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What I Do

Responsible for providing resources for a biblical examination of the person and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, including research, publications, conferences, events and services for students. The center is envisioned as a home for biblical scholars who wish to provide greater attention to not just a theology of the Holy Spirit but also the awakening and empowering of the Holy Spirit. Its a training ground for students and faculty who want a greater infusion of the Spirit’s enablement to be more effective in evangelism, global mission, praying for the sick, bringing deliverance to the oppressed and defeating the power of sin. Among the initiatives led by the center is a global leader-in-residence appointment for an internationally influential Christian leader, a faculty fellows research program, a biennial international student conference on spirit empowerment, a biennial symposium, monthly spirit empowerment vespers, and collaborative work with existing Biola departments.

Degrees

  • Ph.D. (candidate), Fuller Seminary
  • M.A.I.C.S., Fuller Seminary
  • MBA, Phoenix University
  • B.A., University of La Verne

Biography

Oscar Merlo is passionate about empowering the new generations through the Holy Spirit and for illuminating the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has served in executive leadership positions for profit and nonprofit multinational organizations. As a practitioner, Merlo has traveled extensively to over 35 countries in five continents and has experienced how God’s Missio-Dei is at work in diverse places such as: Cuba, Tel Aviv, Bissau, Istanbul, the mountains of the Dry Corridor in Guatemala, local communities in Los Angeles and other places in the global south. He leads global plans in Evangelism & Transformation initiatives and has participated in social justice advocacy, the Latin America Free of Corruption Initiative and coordinated global leadership training programs.

Merlo served as a co-founder of the OMEGA generation project; an initiative to mentor Latin-X millennials in the 21st century. He has developed EDEAM (School of Evangelists Alberto Mottesi) academic programs expanding to 136 international centers throughout Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Oscar is happily married to Lexa, and they have two daughters. He enjoys traveling and exploring the gastronomy of the world.

Affiliations

  • Board Member Hispanic Theological Association (ATH), Azusa California.
  • Board Member American Baptist Theological Center (ABTC), Pasadena California.
  • Board Member Hope for Fulani’s, Lisboa Portugal.
  • Member of Hispanic Theological Association, (AETH).
  • Member of The Latin America Theological Fraternity (FTL).
  • Member of Society for Pentecostal Studies, (SPS).
  • Member of Evangelical Theological Society (ETS)
  • Member of American Society of Missiology (ASM).
  • Former Columnist, “Revista, El Orador” Fountain Valley California.
  • Former Editorial Board Member, Editorial Kerygma, A division of School of Evangelists Alberto Mottesi. (EDEAM)
  • Former Board Member AMEA (Alberto Mottesi Evangelistic Association).
  • Former Board Member of AHET

Publications

  • “Manual de Evangelización (Evangelization Manual),” Volumes: 1-12. 2010-2016. Font, Eduardo, Mottesi, Alberto, Kerygma Publishing.
  • “Impactando las Generaciones Emergentes (Impacting the Emerging Generations),” Volume 3. Leys, Lucas, Torres, Hector, Barrientos, Marcos, Eustache, Pedro, 2014.
  • “Especialidades Juveniles (Youth Specialties),” Merlo, Oscar, El Orador, 2002–2009 (over 60 articles).

Presentations

Actively presented in various leadership (secular and non-profit) pastoral global conferences across five continents on a variety of themes. Have been invited as key note speaker in various international congresses across the Americas, Middle East and the US.

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