Faculty/Team
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Some key team members serving in Muslim and Communist countries are not mentioned for security reasons.
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Dr. PAUL CHOO
Professor, Bible & 21st Century Leadership
Paul Choo, is a Singaporean. He graduated as a medical doctor from the National University of Singapore in 1971 and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from Bob Jones University (1998).
He started the Gospel Light Christian Church in 1987. He handed over leadership of GLCC in 2007 to Dr Jason Lim. He continues to serve as its Founding Pastor. Today, GLCC is a growing church with around 3000 in weekly attendance. GLCC is known for expository preaching. Dr Choo has preached through most books of the Bible
In 1995, Dr. Choo founded the Asia-Pacific Institute of Biblical Studies (APIBS), using videotaped lectures and study materials permitted by Bob Jones University. In 2008 APIBS changed its name to Asia-Pacific Institute of International Studies (APIIS) to reflect its expansion in other fields of practical ministry and leadership. APIBS/APIIS has trained over 4000 Asian leaders and counting.
In 2009, he founded Goducate, a non-profit organization serving eight Asian countries employing 250 full-time staff to help “Needy Asians Help Themselves.” He has taught and preached in hundreds of universities, Bible schools, organizations, and churches in America, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Asia. His passion is to train leaders in Asia for the 21st century. He was selected by Channel News Asia in 2011 as one of the “Asians of the Year” for his significant contribution to Asia.
He is the author of four books.
He has a supportive, and prayerful wife, Nancy. They have four wonderful children, Tim, Lish, David, and Steve, and seven lovely grandchildren.
Dr. MICHAEL REDICK
Professor, Evangelism & Practical Ministry
Michael Redick, is an American. In 1991 he graduated from International Baptist College in Tempe, Arizona with an M.A. in Pastoral Theology and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from IBC in 2010. In 1991 he assumed the pastorate of Baptist Fellowship Church, Singapore. In 1998, being called to evangelism he left the pastorate of BFC and started holding gospel crusades throughout Asia. In 1999, he joined Dr. Paul Choo and Gospel Light Christian Church, in Singapore. In early 2000 he was appointed by Dr. Choo, as the President of the Student Movement for Christ International, Philippines, a campus ministry that has had a staff of 125 workers on 120 campuses with 6000 university students under discipleship. Through the ministry of SMCI, they have planted six Grow Point Churches in the Philippines. In 2000 he started holding evangelistic campaigns in the Philippines and the last 20 years, they have preached the gospel to over 8.5 million college, university, and high school students. In 2010, he and his wife started a ministry in a restricted access nation and today they have 25 full-time staff reaching out to 8 university campuses.
He has preached the gospel in thousands of high schools, colleges, and universities. He has taught the Bible, trained, mentored, and preached extensively throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States. His passion is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. He authored five books, which have been translated into six different languages. He has married Lisa, his lovely wife and ministry partner since 1982.
President, TMM
DR RICHARD L PRATT JR
Th.D. (Harvard University).
Professor, Theology
Pratt is a theologian, author and founder and President of Third Millennium Ministries (TMM).
He is actively involved in all aspects of ministry, including writing, teaching, and global advancement. He has traveled extensively throughout the world to evangelize and lecture, including Argentina, Australia, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, Cuba, the United Kingdom and throughout the United States. He is best known for his approach to Biblical hermeneutics which places a heavy emphasis on the Kingdom of God.
TMM’s mission is to prepare Christian leaders to lead a transformation of the world into God’s Kingdom by providing biblical education, for the world, for free. Directly and through partner ministries that report their enrollment to TMM, it has already taught over 1 million students.
Dr. JASON LIM
Lecturer, Homiletics
Jason Lim, is a Singaporean. He graduated as a medical doctor from the National University of Singapore in 2000. Since his conversion in 1995, he has been actively serving at Gospel Light Christian Church. In 2007 he was appointed as the Senior Pastor. Under his leadership, the church experienced constant growth in numbers. He provided spiritual leadership and oversight for GLCC to become a community church established in Punggol, where they now worship in a building worth more than $40 million. He is noted for his expository preaching.
His mission is to “Lead Generations into a Life-changing Relationship with Jesus Christ.”
ASHER CHEE
PhD Candidate
Academic Dean
Asher Chee is a Singaporean. He graduated from the University of Southampton in 2016 with a degree in Computer Science. He returned to the University of Southampton and graduated with a Master’s degree in History in 2017.
Previously, Asher attended a false-teaching church for seven years. He was impressed with the church’s pastor and was inspired to learn the Bible’s original languages. However, he soon discovered that the church’s pastor was teaching lies and half-truths about the Bible’s original languages in order to twist the meaning of the Scriptures and deceive his followers. He left the church and later became a member of Gospel Light Christian Church in 2018 after he returned from the UK.
Asher worked as a software engineer in the Singapore Government for 7 years. He is currently a PhD candidate with the University of Southampton, specializing in Early Jewish and Christian History. His research requires him to be proficient in Classical Hebrew, Ancient Greek, and Latin, so as to read the Bible and ancient Jewish and Christian texts in their original languages.
Dr. JENNIFER ESTRELLA
Professor, Biblical Counseling
Jennifer Estrella, is a Filipino. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of San Agustin (cum laude) in 1982, received her Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (Academic Excellence Award) in 1998, pursued further training in Crisis Counseling at the East Asia School of Theology in Singapore. In 2020 was conferred with a Ph.D. at the International Graduate School of Theology.
Jenni entrusted her life to Jesus on July 28, 1979. Joined Greenhills Christian Fellowship in 1993 to the present. She has been serving as a Sunday School teacher, counselor, pastoral staff, executive adviser to Pastors, Leadership Institute Director, and Growth Group Director. She enjoys sharing the gospel with the visitors after Sunday worship. Her experience at GCF opened her eyes to see that “There is no business in life for me but the work of Christ.”
Jenni is an educator and a counselor at heart. Her love for teaching birthed TEACH GLOBAL, an equipping ministry providing training, workshops, and values education curriculum for Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, and Discipleship. She has served in a Christian Publishing House as Training Director at Church Strengthening Ministry, Inc., created workshops and trainings for Henry Blackaby, Avery Willis, Rick Warren, Henry Ford, Thompson Chain Reference Bible, Beth Moore, and Filipino authors. She conducted VBS training for churches attended by 10,000 children, and more than 100 different workshops for teachers and pastors yearly. She was Minister of Education at International Baptist Church of Manila, also served as adjunct faculty of Seminary Education by Extension of the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, as Radio Counselor of FEBC, and as Editor for the Asian Edition at Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Jenni is a bestselling author and has written a dozen inspirational books: “A Proverb A Day Keeps the Fools Away, Mother, The Heart to Teach, Money Manager, This Made Me Laugh, A Word A Day Keeps the Devil Away, Holy Punchlines, Boot Camp: Living Victoriously, YOUnique: Being Yourself, Magnitude: Standing on God’s Unshakable Love, Truth Explorers Science Curriculum, and Camp Attitude Character Curriculum.”
In 2022 after the pandemic, she moved back to Iloilo City and volunteered at Goducate as a Curriculum Consultant and was invited by Dr. Choo as faculty for Counseling at APIIS in 2023.
Despite her vast experiences and educational achievements, she would unassumingly say, “Good credentials are good but it is God who validates His calling in my life.”
Dr CHRISTINE CAROLINE I SANTOS
Professor, Biblical Counseling (Children)
Christine Santos is a Filipina. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and her master’s degree in Education from Olivarez College. She earned her Master of Divinity in Christian Education from the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary and her Ph.D. in Christian Education from the Evangelical School of Theology International. She has been trained in the Haggai Leadership Institute, Hawaii, USA.
Christine’s passion is to shape young minds through Bible-based, learner-centered materials. She is passionate to develop curriculum that supports spiritual growth and discipleship. She continues to create resources for Sunday school, Vacation Bible School. Discipleship and Christian Education programs. She also collaborates with church leaders and educators to ensure that the material supports spiritual growth and discipleship. Her goal is to produce meaningful content that helps children and families know God more deeply through his Word.
Christine presently serves as Ministry Director of GCF South Metro Bacoor Church, where she develops intentional strategies to assimilate new believers into church membership, plans programs to ensure that all members are connected a growth/fellowship group, creates equipping classes and curricula and leads the team of equippers.
Christine has vast experience in different roles in Christian schools.
She has developed and published the following curricula:
One-Year Life Builder
Bible Curriculum for children, 2004 Mission Expedition VBS, 2005 Heaven’s League VBS, 2006
Home Planet VBS, 2007
Festival Year VBS, 2008
Sidekicks VBS, 2009
The Lost World VBS,
Growing Up with a
Purpose for Children,
Armor of God for children, Extreme Disciplines Books 1-3 for Youth, The
Master’s Discipleship Series Books 1-3 for Youth, A2Z Creative Teaching Methods for Teachers.
Christine has written and published the following books:
MOVING ON responding to life positively
MAKING WAYS DECISIONS IN EVERY CROSSROAD
Pastor Joseph Ho
Director, MMin Bahasa
Joseph was a Senior Vice President of one of the biggest local bank in Singapore and has had varied experience in the banking industry. He is now happily retired from banking.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA from the National University of Singapore. Born a Peranakan, and proficient in the Malay language he naturally found himself led to serve in the Bahasa Ministry of the Church, besides the varied other ministries over the 37 years in GLCC.
While undergoing the Master of Ministry (MMin) program run by APIIS, he found a calling to serve in Missions & specifically in Indonesia. Since then he has been an active member of the Missions team while continually working on improving his Bahasa. In this respect he has a regular preaching arrangement with an Indonesian (Batak) Church in Singapore.
He has been training many Indonesian Intern Pastors at APIIS Training Center in Sumatra. He is the Facilitator for the Pilot Batch of APIIS MMin program for Indonesian pastors/leaders.
Joseph sees service in APIIS and specifically in the MMin Bahasa program as a privilege. He views APIIS not only as an educational institution but one that can be a unifying force for Christians in Asia.
Mr Jerome Joseph
Lecturer, Leadership Coaching and Conversations
Jerome Joseph is a Masters of Business Administration graduate from RMIT University, Australia, and a Master of Ministry graduate from APIIS. He is a member of Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore.
Jerome is a highly accomplished Trainer, Consultant, and Executive Coach with over 25 years of distinguished expertise in business consulting and coaching. Jerome’s professional journey spans several continents, having lived and worked in Singapore, Australia, India, Indonesia, Dubai and America.
As a transformational leader and executive coach, Jerome has successfully guided C-suite executives, senior management teams, and emerging leaders through complex organizational challenges, strategic role transitions, and high-stakes business transformations. His leadership philosophy centers on unlocking human potential while driving sustainable organizational change and performance excellence.
Jerome has deep expertise to design and deliver Leadership Development solutions, Effective Conversational Skills, Sales and Negotiation, Business Acumen and HR programs. He is experienced in conducting learning needs analysis, stakeholder interviews and engagement, designing training interventions and facilitating both live and virtual training and coaching. As an experienced executive coach, Jerome has coached leaders from local, regional, and global organizations for readiness and development.
Jerome has developed a proprietary conversational framework and has equipped hundreds of managers and leaders through his renowned workshop, “Effective Conversations made SIMPLE with GRACE”.
MGen (NS) Kelvin Khong
Advisor, Ministries to Uniformed Groups
Major General (NS) Kelvin Khong is a Singaporean and served as the Chief of Air Force of the Republic of Singapore Air Force from 2019 to 2024. An operational fighter pilot with many years of experience, MG (NS) Khong has flown the F-16 and the F-15SG fighter jets and participated in military exercises in countries such as the United States, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. He was also the Commanding Officer of 149 SQN, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s first local F-15SG SQN. MG (NS) Khong pursued an engineering degree at Imperial College of Science and Technology in the UK and graduated with a Master of Engineering (First Class Honours) in 1999. He attended the US Air Command & Staff College where he graduated with a Master of Military Operational Art and Science in 2008. He also graduated with a Master of Business Administration with Honours from the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland in 2012. MG (NS) Khong has been a member of Gospel Light Christian Church since 2017 and a deacon of the church since 2023.
Mr Frederick Chew
Advisor, Ministries to the Civil Service
Mr Chew serves on the Board of Elders of Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore and as Chairman of Gospel Light’s Church Committee.
Mr Chew is a Client Account Lead in Health and Public Services, Accenture Singapore. Prior to joining Accenture, Mr Chew was the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), where he drove significant organisational re-design and change management. Concurrently as the inaugural Chief, Science & Technology Policy & Plans Office (S&TPPO) under the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Chew played an essential role in building Ops-Tech capabilities and catalysing cross-cutting programmes across the public sector.
Mr Chew was a Rear Admiral previously, serving as Deputy Secretary (Technology) at the Ministry of Defence, Director of Joint Operations in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as well as Commander of Maritime Security Task Force and Head of Naval Plans in the Republic of Singapore Navy.
Mr Chew graduated with a Masters of Engineering (First Class Honours) from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. He holds a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University. Mr Chew is an SAF Overseas Scholar and recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship and Fulbright Award. He is also a recipient of the Singapore Public Administration Medal (Gold) (Military) and Public Administration Medal (Gold) (COVID-19).
Mr TERENCE SOO
Advisor, AI Projects
Mr Soo serves as Vice-Chairman of Gospel Light Christian Church’s Church Committee.
Trained as a Bioengineer in the National University of Singapore, he has worked in various types of organisations from global multi-national corporations, the public sector as well as in a small-medium enterprise. He was a former management consultant with Accenture. His unique experience has enabled him to be adaptable and resilient in this current age of a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.
In 2020, he obtained a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the Singapore Management University. Today, Mr Soo is adept in harnessing the potential of AI, data and technology to enable businesses for growth and transformation. As Director of AI Solutions at Prudential – a leading life insurance company in Asia – Mr Soo’s key achievements at the company was the successful and sustained adoption of Generative AI-based solutions for its operations. Mr Soo is a Vice President at one of Singapore’s sovereign wealth funds, which ranks among the largest in the world.
Ms TERRI WEI
Registrar
Terri Wei, is a Singaporean. She graduated from Harbin Teacher’s University in China and taught in the same school for a year. Although teaching is not her passion, she has been serving in various teaching ministries all these years. Since her salvation, God has used her teaching ministries as a channel for effective outreach to hundreds of people from different countries. In 2017, she and her husband Leo relocated to a city in China to teach students coming in from different countries of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (from Africa, Middle-East, and Central Asia) to adjust to life as students in Chinese universities. Since her salvation in 2000, she has been a willing volunteer servant in numerous ministries in the Gospel Light Christian Church. She is a natural leader, connector, befriender, manager, and administrator. When APIIS started its MMin program, she was appointed as its Registrar. She and her husband Leo Chang (IT Director for the MMin program) are the faithful and dependable “right and left hand” of Dr. Paul Choo in his various ministries. In 2021, she started serving as Registrar for MMin courses of APIIS. Together with her husband, IT director Leo Chang, she is currently serving more than 2000 students from 32 countries.
Ms SHIRLEY BAUTISTA
Assistant Registrar
Shirley Bautista was born into a non-believing Filipino-Chinese family in the Philippines. She came to know Christ at the age of 26. Since being saved, she has been actively involved in her local church’s Sunday school ministry and young professional care group. She also volunteers in a kid’s community outreach organized by her friends.
Through this outreach, she witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by children in the community-broken families, teenage pregnancy, parents overwhelmed by large families, and gang violence. These experiences deepened her burden to share the gospel, knowing that true and lasting hope can only be found in Jesus Christ.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, many of these ministries came to a halt. During this time, She enrolled in the Master of Ministry (Mmin) program where she was reminded that what she learn in our heads should not only touch our hearts but also move our hands into action.
Currently, she serves as a Life Coach for Values Formation among learners who were unable to finish high school and are now working toward completing their education and earning their diploma. Through this role, Shirley helps shape the dreams of these learners, encouraging them to dream big and pursue meaningful goals.
She also serves on the board of the Chinese Congress on World Evangelization (CCOWE) Philippines, where her vision is to see Chinese churches across the country become aware of and equipped through the APIIS program to better master and multiply their ministries.
Ms LISA MAY SOTELO
Student Relationship Manager, MMin Program
Ms JESSA SINON
Administration Executive
Jessa Sinon
Jessa is a Filipino who was raised in a Christian home. However, her personal journey of faith began during her college years when she was introduced to the Student Movement for Christ International (SMCI), through which she came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, Jessa committed herself to full-time ministry, serving as a campus minister with SMCI for ten years, focusing on campus outreach. In 2022, she moved to Singapore following her marriage to Pastor Hanniel Sinon who serves in the Filipino Congregation of Gospel Light Christian Church (GLCC).
Since relocating, Jessa has remained active in ministry. She presently serves as the Mission Coordinator at Gospel Light Christian Church.
Mr JAN MICHAEL NICOLAS
Graphic Designer
Jan graduated in Batch 1 of our APIIS MMin Program. He is a graduate of BS Architecture, Bicol University, Philippines.
Driven by his faith, he is a passionate evangelist who shares the Kingdom message with fervor. He also channels his energy as a training facilitator, specializing in team-building and leadership development for youth and young professionals within churches. Using his creative talent, he produces attractive informative slides and graphic designs for APIIS’ teaching materials. He is a devoted husband to his wife and a proud father to their three beautiful boys.
Mr SHAM KISHORE
Video Producer, The Beautiful Book
Sham is an IT professional from Hyderabad, India. He is now an Associate Director, leading the IT Service Management function in a well-known pharmaceutical company.
He was in the pioneering Batch of the MMin program, graduated in 2023. Through this two-year journey, God taught him many valuable truths, stirring in him a desire to share what he had learned. Not knowing exactly how, where, or to whom to share, he began a YouTube channel called ignitehope82. Using AI tools, he created short 3–4 minute videos based on The Beautiful Book study material, produced under the banner of APIIS. Today, his videos on the lessons of The Beautiful Book series have become a valuable part of the MMin program study materials.
Pastor LEO DECINAL
Advisor, Philippines Uniformed Groups
Leo Decinal, is a Filipino. graduated from IloIlo Baptist College in 2002 and taught for 1 year in the same College. However, the passion to start a church has been his dream and prayer. In 2003 he started his first pioneering church, Calvary Baptist Church, Iloilo, and after a year he turned it over to a Pastor friend. In 2005 he was called to pastor a newly planted church called Living Water Baptist Church, Laguna. He continues to pastor this church to the present. In 2008, while being lost somewhere in Singapore, he met Dr Paul Choo and the Journey of Intentional Mentoring began and continues till the present. In 2019 he was appointed as the National Coordinator of My Brother’s Keeper Philippines, a ministry serving the Philippine National Police. MBK’s 1000 pastors minister to more than 4000 policemen weekly. In 2022 he was appointed as the President of Goducate Luzon Inc., a community social ministry of APIIS.
Ms JOY DEPALLO
Advisor, Education
Ms RANIE PAGSUGUIRON
Advisor, Philippine Ministries
Ms CRISTINE DIAZ
Advisor, Indonesian Pastoral Training
Cristine Diaz is a Filipino missionary with 14 years of dedicated ministry in Indonesia, committed to raising Christ-centered church leaders and strengthening the Indonesian Church through Bible-based, transformational training.
With academic grounding in English, Biblical Studies, and Religious Education, she combines theological depth with clear, practical teaching. She holds a B.A. in English, completed theological training at Doane Bible Institute (Philippines), and earned her Master of Ministry from APIIS Singapore—continuously sharpening her calling to equip leaders for Spirit-led ministry in a changing Indonesia.
Her life reflects radical obedience to Christ. Originally on a path toward law school, she encountered Jesus in a life-altering way and fully surrendered to missions, devoting her life to Indonesia ever since.
She currently serves in Indonesia as:
- Director, Asia–Pacific Institute of International Studies (APIIS) – Indonesia Chapter
- Director, Pastors’ International Club Indonesia (PIC Indonesia)
Her focus in Indonesia is clear and intentional:
- Equipping pastors and elders with strong biblical foundations
- Developing Christ-centered leaders for today’s Indonesian Church
- Forming leaders marked by integrity, humility, and dependence on the Holy Spirit
Cristine carries a deep burden for Indonesia, especially the Batak people and the wider Church, to become a thriving, mission-sending movement that impacts the nation and beyond with the Gospel.
Ms PEMELA DINGAL
Advisor, Malaysian Ministries
Pam Dingal is a Filipino. After her Bachelor in Religious Education degree at Done Baptist Bible Institute in the year 2018, Pam became a missionary to Indonesia for two years. At the height of the global pandemic in the year 2020, she decided to go back to the Philippines and pioneered the online education platform and online ministries in East Malaysia maximizing the gadgets and phone applications that are available to the stateless children, youth and mothers in the needy communities there. She is a lifelong learner who spends time training and helping individuals and teams adapt technology and acquire digital skills for the furtherance of the Gospel and discipleship of people. Pam sees the future where technology plays a pivotal role in bringing the Gospel to the whole world “as the waters cover the sea.”