Fuller Forward!

(Fuller Board Members in meeting)

 I’m in Pasadena, CA today. “Fuller Forward” is the new rallying cry of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, on whose Board of Trustees i sit. We meet for 3 days, 3 times a year.

It’s stimulating to be on such a great Board of one of the largest, cutting-edge seminaries in the world. With its teaching and its alumni, Fuller touches more than 100 different denominations in 70 countries.

There are 35 Trustees on Board, including pastor/author John Ortberg, Christianity Today Editor Andy Crouch, college Presidents Gaylen Byker (Calvin College), Shirley Mullen (Houghton College), Nathan Hatch (Wake Forest University), various business people, pastors and sex therapist Dr. Cliff Penner (I told you it’s a cool Board! When the meeting gets boring, I just talk to Cliff.) In fact, there are 4 therapists on the Board, so our meetings are always quite civil, affirming and therapeutic! A diverse group like this alerts Fuller to what really helps families and churches.

Dr. Billy Graham was one of Fuller’s original Trustees when Charles E. Fuller founded the seminary in 1947.

The Board’s responsibilities are heavy. It oversees the education of 4,000 students and is strategically positioned to train leaders all over the world.

I have two degrees from Fuller. Most of my pastoral staff at First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu have Fuller degrees as well. And so do nationally-known pastors Rob Bell, Rick Warren and John Piper. Hawaii pastors with Fuller degrees include Waxer Tipton (Calvary Chapel), Guy Higashi (Foursquare), and James Marocco and George Nagato (Assembly of God). Many others are working on finishing their Fuller degrees like Elwin Ahu, Aaron Cordeiro and Gary Langley.

Even Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie took one class (on Dietrich Bonhoeffer) from Fuller, so I guess that makes him an alumnus, too.

There are lots of great technological & curriculum changes for the future to train even more people at Fuller. It’s an exciting time indeed as we cry out, “Fuller Forward!”

Fuller Library

 

Dan and Cliff Penner 

 

Dan and John Ortberg 

 

Fuller mall