About the Author

About the Author

Gil Odendaal (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a missionary, pastor, educator, leader and public speaker who serves as vice president of Integral Mission at World Relief. He previously served as the global director for PEACE Implementation with Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, as well as global director for the HIV/AIDS Initiative under Kay Warren. Odendaal has dedicated more than thirty years to empowering the church around the world to seamlessly integrate word and deed ministries that transform communities, especially through health related initiatives. He has served as regional coordinator for Africa, Russia and Eastern Europe with Medical Ambassadors International and he is currently serving on the Lausanne Movement Integral Mission Leadership team and on the boards of Accord (Association of Christian Relief and Development Organizations) as well as Micah Network which represents 584 member organizations currently registered in eighty-four countries committed to Integral Mission. He and his wife Elmarie were born and raised in South Africa and have three adult children and five grandchildren.