Friday, October 02, 2009

WESLEY SEMINARY at Indiana Wesleyan University

I'm excited to announce the name and new leader of the new seminary: Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University.

We've designed the curriculum, we've hired our first faculty, we've been delighted with our first two cohorts of students. Now we have an official name and official leadership to begin January 1.

Our first full time head will be none other than Wayne Schmidt, who has just finished up thirty years as pastor of Kentwood Community Church in Michigan. He is a church planter, whose church has "great grandchildren." And very exciting to me is his passion for bringing diversity into churches.

We can now officially launch the seminary website, where you can see just a little of what is currently going on.

Last night we had a nice dinner out with just a few of the key players thus far. You can see in the picture from left to write
1) Charles Arn, well known church health expert who has been teaching online, 2) myself, 3) then Wayne Schmidt, 4) then Russ Gunsalus who has been serving as Acting head of the seminary and will continue to do so till January, 5) Bob Whitesel, well known church growth expert who has been teaching onsite and online, and 6) Nate Lamb, the best recruiter a seminary could have in the world!

Thanks to God for His gracious smile thus far on the undertaking. We do not deserve it nor do we take it for granted.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I wish you all much sucess.

Brian Russell said...

Congratulations, Ken.

Ken Schenck said...

Thanks to both of you. Brian, congrats on the coming installation of Dr. Tennent.