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College of Bible & Ministry

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Step Into Your Calling

Lipscomb’s College of Bible & Ministry integrates strong academics with spiritual formation and practical experience, equipping our students to confidently step into their desired field. Faculty and staff pay special attention to the spiritual and relational well being of our student body by providing community events, annual retreats, and mentoring opportunities. To prepare them for job placement, students receive exceptional professional training, through academic conferences, internship fairs, and networking events. Our desire is to produce well-rounded students who are founded in faith and prepared to pursue their calling with enthusiasm. We invite you to join us in Christ’s mission in the world as we strive to serve with integrity and truth.

Student taking notes in class

Undergraduate Programs

We offer six faith-focused majors that prepare you for ministry in the local church, missional work, worship ministry, Bible education, nonprofit leadership, and more. We also offer five minors, for students seeking to add further depth in a specific area of theology and ministry.

View Undergraduate Programs
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Graduate Programs

As one of the only two schools in Middle Tennessee that is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, Lipscomb will provide you with the strong academics and spiritual formation needed as you pursue the next step of your calling in ministry.

View Graduate Programs
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Hazelip School of Theology

With us, your degree is as much about academics as it is about the personal journey you take as you study Scripture, church history, Christian thought and ministerial formation. Here, academic subject matters are put in conversation with the concerns of today’s practitioners. As one of the few ATS-accredited graduate schools in the region, we offer real-world ministry experiences and quality academics.

About Hazelip
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Engage

Lipscomb’s Engage Youth Theology Initiative is for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in exploring what it means to live a life of Christian leadership and service. This initiative seeks to encourage young people to explore theological traditions, ask questions about the moral dimensions of contemporary issues and examine how their faith calls them to justice and service.

About Engage

People

Meet the key people who make up the College of Bible & Ministry.

  • Leonard Allen Headshot

    Leonard Allen

    Dean of the College of Bible

    C. Leonard Allen serves as dean of the College of Bible and Ministry at Lipscomb University. He taught theology, ethics, and philosophy at the graduate and undergraduate level for over...

    Meet Leonard Allen
  • Steve Bonner headshot

    Steve Bonner

    Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Bible

    Steven Bonner serves as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Bible and Professor of Christian ministry. He attended Lipscomb University where he received his B.A., M.A., and M.Div. He then received...

    Meet Steve Bonner
  • Deron Smith headshot

    Deron Smith

    Director of Accelerated Pastoral Leadership Program

    Deron came to Lipscomb as Dean of Vocation and Spiritual Formation in July 2020 to join the wider mission of Lipscomb to equip and educate students to reflect the character...

    Meet Deron Smith
  • Frank Guertin headshot

    Frank Guertin

    Assistant Dean and Associate Professor

    Frank Guertin is Assistant Dean for the Hazelip School of Theology at Lipscomb University and Assistant Professor of Theology. Guertin completed his bachelor's degree at Ohio Valley University and his...

    Meet Frank Guertin
  • Carlus Gupton headshot

    Carlus Gupton

    Director, Doctor of Ministry Program

    Dr. Carlus Gupton is Assistant Dean, Professor of Ministry, and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Hazelip School of Theology. Before that, he was Professor of Ministry and...

    Meet Carlus Gupton
  • Randy Willingham headshot

    Randy Willingham

    Competency-Based Education Director

    Randy Willingham is the Director for the Hazelip School of Theology's Competency-Based Theological Education. He holds degrees from Oklahoma State University, Harding University, Harding School of Theology, and Abilene Christian University. His 1994 doctoral thesis ...

    Meet Randy Willingham
  • Mark Black

    Mark Black

    Professor

    Mark teaches Luke-Acts, Synoptic Gospels, New Testament Theology, Corinthians, New Testament Exegesis, and Biblical Ethics. He has preached at the Moreland Ave Church of Christ in Atlanta, the Okolona church...

    Meet Mark Black

  • Jp Conway

    Adjunct Faculty

    Meet Jp Conway
  • Lee Camp headshot

    Lee Camp

    Professor

    Lee is an Alabamian by birth. He met his wife Laura at Lipscomb as an undergrad (BA in Computer Science), and then did seminary at Abilene Christian University (MA and...

    Meet Lee Camp
  • Phillip Camp headshot

    Phillip Camp

    Professor

    Phillip Camp teaches Old Testament and Hebrew courses. He is the author of "Finding Your Way: A Guide to Seminary Life and Beyond" (Cascade, 2009) and "Living as the Community...

    Meet Phillip Camp
  • Claire Frederick headshot

    Claire Davidson

    Program Director of HS Youth Theology Institute

    Claire Davidson Frederick teaches in the College of Bible and Ministry at Lipscomb University and serves as Program Director for the ENGAGE Youth Theology Initiative, a public theology and racial...

    Meet Claire Davidson
  • George Goldman headshot

    George Goldman

    Professor

    George teaches courses in New Testament, Greek, and Faith & Culture. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Lipscomb University (1988, 1991), his M.Div. from Harding University Graduate School of...

    Meet George Goldman
  • John Mark Hicks headshot

    John Mark Hicks

    Professor

    John Mark Hicks has taught full time in higher education among Churches of Christ since 1982 and is currently Professor of Theology at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. He has...

    Meet John Mark Hicks
  • Aaron Howard headshot

    Aaron Howard

    Assistant Professor

    Aaron teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in ethics. He holds a PhD in Ethics and Society from Vanderbilt University. an MA in Theology & Biblical Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary,...

    Meet Aaron Howard
  • Earl Lavender headshot

    Earl Lavender

    Professor

    Earl was born to missionary parents in Trieste, Italy. He earned undergraduate degrees from Ohio Valley College and David Lipscomb College (Physical Education and Coaching).  He is married to the...

    Meet Earl Lavender
  • Kris Miller headshot

    Kris Miller

    Assistant Professor

    Kris Miller joined the faculty of the College of Bible and Ministry in 2015, serving as assistant professor of theology and director of Lipscomb's Institute for Christian Spirituality. He has...

    Meet Kris Miller
  • Josh Strahan headshot

    Josh Strahan

    Associate Professor

    Josh teaches courses in Biblical Interpretation and the New Testament. He received his bachelor's degree in Bible from Lipscomb University in 2004, his Master of Divinity degree from Abilene Christian...

    Meet Josh Strahan
  • Walter Surdacki headshot

    Walter Surdacki

    Professor

    Walter teaches various Youth Ministry and practical ministry courses. He completed his undergrad studies at the Institute for Christian Studies (B.A., 1990), and graduate studies at Pepperdine University (M.S....

    Meet Walter Surdacki
  • Paavo Tucker headshot

    Paavo Tucker

    Adjunct on Contract

    Paavo was born in Nashville, and grew up in Finland as a missionary kid before moving to the United States to go to college at Freed-Hardeman University. He attained his...

    Meet Paavo Tucker
  • Lauren White headshot

    Lauren White

    Assistant Professor

    Lauren Smelser White has served as Assistant Professor of Theology at Lipscomb since 2018 and teaches various undergraduate and graduate courses in Bible and systematic, historical, and contextual theology. She...

    Meet Lauren White
  • Mike Williams headshot

    Mike Williams

    Professor

    Mike graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor's degree in 1986. He graduated from Abilene Christian University with a M. Div. in 1991. He holds the doctorate in...

    Meet Mike Williams
  • John York headshot

    John York

    Professor

    John has been part of the faculty of Lipscomb University since the Fall of 1998. Before becoming Executive Director and Dean of Lipscomb University - Austin Center (LUAC), John was...

    Meet John York

News

Student presenting at Student Scholars Symposium.
Academics
February 27, 2023

New program fosters diversity, encourages next generation of Lipscomb faculty
New members of the 2023 Presidential Ambassadors Council with Dr. McQueen
Students
February 17, 2023

2023 Presidential Ambassadors Council selected
Anna Bella Skidmore, Aidan Miller and Lily Corley all placed int he 2023 regional Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) competition hosted by the Nashville chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).
Students
February 17, 2023

Miller wins top prize at EO Nashville’s Global Entrepreneur Competition, advances to nationals
Fisk Jubilee Singers and interim musical director Dr. Anthony Williams.
Community
February 7, 2023

Fisk Jubilee Singers bring gift of song to Lipscomb
More News

Blog

Meet Johanna Newsome

Lipscomb Missions would like to welcome our new team member, Johanna Newsome! She started in the Program Coordinator role a few weeks ago and is quickly becoming familiar with our program, processes and all of our host partners.  Johanna is originally from Chattanooga and moved to Nashville in 2019 to finish...

Mon, 01/09/2023 - 12:42
Posted by Grace Evans

Church as Classroom: Competency-Based Theological Education

"It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t matter.” “It’s not enough to have the best class in the world if it doesn’t connect,” says Randy Willingham, Director of Lipscomb’s new Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE) program. “The question becomes ‘does it work or not?’” With the launch of the CBTE, Lipscomb’s Hazelip School of...

Mon, 01/09/2023 - 12:37
Posted by Grace Evans

What? Why? How? Now?

Walter Surdacki, professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Lipscomb, has co-authored Practical Wisdom for Youth Group Parents (2022). It is a quick start guide for adults in youth ministry structured around these four practical questions.  Its authors, David Fraze and Walter Surdacki, wrote Practical Wisdom to help readers “get ready...

Thu, 11/17/2022 - 12:10
Posted by Grace Evans

More Blog Posts

Undergraduate Programs

Whether you feel called to nonprofit work, youth ministry, preaching, chaplaincy, Christian education, or life in an intentional community, our undergraduate programs will equip you for a life of faith and service in ministry. Our theology programs will provide you with a foundation of knowledge, tools and skills necessary for Christian leadership and service. Explore your options at Lipscomb.

Graduate Programs

If you are considering entering or are already active in ministry, we offer a number of paths and majors for your walk with God. For example, our Master of Arts in Christian Practice degree includes theological studies that you can pursue alongside a graduate certificate program or additional coursework at our Hazelip School of Theology. All of our graduate programs are designed to provide you with advanced theological learning within practical ministry contexts.