I hope you鈥檙e finding the spring semester joyful and your work meaningful. For me, this has been a season of particularly intense travel, most of which has related to the work of fundraising and building new networks both for development and recruitment.

I was recently in Seattle and hoped to see former president David McKenna while there. We connected by phone, but his wife, Janet, was in hospice, and the situation was such that he could not leave her side. We prayed together on the phone. Janet passed into eternal glory this past Sunday. Please keep Dr. McKenna and all his family in your prayers.

I also had the opportunity to see Maxie and Jerry Dunnam on a recent trip to our Memphis site. They both seemed in good spirits and were able to join us both at a seminary chapel service and a dinner for friends of the seminary. I was grateful for the opportunity to thank them for the legacy of faithfulness they have left at Asbury Seminary.

On April 16-18, the seminary will hold聽open to all. I do hope you鈥檒l be able to attend. Our preachers will be Matt Reynolds, Kim Maas, and Luther Oconer. Any funding we bring in from offerings will go to student scholarships. Will you please pray that in this event, we will honor God, help to lead people to Christ, and strengthen the faith of those who already know him? Good weather would help, as well.

Please pray for Asbury Seminary. We have so many strengths in so many areas, and yet there are always ways in which we can grow as a community of faith and learning. I believe God is with us and, if we are faithful, will bless the work of our communal calling.

Harriet and I are grateful to be a part of this family of faith. Thank you for all you do to advance this important work of theological education. May God fill us with wisdom and love during this Holy Week as we reflect on the death and resurrection of our Lord.

Yours in Christ,

David F. Watson

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Alumni, faculty, staff, and students may choose to nominate someone for this award by completing . Please include a description of why you are nominating this person.

Criteria for the Alumni Towel and Basin Award

1. The student has demonstrated the attitude of a servant in both their lifestyle and activities.
2. The student has demonstrated great promise as a servant leader.
3. The student must graduate in the year of the award.

Nominations Due: April 15, 2026

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We are in the planning stages of various initiatives meant to equip ministry leaders beyond seminary coursework. We鈥檝e compiled a survey meant to assess the needs of alumni in order to prioritize programs that address your areas of greatest need.

To complete this brief 5-10 minute survey, click here:

will remain active for the next 14 days. All personal information will be anonymous. However, in the May聽Alumni Link, we will provide the aggregated data.

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By: Robert A. Danielson

Abstract:

Understanding the past roles of women within the 100-year lifespan of 91自拍 is an important exercise in institutional history. Educational institutions frequently experience turnover in students, faculty, and administration at high rates. Institutional memory frequently is held by a few older members of the faculty and staff and more importantly by the archives of the institution. Institutional memory provides the foundation for changing policy decisions, understanding the institutional mission, and following how previous administrations dealt with a constantly changing cultural and social context. In the case of 91自拍, this paper explores an institution rooted in the Holiness Movement, which historically allowed and promoted women in ministry. Understanding this history in one Holiness institution provides a case study of the process by which the issue of women in ministry developed over a century. Similar studies done by multiple institutions could provide a broader understanding of how the role of women in ministry was conceived by the movement as a whole.

91自拍 started in 1923 and from its start had women on the faculty. While many of the early women taught speech, music, religious education, and served as professional librarians, which were areas more frequently open to women, there were some notable exceptions. Due to the presence of these women and the social and cultural issues of the war years in the 1940s, the number of women students increased dramatically. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s these roles declined until the Seminary reached its low point in 1971. However, student voices, along with an important woman in the Board of Trustees, led to an institutional revaluation of the role of women in ministry and academia leading up to an intentional practice of including more women faculty and highlighting the issues of women at an institutional level. By 2005, the Seminary hit its high-level mark of 13 women on the faculty along with a massive rise in women students. But as institutional commitment waned, the numbers of women faculty fell, and the growth of women students plateaued with very slow growth at the present. This paper seeks to learn from this history and propose lessons which can be learned from the history of the institution itself.

Keywords: Women in ministry, 91自拍, Women in the Holiness Movement, Women faculty, institutional history

Introduction

Exploring the history of an institution like 91自拍 often requires trying to break down that history into units which are easier to research, analyze, and develop into a clear historical narrative.² This history initially began as research into the women who served on the faculty at 91自拍, but the further the research advanced, the more clearly it appeared that such a limited study would be too superficial. Women faculty are closely connected to women students, and both groups are connected to women on the Board of Trustees. Then there are women on staff, who did not fit the clear categories of full-time women faculty, but who were also essential to the story. Thus, this became a history of women at 91自拍 over the past one hundred years.

Such a study is useful as it helps see long-term trends and the roles of individuals who were involved in key parts of the story. It also helps see how complex factors work to drive the growth of degree-seeking women students over the years. While women faculty as role models and mentors play a crucial role, it is not the only factor to drive student numbers. However, it is an important enough factor to realize that it is difficult to separate the stories of women students and women faculty, since they often rise and fall together in tandem. But the story of women at 91自拍 is a story that provides a rich legacy which needs to be recorded and told, from its foundations to the present.

The Foundations: Bettie Morrison (1866-1945)

91自拍 was very much a product of the Holiness Movement of the late 19^th century. It emerged out of Asbury College in 1923, but the College in turn had been deeply influenced by President H.C. Morrison. One important factor of this connection was that women had been an active part of the Holiness tradition from the start. The concept of sanctification was not limited to men, and therefore it was not uncommon for women to be leaders and speakers. Figures like Phoebe Palmer, Hannah Whitall Smith, and Amanda Berry Smith were well-known, but lesser-known women also served as evangelists and camp-meeting speakers. It should not be surprising then, that Bettie Morrison, the third wife of H.C. Morrison, had a great deal of influence over the formation of the Seminary. Unfortunately, in official histories her role is often ignored or under-reported.

Bettie Leichardt was born in 1866 and studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She married a physician, Dr. G. W. Whitehead, and had one son before her husband鈥檚 early death. Using her skills in music and her professional training, Mrs. Bettie Whitehead was able to serve as a faculty member of Asbury College teaching piano and voice from 1899 to 1902. From Asbury College she continued teaching at Taylor University from 1902 to1905. Topics like music and speech were some of the few fields which were open to women in academia at this time, except for service in all-female schools or colleges, and even then 鈥渉igher鈥� subjects were still often taught by men.

Mrs. Bettie Whitehead joined the office of The Pentecostal Herald on September 1, 1906, where she worked as an assistant to the editor until she became Assistant Editor in 1911. She worked in this position until she married H.C. Morrison on February 17, 1916, but even after they married, she remained active in the paper and was listed as Associate Editor until her death. Although she became well-known for her children鈥檚 column where she responded to children鈥檚 letters as 鈥淎unt Bettie,鈥� she functioned as editor, since H.C. Morrison was often occupied elsewhere. The name 鈥淎unt Bettie鈥� stuck with her, and she was often known by that name around Asbury College and later 91自拍.

鈥淎unt Bettie鈥� also traveled with Morrison on his evangelistic trips and often used her musical skills to assist him in his preaching ministry. In 1931, when the Seminary was formally incorporated, Bettie Morrison was the only woman to sign as one of the original trustees,³ and she would become the official treasurer of the Board. She continued in this role even after H.C. Morrison died on March 24, 1942. 鈥淎unt Bettie鈥� worked at raising money for the Morrison Trust for student scholarships and for several planned building projects during her time on the Board. The Board of Trustees even discussed giving her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree, but she turned this offer down. 鈥淎unt Bettie鈥� Morrison officiated at the groundbreaking of the Morrison Administration Building on October 23, 1945, and suffered a heart attack three days later, dying on November 8, 1945. As a woman who had served on the faculty of two Holiness schools, an accomplished editor and fundraiser, her role and influence likely paved the way for the early presence of women faculty at 91自拍. While we do not know how much influence she might have had with H.C. Morrison, it was probably influential.

鈥淎unt Bettie鈥� Morrison provided a firm foundation for women at 91自拍 as the first woman on the Board of Trustees. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

The Earliest Women Faculty of 91自拍 (1923-1939)

In the earliest years of 91自拍, the school functioned more as a department of Asbury College. This meant that classes were shared with students in other degree programs and faculty were also shared. There was not a clear division, and few faculty members were seen as being on the Seminary faculty. Early women faculty were often found in the areas of teaching speech, music, and doing library work, but there were a few women who taught traditionally academic subjects. From the very start of the Seminary in 1923, while it was still a part of Asbury College, the Seminary made use of women faculty members at Asbury College in teaching classes for those taking the Seminary degree.

The first known female faculty member was Daisy Dean Gray, who taught from 1923-1924 and 1927-1938 as Professor of Speech. Current Seminary students would identify this more today as 鈥淧reaching,鈥� although at this time it was more about how the future pastor should stand, pronounce words, and speak to be heard and make an impact. The subject was less concerned with the sermon content. Gray studied expression under Dr. Curry of the Curry School of Expression in Boston in 1914. After becoming the principal of Bessie Tift College, Gray spent eight years as the Dean of Women at Meridian Female College before becoming the Director of Expression at Meridian Female College in 1914. The Meridian Colleges in Mississippi were important Holiness schools under the direction of J.W. Beeson, and Beeson鈥檚 friendship with H.C. Morrison would be significant through the history of the Seminary.

In 1921 Gray moved to Wilmore, becoming the Director of Expression at Asbury College. In a 1928 article on Daisy Dean Gray in the Asbury Collegian⁴, it notes 鈥淢iss Grays鈥� interest in the College and her work is manifested in the attempts at establishing a scholarship that students in the seminary might have the opportunity of receiving the training in expression which is very essential for an efficient servant of the Lord.鈥� The article also notes that all the best speakers on campus had experienced some training under Gray.

Daisy Dean Gray received a master鈥檚 degree at the University of Michigan in 1931, and she would often spend time in the summers at her home in Cedar Rock, Georgia helping her brother, Dr. Claude Gray in his work as president of the Locust Grove Institute, a Baptist preparation school. In The Mission Messenger⁵, a paper published in Atlanta in 1902, about 20 years before coming to Wilmore, Daisy Dean Gray wrote an article discussing how she helped start a mission society in her church in Cedar Rock and how she was involved in missions by reaching out to the local African-American community with the Gospel. Daisy Dean Gray died in Vidalia, Georgia on March 12, 1953.

Daisy Dean Gray served on the faculty of 91自拍 starting in its first year of 1923. She taught in the area of speech. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

Another professor 鈥渂orrowed鈥� from the College to teach in the early Seminary was Hildreth Marie Cross, who taught from 1934-1935 as a Professor of Philosophy and Psychology. Born in March 9, 1901, in Byron, Michigan, Hildreth graduated from Asbury College in 1922 and went on to get a master鈥檚 degree from the University of Michigan in 1927 and a Ph.D. at the University of Iowa in 1933, where her dissertation dealt with the issues of stuttering.

Cross taught at Asbury for 17 years, and then Taylor University for 16 years, and finally Azusa Pacific College for three years, before retiring in 1966. She was the author of An Introduction to Psychology: An Evangelical Approach, published in 1952. Dr. Cross died July 7, 1991, in Flint, Michigan. While her work long predated the Seminary鈥檚 School of Counseling, the psychological issues of ministry were a concern even at the start of the Seminary.

A third woman faculty member 鈥渂orrowed鈥� from the college was Mildred L. Stanhope who taught Missions and Spanish at the early Seminary from 1935 to 1938. Stanhope had been a missionary for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Peru, serving from 1920 to 1931. She returned to Asbury College as a student, and then a teacher, earning a master鈥檚 degree from the University of Kentucky. Stanhope went on to become the Dean of Women at Nyack College from 1940 until her retirement in 1961. Throughout her teaching career, she taught Spanish and missions. She also founded a touring group of students at Nyack called the Missionary Crusaders, who worked to encourage the importance of missions to churches and other groups. Mildred L. Stanhope died on April 11, 1981, at 86 years of age.

In addition to these three women, several others also are recorded as teaching early Seminary students, even though they were listed as faculty at Asbury College. These include Mary Elizabeth Corley (1932-1934) Assistant Professor of Speech, Ruth Little (1937-1938) Teacher of Speech, and Mary Chamberlain (1939-1940) Professor of English Bible. While very little is known about their role in teaching or the classes they taught, the Holiness view of women did not exclude women from having a certain degree of authority in teaching men within Asbury College and 91自拍 from its very foundations.

The First Women on the Full Faculty of ATS (1940-1970)

In 1937 the curriculum of the Seminary was separated from that of Asbury College and in 1939, the physical campus was divided in accordance with the needs of accreditation. The entirety of 91自拍 fit into one building, which became known as the Larabee-Morris building. From this period on, the Seminary had its own faculty without needing to 鈥渂orrow鈥� from Asbury College鈥檚 professors. Yet this early faculty also contained several key women.

Photo of 91自拍 faculty in 1941. In the center of the back row is Gaile and Robert Morris. Gaile Morris was the Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew and played a key role is training students at the Seminary. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

One of the most well-known and influential women faculty members at 91自拍 was Gaile J. Morris, the wife of Frank P. Morris, another early faculty member. She served from 1937 to 1948 as the Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament. After marrying Frank, Gaile served as a pastor鈥檚 wife in the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church, and as he went on to further education, so did she. She earned a master鈥檚 at the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Divinity from 91自拍.

She is noted for some of the many students she taught and inspired, including J.T. Seamands, Dennis Kinlaw, Harold Greenlee, and George Livingston, all who became faculty of the Seminary. When Gaile and Frank retired in 1948, they focused their energy on missions in Africa. Gaile Morris was even given a distinguished service award in 1974 by President Stanger. She died in July of 1987 at 105 years of age, and even at that age was known for maintaining a sound mind and keen memory.

In 1974 President Stanger honored Gaile Morris with a distinguished service award. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

Ada B. Carroll was the second women faculty member to become part of this new group at 91自拍. She had been 鈥渂orrowed鈥� from Asbury College from 1937 to 1938 but would become a full professor of the Seminary from 1943 to1962 as the Professor of Music and Speech. She would lead and define the Seminary鈥檚 music program and pick up from Daisy Dean Gray in teaching the speaking skills needed for preaching. Throughout the history of the Seminary, women would often serve in the area of music, although often without full faculty recognition or in short temporary assignments, but this was not the case with Ada Carroll.

Carroll was born in Spring Garden, Illinois on July 1, 1891. She graduated from Ruskin Cave College in Nashville in 1921 and did further training at the Chicago Musical College and the American Conservatory of Music. From 1918 to 1921 she worked as Professor of Voice at Olivet College, from 1921 to 1924 at Trevecca College, from 1924 to 1927 at Marion College, from 1927 to 1928 at McKendree College, and from 1928 to 1929 at Des Moines University. She spent part of 1930 travelling in Europe and studying voice and painting. She joined the Asbury College faculty from 1935 till 1943, when she became the Assistant Professor of Music and Speech at 91自拍 until her retirement in 1962. She team-taught with President Stanger in preaching, and he noted in her memorial service that he taught 鈥渨hat to preach鈥� and she taught 鈥渉ow to preach it.鈥� Ada B. Carroll died September 5, 1981, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Other women faculty would follow in Carroll鈥檚 shoes in teaching music as full faculty. These included: Ruth E. Nussey (1951-1953) Associate Professor of Church Music, and Elizabeth Batten Edwards (1958-1960) Assistant Professor of Church Music (1960-1968 Visiting Professor). Other women would teach in the field of Christian Education (another field often open to women), but without being recognized as full faculty. These included: Verna M. Culver (1956-1966) Teaching Associate in Christian Education, Grace B. Ely (1959-1960) Assistant in Religious Education, and Alice M. Kann (1963-1965) Assistant with Christian Education Fieldwork.

Another interesting woman who taught for a short time without full faculty status was Annie Kartozian, who served briefly as a Professor of the Chinese Language. Kartozian (1906-1989) was an OMS missionary to China. She went to China in 1934, and during World War II she spent 21 months in a Japanese prison camp. In 1943 she left on the diplomatic ship the Gripsholm as part of a prisoner exchange for the United States. She made it back to China after the war, only to barely escape from Beijing in 1949 due to the Communist Revolution. It is likely that her teaching time at the Seminary from 1945 to 1946 was to help her find some type of work until the end of the war would allow her return to China.

Until the late 1980s, professionally trained librarians at Asbury were given faculty status, and this is another area where women served the Seminary as faculty members. The first professional librarian is especially interesting. Lena Barbara Nofcier served in this role from 1945 to 1949. She is credited with organizing the library along the professional guidelines of the Union Catalog instead of its earlier amateur arrangement and moving the library to its first real home in the basement of the Henry Clay Morrison Administration Building in 1947. She had previously served as a librarian at Asbury College in 1925 but went on to get a Library Certificate from the University of Iowa in 1927 and a B.S. in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1928. She returned at worked at Asbury College鈥檚 library until 1930.

However, Nofcier is more well-known in the world of Kentucky libraries for her creative work as the Secretary of the Kentucky Library Commission and for her part in developing the Pack Horse Library Project during the Depression. Working with the Federal Works Project Administration and the Kentucky Parent Teacher Association, she pointed out the need to make reading material available 鈥渢o all people, rural as well as urban, colored as well as white.鈥� She also argued that Kentucky must, 鈥減rovide not only adequate library facilities, but also equal library privileges for every citizen.鈥�⁶

Lena Barbara Nofcier was the first professional librarian on the Seminary faculty. Her work with the Packhorse Librarian Program in Kentucky helped prepare her for organizing the Seminary鈥檚 first real library in the Morrison Building basement in 1947. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

In 1936, through her fund-raising efforts, librarians were sent out on horseback taking reading material throughout rural Appalachia. Given her religious training, it was noted that one of the most requested books was the Bible, and librarians would often take the time to read portions of scripture at people鈥檚 request. It has been noted that, 鈥淢ounted carriers averaged over 5,000 miles per month visiting over 4,000 families and 55,000 individuals鈥� Four pack horse carriers in Leslie County covered an area greater than the state of Delaware to serve 8,000 people in fifty-seven mountain communities.鈥� Nofcier would leave the Seminary to work in the public library in Lima, Ohio before retiring in 1965.

From 1962 to 1987 (a period of 25 years), the only full-time woman faculty member to appear is Susan A. Schultz, the librarian. Schultz helped plan and work with developers to build the B.L. Fisher Library and move the entire collection to the new building. She also founded the Archives and Special Collections of the Library and trained three young librarians to become leading scholars in the Holiness and Pentecostal Movements. Donald Dayton, David Bundy, and Bill Faupel would become part of the strong academic legacy of Susan Schultz. She would retire in 1978 and marry recently widowed faculty member Delbert Rose. The couple would travel and work on library development and teaching in various parts of the world, before they died, both at the age of 100 years old.

Librarian Susan Schultz would help plan the design and construction of the B.L. Fisher Library, oversee the move to that building, found the archives, and train a group of Holiness-Pentecostal scholars, all as the only woman on the faculty from around 1971 to 1978. There would be no women on the faculty from 1979-1987. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

Other library workers also had faculty status at this time, and they include: Ollie Mae Williams (1946-1949) Library Cataloger, Ruth A. Warnock (1949-1962) Library Cataloger, and Marilyn Walker Morrison (1965-1971) Library Cataloger. Without these professional women librarians, the current library would not be as strong as it is currently.

By 1947-1949 there were four women with faculty status out of 14 faculty members, representing 29% of the faculty- a number which has never been surpassed in the Seminary to this date. Women students also made up around 22% of the degree seeking students at this time. Organizations of women also began to form, including an organization of the wives of Seminary students, and an organization of the wives of Seminary faculty- called the Seminary Dames. But more importantly, an organization called Chi Alpha was started for women students and staff at the Seminary. With a name standing for their slogan of 鈥淐hrist First,鈥� Chi Alpha would remain a campus organization into the mid 1980s as a way for women students to build fellowship and develop leadership skills.

The women students and staff in Chi Alpha in 1947-1948. This group developed out of the need to build fellowship and foster leadership skills among women students at 91自拍 as the number of degree-seeking women students grew in the late 1940s. (Image used courtesy of the Archives of 91自拍).

The high point of 22% of the degree seeking students being women occurred from 1947-1949, a period which corresponds with having four full-time women faculty members. This is a good argument to support the idea that women faculty serve as valuable role models and mentors which encourage the presence of women students. Immediately after this period, numbers begin to decline. There are likely several factors for this growth and decline. The late 1940s were still part of the years impacted by World War II. There were fewer male students because of the war and there was an increase in openness to women in more non-traditional roles because of the demands of the war. At the end of 1949, the war was over and soldiers were returning home. There was a desire to get back to the 鈥渘ormalcy鈥� of the 1930s and to more traditional roles. While women continue to come to the Seminary, increasingly they were not seeking degrees, but were auditing classes. Numbers seem to indicate that these women were often wives of male Seminary students.

In addition, the most prominent woman faculty member, Gaile Morris retired in 1948. Librarians, Lena Nofcier and Ollie Mae Williams left Asbury in 1949. This left Ada Carroll, in the more traditional role of teaching music and speech and two new librarians, Susan Schultz and Ruth Warnock. With the loss of Morris, the remaining positions could only provide role models for the more traditional roles of women in Holiness academia. Gaile Morris鈥� position as a core professor in Old Testament and Hebrew was likely a key reason many women students felt it was possible to succeed in their own degree programs.

End Notes:

¹ This article is done and dedicated especially to the memory of my Ph.D. mentor, Dr. Eunice Irwin (March 12, 1948 鈥� August 31, 2025). Her love of people, especially international students, and her strong faith in the mission of the Church will always remain with me. She also frequently led a class on women in mission, which I sat in on one year. I know she would have been fascinated by this current research. I also dedicate it to other women mentors in my life, and those at Asbury include Cathy Stonehouse and Christine Pohl. But as a male researching and writing about women at the Seminary it is important to note two other women mentors outside of the church who directed by academic work: Dr. Rochelle Marrinan of Florida State鈥檚 Anthropology department and Dr. Fumiko Ikawa-Smith of McGill University鈥檚 Anthropology department. I owe so much to the women mentors in my life, and this work is due to all they taught me.

² Much of the information in this article came from archival materials and official reports of the Seminary, but also from directories and other materials. I am especially thankful and appreciative of those people who allowed me the privilege of interviewing them and often preserving those interviews for the future. These include:

Gwendolyn Wilson (Mar. 4, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/10/

Jo Anne Lyon (June 18, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/11/

Helen Musick (July 26, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/13/

Toddy Holeman (July 8, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/19/

Ruth Anne Reese (June 25, 2005): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/12/

Evelyn Kuttler (July 23, 2025) phone interview- not recorded

Stacy Minger (Nov. 14, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/21/

Ellen Marmon (Nov. 18, 2025): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/20/

Joy Moore (Feb. 12, 2026): https://place.asburyseminary.edu/specialcollectionsvideos/22/

³ It is important to note that from 1923 to 1932, the Board of Trustees of Asbury College oversaw the work of the emerging Seminary. During this period, the Board of Trustees of Asbury College included: Mrs. J.B. Alford (1923-1924), Grace Crary Haskins (1923-1932), Nannie Metcalf (1923-1925), Jennie Ullendorff Gossett (1926-1928), Lizzie H. Glide (1928-1932), and Mary Harris Armor (1930-1932). These women helped oversee the work of the Seminary in its early years. When the Seminary incorporated, those serving were permitted to either remain on the Asbury College Board or move to the new Seminary Board. None of these women moved over to the Seminary Board. So, while Bettie Morrison was the first women on the official Board of Trustees for the Seminary, at least these six women had served on the College Board when it was directing the early years of the Seminary. Cf. All Things Are Ours, edited by Donald M. Joy (91自拍: Wilmore, KY) 1974: 118.

It should be noted that Lizzie H. Glide, who founded Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, California, was a major supporter of Asbury College, and the founding of the 91自拍 is also due in part to a sizable gift from Lizzie Glide. The Life Story of Lizzie H. Glide, by Julian C. McPheeters (Eagle Printing Company: San Francisco, CA 1936: 75). In this sense she would count as a major financial supporter of the founding of the Seminary as well as an early Board member.

⁴ Asbury Collegian Vol. 14, no. 22, March 10, 1928, page 2.

⁵ The Mission Messenger Vol 6, no. 10 October 1902, page 3,6.

⁶ Much of this information on Lena Nofcier comes from a longer piece I wrote and published 鈥淔rom the Archives: The Library at 91自拍: The Center of Academic Learning,鈥� The Asbury Journal 78(2) (Fall 2023): 461-487.

Robert A. Danielson is the Director of Strategic Collections and Scholarly Communications Librarian at 91自拍. He has served as a missionary to the People鈥檚 Republic of China and done work in El Salvador and Honduras. He also teaches at the E. Stanley Jones School of Missions and Ministry at 91自拍.

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The harvest is here, and God is moving in Texas.

91自拍 is excited to expand its reach through a new partnership in The Woodlands, offering students the opportunity to pursue a聽Master of Arts in Christian Ministry聽in a dynamic, local church setting. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to form Spirit-filled leaders who are equipped to serve the Church in a changing world.

Designed with accessibility and real-world ministry in mind, courses will be offered at聽The Woodlands Methodist Church, creating a space where theological education and active ministry intersect. This model allows students to remain rooted in their communities while engaging deeply in Wesleyan theological formation.

This opportunity is especially meaningful for those connected to the聽Global Methodist Church, as well as others who sense a call to ministry and desire to be shaped by Asbury鈥檚 commitment to Scripture, holiness, and mission.

This new聽site is an extension of Asbury鈥檚 mission to prepare men and women to spread scriptural holiness throughout the world. From Wilmore to Houston and beyond, we are witnessing the Lord open doors for formation, connection, and Kingdom impact.

If you or someone you know is discerning a call to ministry in the Texas region, we invite you to explore this new pathway.

Applications are now open for Fall enrollment.

Learn more and apply:
/admissions/texas-woodlands-partnership/

ATS ALUM, PROFESSOR, AND WRITER’S SECOND EDITION IS PUBLISHED

Dr. Bill T. Arnold (M.Div. ’80), a current professor at Asbury, recently published The Cambridge Introduction to the Old Testmament, Second Edition. The blurb describes the book in this way:

This textbook offers students who have no prior background in biblical studies an understanding of the lasting contribution of Israel’s scriptures. Bringing a literary approach to the topic, it strikes a balance between historical reconstructions, comparative religions, and theology. Among several distinctive features, it traces the legacy of monotheism first emerging in the pages of Israel’s scriptures as an enduring contribution for twenty-first century readers. Monotheism gives the volume an immediate relevance because the so-called Abrahamic religions are rooted in this concept. Whether one is Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or secularist, students will gain a new understanding of the origins of monotheism as their common heritage. The Second Edition of this textbook includes expanded discussions within the text and in sidebars, notably on the history of biblical scholarship, modern methods of interpretation, and wisdom literature.

For more information, or to purchase the book, see .

ALUM PUBLISHES HIS FOURTH BOOK

Last year, Rev. Dr. Robert Hallett (M.Div. ’74), published his fourth book,聽Stories from the Pastor鈥檚 Rocking Chair. In his words:

It is sort of a biographical book that recounts hundreds of the author鈥檚 (and some others) real life ministry experiences from over 6 decades of ministry, and gleans principles from these stories to serve as a teaching opportunity for the various facets of ministry. While especially helpful for new pastors, the more experienced pastors will find practical insights in here for themselves as well. It makes a great gift for seminary students and road weary pastors alike.

It uses encouragement, guidance, and vulnerability as it addresses how these situations were handled, when mistakes were made, and even how they should have been handled better. It also exposes many of the troubling situations that pastors, as well as other ministers, encounter in their ministry settings. It can save many headaches and heartaches when ministers can learn from the experiences and mistakes of others instead of having to repeat those same mistakes themselves.

For further description, visit the author’s website: . You can purchase the book .

ATS PRESIDENT AND PROFESSOR COLLUDE ON A METHODIST MANIFESTO

Dr. David Watson and Professor Kevin Watson (brothers in Christ, not by blood) recently published Faith and Fire: Methodism as a Move of God.

Here鈥檚 a brief excerpt from the introduction:

The same Spirit who empowered the apostles is available for us today. In fact, the Holy Spirit is moving all around the world. We are in a time of unprecedented growth in Christianity globally. And while we don鈥檛 see this trend yet in the U.S. and Western Europe, there are pockets of renewal, places where God is changing lives and moving with signs and wonders. Wesley鈥檚 heart was to bring people into a relationship with the living God who would make them into the people they were always meant to be. He wanted to see the image of God shine through in every person, and he knew only the Holy Spirit could make this happen.

To reclaim this vision today will mean relinquishing our attempts to control the church, to conform her to our agendas, and to make her inoffensive. It will require us to place ourselves in the hands of a living God in faith and obedience. Our attempts to attract an unbelieving world by becoming like an unbelieving world haven鈥檛 worked. Now is the time for self-examination, repentance, and humility. God wants to move in our midst. His desire is to draw all people to himself through Christ. Yet he will not force us to conform to his will.

Thus we are not simply passive recipients of the Spirit鈥檚 work. Early Methodism was clearly a move of God, but God worked in and through human beings as Methodism spread. John Wesley had a clear organizational vision for Methodism, but within that structure, it was God who changed the hearts of those who sought him in sincerity and repentance. Class leaders held class members to standards of faithfulness and growth in holiness. Wesley insisted upon the 鈥渙rdinances of God,鈥� such as prayer, the reading of scripture, worship, fasting, and holy communion because he believed God would work through them to lead sinful humans into salvation. Behind the organizational program of the Wesleyan revival was a conviction that God would move among the people who earnestly sought him in repentance. The power and work of the Holy Spirit was the driving force behind the revival in his day, and it will be the driving force in any true renewal of the church that happens in ours.

If you鈥檙e interested, you can order it聽聽or through聽

MAKE AN IMPACT ON AN INCOMING STUDENT!

To our devoted alumni,

Thank you for the many ways you continue to engage with the Asbury Seminary community. We are deeply grateful for your faithfulness and for your partnership in our shared mission of spreading the whole Bible for the whole world.

This year, we are placing a renewed emphasis on personalized communication with prospective and newly admitted students. Our desire is that each student would sense the care, prayerful support, and Christ-centered community that define life at Asbury as they discern God鈥檚 call through theological education. One meaningful way we hope to do this is by sharing letters from alumni with students after they register for their first semester in May.

We would be honored if you would consider contributing a brief letter that includes the following:

• A word of congratulations to a student who has just registered for their first semester of classes
• A short reflection on your own journey鈥攈ow you came to Asbury and the ways your experience shaped your life, faith, and calling
• A closing word of encouragement or wisdom, along with an assurance of prayer as they begin this new season of formation

Please sign your letter with your name, the degree you earned at Asbury, and your year of completion. If you would like, you are also welcome to include a photo of yourself to help make the connection even more personal.

Thank you for investing in the next generation of Asbury students and for walking alongside them through your words and prayers. If you are willing to participate, please email your letter to the Director of Strategic Events and Alumni Engagement, Rev. Tammy Cessna (tammy.cessna@asburyseminary.edu), as soon as possible. Should you have any questions, Tammy would be glad to assist you.

Grace and peace,

Rev. Tammy L. Cessna, D.Min.
Director of Strategic Events and Alumni Engagement

COME JOIN A CELEBRATION OF BIBLE MEMORIZATION!

Bible memory missionary Phil Walker, the son of Dr. Dale Walker, former adjunct professor at Asbury Seminary, will be, Lord willing, quoting 2,000+ verses from memory downstairs at Wilmore United Methodist Church Monday, April 13th from 8:00am – 8:00pm. All who like to memorize the Bible are invited to join this Bible Memory Day at whatever time is most convenient to you and quote as many verses as you can, or as you would like to, or have time to. Or you can come be encouraged by listening to Phil and others quote God’s Word.

Phil Walker lives with his family in Manila, Philippines where his wife Jacky is from, with his main Bible memory outreach being in Indonesia, where he was born and grew up and where the family lived for 11 years as missionaries. You can contact him by email using philjohn1558@yahoo.com or by WhatsApp +639507676585 or call him at (818)307-8714 if you have any questions about the Bible Memory Day opportunity or about his ministry in Indonesia.

The post Updates, Events, and Publications appeared first on 91自拍.

Please email any job opportunities you know of to alumni@asburyseminary.edu. Do not add them as comments to this article, as they are unlikely to be seen.

**For a wider range of current listings, please visit our聽.**

Ministry Jobs

SENIOR PASTOR AT BOWDON FIRST METHODIST CHURCH (BOWDON, GA)

Bowdon First Methodist Church in Bowdon, GA is excited to announce an opportunity for a motivated and qualified individual interested in joining our ministry. We are seeking a full-time Senior Pastor who will serve as spiritual leader, preacher, shepherd, and vision-caster for our congregation. If you sense God may be calling you to lead a church that is ready to build, grow, and impact the next generation 鈥� we would love to hear from you! Submit your resume to聽llhelveston@gmail.com聽or call 404.775.6989.

MINISTER OF MUSIC AT MILLEDGEVILLE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH (MILLEDGEVILLE, GA)

Milledgeville First Methodist Church in Milledgeville, GA, is a Global Methodist Church that is looking for a worship leader who will help shape our congregation鈥檚 worship culture, disciple musicians, shepherd teams, select songs that form hearts, and partner closely with the ministry staff and the worship team to lead the church in spiritual health, unity, and mission.

What we value most in a worship leader is someone with integrity who is a worshiper both on and off the platform on Sunday. We seek a mature disciple to guide our musicians in deeper spiritual growth and to enhance their musical skills. We value creativity and fresh ideas. We are seeking a team member committed to developing the next generation of worship leaders. We look for someone passionate about sharing the Gospel through music and who regularly finds ways to invite new people into our choirs, contemporary bands, bell choir, and children鈥檚 choir. We desire an individual who collaborates effectively across all generations and worship styles, and serves as a unifying voice within a congregation with diverse worship preferences. Although our worship styles differ, we come together regularly to worship as one family.

Technical skills sought:

• Choir leadership
• Bell choir leadership
• Worship planning
• Tech collaboration
• Vocal and/or instrumental proficiency
• Pastoral presence on Sundays

Milledgeville, GA, is home to a vibrant lake community and multiple colleges. We enjoy college students who worship with us regularly alongside many locals and retirees who have made Milledgeville their home. We are intentional about cultivating an intergenerational disciple-making movement. We love all ages here and actively seek ways to integrate our family across age groups.

This position is Full-time and reports to the Lead Pastor. Send resume to jmcstrom@gmail.com.

PASTOR AT PIONEER BAPTIST CHURCH (HARRODSBURG, KY)

Seeking a full-time or bi-vocational Pastor for a Southern Baptist church located in a rural community in Central Kentucky. We are prayerfully searching for a man who is passionate about his calling to ministry and to serving the Lord through the local church. Our desire is to find someone who faithfully preaches and teaches the Word of God, leads our congregation in prayer, and helps guide our church in sharing the Gospel and ministering to others. While education, age, and experience are not our primary concerns, we are seeking someone who feels clearly called by God to shepherd and lead our church. Salary will be based on experience.

To apply or request more information, please mail or email:

Pioneer Baptist Church

260 Sparrow Lane

Harrodsburg, KY 40330

Email: pioneerbaptistchurch@outlook.com

WESTGATE’S PASTORAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM (SILICON VALLEY, CA)

WestGate’s Pastoral Residency Program is a 9-month immersive apprenticeship that integrates hands-on ministry with intentional spiritual formation and leadership development. Just as medical students hone their craft in a clinical residency, pastors benefit from experiential training under skilled leaders. Residents serve in one of five key ministry contexts: Worship, Kids, Next Gen, Creative Engagement, and Community & Care.

We are seeking candidates who are:

• Prayerfully discerning their calling to full-time ministry

• Eager to grow in their leadership skills

• Committed to being spiritually formed in Christlikeness

The residency offers robust support, including housing and competitive compensation ($2,500/month), significant experiential learning, and deep mentoring relationships to prepare residents for a lifetime of Christian service.

More information is available on our website (), including program dates, application details, and a video from our Lead Pastor, Jay Kim.

YOUTH PASTOR AT FIRST CHURCH (JONESBORO, AR)

Lead a Youth Ministry Ready for Growth and Impact

Are ou a relational leader who wants to see students live our their faith with confidence? Are you ready to disciple students, empower volunteers, and build something meaningful in a church that puts Christ first?

First Church is passionate about the next generation. With a strong volunteer base and a youth group that’s eager to grow, we’re looking for a leader who will invest deeply, teach faithfully, and lead creatively.

Join a growing church of 950+ in weekly worship with a youth ministry averaging 100 students (grades 7-12) and a team of 20+ committed volunteers. This is a unique opportunity to build on a strong foundation and take an already healthy ministry to its next level.

Why This Role Matters

First Church is in a season of momentum — with a brand new facility on the horizon, a deeply committed team, and a congregation that cares about discipling the next generation. We are looking for a Youth Pastor who will bring leadership, vision, and spiritual depth to our student ministry. You won’t be starting from scratch, but you will have the freedom to shape a thriving ministry culture.

You Might Be a Great Fit If…

• You’re a biblically faithful, Spirit-sensitive teacher who makes the truth come alive.
• You value both discipleship and fun.
• You’re relationally driven and pursue authentic connection with students and parents.
• You thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy being part of a close-knit ministry team.

What You’ll Do

Spiritual Leadership & Discipleship

• Lead weekly youth services, small group discipleship gatherings, and other youth events and programming
• Preach Christ-centered, relevant, and engaging messages that speak to real-life topics
• Equip and develop a healthy small group culture that fosters authentic spiritual growth
• Provide pastoral care and counseling to students, families, and volunteers
• Mentor students toward lifelong faith, service, and leadership
• Partner with parents to encourage discipleship at home

Team Building & Volunteer Development

• Lead, recruit, train, and support a team of 20+ passionate adult volunteers
• Create a relational ministry culture that prioritizes presence at student events
• Collaborate closely with our Youth Coordinator for administrative and creative support

Ministry Administration & Events

• Plan and lead special events, retreats, mission trips, and outreach opportunities
• Work with church staff to coordinate youth participation in seasonal churchwide events (Ash Wednesday, Easter, etc.)
• Partner with other leaders to develop and steward the Youth Ministry budget
• Build bridges with local schools and community partners for outreach opportunities

What We’re Looking For

• A growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ
• Proven experience teaching, discipling, and leading a youth group of 50+ students
• Strong communicator and relatable preacher
• Collaborative, humble team player who values unity and fun
• A sense of humor and a healthy relational presence with both students and parents
• Bachelor’s degree is required. A Masters in Theology or MDiv would be preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $50,000-$70,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Benefits: Medical insurance, retirement plan, paid time off
• Schedule: Full-time, Sunday through Thursday, with flexibility for student events

MinistryHub is honored to partner with First Church Jonesboro in their search for a Youth Pastor. Please direct all applications through MinistryHub and any inquiries to hello@ministryhub.org.

To apply for this position, see .

The post Job and Ministry Opportunities: April 2026 appeared first on 91自拍.

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

One of my greatest joys this season has been traveling and having the opportunity to meet with many of you. These gatherings have deeply encouraged me. Your faithfulness to Christ and to Asbury reminds me that our alumni are among God鈥檚 greatest gifts to this Seminary.

You play a vital role in our mission. Time and again, it is alumni who encourage prospective students, recommend Asbury Seminary to their churches, and help us extend our reach. You truly help us send and receive students as we continue taking the whole Bible to the whole world. I look forward to continuing these conversations soon in Tulsa.

This spring, we are grateful for steady enrollment, with 1,571 students, including 110 new students who have joined our community. We also celebrate new opportunities ahead, including approval to begin teaching in Texas through a partnership with The Woodlands Methodist Church in the coming academic year. The Lord continues to open doors for faithful service.

I would also love to invite you back to campus April 16鈥�18 (6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.) for our Tent Meeting: Renewal for the People of God. This three-evening gathering is rooted in the historic Wesleyan-holiness tradition that has shaped Asbury from the beginning. It will be a time of heartfelt worship, prayer, and proclamation as we seek the Lord together.

Each evening will focus on a distinct theme of renewal:

Thursday, April 16 鈥� Renewal of Our Personal Connection with God
Dr. Matt Reynolds

Friday, April 17 鈥� Renewal in Our Experience of the Holy Spirit鈥檚 Work
Dr. Kim Maas

Saturday, April 18 鈥� Renewal of Our Callings and Mission
Dr. Luther Oconer

Whether you are able to join us for one evening or all three, it would be a joy to welcome you back to campus. For more information visit .

I want to thank you for the many ways you strengthen Asbury Seminary 鈥� through prayer, encouragement, financial support, and by commending Asbury to prospective students. Institutional health and enrollment are not the responsibility of one team alone; they are shaped by our shared witness. Your partnership matters more than you know.

We face both opportunities and challenges with realism and hope. By God鈥檚 grace, we continue to move forward in faithfulness. The Holy Spirit is at work among us, and it is a privilege to serve together in this shared mission of theological education for the Church and the world.

It is a privilege to serve Christ together.

Yours in Christ,

David F. Watson
President
91自拍

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