Gary Tyra (D.Min. Fuller Theological Seminary, 2005) is associate professor of biblical and practical theology at Vanguard University of Southern California. He was formerly the Chair for the Department of Religion at Vanguard. Tyra also has over 25 years of pastoral experience including his last position as Senior Pastor at Yorba Linda Community Church in Yorba Linda, CA. Tyra is the author ofChrist's Empowering Presence, Beyond the Bliss,andDefeating Pharisaism, as well as numerous published papers and articles. He and his wife have two grown children and reside in California.