Ep. 517: The Future of Christian Higher Education with Ed Stetzer

Regular listeners to this podcast, or regular readers of MinistryWatch, know that we have spent a lot of time covering Christian education. The reasons for our coverage are many. Christian colleges are among the largest Christian institutions in the country, taking in billions of dollars each year. Secondly, what happens in Christian colleges and seminaries often directly affects the church. So even if you don’t have kids in college now, or ever, your life and your church will be impacted by what is going on at Christian and secular colleges in this country. Thirdly, higher education – including Christian higher education – is in the midst of a tremendous transition. Demographics, technology, and a national conversation happening now about the value of a college education are all causing Christian colleges to face challenges they have never faced before. That’s one reason I wanted to talk with Dr. Ed Stetzer. Ed Stetzer is the Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and he has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. More to the point for our conversation today, he helps lead one of the few institutions of Christian higher education that is growing.  I wanted to ask him why, and how, that was happening. Thanks for tuning in today to my conversation with Ed Stetzer. In addition to all the things I mentioned about Ed at the top of the program, he is also Regional Director for Lausanne North America, is the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.