Our Story

Overseas Council for Theological Education and Mission (OC) was founded in 1974 in Greenwood, Indiana, with an initial vision to provide scholarship assistance for students in a theological seminary in Seoul, Korea. A Canadian affiliate, known as Overseas Council Canada (OC Canada), started up in 1979 in Calgary, under the leadership of a group of Alberta businessmen and Dr. Charles Spicer, the founder of OC International in the USA.

While Korea was the initial focus, through the 1980’s and 1990’s OC Canada broadened its vision in response to the needs of Bible colleges and seminaries around the world, and by the 1990’s OC Canada was partnering with Overseas Council affiliates in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Europe to provide strategic funding for campus development, libraries, faculty and student scholarships, and related programs. William (Bill) Armerding became President of OC Canada in 1993. Under his leadership OC Canada gave particular focus to theological schools in Eastern Europe (newly opened from Communism) as well as the Philippines, Hong Kong, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

From June 2003 through the end of September 2012, Dr. Gordon T. Smith served as President. During his tenure, OC Canada was renamed reSource Leadership International (reSource). Gordon brought tremendous experience in academic administration, having served as the Dean of three theological schools, including Regent College in Vancouver. He was influential in the formation of the Conrad Grebel Theological Seminary in Holguin, Cuba, and the Hanoi Bible College in Vietnam. When Gordon left reSource to assume the position of President of Ambrose University College and Seminary in Calgary, Alberta, board member Pete DenHaan was appointed by the reSource board to the position of interim President while the search committee considered the requirements for a new president. On March 5, 2013, the board was very pleased to appoint Pete DenHaan as President. Pete contributed a wealth of experience in fundraising and capital campaigning along with a passion for God and His work in the Majority World.

reSource works closely with partner schools around the world to provide theological education, training leaders for church and society. A historic focus of both the Armerding and the Smith eras was faculty education and library development in the Majority World, and these remain at the heart of what reSource is doing in the 21st century.

In 2025, after 12 years of selfless service, Peter DenHaan joyfully assumed the role of President Emeritus, as the reSource Board of Directors named Dr. Christopher M. Hays as the next president. Christopher previously served as a missionary professor at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia, one of reSource’s partner schools. This appointment presented a unique opportunity to deepen an old friendship and leverage a powerful partnership, as Christopher also serves as the president of Scholar Leaders (SL). reSource has partnered with SL on many projects over the years—in Ukraine, in Vietnam, and in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both reSource and SL exist to support Majority World theological leaders and institutions and to foster the flourishing of the church around the globe. Because of closely aligned visions and missions, Christopher is able to lead both organizations in order to maximize the impact of their programs and resources. 

In addition to appointing Christopher as president, in August 2025, the board of reSource, alongside the board of SL, unanimously voted that the two ministries join as partners. Our story now continues together.