The Authors

The Basic Series books are written by national church leaders, pastors, and Christians in partnership with ServeNow. Each author shares biblical wisdom on foundational topics you need to know. Explore their stories today!

Dr. Sharpe is a dentist and a Bible teacher. His training includes an undergraduate degree in Chemistry, a dental degree, and a seminary
degree. His multiple areas of expertise have allowed him to have success in business and in ministry. He has been involved in international dental missions since 1994 and international Bible teaching since 2007. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for ServeNow and for Eagle Projects International, both mission ministries servingChristians around the world. In business, he is the Dental Director for DialCare, a US teledentistry network. He lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Sherrie and two dachshunds.

Jesse Gathura is a pastor currently serving as the regional director of the International Bible Society, Biblica East Africa. His ministry spans a cumulative of 20 years in various levels of leadership that has seen him travel to 16 nations.


Jesse holds a degree in Bible and theology and a masters in leadership. He is passionate about missions and especially capacity building of the local church and has been involved in coordinating Bible engagement programs in East Africa, training pastors, church leaders, youth, and children’s workers.


He resides in Nairobi, Kenya together with his wife Ruth and their two sons.

After more than a 40-year technology leadership career. Tony now runs a Strategic Information Technology Consulting firm. After committing to serve Jesus over 30 years ago, Tony has also been on numerous church and ministry boards, and he currently serves as the chair of ServeNow’s board. He and his wife are pre-marital and financial mentors, and live  near Lancaster, PA, where they enjoy time with their children and six grandchildren.

Tracy Hilts has spent 20 years in chaplaincy and pastoral ministry as a hospital and hospice chaplain, director of pastoral counselling care and now as a lead pastoral and adjunct professor at Denver Seminary. Tracy is a regular contributor to church related magazines, winning national awards and recognition for her writing about end-of-life caregiving.

Tracy is gratefully married to Peter for 34 years and they enjoy life connections with their six adult children and two beloved grandchildren. The Hilts live in Colorado Springs, CO.

Rev. Mike Wood served two churches in Britain for a total of 41 years. He has served as District minister for more than 30 Baptist churches in London, and is a graduate from Spurgeon’s College. With his wife Lesley they were involved in a teaching ministry around the globe. In November 2018 Mike Wood went to be with his heavenly Father and left behind his wife, two sons and six grandchildren.

Marcos Witt is an international worship leader, pastor and recording artist, and has provided many of the worship songs used in Latin America today. While he was born in Texas, United States, he spent most of his growing up years in Mexico. He resides in Houston, together with his wife Miriam. The Witts have four children. Marcos is the author of ten books. He has recorded 30 albums, which have sold over 27 million copies in Latin America, Mexico and USA.

Tanya was born in Russia and moved to Crimea during her childhood. There she experienced such compassion from Christians that it impacted her entire life. She met and married Andrey, who grew up in Crimea, and was converted to Christ from a life of drugs and crime. Together they have ministered with young people in Crimea for ten years, and for the last five years in Ukraine, where they now lead the work of ServeNow. They live in Irpen, Ukraine and have two sons and one daughter.

Patrick and Ruth are trained in family ministry and have been teaching together in various family seminars all over India. They have one daughter, Darynn Abigail. Both serve on the India Board of ServeNow. Patrick is the pastor and operations director of Gospel Trumpets Ministries, a multifaceted ministry and Church in Hyderabad. He has completed his M.Th. in New Testament, and is on the faculty of several Christian organizations. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in church planting at Asbury Theological Seminary. Ruth was the leader of the worship team and the women’s group at Gospel Trumpets Church. She also headed the Grace Educational Academy, which provides education to underprivileged children. Ruth Patrick passed away at the end of May 2021 after an intense illness with COVID.

Rev. Daniel Sundar Singh Moses received his theological education at Madras Christian College, as well as Trinity Theological College in Singapore where he earned an M.Div. He pastored the Lal Bagh Methodist Church in Lucknow for ten years and have since then been ministering as an itinerant Bible teacher. He is the author of The Jesus I Always Wanted To Know. Moses is married to Angeline and they have three children.

Moses Ssemanda Mbuga was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, where he leads the Gospel Messengers Church and the work of Imani Milele Children. He oversees some other 300 churches, and ministers throughout Uganda and the surrounding nations. He is married to Joyce Hopkins.

Philip Malakar is originally from Assam, India. Philip and his wife Sheila live in Delhi, North India, with their children. After serving 16 years as a music composer and radio speaker in a radio ministry, he responded to God’s calling and became involved in the House Church Movement, planting house churches in many parts of India and Bhutan. His greatest desire is to see lost people come to Christ and be discipled.

Galo Vasquez is originally from Quito, Ecuador. Over the years he has served in leadership positions in many Christian organizations, including Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, International Bible Society, CONELA (Confraternity of Latin American Evangelicals), and the Latin American Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He is the founder of VELA (Vision for the Evangelization of Latin America) based in Mexico City. He has also ministered in many countries beyond Latin America and has a heart for training the Body of Christ in evangelization and mission.

This Persecuted Christian is a Christian brother involved in full-time ministry in India, serving the church and assisting many people in need. He is married, with children and grandchildren.

Merzek Botros is the founder and pastor of the Arabic Centrum Church in Stockholm, Sweden. He is also the founder of Global Fellowship, which operates a recording studio for various Christian programs as well as a Bible school. Merzek is originally from Egypt, but moved to Sweden as he sensed God’s call to do so. He is married to Lena, and they have four daughters. Merzek’s longing is to see the world being touched by God’s transforming Merzek Botros power. He is very focused on assisting immigrants who have come to Sweden, especially from the Arab world. He is also engaged in various ministry projects in Arabic through social media with a potential audience of six million per month.

Ben Foley was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, well known for its Amish community. Ben attended Lancaster Bible College where he graduated with a pastoral ministry degree. He pastored a church along the New Jersey shore for six years before joining ServeNow to step into the role of international president. Ben and his wife, Lauren, have four children. He has completed his master’s degree in formational leadership through Lancaster Bible College. Ben is the author or coauthor of several of the ServeNow Basic Series booklets.

Lars was born and raised in Sweden. He ministered in several denominations and then served at the President of International Bible Society (Biblica) as well as founder and president for several other global mission organizations. He is married to Doreen and have three children and seven  grandchildren.