Url Scaramanga is the facilitator of Out or Ur and an adjunct professor of interdisciplinary pseudonymology at the College of Creative Writing in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. He is the son of circus performers but left to pursue ministry. Url nearly earned a seminary degree but was “encouraged to seek another calling” after an unfortunate incident in hermeneutics class involving a pigeon. He retains a keen interest in issues of theology, culture, carnivals, and ministry, and believes blogging is the best use of his gifts for the church.
Skye Jethani is senior editor of Leadership Journal. He has also served at Blanchard Alliance Church in Wheaton as a teaching pastor where he continues to teach regularly. He studied pastoral ministry at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He hold degrees in history and comparative religion, and has spoken and written widely about Christianity and consumerism. Skye first met Url at an ashram near Varanasi, India, where Url served as a short-term missionary/masseuse.
Brandon O’Brien is assistant editor of Leadership Journal. He also contributes to BuildingChurchLeaders.com, and has worked on the PreachingToday.com editorial team. His writing has also been featured in USAToday. Brandon has served in pastoral ministry in Arkansas, and carries degrees in Biblical Studies, Christian History, and Literature. He first met Url at The Slug and Lettuce, a pub in Edinburgh, Scotland, although both deny the veracity of the official police report.
Marshall Shelley is editor of Leadership Journal and an editorial vice-president of Christianity Today International. Marshall joined Leadership Journal in 1982 after developing journalistic skills at Cook Publishing Co. and The Denver Post, and after serving as a pastor in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. Marshall met Url while they both served as understudies to Patrick Swayze in a short-lived musical stage production of the film Ghost.
Drew Dyck is the managing editor of Leadership Journal and author of Generation Ex-Christian. His research on the younger generation has been featured in USA Today, The Huffington Post, and The Washington Times. Drew has served as a youth pastor and holds an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He lives with his wife Grace, and their son Athanasius, in Carol Stream. Drew is originally from Canada. He met Url in Nunavik while tracking polar bears across the frozen tundra.
Paul Pastor is online editor for Leadership Journal and Out of Ur. He has written for many of Christianity Today‘s publications on issues of faith, ministry, art, and culture. Paul is from Portland, Oregon, holds an M.A. in biblical exegesis, and wears lumberjack clothes with a minimum of irony. He lives in West Chicago, IL. He first met Url while filming a shy Sasquatch family in the desolate Hatfield Wilderness. Unfortunately, their crisp footage of the legendary ape’s social behavior has been lost.
