Lindy Backues

Lindy Backues, PhD, is Associate Professor of Business and Leadership at Eastern Mennonite University.  Prior to coming to EMU, Lindy served for 13 years as Associate Professor of Economic Development at Eastern University and for 18 years in Indonesia as an economic/community development theorist and practitioner. He speaks the Indonesian language fluently.

Lindy’s work has focused on grassroots liberative empowerment methodologies, social justice, cultural exploration, organizational analysis and change, institutional capacity building, and community development, especially in respect to practical, implemented operations, community involvement, and the establishment of indigenous non-government organizations (NGOs). Lindy has published in the fields of community development, anthropology, theology, and epistemology, and he is presently co-authoring a book on interfaith dialogue entitled Deep Listening, Deep Respect: Authentic Friendship as the Basis for Interfaith Understanding, soon to be published by Fortress Press.  Lindy is also Chair of the Advisory Board for the Christian-Muslim Relations Team (CMRT) of Eastern Mennonite Missions.

In his earlier capacity as a development practitioner for almost twenty years, Lindy served an assortment of grassroots Indonesian NGOs: as country director for a network of foundations, as principal architect and modifier for internal program operations, as chief design consultant for financial and management control systems, and as lead consultant for training and pedagogical program design.

Lindy is also an ordained minister of the Mosaic Conference of the Mennonite Church-USA.

• Workshop presentations delivered at MennoCon23 (the Mennonite Church USA Annual Convention) (July 3-6, 2023): “The Use of Inductive Bible Study Methodology in Teaching the Social Sciences” and “Deep Listening, Deep Respect: Authentic Friendship as the Basis for Interfaith Understanding – a Case Study Involving a Friendship between Lindy Backues (Christian) and Achmad Munjid (Muslim)”
• Workshop presentation delivered at the 2023 Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival (June 16, 2023): “Deep Listening, Deep Respect: Authentic Friendship as the Basis for Interfaith Understanding – a Case Study Involving a Friendship between Lindy Backues (Christian) and Achmad Munjid (Muslim)”
• Presentation delivered for the Spring 2021 Biblical Studies Seminar Series, The School of Biblical Interpretation/Asbury Theological Seminary (May 5, 2021): “The Use of Inductive Bible Study Methodology in Teaching the Social Sciences”
• Zoom presentation delivered for the Spring 2021 Missiology Seminar Series, The E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism/Asbury Theological Seminary (April 14, 2021): “Interfaith Development Efforts as Means to Peace and Witness”
• Zoom presentation delivered for Dorcas, Netherlands (January 18, 2021): “The Incarnation as Motif for Development”
• Panel speaker, principal participant, and delegate representative from Eastern University, The Ahupua`a ESG Investment Summit, University of Hawaii Maui College (January 31-February 1, 2020) (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHJiMIpyZ8A&feature=emb_logo  and www.facebook.com/watch/?v=287363285909942)
• Primary workshop moderator, session content designer, and speaker at ECHO Inc.’s Introduction to Community Development, North Fort Myers, Florida (August 14-18, 2017)
• Primary speaker, opening convocation (Acara Pertemuan Santri dan Dewan Guru Pesantren), Pondok Pesantren Darussalam, Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia (July 17, 2017) (talk was given in the Indonesian language)
• Breakout session leader and discussion panel member at ‘Be the Change’: Organizing and Empowerment Workshop, Campolo Institute for Applied Research for Social Justice, St. Davids, Pennsylvania (March 18, 2017): Breakout session – “Immigration & Sanctuary”; Discussion panel – resource person related to interfaith organizing
• Presentation delivered at Gajah Mada University Social Sciences Graduate Program, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (July 20, 2016): “Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton: How Religion and Politics Work in the American Presidential Election” (presentation given in the Indonesian language)
• Paper delivered at the On Knowing Humanity Conference, Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania (May 28, 2015): “The Christian Impulse toward Humility as a Fruitful Motif for Anthropological Practice and Theorizing”
• Panel member and respondent at the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Forum, Eastern University (November 17, 2014): “Intentional Community Panel Discussion”.
• Workshop leader/speaker at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network, Michigan Cohort, Kalamazoo, Michigan (August 8, 2014): “Systems Thinking 101”
• Founding member and participant in the “On Knowing Humanity” Annual Workshop at Eastern University (January 9-10, 2014).  In concert with seven colleagues, the workshop explored four out of five activities supported by a project funded by the John Templeton Foundation out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: (1) research, (2) conferences/lectures/events, (3) curricula/courses of study, and (4) electronic and print media (www.eastern.edu/academics/colleges-seminary/college-health-and-sciences/departments/department-social-3)  
• First presenter (with respondents) in the “On Knowing Humanity: Christian Anthropology Series” Colloquia at Eastern University (October 22, 2010): “Epistemological Insights for Anthropology”.  The colloquia were designed to investigate the idea of anthropology undertaken from a Christian perspective by way of several vantage points: epistemological, theological, scientific, and historical
• Panel moderator, Eastern University Microfinance Conference, Eastern University (March 28, 2009): “Theology and Microfinance”
• Principal trainer and organizer for month-long Workshop on Aceh Tsunami Relief (12 lectures), Millennium Relief and Development Services, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (September 2005)
• Participant, panel speaker and workshop leader, Microfinance and the Environment Conference, Eastern University (July 26-29, 2004)
• Public lecture at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, Oxford, United Kingdom (December 3, 2003): “The Image of the Incarnation as Motif for Development Practice in West Java”
• Speaker at West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies (WYSOCS), Leeds, United Kingdom (January 21, 2003): “Peace-Making in Indonesia: Implications of the Gospel in Light of Recent Tragedies and Our Responsibilities”
• Participant and organizational representative, Regional Membership Meeting, International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT), Jakarta, Indonesia (September 8-12, 2002)
• Seminar leader and discussion moderator for Regional Planning Workshop, Mercy Corps International, Jakarta, Indonesia (March 5-6, 2002)
• Speaker on Development, Microfinance and Missional Practice at the Central Asia Regional Conference, Frontiers, Inc., Cha-am, Thailand (January 23-29, 2002)
• Presentation at the Regional Health Empowerment Working Group, Emerging Infectious Diseases of the Indian Ocean Rim (EIDIOR) workshop, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (September 2001): “Health and Poverty”; also, helped fashion potential links and networks between universities, non-government organizations and bi-lateral and multi-lateral agencies for the purpose of serving the Indian Ocean region
• Paper delivered at the Occasional Seminar, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom (March 28, 2001): “Patronage and ‘Development’ in a Western Javanese Kampung”.
• Paper delivered for Mercy Corps International’s Indonesian Microfinance Division, Jakarta, Indonesia (September 24-25, 2000): “Micro-credit Schemes: Some Important Considerations”
• Paper delivered for the Higher Education Link between Institute for Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, UK, and The Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social Politics, Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR), University of Parahyangan, Bandung, Indonesia, (September 4, 2000): “The Role of ‘People’s Institutions’ and Overlooked Resistance in Empowering Patronless Populations in West Java in the Post-Soeharto Era”
• Moderator of Civil Society Town Hall Meeting between Indonesian NGOs, Indonesian Minister of Human Settlements and Regional Development, Erna Witoelar, and James Wolfensohn, President, World Bank, Bandung, Indonesia (March 18, 2000)
• Guest lecturer at University of Leeds’s Master of Arts in Asian Pacific Studies Programme, Singapore (January 19, 1999): “The Design and Implementation of a Micro-credit Programme in Indonesia and its Place in Empowerment and Small-scale Development Schemes for Would-be Micro-entrepreneurs”
• NGO representative (Yayasan Perisai Biru/Sumbangsih Nuansa Tasikmalaya) at Asian Development Bank Conference “Poverty in Indonesia: The Way Forward”, Hotel Mulia, Jakarta, Indonesia (February 4-5, 1998)

• Coach Training EDU—Associate Academic Life Coach Certification
• International Coaching Federation—Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
• The Predictive Index
  • Partner Onboarding Certification
  • Talent Optimization Certification
  • Team Performance Certification
• Pearson—Versant Certificate of Achievement (English)
• The Mosaic Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church-USA)—Ordained Minister
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages—Proficiency: Superior Level (Indonesian)
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—Certified Court Interpreter (Indonesian) 

• Member, The Maui ESG Project Capital Deployment for Community Task Force, (https://mauiesgproject.org/about)
• Member, The Regional Climate Governance and Adaptive Management Working Group, Climate Resilience Research Agenda (CRRA), Drexel University, The Academy of Natural Sciences, The City of Philadelphia, The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the Consortium for Climate Risks in the Urban Northeast (June 2021-September 2021), (https://drexel.edu/sustainability/about/climate-year/research-agenda)
• Editorial Board Member, On Knowing Humanity Journal
• Member, Great Lakes Economic Development Council
• Member, Society for International Development
• Member, Delta Mu Delta (National Honor Society in Business Administration)
• General Member, International Coaching Federation
• Chapter Member, International Coaching Federation (Philadelphia Chapter)
• Certified Partner, Predictive Index

• Graduate courses: Economic Development of Developing Countries;* Theology of Poverty;* Introduction to Microfinance*; Theology of Culture;* Epistemological Insights for Anthropological Practice;* Building Social Enterprise for Scale and Impact;* Project Management*
• Undergraduate courses: Introduction to Anthropology; Introduction to Faith, Reason and Justice; Introduction to the City;* Principles of Microeconomics;* Principles of Macroeconomics;* Survey of Economics,* Faith and Economic Justice;* Economic Policy Seminar; Economic Reasoning Seminar, Economic Development of 3rd World Countries;* International Economics; Development Studies Seminar,* Project Management;*  Principles of Management*

*Course curricula and content designed by Backues