November 17-19, 2026

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

November 17-19, 2026

Example Schedule:

Tuesday, 7pm-9pm

Wednesday, 9am-5pm

Thursday, 9am-12pm

*schedule subject to minor change

When is the gathering?

Central Tel Aviv, Israel. Venue address will be sent along with registration confirmation.

Where will the gathering be held?

How much does it cost?

The gathering is free, registration required. Space is limited, so register early to secure your spot.

Who will be speaking?

Speaker list and bios are listed below.

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SPEAKERS

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.

ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS & FACILITATORS

Dr. Katherine Snyder

Dr. Katherine Snyder has been the Director of Anchor of Hope Counseling and Resource Center in Jerusalem, Israel, since 2013. Previous experience includes chaplaincy at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, as an Assessment Supervisor at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington, DC, and as a Management and Employee Consultant in the United States Federal Government.

Martin Mallory

Martin is the founder of Manna Counseling Service in Wilmore Kentucky where he has served a variety of clients since 1993. He specializes in working with international workers and organizational leaders. Additionally, he is an Affiliate Professor at Asbury Theological Seminary where he teaches in the School of Counseling.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free, registration required.

COOPERATIVE SPONSORS INCLUDE

Anchor of Hope Counseling and Resource Center, Jerusalem Israel

Church of the Savior, Lexington Kentucky

Frontier Alliance International, Birmingham Alabama

GO International, Wilmore Kentucky

Harvest Church, Eminence Kentucky

Living Waters Church, Shelbyville Kentucky

Manna Counseling Service, Wilmore Kentucky

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