About Your Instructors

JOEL COMISKEY

  • Married for 37 years to Celyce Comiskey and has three lovely daughters and three grandboys
  • Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary
  • 11 years as a missionary church planter in Ecuador
  • Founder and president of JCG Resources, resourcing churches to make disciples through small groups
  • Currently a speaker, professor, and coach
  • Author of 35 books
  • Sold over 740,000 copies in numerous languages
  • JGCResources.com

JIM CORLEY

  • Jim Corley’s journey began in college when he met a brilliant Middle Eastern man who recruited Jim to join his global enterprise. Jim’s travels have taken to Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.
  • His career spans teaching cultural anthropology and serving six years as a non-residential worker in Russia. Jim also embraced a variety of pastoral duties and held positions on several boards of directors, including at a California university.
  • An accomplished author, Jim has published works including “Shadowing Jesus” books, three humor collections, and children’s stories like “Kubwa: Who is My Father?” and the recently released “The Water Speaks” (May 2025). He’s currently halfway through “The Good Palestinian: The Keeper of Solomon’s Seal,” a sequel to his novel “The Secrets of Solomon’s Seal.”
  • Jim provides editing services for authors, academics, and non-profits. When not writing, he prefers catching fish to fishing for them.
  • A devoted family man, Jim is father to four, grandfather to sixteen, and great-grandfather to five. His greatest joy? Convincing Lynetta to marry him and basking in her presence.
  • As you may have guessed, the Middle Eastern man was Jesus.
  • Jim Corley on Amazon

HELEN BARATTA

  • Helen’s careers include 30-years in Health Insurance Management. She transitioned to ministry in 2011, as the Small Group Director to one of the largest churches in Pittsburgh. In 2015 she joined First Place for Health as the Director of Development.
  • Helen released her first full length book in 2017 “Restored! Embracing Weight Loss God’s Way” where she shares her story from hopeless obesity to joyous health and wellness. She is a blessed big loser, maintaining a 120 lb weight loss – Fourteen years and counting.
  • This course, “Writing for Publication,” gave her the confidence to self-publish. “Restored” is a success, paying back all expenses in the first year. She is currently working on her third book and remains on the self-published band wagon.
  • Helen and her husband Vince have lived in 8 states.  They have finally decided to call Pittsburgh, PA home. In 2023 they moved back to the “Burg” after a six-year adventure on the Big Island of Hawaii. They have two sons and one daughter-in-law and praying for their kids to make them grandparents.
  • Helen’s moto: “Embrace change and say “Yes” to all that God has planned.”
  •  Helen Baratta on Amazon

RICH RONALD

 

  • Rich has been married to Linda for 37 years and they have lived in five states… Right now, they call Roanoke, Virginia home.
  • They have three adult children.
  • Rich pastored alongside Max Lucado for over a dozen years in Texas where he learned the value of wordsmithing and editing.
  • He has written three books that are self-published, has edited four other book projects and has published three reading plans on the YouVersion Bible App. He has outlines and first drafts of at least four additional writing projects.
  • He is the Communications Director for a non-profit ministry. Rich and his wife also serve at a marriage ministry in Georgia one week each month.
  • He also loves introducing people to Israel, which involves leading Bible Study tours in the “Land of the Book.” His sixth adventure to Israel is now scheduled to return The Land in October of 2027.
  • He first took Writing for Publication in 2020 and the course has significantly helped him, and helped him to help others who want to self-publish.
  • RichRonald.com

KERRY PATTON

Kerry Patton lives in the redwoods of Northern California with her husband of 43 years. She’s the mother of six children. And Grammy to 8 grandchildren.

In her spare time, she loves to garden, read books (especially the Bible), and write.

She began writing blogs and was encouraged to take this writing course. And with the instruction she learned, she has published two books: Life with Lydia in 2023 and the children’s book Hi, I’m Lydia! in 2025.

She loves to write words that will encourage others, and she’s a joy to read.

KerryPatonWrites.com