Regent
has provided the ideal setting for me to bring together several
different strands of my life. I have always had a passion
for learning how things work and why things are the way they
are. This led me to a fascination with science. I obtained
a number of the science merit badges as a Boy Scout, joined
an astronomy club at a local University, and was tasked with
doing science demonstrations at elementary schools as a high
school science assistant. During this early part of my life,
I seemed bent on pursuing a career in the natural sciences.
I entered high school during the Vietnam War as the cultural
idealism and turmoil of the 60's were giving way to the self-obsessive
diversions of the 70's. Those times marked me. While I retained
my fascination with science, I found myself increasingly
preoccupied by questions about the meaning of life. The spiritual
training I had received in my liberal protestant church had
effectively instilled in me a hunger for spiritual things.
However, it provided little guidance on how to fill that
spiritual longing. God brought a number of Christians my
way that provided me with a clear presentation of the Gospel
and I became a Christian in the summer of my 16 th year.
My early Christian discipleship was nurtured by influences
from the Jesus Movement and a number of evangelical and charismatic
college ministries.
My new Christian faith led to a desire to find a career
in which I could reach out to others with the redeeming love
of Jesus Christ. God continued to stimulate my intellectual
curiosity. I entered a Christian liberal arts college, Taylor
University , to pursue studies in philosophy of religion
and psychology. Taylor gave me a solid foundation in Christian
worldview training and led me to appreciate the importance
of a Christian higher education. I then choose to pursue
my masters in philosophy at Bowling Green State University
. I went to BGSU because they had started an innovative program
in 'applied philosophy', the first of its kind. My faith
met numerous challenges in my studies in this secular philosophy
program. For instance, I had the opportunity to complete
a readings course in the philosophy of religion with Antony
Flew, one of the 20 th century's most prominent atheist philosophers.
During these years, I found that end of honest and prayerful
intellectual search was always a deepening affirmation of
my faith. I was also fortunate during these years to work
with the renown psychologist of religion, Ken Pargament,
who was member of BGSU psychology faculty. Ken's work on
religious coping demonstrated how meaningful aspects of faith
could be rigorously investigated in ways that remain respectful
to that faith. I remained at BGSU, completing doctorate in
clinical psychology. Although I did not know what shape my
final career would take, I felt led by God to pursue my multidisciplinary
studies in psychology, philosophy, and religion. Not wanting
a merely academic faith, I sought out various opportunities
for to being involved in ministry during these years, finding
service as a youth minister, Christian educator, and a founding
leader in a college ministry.
My clinical training was fleshed out during seven years
as an Air Force psychologist. My professional experiences
treating military members and their dependents during the
Gulf War and the period following this in the 90's, gave
me an appreciation for the practical value of psychology
in helping people effectively cope with life's demands. I
found I had a particular knack for working with certain types
of childhood problems. So I choose to leave active duty to
complete a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical child psychology
with Russell Barkley at the University of Massachusetts Medical
Center AD/HD clinic, the leading research clinic for the
ADHD. During my time as an Air Force clinician, I had instructed
numerous philosophy and psychology courses on military campuses
as an adjunct. I felt drawn to simultaneously to clinical
work, academic roles, and ministry. I was looking for a way
to serve God in these varied roles.
It was not long before God provided direction. As I was
finishing my fellowship, a faculty position opened at Regent
University in a new Christian psychology program. This seemed
like an ideal fit. I would be able to function as an academician
in a clinically focused program that was dedicated to Christian
higher education. The emphasis in renewal theology at Regent
University also fit my personal faith background. Although
I did not envision being in this specific vocational setting
when I left home as a teenager to embark on my college training,
it now seems that God has orchestrated my life journey to
prepare me for just this sort of role. I feel humbled to
be a part of the team that God has called together at Regent
to train future psychologists. At Regent, I find that I am
able to 'indulge' my curiosity about God's world through
research programs focusing on the clinical psychology of
religion, philosophy of psychology, and clinical issues in
children. It has been an ideal community of Christian scholars
in which I can continue to pursue my passion for lifelong
learning and Christian service. |
