“The professors reminded me that I must have an open mind, and I do not know everything. They, in many ways, have strengthened my faith in Christ. They have opened up my mind to a broader understanding of both the scriptures and God. They have challenged my beliefs, and in doing so, have made me a stronger believer. They have given me the tools to study, teach, and live out the scriptures.”

Cedric Starr of Shelby, N.C., came to �۶�ֱ�� University ready to experience academic and spiritual growth. “I wanted to more fully understand the sacred scriptures in order to better myself as a Christian and as a member of the community of faith,” Starr elaborated.

After earning his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and theology with a minor in classical languages from �۶�ֱ�� in 2012, he entered the GWU School of Divinity to prepare for the ministry. “I have always had a passion for theology and philosophy, because I love searching for the truth,” affirmed Starr, who received his Master of Divinity in pastoral studies in 2017. “Before I became a Christian I had a strong desire to understand the Bible and the truths about life itself. Old and New Testament fascinated me since I was a child. Now, I want to teach the next generation what it means to be a Christian, even though I know that I will also continue to learn as I dive deeper into the scriptures.”

He is grateful to the professors in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy who didn’t just give him answers, but kept asking questions. “The professors reminded me that I must have an open mind, and I do not know everything,” he concluded. “They, in many ways, have strengthened my faith in Christ. They have opened up my mind to a broader understanding of both the scriptures and God. They have challenged my beliefs, and in doing so, have made me a stronger believer. They have given me the tools to study, teach, and live out the scriptures.”

The professors who guided his educational journey were Dr. Paula Qualls, Dr. Don Berry, professor emeritus Dr. Ron Williams, Dr. Kent Blevins, Dr. Eddie Stepp and Dr. Perry Hildreth. “They were great mentors and have been there for me when I needed them the most,” Starr assessed. “Above all, Dr. Qualls has been the most influential during my entire �۶�ֱ�� career and still is today. I am so blessed to know such an amazing spirit-led woman. She has become like my second mother.”

The opportunity to participate in student ministry groups also helped him grow in his faith and gain confidence in his leadership abilities. He attended the student-led worship service and served on a FOCUS team, a group of students who are involved in leading youth retreats locally and regionally. “Many of the people who come to �۶�ֱ�� hold a strong passion for God and many of those people are close friends of mine,” Starr shared. “�۶�ֱ�� is an institution of learning that prides itself on its passion in serving God and students. The faculty and staff of �۶�ֱ�� are people who want to be there for the students and help them as much as possible. �۶�ֱ�� is a school for those who truly want to serve others.”

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�۶�ֱ�� School of Divinity Equips Grad to Serve People in His Hometown

“Professors in the School of Divinity train individuals to attempt to see God in everything we do. I value my education, and I value the community togetherness. I am thankful that I was able to establish meaningful relationships with professors and fellow students. I see myself serving in ministry wherever God places me. I am excited to see what God has in store.”

In 2007, basketball standout Chris Gash graduated from �۶�ֱ�� University with a degree in psychology. A leader on the court and a role model for his teammates, he headed to Orange, Calif., for a coaching job. A year later, however, his convictions brought him home to Kingstown, N.C.

“I felt the call to preach when I was 17. I moved back to be closer to family and to serve my community,” Gash affirmed. “I do not believe in individual success. Anyone, who has been, is now, or will be successful, does so because of the help of others. Kingstown sowed enormously into me. It was only right that I went back to say thanks through my services. I am grateful for many of the citizens in that great town for their loving support and the structure they provided in my life.”

Choosing to enroll in the GWU School of Divinity was a “no-brainer,” he assessed. “When I was at �۶�ֱ�� for my undergraduate degree, my youth pastor was enrolled in the divinity program, and my pastor had just finished up. I would hear them speak highly of the program during church services.”

Gash serves as pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Spindale, N.C., and also works as community coordinator for Cleveland County Schools. He felt his studies would help in all areas of his life. “I knew I needed to make sure I was properly educated,” offered Gash, who completed his Master of Divinity degree in 2016. “The divinity school offered a concentration in pastoral care and counseling. I felt that gaining additional biblical, theological, and historical knowledge would be a great asset. In addition, having the opportunity to go further in depth with my studies concerning relational skills would help in ministry.”

Through his classes, he learned how to help people in crisis situations. “Many times when emergencies take place we are limited as to what we can do,” he explained. “School has taught me meaningful information on how to aid individuals who experience a crisis. In addition, I have learned not to be so judgmental of individuals and their situations. I believe we as a human race are so quick to stereotype and force our beliefs on others. God is bigger than our beliefs, bank accounts, influence, education, and family ties. We are of equal importance in God’s eyes.”

Gash also had an opportunity to explore different cultures when he took an intercultural studies class that included traveling to eight countries in Southeast Asia. “I think it is important to understand that even in all of the differences we have as a human race, we are equally similar,” he asserted. “The trip allowed me to see different forms and styles of politics, religion, and social dynamics.”

While completing his studies in the School of Divinity, Gash worked and served in a variety of capacities—foster care worker, youth pastor, assistant pastor, coach, and town councilman. He is also a husband and a father of two.

“My classes have empowered me in every field,” he affirmed. “Professors in the School of Divinity train individuals to attempt to see God in everything we do. I value my education, and I value the community togetherness. I am thankful that I was able to establish meaningful relationships with professors and fellow students. I see myself serving in ministry wherever God places me. I am excited to see what God has in store.”

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Alumna helps children and families deepen their relationship with God

“I appreciated the way in which the professors made us think for ourselves. We were expected to think and question and figure out what we thought and believed.”

Allison Benfield, a 2014 alumna of �۶�ֱ�� University, inspires young and old to hear and explore the stories in the Bible. “I want to help children—and grown-ups—deepen their relationship with God by learning and wondering about God’s story,” shares Benfield, who serves as Minister with Children and Their Families at St. John’s Baptist Church (Charlotte, N.C.) “Stories meet us where we are, and let us take what we need from them at that moment—this is especially true of God’s story. I hope everyone with whom I minister knows that God made them. God always loves them. God loves everyone, and God wants us to love everyone, too.”

Many times when she engages with children, she is amazed by their insight. “The thing I love most about being a minister with children is how we end up teaching each other when we are wondering about the stories we find in the Bible,” Benfield observed. “Any amount of time you spend working with children and being open to God’s Spirit among you, the experience will quickly teach you that you learn just as much from them as they do from you.”

Benfield began working with children in church when she was in middle school and realized her calling to ministry during college. She wanted to be equipped to serve and chose to pursue her Master of Divinity in Christian Education at �۶�ֱ��. “I’ve encountered so many people who have had deeply hurtful experiences as young people in the church, and I want to do everything I can to make sure that children are taught well and loved well in the church so that they don’t walk away because they’ve been hurt so badly,” Benfield asserted. “So, I decided I needed to attend divinity school to make sure I had all the tools I needed to be a good and responsible minister.”

She appreciated and learned important ideas from all of her professors, but two became mentors. She and her adviser, Dr. Sophia Steibel, talked many hours about coursework, ministry and life, and have stayed in touch. Dr. Cal Robertson, who taught Hebrew and Old Testament, instilled in her a love for studying the language. She spent a lot of time discussing with him the passages she chose to analyze.

Because spiritual formation is so important, Benfield writes the children’s Sunday school curriculum for her church and works to equip parents and families to help shape their children’s faith at home. She also helps write an arts-based curriculum for Vacation Bible School, which her church hosts with an Episcopal church in the neighborhood.

Her experiences in divinity school prepared her to write curricula and be an effective minister. “I appreciated the way in which the professors made us think for ourselves,” Benfield explained. “It wasn’t a system of indoctrination, where we were told what we needed to think about certain topics, but rather, we were expected to think and question and figure out what we thought and believed. The professors provide you with such good care and support as you wrestle with big questions and ideas. I think having to do all this reflection has made me a better and more articulate minister than I would have been otherwise.”

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Divinity student values supportive GWU faculty and staff

“My professors were all wonderful, each brought something unique and important to my experience and education. They knew more than just my name. They knew me as a person. They were invested in me as a person. There were many excellent teachers, encouragers, mentors, and on some level, even friends. That community and atmosphere is why I decided to stay at �۶�ֱ�� for graduate school.”

Two weeks after graduating from the School of Divinity at �۶�ֱ�� University, Chase Robinson (’16) accepted the call to pastor Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Shelby, N.C. He transitioned to the role after serving as the church’s youth and children’s minister for three years.

“I love being with people and building meaningful relationships,” reflected Robinson, who earned a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies. “My job gives me great opportunities to do so.”

Originally from Vale, N.C., Robinson also completed his undergraduate studies at �۶�ֱ��, having earned a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies with a minor in missions. When he came to the University he knew he was called to do ministry, but was leaning toward missions. “That slowly changed as I started to work for a couple of local churches,” he shared. “First was New Bethel Baptist in Lawndale, N.C., and then Sandy Plains Baptist. During that time I fell in love with the local church and local church ministry. I still have a heart for missions, but right now my mission field is just a little closer to home than I thought I would be when I started at �۶�ֱ��.”

Not only did Robinson discover where God was leading, he was also introduced to a young woman who shared his passion for ministry. During his sophomore year, he met his wife, Mindy, while serving in FOCUS, a campus ministry involving teams of students who lead youth retreats locally and regionally. “Mindy was my FOCUS leader our sophomore year,” Robinson recalled. “The next year we were co-leaders. Before we dated, we were blessed with the opportunity to grow as friends and also to lead in a ministry together. It’s amazing to think that my partner in that ministry became my partner in life. And she is just that. She supports me, encourages me, and is one of the only people willing to lovingly tell me when she thinks I’m headed down the wrong road.”

Robinson chose to continue his studies at GWU School of Divinity because of his experience with the faculty and staff. “My professors were all wonderful, each brought something unique and important to my experience and education,” he affirmed. “They knew more than just my name. They knew me as a person. They were invested in me as a person. There were many excellent teachers, encouragers, mentors, and on some level, even friends. That community and atmosphere is why I decided to stay at �۶�ֱ�� for graduate school.”

Divinity school helped him examine his beliefs and become grounded in his faith. “Dr. Danny West (professor of preaching and pastoral studies) gave the analogy of a suitcase my first semester of divinity school,” Robinson related. “He said that we all had a theological suitcase. He claimed that he and the rest of the faculty intended on taking that suitcase and dumping the contents on the table, giving us the challenging but extremely rewarding opportunity to pick up each piece and decide what goes back in and what doesn’t. School was that process for me. The classroom has given me a language to communicate my faith and a confidence to share it with others.”

His divinity school experience also helped him make the transition from youth pastor to pastor. “The classes and material we covered helped in a very real way, but I think even more than that, the community helped me,” he assessed. “I was blessed to have Dr. Robert Canoy (School of Divinity dean) as our interim pastor during the transition. His guidance was invaluable. Other professors encouraged me, answered my questions, and gave me much needed advice and direction. Most of all, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can continue to come to them for direction and encouragement for years to come.”

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�۶�ֱ�� Alumna invites people to open their hearts to God’s voice

“Our classes included not only the academic approach to the Bible, research, and current church context, but also the implementation. The professors had already experienced some of the tough conversations and situations that I was encountering as I served in ministry.”

Graduates of the School of Divinity at �۶�ֱ�� University leave knowing their professors or classmates will keep in touch. “Any time I email or call a fellow student or professor to ask for advice or find a good resource for something I am a preaching and teaching, they will respond,” affirmed Merianna Neely Harrelson, who earned her Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies in 2014.

Harrelson is a bi-vocational pastor of a small congregation in Columbia, S.C. She is also editor-in-chief of Harrelson Press, an independent publishing house, and runs a ministry with her husband that connects neighbors in need to resources in the community.

She left a teaching career to answer God’s call to pastoral ministry. She faced opposition from people who didn’t believe women could serve as pastors. “It was a difficult decision to make the switch from full-time teacher to full-time student,” Harrelson offered. “My call was so clear I just couldn’t run from answering it any longer. I knew that if I was called to lead and guide God’s people, I needed to study as much as I could in an environment that challenged my understandings and interpretations of the Bible.”

The faculty at �۶�ֱ�� offered practical insight from their own involvement in churches and parish ministry. “Our classes included not only the academic approach to the Bible, research, and current church context, but also the implementation,” Harrelson related. “The professors had already experienced some of the tough conversations and situations that I was encountering as I served in ministry. They knew the challenges to making what we were learning relevant in the church contexts. This was invaluable, because as I graduated, my professors were also my colleagues in ministry.”

Some of her favorite professors and classes were Dr. Danny West’s Preaching Practicum, which provided opportunities to preach and receive feedback. Dr. Sheri Adams’ class on The Cross helped her realize how the New Testament writers struggled to put into words the meaning of the miraculous, mysterious act of sacrifice. “After studying all of the mentions of the cross, perhaps I understood most importantly that there really are no words to describe God sending His son in human form,” Harrelson shared.

Dr. Jim McConnell’s New Testament courses introduced her to the concept that the writers of the gospels and the New Testament were coming from a certain time and place. “Just like we as preachers and teachers are inevitably tied to our contexts,” she noted. “Examining and discovering the rich diversity that exists in the New Testament is something I try to remind my parishioners of as we study the New Testament texts.”

Harrelson also hopes to consistently invite people to open their eyes and hearts to the way God speaks today. “It is often quite difficult to find hope and to find God in the midst of our current context,” she observed, “but there are whispers of the divine all around us if we will but open our ears to hear.”

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“Our classes at GWU turned the focus to how whatever we were learning matters for the church today. Because of that focus from professors, I was able to develop that skill myself and continue to steer all that I do toward the practical.”

When Andrew Corley ’16 answered God’s call to be a minister, he also sensed a responsibility to learn and develop his calling. While serving as a youth minister, he chose to attend the School of Divinity at �۶�ֱ�� University. “I felt like having a degree would open up more opportunities in ministry, particularly as I got older,” he offered. “Also, I love learning and I believe that knowledge and training is important. Passion is great, calling is great, but I wouldn’t go to a doctor who loved medicine and felt called to it but didn’t go to medical school. I felt like as a minister, I owed people that same commitment to training and preparation.”

A native of Laurens, S.C., Corley serves as pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Grover, N.C. “My church is made up of great people who are seeking to know and serve God better,” Corley described. “They’re kind and welcoming and forgiving of a young pastor who is still figuring things out. My ministry is serving them as best I can.”

One important aspect of his �۶�ֱ�� education came from his classmates, who were a broad spectrum of age, race, gender, theological background and future goals. “What I continue to value from my �۶�ֱ�� experience was the diversity of the student body,” Corley related. “Working in church means being able to interact with folks from different backgrounds, different perspectives, and who bring different experiences and realities into anything that comes up. Classes at GWU rarely contained a homogenous group, and I was stretched and challenged and shown different perspectives because of that.”

Besides learning from each other, Corley and his classmates received valuable insight from the professors in the School of Divinity. “In classes at �۶�ֱ��, the focus was always turned back to the local church,” Corley noted. “I love trivia; I love knowledge just for the sake of knowledge, but my church doesn’t need me to tell them all the things I find interesting about a text. They need me to tell them why something written thousands of years ago should still hold their attention and impact their lives. Our classes at GWU turned the focus to how whatever we were learning matters for the church today. Because of that focus from professors, I was able to develop that skill myself and continue to steer all that I do toward the practical. I can honestly say I enjoyed all my classes at �۶�ֱ�� and gained something from each of them that I continue to use in my ministry.”

While all of his professors provided important guidance, he was especially grateful for the influence of Dr. Danny West, Dr. Cal Robertson, Dr. Steven Harmon, Dr. Terry Casino and Dr. Sheri Adams. He served as youth minister at a church where West served as interim, and Robertson is the minister of music at Corley’s church. “Knowing Dr. West and Dr. Robertson in a context outside of the classroom has made me strive to be better, because I know they’re there,” Corley affirmed. “Dr. Harmon challenged me to think about theology in practical terms and not just the abstract. Dr. Adams showed the importance of thinking about the big picture of church history and a church’s history instead of just focusing on the here and now. Dr. Casino made me think about the world outside of my personal context and globalize my ideas about missions and evangelism. Also, Dr. West’s preaching practicum had the most direct impact on my ministry, because I learned how to plan out a sermon schedule and develop my voice.”

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“Every professor I had, every class I took, every moment spent at �۶�ֱ�� was meaningful, and I wouldn’t trade one part of it for an experience anywhere else.”

As pastor of First Baptist Church of Morehead, Ky., Alex Lockridge (’10) strives to guide people to fully become who God created them to be. His role models are professors in the �۶�ֱ�� University School of Divinity who helped him discern his call into ministry.

Integral to his growth process was learning how to be spiritually flexible. “I came into the School of Divinity with a brick wall theology, and it did not leave any room for those with whom I disagreed,” shared Lockridge, who earned a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies.

The late Dr. Dan Goodman, associate professor of New Testament, confronted Lockridge about his poor attitude. “Being six hours away from my fiancé and being a judgmental know-it-all was not a good recipe for divinity school,” Lockridge reflected. “I struggled to make friends and I struggled to enjoy the classroom. One day, in my second semester, Dr. Goodman, who was also my adviser, pulled me into his office and said, ‘Alex, you look like you don’t want to be here.’ We had a heart-to-heart, and I realized that my theological stubbornness was preventing me from experiencing what God had for me at GWU. We had other talks throughout my time there, and they all helped to transform my experience into one of the best of my life.”

Goodman and other professors gave Lockridge the tools he needed to shepherd a congregation. “Every professor I had, every class I took, every moment spent at �۶�ֱ�� was meaningful, and I wouldn’t trade one part of it for an experience anywhere else,” Lockridge asserted.

Among those who influenced him greatly were Dr. Danny West, who taught preaching techniques, and Dr. Cal Robertson who ignited a passion for the Hebrew language. Dr. Sheri Adams explained racial justice, and Dr. Doug Dickens shared about grief and counseling. Dr. Robert Canoy expounded on the book of Revelation and showed students there was nothing to fear within its chapters.

While professors guided students’ learning, relationships with classmates enriched the experience. “Our lounge was a true home for fellowship every time I stepped foot into it,” Lockridge observed. “I learned to respect my fellow knowledge-seekers, because we were all on the same path. I can’t imagine the experience I had without the people I had it with.”

Above all, �۶�ֱ�� divinity school is a family. “They will love you the way a family should; encourage you when you need it; call you out, lovingly, when you need it; and push you beyond your perceived limits,” Lockridge affirmed. “They will be there for you in ways you cannot appreciate until after you have graduated and moved on. You are going to realize God is much bigger than you ever thought God could be. When your days are finished at �۶�ֱ��, you will look at the world and at ministry knowing you are ready.”

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