Instructors and Staff

Travis received his MBA from Belhaven College and a bachelor’s degree (Preaching and Counseling) from Florida Christian College. His organizational roles have focused on helping to create strong and healthy workplace cultures. He served in executive roles on the staff at two different churches where he focused on leadership development, building organizational structures and operating systems, and HR. He also served as an Administrator at Boise Bible College as the Dean of Students where he led in strategy, leadership development, and created policy. Travis excels in the areas of leadership and team development. He has been married to the love of his life, Melanie, since October, 2018 and they have three daughters and two grandchildren. He is also a triathlete and 8-time iron distance finisher.  

Diana serves to support the mission of Training Leaders. Advancing the Kingdom. She assists with website content, social media, email communication, and promotional outreach that helps connect students, alumni, and supporters to the work of ADVANCE. Diana earned her Associate of Arts degree from Valencia College and is a graduate of ADVANCE, where she received the Certificate of Endorsement in Practical Ministry. She is passionate about using communication and creativity to support ministry leaders and help share opportunities for biblical training and spiritual growth.

Jim spent 17 years as the Sr. Minister of First Christian Church of Winter Park before coming to Kissimmee Christian Church in 2011. He is a 1987 graduate of Johnson University, FL (formerly Florida Christian College), and formerly served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He is presently serving on the Board of Directors of the Christian Restoration Association.  He is happily married to Jeanette, and they have three awesome girls - Emilee, Macy, and Mandy.

Class instructor for:

• God's Word and His Role in America
• Positioning the Church for Outreach   

Adam graduated from Florida Christian College with degrees in Bible and Preaching. He has served the local church in vocational ministry for more than fifteen years. He currently serves as the Senior Minister of Eastside Christian Church in Orlando, Florida. Eastside was planted in 2020 with a mission to lead others to experience immeasurably more by inviting them to exchange the common for the holy. Adam is passionate about equipping disciples to lead others to experience God for themselves.

Class instructor for:

• Gospels I and II

Adam Robbins has served on the ministry staff at Kissimmee Christian Church for over 25 years. In that time, he has been the Youth Minister, Discipleship Minister, and Church Administrator. Adam is a 1996 graduate of Johnson University (TN) and holds a Master of Science Degree in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University (2016). In addition to serving with the church, Adam maintains a small private counseling practice. His favorite times are spent with his wife of 25+ years, Amy, and their two children, Tristan and Ellie.

Class instructor for:

• Minister's Life and Daily Work

Al D. Squitieri is currently serving as the lead pastor at New Life Christian Church, located in Spring Hill, FL. NLCC is a five-year-old church plant. Prior to NLCC, Al served as a Pastor at Generations Christian Church located in Trinity, Florida, where he held several Pastoral positions, including Men's, Care, and Adult ministries and education.

Class instructor for:

• Intro to Preaching/Public Speaking I
• Developing Depth in the Local Church

Having earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Louisville Bible College, Brian Schulz is a proud LBC alumnus. He has served Kent Christian Church in Madison, Indiana, beginning in 2005 as Youth Minister and Associate Minister, and since 2016 as Evangelist. Brian loves learning and teaching theology and apologetics, and believes nothing is more enjoyable than seeing people connect the dots and have their faith deepened. In doing so, he has had the great privilege to teach for LBC, Person to Person Ministries, The Christian Restoration Association, ThreeStrand College of Evangelism, and now, the Advance Center for Ministry Training. Brian and his family love to travel. His favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife, Kelli, and his daughter, Cherlanda, whom they adopted from Haiti in 2013.

Class instructor for:

• Defense of the Christian Faith

Cord is the executive minister at Tomoka Christian Church in Ormond Beach. He is a graduate of St. Louis Christian College. Under Cord’s leadership, with Joe Putting (senior minister), Tomoka has grown from a small church of 100+ to a church of 3,000 each weekend across their 3 campuses.

Class instructor for:

• Strategies: Streamlining and Directing the Church with Purpose

Greg Marksberry is the Founding Pastor of Thrive Church, which has served the Lake Nona area of Orlando, FL since 2016. Greg is a 1988 graduate of Cincinnati Christian University and has done graduate work in preaching and rhetoric at Cincinnati Bible Seminary and Ball State University. For the past 39 years Greg has led with churches and church planting organizations in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Greg is passionate about helping people discover their life-mission and reach their full potential in Christ. He is a recognized leader in the church-planting movement, has preached the gospel on five continents, and, since 2008, has led hundreds of believers on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Greg also enjoys trekking and has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mt. Ararat in Turkey. He and his wife, Eliana, have been married for 34 years and have three children, one son-in-law, and one grandchild.

Class instructor for:

• Intro to Preaching/Public Speaking  II
• Training Elders and Church Leaders

Kellie Spencer is the Graphic Designer and Events Coordinator at Kissimmee Christian Church.  She graduated from Florida Christian College in 2009 with a degree in counseling and later earned her Master's in Business Administration from Johnson University.  After graduation, she was hired at FCC in the Financial Aid department and quickly rose to Director of Admissions.  While there she oversaw record breaking enrollment and the merger to Johnson University. Kellie has a heart for helping churches who are struggling with their marketing, that is why she decided to start her own business called Kingdom Kreative Designs, to help bridge the gap for churches who don’t have a full time graphics person. She has also written chapters in a couple of books, See What Love Can Do and Rooted in Christ. Kellie also works alongside her husband, Lance, doing Student ministry and has a passion for young adults and their walk with the Lord. When she’s not busy working her full-time job, her other full-time job is being a mother to two wonderful kiddos, Camden and Raelynn, whom she loves spending time with.  Kellie has an abiding passion for guiding the next generation to walk closely with the Lord, and she loves doing so alongside her husband.

Class instructor for:

• Marketing the Church for Growth

Kevin Ziegler has served as the evangelist at the Lakeport Christian Church in Lakeport, Florida, since April 2021. He has spent 36 years in the preaching ministry, serving in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Florida. Kevin received his undergraduate degree from Florida Christian College in 1988. He also holds two Master’s degrees – from Cincinnati Bible Seminary and Eastern Illinois University. Both degrees from FCC and CBS are in Biblical Studies, with an emphasis on the Old Testament and preaching. Kevin spent many credit hours in Hebrew language and Old Testament studies. The EIU degree is in Educational Administration. Kevin has taught Bible College classes in Kenya (in person) and Uganda (via ZOOM). He has also taught classes for the Northeast Ohio Bible College. Kevin has also preached and taught in Grenada, West Indies. He has preached at several family camp meetings and conferences and has directed the Restoration Family Camp meeting each May in Watseka, IL. Kevin is married to Paula Ziegler, and they have six children and eleven grandchildren. When not working, Kevin loves taking pictures of God’s beautiful creation, and he has had this hobby since a teenager. In 2023, he had three photos selected for statewide projects in Florida. Two of his photos were included in a set of postcards for the Florida Trails Association. Another one was included in a calendar for the Florida Association of Counties.

Class instructor for:

• Messianic Prophecy

Mark spent 46 years in ministry, with the last 31 at Poinciana Christian Church in Kissimmee, Florida. In 2003, Mark’s first book, “The Samson Syndrome”, was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Since then, he has become an award-winning author with twenty books in his body of work. Since retiring from full-time ministry in 2020, Mark has continued to write and teach at Advance Center for Ministry Training and now serves as the preacher for the First Christian Church of Frostproof, Florida. On the personal side, Mark is married to Marilyn. They have one daughter and two extraordinary grandchildren. Mark is a jazz aficionado and enjoys most sports, being partial to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Missouri Tigers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You can visit Mark’s website at: markatteberry.net.

Class instructor for:

• Navigating Conflict in the Church

Paul and his wife, Lori, have been married since the Spring of 2001, and have three children: Andrew, Nate, and Hannah. Paul holds degrees in Bible/Practical Theology, Psychology, and Professional Counseling. He enjoys spending time with family, reading, writing, and getting outdoors. His passion is to see the Church embrace both the message and the mission of Jesus. Paul is a Renew.org Leader and content contributor and author of the book The Way Back: Repentance, the Presence of God, and the Revival the Church So Desperately Needs.

Class instructor for:

• Developing a Healthy Church and Staff

Pete received an MDiv (2017) and a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (2013) from Hope International University. His undergraduate degree in Bible, with an emphasis in Youth Ministry and Christian Education, is from Florida Christian College (1995). Pete served for more than 20 years in various youth and family ministry roles in Florida and North Carolina. Since 2017, he has been serving in his second term as Senior Pastor at Englewood Christian Church in Jacksonville, FL (first term as youth pastor 00-07). He has been married to his best friend, Heather, for 30+ years, and they have two children. Pete is an avid baseball (Tigers) and hockey (Red Wings) fan and excels at finishing anywhere but first place in every fantasy sports league he participates in. He finds his best thinking and relationship building happen at the highest levels when accompanied by a good cup of coffee.

Class instructor for:

• New Testament Survey

Preston earned his undergraduate degree in preaching from Florida Christian College and a Master’s in Church History from Cincinnati Christian University, where he also studied theology under Dr. Jack Cottrell. Raised in Alabama in a family deeply committed to the Christian Church, he developed a lifelong love for the local church and has served in full-time ministry since 1999. Since 2017, Preston has been the preaching minister at Encounter Christian Church, serving alongside his wife, Karina, who is also on staff. Together, they are raising five children, making life both busy and rewarding. In his free time, Preston enjoys woodworking—especially building farmhouse tables—and is a devoted University of Alabama football fan who enthusiastically cheers “Roll Tide” each fall Saturday.

Class instructor for:

• Old Testament Survey
• The Church from Pentecost to Present

Shane serves as the Lead Pastor of CompassLife Church in Tavares, Florida. He is a fourth-generation pastor in the Christian Church with a Master’s Degree in Practical Ministry from Cincinnati Christian University. He has served in preaching and teaching ministry for 30 years and has been part of various church models, including upstarts, revitalizations, and multi-sites. Shane has led Bible Land tours to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. However, Shane’s greatest joy is living his adventure with his wife Erica and their four incredible children.

Class instructor for:

• Advanced Preaching

Dr. Shawn Grant is a servant-hearted leader, communicator, and mentor with a passion for helping others thrive in their God-given purpose. With a Ph.D. in Humanities and over two decades of experience in ministry, higher education, and organizational leadership, Shawn brings biblical truth to life through compelling teaching and preaching. He has led churches, developed ministry systems, and shaped spiritual formation environments that value every individual. As the founder of Curious Leadership, he equips others to steward their gifts and join God’s mission to set the world right. Shawn is known for his relational leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to the Gospel and is currently the new Senior Minister at Kissimmee Christian Church.  He and his wife, Erica, are proud parents to their two children, Jude and Emma.

Class Instructor for:

• Basic Christian Ethics 

Terry is a graduate of Bluefield College of Evangelism, Cincinnati Christian University, and Southwest Bible Seminary. He holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate of Ministry degrees. Terry was ordained to Christian ministry in 1972 by the College Park Church of Christ in Winchester, VA. He is in his 9th year as Preaching Minister of the Glen Este Church of Christ in Cincinnati, OH and has served mostly in congregations in Kentucky and Indiana and Ohio through the years. Terry serves as a 25+ year trustee of the Christian Restoration Association (CRA) in Mason, OH, and has had articles published in the Restoration Herald and The Lookout Magazine. He is also presently serving as Vice President of Business and as a professor at Louisville Bible College, teaching Bible, Theology, Preaching, and Restoration History. He has served on the faculty of Summit Theological Seminary and Northeast Ohio Bible College. Terry and his wife, Deborah, have been married for over 52 years. Terry and Debbie have 2 married children, 6 grandchildren, and 2 Great-grandsons.

Class Instructor for:

• Basic Tenets of Christianity
• Basic Theology
• Principles of Bible Interpretation

Terry brings over 52 years of ministry experience, having served as a Youth Minister and Senior Minister in Arkansas and Missouri before earning a Bachelor of Theology from Ozark Bible College, a Master’s in Preaching from Lincoln Christian Seminary, and pursuing advanced PhD studies in Global Organizational Leadership at Johnson University. He dedicated 20 years as Executive Director of Niños de México, including nearly 14 years on the mission field, and held teaching roles in missions, intercultural studies, and the Book of Acts at Ozark Christian College, Lincoln Christian University, and Boise Bible College, where he later served more than 10 years as President. He also served five years as President of St. Louis Christian College and currently works part-time as a Stewardship Consultant with Financial Planning Ministry, helping families with estate planning. Terry has served on the ABHE board for 12 years and currently serves on the Ball State Christian Campus House board. He and his wife, Carol, live in Anderson, Indiana, where they actively serve at Bethany Christian Church and are blessed with four children and twelve grandchildren, all involved in ministry.

Class Instructor for:

• Acts