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Meet the Leaders

Our Semwives' leadership come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and we welcome you to meet our leaders: Barbara Barrick, Karen Busenitz, Logan Carr, Louise Essex, Betsy Harris, 'B' Mayhue, Missy Mehringer, Janice Osborne, Donna Shannon, Pam Snider,

Barbara is the wife of Dr. Bill Barrick, Professor of Old Testament and Director of Doctoral Studies at TMS, who is now in his 13th year. The Barricks came to TMS after 16 years of missionary service in Bangladesh where Bill was a Bible translator and Barb was a teacher. Barb remembers her own busy days as a seminary wife with small children and desires to be an encouragement to other women as they grow spiritually during their husband's years in seminary. She has been a TMS Semwives leader for ten years. In their local church she enjoys working with women's ministries and managing the church's library.

The Barricks, who make their home in Santa Clarita, in the Saugus area, have been married 43 years, have 4 adult married children and 14 grandchildren that they enjoy as much as possible. Barbara has many hobbies including reading, collecting, computing, politics, and enjoys traveling with her husband. Having moved 39 times in her life, Proverbs 3:5-6 is a constant promise: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.”

From the beginning of The Master’s Seminary, the Busenitz have been here, Irv as a founding faculty member and Karen as a leader of the Semwives Fellowship. Dr. Busenitz is now the V.P. for Academic Administration as well as a Professor of Old Testament. Karen continues in a leadership role, including being a prayer warrior for the women, as well as being a group leader, because of the desire the Lord has given her for this ministry and the opportunity to pursue it. She is also actively involved in ministering to her husband and family, the Seminary and its families, and serving in their Sunday School class with her husband. Dr. Busenitz is an Elder, primarily involved with the Missions Council that gives both of them opportunities to minister to the missionaries of GCC. Most of those are also TMS grads, and their wives are former Semwives.

The Busenitzes have been married for 40 years and have two grown sons and their families, including six grandchildren. Making their home now in Santa Clarita, they originally came from the Mid-West, Irv from Kansas and Karen from Oklahoma. They enjoy snow skiing together though it doesn’t happen very often. Karen loves spending time with their family including the grandchildren and also enjoys having people in their home. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups. One of her current favorite verses is Psalm 44:8, ”In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever.”

Logan is married to Don Carr, a graduate of The Master’s Seminary, who now serves on the Elder Board of Grace Community Church. Don ministers full time with Grace To You and pastors The Guild, an adult singles’ fellowship group at Grace Community Church. Logan serves with him as she encourages the women of The Guild in their walks with the Lord. Once a year, she has the privilege of co-leading a Gospel Choir at the Ladies Fall Event at Grace Community Church. She and her friend, Pam Snider in addition to working on the Gospel Choir, do a yearly Worship Conference. The Carrs also enjoy their three special dogs: Stanley Eugene – a 15 year old Boxer mix, and two Golden Retrievers: Anniejo, and Special Agent Jethro Gibbs.

Logan spent her life in show business performing in Broadway shows, producing for MTV and she even did two Command Performances for two Presidents. Twenty years ago, as she testifies, “the Lord called me out of all that deep darkness and into His marvelous light and now I rejoice in the Lord and thank Him for saving my wretched soul from Hell and for giving me a heart to worship Him and declare His name!”

Louise Essex has been a Semwives leader for 14 of the 16 years that her husband has taught here. Doctor Keith Essex teaches Bible Exposition at TMS. He is also the assistant director for the Doctor of Ministry degree program. As Louise serves in Semwives she enjoys helping and encouraging the ladies with accountability in spiritual things and helping them become accustomed to Southern California. She and Keith serve on the missions committee at her home church. Having a deep love for children, she has served in leadership in both AWANA and Good News Clubs.



Keith, an immigrant from England, but raised in Southern California since age 10, and Louise a native Californian, have been married for 41 years and make their home in Canyon Country. They have six children and Louise was blessed to be a home school mom for 16 years. The Essexes also have eight grandchildren. Louise likes to relax by reading Christian novels and loves neighborhood evangelism, a topic about which she also does speaking. In addition, she enjoys helping both her family and others organize things or events. She and Keith have enjoyed traveling extensively within the United States and overseas. Among many favorite passages, a favorite is Psalm 5:1-3: "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice you shall hear in the morning I will direct it to You and I will look up."

Betsy Harris is the wife of Dr. Greg Harris, Professor of Bible Exposition and they are in their sixth year at TMS. The Harrises arrived at the school in somewhat a circuitous manner. Having both grown up in North Carolina, they moved to the LA area for three years for seminary (where she was previously involved in the seminary wives fellowship as a student’s wife), then to Dallas for three years, the DC area for four, back to the Raleigh area for thirteen, and then one more move back to the LA area, where they presently live in Santa Clarita.

Dr. Harris has been a professor and a pastor at several places, including currently serving as Teaching Pastor at Lake Hills Community Church in Castaic. Betsy has enjoyed serving behind the scenes rather than being upfront and has made the home a vital part of the ministry. The Harrises have been married for twenty-nine years. They have two children, a married daughter and a son studying at TMC. Betsy enjoys reading, gardening, baking and teaching young children. This past year Proverbs 3:5-6 have been favorite verses: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

"B" Mayhue has been married to her husband, Dick, for 46 years; they reside in Newhall, California, where Dr. Mayhue is the Senior Vice President and Dean of The Master's Seminary. They have been a part of TMS since 1989. God has blessed them with two children, a daughter and a son, and their families which include two grandsons. At this time the Lord has both of those families living nearby in southern California.

Being a help-meet to Dick, co-leading the Seminary Wives Discipleship and teaching/discipling women are “B”’s primary occupations. She also enjoys “grandmothering,” singing, reading, collecting airships, decorating and dreaming up remodeling projects (which seldom take place). “B”’s life verse is Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Missy, and her husband Ray Mehringer, who is Director of Admissions and Placement for the seminary have been at TMS for 13 years and Missy’s been a small group leader for 9 years in Semwives. She loves the women and the opportunity to mentor young wives in their relationships to their husband and family and in their preparation for being a ministry wife. During 18 years in the Air Force, Ray and Missy also worked with young adults doing engagement counseling and ministering to young marrieds. At Grace Church they are involved in Children's Ministry where Ray supervises 2nd hour Sunday School program, assisted by Missy who also serves in the resource room.

The Mehringers, married 32 years and residing in Canyon Country, have four children, two married adult sons. one married daughter, and one daughter(21) who is student at TMC. They are waiting excitedly for their third granddaughter in early 2012. Though she no longer home schools ( after 21 years)-- she likes to encourage young moms in that area. She enjoys walking, reading, and camping. Each Spring the Mehringers lead a seminary camp out. Watch for the announcements if you'd like to join that outing.

Missy enjoys speaking/teaching women’s groups and is involved in personal discipleship. Psalm 70:4 is a special verse to her, “Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.'"

Although she's a native Californian, Janice and her husband, Kelly Osborne, spent 19 years in Michigan, where Kelly taught at a private college and served as an elder in their church. The Osbornes are in their fifth year at TMS where Dr. Osborne teaches New Testament courses and Janice is now part of the library staff. As a couple, the Osbornes have enjoyed a ministry of hospitality and friendship among college students as well as coming alongside elderly believers. Janice enjoys reading, gardening, baking and having tea with friends. She can explain (rationalize?) the nutritional benefit of almost any dessert, especially those that contain chocolate!



Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together,” has been a special verse to Janice and Kelly throughout their 30 years of marriage. This continues to be the desire of their hearts.

In 1980, Bill and Donna Shannon moved to LA. Eventually he became part of the first class of TMS twenty years ago, and Donna became a part of Semwives. It ministered so much to her that she wanted to continue to be a part and to do the same for others and has ever since. She loves discipleship and enjoys ministering to women in other situations such as to individuals or in the Shannon's fellowship group where she oversees the women’s ministries or in discussing the Word with other women. Her special verses are Psalm 73:23-28. "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works."

Bill Shannon is a pastor at Grace Community Church over Discipleship Counseling and oversees the adult fellowship group, FaithBuilders. The Shannons have been married for 33 years and have two married daughters and three granddaughters. They make their home in North Hills, where she enjoys sharing her skills in homemaking and cooking. In her spare time Donna likes hiking, outdoor activities, studying the Word, journaling, writing devotionals, and helping others with needs. She also does retreats and speaks to women's groups.

Pam Snider is another of our leaders who has gone from being a seminary wife when they came in 1997, to now being a Semwives leader. Dr. Andy Snider, who's been on the faculty for ten years, teaches theology. Pam loves ministry with women, particularly those going into full-time ministry and enjoys the encouraging and small-group discipleship opportunities with Semwives. The Sniders attend Cornerstone SCV and are involved in worship and discipling. Pam enjoys using music as a ministry and travels with Logan Carr once a year to do conferences at churches around the country.

The Sniders, married 23 years, came to TMS from Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York, and now live in the Saugus area of Santa Clarita. They have three daughters, Emily married to Ben and living Santa Clarita, Kendall, and Abby. Pam loves to read, cook, fix up their home, and spend time with their girls. Currently her favorite passage is 1 Peter 1:3-9.