Winter 2005 Rapport: AGTS News

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AGTS Welcomes Johan Mostert to Faculty

AGTS is pleased to announce Dr. Johan Mostert has joined the faculty as associate professor of community psychology. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Mostert came to the United States to earn a B.S. in psychology and classical languages at Bethany College, Santa Cruz, California (1972). Upon returning to South Africa, he earned a D.Phil. at the University of Pretoria (1992). His thesis explored the psychodynamics of pastoral ministry. Mostert is a registered psychologist and social worker.

In South Africa, Mostert pastored several churches and was involved in both faith-based and government welfare organizations. He served as a pastoral counselor for 200 abused and abandoned children at a children’s village in Johannesburg and was an ordained minister with the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, the largest Pentecostal church in southern Africa.

Mostert helped establish the National Welfare Forum in South Africa, which brought together thousands of government and non-government organizations (NGOs). The forum played an important role throughout South Africa’s recent transition to democracy by giving voice to the many non-white NGOs.

“A professor doesn’t get to come here unless he or she is the best available person in the world,” said Dr. Joseph Castleberry, academic dean. “God and the Church deserve nothing less. In Dr. Mostert, we found a world-class leader whose educational credentials are exceeded only by his excellence in ministerial practice. He is considered a leading global authority on what may be the gravest issue facing the human race—the international AIDS crisis. Not only will he teach students what they need to know, Dr. Mostert will also model what they can become—godly, well-trained agents of healing in a sin-infested, broken world.”

AGTS Experiences “Day of Renewal”

The AGTS community set aside September 16, 2004, as a day to seek God. “We are hungry for him and desire to be used in ways that conform to his will,” said President Byron D. Klaus. “As disciples of Christ, we are accustomed to living our daily lives dedicated to him, but in the midst of all the work, sometimes we forget to give him space. During our Day of Renewal, we fasted from work and classes, purposefully setting our hearts, minds and bodies on a path to seek him during three services, which focused solely on worship, preaching and prayer.”

Dr. Jim Bradford, pastor of Central A/G, Springfield, Mo., was the guest speaker. Trained as an aerospace engineer (Ph.D., University of Minnesota), Jim’s ambition was to serve God as a dedicated layperson. A small Bible study he led grew into a large campus ministry and eventually Christians in Action University Church. Jim pastored in California and Canada before coming to Central A/G in 2003.

FasTrak: The Pre-Doctoral Experience at AGTS

Students with an M.A. now can earn academic eligibility for the D.Min. degree in half the time. Through the FasTrak program, students may choose to take AGTS courses for six credits, potentially reducing their study time to two years or less. A broad range of courses, designed to provide excellent preparation for a successful D.Min. experience, are offered at campuses around the country.

• Speed—double the credits, half the time
• Custom Fit—courses that suit your interests (three- or six-credit options)
• Scheduling Flexibility—a year-round schedule to fit your calendar
• Convenience—locations near you
• Less Travel—doubling credits reduces the amount of travel required

For more information, contact the D.Min. Office at AGTS (417-268-1000,dmin@agts.edu) or visit www.agts.edu/fastrak.

Evolving to Serve You Better

Dorothea Lotter

Because of the success of the M.A.T.S. degree completion program and the need for continual growth in the area of institutional relations, Dorothea Lotter has been appointed director of the M.A.T.S. degree completion program and institutional relations.

After 32 years of vital service to AGTS (16 years as director of admissions, records and financial aid), Lotter will be free to develop the degree completion program further. She also will prepare grant proposals for the program and other seminary projects.

Mario Guerreiro

Beginning in 2005, Dr. Paul Martinez, director of development, and Lotter will work together in continuing to buildmeaningful relationships with alumni.Along with his responsibilities for recruitment, marketing and financial aid, Dr. Mario Guerreiro, director of enrollment management, has assumed the supervision of the admissions process.

Historic Symposium on Apostolic Ministry

Right to left: Dr. Gary B. McGee, Dr. Stanley Horton (renowned A/G scholar), Dr. William Menzies and Dr. Vinson Synan.

Three eminent church historians came together at AGTS to lead the Symposium on Apostolic Ministry in the Pentecostal/Charismatic Tradition, September 27-29, 2004. The event was designed to shed light on the current theological controversy over apostles and prophets by exploring the gift of apostleship through the lens of church history, the testimony of the New Testament and the Pentecostal missionary enterprise.

Speakers included Dr. Vinson Synan, dean of Regent University School of Divinity; Dr. William Menzies, chancellor of Asia Pacific Theological Seminary; and Dr. Gary B. McGee, professor of Church history and Pentecostal studies at AGTS.

Synan and Menzies were the founders of the Society of Pentecostal Studies and, along with McGee, have been leaders in the development of Pentecostal scholarship. “AGTS is honored to have had three scholars of this caliber address this timely issue in our community,” said symposium coordinator Dr. Randy Walls, AGTS director of continuing education.

AGTS Launches Online Encounter Journal

AGTS launched its exclusively online Encounter: Journal for Pentecostal Ministry in August 2004. Below is an excerpt from “The Deaf and the Initial Physical Evidence,” an article by Dr. Cheryl Taylor, AGTS D.Min. advisor and adjunct professor, that appears in the Summer 2004 issue.

Throughout various parts of the United States and the world, deaf people are reporting speaking in unknown signed tongues. Are these experiences legitimate? Is speaking in an unknown signed tongue equivalent to speaking in an unknown audible tongue? Can this experience be accepted as the initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit? What is the biblical understanding of this experience? The article provides an examination, with helpful guidance for pastors, of the ways in which deaf persons may give initial expression to Spirit-baptism. For this and other practical articles and book reviews, visit www.encounterjournal.com.

Updated: Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:06 PM