Personnel
As a research fellow at ISAR, Ben mentors students in their academic research and writing and provides research assistance to lecturers and visiting scholars by helping them find relevant research materials, brainstorm about their projects, and network with other scholars. He plans to help the University community publish books and articles, stimulate dynamic scholarly conversation through appropriate "social media", and help develop online journals.
Ben received his BA in biblical studies from Wheaton College, an MAR from Trinity International University, an MDiv (Pastoral) from Westminster Theological Seminary, and his PhD (ABD) from Africa International University/NEGST.
Ben’s personal research interests focus on Luke-Acts, social identity and ethnicity, Second Temple Judaism, eschatology, hermeneutics, and the early church. His extra-biblical areas of interest include: African traditions, spiritual formation and healing, social justice, and economic development. He also enjoys assisting local churches in small group leader training, training rural pastors, and brainstorming with pioneering African missionaries about best practices.
Ben’s life ambition is to encourage and support Christian scholarship in Africa. He chose to study at AIU/NEGST so he would be surrounded by an African community and steeped in African values and questions. Having grown up as a missionary kid at Bible schools in Congo (DRC) and Liberia, Ben feels very much at home in the AIU community and believes he is called by God to serve as a bridge between African and Western scholars.
Ben is married to Christi, a spiritual and life coach with Awaken Coaching. They are raising two girls and a boy, who were born in the US, France and Kenya.