Each Ashram has an Ashram Director, an Evangelist, and a Bible Teacher.
Ashram Director: Rev. Gary K Wheeler
Gary began attending Ashrams in Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas as a teenager with his family. As Director, he guides the daily events during the Ashram as well as the Board of Twelve leadership team during the rest of the year.
He is a pastor in the Global Methodist Church who has served churches in Kentucky, Georgia, and Ohio, and is currently serving Germantown Methodist Church in Germantown, Ohio. His hobbies include flying (he has his Private Pilot’s License), watching sports, computers, and music.
Gary is also an author of nine books. “Hanging On In An Upside Down World” is about how to cope with the events in life that turn one’s world upside down. You know, no matter what is happening in a person’s life, Jesus has a way of taking us from our worst to our best. His follow-up, “Living Right Side Up: Jesus’ Guidelines For A New Life” answers the question: what does a right side up life look like? He has written an in-depth Bible Study called “The Last Week of Jesus of Nazareth.” His book “Unseen Warfare” addresses the invisible spiritual warfare that is going on all around us. He has also published the first four books in his Christian historical fiction series “The Messengers” that tells the story of a young boy from the 1820s and how he and those around him discover Christ. And if you like romance, check out his book “Christmas Pilgrimage“, a story that takes place in the Holy Land. All these books are available on Amazon. See his website: www.garykwheeler.com.
Gary is married to Myra, who serves as the Registrar for the Ashram. She leads Women’s Bible Studies at Germantown Methodist Church. She is a social worker with Children’s Services, and loves to shop!
They have four adult aged sons: Marty, Kevin, Matt, and Greggie.
Gary is passionate about helping people growing in the relationship with God, and reaching out to people who are far from Him. His favorite passage of Scripture is Joshua 24:15 “But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
2024 Evangelist: Matt Henson
An energetic, dynamic, vision-casting adventurer for Jesus is one of the best ways to describe Rev. Matt Henson. Matt brings a fresh perspective and energy to the church and her ministry. He specializes in Evangelistic Preaching, Mission Experiences, Healing/Reconciliation Ministry, and Youth/Young Adult Ministry, using his experience and passion to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God to all people.
Matt serves as the Executive Director of the United Christian Ashrams International Ministry and as Lead Evangelist for Living the Adventure Ministries, an evangelistic and mission ministry. Matt travels around the nation and around the world as part of these ministries. Matt has spoken to groups and been in mission in 23 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Puerto Rico, Liberia, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Malawi, Uruguay, Argentina, and India.
Matt and his wife, Nancy, have four sons (Elijah, Micah, Judah, and Isaiah) and one daughter, Sarafina.
To learn more about the ministries Matt works with check out Living the Adventure Ministries and the United Christian Ashrams International Ministry.
2024 Bible Teacher: Diane DeWitt
The Rev. Dr. Diana DeWitt has served a number of churches throughout Middle Tennessee as an ordained elder in the UMC since 1996, having also served on various conference committees to include being Chairperson of both Spiritual Formation and Conference Worship. She is currently serving as an alternate on the Judicial Council of the UMC.
Diana is the Founder and Executive Director of Aspen Tree Ministries, a 501(c)(3) which seeks to be God’s agent of grace and love in bringing people from every walk of life into healing and wholeness through the transformational power of Jesus Christ. In this capacity she is currently engaged as a regular Bible and Discipleship teacher at an area church, and offers spiritual encouragement and hope to numerous clients, including those who are incarcerated.
Dr. DeWitt received her Doctor of Ministry in the area of Transformational Leadership from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. She received her Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. She is also a licensed teacher in the State of Tennessee, having received her Master of Education from Vanderbilt University. Dr. DeWitt holds certification in Freedom Encounter Deliverance & Inner Healing Ministries. She is the author of “The Authority of Love: Reclaiming Spiritual Authority in the Church Today,” and also “My Grandma is a Preacher.”
Diana considers her most significant blessings to be her two children and their spouses, and her ten grandchildren. Her son and wife, Steven and Kelly, are parents to Henry, Annie, and Ruby. Her daughter and husband, Heather and Jimmy, are parents to Camden, Kaia, and Layna. They have also recently adopted four siblings from Tawain, Mavis, Turner, Evie, and Crosley.