Beyond These Walls 2025

Eduard Khegay was born (1970) and grew up in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, Soviet Union. He studied at the Bauman Moscow Technical University and majored in Mechanical Hydraulic Engineering. He became a Christian through the missionary work of Jonathan Park during his years at University and went on to study at Moscow United Methodist Theological Seminary, which he graduated in 1996.

During 1990s Eduard served as a leader of the college student ministries at Moscow Central UMC and pastor of the First UMC in St. Petersburg. In 2000s he served as director of church development of the Russia UMC, pastor of Aspiration UMC and district superintendent of St.Petersburg district, pastor of Raduga ministry of Moscow UMC, assistant to the Bishop Hans Vaxby, and district superintendent of Central Asia. In October 2012 Eduard was elected a bishop of Eurasia Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in 2001 and Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Seminary in Washington, DC in 2010. Eduard is married to Viktoria Nogay and they have two daughters, Liudmila and Lydia. They live in Moscow, Russia. 

Sarah Wanck has been serving as a Pastor for more than twenty years, passionately leading congregations in ministry to new generation and ever-focused on the church’s call to evangelism. Sarah is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary with a Masters in Youth Ministry and a Masters of Divinity. She focused her Doctoral work at United Theological Seminary on church renewal and leadership. Sarah serves as Lead Pastor at Aldersgate Global Methodist Church in Marion, IL. Her husband Gabe and son Hudson champion her call and always encourage her to use her gifts to lead. Sarah has joined the staff of World Methodist Evangelism, working as a catalyst for evangelism at home and abroad.

Arlene Joy C. Puno or Cookie came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior  during her college days. In the semester before graduation, she received the call to become a missionary during a retreat, and her life was never the same. She worked as a Ministry Affairs Coordinator at her home church, after  graduating from college. She then went on several short-term mission trips with  Jesus Revolution Now (JRev).  

In 2009 she pursued a Master’s in Education majoring in Educational Technology at UP Diliman and graduated with Academic Excellence in 2012.  

She joined Life-Growth Inc. (LGI) in 2009 and continues her ministry work as its  Executive Director. She is also one of the founders of LGI’s prayer arm,  WindWatch: A Holy Spirit ministry (2007). In 2020 she was commissioned as one of its pastors.  

Last July 1, 2023, she was also ordained as a Deacon of the Global Methodist Church Philippines and is one of the co-founding pastors of Encounter Church.  She is also a Certified Life Coach and CBT practitioner.  

Currently, she is also pursuing a Master’s in Leadership from Asbury Theological  Seminary.  

Cookie and her husband Charles have been happily married since 2012 and have three beautiful children — a daughter named Jordan Caris and two sons named Zachary Caleb and Christopher Arthur Isaac. 

Matt O'Reilly is Lead Pastor at Christ Church in Birmingham, Alabama,  Director of Research at Wesley Biblical Seminary, and a fellow of the Center for Pastor Theologians. A two-time recipient of the Stott Award for Pastoral Engagement, Matt is author of multiple books including Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification (Seedbed) and editor of Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church (Francis Asbury Press). 

Kurt Kandler is the author of If You Really Want to Help – Redefining the war on poverty. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of The 410 Bridge – a Christ-centered, community-initiated community development ministry. Additionally, he is the Founder and Executive Director of the 410 Global Outreach Network – a peer-to-peer network exclusive to global mission leaders from the N.A. church. Before founding The 410 Bridge, Kurt had over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneurial leader in the private sector. His belief in redefining the war on poverty drives the mission of The 410 Bridge.

Kurt is committed to empowering the global poor to lift themselves out of poverty through Christ-centered, indigenously led, and sustainable development. The 410 Bridge currently operates in six countries in East Africa, Central America, and Indonesia. The 410 Global Outreach Network was created for global mission church leaders to share, learn, and network together, enhancing their effectiveness and impact around the world.

Rev. Mark Sorensen began his ministry journey as a youth minister in Texas. While serving as a worship leader in Louisiana, he realized God wanted him to pursue seminary and become a pastor.

During his time at Asbury Theological Seminary, he joined the ministry team at The Woodlands Methodist Church (TWMC) as lead pastor for contemporary worship. He graduated Asbury and became an ordained minister. In 2021 he was named Senior Pastor of TWMC.

Mark is the author of When Will Jesus Be Enough? He and his wife, Nycki, have two children — Nic, who is married and has a son, and Gabbi.

Rob Lim is passionate about empowering a generation for Kingdom influence in the global marketplace. He serves as Assistant Professor of Business at Asbury University (KY, USA), is a marketplace evangelist, and co-founder of the social entrepreneur group, MATES for Change (Melbourne, Australia). Most recently he was a industry leader in mortgages as Global Head of Home Lending at one of the world’s largest banks, accountable for over $300 billion worth of assets across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. In 2012, Rob was elected as one of five young leaders internationally to be a council member on the World Methodist Council. He is married to Ruth and has four sons: Jared, Noah, and twins Jude and Benji.