Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Veritas. Pietas. Missio.

Faculty

Midwestern faculty hold a diversity of degrees from the University of Aberdeen, Free University of Amsterdam, and Cambridge to the University of Memphis and Texas A&M to Southern, Southwestern, Southeastern, New Orleans and Golden Gate Baptist Theological seminaries, as well as Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Hebrew Union College, among many more.

“The depth of our faculty’s educational background provides our students with a broad perspective of ideas and influences, rather than from a faculty educated from just one or two institutions,” said Dr. Phil Roberts, president of MBTS. “Our faculty have trained and been educated throughout the world. This gives our students a vast exposure to knowledge, both culturally and biblically, from which to draw.”

At Midwestern, you’ll not only find professors with solid educational backgrounds, but also find men who have real-world experience ministering to the lost and proclaiming the Word as pastors, missionaries, associational leaders and more.

“Our professors have been in the trenches, whether sharing Christ in Tanzania, or right here in Missouri, they know what it’s like to be a God-called man in today’s world,” Roberts said. At Midwestern, you’ll have an opportunity to be discipled and equipped by well-rounded men and women of God who have been where you’re going.“

Meet the Midwestern Faculty

  • Jim Anderson

  • Chancellor Pro Tem, Professor of Biblical Studies, Aviation

  • Anderson teaches biblical studies and aviation at Midwestern Seminary and serves as the chancellor pro tem of Midwestern Baptist College, SBC.

    He received a Doctor of Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary after earning his Master of Divinity there as well. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Ottawa University. Anderson has been in the full-time ministry for 57 years, having served as a pastor for 13 years, and brings with him 39 years of teaching experience. From 1996 to 1999, he was the president of Calvary Bible College and Seminary and has been honored with the Calvary Bible College Alumnus of the Year Award. He has led 80 tour groups to the Holy Land and has taught aviation classes as a certified flight instructor to train missionary pilots.

    Anderson is currently involved in evangelistic meetings, Bible conferences, camps, revival meetings, Bible studies and aviation – teaching and flying ministry and mercy flights, as well as some test flights. His research interests include archaeology.

    He and his wife, Diana, have four children – Rebecca, Bill, Jonathan and Dan – and 10 grandchildren.

  • Stephen J. Andrews

  • Professor of Old Testament, Hebrew and Archaeology, Director of Ph.D. Program

  • Andrews teaches Old Testament, Hebrew and archaeology at Midwestern Seminary and serves as the director of the Doctor of Philosophy program. He also directs the Morton-Seats Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology.

    He received both a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Philosophy from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and has earned a Master of Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts from Carson-Newman College. Andrews taught Old Testament and Hebrew at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary before coming to Midwestern in 1998 and has pastored churches in Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio.

    Andrews co-authored the Holman Old Testament Commentary on I and II Samuel. He has also written Bible Study for Life curriculum for LifeWay and provided articles and book reviews to several scholarly journals, including the Midwestern Journal of Theology. In addition, he has contributed material to LifeWay’s Biblical Illustrator, InterVarsity's Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch, The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible and The Mercer Dictionary of the Bible, among others.

    Andrews edits and contributes to a blog on biblical Hebrew, the Old Testament and archaeology – http://www.hebrewgold.com. In his teaching, Andrews draws from his experience on digs in Israel and Jordan.

  • Matthew Arbo

  • Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics

  • Matthew Arbo serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at Midwestern.

    Arbo recently completed his dissertation on ethical debates over economic policy in eighteenth-century Europe at the University of Edinburgh. He holds a MTh. in Christian Ethics from the University of Edinburgh and an M.A. and B.A. in Philosophy from Liberty University. At Midwestern Arbo teaches Christian Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy and Christian Political Thought. He has published articles in Political Theology and Evangelical Review of Society and Politics and written several reviews for the Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, Expository Times, Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology and Theological Book Review. In addition to these publications he has presented papers at the Evangelical Theological Society, Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, Templeton Foundation Workshops, and the Ethics and Social Theology Group of Tyndale House, Cambridge. His research interests range broadly, encompassing Christian ethics, political theology, Augustine, philosophy of religion, historical theology (especially early-modern) and the history of economic thought. Before arriving at Midwestern, Arbo served as a tutor and part-time lecturer in Christian Ethics at the University of Edinburgh. His wife, Ashli, is an attorney practicing civil law.

  • Ben E. Awbrey

  • Associate Professor of Preaching

  • Awbrey teaches expository preaching at Midwestern Seminary.

    He received a Doctor of Theology in preaching from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He did graduate work at Talbot Theological Seminary and earned a Bachelor of Science from Central State University.

    Prior to coming to Midwestern, Awbrey served as a pastor in Oxnard, Calif., and as an adjunct professor of preaching at The Master’s Seminary in Panorama City, Calif. Prior to that, he pastored in Oklahoma and Louisiana.

    Awbrey completed his dissertation on the expository preaching of John MacArthur.

    He and his wife, Lisa, have two children: Eric and Lauren. Awbrey has written two books on preaching: How Effective Sermons Begin and How Effective Sermons Advance.

  • J. Alan Branch

  • Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics

  • Branch teaches Christian Ethics at Midwestern Seminary as well as Wisdom and Poetic Literature and Prophetic Literature for Midwestern Baptist College. 


    He received a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Divinity at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Having a special interest in medical ethics, he titled his dissertation “The Challenge Posed by Autonomy in Medical Ethics.” Branch earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Kennesaw State College. Prior to joining the Midwestern staff in 2001, he served as a pastor for eight years at Turner Memorial Baptist Church in Garner, N.C.

    Branch has served as the interim pastor for both McCarthy Baptist Church in St. Joseph, Mo., and Immanuel Baptist Church, in Wichita, Kan. Dr. Branch currently serves as a chaplain in the United States Army Reserves. His research interests include abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, embryonic stem cell research and the ethics of Gnosticism.

    Branch and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Joy and Anna Beth.

  • Timothy Chong

  • Director of Korean Studies, Associate Professor of Theology

  • Chong serves as the director of Korean studies (doctoral and KMATS) and associate professor of theology.

    He received his Bachelor of Arts from Liberty University, Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Master of Sacred Theology and Doctor of Philosophy from Dallas Theological Seminary.

    His experiences include over 25 years of various pastoral ministries ranging from youth to young adult to senior pastorate. He previously taught both residential and online theology and Bible courses at LBTS. He has preached at churches and led seminars in many countries all over the world, including America, Korea, Japan, China, Ukraine, Thailand, Nepal and India. His short-term mission teams over the years have shared the gospel message with thousands of people and have seen hundreds receive Christ in Japan, Thailand, Nepal and India. In addition, he advises and provides consultation for international Christian schools and institutes.

    He and his wife, Julianne, have two daughters, Jamie and Priscilla.

  • Christopher K. Cornine

  • Assistant Professor of Counseling

  • Cornine teaches Counseling Theories, Abnormal Psychology and Research Methods and is the internship director of the Master in Counseling degree (MACO) at MBTS.

    Cornine holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from UMKC (1999), a Master of Science in counseling psychology from Avila College (1999) and a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology from the Harold Abel School of Psychology at Capella University (2003). He is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the State of Missouri and a licensed clinical psychologist in the State of Illinois. In addition to teaching at MBTS, Cornine is the clinical director of Diakonos Counseling, a private mental health practice in Independence, Mo. Dr. Cornine has a wide range of experience working with adults, adolescents and children in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS), and the Missouri Mental Health Counselors Association (MMHCA).

    Cornine has been teaching at MBTS in either an adjunct, part-time, or full-time capacity since 2004. He lives in Lee’s Summit, Mo., with his wife, Andrea, son, Dominic, and twin daughters, Reece and Riley.

  • Larry L. Cornine

  • Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling

  • Larry L. Cornine Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

    Cornine teaches Pastoral Care and Counseling classes at the graduate level and selected Christian education and undergraduate classes. Along with his teaching responsibilities, Cornine directs the Master of Arts in counseling (MACO) and Doctor of Ministry in counseling programs.

    Cornine has earned four degrees in education. He earned his Bachelor of Science in education and his Master of Science in education at the University of Central Missouri, and a Doctor of Education from the University of Kansas. Additionally, he has a Master of Arts in counseling from Liberty Baptist University and a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology from Golden State University.

    Cornine began his professional career as a biology teacher in the North Kansas City School District at Oak Park High School. Interrupted by service in the U.S. Army, he returned to the NKC District as a teacher, became an assistant principal at Oak Park High School, where he served for eight years, and became the principal of Kearney High School. Leaving education, he established Diakonos Counseling Center, consulted with area inpatient psychiatric hospitals and retired from clinical practice in 2000. Cornine taught as an adjunct professor for many years and was elected to the faculty in 2008.

  • Theodore E. Davis

  • Director of MATS Program, Assistant Professor of Christian Education

  • Davis serves Midwestern as the director of the Master of Arts in theological studies program and as assistant professor of Christian education.

    He and his wife, Kathie, served in Kenya with the International Mission Board for 23 years before coming to MBTS. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2000. He also earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1984 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Theology degree from Hannibal LaGrange Baptist College in 1980. He gave his life to Christ as a young teen.

    Davis and his wife have been married for 30 years. They have two children, Joshua and Kristina. Joshua is a student at Maplewood Community College in Kansas City. Kristina is a sophomore at Oak Park High School.

  • Eric A. Foley

  • Assistant Professor of Church Music, Director of Church Music Program

  • Foley teaches church music at Midwestern Seminary and serves as conductor of the Midwestern Singers (the MBTS choir).

    He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting Performance from the University of Kansas and earned a Master’s of Music and a Bachelor’s of Science in Vocal Music Education from the University of Missouri - Columbia. 

    Foley is in demand throughout the region as a clinician and adjudicator. He enjoys spending his leisure time involved in Scouting with his sons and other outdoor related activities.

    Additional academic interests include vocal jazz and musical theater.

    Foley and his wife, Kathy, have two sons, Alan and Ryan.

  • Radu Gheorghita

  • Associate Professor of Biblical Studies

  • Gheorghita teaches New Testament and some Old Testament classes at Midwestern Seminary and serves as associate professor of biblical studies.

    He received a B.S. from the University of Cluj, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; a M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Ill.; and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.

    Gheorghita came to Midwestern from Emmanuel Bible Institute in Oradea, Romania. He continues to travel to Romania on a regular basis to teach in the master’s program at the University of Bucharest. A couple of years ago he initiated a series of biannual theological conferences for the pastors and lay leaders in the Baptist churches there.

    His field of research is Septuagint studies and the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament.  He is passionate about book-by-book memorization of the Scriptures, especially in the original languages.

    Gheorghita and his wife, Liz, have five children.

  • Ronald Habermas

  • Professor of Discipleship and Christian Education

  • Habermas has taught in Christian Higher Education for 30 years. He has also served on various local church staffs for 10 years. His passion is discipleship grounded upon the biblical example of Christ's life, including such practical issues as age-appropriateness, holistic areas of humanity (like mental, physical, spiritual domains, etc.) and lifelong process, among others. He has written more than a dozen books pertaining to discipleship and Christian Education.

    Habermas received his Master of Divinity from Sioux Falls Seminary, a Master of Arts in educational ministries from Wheaton Graduate School, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Michigan State University in the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

    His wife, Mary, is the director of the library at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark., where they have lived for 20 years. They will continue living there as Dr. Habermas commutes to teach at Midwestern. They have three grown daughters, each of whom is married to a committed Christian man. They also have two infant grandsons: Jacob and Brady.

  • Robin D. Hadaway

  • Associate Professor of Missions, Director of Mission Atlas Project

  • Hadaway has served as associate professor of missions at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary since October of 2003. Previously, he and his wife, Kathy, served as missionaries with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for a total of 18 years. Hadaway served as a strategy coordinator, cluster leader and church planter in a closed country in North Africa and earlier as a church planter in Tanzania. More recently, Hadaway was the IMB Regional Leader for Eastern South America, supervising over 300 missionaries in Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

    He has also been a senior pastor for churches in California and Arizona and has attained the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Alaska and Nevada. Hadaway received an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a D.Min. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and a Th.D. from the University of South Africa. He also attended Dallas Theological Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary. His undergraduate degree is from Memphis State University.

    He is a native of Tallahassee, Fla., and is married to the former Kathy Baze of Phoenix, Ariz. They have three grown children.

  • Rodney A. Harrison

  • VP for Institutional Effectiveness, Assoc. Prof. of Christian Education, Director of Doctoral Studies, Dean of Online Education

  • Harrison serves as vice president for Institutional Effectiveness, as director of Doctoral Studies and as dean of Online and Distance Education.

    He comes to Midwestern following a fruitful ministry in church planting and mission service in California, the Dakotas and Minnesota. Harrison is the author of two books on church planting and has written material for LifeWay Christian Resources and the North American Mission Board. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in mission administration from Golden Gate Seminary and has done post-doctoral studies at Oxford University.

    Harrison and his wife, Julie, have three grown children: Joshua, Cassandra and Gabrielle.

  • Michael Hawkins

  • Interim Registrar

  • Hawkins serves as director of the Interim Registrar at Midwestern Seminary.

    He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The title of his ministry project was “A Plan of Spiritual Growth.” He also received his Master of Divinity from MBTS and a Bachelor of Arts from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. Hawkins has served as a pastor in Missouri for over 25 years. During that time, he also served as an adjunct professor for MBTS and for Southwest Baptist University. In addition, Hawkins has served two terms on the Executive Board of the Missouri Baptist Convention. His first book, Detour, was published in 2009.

    Hawkins and his wife, Elisa, have three children – Cody, who passed away at the age of 13, and two grown daughters, Kelsey and Kristen.

  • N. Blake Hearson

  • Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Midwestern Journal Editor and Book Review Editor

  • Hearson serves as assistant professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at MBTS.

    He earned his doctorate and Master of Philosophy degrees in Hebraic and Cognate Studies from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass., and Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Ill. He has served as an associate pastor of small groups at Crossroads Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been a member of the faculty at Columbia Evangelical Seminary. His research interests include "sacred space in the Bible and Rabbinic Literature" and "the problem of evil in the prophetic literature."

  • Ronald V. Huggins

  • Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek

  • Huggins teaches New Testament and Greek and serves as associate professor of New Testament and Greek at MBTS.

    He received his Doctor of Theology from Wycliffe College, Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto, his Master of Christian Studies from Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, and his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Idaho.

    Huggins comes to Midwestern after eight years at Salt Lake Theological Seminary in Salt Lake City, Utah. There he served as professor of historical and theological studies and as the director of the Master’s of Arts in theological studies program. Prior to that, Huggins taught at Moody Northwest in Spokane, Wash., and as a Latin teacher at private Christian schools in Spokane and in Couer d’Alene, Idaho.

    Huggins is the author of Roman Catholicism and the Evangelical Conscience (1981). His scholarly articles have appeared in a number of settings, including the Journal of Biblical Literature, Westminster Theological Journal, Revue de Qumran, Novum Testamentum, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, and Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible. His cartoons have appeared in Christianity Today and in the Wittenburg Door.

  • Thomas P. Johnston

  • Associate Professor of Evangelism

  • Johnston serves as associate professor of evangelism at Midwestern.

    Johnston brings to the Seminary an emphasis in the practice of evangelism. He founded the Midwestern Evangelistic Team, now going out six to ten times a week in street or door-to-door evangelism, having partnered with 56 local churches in outreach. Johnston earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001. His dissertation was published by Wipf & Stock Publishers in 2003 with the title Examining Billy Graham’s Theology of Evangelism. In 2007, Broadman published Johnston’s Book of Charts for a Theology of Evangelism. He is currently under contract with Wipf & Stock as the editor of Mobilizing Great Commission Churches for Evangelism, a book which includes chapters from 19 SBC professors of evangelism. Under his own imprint, Evangelism Unlimited, Inc., Johnston has published Evangelizology (2010) and A Historical Theology Duo: Inquisition and Martyrdom + Chronological Theology (2010). He has also published articles in The Trinity Journal, Perichoresis, Midwestern Journal of Theology, Preaching Magazine, and Decision Magazine.

    Johnston has taught evangelism in the U.S., Canada, and in Eastern and Western Europe since 1985. He has pastored churches in Quebec, Manitoba, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri. Johnston also served as the president of the Southern Baptist Professors of Evangelism Fellowship from 2004 to 2010.

    Among his current research interests are a biblical theology of evangelism and medieval and reformation evangelism.

  • J. Craig Kubic

  • Librarian, Director of Library Services

  • Kubic serves as director of Library Services at Midwestern.

    Kubic has been president of the Church and Synagogue Library Association and is a regular contributor to its journal, Congregational Libraries Today. He serves as chaplain for the Harry S. Truman Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, Independence, Mo. He came to Midwestern in 1987, having served as acting library director for Golden Gate Seminary. He has a Master of Library Science from Louisiana State University, a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate, and a Doctor of Educational Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  • John Lee

  • Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek

  • Lee serves as assistant professor of New Testament and Greek.

    He received a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland; a. M. Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY; and a B.M. from Seoul National University, South Korea. His doctoral study was combined with teaching at King’s Evangelical Divinity School and researching at Tübingen University. Lee’s research interests include Gospels (esp. Mark’s Gospel), Second Temple Jewish “Monotheism” and New Testament Christology. He has also served in pastoral ministry in both English- and Korean-speaking settings.

    Lee and his wife, Sunny, have one son, Joshua.

  • Thorvald B. Madsen II

  • Dean, Midwestern College, SBC, Associate Professor of New Testament, Ethics and Philosophy of Religion.

  • Madsen serves as dean of Midwestern College, SBC, and associate professor of New Testament, ethics and philosophy of religion.

    Madsen’s rich academic background prepares him for this uniquely varied faculty position. He was first a philosophy major at Wheaton College. From Wheaton, he went on to earn a Master of Arts in philosophy at Western Kentucky University and to spend a year in the doctoral program in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With that base, he sensed God’s leading into biblical studies, and he enrolled at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he earned a Master of Divinity. He then went to the University of Aberdeen, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament in 1998. His dissertation explores the relationship between the fact of the new life in Christ and the obligation of Christians to rise to that reality.

  • Robert Matz

  • Assistant Professor of Theology and Preaching

  • Matz teaches Christian Doctrine and Preaching in the College at Midwestern Seminary.

    He received a Master of Divinity with a concentration in theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Engineering from Vanderbilt University. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics with a cognate in Practical Theology at Liberty University. Matz has pastored churches in Texas and Virginia as well as served on two church staffs in Tennessee. He has contributed sermons to Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Source Book 2012 edition.

    He is married to Jessica, who serves as an adjunct professor for Liberty University's Counseling Program. They have two children, Andrew and Katie Beth.

  • Morlee Maynard

  • Director of the Doctor of Educational Ministry Program, Assistant Professor of Christian Education

  • Maynard serves Midwestern Seminary as director of the Doctor of Educational Ministry program and assistant professor of Christian education.

    She comes to Midwestern from LifeWay Christian Resources, where she served for 30 years. Through those years, she worked in various areas including preschool Sunday school, family ministry, Christian Growth Study Plan, SBC ministry program, adult ministry, discipleship and evangelism and as a church library ministry specialist. Before LifeWay, she was a minister of children in Tennessee.

    Maynard holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University. She has written numerous articles and three books including Understanding Today’s Preschoolers, Understanding Young Adults, and Happy Times with People (younger preschoolers). She is the compiler for the Church Library Ministry Information Service and the Church Library Ministry Newsletter. She is also the editor of the Baptist Association of Christian Educators Journal. Maynard is the 2010 recipient of the Baptist Association of Christian Educators’ Distinguished Leadership Award. She and her husband, Ken, have one adult son, Jonathan.

  • David M. McAlpin

  • Vice President for Student Development, Associate Professor of Biblical Interpretation

  • McAlpin serves as vice president for Student Development and as associate professor of Biblical Interpretation at MBTS.

    He comes to Midwestern with over 25 years of experience as a senior pastor, having served churches in Tennessee, Florida and Missouri. During his 14-plus-year tenure at the First Baptist Church of Harvester in St. Charles, Mo., he co-founded the Center for Christian Ministry Studies at Lindenwood University, also serving as the Center’s executive director from 2002 to 2006.

    As both pastor and academician, McAlpin has been committed to interpreting the Bible with accuracy, and preaching it with passion and clarity. Helping those called into Christian ministry to develop these same gifts energizes and animates his life. McAlpin holds a Bachelor of Arts from Berry College, a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He served on Midwestern’s Board of Trustees from 1995 until 2000; additionally, he has served in various denominational capacities on the state and national levels.

    He and his wife, Nanell, have two sons: Ben and Stephen.

  • Michael D. McMullen

  • Professor of Church History; Director of Collegiate Program

  • Born in England, McMullen won, over stiff competition, a major British government scholarship for his doctoral work on Jonathan Edwards. He did the work at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and at Yale University. He has pastored in Kirkintilloch, Scotland, and has served as a part-time lecturer at Aberdeen University, and as a distance tutor in at St. John's College, and the Open Theological College, both in England.

    He has authored several books, including Hearts Aflame (Triangle/SPCK), Clouds of Heaven (Triangle/SPCK), The Passionate Preacher (Christian Focus), The Prayers and Meditations of Susanna Wesley (MPH, London), God's Polished Arrow (Christian Focus), and The Unpublished Sermons of M'Cheyne (Banner of Truth). He is also Associate Editor (Church History) for Oxford University's New Dictionary of National Biography.

  • Tony L. Preston

  • Associate Professor of Pastoral Leadership, Director of Supervised Ministry

  • Preston teaches pastoral leadership at Midwestern Seminary.

    He received a Doctor of Ministry at Reformed Seminary and has earned a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts from William Carey College, all while pastoring. Preston is a veteran pastor, having served for 22 years in churches in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas. He continues to pastor on a very regular interim basis.

    In addition to his pastoral experience, he was professor of evangelism at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., and served on the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

    His research interests are all in the field of pastoral ministry and leadership. Preston and his wife, Brenda, have two grown children, Brandon and Angela.

  • Gustavo Suarez

  • Director of the Center for North American Missions and Church Planting, Professor of Church Planting

  • Suarez teaches church planting and church growth at Midwestern Seminary and serves as the director of the Center for North American Missions and Church Planting and as a professor of church planting.

    He received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in physical education from the University of Maryland.

    Prior to accepting his position at Midwestern, Suarez was the executive director and treasurer for the Northwest Baptist Convention. He served in state conventions for 22 years and has been a North American Mission Board-appointed missionary for over 25 years. He served as a pastor and church planter in Buffalo, N.Y.; a language catalytic missionary for the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware; a language missions director for the Baptist Convention of New Mexico; and director of the Division of Mission Ministries, Baptist Convention of New Mexico. Suarez’s research interests include selected topics in the areas of cultural issues and the church.

    He and his wife, Diana, have two sons, Philip and Matthew, and one grandson.

  • Jerry Sutton

  • Dean, Vice President of Academics

  • Sutton, accomplished Southern Baptist Convention pastor and administrator, serves on the executive staff at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as dean and vice president of academics.

    Sutton brings to Midwestern extensive experience from a variety of ministerial spheres. A Southwestern Seminary graduate, Sutton earned his Ph.D. in church history with minors in preaching and Greek New Testament. He served as the senior pastor of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., from 1986 until 2008 and has taught courses at multiple SBC seminaries, including an adjunct professorship at Midwestern.

    In 2005, Sutton became the first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Since his retirement from Two Rivers, he has served in the classroom as associate professor of Christian proclamation and pastoral theology at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School in Lynchburg, Va. He has also served as a trustee at LifeWay Christian Resources and as president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference.

    A respected historian, Sutton authored the authoritative account of the conservative resurgence, The Baptist Reformation. He has published a resource for individuals seeking spiritual rededication entitled The Way Back Home, and his work, A Matter of Conviction: A History of Southern Baptist Engagement with the Culture, stands as both a historic description and centennial commemoration of the denomination’s interaction with American culture. His latest book is entitled, A Primer on Biblical Preaching.

    He and his wife, Fern, have two adult daughters.

  • Steven H. Thompson

  • Assistant VP for Institutional Effectiveness, Associate Director of Professional Doctoral Studies, Profiles of Ministry Director

  • Thompson serves as Assistant VP for Institutional Effectiveness, Associate Director of Professional Doctoral Studies, Profiles of Ministry Director, and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at MBTS. Thompson co-taught MN 5440, Pastoral Ministry, with Dr. Jim Anderson when the regular professor, Dr. Tony Preston was on sabbatical. He has taught the Turabian Style segment in DR 30020 Orientation to Professional Doctoral Studies for several years.

    Thompson received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southern State College, Magnolia, Ark.; a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia; a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    Thompson came to the seminary as Profiles of Ministry Director in the fall of 2003 and served as an adjunct professor for Profiles of Ministry for seven years. He will be teaching in some of the professional doctoral seminars.

    He and his wife, Sherry, have been married since August 13, 1976, and have resided in Gladstone, MO since 1984.

  • F. Alan Tomlinson

  • Professor of New Testament and Greek

  • Tomlinson teaches New Testament and Greek at Midwestern Seminary.

    He received a Doctor of Philosophy from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.S. from University of Tennessee. Prior to coming to Midwestern, Tomlinson worked as an industrial engineer for Tennessee Valley Authority, was an office manager for a Certified Public Accountant and served as dean of men at a Bible college. 

    Tomlinson is currently a noted conference speaker and was named Professor of the Year for the 2000-01 academic year.

  • Rustin J. Umstattd

  • Associate Academic Dean, Assistant Professor of Theology

  • Umstattd is the assistant professor of Theology at Midwestern.

    He earned his doctorate and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia Southern University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia Southwestern University. Umstattd comes to Midwestern having served 15-plus years in student ministry, with the last 10 being served at Matthew Road Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, Texas.

    His research interests include the theology of both the Trinity and the Holy Spirit.

  • Daniel R. Watson

  • Associate Professor of Old Testament

  • Watson has served at Midwestern since the Fall of 2008. He is an experienced Bible teacher in both church and academy, coming from a family background of pastoral ministry at churches in his native Indiana.

    A graduate of Liberty University, Watson holds a Master of Theology from Grace Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Philosophy from Hebrew Union College. He is also a former Erskine Peters Dissertation Fellow at the University of Notre Dame. His professional memberships include the Evangelical Theological Society and the Oxford Round Table.

    In addition to course instruction, Watson serves on the Doctoral Studies Committee and has participated in the Tel Gezer archeology project. Prior to accepting the call to Midwestern, Watson served as the resident Old Testament professor at Bethel Seminary–San Diego in southern California.

Academics