Asbury Seminary announces the hiring of Dr. Kenneth L. Waters, Sr., to serve as Professor of Homiletics; Dr. Chris Bounds to serve as Professor of Theology; Dr. Leanne Dzubinski to serve as Professor of Christian Leadership and Director of the Beeson International Center for Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership; Dr. Ken Myers, to serve as Clinical Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Counselor Education; Dr. Andrew Graham, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, to enter his teaching role long-term; and Dr. Wilmer Estrada-Carrasquillo to serve as Associate Professor of Missions and Evangelism.

“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Waters, Dr. Bounds, Dr. Dzubinski, Dr. Myers, Dr. Graham, and Dr. Estrada-Carrasquillo to the Asbury Seminary community,” said Dr. Gregg A. Okesson, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Each brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership from their respective fields. As we continue to celebrate the Seminary’s Centennial year, these faculty members will draw from their expertise to equip our students to effectively share the gospel around the world. We are exceptionally pleased to fill the vacancies in our faculty with men and women of such high academic renown.”

Dr. Kenneth Waters, Sr., Professor of Homiletics

Dr. Kenneth L. Waters, Sr., is Emeritus Professor of New Testament at Azusa Pacific University where he also served as Associate Dean of the Division of Religion and Philosophy; Associate Dean of Personnel, Contracts, and Undergraduate Studies; and University Associate Chaplain. He has served as President of the Pacific Coast Region Society of Biblical Literature and Program Chair of the New Testament Epistles and Apocalypse Section.

He is the author of “Afrocentric Sermons: The Beauty of Blackness in the Bible” (Valley Forge: Judson Press 1993); “I Saw the Lord: A Pilgrimage through Isaiah Six” (Nashville: Upper Room Book 1996); and “Women, Salvation, and Childbearing: The Mystery of 1 Timothy 2:11-15” (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers 2022). He is also author of the Logos Bible Software Survey of the Pastoral Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press 2015).

He is published in the Journal of Biblical Literature, Studia Biblica Slovaca, Sage Open, Review & Expositor, The African American Pulpit, Lexington Theological Quarterly, The North Star, The Quarterly Review, The Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Christian Scholar’s Review.

He has articles in the Global Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology and the Global Wesleyan Encyclopedia of Biblical Theology. He has chapters in the books Christian College/Christian Calling, Afrocentric Interpretations (3 vols), the Holiness Manifesto, and The Holy River of God. He has recently completed a chapter for the book Jesus Remembered in the Johannine Situation.

He was a consultant for the Voice Bible project of Ecclesia Bible Society and Thomas Nelson Publishers.

He has led a study tour of Greece and Turkey focused on the travels of Paul the Apostle and the Seven Churches of the Book of Revelation.

He has been a featured guest on The History Channel and It is Written Oceania TV broadcasts.

At Azusa Pacific University he was recipient of the Undergraduate Scholarly Achievement Award and the University Leadership Award. He was the Spring 2022 commencement speaker for the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies at Azusa Pacific University.

He has served 30 years as lead pastor of congregations in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church along with interim pastorates in Lutheran and non-denominational churches. He is licensed and ordained in the Missionary Baptist Church and currently serves as Assistant Pastor of West Side Baptist Church in Fontana, California.

He is married to the Reverend Deborah Tarver Waters, author of “Loving God” (Meadville, PA: Christian Faith Publishers 2022). They have four sons and six grandchildren.

Dr. Chris Bounds, Professor of Theology

Dr. Chris Bounds is the Dean of the School of Theology & Ministry and Professor of Systematic Theology at Indiana Wesleyan University. He is an ordained Elder in The Arkansas Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he served as an appointed pastor for eight years.

He has published articles in popular and scholarly venues, including Aldersgate Papers; Theological Journal of the Australasian Centre for Wesleyan Research; Asbury Theological Journal; Catalyst: Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives for United Methodist Seminarians; East-West Church and Ministry Report; Expository Times; Good News Magazine; Religious Studies Review; Studia Patristica; Wesleyan Life: The Magazine of the Wesleyan Church; The Wesleyan Theological Journal; and Wesley and Methodist Studies.

He has also contributed chapters or articles to popular and academic books, including “Creation Care: Christian Voices on God, Humanity, and the Environment”; “Dictionary of Everyday Theology and Culture”; “Encyclopedia of Christian Education”; “Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States”; “Historical Dictionary of Methodism”; “Leadership the Wesleyan Way”; “Recovering the Wesleyan Social Witness”; “ReThinking Wesleyan Theology”; “Straight Talk”; “Scholars Coming to Faith”; and “Treasure the Word: A Layperson’s Guide to Interpreting Scripture.”

Dr. Bounds has also co-authored four books: “Holiness: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Theology” with Matt Ayars and Caleb Friedeman; “Holiness: The Power to Transform You, Your Church, and Your World” with Jim Garlow, Christy Lipscomb, and Joann Lyon; “Selecting Worship Songs: A Guide for Leaders” with Constance Cherry and Mary Brown; and “Unholiness: Overcoming the Forces that Attack Your Soul” with Jim Lo.

He presently serves on the Board of Trustees of One Mission Society (OMS); the Board of Directors of The Francis Asbury Society; and the Board of Directors for Good News: A Forum for Scriptural Christianity in The United Methodist Church. He previously served on the Board of the Manchester Wesley Research Centre.

He and his wife Tamara have been married for almost 30 years. They have a daughter, Maris, a son, Morgan, and a daughter-in-law, Alyse. Chris loves Arkansas Razorback basketball, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football, and Ben and Jerry’s Heath Bar Crunch Ice Cream.

Dr. Leanne Dzubinski, Professor of Christian Leadership and Director of the Beeson International Center for Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership

Dr. Leanne Dzubinski is Acting Dean of Cook School of Intercultural Studies; Associate Professor of Intercultural Education and Studies; and the Ph.D. Intercultural Education Program Director at Biola University.

Dr. Dzubinski’s background includes almost two decades of evangelism, church planting, and teaching in Europe prior to her decade serving as a faculty member at Biola University. Her research interests focus on leadership, gender and leadership, and gender bias in leadership. She has published on these topics in many scholarly journals and is author of “Women in the Mission of the Church: Their Opportunities and Obstacles throughout Christian History” and “Playing by the Rules: How Women Lead in Evangelical Mission Organizations” (American Society of Missiology Monograph Series).

Dr. Dzubinski also serves as the editor of Missiology: An International Review. She enjoys serving as an organizational consultant for improved leadership practices.

Dr. Ken Myers, Clinical Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Counselor Education

Dr. Ken Myers will become the Clinical Coordinator at Asbury Seminary while remaining Assistant Professor of Counselor Education.

Dr. Myers is a native of Lancaster County, PA, and is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. He has served numerous churches for 26 years throughout South Georgia and North Florida. In 2016, he received a Master of Arts in Counseling from Regent University. In 2021, Dr. Myers earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education from the University of Florida. His doctoral dissertation is entitled, “Empowering Survivors to Speak Their Truth: An Exploration of Counselors’ Lived Experiences of Providing Therapy with Adult Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.”

Dr. Myers is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern in Florida and is working toward becoming an Associate Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider. Besides his vast pastoral experience, he has counseled at an inpatient residence for underserved youth, an inpatient mental health treatment center at a large regional hospital, a private counseling clinic for individuals and couples, and a university counseling center for students.

Dr. Myers hopes to help his clients achieve their best selves by focusing on their strengths. He firmly believes that we are all God’s handiwork and that no one is beyond God’s redemptive power.

Dr. Andrew Graham, Associate Professor of Counselor Education

Dr. Andrew Graham, Associate Professor of Counselor Education at Asbury Seminary, will enter his teaching role long-term.

Dr. Graham has practiced clinical mental health counseling and consulting since 2003. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida), National Certified Counselor, and Board-Certified Professional Christian Counselor. He is an active member of the American Association for Christian Counselors (AACC), the Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS), and the American Counseling Association (ACA). He has presented in many forums, most recently the CAPS annual conference and the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association annual conference. Dr. Graham began teaching graduate counseling courses in 2007, most recently serving as Associate Professor of Graduate Counseling at Spring Arbor University. He continues to counsel, teach, supervise, and present on topics related to mental health and the church. Andrew and his wife, Lisa, reside in Hobe Sound, Florida, with their eight children.

Dr. Wilmer Estrada-Carrasquillo, Associate Professor of Missions and Evangelism

Dr. Wilmer Estrada Carrasquillo, a native Puerto Rican, serves as Director of the Center for Latino Studies and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Pentecostal Theological Seminary. Before entering theological education, he served as District Youth Leader, National Youth and Discipleship Director, and Senior Pastor of the Iglesia de Dios Mission Board “Buenas Nuevas” in Puerto Rico, where he holds his credentials as a minister.

Wilmer is the author of “Hacia una eclesiología Hispana-Latina: Una respuesta a la McDonaldización” (Center for Latino Studies Press, 2018) and “Beyond the Temple: Pentecostal Spirituality as a Lived Ecclesiology” (CPT Press, 2021). Both monographs look at the church’s public presence and her calling to embody the gospel in its contexts. Furthermore, he has published journal articles, encyclopedia entries, and book chapters on Pentecostal spirituality, mission and evangelism, the intersection between faith and culture, Latina Theology, and the relationship between Pentecostalism and the Wesleyan movement.

Wilmer lives in Cleveland, TN, with Laura and their three daughters, Kalani, Mía, and Valeria, where they serve their local church as part of the preaching, teaching, and worship team.