ANDREAS KÖSTENBERGER Joins BJU Seminary Faculty
AWARD-WINNING NEW TESTAMENT SCHOLAR AND AUTHOR, ADVANCING 500x5x5 VISION TO EQUIP PASTORS THROUGH UNCOMPROMISED, NEXT-LEVEL TEACHING
BJU Seminary today announced that award-winning New Testament scholar and author Dr. Andreas Köstenberger will join its faculty, the latest milestone in the Seminary’s 500 x 5 x 5 vision to equip pastors through uncompromised, next-level teaching in a time of historic challenge to the church.
The editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society for more than two decades and a widely respected expert on the Gospel of John, biblical theology, and hermeneutics, Dr. Köstenberger has authored, co-authored, edited, co-edited or translated more than sixty books as well as dozens of articles, essays and dictionary entries and more than a hundred book reviews (see complete list of publications here). His research and scholarship have been recognized with accolades including multiple Gospel Coalition Book Awards, the Christianity Today Award of Merit, the Christian Retailing Best for Evangelism and, with his wife Marny, the Wayne Grudem Award for Complementarian Scholarship.
Dr. Neal Cushman, dean of BJU Seminary, stated, “The addition of Dr. Andreas Köstenberger, a pre-eminent scholar and instructor but also prolific author and influencer, to BJU Seminary’s faculty exemplifies and dramatically advances our 500 x 5 x 5 vision of equipping a generation of new and current pastors, leaders and theologians with uncompromised, next-level instruction in accessible and affordable formats.”
Dr. Köstenberger added, “BJU Seminary’s visionary 500 x 5 x 5 initiative to equip pastors for today’s ministry challenges through world-class theological education is timely and providential both in terms of the pressing need in churches and my own entry into a new season of ministry. Marny’s and my first priority— leveraging our thirty years of ministry and teaching experience to encourage and edify pastors — aligns completely with the Seminary’s commitment to be faithful to God’s Word and strategic in training a new generation of church leaders.”
Beginning in the spring semester, Dr. Köstenberger will teach Advanced Biblical Hermeneutics, a core course in the Seminary’s PhD in theological studies program, as a module, a format consisting one week of intensive classroom instruction, preceded and followed by six-weeks of distance course work. (In addition, Dr. Köstenberger will lend his expertise to Seminary events, programming and thought leadership efforts providing critical resources to pastors and churches across America.)
Continued Dr. Cushman, “At a time when research[1] is finding only about one-third even of evangelicals possess a biblical worldview, Dr. Köstenberger’s far-reaching research and expertise reinforces our capability and commitment to promote teaching, scholarship and proclamation of God’s truth that is authoritative, faithful to the text, context and author’s intent, and eternally relevant to a broken culture.”
BJU Seminary’s 500 x 5 x 5 initiative is designed to help address a nationwide pastor shortage by putting 500 new pastors on the path to the pulpit over five years—and every five years after that. To realize that vision, the Seminary is also pursuing a 5P PLAN, two planks of which — PEOPLE and PROGRAM — are further built out by Dr. Köstenberger’s appointment.
Since the initiative’s launch, the Seminary has recruited one of the nation’s foremost proponents of biblical counseling, Dr. Stuart Scott, along with prominent professors Bruce Meyer, Sam Horn and Billy Gotcher as well as first-rate professionals in the areas of administration and student experience. The Seminary has also taken steps to further expand and update its course offerings and make them more accessible over a range of channels including residential, livestream, online, module and evening flex while maintaining the most affordable full-time MDiv program among conservative seminaries.
In addition to his role at the Seminary, Dr. Köstenberger will continue to serve as the theologian in residence and the director of the Equipping Center at Fellowship Raleigh Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. Kostenberger and his wife are also both Certified Christian Leadership Coaches (CLCC) and have a ministry to pastors, missionaries, and other church leaders out of their home, Oak Tree Cottage, under the auspices of Oasis Rest International. Previously, he has been director of The Center for Biblical Studies and research professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; and senior research professor of New Testament and biblical theology and director of PhD studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dr. Kostenberger also taught at FamilyLife, Gulf Theological Seminary, the Pastor’s College, Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte, Shepherds Theological Seminary, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and delivered lectures at more than a dozen faith-based and secular institutions around the world and has mentored numerous noted scholars and pastors in the U.S. and abroad.
Dr. Köstenberger, who holds memberships in the Evangelical Theological Society and the Institute of Biblical Research, earned a master of divinity in cross-cultural ministry from Columbia International University and a doctor of philosophy in biblical studies with a New Testament concentration from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. A native of Vienna, Austria, he earned masters and doctoral degrees from the renowned Vienna School of Economics and Business.