CBE’s 2025 conference, “Let Her Lead,” is quickly approaching! From September 4–6, attendees and speakers will gather in Argentina, at the Seminario Internacional Teológico Bautista en Buenos Aires(International Baptist Theological Seminary in Buenos Aires (SITB). CBE’s international conferences explore biblical equality through the host country’s cultural context, learning how mutuality is expressed in every sphere, including the church and home.
The speakers joining CBE in Argentina are accomplished, passionate advocates for women’s biblical equality. Most will be new to CBE’s audience—but not for long— while others are longtime contributors. This week, we are highlighting our speakers so that you can get to know or catch up with them. Please take time to pray for these women and men as “Let Her Lead” approaches.
And if you want more, both virtual and in-person registration is still open on CBE’s “Let Her Lead” website. We hope to see you there!
Get to Know:
Elsa Viviana Barrón
Viviana Barrón is a Baptist pastor and rector of the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Buenos Aires. She holds a degree in social work (UNLAM), a master’s degree in religious studies (SITB), and another master’s in social science research (UBA). She holds a PhD and Postdoctoral degree in Social Sciences (UBA). She is a professor for Higher Education (UAI), researcher (UBA, UNLAM, UMSA, UEP), and is a member of the Global Network of Suicidologists.
Jonatan Leopardi
Jonatan Leopardi graduated from SITB and is a Senior Professor of Theology with a specialization in Biblical Research. He is currently completing his master’s degree in sacred Scripture at the University of Buenos Aires (UCA). He is a part of a project with the SBA in the area of biblical language teaching and serve as Associate Pastor at the Jesús Rey de Paz church in Lanús, southern Buenos Aires. He has been married to Nuria for eighteen years, and they have two children.
Walter Merino
Walter Merino holds a master’s in theology with a specialization in sacred scripture from Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and a bachelor’s in theology from Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. He is a secondary and higher education professor in theology at International Baptist Theological Seminary and a senior advisor in theology with a focus on biblical research.
He has served at the Apostolic Christian Nazarene Church in San Antonio de Padua, Buenos Aires, for the past eighteen years in various ministries: youth group, Christian education, and pastoral work. He is currently serving at the Baptist Church of Martín Coronado. Walter has been married to Betina Paola Eisenach for nineteen years.
Sheri and Keith Onishi
Sheri and Keith have served for thirty-eight years with an international Christian mission organization, seventeen of those years living in Latin America. They have three grown children and currently live in Dallas, Texas. Their current roles are to develop leaders globally, with an emphasis on spiritual leadership, self-leadership, strategic leadership and shared leadership. One of their focuses is to create safe spaces for teams to discuss the challenges and barriers that are unique to women who desire to lead organizationally, in order to uncover the often-unacknowledged root issues.
Pablo R. Andiñach
Pablo R. Andiñach holds a Doctorate in Theology and is a Professor of Old Testament at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. He is also the Director of the Master’s Program in Biblical Theology at the University of the Latin American Educational Center. He pursued postgraduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. In 2004 and 2011, he was a Visiting Professor at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. He is the author of several books in his field of expertise.
In addition to his academic activities, Pablo teaches courses, workshops, and classes in various locations, with notable participation in the Duke University Study Program held in Ahuachapán, El Salvador. He is an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina.
Catch Up With:
Taffi Dollar
Taffi Dollar, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, is a world-renowned author, teacher, spiritual leader, and motivational speaker. She is married to Creflo Dollar, and together they pastor World Changers Church International (WCCI) based in College Park, Georgia, World Changers Church-New York, and numerous satellite churches across the country. In addition to ministering from the pulpit, she frequently hosts prayer and Bible study meetings, retreats, workshops, and other events that empower women.
Listen: Breaking Chains: Pursuing Biblical Equality in Faith and Practice
Read: Gender Roles: A Grace-Based Perspective
Mimi Haddad
Dr. Mimi Haddad serves as president and CEO of CBE International. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Summa Cum Laude). She earned a PhD in historical theology from the University of Durham, England. Haddad received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University in 2013. An adjunct associate professor of historical theology, Haddad has taught at Fuller Theological Seminary, Bethel University, Olivet University and for institutes and organizations worldwide. She was a founding member of the Evangelicals and Women Study Section at the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and Evangelicals for Justice. She continues to serve on the leadership of ETS’s Evangelicals and Women.
Watch: Women Mystics, Martyrs, Missionaries, Movers, and Shakers
Watch: Ideas Have Consequences: Justice Begins with a Consistent Reading of Scripture
Listen: Women and Words: Context and Canon: Women’s Leadership in Biblical Translation
Read: Setting a Movement Aflame: The Power of CBE’s Founders
Charles Read
Charles Read, BA, MPhil, PGCE teaches Liturgy and shares in the teaching of Systematic Theology. Although he grew up in the West Midlands, Charles spent 21 years in Manchester before joining the staff in 1999. After reading theology at Manchester University, he was Head of Religious Studies in a secondary school and a Reader in a large church before training for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham. He served in a wide variety of parishes in Manchester Diocese (urban, rural, suburban, evangelical, catholic and ‘just C of E’), ending up as Team Vicar in a UPA in Salford. He has been a member of General Synod, has helped to produce the new Eucharistic prayers for Common Worship and is involved with WATCH (Women and the Church). He is working on a PhD on Inclusive Language. Charles is married to Judith and they have two boys, Jonathan and Phillip. Among the family pastimes are films, eating out, gardening, knitting, trains and watching re-runs of The Avengers.
Listen: The Doctrine of God and Inclusive Language
Watch: Julian of Norwich: A Medieval Feminist
Aída Besançon Spencer
Dr. Aída Besançon Spencer is Senior Professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA. She has written numerous books, chapters and articles including Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry, Paul’s Literary Style, 2 Corinthians: Daily Bible Commentary, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus (New Covenant Commentary Series) ,and [with others] Marriage at the Crossroads: Couples in Conversation About Discipleship, Gender Roles, Decision Making and Intimacy and Global Voices on Biblical Equality: Women and Men Serving Together in the Church. Born and reared in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, and founding pastor of organization of Pilgrim Church, Beverly, MA.
Read: The Global God: Multicultural Evangelical Views of God—eBook
Read: Early Church Heroines: Rulers, Prophets, and Martyrs
Watch: Silence, Women, and the Church with Aida Besancon Spencer (Spanish)
Watch: Using Biblical Female Imagery to Bolster Self-Esteem in Women
William David Spencer
William David Spencer, PhD is Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Theology and the Arts at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, MA. He and his wife, Aída Besançon Spencer, co-edit the Africanus Journal and co-produce the House of Prisca and Aquila series of Wipf & Stock Publishers. Together and separately they have authored numerous books, including Christian Egalitarian Leadership, Marriage at the Crossroads, Global Voices on Biblical Equality, The Global God, The Goddess Revival, and Cave of Little Faces. Both are Presbyterian ministers and co-founders of the Pilgrim Church in Beverly, MA. They co-write a monthly blog, Applying Biblical Truths Today.
Listen: Creating Evangelical Egalitarian Scholarship and Scholars
Watch: Who is the Trinity?
Read: Beyond the Balancing Act: What Model Should You Choose for Your Marriage and Work?
Read: What Makes a Man Masculine in God’s Eyes?
Mayra Ugalde
Mayra currently serves as Honorary Director of the Bible Society of Costa Rica, where she serves in different areas of the publishing, promoting, and distribution of the Bible all over Costa Rica for more of 43 years. Mayra also serves on the Publishing Committee for the United Bible Society where she participates in developing and publishing different study Bibles and specifically in the developing of the Bible for Latin American women that’s called The Women in the Bible and also a Bible for adult women that was called The Bible I Adore.
Mayra has an MBA in Administration, and a postgraduate degree in Bible. She publishes articles in national newspapers and nowadays writes devotionals and blogs leading readers to interact with the Bible.
Listen:
Women and Words: From Oppression to Empowerment: Women in Scripture
Women and Words: The Intersection of Culture and Bible Translation with Mayra Ugalde: Part 2
Women and Words: The Intersection of Culture and Bible Translation with Mayra Ugalde: Part 3
Women and Words: The Intersection of Culture and Bible Translation with Mayra Ugalde: Part 4
Women and Words: The Intersection of Culture and Bible Translation with Mayra Ugalde: Part 5