3. Renewed by Gratitude: An Update from the Presidential Search Committee
Dr. Steven G. W. Moore
4. Renewed by the Spirit: Grace-Fueled Transformation for Heart and Life by Dr. Jonathan A. Powers
6. Emotional Resilience: The Value of Maintaining Balance for long-term ministry. Dr. Tapiwa Mucherera
8. The Kenosis Covenant: Wesleyan Perspectives on Leadership, Formation and Renewal
David J. Gyertson, Ph.D.
10. Renewal Retreats: A Restful Blessing for Alumni
12. Faculty Highlight: Dr. Kevin Watson
14. Current Student Highlight: Stacey McDonald
15. Alumni Hightlight: Ajith Fernando
17. From the Archives: Success or Failure H.C. Morrison, September, 1967
21. Faculty Publications
22. News and Events
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Renewed by Gratitude: An Update from the Presidential Search Committee
Autumn is the season that truly captures the spirit of change. As the leaves of the ginkgo trees on the Kentucky campus turn from green to vibrant yellow, I cannot help but feel grateful to God for His faithfulness to our institution and its work around the world. The landscape of theological education is not immune to change, and new challenges will always appear on the horizon. Yet we find ourselves in a strong position, and the mission of Asbury Theological Seminary has remained
Nevertheless, the task of finding the right leader for this season of transition is critical. As a member of the Board of Trustees and an alumnus of Asbury Theological Seminary, it is my honor to chair the search committee for our new president. This committee, made up of alumni, faculty, staff, pastors, and Christian leaders, seeks to represent the Seminary and its constituents.
To begin the process, the search committee held listening sessions with alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, and other stakeholders from around the world. We then partnered with CarterBaldwin, a national search firm, to guide us through the candidate search, which is now well underway. You can view the search committee members and follow updates on the Seminary’s website, where periodic reports are
God continues to be faithful to us. We’ve received hundreds of inquiries, nominations, and applications, which were to be submitted by the end of October. The committee met before the board’s recent meeting to analyze and discuss every applicant in order to narrow our selection of recommended candidates. The next phase will be to choose finalists and host them during a visit to our Kentucky campus. Our work won’t be complete until we find the leader God has chosen for this next chapter, and we ask for your prayers during this process.
As we look at the global need for pastors, Christian leaders, and church professionals, we realize the challenges are great. The next president of Asbury Seminary will need to be innovative, creative, and collaborative—someone who understands the diverse needs of the worldwide Christian community. That is why this search process is so significant and why we rely on your prayers for God’s guidance in finding the right person.
Our discussions on the board and within the search committee seem to always return to a central theme: gratitude. We recognize that gratitude is more than good manners—it is a spiritual practice. Gratitude as a practice allows the Holy Spirit to reset and renew our minds to see with God’s perspective. As Paul tells us in the crucial verse in Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
We are grateful for the way God has blessed and used Asbury Seminary over the years, and we are confident that He will continue to guide us into the future as we continue to offer ourselves and our institution to Him. Great is thy faithfulness!
Dr. Steven G. W. Moore Chair of Presidential Search Committee
INthe Wesleyan tradition, being renewed by the Holy Spirit is a foundational concept that speaks to the transformative work of God's grace in the life of a believer. For John Wesley, renewal is not merely a superficial change but a deep, inner transformation that affects every aspect of one's life. This process, commonly understood as sanctification, is the work of the Holy Spirit in renewing our minds and hearts so that our behaviors and actions align with the character of Christ.
Wesley’s theology of sanctification revolves around the transformative power of grace, which enables believers to become more like Jesus. In his sermon “The New Birth,” Wesley describes the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit as a complete inward change: “Gospel holiness is no less than the image of God stamped upon the heart; it is no other than the whole mind which was in Christ Jesus; it consists of all heavenly affections and tempers mingled together into one.” This renewal is not achieved through human effort but is a divine gift made possible through the grace of God. The Spirit works to restore the imago Dei—the image of God—within us, an image that has been marred by sin. As the Holy Spirit moves within the believer, the heart is softened, the mind is enlightened, and the will is empowered to live in accordance with God’s will.
At the heart of this renewal is the reordering of human love. Wesley understood that sin corrupts not only our actions but also our affections, leading us to love things in ways that are dis-
ordered and out of proportion. The renewal of the Holy Spirit addresses this distortion by transforming our loves and desires. This love of God, which becomes the ruling affection in the heart of the believer, reorients the entire person. When our primary love is God, all our other loves—whether for people, possessions, or even ourselves—are ordered rightly.
Wesley was clear that this reordering of love was not simply an emotional change but a transformation that inevitably leads to changed behavior. He emphasized that sanctification, or Christian perfection, is not merely about avoiding sin but about growing in love and holiness. In his sermon “On Working Out Our Own Salvation,” Wesley writes, “God works in you; therefore you can work: otherwise it would be impossible.” If God does not work through His Spirit to renew us, then nothing in us could ever move toward the good or the holy. Every good thought, word, and work is the result of and response to the Spirit’s work within us. The Holy Spirit's renewal is thus both an inward and outward process, shaping not only our affections but also our actions, as grace empowers us to live lives of holiness and love.
One of the hallmarks of Wesley’s theology is that the transforming work of the Holy Spirit is not just personal but also plays a communal role in the renewal of the believer. Such renewal is sustained through the means of grace. These means of grace, which Wesley divided into acts of piety and acts of mercy, serve as channels through which the Spirit’s transformative work continues in our lives. Acts of
The Holy Spirit’s renewal is thus both an inward and outward process, shaping not only our affections but also our actions, as grace empowers us to live lives of holiness and love.
piety include practices such as prayer, reading and meditating on Scripture, fasting, attending the Lord’s Supper, and participating in Christian fellowship. These disciplines create space for the believer to encounter God, receive His grace, and be continually renewed in heart and mind.
Acts of mercy, on the other hand, include feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and other works of compassion that flow out of a heart transformed by grace. For Wesley, these acts of mercy are not optional but essential to Christian holiness. The Holy Spirit's renewal of the believer is incomplete without a corresponding transformation in how we love and serve others. As Wesley notes in his sermon “On Visiting the Sick,” true religion requires not only loving God but also loving our neighbor. When we engage in acts of mercy, we embody the love of Christ in tangible ways, extending the grace we have received to those around us. These acts also serve to renew us as they align our hearts with the heart of God, who is always moved with compassion for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed.
True renewal begins in the heart, and it ends in service to God and others. To be renewed by the Holy Spirit is to undergo a profound transformation that starts deep within us and works its way outward. Just as I experienced a shift from striving for outward recognition to my work being done out of inward love for God and others, through the power of grace, the Holy Spirit reorders our loves so that we desire what God desires. As our affections are transformed, our behaviors naturally follow suit. This renewal is the essence of sanctification—the process by which we are made holy and conformed to the image of Christ.
Dr. Jonathan A. Powers is the Associate Professor of Worship Studies and Interim Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of
Mission and Ministry.
Emotional Resilience
The value of maintaining balance for long-term ministry. Ministry can be both awesome and awful. At a personal level, a lack of awareness of one’s holistic well-being can easily lead to disaster. Thankfully, there are practical ways we can preserve ourselves in ministry so that the work can remain gratifying and impactful.
Internal self-regulation—emotional, spiritual and psychological—helps us determine how we will respond or react to external situations or pressures.
Unfortunately, we are often tempted to focus on external factors at the expense of our internal processes. Whether it is preaching, teaching, prophecy, administration, counseling, etc., there is an excitement of being called to the sacred work of God. This excitement can drive some to the deep end of serving others at the expense or neglect of their relationship with the Sacred One and even of themselves. The goal is balance in order to achieve emotional resilience that is long-lasting in ministry.
The idea of emotional resilience in ministry means being able to respond to stressful, demanding, exhausting and crisis-laden situations in ministry settings without experiencing burnout. To be emotionally resilient, one must follow the example of Christ who grew “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” according to Luke 2. Like Jesus, one has to function holistically. For one to be emotionally resilient or healthy, one has to have homeostasis (balance) in the following key aspects of one’s life:
We need accountability partners in ministry. Even Jesus had an inner circle. Do you have one?
1. Emotional/psychological – Every pastor needs a pastor. Do not wait to seek help only when things have turned sour in ministry. Resources such as counseling or spiritual direction are not for when you are underwater. Instead, be proactive in establishing supportive relationships. Network and build relationships with other ministers, counselors, or spiritual directors so when days come in which you need to talk to someone you can just pick up the phone and call. Keep those relationships alive to stay alive in ministry. The journey of ministry is never to be walked alone. An African saying goes: “If you want to go fast walk alone, but, if you want to go further, walk in the company of others.” We need accountability partners in ministry. Even Jesus had an inner circle. Do you have one?
2. Spiritual – Every pastor needs to guard their devotional times jealously. Devotional times must be our daily bread. To be emotionally resilient, you must be spiritually healthy. When one experiences spiritual malaise, one cannot be emotionally healthy. In your daily schedule, is reading Scripture and prayer time a priority? When do you worship? How are you feeding your spirituality? If you want to kill a plant, don’t water or feed it. Likewise, if you want to starve your emotional resilience and your soul, starve yourself spiritually.
3. Relational – Do not neglect significant relationships with others. Just because you are in ministry does not mean you are called to neglect your relationships with family and close friends. Nurture these relationships and don’t put them on hold, for ministry starts in the home. Those in healthy family relationships tend to experience healthy emotional resilience and flourish in ministry. We feed and grow internally from these healthy external family relations.
4. Physical – Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit; they are to be taken care of. Emotional resilience in ministry is grounded in your physical well-being. Are you paying attention to the health issues you may have? Do you exercise and eat well? Are you mindful of your age and some of the physical limitations you might have? Eat well, rest well and exercise. When you are not paying attention to your body, you will surely burn out and lack emotional resilience. As Jesus says to his disciples in Mark chapter 6, “Come apart and rest.”
5. Mental – Never stop reading or learning about new viewpoints for ministry. When one does not have new ideas about ministry, it creates insipidness, making ministry boring. One may even start questioning their calling. Boring or depressing ministry settings easily create emotionally draining environments. When ministry is failing and there is stagnation and frustration, avoid the tendency to personalize the congregational ministry failures. Doing so can create depression and apathy and has caused some to quit ministry altogether. Instead, challenge yourself to explore new and innovative ways to create solutions and minister to the people you serve.
The above areas form the bedrock on which one can create a foundation for emotional resilience to flourish in ministry and maintain a fulfilling long-haul journey of ministry. It is by grace that we are called, and our priority is to maintain that intimate inner-connected relationship with the One who graciously called us to this sacred work, so as to preserve our entire selves for healthy flourishing ministry.
Dr. Tapiwa Mucherera Professor of Pastoral Counseling
The Kenosis Covenant
Wesleyan Perspectives on Leadership Formation and Renewal
Dr. David J. Gyertson
NO PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE has more deeply informed and challenged my approach to teaching and leading as that which has come to be called Paul’s Kenotic Hymn in Philippians 2: 1-18. A colleague of mine at Regent University, Dr. Corne Bekker, and I began wrestling with the revolutionary impact on leadership of taking seriously the emptying (kenosis) of divine privilege by Jesus to accomplish our salvation and transformation . . .
Most of the effective leaders I know are individuals who develop and systematically practice an integrated approach to their callings. Kenotic leaders think deeply about the theories and theologies that inform their leadership callings . . . For those who believe that leadership is a God-given, spiritually enriched and sacred calling, they explore the theological implications of leading as communicated in and modeled by the major figures of the Scriptures. Kenotic leaders examine the character and motivations at the heart of leadership - the who and why of their leadership calling. They believe character counts as an essential foundation. . . A desire to “lead like Jesus” is informed by the kenosis motivation that willingly sets aside
We need a model for spiritually-formed and enlivened leadership that serves not only our own sense of mission but contributes to the larger purposes of God in and through His human creation.
privileges and perks as described in Philippians 2 to focus more on the needs of the led than on the needs, preferences, agendas or predispositions of the leader . . . Kenotic leaders also master the skills and techniques relevant to their respective callings and contexts. . . Means as well as ends become the focus of their leadership practices and strategies. Finally, Kenotic leaders master the essential disciplines that guide their thinking, guard their hearts and continuously equip their hands for the leadership mission they have accepted.
Radical humility is at the heart of the kenosis “emptying.” In Wesleyan theological terms this is only possible as I embrace the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit to make me wholly the Lord’s obedient, loving servant.
The Call to a New Leadership Covenant
The challenges and opportunities of today demand that we produce leaders with a compelling sense of Christ’s Great Commission challenge to “go into all the world.” These unprecedented times of polarization also require that we remain anchored to His Great Commandment mandate of loving God with our total being and our neighbor as ourselves. As intentional Christians, we are called to the demanding responsibility of providing leadership that is both relational and operational in its formulations and applications. Rising to such a complex calling requires that we develop an integrated view of our leadership opportunities and privileges that is anchored to the essential elements of Christ-centered and Scripture-anchored spiritual formation.
To that end, we need a model for spiritually-formed and enlivened leadership that serves not only our own sense of mission but contributes to the larger purposes of God in and through His
human creation. To succeed in this calling, we must embrace an integrated paradigm of learning, living and serving. At the very center of this paradigm is a commitment to becoming whole persons characterized by inquiring minds, loving hearts and outstretched hands known for noble, effective and sacrificial service. The finished fabric of effective leadership will move from the patchwork quilts of thought and practice that characterize much of contemporary leadership strategy to an interwoven tapestry of essential threads that bring competency and character, theory/theology and practice together into a new picture of what it means to lead as Jesus led.
The foundations of my thinking about such a leadership commitment are anchored to a process that began when I was an undergraduate college student. The initial lessons learned in that setting continue to fuel my passions and practices as I seek to contribute meaningfully to Christ’s ultimate mission of engaging, redeeming and changing the world.
This reflection describes my pilgrimage into the mission, message and meaning of such spiritually formed and integrated leadership. It is primarily a theological and conceptual rather than methodological journey—a process of transformation more than information. It is not my intent to present what follows as the ultimate answer for our important work. Neither is it the purpose to suggest that my thinking fully defines all the dimensions and implications of such a sacred task. Rather, my goal is to encourage, motivate and inspire others to take their distinctive understandings of the call to world-changing leadership to its highest levels. [...]
Dr. David J. Gyertson Interim President, Asbury Seminary
To read the entirety of this article, visit asbury.to/kenosis
Renewal Retreats A Restful Blessing for Alumni
Asstudents transform into alumni, it is a strong conviction of Asbury Seminary that they remain a vital part of our community. Just as we seek to support our students with rigorous theological education and spiritual formation while they are still students, Asbury Seminary is dedicated to supporting our alumni in their current contexts.
Asbury for Life is an initiative of the Alumni Office aimed at this exact goal. Among the many resources offered through this initiative are spiritual retreats for alumni called Renewal Retreats.
“Renewal Retreats are for alumni or people in ministry for rest and
refreshing,” says Suzanne Simon, the Renewal Retreats Coordinator. “Ministry could be in a religious setting, in a church, or ministry in business or NGOs.”
The idea of Renewal Retreats was dreamed up 10 years ago by a group of Seminary staff that included Tammy Cessna, the Director of Alumni and Church Relations, and Marilyn Elliott, the former Vice President for Spiritual Formation. The group wanted to think of means by which the Seminary could continue to provide care for alumni well after graduation. Retreats seemed like an obvious way to provide such care.
“They sat down and tried to figure out if they were going to go on a retreat, what would they like to have
happen?” Suzanne says.
From this brainstorm of elements to renew the mind, body, and spirit, Renewal Retreats were born. “The whole idea is to welcome people on campus and make them feel totally at home and totally part of everything,” Suzanne says. “Asbury Seminary is here for the long haul.” Suzanne became the coordinator in Fall 2023 and has since crafted over 16 unique retreat experiences for alumni and leaders. “They are one hundred percent customized,” Suzanne says. “Whoever is interested gets in touch with me, and then I send them a questionnaire to fill out. That’s what I use to craft each retreat to the person’s specific desires.”
Retreatants typically stay at the Asbury Inn & Suites and may choose from many experiences and resources available on campus or nearby to build their retreat schedule. These options include a professional massage, visits to the gym, a session with a personal fitness trainer, a professional counseling session, a meeting with a professor, and a pastoral care session. Additionally, retreatants can participate in aspects of campus life including class visits, attending chapel and Daily Eucharist, studying in the library, and using the chapels on campus for silence, solitude, and individual prayer walks. “The only thing that every retreat has in common is pastoral care,” Suzanne says.
“Pastoral care is part of the retreat experience. Nobody has said, ‘No, I want to come on a spiritual retreat, but I don’t want pastoral care.’”
The feedback from alumni, leaders, and pastors who utilize this resource is overwhelmingly positive. Many retreatants express gratitude for having space to seek the Lord as well as being made to feel part of the Seminary and campus life for a brief period.
On one special occasion, a group of Methodist pastors who have been
I would recommend a retreat to anyone who feels compassion fatigue, burnout or a need to be refreshed.
- LEADER ON RETREAT
To
learn more about Renewal Retreats, visit asbury.to/renewal
friends for decades came together for a Renewal Retreat. The cause for their retreat? Half of the group’s churches had just transitioned to the Global Methodist Church while the other half remained United Methodist. “So they came on retreat to see what it would look like for them to maintain their relationship with each other,” Suzanne says. “They sat in on different ethics classes, on doctrine classes, had conversations with Dr. Hampton and Dr. Johnson [and Dr. Collins] over lunch.”
One person from this group expressed gratitude for Asbury Seminary hosting a time and space that helped encourage their unity, despite denominational differences. “I have not had a theologically intense conversation like we did at lunch on Tuesday since I was in seminary,” the comment reads. “[The professors] engaged us and they visited with us for a most generous amount of time.”
Suzanne sees the benefit of offering a space for rest and rejuvenation both for the individuals and for Asbury Seminary’s global impact. “Healthy people create healthy communities,” she says. “So, people are coming on Renewal Retreats from all over the place and will meet God here. Then when they go back to their home church or business or organization, they’ll be taking that kind of health where God has met them and spreading it where they are.”
FACULTY HIGHLIGHT
DR. KEVIN WATSON Director of Academic Growth and Formation, Asbury Theological Seminary Tulsa Extension Site.
As a fairly new Christian in his college years, instead of spending one spring break skiing in the mountains or going to the beach like some of his friends, Kevin Watson went on a short-term mission trip to Mexico. It would prove to be a life-changing trip that would confirm his calling to serve God’s people through his life’s work. Kevin spent time with the local kids playing soccer and from the simple act of playing with these kids, God’s love became more of a reality for him. “I saw God’s love for the people I was supposed to be serving so clearly. It was the most fulfilling thing I’d ever experienced,” Kevin says.
With the revelation of that love, Kevin also discerned the beginning of a calling to ministry. “It all just became clear; it’s about the church. It’s about serving the church that makes the love of God real for the world,” Kevin says.
While in seminary, Kevin was invited to a band meeting and encountered the distinct Wesleyan discipleship method for the first time. “The band meeting was kind of a life raft for me to have a context to tell the truth
about places where I was making mistakes, where I was sinning, and to confess those sins,” Kevin says.
The band meeting became an interest to him not only as a means of grace but also as a subject for academic study. “One of the guys that had invited me into that group said no one’s ever written [a dissertation] on the band meeting,” Kevin says. “So it basically also became my dissertation project.”
Before starting his Ph.D. program, Kevin spent time pastoring at a local church in Lamont, Oklahoma. He had discovered a synthesis of ministry and academics that would prove integral to his vocation. While he was pastoring, he found himself thinking about mentors who acted as his pastors while he was in seminary. “And it was like one day it just popped into my head, ‘My calling is to pastor seminary students while they’re preparing to become pastors,’” Kevin says.
Kevin started his Ph.D. program, exploring the theology of the band meeting and researching what the early Methodist practice of the band meetings looked like, especially in comparison to John Wesley’s
This article is an excerpt from a full story on our Voices site. Read the full article and watch the video interview at asbury.to/watson
vision for them. Ultimately, his research led him to believe the band meeting was an important spiritual practice that needed to be rediscovered. “It felt like, from my perspective and my kind of generational moment, that there’s a hunger for authenticity,” Kevin says. “This is sort of low-hanging fruit for our current cultural moment.”
There hasn’t been anything more fulfilling in my ministry than getting to come alongside someone and then step back and watch them do what they’ve been called to do and see them do it really well.
After receiving his Ph.D., Kevin began his teaching career. During an academic conference in Wilmore, Kentucky, Kevin had the opportunity to speak with former Asbury Seminary president, Dr. Tim Tennent, about the legacy of Asbury Seminary and its prevailing Wesleyan identity. “That conversation to me—I was so fired up about it,” Kevin says. “I remember it was almost painful, like I would love to be a part of this place.”
Working at Asbury Seminary became what he describes as his dream job. At the same time, he and his wife, Melissa, felt a calling to plant themselves in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Those two things just are at odds with each other. They don’t work,” Kevin says. “But, in the ways that the Lord works as only He can, He opened a door for us to be in Tulsa that was also a door to join
the faculty at Asbury Theological Seminary.”
In 2023, Kevin was announced as the Director of Academic Growth and Formation for Asbury Seminary at the Tulsa Extension Site. In this position, he is able to continue to work towards discipleship and spiritual formation both academically and practically, pastoring future pastors and leaders while educating them on Wesleyan theology. Additionally, Kevin is the Scholar in Residence at Asbury Church in Tulsa. He has authored books on the Wesleyan class meeting and band meeting that have sold thousands of copies. His most recent book, Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline: A History of the Wesleyan Tradition in the United States , was released in June 2024 under Zondervan Academic to become a seminary textbook.
Kevin looks forward not only to the continued influence of Wesleyan discipleship but also to the future leaders and pastors who are being trained right now. “I’m still leaning into this calling,” Kevin says. “I feel like the Lord is saying I want you to work to raise up the next generation of leaders for the church.”
Did you know Asbury Seminary has extension sites in Memphis, TN; Tampa and Orlando, FL; Tulsa, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO?
STACEY MCDONALD
School Psychologist, Evangelist, and Founder of McDonald Ministries International Master of Divinity, Asbury Seminary, 2026.
Stacey McDonald grew up in a very devout Pentecostal family as the youngest of three siblings. She and her family went to church multiple times a week, and she has wonderful memories of services filled with hand-clapping, foot-stomping praise and fellowship.
When Stacey was four years old, her father, who had been present and loving up to that point, began exhibiting bizarre and even abusive behavior. Their church community did not attempt to understand his behavior or refer him for help. Instead, he was ostracized.
Stacey didn’t understand what was going on. Her father ended up at Eastern State Hospital with a Schizophrenia diagnosis. When the family visited him, Stacey saw there were others at the mental hospital, and it dawned on her that no one wanted to be there. This was a revelatory moment for Stacey. “If we can understand the signs of mental health and mental health disorders, we can help heal—as the church should and always should—rather than ostracize,” she says. “And the more I began to think about it and process it, I said, ‘I want to go to school for this.’”
Stacey obtained a Masters degree in School Psychology in 2007 and then an Educational Specialist Degree in 2009. She now practices full-time as a school psychologist where she deals with mental illnesses daily. She also began pastoring at the same time she began her school psychology career. She realized that the church needs to be a safe place for people to say they are struggling.
Stacey’s experiences from her childhood, career, and ministry eventually converged. She began McDonald Minis-
tries International in 2022, through which she offers what she calls “The Gospel of Mental Health” in the form of a book, seminars and an annual conference.
According to Stacey, “The Gospel of Mental Health” means there is good news about your mental health: God loves people with mental health issues and the Bible speaks to mental health. “There’s not a Scripture I can think of that does not in some way involve helping our mental health or naming ways that can harm our mental health,” Stacey says.
Additionally, people with mental health disorders are not cursed, demonized, or guilty. Mental health struggles are like physical health struggles, according to Stacey; they involve an organ (the brain) that affects the mind.
Stacey had wanted to study ministry for years but had to wait until she was beyond raising three young children while pastoring and working full-time. “I always wanted to go to Asbury Seminary. When the Lord opened up that door, I tell you – I put on my sneakers and ran through as fast as I could.”
Stacey began the M.Div. in 2022 and does a combination of in-person and online classes. She has loved every one of them. When she finishes her M.Div., she plans to work toward her D.Min.
And Stacey isn’t through with The Gospel of Mental Health. She says, “A huge part of my life’s assignment is to blot out the stigma of mental illness, help families and individuals who are struggling from its torment, and ultimately reveal the love, grace and power of God toward the mentally ill and those impacted by it.”
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT
Teaching Director for Youth for Christ, Sri Lanka
M.Div., Asbury Theological Seminary, 1974.
Ajith Fernando was born and raised in Sri Lanka in a devout Methodist family, and he wanted to study theology from the age of 14. One of his childhood faith heroes was a preacher from India, Dr. Samuel Kamaleson, who had graduated from Asbury Seminary. So when Ajith was in his early 20s, he chose Asbury Seminary as the place to study his faith.
Ajith arrived in Kentucky in February of 1972, the middle of winter. “I had never experienced a cold like that. But the warmth of the studies made it so happy for me,” says Ajith. “It was a period I consider one of the happiest in my life.”
Before seminary, Ajith had been an active volunteer for Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka, and he planned to go back and work for the organization after earning his M.Div. Though Ajith’s friends and professors insisted he should go to a church or seminary, his pastor from his teenage years advised him to go back to Youth for Christ and grow the church by sending youth to the church.
And this is exactly what Ajith has labored for in Sri Lanka since graduating from the Seminary in 1974. “We have hundreds of leaders in churches who have come from our ministry—over a hundred pastors,” says Ajith, who was National Director for 35 years and has been Teaching Director for 12 years in his semi-retirement. The church in Sri Lanka has grown because of Youth for Christ (YFC), and many pastors of new churches are first generation Christians.
With about 15 centers in Sri Lanka, YFC serves youth who have no contact with a church, primarily functioning as a neighborhood ministry with safe places to play, study
and learn. YFC also has a huge camping ministry at which youth can hear the gospel, which has caused many to come to Christ. Some parents have even become believers through the witness of their children.
Through his role as Teaching Director, Ajith mentors and teaches staff, leaders, and pastors in YFC and the wider church. “Many Christian leaders in the church did not grow up in Christian backgrounds. They haven’t had spiritual fathers and mothers to nurture and love them, and they haven’t had adequate teaching on biblical values,” he says. Ajith’s role in their lives is essentially the work of discipleship.
“Discipling is something that everyone talks about, but very few people do it. And a reason is that they don’t have the time,” says Ajith. He points out that Jesus’ method of discipling was spending hours and hours of time with His disciples. “I have found that many of the deep-down issues of a person come after a long time of talking,” he says.
Ajith’s decades of stewarding youth into the Christian faith through YFC means that the work of discipleship is never over. He continues to resource the church in Sri Lanka as an award-winning author of 21 books, including a book about discipleship titled Discipling in a Multicultural World. “As long as God gives me the strength, I want to spend my time ministering to these servants of Christ,” he says.
Asbury Seminary Voices is a collection of alumni, student and faculty stories designed to GLORIFY GOD and inspire YOU! See the full version of these stories and many more at asbury.to/voices
AJITH FERNANDO
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
The Herald , September 1967
Success or Failure
by H.C. Morrison, Founding President of Asbury Seminary
Real success in the ministry calls for genuine piety; the baptism and enduement with the Spirit, and then an energetic use of the power which the Spirit bestows.
he success or failure of a preacher depends largely upon the preacher. It is understood and will be readily admitted that, first of all, the preacher must be a man of true piety. He needs, and by all means, should have the enduement of the Holy Spirit.
Much depends, however, upon the man, his disposition, his friendliness, and his activities. Jesus said to His disciples, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” He says the same to His disciples of today. It would appear that some disciples keep the salt barreled up. Salt, to save, must be applied, rubbed in; it must penetrate.
We have known some men who appear to be very pious, and doubtless were, but meanwhile, a bit tired; they seem to have been born tired and never to have gotten over it. They walk slowly, talk slowly, eat slowly, sleep soundly, awake slowly, and get about slowly; one good thing about them, they never ran over anybody who was moving at all. They stood no danger of being arrested for speed in their movements on foot.
We have known men who were not overburdened with piety, but they made excellent use of what spiritual capital they had. They were active, wide-awake; they sought the people out; they were on the hunt for prodigals, telling them that there was a fatted calf awaiting them at the Father’s house. Their activities affected their congregations; their enthusiasm was contagious, and they induced people who, otherwise, were the sitstill variety, to get up and move about and do something.
We are not condemning deep piety, nor commending shallow spirituality, but it is in the ministry something like it is in the
business world; some men with large capital are not successful; they invest and lose. They are not active and aggressive. They do not have the gift of foresight, while other men with smaller capital, with large activity and a bit of risk, with a gift of foresight, do a large business, increase their capital, and go forward to what the world designates success.
Real success in the ministry calls for genuine piety; the baptism and enduement with the Spirit, and then an energetic use of the power which the Spirit bestows. I knew a presiding elder who attended his quarterly meetings who asked the questions in a deliberate, orderly way, and hied himself home to his quiet fireside. I knew another man in the same office who was active and on the go. He touched the preachers of his charge; he was an inspiration, he held revivals at the weak points on his district and saw scores converted and brought into the church under his ministry. He was wide-awake and imparted his enthusiasm to those under his influence.
Success in the ministry calls for an intelligent use of all the powers, divine and human, which make a man successful, whatever difficulties and obstacles he may encounter. It occurs to this writer that nothing is quite so important, so fine and splendid, as a genuine preacher of the gospel, a friend to man, a sympathizer with the sick and poor, a lover of the sinful; a man with a holy determination to confront and break the powers of evil, build up the church in its spiritual life, and win the lost to Jesus. It is reasonable to suppose that such a man, at the close, shall hear the “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”
Leave a Legacy
What is a qualified charitable distribution (QCD)?
A tax-free donation from an IRA to Asbury Seminary. To be eligible, the donor must be at least 70.5 years old and the distribution must be made directly from the IRA to Asbury Seminary. The maximum amount that can be donated in a year is $105,000, starting in 2024. QCDs can also count toward the required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year for those who are at least 73 years old.
Maximize Your Generosity with Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
By: Dale Ditto
As a financial advisor my goal is to “Help Make Wealth a Blessing” and enable people to give generously in the most effective and tax efficient way.
For those aged 70½ and older, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs offer a unique way to give up to $105,000 each year to causes you care about—like Christian education and ministry—while enjoying tax benefits. A QCD allows direct IRA transfers to a qualified charity, avoiding taxable income and reducing overall tax burdens, while satisfying their required minimum distributions (RMDs).
KEY BENEFITS OF QCDS
• Tax Savings: QCDs lower your taxable income which can reduce your overall tax bill.
• Amplified Giving: By minimizing tax liabilities, more of your resources go to causes you believe in.
• Easy and Effective: QCDs simplify giving, making it easier to give larger, impactful gifts to charity and allow you to leave your heirs more that they will not have to pay taxes on.
For Christians eager to make a difference, QCDs from IRAs are a powerful tool to support the future of faithbased education and ministry more tax efficiently than writing a check. Consult Tammy Hogan at Asbury Seminary or your tax advisor to learn how a QCD can enhance your giving.
*You should discuss your unique situation with your CPA or other tax advisor as tax laws can change and your situation may present uncommon circumstances you should know about before making this decision. Baird does not offer tax advice.
Watch Asbury Seminary Chapel LIVE online every week during the semester at asbury.to/live Visit asbury.to/chapel for our chapel message archive.
Robin Lim (M.Div. ’23) and Mark Sayers became friends halfway around the world from each other following the Asbury Outpouring in February 2023. They joined us on the podcast to talk about the global impact of the Outpouring and share about the profound movements of God they have witnessed since the Outpouring began.
“I don’t want to look back on the summer of ‘24 for us as a beautiful period, you know. I want to look forward to a long-haul renewal where God keeps turning up.”
-Mark Sayers
Look for New Podcast Episodes in Early Spring 2025
Thrive with Asbury Seminary brings you interview-style conversations to help you thrive where your passions meet the world’s needs. Join us every other week to hear stories from people just like you and be inspired by world-renowned scholars, thought-leaders, artists and authors. Thrive with Asbury Seminary seeks to help you learn about the variety of ways you can serve God, actively grow your relationship with God and take the next step in your faith and calling.
“There’s this sense of delight in who God has made me to be and identifying some good ways that I can put that to use in the world.”
Teddy Ray, Ep. 92
From Pastor to Yale Law School Graduate
”God is seeking to get our attention to pour out love upon us. The Holy Spirit is wooing us and wants to show up and pour out love upon us.“
Rev. Dr. Sarah Baldwin, Ep. 95 Generation Awakened
Faculty Publications
Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline: A History of the Wesleyan Tradition in the United States
Dr. Kevin Watson
An expansive, substantive history of the Wesleyan tradition in the United States, Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline offers a broad survey of the Methodist movement as it developed and spread throughout America, from the colonial era to the present day. It also provides a theological appraisal of these developments in light of John Wesley’s foundational vision. Beginning with Wesley himself, Dr. Kevin Watson describes the distinctiveness of the tradition at the outset and identifies the common set of beliefs and practices that have unified a diverse group of people across the centuries.
Discipleship for Every Stage of Life: Understanding Christian Formation in Light of Human Development
Dr. Chris Kiesling
Dr. Chris Kiesling draws on more than twenty-five years of experience teaching faith development topics in academic and local church settings to assemble a toolkit that will help those in ministry think comprehensively about discipleship at every stage of life. Taking into account physical, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of human development from infancy through older adulthood, Kiesling guides readers in making practical use of these insights in churches and educational settings. Pastors, ministry leaders, and educators will benefit from this treatment, which brings cutting-edge findings from the social sciences into dialogue with Scripture, theology, and practical ministry.
AdMinistry: A Primer on Church Administration
Dr. Thomas F. Tumblin
As a pastor or church leader, shepherding a congregation goes beyond preaching and pastoral care. It requires skillful administration to steward resources effectively, empower people, and fulfill God’s mission. The second edition of Administry equips you with the updated tools and strategies needed to navigate the complexities of modern church leadership. Updated content includes practical templates, new insights on legal and liability concerns, and enhanced tools for financial and resource management. With sample forms, planning guides, and organizational tools, this book provides a valuable framework for building a thriving church administration that aligns with God’s vision for your congregation.
News & Events
Asbury Theological Seminary Announces Four Faculty-Named Endowed Scholarship Funds
Asbury Theological Seminary announces four new scholarship funds named after distinguished faculty or faculty emeriti: the Dr. David R. Bauer Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Dr. Anthony J. Headley and Dr. Virginia T. Holeman Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Dr. George G. Hunter, III Endowed Scholarship Fund, and the Dr. Christine D. Pohl Endowed Scholarship Fund. Each of these scholarship funds has received an initial gift of $1 million to become established, and each scholarship will be awarded to students coming to Asbury Seminary to study in the fields represented by each of the faculty.
Asbury Seminary Welcomes Four New Faculty Hires
Asbury Theological Seminary announces the hiring of four new faculty members. Dr. Joel Archer is a new Assistant Professor of Theology and will be involved in the Bilingually Delivered M.A. in Ministry. Dr. Steven Bruns (M.Div., 2001) is the new Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. Dr. Joel Thomas Chopp is a new Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology. Rev. Dr. David B. Schreiner (M.Div., 2007; Ph.D., 2012) is a new Associate Professor of Old Testament and Inductive Biblical Studies.
Asbury Seminary Hosts Ceremony to Welcome Interim President
The community of Asbury Theological Seminary gathered on July 1, 2024, for a ceremony in McKenna Chapel welcoming interim president Dr. David Gyertson and honoring the transition of leadership from Dr. Timothy Tennent. The ceremony was emceed by Dr. Ricardo Gomez, a member of the Board of Trustees at the Seminary and a two-time alumnus of the institution. Several faculty and staff members facilitated the program which was attended by the broader Seminary community. Dr. Tennent conducted the passing of the presidential symbols: the presidential medallion, founding president H.C. Morrison’s pocket watch and Morrison’s Bible. Dr. Gyertson then spoke in response, expressing his passion for the mission of Asbury Seminary and articulating his goal to maintain that mission during his interim term. Finally, Dr. Gyertson invited other leaders to participate with him in receiving prayers of consecration. Dr. Matt Barnes, Dr. Ellen Marmon, Dr. Jessica LaGrone, and Rev. Darryl Diddle offered prayers as Dr. Gyertson knelt surrounded by his executive leadership team.
Presidential Search Committee Completes Opportunity Profile for Next President
On August 22, 2024, the Presidential Search Committee at Asbury Theological Seminary announced the completion of the Opportunity Profile for the selection of the Seminary’s next president. This milestone was achieved through the collaborative efforts of over 200 alumni, faculty, board members, staff, students, and supporters who participated in Zoom sessions and surveys, contributing valuable insights into this critical process. The Board of Trustees spent significant time identifying the key qualities needed in the seminary’s next leader, and the president’s Executive Leadership Team, under Dr. David Gyertson, provided vital contributions to shape the final profile. Additionally, the Search Committee’s
search partner, CarterBaldwin, led by Andrea McDaniel Smith and Price Harding, provided strategic guidance to the process and helped refine the profile.
Asbury Seminary Welcomes New Director of the Center for Church Multiplication
Asbury Theological Seminary is pleased to announce Dr. Bruce Wilson as the new Director of the Asbury Seminary Center for Church Multiplication (CCM). Dr. Wilson has worked internationally for over 30 years in various capacities, including as a consultant, pastor, and organizational leader. In 2022, Dr. Wilson became the Executive Vice President of GACX, a global alliance for church multiplication. This alliance connects over 115 church planting organizations with each other and with the research, tools, and ideas they need to accelerate church multiplication worldwide. Dr. Wilson has a Doctor of Ministry degree in organizational leadership from Asbury Seminary and has traveled to more than 70 countries. His wife, Becky Wilson, is the Presidential Liaison for Advancement at Pioneers and the Chair of the Tyndale House Foundation.
Asbury Seminary Hosts Global Methodist Church Dreams and Visions Conference
From November 12–14, 2024, Asbury Theological Seminary hosted a Global Methodist Church (GMC) conference called Dreams and Visions for the First Days. Based on Acts 2:17 and the promise of the Holy Spirit being poured out in the last days, the conference focused on the GMC’s first days and the dreams and visions for the future of
the church in general. The conference included times of corporate worship in Estes Chapel, hearing from leaders and newly-elected bishops, and discussions and breakout sessions about the decisions made at the Convening Conference in Costa Rica. Many Asbury Seminary faculty and alumni participated in and helped facilitate the conference, and special attention was given to students as future leaders of the church.
Asbury Seminary Board of Trustees Honors Retirees and Welcomes New Chairs
On November 5, 2024, Asbury Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees held a Passing of the Gavel ceremony to mark the transition of the chair position from Karen Thomas to Helen Rhea Stumbo. Thomas, retiring after nearly 30 years of service, passed the gavel to Stumbo, who will serve as interim chair. Andy Hurst was elected interim vice chair, filling the vacancy left by Steve Moore. Moore, completing his 15-year term, will remain chair of the Presidential Search Committee after he departs from the board to ensure continuity. The Governance Committee, in collaboration with Interim President Dr. David Gyertson, appointed the officers on an interim basis to guide the board during this transitional year. Anna Jackson and Steve Elliott continue as interim secretary and treasurer, respectively.
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“My time at Asbury Seminary helped me to discover who I am in Christ. This prepared me to serve the Church faithfully and continually helps me overcome everyday challenges in ministry.”
Bishop Carolyn Moore
Asbury Seminary M.Div., 1998; Doctor of Ministry, 2018 Church planter, author, speaker, bishop in the GMC
