The Gathering

For the last 42 years, I have been married to Angie. She is a home-maker and a mentor of young women on the Indiana Wesleyan campus. We have two grown children, Joshua (married to Laura) and Hannah (married to Brian). All four are Indiana Wesleyan University graduates, and we have five grandchildren.

Angie and I have pastored two churches; our last role was as solo pastor in Cleveland, Ohio. We loved local church ministry. More so, serving in the local church is a prerequisite for teaching current and future pastors. I also serve in the Wesleyan Church as a Crossroads District Circuit Rider. Just like John Wesley, I travel from Wesleyan Church to Wesleyan Church pouring my life into the life of local church pastors.

I am passionate about the Gospels and Paul's letters. But I have also done extensive study and teaching in the Hebrew Bible. Angie and I have traveled around the world teaching and doing leadership development. For the last 15 years, we have been working in local Church-based Community Development in Malawi, Africa through Circle of Hope, International. Circle of Hope feeds 500 orphans daily, provides for their education through grade 8 and has established governmentally approved health care for them and the needs of the local community.

Since I recently retired from full-time teaching in the classroom, I have started a new ministry called True^North. It's a local church Disciple-Making program centered around training people to read, interpret and apply the Scriptures, often in small accountability groups which facilitates life transformation.

Hi, I'm Pastor Alex Hershey. I'm honored to lead The Branches Church, which I founded in 2013. My heart for Jesus drives everything I do, and I'm especially passionate about studying and teaching the Bible. There's nothing more fulfilling than watching people grow in their faith and share Christ's love with others. I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with my undergraduate degree and earned my Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.

Outside of church, I'm blessed to be married to Krista. Together, we have three amazing kids: our son Elliott and two daughters, Audrey and Elsie. I love going on family vacations, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals (though I still love Cubs fans), eating tacos, and soaking up the outdoors. I'm always up for a good conversation over coffee, so let's connect soon!

Ideal is the Local Church Partnership Lead at World Methodist Evangelism, bringing nearly 20 years of global ministry experience. Through her leadership with the Upper Room's Walk to Emmaus movement and her role as a Lead Coach with Spiritual Leadership, Inc., she has witnessed the amazing, life changing power of God at work in families, ministries, communities, congregations and organizations.

These experiences have given Ideal the opportunity to see the vital importance of the Local Church and their leaders, both clergy and laity. Her passion lies in helping individuals discover who they are as God's beloved and seeing them develop into the person they are meant to be. There is nothing more powerful than a thriving, flourishing church sharing the good news with the world.

An experienced speaker at retreats, conferences, and women's ministry events, Ideal is dedicated to helping women understand their worth and God's deep love for them. This passion led her to publish I Am My Father's Daughter.

Ideal has spent the last several years captivated by the beauty of the South while living in Nashville. Growing up in central California gives her real appreciation for the beauty and distinct differences in God's creation. She now resides in Arizona near her son, Kurt, and treasures her role as "Grandma Deal" to her beautiful granddaughters, Hana, Aubrey, and Haddie. Her favorite spot is by the ocean with her watercolors in tow.