The Team

Jim Smith
Executive Director

A professor at Friends University and Executive Director of The Aprentis Institute, for 20 years Jim has been writing and speaking in the area of Christian spiritual formation, with titles like Devotional Classics(with Richard J. Foster), Embracing the Love of God, Room of Marvels, and the books in The Apprentice Series.

CJ Fox
Assistant Director

With a MA in Christian Ministry and an MBA,  CJ is presently the Assistant Director of The Aprentis Institute at Friends University. He loves spending time with his wife, Laura, and their son, Jude. CJ loves being outside, whether it be rock climbing or hunting and fishing.

Mike Clifford
Recruiting Coordinator

Originally from Cleveland, Mike has a degree in zoological sciences from Friends University, and is working on a Masters in Organizational Development. Mike is the Christian Spiritual Formation Recruitment Coordinator and leads worship, student experiences, and community outreach.

Deidre Franklin
Teaching Team

Deidre holds an MA in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary, and is the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City. She enthusiastically shows people how to be transformed by Christ, and she cannot speak of adoption with getting misty eyed. She and her husband Paul formed an instant family when they adopted Dominick and Georgie five years ago. They are now 17 and 13 years old, and Deidre is taking all the parenting advice she can get.

Matt Johnson
Teaching Team

With a BA in Religious Studies from Friends University, Matt has served at Andover United Methodist Church (Kansas) for almost a decade and has led several Apprentice groups.  He received training in spiritual direction through the Souljourners program in Atchison, Kansas.