Alumni Spotlight: Dean Inserra

Dean Inserra is the founding pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Florida, which he leads by preaching and providing vision. Dean is married to Krissie, and they have two sons, Tommy and Ty, and a daughter, Sally Ashlyn.

Dean was called to start a church in his hometown of Tallahassee when he was the student body president at Leon High School. He left Tallahassee to come to Liberty University because he “saw Liberty as a great place to prepare to plant a church.” Dean served as an RA and graduated from Liberty in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. He now holds an M.A. in Theological Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a D.Min. at Southern Seminary.

Dean also serves as an advisory member on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s Leadership Council with the Southern Baptist Convention. He has written four books, including “The Unsaved Christian: Reaching Cultural Christianity with the Gospel.”

Church

City Church started with 20 people in Dean’s parents’ living room in 2007 and has now grown to be one of the largest evangelical churches in the area. Dean describes the area as “over-churched and under-reached,” and so they are utilizing strategic partnerships to reach their context in amazing ways. One such partnership is with the SALT Network, which plants churches in major college towns. As a result, they have helped to start the SALT Company as an on-campus organization at Florida State University in Tallahassee and have a large college ministry within the church. This past year, they held an Easter service with over 4,000 people in the FSU basketball arena.

Future

As Dean leads the church forward, they are putting together a church planting residency program as well as some summer internship positions that our current Liberty students can participate in through the Center for Church Advancement. They are already working on planting a church on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando and praying for a church at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

Prayer

Dean has asked us to join him in prayer as they engage in spiritual warfare and advance the Kingdom of God through proclaiming the Gospel on college campuses and communities all over the state of Florida.

Church Advancement Week was a great way for Liberty Students to connect with different church multiplication organizations from around the country. We hosted 18 organizations from California, Montana, New York, Florida, Texas, and everywhere in between. Over 50 leaders set up booths in the Montview Student Center. They spoke in classrooms and shared their ministries and heartbeat to mobilize students to multiply disciples and see churches planted. Liberty students were challenged with questions about “life after Liberty” and encouraged to look at opportunities through great organizations like GenSend and the SALT Network.

For more information about these opportunities and more, contact the Center for Church Advancement at churchadvancement@liberty.edu.

The Rawlings Ministry Loan Repayment Program

The Rawlings Ministry Loan Repayment Program was established to support graduates of Liberty University who have entered full-time ministry. The program will pay up to $30,000 over a 5-year period with a maximum annual payment of $6,000. Only federal student loans obtained while enrolled in a Liberty University School of Divinity undergraduate program are eligible. There will be at least one application cycle per year.

Keesee Fund

The Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund Inc. was established in 1941 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Keesee of Martinsville, Virginia, to aid worthy men and women in obtaining an education. The Fund is administered by a board of trustees who consider requests for aid and determine an applicant’s eligibility. This scholarship is ideal for students involved in the residential Monday-only classes program.

Dr. Troy Temple – Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Gabriel Etzel – Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Adam McClendon – Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Gary Bredfeldt – Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Dr. John Cartwright – Ed.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Claudia Dempsey – D.Min. Regent University

Dr. Lucas Farmer – Ed.D. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Jonathan Geukgeuzian – D.Ed.Min. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Melody Harper – Ph.D. Clemson University

Dr. Mary Lowe – Ed.D.

Nova Southeastern University

Dr. Brian Pinzer – Ph.D. Lancaster Bible College

Dr. Chad Thornhill – Ph.D.

Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Mark Allen – Ph.D. University of Notre Dame

Professor Matthew Bovard – M.Div.

Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Alan Fuhr – Ph.D.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Faculty Listing

Dr. Chris Hulshof – Ed.D. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Benjamin Laird – Ph.D. University of Aberdeen

Dr. Leo Percer – Ph.D. Baylor University

Dr. Jillian Ross – Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Dr. Rusty Small – Ph.D. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Michael Smith – Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary

Dr. Gary Yates – Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary

Dr. David Adams – D.Min. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Monica Brennan – D.Min. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Rod Dempsey – D.Min.

Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Allen Hollie Jr. – D.Min. Wesley Theological Seminary

Dr. Derik Idol – Ed.D.

Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Steve Keith – D.Min. Denver Seminary

Dr. Kevin King – Ph.D. University of Pretoria

Dr. Steve Lowe – Ph.D. Michigan University

Dr. Keith Oglesby – Ed.D. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. David Wheeler – Ph.D.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Tim Chang – Ph.D. Fuller Graduate Schools

Dr. Ronnie Campbell – Ph.D.

Liberty University School of Divinity

Professor Eunice Chung – Th.M. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Chris Gnanakan – Ph.D. University of Leeds

Dr. Gary Habermas – Ph.D. Michigan State University

Dr. Gaylen Leverett – Ph.D. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Brian Litfin – Ph.D. University of Virginia

Dr. Troy Matthews – Ed.D.

Argosy University

Dr. Robert Talley – Ph.D. Liberty University School of Divinity

Dr. Robert Van Engen – Ph.D. Regent University

Dr. Lew Weider – Ed.D.

Argosy University

COMING ALONGSIDE THE LOCAL CHURCH IN ITS QUEST TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION

Contributing Authors

JOHN ARMSTRONG

DR. RONNIE CAMPBELL

DR. CHRISTOPHER DOWD

DR. JONATHAN GEUKGEUZIAN

DR. MELODY HARPER

DR. KEVIN KING

DR. TROY TEMPLE