Our US Board

Celestin Musekura

Celestin Musekura

President and Founder

Rev. Celestin Musekura, is the President and Founder of the African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM, Inc.), a growing ministry with 35 African national staff training church leaders and community leaders in Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia in areas of leaders, conflict resolution, and tribal reconciliation. He is an ordained Baptist minister who was born and raised in Rwanda. He received a Bachelor of Theology at Kenya Highlands Bible College in Kenya, a Master of Divinity at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) in Kenya, a Master of Sacred Theology and a Ph.D. in theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. His doctoral research was on contemporary models of forgiveness and he specializes in communal forgiveness.

In addition to his theological studies, Celestin has done more studies in Conflict Resolution, Mediation, and Reconciliation at the Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia (USA) and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (USA). His pastoral and Christian leadership ministries include six years of pasturing in Rwanda and serving in administration with the Association des Eglises Baptistes du Rwanda (AEBR). He served on the international and continental level as the Africa Regional Director for MAP International (Nairobi, Kenya), the Director for MAP-Reconciliation Ministries, and the Associate Director for SIM-Urban Ministries Support Group (Nairobi, Kenya). He co-founded the Sudan Evangelical Alliance (SEA) to help the persecuted churches in the southern Sudan to be united in their suffering and in their outreach to their nation. Celestin has served as an Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary and Criswell College in Dallas, Texas.

Celestin is married to Bernadette and they have four children: Providence (23), Prudence (20), Samuel (18), and Emmanuel (14). They make their temporal home in Dallas, Texas where they serve in the ALARM US office.

David A. Beck

President, Beck Business Solutions, Inc

David is the Owner and President of Beck Business Solutions, Inc. He and his son, Jon, are part of the Microsoft Developers Network. They design and write computer based solutions for business. Their concentration has recently been in the area of Companies dealing with the Stock Markets. David and Mary, his wife, were married in 1969 and have 3 children: Jon (1971), Gideon (1973), and Charity (1979). David was involved with a Dallas based ministry for 11 years as a: supporter, board member, advisor, and Executive V.P. It was there where he met Celestin. In 1999 he joined ALARM as controller and board member. David is now doing financial and some administrative work for ALARM and loves to go to Africa to do whatever he can, whenever he can.

Ruth Calver

Pastor of Women, Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, CT

Mrs. Ruth Calver was born and raised as a pastor’s kid in England. She currently serves as the Pastor of Women at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel (CT) where her husband Clive Calver (former President of World Relief for 8 years) serves as the Senior Pastor.

At age 18 Ruth went to Lebanon as a volunteer for a year with Voluntary Service Overseas, (the British equivalent of Peace Corps) where she taught in a mission school run by American and British missionaries. Although a pastor’s kid, Sunday school teacher, youth club leader etc. she really committed her life fully to Christ on a hill side above Beirut Airport as the Israelis bombed and destroyed 13 jets on the tarmac. At the time, all she knew was that bombs were flying overhead, machine gunfire was non–stop, and she had no assurance of eternity with Jesus.

While in Lebanon, Ruth learned the paramount importance of developing indigenous leadership through Hazel St. John’s the Headmistress of the school where she taught. On her return to the UK, she went to London School of Theology to study theology with the hope of serving God overseas. Ruth has visited around 60 countries— in the past 10 years virtually all in the third World. Her heart is particularly in Africa and has spent most time in Rwanda, Mozambique and Kenya. Ruth has been thrilled to see the indigenous church empowered and enabled to reach out to meet the needs of her communities.

Ruth and Clive Calver make their home in Bethel, Connecticut. They have four grown up children, Vicky, Kris, Gavin, and Suzy, all serving in Christian ministry: Suzy in Wisconsin and the others in the United Kingdom.

Gary DeSalvo

Senior pastor at Temple Bible Church, Temple, Texas

Gary DeSalvo, senior pastor at Temple Bible Church, Temple, Texas, was born in New Orleans, LA. He attended Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, LA, where he completed a BA in history in 1976. He continued his education at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, and completed his Masters in Theology (ThM) graduating with high honors in 1981. Gary has been pastor of Temple Bible Church since 1981. Under his guidance,Temple Bible Church has grown from a membership of 40 to over 1900 with a Sunday attendance of approximately 1200. Gary has been involved in ministry in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kenya, Zaire, India, Honduras and Mexico. He serves on the US Board of Trustees of OMF (Overseas Mission Fellowship), and the boards of Church Leadership Development International (CLDI), African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM), Kiev Theological Seminary, and Christian Discipleship Ministries Gary is married to Bev and they have two children who are both college students, Sarah (20) and Daniel (19). This is the formal stuff, but here’s the real scoop… Gary is a half-Italian, half-Cajun born and raised in south Louisiana which explains a lot about him. He is a graduate of LSU (bleeds purple and gold) and DTS. He married way over his head (Bev) and has two of the greatest kids on the planet (Sarah, Daniel). His greatest dream is to slam-dunk over Shaq just once! He is a recovering sports addict and starts a new diet every Monday. His love is shepherding the flock at Temple Bible Church.

Greg Gilkerson

Founder and President, Professional Datasolutions, Inc.

Greg Gilkerson is the founder and president of a software company, Professional Datasolutions, Inc. Greg and his wife, Pam, have been married 30 years and have three grown children, Anna, Ellen, and Graham. They also have two granddaughters, Elizabeth and Martha. Greg and Pam are actively involved in a variety of ministries. At Temple Bible Church, they jointly serve on the Missions Committee and assist with small group leadership. Greg is an elder at TBC and has served on other ministry boards in the past. Greg speaks frequently on Christian leadership principles in business. Pam has been a teaching leader in the TBC women’s ministry for a number of years. Greg and Pam feel called to missions, ministries that support pastors, and ministries that promote Christian family values.

Joe Hanson

Former (now retired) CFO, The Feld Group, Inc.

Joe Hanson is retired from Frito-Lay. He and Betty have been married for 44 years and have two children and two grandchildren. He currently serves as an elder at Trinity Bible Church in Richardson, Texas and as a trustee on the Board of Incorporate Members of Dallas Theological Seminary. Another ministry is teaching financial seminars and classes from a Biblical perspective. He is a past chairman of the board of the Texas Association of Business and Chambers of Commerce and has also served as a commissioner on the Texas Workers Compensation Commission. He is a 1960 graduate of the University of Texas school of business and has completed the graduate certificate program for laymen at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Joe Head

Founder of the Biblical Studies Foundation, Executive Vice President of ODS Networks

Joe is the founder of the Biblical Studies Foundation (bible.org), and the sponsor of the Net Bible (netbible.com). With a contributing staff of 28, the Foundation has produced the world’s largest on-line library of evangelical Christian reference materials. The Foundation’s website is intended to give the whole world a free source of sound, evangelical Biblical study materials, and does so using the tremendous low-cost efficiencies of the Internet. Weekly, over 300,000 sessions are served to an average of 55 countries. Mr. Head’s income producing job is as co-founder of ODS Networks, a manufacturer of Internet security equipment, and supercomputer networking equipment. Joe was senior vice president and a director from the company’s inception until 1998. In 1998, Mr. Head was promoted to executive vice president. Mr. Head holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A & M University.

Steve Roese

Catalyst, Irving Bible Church

Steve Roese is married to the best lady in America and father to three children Hunter, Hampton, and Madison. Steve is a graduate of New York University (NYU) and Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), has an eye for the entire world developed through his service at RREACH International. Currently he serves at Irving Bible Church as their Executive Pastor where he is responsible for creating and developing vision.

The Roeses love adventure, challenge, and change.

Marla Webb

President, Cambrian Asset Management Company

Marla Webb is a wife to Bill and a mother of grown sons. In her working life, she is an educator first, both in business and in community and church activities. In her career, Marla has developed, written, and delivered instructional seminars to large groups nationally for the past 15 years on topics related to real estate and finance in conjunction with major U.S. federal government contract assignments. Her travels and training have afforded her opportunities to make friends from her contacts in business, policy-making, and faith-based settings. Her passion is teaching the Bible, something she has done constantly during the 30 years since she became a Christian in college where she obtained a degree in secondary education. Apart from business education, she has taught English grammar and literature, speech and drama, numerous Christian topics, and Bible study methods. To supplement her personal study, Marla has been a graduate student at Dallas Theological Seminary. Bill and Marla are involved for their tenth year in Crown Financial Ministries, providing Biblical principles for stewardship and financial management.

Recently God blessed the Webbs with a fourth son! Peter Aguer Arok is a young Sudanese who has received asylum in America. As a seven-year old boy in 1987, he was orphaned during the massacres of Christians and animists in the south by the Islamist government of Khartoum. After surviving an incredible trek across a vast and dangerous wilderness as one of thousands of “lost boys,” Peter spent 12 years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the U.S. in August 2001. Bill and Marla are encouraging Peter to get his education and fulfill his goal to return to Sudan as a doctor who will help his people to have a brighter future.

Meredith E. Wheeler

Head of School of Mission and Ministry, Bible College of New Zealand, Auckland

After serving as Senior Pastor at Calvary Church for 22 years, Meredith took a position as Head of School of Mission and Ministry at the Bible College of New Zealand effective July, 2008. He is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), University of Nevada at Reno (B.A.), and Multnomah Bible College (B.S.), and he is currently finishing a doctorate at Temple University in Communication Sciences with a focus on Conflict, Mediation and Leadership.

Meredith serves as Consultant/Trainer specializing in Decision-Making, Crisis/Critical Communication, Conflict Resolution, Organizational Evaluation, Strategic Thinking and Planning, Developing a Learning Culture, and Managing Change. This work has resulted in travel nationally and to more than 15 countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Germany, Poland, Columbia, Indonesia, Mexico, the Fiji Islands, and the Middle East.

Meredith has served on the RReach Board and was a founding member of T.O.P.I.C.

Meredith is married to Naomi, and they have two children, Benjamin (24) and Rebekah (21).