Dr. Joel Mathai is originally from India. He was born and raised in a Syrian orthodox Christian family and came to know Christ as a college student through the witness of a friend. Today his heart's desire is to see others, especially those from his own country come to know Christ. He also has a passion to preach the Word so as to motivate others to serve God with authenticity and effectiveness. Joel has an M. Div. and a Th. M. and a Doctorate in Inter-cultural studies from Grace Theological seminary in Winona lake, Indiana.

Nada hails from Roscommon, Michigan. She came to know Christ as a young child while attending VBS at her church. She met Joel while in Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. They were married on June 7, 1980. Little did Nada know someday God would take her to India. It has been a great journey.

From 1989 to 1997 Joel and Nada Mathai served in north India in a church planting ministry. They were instrumental in planting two churches in New Delhi. In 1998 they were invited to join the headquarters of Christar then International Missions Inc. Over the next nine years Joel served as Vice President for new personnel, International director for training and also the Regional director for the Arab world. Those were exciting years expanding the ministry of the Mathais to a global scale.

Joel has had a great speaking ministry, written articles for the World Christian and Voice magazines and holds memberships in the IFCA and the Evangelical Missiological Society. Joel has traveled extensively throughout the world and is well versed in world religions and cultures.

The Mathais joined the GBC family in January of 2007. Joel is Pastor of the South Asian Fellowship and oversees the Indian ministry. Joel and Nada have four children, Shalini (graduate of Cedarville and University of Alabama) is their oldest and lives in Birmingham, Alabama with husband Jonathan. Shireen their second daughter is a Registered Nurse finishing up her BSN at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The last two are twins, Joel Jr. and Sushila. They were sophomores at Liberty and Cedarville universities and have transferred here. They currently live at home hoping to be Aggies soon.