James Abbington

James Abbington is associate professor of music and worship at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.  He received the B.A. in music from Morehouse College in Atlanta, the M.Mus. and D.M.A. in church music and organ from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  Dr. Abbington is a member of the Executive Committee of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, and Reformed Worship magazine.

Eric Bolger

Eric Bolger has taught as Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion for the past 15 years at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, where he also serves as the Chair of the Humanities Division. Dr. Bolger is staff elder of Harvest Evangelical Free Church in Branson, Missouri.  He holds an M.Div. and a Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He graduated from IWS with the Doctor of Worship Studies degree as a member of the first or "Alpha" graduating class.

Doris Borchert

Doris Borchert is retired Professor of Internships at Northern Seminary.  She holds the D.Min. from Andover Newton Theological School and has served in the field of Christian Education as Faculty Field Supervisor at Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, Northern Baptist Seminary in Lombard, Illinois, and North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Gerald Borchert

Gerald Borchert, a former lawyer, received his Th.M. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary and University.  Prior to retiring from both Southern and Northern Baptist Seminaries, he served in various academic and administrative roles, including holding an endowed chair in New Testament.  Currently is a Senior Professor at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Washington, and has taught in more than a dozen seminaries around the world.  He is the author of 15 books, including a commentary on the Gospel of John (2 volumes) and the forthcoming Worship in the New Testament: Divine Mystery and Human Response.

Constance Cherry

Constance Cherry has held ministry positions for more than twenty-five years, serving as Minister of Music, seminary professor and pastor.  She is Associate Professor of Worship and Christian Ministries at Indiana Wesleyan University. She earned an M.M. from Bowling Green State University, Ohio and the D.Min. from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.  She has become a recognized hymn writer with texts appearing in major hymnals.  In addition, Hope Publishing Company has featured her work in a one-author collection of hymns, Proclaim New Hope (2001).

Andrew Hill

Andrew Hill is Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.  His graduate training includes an M.Div. with Christian Education emphasis from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan.  He is the author of a number of books, including Enter His Courts with Praise!

Reggie Kidd

Reggie Kidd is Professor of New Testament and Dean of the Chapel at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida.  He holds an M.A.R. and an M.Div. from Westminister Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Duke University.  His writings include Wealth and Beneficence in the Pastoral Epistles, the notes on Ephesians and Colossians for the New Geneva Study Bible, and the recently published With One Voice: Discovering Christ's Song in our Worship.

Wonkee “Dan” Lee

W. Dan Lee, a former faculty member of Northern Seminary, is a theologian-at-large, and is also practicing law in Chicago focusing on litigation and transactions.  At Northern, he taught practical theology in the areas of postmodern spirituality, Christian leadership, formation for Christian ministry and multiculturalism.  He received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, Illinois), Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law (Chicago, Illinois), an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ft. Worth, Texas), and both M.A. and B.A. in philosophy from Baylor University (Waco, Texas).  He has published numerous articles on multiculturalism and was a plenary speaker at Ethnic Workers’ Summit 2002 sponsored by Billy Graham Center.

Keith Ray

Having pastored United Methodist Churches in Greenville for 15 years, Keith Ray is Associate Chaplain at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.  He earned an M.Div. from Candler School of Theology and has done additional graduate work in liturgical theology and history at the University of Notre Dame.  He holds the D.Min. degree from Northern Seminary.

Lester Ruth

Lester Ruth is the Lily May Jarvis Professor of Christian Worship at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.  He holds a M.Div. from Asbury, a Th.M. from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a Ph.D. in liturgical history from the University of Notre Dame.  He specializes in worship history with particular interests in the Patristic period and in early Methodism.  He has written 4 books:  Early Methodist Life and Spirituality: A Reader; A Little Heaven Below: Worship at Early Methodist Quarterly Meetings; Creative Preaching on the Sacraments (with Craig Satterlee); and Accompanying the Journey: A Handbook for Sponsors (a book on preparing people for baptism).  He has also written numerous articles for pastoral and scholarly journals.  He served as a United Methodist pastor in Texas before he began teaching fulltime in 1998.  He has been with the Institute for Worship Studies since January 2000 and teaches the worship history part of the first doctoral course with Andy Hill.

Daniel Sharp

Daniel Sharp is the Pastor of Worship and the Arts at La Jolla Community Church.  He holds the M.M.E. from Drake University and a D.M.A. from the University of Southern California.  He is the author of the children’s musical Three Wee Kings, as well as various articles for Worship and Creator magazines.  He is past president of the National Association of Church Musicians.

Jack Van Marion

Jack Van Marion is Lead Pastor of Preaching and Teaching at Calvary Church in Edina, Minnesota.  He received an M.Div. degree from Calvin Theological Seminary and a D.Min. in worship studies from Northern Seminary.  He combines his ministry experience in the pastorate with teaching opportunities in the area of worship at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto and Briercrest Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan.

Kent Walters

Kent Walters has served as Worship Pastor at Grace Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan for 31 years.  He received an M.M. from Michigan State University and a Doctor of Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies graduating as a member of the first or "Alpha" class.  He has served as the school's Director of Alumni Activities and Editor of the IWS newsletter, Anamnesis, since 2004, and was appointed faculty member for the Practicum Courses in June 2007.

Carla Waterman

Carla Waterman is Adjunct Professor of Worship and Spirituality at Northern Seminary.  She also has an ongoing ministry of Christian formation and pastoral care, especially with her Women in the Kingdom ministry.  She holds an M.A. from Northeastern Illinois University in Family and Community Counseling and a Ph.D. in Sociology form Cornell University.

Greg Wilde

Greg Wilde received his M.A. in Theology/Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame in 1991, is a postulant for Holy Orders, a lay preacher in the Anglican Communion, a seminarian at Sewanee School of Theology, and a D.W.S. candidate at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies.