Alumnus Spotlight: From the Mission Field to Ministry Here at Home

When my wife and I retired from the International Mission Board after 33 years of service and returned to West Tennessee, we weren’t sure what God had in store for us in terms of future ministry. We knew He was not finished using us to be on mission with Him, but we didn’t have any idea what His next steps for us were.

I had served as a community development missionary overseas utilizing strategies such as water development, agriculture, and health care for entry points into unreached and underreached people groups and places. While our careers began in the southern Philippines, by the time we stepped away from our overseas work, God was using us to help minister to lost people groups all over the world.

“I began looking at opportunities to improve my education in biblical and ministerial studies and, by the grace of God, learned about Union University’s Master of Christian Studies program.”

However, as we resettled in West Tennessee, we felt God leading us to work with churches in the USA to help them engage better in missions here at home as well as globally. Yet, even though I had years of missions experience, my education and background were in the physical sciences and I felt a bit underequipped and unexperienced for working and ministering in stateside churches. I began looking at opportunities to improve my education in biblical and ministerial studies and, by the grace of God, learned about Union’s Master of Christian Studies program.

On paper, the MCS program fit exactly with what I was looking for. I had already begun to serve in some local ministry opportunities and Union’s MCS program was practical. Additionally, the hours were flexible enough to fit into my already busy “retirement” schedule. As I began the course, I discovered that the biblical knowledge and practical ministry experience that I had gained on the mission field was refreshingly reinforced by my MCS classes and professors.

I graduated from the UU MCS program in the spring of 2022. Today, I am serving our churches in our local Baptist Association through community outreach strategies. I also serve as a transitional pastor and am currently working with my second church. Recently, I was also asked to serve as an adjunct professor at Union University teaching missions.

So, you might ask: “Could I or would I recommend the MCS program?”

Absolutely!

“The MCS program has been instrumental in equipping me for God’s next step in my calling.”

If you are looking for a practical, affordable, flexible, and excellent program that will help you in your spiritual growth and improve your biblical understanding for the task that God has called you, I would highly encourage you to look no further. The MCS program has been instrumental in equipping me for God’s next step in my calling.

I thank the Lord for Union University’s Master of Christian Studies program. The coursework that I was able to complete, and the professors who shared their knowledge and experience, have had a profound impact on the new ministry path that God has set me on.