the Belgian Congo, a son of missionaries. His passion, heart, and life have been shaped by a life-long personal and professional engagement with Africa, focusing on a range of community development concerns, but particularly on higher education and the formation of young people for ethical and moral leadership in a rapidly changing global context. Paul earned PhD in African History, has twice been a Fulbright scholar, and has taught in Africa and the US for more than 40 years at institutions that include Wheaton College, St. Lawrence University, UCBC and most recently Uganda Christian University.
Respondent: Rachel Sweet, University of Notre Dame
Dr. Rachel Sweet is an Assistant Professor of Politics Global Affairs at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She has spent five years in east and central Africa, where she has engaged with local universities, grassroots human rights organizations, and Congolese research networks. Rachel researches armed conflict and governance in areas affected by violence: her work bridges academic study of conflict with practical applications, including mitigating the politicization of the Ebola outbreak and reducing harm of United Nations military intervention brigades in northeast Congo. She holds a fellowship at Harvard University and has worked in an advisory role for United Nations and government agencies to bridge community voices and perspectives to inform better policy. She lives in Chicago in a neighborhood with a large Congolese community and teaches about armed conflict and peace building in a multinational program at the Kroc Institute to Master’s and doctoral students from around the world.
Feb 27: Looking ahead: Building resilient global relationships
Panelist: Muhia Karianjahi, Wheaton College
Dr. Muhia Karianjahi is a Kenyan who lives in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, USA with his wife and two young adult sons. He is Assistant Professor of Outdoor and Adventure Leadership, a graduate program that is based at the HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College. Prior to coming to Wheaton, Muhia initiated and worked in various capacities for the Tanari Trust, a youth-centered ministry in Nairobi that designs and implements youth ministry innovations such as contemporary Christian rites of passage in the East African Region. He is currently the vice chair of Christian Camping International Worldwide, has consulted on leadership and youth programming in Kenya with organizations that include the Government of Kenya, USAID, Mercy Corps and the World Bank, and has served as convener and chair of the inaugural board of Christian Camping International-Eastern Africa. Muhia earned his Ph.D. in Education Studies from Biola University; M.A. Interdisciplinary studies – Education and Intercultural studies at Wheaton; and B.Sc. (Honors) in Civil Engineering at the University of Nairobi.
Panelist: Charlie Brainer, Taylor University
Dr. Charlie Brainer has been involved in international and higher education for almost thirty-five years in public (Colorado State University), international (China), and private/faith-based (Taylor University) settings. Dr. Brainer currently serves as Dean of International Programs and Director of the Spencer Centre for Global Engagement at Taylor. He did his graduate work in Applied Linguistics/TESOL at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and has particularly enjoyed program and partner development, cross-cultural collaboration, and faculty development throughout his career. He has been serving at Taylor since 2012. Charlie is married to Joy and has five children (two daughters and three sons) and four grandchildren (two granddaughters and two grandsons).
Respondent: Chelsie Chan, Tearfund USA
Chelsie Chan currently serves as the International Fundraising Executive for Tearfund USA. Her professional experience in America, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, and DRC spans across sectors: higher education, faith-based programming, sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry, fundraising, public relations, youth empowerment, and advocacy. She spent 4 years in Eastern DRC acting as a liaison between church communities in Minnesota and indigenous-led Christian organizations. While in Congo she established the Service-Learning Program at UCBC. This program created an institutional structure for service-learning, trained Congolese professors in service-learning methodology, and fostered partnerships between the community and university. She is now the Chair of the CI-USA board. Chelsie is married to Spencer and they live in Seattle, Washington.