Posted by Mary Wimberley on 2009-04-23

LifeWay Research president Ed Stetzer has been honored as 2009 Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) alumnus of the year by Samford University's Beeson Divinity School.

Stetzer, who is also missiologist for LifeWay Christian Resources, received a D.Min. degree from Beeson in 1998.

Stetzer has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania and Georgia, transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia, and trained pastors and church planters on five continents.

He is the author or co-author of eight books on missions and church planting, including Comeback Churches and 11 Innovations in the Local Church. 

Stetzer was presented the Beeson award during the divinity school's April 14 chapel service. While on campus, he spoke to three ministry leadership development classes.

Beeson, founded in 1988, offers Master of Divinity and Master of Theological Studies degree programs in addition to the D.Min. degree.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.