bg真人

Published: September 9, 2019

ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) — The Board of Directors of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (bg真人) today announced the appointment of David W. Boshart, Ph.D., of Wellman, Iowa, as the next president of the seminary, beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Beverly Lapp, Ed.D., vice president and academic dean, will continue to serve as acting president until that time.

Upon the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee, the board approved Boshart’s appointment. He will serve as the fourth president since Goshen Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Biblical Seminary incorporated as Associated (now Anabaptist) Mennonite Biblical Seminary in 1994. He succeeds Sara Wenger Shenk, Ed.D., who retired June 30 after nine years as president.

“David Boshart embodies the core values of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and, on behalf of the search committee, I am delighted he has accepted our invitation to serve as our next president,” said Miriam Book of Lititz, Pennsylvania, a member of the bg真人 Board of Directors and chair of the search committee. “He brings the preferred attributes of experience in pastoral and church leadership, administration and education identified by stakeholders both on campus and throughout Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. The board looks forward to working in partnership with him as he leads bg真人 into its next chapter.”

“bg真人 is recognized across the church and around the world as a faithful and generative learning community that forms skilled leaders for God’s reconciling mission in the world,” said Boshart. “I am honored by the strong and clear call from the search committee, board and faculty to serve as the next president.”

Since 2010, Boshart has served as executive conference minister for (CPMC) of Mennonite Church USA. As part of this role, he was responsible for supporting emerging congregations and staffing a partnership with and Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia (Colombia Mennonite Church) in support of Anabaptist networks in Ecuador and Venezuela. Prior to CPMC, he served as a pastor for more than 25 years in Mennonite congregations in Iowa and Virginia.

Boshart has a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with an emphasis in Missional Theology from the School of Education at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. His doctoral dissertation was published as (Wipf and Stock, 2010). He also earned a Master of Arts in Religion with a major in New Testament Theology from Eastern Mennonite Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Theology from Eastern Mennonite College (now University), both in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In 2012, he received EMU’s Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award.

Boshart’s teaching experience includes serving as appointed associate professor at the Andrews University School of Education (2009–present) and as an adjunct faculty member at bg真人 (2014–15) and Eastern Mennonite University (2010–15). For bg真人, he also taught an online Introduction to Theological Studies course as part of a pilot program for Hmong students. His full CV can be viewed here.

Boshart also will bring to his new role his experiences of serving in volunteer leadership roles across the Mennonite Church. In July, he completed a two-year term as moderator of (2017–19), having served on the denomination’s since 2007 and on the board’s Executive Committee since 2008. He was a member of the bg真人 Board of Directors (1999–2007) — also serving as chair (2003–05).

Boshart has lived in Iowa for much of his life. He and his wife, Shana Peachey Boshart, denominational minister for faith formation for Mennonite Church USA and a 2017 bg真人 alumna, have three adult sons.

“The board looks forward to working closely with David as we seek to prepare leaders for the church,” said Bruce Baergen of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, bg真人 board chair. “We are excited to move into the future with David as our new president.”

In addition to Book, the search committee consisted of Addie Banks, a Mennonite Education Agency board member from Bronx, New York; David Brubacher, M.Div., an bg真人 board member from Vineland, Ontario, Canada; Myrna Miller Dyck, M.Div., a Mennonite Church Canada representative from Baden, Ontario, Canada; Marlene Kropf, D.Min., an MEA board member from Port Townsend, Washington; Jewel Gingerich Longenecker, Ph.D., bg真人 dean of lifelong learning; Jamie Pitts, Ph.D., bg真人 associate professor of Anabaptist studies; Carlos Romero, M.B.A., executive director of MEA (ex officio); Marisa Smucker, an bg真人 student from Elkhart, Indiana; and Patrick Vendrely, M.S.A., vice chair of the bg真人 board from Goshen, Indiana. MEA also provided support services for the committee’s work.

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