ZION CENTER
FOR WORSHIP AND THE ARTS
2015 WINTER CONFERENCE
JANUARY 16th – 17th, 2015
JOHN D. GARR, Ph.D., Th.D.
Innovative Educator, Inspiring Minister
For over forty years, Dr. John D. Garr has been one of the most prominent leaders in a worldwide
movement that is restoring the Hebraic foundations of the Christian faith. With great vision and
diverse skills, he has achieved honor within this movement as both an educator and a minister.
Dr. Garr is the founder and president of Hebraic Christian Global Community, an international,
transdenominational, multi-ethnic networking organization–a coalition of scholars, church leaders,
and laypersons who seek to restore the church to biblical Christianity by recovering the Hebrew
foundations of Christian faith. HCGC is a dramatic expansion of the dynamic work of Restoration
Foundation which Dr. Garr founded and has directed for over twenty years. For full information, see
www.HebraicCommunity.org.
Garr is also chancellor of Hebraic Heritage Christian College, a venture in higher education which
he founded in 2002. HHCC features a dynamic new curriculum anchored in the Hebraic foundations of
the Christian faith and an innovative On-Demand Learning System that makes it possible for students
to receive a college education through the Internet by enabling them to study at their own pace, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the world. Garr has also led the development of an Internetbased Educational Content Development, Deployment, and Delivery System that is now highly
acclaimed in the academic community because it enables educators to create and deliver curricula
with amazing simplicity even with minimal computer and information technology skills. For full
information, see www.HebraicCenter.org.
Dr. Garr’s status in both academia and ministry is unique in that it combines excellence in peerreviewed scholarship with intense spirituality and personal integrity. He is an educator and a
theologian with extensive and diversified training. At the same time, he is a minister with a history of
nearly fifty years of wide-ranging service to the international church. An academician with a pastor’s
heart, he possesses the unusual talent of being able to contextualize the great central truths of
orthodox Christian faith in terms that laypersons can understand and incorporate into their lives. His
ministry features teaching and preaching that challenges believers to faith that is manifest in a
biblically sound, Christocentric lifestyle, grounded in the Hebraic heritage of Jesus and the apostles.
Garr’s credentials include a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology (summa cum laude), a Master’s Degree
in Theology (summa cum laude), a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Church Administration, and a
Doctor of Theology degree in Hebraic Studies from Evangelical Theological Seminary. A prolific
author, Garr has produced many books, including Our Lost Legacy: Christianity’s Hebrew
Foundations; Bless You: Restoring the Biblically Hebraic Blessing; God and Women: Woman in God’s
Image and Likeness; Feminine by Design: The God-Fashioned Woman; Family Worship: Making Your
Home a House of God; Living Emblems: Ancient Symbols of Faith; Blessings for Family and Friends;
Life from the Dead: The Dynamic Saga of the Chosen People; The Hem of
His Garment: Touching the Power in God’s Word; God’s Lamp, Man’s Light: Mysteries of the Menorah,
and many others. For twenty years, he has served as editor and publisher of the quarterly journal
Restore!
Having been called into Christian ministry at an early age, Dr. Garr has served the body of Christ in
many ministerial capacities, including evangelist, pastor, denominational overseer, presbyter,
missionary, church planter, conference speaker, teacher, and seminary professor. In each of these
assignments, he has served with integrity and distinction, applauded by both leaders, peers, and
those whom he has served.
John D. Garr has been married to the former Pat Hall (B.S. Business Administration, Covenant
College) of Knoxville, TN, for the past forty-nine years. They have three sons, John David II (M.S.
Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, M.S. Environmental Engineering,
University of Alabama, engineer and flight controller for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston,
TX), Timothy Daniel (B.S. Chemical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, engineer and
production specialist for Dow Chemical Company in Freeport, TX), and Stephen Michael (Pharm.D.,
University of the Sciences at Philadelphia, neo-natal clinical pharmacist, Lubbock, TX). They have
four grandchildren, John III, Lillian, Caleb, and Benjamin. The Garrs reside in Atlanta, Georgia.
JEAN MABRY
Jean is well known for the beautiful and creative use of her silks as well as her creative
choreography. Director of Bezalel School of Dance (www.bezalelschool.org), Jean and her team
appear at many worship conferences bringing an almost indescribable beauty through the use of
these visually communicative worship instruments. In addition to teaching on how to dye silks and use
them in worship, Jean will also teach the Israeli Folk Dance Track. Jean has a calling to encourage
people to rise up and worship God with all their might regardless of age, size, color, or whatever may
have been set in their way to stop the praise of the King of Glory. In 1985 God birthed the dance team
Benote Tzion (Daughters of Zion) which Jean directs. Jean and this team minister nationally and
internationally sharing His message. Jean and her husband, Jerry spends their time between their
homes in Tennessee and Bethlehem, Israel and lead Olives of the Field – a ministry that teaches on
the Jewish roots of Christianity.
TERESA GARDNER, DWS
Director of the Conference, Teresa has long held a vision for seeing the Arts restored for the Glory of
God and is the Director of Zion Center for Worship and the Arts (ZCWA) - a citywide/international
center for worship training through Biblical Study and Technical Development. Teresa has been
Director of the Resurrection Dance Ministry for 35 years, teaches Worship Dance Classes in
Charlotte, oversees a community outreach dance program for inner-city children and youth (Dancing
Together) and assists many churches in beginning and establishing their own dance ministries. In
addition to local and regional ministry presentations, Teresa and the Resurrection Dance Ministry
have served through many international missions’ trips where they taught Worship Conferences on
Biblical Worship and Dance. ZCWA’s newest venue of biblical worship arts education and training is
through online courses (www.zcwa.com). Teresa served as Dance Company Manager for the
International Christian Embassy's Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem from 1999-2010. As part of her
work in Israel, ZCWA partners with the Obed Service Project to provide discipleship-training trips to
Israel. Teresa received her Masters and Doctorate of Worship Studies from The Robert E. Webber
Institute for Worship Studies.
JEANNE CORWIN
Founder of THE OBED PROJECT
Jeanne is the founder of The Obed Project and has been involved for many years as a staunch
supporter of every Christians’ obligation towards Israel. She has led over 71 teaching tours
throughout the land of Israel and is involved with the believing community there. Zion Center For
Worship And The Arts and the Obed Project have been to Israel many times together to dance and to
teach and to love the people of Israel.
JOHN BROWN
Director of The Obed Project
The Obed Project, a non-profit organization that seeks to educate believers about the Land of Israel,
our biblical roots and the church’s responsibility to Israel and the Jewish people. The Obed Project’s
hope is that through teaching and tours to Israel we can share with the church God’s heart for this
most special Land and people. After twenty three years on staff at a local church, John joined Obed in
January 2009 and has been on and helped guide eighteen different trips. He has strong teaching and
prophetic gifts and understands the strategic importance of intercession to see God’s purposes
accomplished in the earth today.