Contributors

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  Jana Harmon

  Senior Fellow For Christian Apologetics, CSLI
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Team Members

Jana Harmon
Senior Fellow For Christian Apologetics, CSLI
Jana Harmon, Ph.D, is the Senior Fellow For Christian Apologetics for the C.S. Lewis Institute and a Teaching Fellow for C.S. Lewis Institute Atlanta. She serves on the Atlanta Advisory Board and as an Adjunct Professor of Cultural Apologetics at Biola University. Her doctoral research studied the religious conversion of atheists to Christianity looking at the perspectives and stories of 50 former Atheists. She views apologetics through a practical, evangelistic lens. She is the host of the podcast eX-skeptic for the C.S. Lewis Institute. Jana received her PhD from the University of Birmingham, England.
 
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  James Tour

  Professor
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Team Members

James Tour
Professor
James Tour is an organic chemist and serves as the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, Professor of Computer Science, and Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University. He holds a Ph.D. in synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry from Purdue University and has published over 800 research publications and been awarded over 130 patents. He's a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors. He has been named as one of the 50 most influential scientists in the world today, one of the top ten chemists in the world, and his work has been cited over 140,000 times in the scientific literature.
 
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  Randy Newman

  Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism, CSLI
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Team Members

Randy Newman
Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism, CSLI
Randy Newman (1956-2024) was the Senior Fellow for Apologetics and Evangelism at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He taught at several evangelical seminaries. After serving for over 30 years with Campus Crusade for Christ, he established Connection Points, a ministry to help Christians engage people’s hearts the way Jesus did. He has written seven books, Questioning Evangelism, Corner Conversations, Bringing the Gospel Home, Engaging with Jewish People, Unlikely Converts: Improbable Stories of Faith and What They Teach Us About Evangelism, Mere Evangelism. and his most recent, Questioning Faith: Indirect Journeys of Belief through Terrains of Doubt. Randy has also written numerous articles about evangelism and other ways our lives intertwine with God’s creation. He earned his MDiv and PhD in Intercultural Studies from Trinity International University. Randy went home to be with the Lord in May 2024.
 
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  Dai Hankey

  Pastor
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Team Members

Dai Hankey
Pastor
Dai Hankey is a church-planting pastor. He is founder of Red Community, a Christian charity that fights human trafficking in Wales. Dai is a former skateboarder and loves to DJ. He is the author of Hopeward: Gospel Grace for Weary Souls, The Hard Corps, A Man's Greatest Challenge and the Eric Says… series. Dai regularly preaches in churches, prisons and youth events around Wales.
 
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  Paul Jeon

  Pastor
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Team Members

Paul Jeon
Pastor
Paul Jeon is a Senior Pastor of New City Church (part of the Presbyterian Church in America) in Falls Church, VA. He received his M.Div from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and a Ph.D. from Catholic University in Washington, DC. Jeon is a lecturer in New Testament and has taught at Reformed Theological Seminary (DC, Atlanta, and NY campuses) since 2009. He is the author of Living Intentionally before God: Reflections on 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy: A Charge to God’s Missional, and A New King: Encountering the Risen son.
 
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  Aimee Riegert

  CSLI Fellow
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Team Members

Aimee Riegert
CSLI Fellow
Aimee Riegert, CSLI Fellow, earned bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and foreign language studies from Southern Methodist University. In addition to supporting various national security efforts in Northern Virginia, she has worked as an itinerant high school math teacher and drama coach, and has served in women’s ministries, praise teams, on the adult support team for Young Life and as a “mentor mom” for MOPS International ministries, as well as English instructor in several ESL programs in Japan. She is a graduate of the C.S. Lewis Institute Year One Fellows Program.
 
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  Al Gascon

  Pastor
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Team Members



Al Gascon

Pastor

Al Gascon is a former atheist and materialist who experienced a supernatural transformation. He now serves as the Senior Pastor of Christ's  Church of the Valley in Bakersfield, California.


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  Aaron Welty

  Motivational Speaker
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Team Members

Aaron Welty
Motivational Speaker
Aaron Welty was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as a new born, he overcame those early years of low expectations to serve as the Senior Legislative Assistant for Michigan’s 11^th Congressional District, wherein he focused on a variety of policy issues. He graduated from Cedarville University in 2006 with a degree in Public Administration. Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Aaron worked in Marketing and Media at The Heritage Foundation. Passionate about the ideas of individual purpose and destiny, his unique story of faith, family, perseverance and chasing dreams has been shared on NBC Nightly News, various radio programs, Roll Call – a nationally syndicated newspaper – and Facing Life Head On, a life-issues focused television program.
 
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  James M. Houston

  CSLI Co-Founder
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Team Members

James M. Houston
CSLI Co-FounderJames M. Houston (1922 – 2026) is a co-founder of the C.S. Lewis Institute. Jim served as a Senior Fellow of the Institute, lecturing at CSLI events over the past five decades. He received his Bachelor of Science and M.A. degrees from the University of Edinburgh and a D. Phil. from Oxford University. He was a University Lecturer at Oxford from 1947 – 1971 where he taught cultural and historical geography. While teaching at Oxford, he met C.S. Lewis and participated in a regular Bible study with him for six years. He is known as one of the “founding fathers” of Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia where he has served as the first Principal, Chancellor and Professor of Spiritual Theology.  
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  Stephen McWhirter

  Podcast Guest
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Team Members

Stephen McWhirter
Podcast Guest
Stephen McWhirter is a songwriter, recording artist, speaker, and author. A former drug addict and now a touring worship leader, he shares his story of redemption.
 
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  John R.W. Stott

  Preacher
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Team Members

John R.W. Stott
Preacher
John R.W. Stott, (1921 – 2011) is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as Rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages.
 
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  Liam Back

  Podcast Guest
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Team Members

Liam Back
Podcast Guest
Liam Back is a former atheist who set out to prove on whether or not God actually existed. He shares his journey with Jana Harmon on Side B Stories.