MainStreet Covenant Church has commissioned me to go out to college campuses as a pastor-on-mission and itinerant teacher of the Kingdom. Blending academic rigor with an engaging classroom teaching style, my desire is to teach and inspire the next generation of Christian leaders with a fresh vision of what it means to follow Jesus and be the church in these confusing times.
I’m blessed to be on the adjunct faculty and engaging students at the following schools: Bethel University, University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Crown College, North Central University, and Solid Rock Discipleship School.
College students are the demographic least likely to be in the church pews on Sundays, and what’s the future of Christianity if we don’t recruit the next generation into Kingdom service? If they don’t come to church to hear me preach on Sundays, perhaps I can go teach them in the classroom all week long. I stole this strategy from the Apostle Paul who, struggling to reach people “in church” on the sabbath, found greater success teaching about the Kingdom in a lecture hall during the week:
“He took his disciples and held classes daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus from about 11am-4pm… Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about Jesus with all boldness and without hindrance.”
Acts 19:28
I view myself as a pastor on mission in every classroom I enter, looking for opportunities to put on my “pastor hat” and engage students beyond the classroom. My doctoral thesis focused on the need for more personal, embodied approaches to teaching in a day of increasingly disembodied, impersonal, “distance” education. Toward this end, I am developing a summer discipleship journey called “Jesus Walks” that invites students into an immersive, life-on-life discipleship relationship involving a series of nature walks focused around Jesus’ teachings.
College courses I have taught include: Intro to the Bible; Christian Theology; New Testament History & Literature; Christian Eschatology; Christian Ethics & Worldview; God, Evil, & Spiritual Warfare; Apocalypse Now: The Book of Revelation
My own faith was ignited as a college student thanks to the huge impact of my Bible professors. I hope I can give my students a bit of what my professors gave to me.
My ability to go out and teach full time for very part-time pay is made possible by Kingdom Harbor donors and the financial support of MainStreet Covenant members. Consider becoming a monthly partner today!
Read highlights from the past year of teaching here and watch the video by Jeremy above for more.
Kingdom Harbor 