Our Staff
Dr. Ayman S. Ibrahim
Director
Ayman Ibrahim was born and raised in Egypt. He completed two PhDs in Islamic Studies (Fuller 2014, Haifa University 2018). Since 1991, he has taught in various countries in the Muslim world and in the West at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary in the United States, and at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. Some of the courses he taught include: Introduction to Islam; History and Theology of Islam; Islamic Texts; Islamic Thought; Contemporary Islam; Christian-Muslim Apologetics; and Modern Standard Arabic. He is a member of the Center for the Study of Inter-Religious Encounters at Ben Gurion University of the Negev; the International Quranic Studies Association; the Evangelical Theological Society. He authored Muhammad’s Military Expeditions: A Critical Reading in Original Muslim Sources (Oxford University Press, 2024), Islam and the Bible (B&H, 2023), Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel (Crossway, 2022), A Concise Guide to the Life of Muhammad: Answering Thirty Key Questions (Baker Academic, 2022), Conversion to Islam (Oxford University Press, 2021); Basics of Arabic (Zondervan 2021); A Concise Guide to the Quran (Baker Academic, 2020); The Stated Motivations for the Early Islamic Expansion (Peter Lang, 2018); and co-edited Muslim Conversions to Christ: A Critique of Insider Movements in Islamic Contexts (Peter Lang, 2018). His articles on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations appeared in the Washington Post, Religion News Services, Colorado Springs Gazette, Louisville Courier-Journal, First Things, among others. He has been married since 2012 and together with his wife, they serve among Arabs in the United States and the Middle East. Contact him via his email: aibrahim@sbts.edu and follow him on Twitter at @al2ostaz.
Grace Kim
Administrative Assistant
Grace Kim was born in South Korea and came to the United States when she was 10 years old. She grew up in a strong Christian home, and during her freshman year in college she received a heart to become a missionary in an unreached nation. After college, she went to Turkey for two years and then spent about eight years doing mission mobilization work around the world in 25 countries. She is now a student at Southern, where she graduated with an MA in Missiology and is currently a Ph.D. student in World Religions under the supervision of Dr. Ibrahim. Grace is passionate about mobilizing the global church for missions in the Muslim World and is excited to see greater Christian understanding of Islam through the work of the Jenkins Center.
Amos Luka
Finance Associate
Amos Luka was born and bred in Northern Nigeria. He is married to Vesta and has four kids (Abi, Joanna, Micaiah, and Shiloh). His undergraduate in theology was at Jos ECWA Theological Seminary. Amos was a local church pastor and teacher of a seminary’s extension center in Zaria, Kaduna State. Amos moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to attend Southern Seminary for further theological training. He has a Master of Divinity and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in World Religions under the supervision of Dr. Ibrahim. Amos is the Finance Associate for the Jenkins Center. His encounters with Muslims in a predominantly Muslim context kindled Amos’ passion for ministering to Muslims. He desires to train pastors, church leaders, and missionaries to help churches in Africa have a Christian understanding of Islam and tools for engaging Muslims effectively with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sarah Bryson
Communications Associate
Sarah grew up in southeastern Michigan in a loving Christian home. God saved her as a little girl, though her teen years were fraught with spiritual struggles. From a young age, she has been fascinated by other countries and cultures, but it was not until adulthood that she traveled overseas for the first time. It was an incredible experience that launched a journey of growth and deeper involvement in missions that continue to unravel. Understanding the global kingdom of God played an essential role in Sarah’s faith journey. Sarah came to Boyce in January 2024 to pursue her bachelor’s in global studies, where the Jenkins Center began to become a significant part of her first semester. She looks forward to getting more involved, serving, learning, and growing in understanding Islam from a Christian perspective and seeing where the Lord might use her in bringing His light to those in darkness.
Our Interns
Kathryn
Kathryn was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and grew up in central Indiana. From a young age, she has been passionate about learning foreign languages and cultures, particularly in North Africa and the Middle East. This culminated in her studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in French and a minor in Arabic. During Kathryn’s time at IU, God gave her a heart for reaching Muslims with the gospel, ultimately bringing her to Southern Seminary. As she pursues her M. Div in Islamic Studies, Kathryn is honored to serve alongside the members of the Jenkins Center as they share Christ with Muslims and equip students for effective ministry to Muslims. After graduation, Kathryn hopes to have a career in international missions.
Natalie
Natalie was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is beginning her third year in the Teacher Education Program at Boyce College. Her eyes were opened to the overwhelming need for missionary workers through the intercessory prayer for Ramadan during her first year. This made such an impact on her, giving her a heart for Muslims and the Great Commission in general. By interning at the Jenkins Center, she hopes to gain experience and wisdom, learning to evangelize and being mentored by the other members of the team. After graduation, Natalie hopes to become a teacher and settle overseas, faithfully sharing the gospel in whichever country she ends up in.
Shaalim
Shaalim was born in Lahore, Pakistan. He was born and raised in a family that serves the Lord. His father and late grandfather were both pastors. He has been married to Arooj since 2023. In 2018, he felt a deep call and desire to be in Christian ministry, and in Dec. 2019, he was ordained as a pastor for Biblical Faith Church (Lahore, Pak). Shaalim and Arooj came to SBTS to deepen their understanding of the Word of God. In his experience and regular encounters with Muslims, he developed an understanding of how they view Christianity. He believes that knowing the truth sets you free (John 8:32), and when free, it changes minds, thoughts, and motives. He believes the Muslim community needs to know the truth. But how do we effectively share it? What are the best ways to clearly communicate the Gospel? Exploring these questions is the reason Shaalim has joined the Jenkins Center. He desires to learn, understand, and implement the best ways to win Muslims for Christ.
Become an Intern
Click the button below to learn how to become an intern at the Jenkins Center.