• Academics

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  • Bob Whitesel

    Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Missional Leadership 

    Ministerial and professional Background 

    Bob Whitesel (D.Min., Ph.D.) is a speaker, award-winning writer and popular professor on organic outreach, church management and church growth; who has been called by a national magazine: “the key spokesperson on change theory in the church today.” He serves as Professor of Christian Ministry and Missional Leadership for Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University. He holds two earned doctorates (D.Min. and Ph.D.) from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the 2007 recipient of the prestigious “Donald McGavran Award for Outstanding Leadership in Church Growth” and currently serves as president of the Great Commission Research Network (www.GreatCommissionResearch.net) as well as a board member for The Society of Church Consulting (www.ChurchConsultation.org).

    His eleven books include: Preparing for Change Reaction, How To Introduce Change In Your Church (2008), co-winner of the 2008 Resource of the Year in Leadership Award by Outreach Magazine, and Inside the Organic Church, Learning from 12 Emerging Congregations (2006) Outreach Magazine’s 2007 finalist for Resource of the Year in Postmodern Outreach. His latest books include two companion volumes: Waypoint: Navigating Your Spiritual Journey (2010) and Spiritual Waypoints: Helping Others Navigate the Journey (2010). The latter book includes personal interviews he conducted with national leaders on their spiritual transformation, including Tony Campolo, Shane Claiborne, Dan Kimball, Sally Morgenthaler, Len Sweet and 11 more. This book was runner-up for Outreach Magazine’s 2011 Resource of the Year in Evangelism.

    His most recent book, ORGANIX: Signs of Leadership in a Changing Church was called by Scott Thumma of Hartford Institute for Religion Research "a wake-up call and transformational challenge for all those clergy still embracing a 'modern' approach to congregational leadership. Whitesel offers an insightful and well-researched recipe for the cultivation of authentic, organic leadership for this new reality." He recently completed a second doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary (Ph.D.) in postmodern outreach and church change.

    Awards and Honors 

    Donald MCGavran Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Church Growth – Fuller Theological Seminary

    Personal Information 

    Dr. Whitesel has been married to his college sweetheart since 1974 and together they are the parents of four daughters. Never one to be inactive, Dr. Whitesel is a professional ski instructor, a mountain bike enthusiast and an avid surfer.

    Education 

    B.S., Psychology, Purdue University
    M. Div., Fuller Theological Seminary,
    D.Min., Church Growth, Fuller Theological Seminary
    Ph.D., Church Change & Growth, Fuller Theological Seminary

    Publications 

    He is the author of eleven books, including an award-winning series on evangelism titled, Spiritual Waypoints: Helping Other Navigate the Journey (2010). His recent leadership books include ORGANIX: Signs of Leadership in a Changing Church (2011) which describes emerging leadership changes and The Cure for the Common Church: Prescriptions for Church Renewal And Growth (2012).

    • Petersen, B. L., Thomas, E. A., & Whitesel, B. (2010). Foundations of church administration: Professional tools for church leadership. Kansas City, Mo: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City.
    • Whitesel, B. (2003). Staying power: Why people leave the church over change (and what you can do about it!). Nashville: Abingdon Press.
    • Whitesel, B., & Hunter, K. R. (2000). A house divided: Bridging the generation gaps in your church. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
    • Whitesel, B. (2011). Organix: Signs of leadership in a changing church. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
    • Whitesel, B. (2010). Waypoint: Navigating your spiritual journey. Indianapolis, Ind: Wesleyan Pub. House.
    • Whitesel, B. (2007). Preparing for change reaction: How to introduce change to your church. Indianapolis, Ind: Wesleyan Pub. House.
    • Whitesel, B. (2010). Spiritual waypoints: Helping others navigate the journey. Indianapolis, Ind: Wesleyan Pub. House.
    • Whitesel, B. (2004). Growth by accident, death by planning: How not to kill a growing congregation. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
    • Whitesel, B. (2006). Inside the organic church: Learning from 12 emerging congregations. Nashville: Abingdon Press.