Jeremy Stein, MA

Director, Center for Holy Lands Studies

Originally hailing from Long Island, New York, Jeremy Stein has served as Director of the Center for Holy Lands Studies since 2024, while previously serving in the Role of Teaching Specialist since 2017. Prior to his time at the CHLS, Jeremy served five years in Pastoral Ministry at Neighborhood Assembly of God in Bellmore, New York.  Jeremy holds bachelor’s degrees in biblical studies and Pastoral Ministries from Zion Bible College in Haverhill Massachusetts, as well as a Master’s Degree in Ancient Judaism and the Origins of Christianity from Nyack College in New York City. He currently serves as Professor of Archeology at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well Professor of New Testament and Biblical Languages at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. However, Jeremy’s greatest passion in his work is teaching the world of the Bible through the context of the lands themselves, which he has done now for over a decade.  Jeremy resides in Springfield Missouri, with his wife Miriam and their son Zachery.

Dr. Mark Jenkins, Ph.D.

Dr. Jenkins is a graduate of Evangel University and is currently the Chair of Theology and Global Church Ministries. He finished his graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology. Before going to Evangel University, he taught at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, and Central Bible College in Springfield, MO. Courses he has taught at Evangel include Old Testament Literature, New Testament Literature, Old Testament Historical Books, The Book of Exodus, Sophomore Seminar, Biblical Hebrew, Anthropology, Archaeology, Archaeology of the Old Testament, and Archaeology of the Graeco-Roman World. Dr. Jenkins had his first experience with excavation in the late 1990's at Tel Malhata in the Negev of Israel. He began taking students from Central Bible College to Tel es-Safi, biblical Gath, in 2010. In 2011 he was brought on staff as a field archaeologist and square director and has taken students from Evangel University since joining the faculty in 2013. In addition to archaeological fieldwork, Mark has also presented scholarly papers at both regional and national conferences including the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Schools of Oriental Research.

Chair of Theology and Global Church Ministries, Evangel University (Springfield, MO)

Dr. Jeffrey P. Garcia, Ph.D.

Dr. Jeffrey P. García is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College, Wenham, MA. He specializes in the culture, history, and texts of early Judaism, the very faith that Jesus, his disciples, Paul, and Peter practiced. Jeff is a sought-after speaker for church and university groups alike, who often comment on his ability to connect ancient realities to the modern world. Since 2012, Dr. García has worked with the Center for Holy Lands Studies as a teaching guide in Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, and Rome. As a member of the US team excavating El A‘raj, Bethsaida of the Gospels, he has spent five seasons digging in one of the most important villages of Jesus’ ministry.

Dr. García holds a PhD from NYU, where he studied under the direction of world-renowned Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Dr. Lawrence Schiffman. He also frequently collaborates with distinguished scholar of the Gospels and Historical Geographer, R. Steven Notley. Publishing regularly on the Gospels and their ancient Jewish setting, Dr. García has made it a point to not just address the academic world with his work. He is committed to engaging a more popular audience with articles and books such as, “Jesus and His Pilgrimage Practices,” “What Can We Learn from Women’s Roles on Ancient Synagogues,” and “Understanding the Gospels as Ancient Jewish Literature” (Jerusalem: Carta, 2018). He is also the author of On Human Nature in Ancient Judaism: Creation, Composition, and Condition (JAJSup 34; Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh; Leiden: Brill, 2020), and co-editor of The Gospels in First-Century Judaea (Leiden: Brill, 2016), as well as a contributor to the Biblical Archaeology Review, Lexham Bible Dictionary (Lexham Press, 2016), and The Routledge Encyclopedia of Ancient Mediterranean Religions (Routledge, 2015).

Currently, he is preparing his next book on Charity and the Gospels (under contract with Fortress Press), Brill’s Online Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and “Tsaidan (Bethsaida) in Rabbinic Sources.” Originally from Spanish (East) Harlem, NYC, he now lives in Salem, MA with his family.

Dr. David Emanuel, Ph.D.

Dr. David Emanuel is a British citizen who graduated from the University of London with a Master’s degree in Computer Science in 1997, and soon after relinquished a successful career in computing and telecommunications to pursue his interest in Hebrew Bible. His studies lead him to Israel, where he lived for 11 years and completed a Master’s Degree in Bible and Ancient Near East, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible, both at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem under Professor Yair Zakovitch. Four chapters of his Ph.D. were published as a book in 2012 under the title From Bards to Biblical Exegetes: A Close Reading and Intertextual Analysis of Selected Exodus Psalms, and his other publications primarily surround his interests in Biblical Hebrew Language and Poetry, Inner-biblical Interpretation, and Visual Interpretation. He has contributed articles to the journal Hebrew Studies, the Lexham Bible Dictionary, and The Visual Commentary on Scripture (thevcs.org). Additionally, he has written numerous articles on Hebrew grammar for BibleMesh and provided Hebrew audio recordings for the learning platform. Previously, he has led tours to Israel with Emmaus Educational Services. David has worked with the Center for Holy Lands Studies as a teaching guide since Fall 2019. Dr. Emanuel is married to Emma and has five children, all of whom were born in Israel. Currently, he lives with his family in Suffern New York.

Dr. Michael Jaffe, D. Min

Dr. Jaffe serves as Department Chair, Church Ministries, and Professor of Preaching and Church Leadership at Evangel University and the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Since 2001, he has taught at Central Bible College, Evangel University and the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and has previously served as Practical Theology Department Chair for ten years during that span. Dr. Jaffe regularly teaches courses in Preaching, Biblical Interpretation, Church Leadership as well as select classes in Old and New Testament and has led student and church trips for the Center for Holy Lands Studies since 2016. He has published an Independent Study for Global University entitled Great Commission Strategies as well as multiple commentaries for Radiant Life Curriculum since 1992. He is also the author of his personal life story Found: A Story of One Life Transformation. Dr. Jaffe received a B.A. from Central Bible College, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Prior to teaching, he pastored for 22 years in New York State and is married to his wife, Barbara. Together they have three sons and five grandchildren. 

Professor of Preaching and Church Leadership; Department Chair, Church Ministries, Evangel University & Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (Springfield, MO)

Amy Flattery

Amy grew up in Lynden, Washington. She attended Calvin College and earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies and Theology. In 1997, she moved to Jerusalem, Israel, to pursue her M.A. at Jerusalem University College. She studied New Testament Backgrounds and Jewish History of the Second Temple Period. In 2002, she moved to Belgium where she lectured at Continental Theological Seminary. Amy has been teaching in Israel for nearly 20 years. She was an original founder and previous Director of the Center for Holy Lands Studies, which was founded in 2009. As an author and public speaker, she presents at events around the world and teaches on several trips to the lands of the Bible each year. Amy is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. She is currently the Director of Operations for the AG U.S. Missions. She is married to Dr. Mark Flattery, President of Network211. Together they also serve as Assemblies of God World Missionaries. Most importantly, they have six amazing kids.