A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
We believe that the Church, as God’s representative, plays a crucial role in making Him known and bringing glory to His name. We have an overwhelming passion to see the Church be more faithful to Jesus Christ and that role. This passion compels us to design degree programs and strategic initiatives that come alongside local churches and support them in their quest to fulfill the Great Commission.
Our academic departments and centers are driven to innovate. We have degree programs that address modern issues in our churches and culture, such as the M.A. in Church Planting degree and the M.A. in Humanitarian Action and Human Rights degree, which are designed to equip students to help others who are experiencing times of crisis and need. In addition, we launched a new M.A. in Chaplaincy online and a Ph.D. in Theological Studies residentially along with a new Faith-based Consulting specialization for our Ed.D. and Ph.D. in Christian Leadership.
Our faculty are building course curriculum that is biblically grounded, addresses cultural issues, and brings practical leadership application to our students. We do this through a regular review of our courses, which includes feedback from professors and students on content and effectiveness in individual courses. This allows us to remain strategically relevant for church leaders and faithfully prepare them for their ministry calling.
DEAN
Dr. Troy W. Temple
NEW FACULTY JOIN THE TEAM!
DR. DOTTIE RHOADS | Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies
Professor Rhoads brings a unique combination of teaching experience, local church ministry involvement, and academic knowledge to this role. Professor Rhoads completed a B.S. in Education and an M.Div. in Biblical Studies and is currently completing her Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics — writing her dissertation on the Christological importance of the shepherd motif in the Gospel of Luke. She previously served on staff at Liberty Baptist Church as director of their children’s ministry. She has a passion for communicating the Scriptures to the younger generations and showing its truth and relevance for today.
JACKSON RICHARDSON | Assistant Professor of Christian Leadership and Church Ministries
Professor Richardson joins our full-time faculty after serving as a residential adjunct professor in church and youth ministries for the past couple of years. He continues to serve as a student pastor in the local church and brings a solid biblical and theological approach to ministry leadership. With over a dozen years of local church ministry leadership and a strong commitment to Gospel-focused ministry application, his passion to equip and train leaders for Gospel ministry has been seen both inside and outside the classroom.
DR. JOSH WALTMAN | Associate Professor of Theological Studies
Dr. Waltman joins our faculty from his previous role at the Jerry Falwell Library. He holds a B.A., M.A.R., and M.Div. from Liberty University, as well as an M.S. in Library Science (Kentucky), and a Ph.D. in Theological Studies (CIU). He recently published his dissertation on divine hiddenness with Pickwick Publications. He has also served churches throughout Virginia in various roles, including elder, itinerate preacher, evangelist, and teaching pastor. Dr. Waltman brings a passion for research skills and information literacy, theological and apologetic training, and a heart for the local church to his teaching role at Liberty.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Andrew
Oates
Andrew graduated from Liberty with three degrees. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Religion, a Master of Arts in Religion, and a Master of Divinity. He also just completed his Ph.D. from Regent in organizational leadership. For the past eight years, he has served as an elder at Coastal Church in Yorktown, Virginia overseeing operations and staff coaching.
Dr. Oates says the mentorship he received at Liberty prepared him for coaching rising leaders, particularly Doug Randlett, whom he still maintains a relationship with. Doug was a professor while Andrew was in school and currently serves with Pastor Jonathan Falwell at Thomas Road Baptist Church as Senior Executive Pastor.
Andrew says that Dr. Falwell’s vision to Train Champions for Christ in all disciplines and vocations inspired him to view the members at Coastal Church as potential disciple-makers in their professional careers. The goal of Coastal Church is to multiply and reach communities for Christ. According to Andrew, “Disciples making disciples in all disciplines requires personal attention and long-term mentoring.”
In the future, Andrew will continue to mentor young leaders, but he also has a passion for helping pastors in the Tidewater area join together to become one church working under the rule and reign of Jesus. The School of Divinity’s mission statement of “Coming alongside the local church in its quest to fulfill the Great Commission” is being realized by servants like Andrew Oates.
Alumni Spotlight
Bethany Lay
Bethany graduated from Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree in math education and a master’s degree in religion. These two degrees would work together to enable Bethany to be a Champion for Christ and to Train Champions for Christ.
As long as she can remember, Bethany has always been involved in church ministries. She served elementary ministries as a second-grade Sunday School teacher and eventually became the AWANA director at Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC). She has been an executive assistant to Pastor Jonathan at TRBC and served in a similar capacity to Vernon Brewer at World Help.
Currently, she is the Executive Director of Membership and Engagement at Coastal Church in Yorktown, Virginia where Shaun Brown is the lead pastor. She developed the volunteer management system at Coastal as the church was just getting started. Bethany oversees the
placement and involvement of over 600 volunteers and 30 paid staff team members. In a separate role, she is also an instructional mentor for the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, overseeing 24 online faculty members representing thousands of online students.
Bethany says, “My greatest joy in ministry is when I see someone who is not serving begin to serve and find their fit in the Body of Christ. That is when they grow and that is when the Kingdom is going to grow as well.” Bethany is a dynamic example of someone who Trains Champions for Christ
MASTER of DIVINITY (M.DIV.) PROGRAM
One of our most popular programs is the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) where core values, knowledge, and skills are developed to effectively serve in professional Christian ministry. This program prepares students through in-depth study of biblical leadership principles and strategies as well as intensive study of Scripture and essential truths of the Christian faith. This program offers specializations in areas like global studies, pastoral counseling, and Christian apologetics. Potential careers include senior pastor, missionary, and military chaplain.
MASTER of ARTS (M.A.R.) IN RELIGION
Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity offers a Master of Arts in Religion program for those seeking a general graduate degree in religion and looking to grow their understanding of Bible fundamentals, Christianity, Christian theology, and the Church. Through this program, students will study topics such as defending Christianity, interpreting the Bible, and developing evangelism and mission strategies
John W. Rawlings School of Divinity
DR. KEITH & SAMARITAN’S PURSE CONNECTION
Dr. Steven Keith, director of the Liberty University Center for Chaplaincy, not only oversees the education of chaplain students but also serves with Samaritan’s Purse (SP) for one month each summer as a chaplain for Operation Heal Our Patriots (OHOP). In this capacity, he and his wife, Delta, help lead weeklong marriage retreats for wounded veterans and their spouses in Alaska.
Combat often has lasting consequences on veterans, creating challenges to maintainig a healthy marriage. OHOP is free and open to military veterans of the Gulf War who want to address these challenges and develop the skills for creating and sustaining a resilient marriage.
Couples fly to Port Alsworth, Alaska and are greeted by Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham and his wife Jane. A team of chaplains and other volunteers work with couples to help them develop the skills to build a healthy marriage through activities such as devotions and classes. Afternoons are spent on outdoor adventures such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, and even bear-watching as couples grow closer together.
“Chaplain Steve” has been serving with OHOP since July 2015 and enjoys the opportunity to not only teach chaplaincy at Liberty but also serve as a chaplain to military veteran couples. What he loves most is to see individuals come to faith in Christ and then bring God’s love into their marriage — offering forgiveness and a fresh start with Christ.
Dr. Keith says, “What joy to see individuals believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have their lives and marriages radically transformed by the Holy Spirit! What a blessing to see their smiling faces on Friday morning as they enter the cold waters of Lake Clark to be baptized. What a thrill to see couples renew their marriage vows with Christ as their firm foundation!”
Dr. Keith deeply appreciates the support and encouragement of the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity as he serves as an OHOP chaplain.
Clinical Pastoral Education
Liberty University Center for Chaplaincy now holds accreditation through the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). The Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) is the premier Department of Education (DOE) recognized organization that provides the highest quality Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs for spiritual care professionals of any faith and in any setting.
Liberty’s CPE program uses creative and innovative methods of learning to educate pastors/chaplains to provide relevant pastoral skills, not only in the basics of listening and reflective responses, but also in addressing moral injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), substance abuse, gerontology, and spinal cord injury medical concerns. In addition, students may experience the more standard specialties of a large urban hospital: oncology, telemetry and cardiac care unit, medical and surgical units, intensive care unit, rehabilitation, and behavioral health.
Interested applicants may contact the Liberty University CPE Program Director, Dr. James. H. Wright, at jhwright3@liberty.edu.
Refuel and Apologetics for the Local Church
Too often, apologetics is seen as a distant academic discipline that exists only in lecture halls and on debate stages, but in an age of deconstruction and deconversion, the most important witness in the life of any doubting Christian is the local church. In Fall 2023, the School of Divinity partnered with Thomas Road Baptist Church to host a world-class apologetics conference, Refuel23. The conference took the theme “Defending Truth; Offering Hope” and aimed to reframe apologetics as primarily a pastoral task. Scholars from around the world came to challenge, equip, and encourage church leaders, and speakers included internationally known apologists Alister McGrath, Amy-Orr Ewing, Gabe Lyons, and Gary Habermas.
The Church needs pastors to present Christianity in a compelling way that emphasizes the truth in Scripture over competing worldviews. The John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is proud to have hosted such an important conference as we continue to equip leaders in ministry.
ACE – EQUIPPING BELIEVERS
The Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement (ACE) exists to equip believers to engage the world with truth and love through apologetics. Liberty Trains Champions for Christ, and an important part of that mission is knowing how to champion Christ’s Gospel. ACE trains students to understand humans as individuals and holistic beings — people who are physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. To champion Christ, students are equipped to engage each area of human life with the riches of biblical truth. Jesus Christ is the answer to our heart’s longings, the healing for our social division, the firstfruit of new creation, the resurrection, and the life. ACE uses various mediums — fellowship groups, class offerings at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and conferences — to equip students for witnessing. In addition to student training, ACE strives to equip the broader Christian community through publications and online resources. For example, ACE director Jack Carson co-authored a book this past year, Surprised by Doubt, that was written to help Christians deal with the pressing issue of deconstruction. The rising tide of doubt and disillusionment in the American church is something that all Christians need to be equipped to deal with, and ACE strives to meet that need.
Mission to Greece
This past May, 29 Liberty students left the modern world and stepped back in time to investigate the ancient roots of their faith. No, they didn’t enter a time machine. They embarked on an early church historical tour of Greece and Turkey, led by Liberty University School of Divinity professors Bryan Litfin, Jillian Ross, and Dottie Rhoads.
In Greece, the students visited sites like Mars Hill, where the Apostle Paul made his defense of Christianity before the Areopagus (Acts 17:16-34) and Corinth, where he founded an important church. Other stops in Greece included the Academy of Plato, the Parthenon of Athens, and a Greek Orthodox cathedral.
The students began their time in Turkey with a cruise along the historic waterfront of Istanbul. After visiting the ancient church of Hagia Sophia, the students toured the Turkish landscape, stopping at locations such as Pergamum, Ephesus, Laodicea, Sardis, and Smyrna, where the martyr Polycarp took his stand for Christ. Another key stop was Nicaea, where an ancient council produced the Nicene Creed. An especially popular site was the Greek island of Patmos. A private boat — which Dr. Litfin tried to call a “yacht” but the students couldn’t quite agree — took everyone to the harbor of Patmos. On a lofty crag above the sea, the students visited the cave where the apostle John received his revelation.
The students also spent two full days ministering to refugees — performing helpful manual labor and packing food to be served to needy families. One day was spent serving the victims of sex trafficking at a ministry that provides rescued women with an alternate livelihood through sewing. A prayer walk through the red light district was especially meaningful. The students also met an evangelical pastor who shared what his ministry is like in such a challenging setting.
The tour was life-changing for all involved, and everyone returned with a new appreciation of Christ’s work. Dr. Liftin will be leading another trip in May 2025. For more information, please email Dr. Liften at bmlitfin@liberty.edu or call (434) 592-3338.
The Center for Church Advancement (CCA)
The CCA has experienced another year of growth. This year, our primary goals were to foster connections between schools and disciplines across Liberty’s campus, expand our network of churches, and engage with the broader student body to equip them to champion the church. We accomplished these goals in three primary ways: the introduction of our Church Planting Simulator, collaborating internally with other schools within Liberty, and establishing partnerships with churches regionally, nationally, and globally.
Featuring in-depth lectures on both church planting and revitalizing struggling churches, the Church Planting Simulator event launched in Spring 2023 to an enthusiastic response from students across various majors. This event provided a hands-on experience, allowing participants to work in teams to solve the challenges associated with church planting and brainstorm creative solutions. The Fall Church Planting Simulator continued to build on the success of the spring event. This time, student teams were also connected with church planters actively working in the specific areas the students had researched. These relationships provided a bridge between theoretical knowledge and real-world application.
Internally, strategic collaborations with the School of Business and School of Engineering were formed to assist in hosting a nonprofit segment of Create Fest 2024, a “Shark Tank” style competition for students to pitch ideas and win prize money. Domestically and regionally, Yanni Tsamoutalidis played a pivotal role in mobilizing student teams for churches in the greater Lynchburg area. Umwami Ndenga has recently taken over Yanni’s role and is continuing the mission. Meanwhile, Emily Russak is developing content and resources to equip churches with the tools they need to thrive. Looking globally, the center is embarking on international partnerships by initiating residency programs for churches in Canada, Scotland, and England.
As the CCA reflects on this past year, we are humbled by the favor of God and the passion of Liberty students, faculty, and staff to assist the local church. We are excited for the year ahead and eager to continue championing the church!
CCA Local Church Connection
During the Fall 2023 break, the Center for Church Advancement (CCA) partnered with the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia (SBCV) to produce a Church Planting Exposure Trip to Norfolk, Va. Dr. Chris Dowd and Yanni Tsamoutalidis led a team of 7 students in assisting two church plants. The CCA team was privileged to work with Carey Julien, pastor of Pillar Church of Norfolk, and Tanner Hogue, pastor of Port City Church. With pastor Carey, the students participated in a prayer and evangelism walk and a church small group. With pastor Tanner, the CCA team was able to share the Gospel with students at Old Dominion University.
During that weekend, the CCA team learned how to study a city, understand the culture of its people, and advance the Gospel alongside a church plant. CCA is currently partnered with over 20 churches locally and regionally and is mobilizing students to help them accomplish the Great Commission.
Faculty Listing
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
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
Dr. Mark Allen – Ph.D. University of Notre Dame
Matthew Bovard – M.Div. Liberty University
Dr. Alan Fuhr – Ph.D.
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
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. Dottie Rhoads – Ph.D. Liberty 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
Dr. Monica Brennan – D.Min. Liberty University
Dr. Rod Dempsey – D.Min. Liberty University
Dr. Derik Idol – Ed.D. Liberty University
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
Jackson Richardson – M.A. Liberty University
Dr. Matt Willmington – Ed.D. University of Sarasota
Dr. David Wheeler – Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Dr. Tim Chang – Ph.D. Fuller Graduate School
Dr. Ronnie Campbell – Ph.D. Liberty University
Dr. Eunice Chung – Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
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
Dr. Robert Van Engen – Ph.D. Regent University
Dr. Joshua Waltman – Ph.D. Columbia International 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
John W. Rawlings School of Divinity
