Dr. Jim O' Neill

Engaging a New Generation…

ABWE president, Dr. Jim O’Neill, is a leader of leaders with a heart for the mission field.

Before serving with ABWE, Dr. O’Neill was the President and Founder of the Center for Global Mission out of Chattanooga, Tenn., which equips emerging leaders to make a global impact for Jesus Christ. Previously, Dr. O’Neill spent more than two years at Tennessee Temple University serving as executive vice president and interim president, nine years serving as president of CrossWorld missions agency, and five years leading the academic missiology program at Liberty University.

He and his wife, Sterling, also served 13 years in Asia as church planters.

Dr. O’Neill has two degrees in missiology, a doctorate from Western Seminary and a master’s from Grace Theological Seminary. He received his bachelor’s degree from Liberty University. He is the author of “Teaming Up With God: How God Invades Pagan Culture,” published by Harcourt and Brace in 1997.

On June 20, 2013, the board of ABWE Ministries unanimously approved Dr. O’Neill’s appointment as mission president, determining that his heart for the gospel and professional/ministry experience in leadership development, cross-cultural church-planting, urban and student ministry, and missions in limited access countries makes him uniquely qualified to lead the historic missions agency into a new era of worldwide evangelism, disciple-making and church planting.

“Through all of my ministry experiences, the common thread has been a love for assisting younger leaders in their preparation for God’s Kingdom assignment,” Dr. O’Neill says. “We are commanded to make disciples of all nations. I am thrilled to play a role in ABWE’s rich 86-year history of training up leaders who desire to take the hope of Jesus to the ends of the earth. I am deeply humbled, and incredibly excited to partner with ABWE International’s more than 900 missionaries as they endeavor to share the story of hope, build communities of faith and serve the world with love.”

Dr. O’Neill also hopes to deepen relationships with the mission’s thousands of partner churches and donors, as ABWE continues providing vital services and training to help expedite their Great Commission ministries.

The O’Neills have been married 32 years. They have four adult children, ranging in age from 20 to 29. Dr. O’Neill is originally from Reading, Pa.