“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”

Isaiah 40:1

In a season when the weight of others’ trauma has become your daily companion, Isaiah 40:1 speaks directly to weary shepherds and caregivers. God’s first word to His people in their distress is not instruction, correction, or strategy—but comfort. It is a reminder that before we are called to carry others, we are held by the One who carries us.

This gathering in Israel is an invitation for pastors, counselors, and ministry leaders to experience the very comfort they so faithfully extend to others. Here, in the land where God has spoken hope to generations, we come to rest, to be restored, and to hear again the gentle assurance that He has not forgotten His servants. May this time rekindle strength, renew calling, and remind every weary heart that the God of all comfort speaks peace over His people still.

Comfort My People Gathering

When is the gathering?

First week of March 2026. Exact dates coming soon.

Tel Aviv, Israel. Venue to be announced.

Where will the gathering be held?

How much does it cost?

The gathering is free, registration required.

How long does the gathering last?

The gathering is multi-day from 9am - 5pm. Complimentary lunch provided.

Who will be speaking?

Speaker list and bios are listed below.

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Dr. Stephen Seamands

  • Dr. Stephen Seamands currently serves as Professor Emeritus at Asbury Theological Seminary, having retired in May 2018 from his position as Professor of Christian Doctrine, in which he had served for thirty-five years.  Prior to assuming a teaching position at the seminary in 1983, he pastored United Methodist churches in southern New Jersey for eleven years.  

    Steve has continued to teach courses for the seminary as an affiliate professor.  He is known for gracefully merging the classical and the practical.  His courses on doctrine and practical theology are taught with a scholar’s mind and a pastor’s heart.

    Steve has a passion for Revival and Awakening.  He has developed a particular interest in the areas of emotional healing, spiritual warfare, and intercessory prayer.  For years he was regularly involved in what he describes as “a ministry of healing prayer” to seminary students.  

    The son of missionary parents, Steve was born and grew up in India.  He has earned degrees from Asbury University (B.A.), Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Drew University (Ph.D.)  

    He is the author of eight books including Holiness of Heart and Life (Abingdon Press, 1990), Wounds that Heal: Bringing Our Hurts to the Cross (InterVarsity Press, 2003), which is available in six languages  and Ministry in the Image of God: The Trinitarian Shape of Christian Service (InterVarsity Press, 2005), which received the 2006 Christianity Today  “Award of Merit” for books in the area of Church and pastoral leadership; The Unseen Real: Living in the Light of the Ascension of Jesus (Seedbed, 2016).  His most recent book is Follow the Healer: Biblical and Theological Foundations for Healing Ministry (Zondervan Reflective/Seedbed, 2023).  He has also written articles for various journals and magazines.

    Dr. Seamands and his wife, Carol, were married for 54 years before her passing in May, 2024.  They are the parents of four adult children, Matthew, Jason, Joseph and Stephanie, and have eight grandchildren.  

Dr. Janet B. Dean

  • Dr. Janet B. Dean is a pastor, teacher, and lifelong student of Wesleyan theology who cares deeply about how we read scripture and how it shapes our communities. She brings a thoughtful, down-to-earth perspective to tough questions, especially around faith and mental health. Janet’s all about honest conversations, deep grace, and staying rooted in faith while engaging today’s world.  Janet is currently an Ordained Elder in the Church of the Nazarene and a Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary. She and her husband Kevin, a retired US Navy chaplain, have two adult sons, Jonathan and Rowan.

Anthony J. Headley

  • Anthony J. Headley is a licensed psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary where he taught counseling and pastoral care courses for 31 years, retiring in 2021. In addition to his teaching at Asbury, he has taught at several international Christian colleges and universities. He has also led several ministry seminars and training events. He has written five books including Achieving Balance in Ministry, Created for Responsibility, Reframing Your Ministry, The Influence of Family Dynamics in the Life and Ministry of John Wesley and Getting it Right: Christian Perfection and Wesley’s Purposeful List. His most recent book published in August 2024 is a revised and expanded version of a previous book titled Reframing Your Ministry: Biblical and Theological Foundations for Self-care.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free, registration required.

For more information contact: Martin Mallory manna@iglou.com