Teacher/Musician Bios

Dan is a therapist in private practice who has advanced degrees in both theology and Counseling Psychology. Formerly a professor at Grace Theological Seminary and Colorado Christian University, he now serves as Professor of Counseling at Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, WA. He is a frequent speaker and conference leader and is the author of a number of books, including To Be Told and Sabbath: The Ancient Practices. Dan is married to Rebecca, and together they are the parents to three adult children.

Rob is the founding pastor of Mars Hill. He is the author of Velvet Elvis and Sex God, and is a coauthor of Jesus Wants to Save Christians. He is also featured in a series of spiritual short films called NOOMA. Rob graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He and his wife Kristen have three children and live in Grand Rapids.

Ian Morgan Cron is an author (Chasing Francis, Jesus, My Father, the CIA & Me) speaker, and retreat guide. In addition to writing, facilitating retreats, and speaking around the country, Ian is an adjunct priest at Christ Episcopal Church in Greenwich, Connecticut where he curates the Conversations in Courage and Faith series (www.courageandfaith.org). He is also a student at Fordham University where he is completing his doctoral work in Christian spirituality.

Ed is the Vice President for Spiritual Formation at Cornerstone University and the Pastor Emeritus at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in Religion, as well as a doctorate in Higher Education. A consulting editor with Leadership Journal and the author of many books, he also served as a member of the consultive group representing The World Council of Churches in dealing with the international problem of HIV/AIDS.

Kent is a Religion teacher and the Spiritual Life Advisor at Grand Rapids Christian Schools. He has spent significant time living and studying in Israel, and he was educated at both Jerusalem University College and Hebrew University. While in Israel he participated in the Ecumenical Fraternity of Jerusalem, a group dedicated to bringing Christian and Jewish leaders together for dialogue and academic purposes. Kent served as our Mars Hill Worship Director during the early days, and he has been featured in biblical programs for both the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. He has been leading pilgrimage tours to Israel since 2001.

Rachel Held Evans is an author, blogger, and speaker from Dayton, Tennessee. In October, Rachel finished a yearlong experiment in “biblical womanhood” in which she attempted to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible. That experiment will be documented in a book published by Thomas Nelson in 2012. Rachel is a skeptic, a creative, and a follower of Jesus.

Troy is the Lead Worship Pastor at Mars Hill. A graduate of Judson College who studied English and music, Troy confesses to being an unashamed self-proclaimed music snob. He plays in a local band called The Mines, and his other interests include reading, Brit Rock, contemplative practices, black shirts, and the Cherie Inn. If you see somebody strumming a ukulele at Mars Hill, it’s probably him.

Shane Hipps joined Mars Hill as a Teaching Pastor in early 2010. Formerly a strategic planner in advertising, Shane spent several years working on the communications strategy for Porsche Cars North America. He later left advertising to pursue his long-held interest in spirituality and theology, earning a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary. Before joining Mars Hill, Shane served as pastor of a growing, urban congregation in Phoenix, Arizona.

Shane is the author of two books: The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel, and Church [2006] and Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith [2009]. He is married to Andrea, and they have two young daughters.

Dr. Kara E. Powell is executive director at the Fuller Youth Institute and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. She has authored and co-authored several books, including Sticky Faith, Essential Leadership, Deep Justice in a Broken World, and Help! I’m a Woman in Youth Ministry. She is the general editor for The Fuller Youth Institute E-Journal and regularly speaks at conferences and seminars. She lives with her husband and three children in Pasadena, California.

Peter Rollins is a widely sought after writer, lecturer, storyteller and public speaker. He is also the founder of ikon, a faith group that has gained an international reputation for blending live music, visual imagery, soundscapes, theatre, ritual and reflection to create what they call ‘transformance art’. He is the author of the much talked about How (Not) to Speak of God. His most recent work is entitled Insurrection. He was born in Belfast but currently resides in Greenwich, CT and is employed by The Olson Foundation.