Our People

"One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts."

- Psalm 145:4

Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot

Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot (M.A., Ph.D.) is a Christian thinker and cultural apologist, Founder and President of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity. He is adjunct instructor for culture and apologetics at Bryan College, Tennessee. He also served as founding pastor of Westminster Chapel, Toronto for 14 years.

Now resident home in Great Britain, Joseph has worked in the fields of Christian apologetics, worldview education and church leadership for over twenty-five years on both sides of the Atlantic. He has spoken and guest lectured globally at numerous university events, seminaries, churches, colleges, and conferences. He regularly addresses pastors and Christian leaders as well as academic, medical, legal, and political professionals and has publicly debated leading atheistic thinkers and philosophers in Canada and the United States.

Joseph did his undergraduate studies in Theology (Birmingham Christian College, U.K), earned his Master's degree in Mission Theology with a dissertation focused on Christian cultural philosophy and apologetics (University of Manchester U.K), and holds a PhD in Christian Intellectual Thought (Whitefield Theological Seminary, Florida, USA). Joe's apologetic works include Searching for Truth (Crossway), Why I Still Believe (Baker), and How Then Shall We Answer (New Wine). His most noted contributions to Christian thought are systematic works of Christian cultural apologetics and philosophy elucidating the biblical worldview as it relates to the Christian's calling in the world, including The Mission of God (Wilberforce Publications/Ezra Press) and his latest work, Ruler of Kings (Wilberforce Publications). Other recent volumes developing a cultural apologetic include, Gospel Culture and Gospel Witness (Ezra Press) which serve as an introduction to a scriptural worldview and a Christian philosophy of culture.
Joe is a Senior Fellow for the cultural and apologetics think-tank truthXchange in Southern California; is Senior Fellow of cultural philosophy for the California-based Center for Cultural Leadership; and is senior Fellow for Wilberforce Academy and public theology at Christian Concern in London, UK. In 2011 he was recognized by Toronto's Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection as 'Best Preacher Apologist' for his contribution to apologetic and expository preaching. Joe is general editor of the Ezra Institute's journal, Jubilee, and was founding chancellor of Westminster Classical Christian Academy in Toronto. Joseph is married to Jenny and they have three children: Naomi, Hannah, and Isaac.

Bart DeVries

Bart DeVries has served on the boards of Christian organisations and schools in the evangelical reformed community for many years. He is the president of Kingdom Consulting, providing management consulting services to the Ezra Institute. In this capacity, he advises, strategizes and makes recommendations to the leadership team on the corporate administrative and executive affairs of the ministry internationally, and on the development and growth of the ministry in the USA. In addition to a Master's degree from the University of Toronto, he is certified in project management (PMP) and in Lean methodologies. Residing in Tennessee, USA, he is married to Daniella and they have seven children.

Nate Wright

Rev. Nathanael Wright (B.A, MDiv.) is the Canadian Director of the Ezra Institute. He is a Christian leader, theologian and cultural apologist, and has worked in Christian ministry and church leadership in Canada for over fifteen years.

While acquiring a Bachelors degree in English Literature and minoring in Cultural Studies at Western, Ontario, he came to faith in Christ through campus outreach ministry where God birthed in him a great passion for evangelism and apologetics. Nathanael went on to work as a youth pastor while pursuing his theological studies at Emmanuel Bible College and McMaster University. After several years in this role, he was apprenticed at West London Alliance Church in Ontario and then accepted his first senior pastorate at Crossroads Bible Church in Ingersoll, Ontario, in 2013 which has grown to about 1,000 people under his care. He continues to serve at Crossroads in senior leadership.

A keen student of the reformational tradition in cultural apologetics and an emerging voice in Canadian Christianity, Nathanael was deeply influenced by the work of the Ezra Institute and became increasingly engaged in promoting its work, thought and message before joining our international leadership team. He hosts the popular Rebel Podcast on the Fight Laugh Feast Network and has had numerous opportunities to speak in churches and conferences in Canada.

Nathanael and his wife Colleen live in London, Ontario. They have three children with a fourth on the way.

Ryan Eras

Ryan Eras is Director of Content and Publishing at the Ezra Institute, and is one of the hosts of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation. He holds an undergraduate degree in History from Tyndale University, and a Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Toronto, with a focus on bibliographic control and the history of censorship.

Ken is Director of Development at the Ezra Institute. Ken has a Bachelor of Business Administration (TWU) and is completing an MBA (AIB). He has served in the Canadian Army as a communications specialist. He has worked in IT and programming, Customer Service, International Sales Management, Operations Management, Plant Management and currently runs his own Management Consulting Firm, specializing in teaching and coaching Lean Six Sigma business transformation techniques.

Ken grew up in Langley, British Columbia, just outside of Vancouver, in the beautiful Fraser Valley. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Lyan. Together they have lived in British Columbia, Irvine, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and currently reside in Smithville, Ontario. They are currently members of the Grassie, Canadian Reformed Church where Ken has been active as an elder. Their marriage has been blessed with five children, four sons and one daughter, and two grandchildren.

Reagan Underwood

Reagan Underwood is the Executive Assistant and Events Coordinator at the Ezra Institute. She holds an undergraduate degree in Discipleship Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

She is from Greensboro, NC but is now staying in the Chattanooga area. She is passionate about Christian apologetics and having people see the importance of holding a biblical worldview in an anti-Christian world.

Laura Oldfield

Laura Oldfield is the Conservation Officer at the Ezra Institute, where she takes responsibility for conservation education and gardening on the farmstead. Laura's favourite place to be is outdoors. Her particular interests are getting to know native and endangered species in the Carolinian forest, growing vegetables in her garden 9 months of the year, collecting rocks, and all things birds. She recently completed the Ontario Master Naturalist program at Lakehead University.

Board of Directors

The Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity operates as a charitable corporation and is overseen by the following directors:

Bart DeVries

William Ravensbergen

Mark Oldfield

Joseph Boot (Ex Officio)

Trevor Bertenshaw

Brian Semkiw

Wilf Wikkerink

To contact our directors please use the Contact Form.

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Our People

Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot

Bart DeVries

Nate Wright

Ryan Eras

Ken Stel

Reagan Underwood

Laura Oldfield

Board of Directors

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