Jerry Taylor is associate professor emeritus of Bible at Abilene Christian University. He attended public schools in West Tennessee, graduating from Millington Central High School in 1980. He later earned his B.A. from Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas, and his M.Div. and D.Min. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Jerry has served as the minister of Churches of Christ in Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia, and is the author of Courageous Compassion. He is the president and CEO of Emancipation Fellowship Ministries, Inc. Jerry travels extensively speaking on college campuses and at national conferences, and is a popular lecturer at retreats and gospel/revival meetings. He is married to Patricia (Bowden) Taylor, and they have two children. The Taylor family lives in Abilene and attends the Treadaway Church of Christ.

Prior to coming to ACU, Jennifer Schroeder served in congregational ministry for almost two decades, in addition to being an accomplished musician, teacher, and scholar. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of North Texas, a doctorate from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in family studies from Lubbock Christian University; additionally, she earned her Doctor of Ministry degree from ACU. Jennifer has served in children’s ministry in congregations in Garland, Plano, and Houston, Texas, as well as Atlanta, Georgia. Jennifer currently serves the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry as the Summit Director and a consultant for churches. In addition to her role as Summit Director, she is the College Fellow for Children and Family Ministry for the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry, where she teaches courses in children and family ministry in ACU’s College of Biblical Studies. Jennifer also serves as the director of the Center for Women in Christian Ministry. Jennifer and her husband, Greg, have four children, and they love calling Abilene home.

Houston and his wife, Karen, have been married 28 years and have four children. He teaches courses on spiritual formation and ministry for ACU’s Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry and Graduate School of Theology. Additionally, he serves as director for the Siburt Institute's Contemplative Ministers' Initiative. Houston has authored several books and articles on spiritual disciplines, including Pray Like You Breathe: Exploring the Practice of Breath Prayer, Teaching Eutychus: Engaging Today’s Learners With Passion and Creativity, and most recently Faith in Mirrors, a book of mirror poems based on the life and teachings of Jesus. He frequently visits churches for preaching, teaching, consulting, and seminars in the area of spiritual formation.

Collin Packer currently serves as the Scholar in Residence for the Siburt Institute. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry and Master of Divinity from Abilene Christian University. He then served as the lead minister for prominent Churches of Christ in Littleton, Colorado, and Allen, Texas, for the next 13 years. As his calling evolved, Collin transitioned out of full-time church ministry in 2021. Since that time, Collin has served as the Director of Faith-Based Partnerships at CitySquare, the most effective poverty-fighting nonprofit in North Texas, and as the Communications Director for State Representative Carl Sherman during Texas’s 88th Legislative Session. Collin also serves as the Co-Chair for MARCH (Ministry for Awareness, Relationships, Change & Healing), a Dallas-based, multiracial group of Christians who work to manifest the gospel through love, peace, and justice. He and his wife, Holly, were married in 2004 and have three children: Maddox, Addison, and Brooklyn. 

John Mark Hicks taught theology full time in higher education among Churches of Christ from 1982 to 2023, including stints at Alabama Christian School of Religion, Magnolia Bible College, Harding University Graduate School of Religion, and most recently Lipscomb University, from which he retired in 2023. John Mark currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to holding multiple ministry positions in various places east of the Mississippi River, he has taught and preached in 41 states and 25 countries around the world. John Mark has authored, co-authored, edited, or contributed to 50 books as well as contributing to both academic and popular journals. His most recent publications are Around the Bible in 80 Days: The Story of God from Creation to New Creation (Leafwood Publishers, 2022) and Transforming Encounters: Baptism, Assembly, and the Lord’s Supper (Regnum Media, 2023). He is married to Jennifer and shares five living children and six grandchildren with her.