Chapel Speaker Bios

Kary Oberbrunner - Kary Oberbrunner refers to himself as a Recovering Pharisee." He founded Redeem the Day Ministries in 2004 and serves as the Pastor of Discipleship and Leadership Development at Grace Church in Powell, OH. Through his speaking, writing, coaching, and consultation, he invites others into a holistic relationship with Jesus Christ.

Kary earned a D. Min. in Transformational Leadership and an M. Div. in Counseling. He has spoken across the country in many settings including colleges, camps, and conferences. Kary has a heart for the local church and understands, from personal experience, the daily joys and struggles of vocational ministry.

Kary has written several books and writes regularly for magazines on such subjects as holiness, Christian living, and cultural phenomenon. Kary strives, in his delivery style, to use verbal and visual illustrations, which drive home advanced spiritual principles. He is a fresh voice of authenticity for this generation, calling others to live lives larger than themselves.

Kary is married to his soulmate Kelly. They are blessed parents of Keegan and Isabel. In his free-time he enjoys reading, the outdoors, and playing disc golf.

Chris Williamson - At the age of 15, Chris Williamson became a born-again believer in Jesus Christ at a youth camp in his hometown of Baltimore, MD. Upon completing his education at Liberty University and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Chris and his wife Dorena came to Nashville in 1992 to further his efforts of ministry through gospel rap music. However, God had other plans and placed Chris on staff with Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN doing urban community ministry.

The Lord led Chris to plant a church in 1995 that would be multi-ethnic and community impacting. Strong Tower Bible Church was born and it met for the first ten years in the Franklin YMCA before moving to the Factory in 2006. Married since 1991, Pastor Chris and Dorena have four children: Dante, Christa, Chase, and Charis. Pastor Chris’ passion is for STBC to be a reconciling, difference maker in society.

Betsy Becker - Betsy is a missionary with Grace Brethren International Missions, serving in Central Asia.  She will be the Missionary in Residence this semester on Grace Campus.

Gilbert Tuhabonye - Gilbert Tuhabonye was born in the southern county of Songa in Burundi, a small mountainous country in east central Africa. He is the third of four children. His parents were part of the Tutsi tribe and were farmers by profession. They kept milk cows and raised potatoes, peas, corn and beans.

His love of running was forged early. Gilbert loved to run everywhere. He ran to the valley's edge to get water for his family. He ran to school, five miles away, and he loved to race his friends. His favorite thing to do was to chase his family's cows. He was baptized as a Catholic in the sixth grade and moved 150 miles away the next year to board at a Protestant school in Kibimba.

While attending the Kibimba school, Gilbert began running competitively. Running barefoot, he won an 8K race while only a freshman. As a sophomore, he met a man who taught him how to change his running technique by getting his knees up and holding his arms correctly. The coach encouraged him to work hard and try for the Olympics. Gilbert became national champion in the 400 and 800 meters as an 11th grader. As a senior, Gilbert was already an extraordinary runner whose goal was to get a scholarship to an American school, get an education and return home to Burundi.

Fate had another plan for Gilbert.

On October 21, 1993, the centuries-old war between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes erupted in horrific reality one afternoon as Gilbert and his classmates were in school. The Hutu classmates at the Kibimba school, their parents, some teachers and other Hutu tribesmen, forced more than a hundred Tutsi children and teachers into a room where they beat and burned them to death. After nine hours of being buried by the corpses of his beloved friends, and himself on fire, Gilbert used the charred bone of one of his classmates to break through a window. He jumped free of the burning building and ran into the night, on charred feet, surviving one of the most horrible massacres in the long Tutsi-Hutu war. He ran from that horror into a new life.

Now, 16 years later and more than 8,000 miles from Burundi, Gilbert Tuhabonye is a celebrity in the world of running. He went on to graduate college at Abilene Christian University where, despite being covered with scar tissue from his extensive burns, he was a national champion runner. He is now, by all accounts, the most popular running coach in Austin, Texas where he lives with his wife Triphine and two daughters, Emma and Grace.

Gilbert coaches runners at Run Tex in Austin where they call themselves Gilbert's Gazelles. He speaks English, French, Swahili and his own native Kirunde.

Mike Haley - Mike Haley is the Director of Gender Issues for Focus on the Family.  A sought-after speaker and media guest, Haley strives to educate and protect others from the destructive path of homosexuality. The insight he offers into the causes and treatments of homosexuality stem from his own 12-year experience as a gay teen and young adult.

Haley earned a degree in Christian education from Biola University and spent four years as a mental health counselor specializing in the treatment of adolescent personality disorders. He then fulfilled a lifelong dream by serving as a youth pastor at Central Church, one of the largest churches in Memphis, Tennessee. Currently, he serves as chairman of the board for Exodus International, the nation’s foremost organization helping men and women overcome homosexuality.

Haley has authored books and written for such publications as Single Parent and Plugged In and has produced a Focus booklet called Straight Answers: Exposing the Myths and Facts about Homosexuality. He has also been featured in Focus and Citizen magazines, National Liberty Journal, and in Dr. James Dobson’s new book, Marriage Under Fire. Since 1992, Haley has appeared in a number of educational videos including Reaching into the Closet, A Journey Out, and Dr. Dobson’s Bringing Up Boys, which discusses his personal journey out of homosexuality. As a media guest, he has been interviewed on television shows produced by ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, DayStar, and Fox TV. He has been interviewed on radio broadcasts such as Focus on the Family, Janet Parshall’s America, and In Focus.

Christine Sneeringer - Christine Sneeringer is a conference speaker and freelance writer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the executive director of Worthy Creations, which is part of the worldwide network of Exodus International – a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian organization promoting the message of Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.

Broken Voices - Broken Voices is a non-profit organization that exists to inspire influencers to dream big and act now!  They tell the real life stories of people who are acting on the unique dreams God has given them to impact the world for good, calling people to embrace a life of passion andpurpose!

Steve Moore - Steve has been passionate about missions since his first short-term trip in 1983. Since then he has worked extensively with missionaries through short-term outreach, training, mobilization and research projects in more than 40 countries.

Steve has an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Seminary. He has more than a decade of experience developing young leaders in a global context. As the founder of Keep Growing, Inc., Steve has utilized resources, training and coaching to help leaders realize their potential and maximize their effectiveness.

As an author, trainer and speaker, Steve is often called upon to share God's heart for the nations or invest in a group of leaders.

Francois Ngoumape & Augustan Hibale - Francois and Augustan are African pastors and leaders in the Grace Brethren Fellowship. 

Dave Guiles - After serving Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM) in Argentina, Dave Guiles became the Executive Director of GBIM in 2000. 

Kent Fischel - Fishel, who has spoken to students around the world, is the president of DISCIPLESHIP INC., a ministry aimed at reaching students and adults with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is also the author of 10 books, including “The Breakthrough Series” and “The Extreme Faith Devotional Bible.”  He was a successful coach at both the high school and college levels, prior to his ministry with DISCIPLESHIP INC.

Jeremy Kingsley - Jeremy Kingsley is a Bible teacher and a leader for a new generation. Every year he challenges large audiences of people in the US and internationally at universities, music festivals, special events and conferences “Don’t read the Bible to finish, read it to change,” “Humility and service is the path to true greatness.” Jeremy Kingsley is a third generation minister. He is passionate about knowing Christ and making Him known. A talented and creative communicator, he has become one of the most sought after speakers in the country. He also teaches homiletics, evangelism training, leadership development, and is a consultant for churches, para-church organizations, and corporations (interested in effective team leadership).

Jeremy has written multiple articles and two books, One Step Closer to a life worth living and Be Last: Descending to Greatness, and has recorded three live speaking events: Amazing Jesus, Reputation, and The Encounter. In 2004 Jeremy founded Onelife Ministries, a non-profit, faith-based ministry. Its mission is to invite people to know and love Jesus Christ, to strengthen them in their faith, and to offer biblical insight for long-term spiritual growth and ministry through Biblically centered, inspiring, relevant teaching and resources.

Sons of Korah - Sons of Korah have endeavored to bring a unique contemporary flavor to a traditional idea. With their unique acoustic, multi-ethnic sound Sons of Korah have achieved an intriguing re-creation of the musical drama of the psalms. Sons of Korah have put the Word of God and music together in a dynamic and captivating way in order to lead their listeners into an impacting encounter with the heart of the bible. From lamentation to songs of jubilant praise, from battle cry to benediction, from exclamation of awe and wonder to reflections of tranquility and perfect wisdom, Sons of Korah provide a compelling portrait of the world and experience of the psalms.

Rabi Maharaj - Maharaj grew up in a Hindu community in Trinidad and Tobago. He is descendant of a long line of Brahmin priests and gurus from the holy city of Varanasi (Banaras) in Uttar Pradesh, India.  Trained as a holy Yogi, Maharaj went on a search for truth and eventually found Jesus Christ. Still embracing his Indian roots, Maharaj kept his great respect for the Indian culture and the rich heritage from which he came. Maharaj studied medicine in London but switched to charity work.  He is a bestselling Indian author and sought after speaker.  He goes back to India on a regular basis to do developmental/charity work. 

Keith Minier - Pastor of Grace Fellowship in Pickerington, Ohio.