James M. Henderson, Ph.D.

Bio

Dr. James Henderson grew up in Ventura, a beach town in California. He became a Christ-follower at age 21 during the Jesus movement and has been a servant of Jesus Christ for 45 years. He has served as a pastor on the island of Okinawa, and as a pastor and church-planter on both the East and West coasts of the United States. He has taught theology, Church history, and Bible at the college level for 33 years.

Henderson’s major interests include making healthy Christian thinking accessible to churched and unchurched people, whether Modern, Postmodern or Neo-Pagan. He is passionate about the Bible and about theology, especially as it translates into discipleship, spirituality, and wisdom for human life and relationships.

“I believe that teaching must be transformational rather than merely informational. The goal of my teaching is to teach the Faith, those things that Christians agree form the essential beliefs of Christianity. This means that true learning does not occur until the student can internalize these beliefs and apply them to himself and to her daily life in Church and society,” he says.

Henderson is a Vietnam-era veteran and has been married to Lou for 39 years. They have one daughter, Rebecca. He enjoys the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and playing tabletop games with anyone who will indulge him. Having some background in theatre and voice, he also enjoys storytelling and singing.

Credentials

Ph.D. Regent University, 2012 M.A. in Theology with Emphasis in Biblical Studies. Fuller Theological Seminary, 1983 B.A. in Bible and Biblical Languages (Double Major) Life Pacific University, 1980

Publications

Edited Book: Renewal History and Theology: Essays in honor of H. Vinson Synan. Edited by S. David Moore and James M. Henderson. Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2014.

Essay: “A Better Model than Theosis: Transformation by the Indwelling Holy Spirit.” In the Conference Papers of the Regent University Reformation 500 Conference, The Holy Spirit and the Reformation Legacy, held at Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, November 3-4, 2017. Edited by Mark Cartledge and Mark Jumper. Virginia Beach, VA: Regent University, forthcoming.

Essay: “Transformation by the Spirit in Justification and Sanctification.” In From Northampton to Azusa: Pentecostals and the Theology of Jonathan Edwards. Edited by Amos Yong and Steven M. Studebaker. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, forthcoming.

Essay: “Electing Grace as the Empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit.” In Renewal History and Theology: Essays in honor of H. Vinson Synan. Eds. S. David Moore and James M. Henderson. Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2014.

Affiliations

Evangelical Theological Society Society for Pentecostal Studies, Member
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Ordained - 1987

Awards

2013: Zondervan Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Study of Theology, Regent University School of Divinity.

2013: Outstanding Graduate, Doctor of Philosophy, Regent University School of Divinity.

2006: Outstanding Professor of the Year (academic year 2005-06). Regent University College of Arts and Sciences.

1974: The Air Medal. United States Air Force.

1969: National Merit Scholar.