You can read the press release about Dr. Williford's appointment here: http://www.tiu.edu/tiu/president/

Congratulations, Craig!

Mackey has served churches in Colorado, Iowa and Maryland. Active in Kiwanis International, she has traveled extensively and spoken in churches in Scotland and Ghana.

You can read the entire article about her appointment here: http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=225383&format=html

The following article was written by a woman who grew up in the youth ministry of alumnus, Tom Coffan (MA, '85). Coffan has served as youth director of East Boulder Baptist Church for 40 years. While Coffan is not retiring (he plans to continue serving youth), the church recently honored him to celebrate his many years of faithful ministry.

Thank you, Tom, for your many years of dedicated service. Your story is an inspiration!

On Friday, March 6, 2009, Applewood Baptist Church opened its doors and its heart to a long-time friend and faithful servant of the Lord.  In honor of a remarkable 40 years in youth ministry, Tom Coffan, the current Youth Director at East Boulder Baptist Church, was stunned by a sanctuary filled with hundreds of current and former students, parents and youth workers, many of whom traveled from the country round to show their gratitude.

Gathering in one room to honor Tom was an experience so many of us shall not soon forget.  It was difficult not to be humbled by the visual spectacle of Tom's impact on so many lives.  For four decades Tom has devoted his whole self to impacting the lives of young people. He seemed innately gifted with an appreciation for the importance of sincerity and consistency, when it came to leading youth.  He knew of that ever watchful teenage eye and he endeavored daily to practice in his own life the words he preached in the church, around the campfire, and while spelunking through the dark crevices of a mountain cave.

Too often, we speak of what we could do, what we might do and what we plan to do.  Tom always just did.  Countless youth have trudged through their formidable years under Tom's inspiring guidance.  Many of them now grown and many others still on their way, it will never be within our capabilities to gage the full impact of Tom's service.  To be sure, the devil must have been livid the day Tom (middle name) Coffan accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, as I am sure no one knew better than he, the potential breadth of Tom's ministerial impact on the next generation.

So Tom, as I draft this message, I am certain I speak for all those who have been privileged to know you.  Your impact has always been and will always be far broader than the reaches of the youth room.  Each year that we age, we grow deeper in our appreciation for your unwavering dedication to the Lord, for such an allegiance is a rare thing to witness.  Your surrender to the Lord's calling will long outlast your years on here on Earth.  Without a doubt, the day you call your time in Ministry to a close will prove a heartbreaking day for the teenager in us all.

Thanks Tom!

My family left the Seminary for rural Kansas back in 2000. I had just finished cramming my 2 year Youth & Family MA into 4 years of school and ministry. What a formative time Seminary was for me and my wife as we tried to undertand more of what it means to be a ministry team.

I've been an associate pastor in a little town in S. Central Kansas for almost 9 years now. What a remarkable exprience. Having always lived in large cities, and having traveled so much of the world during my ten years in the Navy, it was (and still is!) a real cross-cultural experience serving here.

There is so much good to find in rural ministry (people, relationships, literally living in community with each other, lots of peace and quiet and the beauty of Creation always before us). Of course there is also the other side of the coin that can be found from time to time as well--resistance to change, isolation from the wider world, gossip and in-fighting. But isn't there "stuff" to deal with wherever we serve? We count on God's grace to help us deal with these things come up.

It's remarkable to me how frequently I reflect on things I learned during my Seminary training...how often I hear Dr. Buschart's voice; or use something from my classes with Dr. Blomberg; or see Dr. Carroll's face in my mind as he reads Scripture and challenges us to "Think!"; or remember something I heard Dr. Hess say about "Old Testament culture"; or reflect on the insight I gained from Dr. Cappa and Dr Lindquist. Such influence in my life! Such gratitude I feel toward those people and the school! Thank you Denver Seminary.

The Schweissings are currently based in Denver for a six-month home assignment and are anticipating reassignment to a new ministry in Latin America or the Caribbean this fall.

"According to George Barna's research in 2003 only 2% of churches in America experience an average attendance of over 1000 people each weekend, '...the statistics show that about four out of ten church-going adults (41%) go to churches with 100 or fewer adults while about one out of eight church-going adults (12%) can be found in churches of 1000 or more adults.' [The Barna Update, September 2, 2003]"

The website is full of helpful thoughts on leading an "average" church, including practical advice and encouragement to those who may feel pressure to become a "mega church." The site features articles in two categories, Expectations and The Role of the Pastor, as well as insightful blog posts to challange and encourage.

If you find yourself serving in an "average" church, and you are interested in more information, their website is http://averagechurch.org/.

For information about Front Range Counseling center, be sure to visit their website.

While working on her doctorate, Nesbit works part-time as a private practice clinician through Northwest Counseling Associates and as an adjunct at John Brown University.

You can learn more about what Jim and Sue are up to through their blog: http://www.holmsblog.blogspot.com/

We at Denver Seminary are proud of our grads who so faithfully live out Scripture and who make an impact in our world for the glory of God. "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." - Hebrews 3:3

For more information about North River Community Church, visit their website: http://www.northriverchurch.org/

Alumnus Robert Gelinas ( MA, '96), has had his book, Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz-Shaped Faith, recently published by Zondervan. In this provocative book, Gelinas draws parallels between the body of Christ and the qualities inherent to jazz.

To read a review by Professor Doug Groothuis, click here.
To see Gelinas' web page, Reflections of a Jazz Theologian, click here.

Congratulations, Robert!

"A jazz-shaped faith ... balances freedom with boundaries, the individual with the group, and traditions with the pursuit of what might be. I have discovered in jazz a way of thinking, living, communicating-a way of being ... a groove."

You don't have to be a jazz musician, or even a jazz connoisseur, for this book to speak to you. If you love God and his Word, and if you've longed to follow Jesus Christ outside the slick corporate structures that some American churches erect, this book is for you. If you want to discover a freer, more genuine expression of Christianity, Finding the Groove will be music to your ears, your heart, and your mind.

Using brilliant metaphors from the world of jazz, Robert Gelinas reveals breathtaking possibilities for the body of Christ. What might a "jazz-shaped faith" look like-and how could it help us fulfill the message of the gospel in a way no method, movement, or structured program ever could? How can understanding the beauty of jazz help you better understand Jesus, his vision for those who follow him, and his heartbeat for a world that is badly out of sync?

But this book isn't about music. It is about a passionate, biblical, fully integrated way of looking at life and salvation that will free you to find your own unique groove in the kingdom of God.

More Than Fun is an organization created to help build strong families by Teaching Timeless Truths to Children and Families® through creative, engaging and interactive experiences by Sweet Tart and Friends.

Sweet Tart is a purple-haired children's performer from Denver, CO specializing in "edutainism" (education, entertainment, and evangelism). Sweet Tart's friends include speakers and coaches who share a similar passion for the family.

To do this, Sweet Tart and More Than Fun partner with churches, families, and existing community organizations as a platform for sharing biblical truths. Touch a child, reach a family.

To learn more, visit www.MoreThanFun.org

Congratulations, Daniel!

You can read the entire article here: http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001991.cfm

You can read the full news article about Johnson's appointment in the Baptist Press.

Congratulations, Jerry!

If you'd like to read the entire encouraging story about George Gardner, you can see the article on INFORUM: The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

You can read the entire news article, in which Fan describes his grandfather's devotion to Christ during Mao Zedong and the rise of Communism in China as his inspiration for becoming a pastor, here: http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2009/02/12/news/news04-02-12-09.txt

Congratulations Timothy!

Mr. and Mrs. Wooten have three adult children and five grandchildren. Congratulations, and may the Lord continue to bless your marriage!

For more information about HOPE's ID program, read this article in the Miami Herald.

For more information about HOPE and Pedro's other ministries, be sure to read the article about him in the Winter '08 issue of Denver Seminary Magazine.

You can read more about the program here on the Grand Junction Free Press website.

While Moffit now resides in Phoenix, the impact of the ministry he began 40 years ago is still being felt.

Hi, I'm Mick Thornton, a 2007 graduate. I'm a pastor in the very rural town of Ainsworth, NE. A nearby town hosts Rodeo Bible Camp every year, and this summer they asked me to come and speak. The only problem was that I am NO kind of cowboy. So I decided to ride a bull build some rapport with the students.

This is me wearing borrowed boots, spurs, and chaps, and getting some last minute advice from my friend and former professional rodeo cowboy, Jimmy.  Let me summerize; "hang on, and try not to die."

A word of advice to all those considering rural ministry -- if ever you find yourself on the back of a bull in a rodeo chute, DO NOT SLAP THE BULL. More advice: if the guy holding the gate is laughing hysterically at you before he opens it, thats not a good sign.

4.8 seconds later, Judas got his revenge, but what a wild ride!  :)  Speaking of wild rides; the night before, two of the students in the backgound answered God's call and put their faith in Jesus. Rural ministry rocks.

Hanke was born in Corvallis and graduated from Oregon State University and Denver Seminary. He has pastored in Colorado for 22 years, during which he taught at the seminary for 19 years.

He and his wife Kerri have four children, from middle school to college age.

First Baptist has 850 attendees and will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2009. It was organized the same year Oregon became a state.

Congratulations, Rev. Hanke!

"This is an exciting year for The Navigators as we celebrate our 75th anniversary," states Nuenke. "It isn’t merely a marking of time but a celebration of God’s amazing grace through 75 years of ministry and our amazing hope for the future."

You can read more about his appointment in The Christian Post.

Congratulations, Dr. Nuenke!

You can read about the church and Unzicker's mission in this article: http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/crossroads-church-091208.

Congratulations, Jason! May God bless your ministry.

You can read more about the support and the controversy surrounding Cizik's message in the article, located here: http://www.csindy.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A29875.

Congratulations, David!

Mike's article can be read on their web site: http://plainviews.org/v5n14/lv.html.

Congratulations, Mike!

Congratulations, Gary!

Congratulations, Janet!

Stroke. More than 500,000 Americans will suffer its silent attack this year. The number has epidemic proportions, but add to it the newly estimated 11 million victims each year whose strokes go undetected and America shakes its collective head and wonders, am I next? One third of those detected will die in a short period of time, over 160,000 fatalities, making stroke the number three killer in the US behind only heart disease and cancer. It leaves another 200,000 victims with permanent disability.

Different Strokes... unwraps the fear of stroke, revealing possibilities for healing and hope - hope birthed by the insight of experience and supported by research collected from leading edge resources.

Congratulations, Chuck!

Congratulations, Herb!

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_9434710

Click here to read the article on Time Magazine's web site.

Congratulations, Richard!