A glimpse into my educational roots as a mentor, here to help you in the world of relationships .

Regent College, Postdoctorate in Theology 1998-99.  This was a time of research and writing for two summers and an academic year with people like Stan Grenz, Jeremy Begbie, Alan Torrance, Colin Gunton, Trevor Hart, Richard Bauckham, James Houston, Gordon Fee, and others who formed the community. While there, I published my first articles, rewrote the Psalms in poetic form, and studied how to contextualize Family Systems thinking within Trinitarian Theology.

University of Otago, Doctor of Philosophy in Theology (PhD) 1990-1995. I spent three academic years in New Zealand under the guidance of Alan Torrance (Now at St. Andrews) and Douglas Campbell (now at Duke Divinity School).  I was asking what it means to be a free person as a relational being when pursued theologically. John Zizioulas helped me understand the relational life of persons in the Trinity. Karl Barth helped me comprehend how we ground our understanding of being a person and being free by looking at the One True Human Jesus Christ.  John Macmurray helped to play out all the implications of being free humans in the world of human personal relations.

Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Master of Arts in Biblical Literature (MA) 1983-89. This degree was completed on the campus of Northwest University and gave me an advanced engagement with the life of biblically-theologically informed ministry. The best class I took was in Theological Research Methods, which empowered my abilities for all I have done since. I also had a course in College Teaching that gave me tools for the classroom. It was a degree in applied thinking.

Fuller Theological Seminary, Master of Arts in Theology (MA) 1985-88. This was a Pre-PhD degree that prepared me for life in the academy. I studied with great people like J.B Torrance, Bruce Metzger, Ray Anderson, Clark Pinnock, Richard Longenecker, and other significant thinkers. This is where I got introduced to trinitarian thinking and theology that was world-class.

Northwest University, Bachelor of Theology (ThB) 1983-85.  I was the last one to graduate with this degree before it was dropped. It was the work of a MA (all the theology and biblical studies offered, plus two years of language) and yet was a Bachelor’s degree.  This provided my academic formatting. Professors like Darrell Hobson, Doc Pecota, and Francis Thee were rigorous and called out the best in biblical and theological research.

Northwest University, Bachelor of Arts in Youth Ministry (BA) 1980-82.  This was the only youth ministry degree I could find on the west coast at that time. It gave me great skills in ministry, but also in education. Mel Ming was a brilliant educator who gave me tools for teaching that I still use today. I graduated with the highest GPA in my major and received the Youth Ministry Award. I was deeply involved in Young Life for a decade and this was a degree to learn to be excellent in further ministry.

Shoreline Community College, Associate of Arts in Humanities 1978-80. Shoreline was the third largest school in Washington at the time. This was not a boring time of basics, it was a challenging time to be confronted by the secularization that dominated the scene. It toughened me up in ways I will never forget. Also, I took my first classes in Interpersonal Relationships that left an imprint in being human that have shaped me ever since.

Bothell High School, Diploma 1973-76.  I grew up in Woodinville, but went to a large public high school where I graduated with a 3.85 GPA. I lettered in Football, Wrestling, and Track, and sang in the Concert Choir and Jazz Choir. I was a diverse, shy, but very involved student. I learned the disciplines I needed to go on for a long journey in education and being part of diverse communities.