INTRODUCTION
Our journey began with a Global Education Network meeting at World Evangelism Center in October 2006
thanks to two visionary Regional Directors, Reverend Robert K. Rodenbush and Reverend Jerry Richardson who presented a proposal for such a gathering. At the invitation of the Director of Education/AIM, Reverend Lloyd Shirley, an educational representative from each region joined our six Regional Directors for three days of meetings to discuss various aspects of improving the way we go about theological training globally.
In that get-together, the Global Education Committee, Global Association of Theological Studies, and the Global University of Theological Studies were envisioned. They were later approved by the General Director of Global Missions, Reverend Bruce Howell, Planning for Progress and the Global Missions Board in February 2007. That was the easy part. Undertaking the global educational advancement program is a gigantic task, and is not accomplished overnight. It is an ongoing process.
Thanks for visiting http://www.GATSonline.org . We trust the information you find here will be helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brad Thompson, acting Assistant to the Director of Education/AIM for matters concerning the GATS program.
ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
General Director of Global Missions – Ex Officio
Assistant Coordinator of GATS (Co-Chairman)
Regional GATS/Education Representatives
Director of Education/Coordinator of GATS (Chairman)
Regional Directors of Global Missions
Global Educator Representative (Consultant rotating – 2 year term/alternating)
APPOINTMENT TO GATS
The Director of Education and Short Term Missions by virtue of appointment, serves as the “Coordinator of the Global Association of Theological Studies.” This office is currently filled by Jim Poitras. The Global Missions Board, at their discretion, may appoint an “Assistant Coordinator of Global Association of Theological Studies”. In 2017, Rev. Brad Thompson was placed in this position. The Global Educator Representative is included as a consultant with a voice, but no vote.
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Africa, Rev. Steve Phelps
Asia, Rev. Prince Mathiasz
Central America/Caribbean, Rev. Brad Schreckhise
Europe, Rev. Robert Kelley
Eurasia/North Africa, Rev. Nancy Mansfield
Pacific, Rev. Troy Wickett
South America, Rev. Aaron Anderson
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Adam Hunley
Ex-Officio Member of the GEC
Director of Global Missions
BIOGRAPHY
Adam Hunley was elected to serve as general director of UPCI Global Missions at the General Conference in 2023, taking office on January 1, 2024. Prior to this, he was Regional Director of the newly formed Eurasia/North Africa region.
He and his wife, Maya, spent much of their missionary ministry planting churches and training leaders in access-challenged nations. Brother Hunley served as Coordinator of Access-Challenged Nations and was deeply involved in establishing this growing initiative.
Bro. Hunley currently leads Global Missions and provides support and guidance for our works and missionaries around the world. His vision is for us to experience Pentecost every day and have a sustainable harvest of one million disciples each year.
They have two lovely daughters, Sofia and Alivia, who join them in serving the Kingdom globally.
James G. Poitras
Director of Education & Short-Term Missions
GATS Coordinator
BIOGRAPHY
Brad Thompson
Assistant GATS Coordinator
Regional GATS Representative CAC
BIOGRAPHY
REGIONAL TEAM
Steve Phelps
Africa
BIOGRAPHY
Steve B. Phelps serves as the Regional GATS Representative for Africa, with a deep passion for establishing Bible schools and equipping leaders and teachers to fulfill their God-given purpose.
Steve and his wife, Yvette, were appointed UPCI missionaries in 2011 and currently serve in both the nations of Uganda and Nigeria, Africa. They teach full-time in Bible schools and are instructors at Faculty Development Seminars.
Steve’s love for teaching has been evident throughout his life. Before entering the mission field, he developed educational materials for the Air Force, was a public-school paraprofessional educator, and served as an instructor with the Department of Justice (INS). While pastoring in Prescott, Arizona, he and Yvette opened and taught in a Texas Bible College extension program (Excell). After receiving their missionary appointment, and through the Lord’s help, they founded Bible schools in Kampala, Uganda; Lagos, Nigeria; and multiple satellite locations. Since 2020, Steve has served in GATS leadership, initially as the West Africa GATS Coordinator and now as the Regional GATS Representative for Africa. He holds an Associate of Arts degree from Texas Southmost College and a bachelor’s degree from Christian Service Training Institute.
Steve’s vision for Africa is rooted in the call to “Know Him and make Him known.” By increasing the number of strong Bible schools and strengthening ministerial training programs, he seeks to provide opportunities for pastors, leaders, and teachers to truly “know Him” so they can impact their nations by “making Him known.” The ultimate goal is to see Africa transformed by an apostolic revival, where every country is filled with trained, Spirit-led ministers spreading the truth of the gospel and the name of Jesus to every corner of Africa.
Prince Mathiasz
Asia
BIOGRAPHY
He was instrumental in the establishment of the UPC of Sri Lanka and has served as founding pastor of several churches there. He has written several textbooks for the Ministerial Institute of Theology of Sri Lanka and is heavily involved in their Associate Degree program.
Prince has been a part of the GATS program from the very beginning and has worked diligently to see many Asian nations implement GATS Curriculum in their Bible Schools.
Brad Thompson
Central America / Caribbean
BIOGRAPHY
His passion is to train and equip men and women for effective ministry, and to make training available to as many people as possible. With a team of 124 GATS trained teachers, they are taking ministerial training into every region of the nation. His motto is ‘if the student cannot come to the Bible school, then we will take the Bible school to the student’. This concept has been very effective in producing ministers, training leaders, and providing stability to the UPC of Guatemala. It is evidenced in 250 established churches, 186 daughter works, 301 licensed ministers, and over 22,000 in attendance in their churches on a weekly basis. As a direct result of the training efforts, they are averaging monthly one new church established and 2 new ministers receiving license.
Brad has served as Regional GATS Representative for Central America and the Caribbean for over ten years, during which time they have held annual Faculty Development seminars in many of the nations and witnessed exponential growth and development in the Bible Schools.
In 2017 he was appointed as the Assistant GATS Coordinator globally. It is his vision to continue to develop and expand the GATS program, have annual faculty training seminars in every GATS nation and to facilitate the sending forth of equipped laborers to once again ‘turn the world upside down’ with the full gospel.
Nancy Mansfield
Eurasia/North Africa
BIOGRAPHY
Nancy Mansfield is the Regional GATS Representative for Eurasia/North Africa. She received her bachelor’s degree in World Missions from Texas Bible College in 2011 and has served as a representative in the Middle East since 2012.
Nancy has served several countries from the Short-term Missions platform, starting at the age of 15. She received missionary appointment to The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 2016 after serving there since 2012 as an AIMer.
Nancy was tasked with opening the GAITS Bible College in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 2015, where she serves as Administrator. GAITS is now serving several countries, nationalities, and languages and is working toward being a full-time, on-campus Bible College.
As part of the regional team, Nancy is focused on building an organized network that provides a strong doctrinal foundation for those who have been called into the ministry and who serve as the pillars of their local church. The ENA Region, with the help of GATS, has been working together to create a foundation for training and Bible School development in the severely unreached populous of Eurasia & North Africa.
Along with her GATS duties, Sister Mansfield also serves as pastor of the congregation in Zarqa, Jordan.
Robert Kelley
Europe
BIOGRAPHY
Troy Wickett
Pacific
BIOGRAPHY
Troy M. Wickett is the GATS representative for the Pacific Region. He is working with students and faculty of Bible Colleges in the Pacific region with a goal of ministerial excellence.
Since appointment in 2017, Troy Wickett has made numerous contributions to the advancement of higher education. He is an instructor at Faculty Development Seminars, and is creating and enhancing support provided to faculty and administrators of Colleges in the many Pacific countries on a continual basis.
Troy has studied at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and Texas Bible College in Houston, Texas in pursuit of a Bachelors Degree in Christian Education, as well as a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and Christian Counselling. He has also received education and accreditation from the US Federal Government as a Federal Instructor of the Mine Health and Safety Association (MHSA) for an International company (Headwaters Resources Inc.).
Troy has served in Global Missions to places including South Pacific, Central America, Europe and in Africa; teaching in Bible Colleges both in North America and abroad. In September 2016 Troy and his wife Jennette along with their three children (Justus, Callan & Eva) received their appointment as Missionaries to Fiji and The Solomon Islands where they continue to invest in Bible Colleges as they endeavor to establish churches and preaching points throughout the islands.
Aaron Anderson
South America
BIOGRAPHY
Aaron Anderson is the Regional GATS Representative for South America. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies with a minor in Theology from Indiana Bible College in 2011. His wife, Tiffany, also holds two Bachelor’s degrees: one in Biblical studies from Indiana Bible College and the other in Applied Arts and Sciences with a specialization in Linguistics from San Diego State University. Both have taught in and been involved in national Bible school works in their country of appointment, Brazil, since 2015.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The GATS Curriculum Development Committee oversees the development of curriculum for GATS Bible Schools and for Faculty Development. This includes teams of professional writers, editors, and translators.
GATS official translation focus is on the English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic and Hindi languages. Although many materials are also available in other world languages.
This team also coordinates the design and administration of GATS websites, the creation of PowerPoint/Keynote presentations, answer keys and course packs.