Mending the Divides

Jer Swigart is the cofounder of The Global Immersion Project, a peacemaking training organization that forms, equips, and mobilizes individuals and communities to enter any kind of conflict to heal rather than to win. He also teaches theology, justice, and innovative leadership atKilns College in Bend, Oregon,and serves on Bends Justice Commission. He is a contributing author to a handful of books and occasionally writes for Huffington Post and Sojourners. Jer has been working in the field of peacemaking and conflict transformation since 2005, when he served as the liaison between an international NGO, a faith community, the Pakistani military, and the United Nations in the aftermath of the Northern Pakistani earthquake.He was also founder and lead pastor of The Open Door Community, a courageous collective of people pursuing God's dream for the San Francisco Bay area. A thought leader and international speaker, Jer frequently teaches in the areas of peacemaking and conflict transformation, Jesus, faith and culture, enemy love, practice-based formation methods, culture creating, and collaborative leadership. He completed his undergrad at The University of Northwestern-St. Paul and has an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary, where he received the prestigious David Allen Hubbard Award. He currently resides with his family in Bend, Oregon.