Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President, Jason Allen, announced the addition of Joe M. Allen III to the seminary faculty, along with four additional faculty appointments.
Allen, who will relocate to Kansas City this summer, will serve as assistant professor of missions. This fall, he will undertake the full-time duties of instructing and mentoring the next generation of God-called men and women tasked with reaching the world for Christ.
Allen comes to Midwestern Seminary after having served overseas with the International Mission Board since 2007.
“We are delighted to have Dr. Joe Allen join the growing faculty at Midwestern Seminary,” Jason Allen said. “When we consider the weightiness of the Great Commission, we take seriously the attendant training that is necessary to equip men and women for gospel service.
“The calling on our institution to be ‘for the church’ demands that we be for the church everywhere, in every setting where God’s people are gathered, both locally and abroad. Dr. Allen joins our faculty as a proven, accomplished evangelist and missionary. He’s not only equipped with the necessary academic credentials but he’s also widely respected for his missionary service.”
Joe Allen comes to Midwestern Seminary after serving in various leadership roles on IMB mission teams in South Asia. He says his time overseas has shaped his approach to the missionary task in significant ways: “I am excited about joining Midwestern Seminary because it is laser-focused on serving the church. I can get on board with that vision because a healthy church is a church on mission. I love Midwestern Seminary’s synthesis of high academic excellence and real-world application.
“Further, I love missions and evangelism because I love being a part of what God is doing in the world. The Missio Dei (or mission of God) is paradigmatic for unifying the whole story of the Bible and understanding God’s plan for all of creation. One of my hopes is that my students come to see their missions involvement as something that brings them into alignment with the heart of God. I approach missions and evangelism as a stewardship, and I consider it a privilege to participate in God’s cosmic plan to display his glory through the gospel among every tribe, language, people, and nation.”
Allen also reflected on the unique opportunity provided at Midwestern Seminary, where academic training blends naturally with the “on-the-field” aspects of missionary service. “Faithful stewardship of the missionary task requires the total engagement of the head, the heart, and the hands,” he said, relating that every branch of academic study directly informs one’s approach to the task of proclaiming the gospel.
When considering the opportunity at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College, Allen sees a chance to encourage and motivate students in fulfilling their calls to gospel ministry: “I am excited about serving at Midwestern Seminary because I love working with college and seminary students. People come to seminary at a crucial season of life and make many life-altering decisions. Most students come to class hungry to learn and eager to make a mark on the world. I consider it a great privilege to invest in their lives and influence them to give their lives for the sake of the nations.”
Seminary Provost, Jason Duesing, expressed similar excitement at the prospect of having Allen on campus: “Because the end goal of churches is global evangelism for the sake of the knowledge of the glory of God, it is a preeminent desire of our institution to serve churches through the equipping of men and women called to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
“Joe Allen’s keen understanding of the missionary task, his wealth of experience on the field, and his passion for shaping the next generation are a rare combination that bodes well for current and future students at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College.”
Joe Allen is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He earned a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in applied theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. He has published a series of theology books for children in the Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers series from New Leaf Press. The volumes cover topics including the Trinity, the gospel, the Bible, and the “mission.”
Allen has been married to Christina since 2003, and they have two children. He will begin in his new role at Midwestern Seminary on June 1.
Additional Faculty Appointments
In addition to Allen, four other presidential faculty appointments were recently announced.
Jared Bumpers, previously a member of Midwestern’s instructional faculty, was appointed as assistant professor of preaching and evangelism and will continue in his role as director of Student Life and Events. Bumpers is a graduate of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Mo. He earned an M.Div. from Luther Rice Seminary in Lithonia, Ga., a Th.M. from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., and a Ph.D. in Christian Preaching from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He and his wife, Kim, have four children.
Ronni Kurtz was appointed assistant professor of Christian Studies and will continue in his role as Assistant Director of Marketing and managing editor of the seminary’s For the Church resource website. Kurtz is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University. He earned an M.Div. from and is completing Ph.D. studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Kristen, have one child.
Joyce Park was appointed as assistant professor of Christian Education in Midwestern’s Korean Studies department and will serve as a member of the seminary’s instructional faculty. Park also serves as director of Spurgeon College’s Korean Studies initiatives. Park earned a B.Ed. degree from Seoul National University of Education in Korea, an M.S. degree from Cairn University (formerly Philadelphia Biblical University), and a Ph.D. in School Leadership from Columbia International University.
Camden Pulliam was appointed as assistant professor of Christian Studies and will continue in his role as vice president of enrollment management. Pulliam is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University. He earned an M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and a Ph.D. from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Mallory, have three children.
