Dr. Joel Willitts is an associate professor in the biblical and theological studies department at North Park University. After graduating with a BS, he spent seven years in youth ministry in Texas, Florida, and Illinois. He earned a ThM (2000), an MPhil (2002), and a PhD (2007) from Cambridge University in England.
He has a wide breadth of experience within both the church and academia. Dr. Willitts has researched and published books, essays, and journal articles on the New Testament’s Jewish context. He is currently working on a Galatians commentary, a book on Jesus as the Davidic Son, and a book about sexual abuse.
Dr. Willitts’ passion for the local church has remained strong throughout his education and professional life. He is a fellow at the Center for Pastoral Theology, a group that promotes theology in and for the local church. He has been married to his wife, Karla, for 20 years, and they have six-year-old twins, Zion and Mary. They live in Saint Charles, Illinois.