Conference Presenters

Jeff Barker, Professor of Theater at Northwestern University in Orange City, IA, is an experienced worship leader, writer and theatre professor. He was selected as the state of Iowa Professor of the Year for 2006.    

John Brittain, Dean of the Chapel at Houghton College, has been a United Methodist pastor for 38 years and a campus minister for 30.  He and his wife Eileen have led student groups across the U.S. and on five continents.  Dr. Brittain is the author of three books and numerous professional articles.    

Jonathan Case is Associate Professor of Theology at Houghton College.  Prior to teaching at Houghton, he served for several years as a missionary theological educator at Kingsley College, Melbourne (Australia) and as a research associate for Church Innovations Institute (St Paul, Minnesota).  His articles and reviews have appeared in Word & World, Dialog and Journal for Christian Theological Research.    

Judy Congdon serves as Professor of Organ and College Organist at Houghton College, where she also teaches courses in church music and hymnology.  During 2006-07 Dr. Congdon directed a worship project at Houghton, supported by a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, which included compiling and producing Bread for the Journey, a congregational song resource for the college community.    

Kelvin Friebel is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Houghton College, a position he has held since 2006.  For the past 15 years he has been teaching in the area of Lament Psalms and their relevance for contemporary worship at both seminary and undergraduate levels.    

Michelle Grimm has been involved with church music since childhood.  An organist, accompanist and choir director, she has worked with choirs and led worship singing for over 25 years in numerous congregations.  She holds a Master of Divinity from Bethany Theological Seminary and currently manages the campus Cokesbury bookstore at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.    

Kevin Jackson is Director of Sound and Recording at Houghton College.  His music and sound career has spanned over 22 years since age 17, when he became the “default” sound man for his band “Wilderness”. Kevin has worked in many locations with artists such as: 33 Miles, Kutless, Jeff Deyo (Sonicflood), Group 1 Crew, Limp Bizkit, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Dr. Dre and many more. Kevin’s passion is to train and mentor technicians at Houghton College and the local church. His other passion is his beautiful fiancé.    

Brandon P. Johnson is the Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Conducting and Voice at the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College. Dr. Johnson heads the Houghton College choral program comprised of five choral ensembles, and administers the masters of music degree in choral conducting.    

Sharon Johnson, Assistant Professor of Piano and Accompanying at Houghton College, has trained and coached vocal and instrumental praise teams for some 20 years and regularly serves as worship leader.  During 1988-92 she toured in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa as primary keyboardist and assistant director of the Continental Singers and Orchestra.  Dr. Johnson holds degrees in piano performance (UNC-Greensboro) and accompanying and coaching (University of Minnesota).     

Dianne Maynard-Christensen is the Director of Music and Organist for Faith Lutheran Church in Rochester, where she oversees eight vocal and instrumental ensembles, and is also Adjunct Instructor of Organ at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY.  She holds degrees in organ from the Eastman School of Music and Indiana University, has won prizes in a number of national organ competitions, and has appeared throughout the United States as both a recitalist and a clinician for master classes and lectures in both organ literature and church music.     

Greg McClain has served as pastor of the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg for 30 years.  He presently leads 4 services each weekend in three different formats.     

John D. Witvliet is director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and professor of music and worship at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, respectively. His responsibilities include oversight of the Institute's practical and scholarly programs, and teaching courses in worship, theology, and music. His areas of interest include the history of Christian worship, worship practices in various denominations, biblical and systematic theology of worship, the role of music and the arts in worship, choral music and consulting with churches on worship renewal.    

J. Michael Walters is Professor of Christian Ministries and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Houghton College.  In addition to his academic career, he served as a pastor for 18 years.  His primary interests are pastoral theology, liturgical studies and spiritual formation.

Doug Childress is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div).  He is in his third year pastoring United Methodist Churches in both Belmont and Scio, NY.  His wife, Kulli Toniste, teaches in the Houghton department of religion and philosophy.