Amy Gustafson is an almost-native of Canby, Oregon.  She graduated from Wheaton College in 1998 with a degree in Christian Education and Ministry, and has since put it to good use as a residential group home counselor, a professional scrapbooker, a children’s/youth/music minister in France, an instructional assistant, an administrative assistant, a production planner, an independent recording artist, and a church planter/worship leader (she suspects she has some kind of Career A.D.D., but has never been officially diagnosed).

She currently leads worship for Two Rivers Church in Milwaukie, OR (pretty much the greatest church on the planet), and spends her time amusing/confusing the congregation with her anecdotes, planning trips back to France in her head, smothering her nieces and nephews with kisses, talking on the phone to Patrick, and seeking to honor JESUS CHRIST in and above all things.

You can follow along with her life at amygustafson.vox.com except she hasn’t written a blog post in weeks, which is Patrick’s fault for distracting her so much.

Patrick Oden is an almost native of California. His parents were born there, his grandparents were born there, and some of his great-grandparents were born there. He was born near Wheaton, IL. But since his dad was just there as a student, and the family quickly got back to the sun and surf, Patrick doesn’t feel at all midwestern.

Well, maybe there was a little lingering midwest in him seeking attention. In 1997 he received his BA from Wheaton College. He began as a history major with the intent to pursue law. That changed over the years, especially after he started taking church history and added a Bible/Theology major.

In 1999 he began studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. At the end of 2002 he finished his Masters of Divinity degree, meaning he was fully qualified to go into full time ministry. Instead, he went into full time writing and web design, neither of which paid as well, but were significantly better for his soul.

Yet, his education didn’t go to waste. His writing started taking a spiritual bent and his reading started getting back into the depths of Scripture, ministry, and theology. In 2007, he published his first book It’s a Dance: Moving with the Holy Spirit. That book, and a class he took in early 2007, led to suggestions he pursue theology some more. And so, in the Fall of 2008 he will begin his PhD in Systematic Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Hopefully, by that time he’ll have finished his second book.

You can follow along with his thoughts on life at The Ravens.