Candidate of choice for bg真人 president announced
Published: June 10, 2019
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (bg真人) faculty, staff and students gathered for an all-campus meeting on June 10 to hear the bg真人 Presidential Search Committee’s announcement of David W. Boshart, Ph.D., of Wellman, Iowa, as the candidate of choice for the next president of the seminary.
On June 17 and 18, Boshart will visit the bg真人 campus to participate in meetings with faculty, staff, students and administration. The search committee will review feedback received during the visit and present a final recommendation to the bg真人 Board of Directors by the end of June.
“David’s extensive leadership experience in the Church will serve him and bg真人 very well,” said Miriam Book of Lititz, Pennsylvania, search committee chair and a member of the bg真人 board. “His roles as pastor, teacher, and conference and denominational leader have uniquely prepared him for leading the seminary at this time. He is a warm conversationalist and storyteller who will collaboratively lead the seminary in living out its mission and values in the church and world.”
Since 2010, Boshart has served as executive conference minister for (CPMC) of . He also is appointed associate professor in the School of Education at in Berrien Springs, Michigan, where he teaches courses in leadership studies. Prior to his work with CPMC, he served as a pastor for more than 25 years in Mennonite congregations in Iowa and Virginia. He is currently moderator of Mennonite Church USA (2017–19), having served on the denomination’s since 2007 and on the board’s Executive Committee since 2008.
“After 33 years in church leadership, my sense of call is shifting to nurturing the next generation of leaders,” said Boshart. “I am deeply humbled to be invited by the bg真人 board to be the candidate of choice for president.”
In April, Boshart was appointed by the bg真人 board to serve as assistant professor of missional leadership and pastoral care, beginning in the 2019–20 academic year. If he is confirmed as president, bg真人 will conduct a new search for the faculty position.
“My candidacy for the role of professor earlier this year gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with the faculty and students firsthand,” he said. “I was deeply impressed by the faculty’s commitment to the seminary’s mission of serving the church, and the students exude an earnest desire to grow in their sense of God’s call in their lives.”
“Dr. Boshart brings transformational thinking during a time when theological education is undergoing major shifts,” said David Brubacher of Vineland, Ontario, Canada, a member of both the bg真人 board and the search committee. “We are grateful that he has a deep understanding of the shifts in both the church and theological education.”
Boshart earned a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with an emphasis in Missional Theology from the School of Education at Andrews University; a Master of Arts in Religion with a major in New Testament Theology from ; and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Theology from (now University), both in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
An active scholar, he has contributed to more than 15 peer-reviewed publications, policy documents and book reviews. His doctoral dissertation was published as (Wipf and Stock, 2010).
“On behalf of the board, we are greatly appreciative of the work of the Presidential Search Committee and are thrilled to move to the next phase of the process with Dr. David Boshart as our candidate of choice,” said Bruce Baergen of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, bg真人 board chair. “Dr. Boshart is deeply rooted in Anabaptist faith, and we are pleased he has answered the call to engage with the bg真人 campus community.”
The search committee includes bg真人 board members, teaching and administrative faculty members, and a student, as well as (MEA) board members and a representative from Mennonite Church Canada, which owns the seminary jointly with . MEA has also provided support services for the committee’s work. The committee has been seeking a successor to Sara Wenger Shenk, Ed.D., who has served as president since the fall of 2010 and will retire on June 30.
“The bg真人 Presidential Search Committee has followed a thoughtful process,” said Carlos Romero, MEA executive director. “The committee remains grateful for the quality of candidates interested in serving as bg真人 president, and we wait with eager anticipation for the successful completion of the process leading to the next president of bg真人.”
The search process began in December 2018. The search committee collected input from the campus community, alumni and the broader church to create bg真人’s presidential profile.
“I am excited for the opportunity to steward the mission of the seminary as a broadcaster of theological and leadership education, serving the church in all expressions and in every place,” Boshart said.
See also the bg真人 Presidential Search webpage.
To communicate with the Presidential Search Committee, email bg真人PresSearch@mennoniteeducation.org.
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