EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: WENDY WILSON
Having served in various capacities in leadership training ministry since 1984, Wendy’s great joy is envisioning and equipping women to participate fully in living out their design in the Image of God and in the grand calling of the Great Commission. With a BBA from Texas A&M University, and an MABS from Dallas Theological Seminary, Wendy has led inter-mission and inter-confessional mentoring and equipping efforts for 30+ years, having lived and traveled abroad for many of those years. After serving for 28 years with a pastoral training mission, with a focus on engaging women with shepherding gifts, she has served since 2012 as the Mission Advisor for Development of Women to the Missio Nexus network of mission agencies, and as the founder and Executive Director of the collaborative Women’s Development Track.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
MARGIE BURGESS has been a missionary with SIM since 2011. Together with her husband, she served at a mission hospital in Malawi for 5 years before returning to the USA to work with the Healthcare Ministries Team as leaders of the Health Provider Advocacy Group. This team seeks to walk alongside and support the more than 230 medical missionaries serving with SIM worldwide, especially addressing the many unique challenges medical workers face. Margie has served as a peer discussion group facilitator with WDT and is passionate about the development of women throughout the mission world. She would love to see women in missions equipped and encouraged to live out their callings as disciple makers and leaders so that the Gospel is lived and proclaimed. She and her husband have 2 married daughters and 5 grandchildren.
“The Women’s Development Track modules have powerfully impacted my life and ministry. Each module contains excellent content that is practical, challenging and renewing. These weeks model the balance they teach, allowing space and time to process and connect with the Lord. Each time I have returned with a clearer view of God’s calling on my life and with tools for following Him more intentionally. The fact that this all happens in a community of other likeminded women from different ministry organizations is inspiring, as I hear what God is doing through their lives and ministries around the world. I recommend these programs to any global worker as a way of deepening your walk with God, refreshing your focus in ministry and for gaining new tools and insights from the material and your co-learners. After each WDT experience, I return home passionate about WDT as a resource for myself and my fellow workers.”
SHERYL GRAVES is the Director of Women’s Ministries at Coppell Bible Fellowship in the Dallas, Texas area, and also serves as a facilitator for Women’s Development Track and a Board member for Grafted Life Ministries. With a business degree and background as well as 30 plus years of broad ministry experience, she is passionate about discipleship and effectively equipping women leaders in the local church setting.
“I find that each time I participate in one of these development experiences, I return to my church ministry refreshed, with greater clarity, new perspective, and a renewed enthusiasm for both ministry and what the Lord is doing. I believe these opportunities for me to step out of my ministry context to learn from and with others are an important part of staying engaged in the longevity of a ministry life. These experiences help me to continue to grow, think, and pray creatively, and provide a buffer from falling into a ministry rut. I’m also grateful each time I participate for the time to allow my soul to settle and have the opportunity to rest and hear from the Lord.”
BEVERLY ISAIAH-BERMUDEZ is a native of Refugio in south Texas. She went to undergraduate school at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in political science. Beverly studied law at the University of Houston Law Center. She has practiced as in-house corporate counsel, taught as an adjunct professor and is partner in her own law practice with offices in New Braunfels and Seguin, Texas. Beverly volunteers in various community organizations, has done mission work, has served in children’s ministries in various leadership roles for over 30 years, including children’s pastor, and has served as a host and judge at the National Bible Bee Competition.
“We are all called to serve and minister in whatever station in life we find ourselves. At this season of my life I believe that the Lord has called me “for such a time as this” to serve and support the dynamic goals and mission efforts of the Women’s Development Track, beyond the mere financial support that I have contributed for years. I am infinitely blessed by the challenge and look forward to the renewal and awakening of hearts in this concerted effort in equipping women as kingdom leaders and disciples of the great I Am.”
DIANE THORNTON has served in a variety of ministries, including her local church, Women’s Discipleship, Bible Study Fellowship, and other non-profit Board leadership roles.
“The Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 tells us ‘to go make disciples’ and this used to frighten me as I had never been discipled nor had I been in a church that intentionally equipped women to be disciple makers. WDT has given me skills and resources to continue in my own growth as a disicple as well as offer what I have gained to others. That makes me a disciple maker as well! I also greatly appreciate the awareness that WDT has given me of the suffering of women around the world. Through WDT I know that I am making a difference in an important niche that reflects God’s heart!”
LEADERSHIP ADVISORS:
ROB DIXON has served on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for the last 21 years. In his current role, he oversees InterVarsity’s ministry on college and university campuses in central California and southern Nevada. Issues at the intersection of gender and faith are a key aspect of Rob’s ministry, and he recently completed a Doctor of Intercultural Studies degree at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he researched attributes of flourishing male/female partnerships in mission.
LEANNE DZUBINSKI served overseas as a church planter, educator, and trainer for missionaries and missionary women for 17 years with Greater Europe Mission. During that time she also studied mission-related issues such as acculturation and women’s contributions to missions. Now she teaches in the Cook School of Intercultural Studies at Biola University. Her research focuses on women in leadership, particularly executive-level women leaders in mission organizations.
MARGIE BOWMAN has been a participant and leader of various Women’s Ministries over the past 25 years. Margie comes with a corporate Human Resources background specializing in learning and development. As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) she has developed mentoring and coaching programs for women leaders in various career and life transitions.
“Coming out of the corporate world, my expectation for a Women’s Development Track module was that it would be a “refreshing” reprieve from the “daily grind”. And though the modules are a safe place and a time of renewal, they also impact me in a way that changes my thoughts about my life. . . simply said, I always walk away with more purpose, heart and drive for the path the Lord has designed for me. I go back to my life feeling thoughtfully propelled to discover, connect and serve Him more! So grateful for this!!”
TED ESLER is the President of Missio Nexus. Ted worked in the computer industry before becoming a church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during the 1990’s. He is the author of the book, “Overwhelming Minority,” about their family’s ministry in Bosnia. In 2000, Ted became the Canadian director of Pioneers and three years later moved to Orlando to eventually be the Executive Vice President where he served until 2015 when he assumed his current responsibilities. Ted has BS in Computer Science, an MTS in Theology, and a PhD in Intercultural Studies (Fuller Theological Seminary).
“Missio Nexus recognizes the historical contribution that women have made in the pursuit of the Great Commission. We are committed to seeing women developed across the array of opportunities in the North American mission movement. Wendy Wilson has been an outstanding resource for women’s development and in areas of leadership and we therefore purposefully partner with her and endorse her ministry.”
DOROTHY JANZEN has been a missionary with SEND International since 1986. Together with her husband, Warren, she spent 16 years church planting in Japan until 2004 when they were asked to transition to the International office of SEND in Michigan, where Warren began his role as SEND’s International Director. Through this transition, Dorothy became aware of the need for more focused attention to the women of SEND globally, especially relating to their desire for personal and professional development. She was instrumental in developing a Women’s Ministry Team for SEND, and continues to be involved in this ministry coordinating modules for Women’s Development Track as well as serving as a facilitator.
“Participating in the Women’s Development Track modules have been one of the greatest impacts to my life and ministry. No matter what the topic, each time I have been challenged to grow, both personally and professionally, and have always walked away refreshed and renewed to press on in my ministry. Not only have these learning experiences provided me with tools to better steward the gifts the Lord has given me, but I have gained new and fresh visions for ministry through friendships developed here with like-minded women from various ministry locations.”
SUSAN TORRENCE (CPA) (Idaho, USA) is a professional accountant and tax preparer in her community as well as finance committee member for her local church. Sue also serves on the leadership team for a regional training effort, Women Equipping Women, in her local church’s Women’s Bible Study, and with the Board of Bear Paw Camp.