Biblical Higher Ed Talk

Biblical higher education leaders are grappling with a "perfect storm" of unprecedented complexity. They must navigate a confluence of challenges, including demographic shifts, persistent financial pressures, and escalating regulatory demands. In this candid conversation, John Derry reflects on more than five decades in Christian higher education, offering hard earned wisdom on governance, risk taking, fundraising, and moral leadership. With humility and clarity, he challenges leaders to stay grounded, seek counsel, and remain faithful in both crisis and calling.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• Why today’s higher education landscape feels like a perfect storm

• The three dangerous leadership responses that can sink an institution

• Lessons learned from delaying difficult personnel decisions

• Why fundraising is essential and how to approach it relationally

• Practical safeguards that help leaders avoid moral failure

🎙️ Inside the Episode

05:01 – The “perfect storm” facing biblical higher education today

10:58 – Leadership mistakes and necessary personnel changes

14:49 – Fundraising lessons and overcoming reluctance

27:27 – Turnaround leadership and building strong teams

32:07 – Catalysts for leadership growth and taking calculated risks

33:56 – Why wise leaders ask for help

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Leadership in biblical higher education demands more than strategic insight. It requires spiritual depth, moral courage, and unwavering fidelity to the authority of Scripture. In this rich and transparent conversation, Dr. David Gyertson reflects on more than five decades of ministry and presidential leadership, offering wisdom forged through failure, perseverance, and deep dependence on Christ. From governance challenges to personal vulnerabilities, this episode calls leaders to anchor their influence in both orthodoxy and spiritual formation.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• Why biblical orthodoxy must fuel spiritual formation, not replace it

• The biggest leadership mistake David made and what it taught him

• How to make difficult personnel decisions with courage and compassion

• Practical safeguards leaders need to prevent moral failure

• The role mentors and accountability play in sustaining long term impact

🎙️ Inside the Episode

00:00 – Celebrating new ABHE Senior Fellows and David’s journey in biblical higher education

03:53 – The state of Christian higher education, opportunities and challenges

12:12 – Leadership mistakes and the cost of delayed personnel decisions

26:55 – Safeguards against moral failure and understanding personal vulnerabilities

35:37 – Mentorship, calling, and catalysts for long term leadership impact

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

After decades of faithfully serving as Vice President for Advancement at Indiana Wesleyan University, Terry Munday has seen firsthand how generosity, obedience, and relationships shape both institutions and eternal lives. In this compelling conversation, Terry reflects on a calling that led him from public education into Christian higher education fundraising, often requiring personal sacrifice, long-term trust, and spiritual courage. Through stories marked by humor, heartbreak, and unmistakable miracles, he reveals how fundraising, when rooted in faith, becomes far more than raising money. It becomes ministry.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• How holy boldness reshapes the way leaders approach the ask

• Why relationship-driven fundraising requires patience and long-term trust

• How stewardship and obedience intersect in Christian higher education

• What decades of advancement work reveal about ministry, generosity, and eternal impact

🎙️ Inside the Episode

05:40 – Following God’s call despite a significant financial sacrifice

10:01 – Why fundraising is a spiritual discipline, not a transaction

17:05 – Sustaining institutional growth through faithful stewardship

24:03 – A miraculous story of generosity, salvation, and eternal impact

33:50 – Why relationship-based fundraising requires patience and longevity

34:18 – The most common mistake colleges make in fundraising

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What kind of church will exist for our children and grandchildren? In this thoughtful and forward-looking conversation, Jason Ballard reflects on the health of the church in Canada, the growing leadership pipeline crisis, and why long-term faithfulness matters more than short-term urgency. Drawing from his pastoral experience and national leadership work, Jason challenges listeners to think beyond

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• The current state of the evangelical church in Canada and what gives reason for hope

• Key challenges facing churches in an increasingly complex cultural moment

• Why leadership exhaustion and scarcity threaten the future of the church

• Practical ways churches can empower and develop young leaders

• How churches and biblical higher education can work together for long-term impact

🎙️ Inside the Episode

01:44 – A realistic and hopeful look at the evangelical church in Canada

06:08 – Cultural pressure, distraction, and the challenges facing today’s church

12:05 – The looming leadership pipeline crisis

15:50 – Why the future of church leadership matters personally and deeply\

20:51 – Creating a culture that empowers and releases young leaders

27:35 – Bringing theological education closer to the life of the local church

32:01 – Healing the divide between the church and the academy

38:40 – Leading with a long-term, generational vision of faithfulness

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Biblical higher education exists to prepare leaders for the full scope of ministry, including moments when theology meets suffering, loss, and the realities of death. In this episode, Brian Hennan reflects on how his journey from pastoral ministry into hospice care revealed a critical gap in how Christian leaders are trained to guide individuals and families through end of life decisions. Drawing from years of hands-on experience, Brian calls Bible colleges and seminaries to more intentionally equip students with a biblical framework for the sanctity of life, pastoral presence, and faithful decision-making from birth to death.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• Why end of life care is a discipleship issue, not just a medical one

• How biblical higher education can better prepare future pastors for death and dying

• What theological principles should shape end of life decisions

• How Christian leaders can shepherd families with clarity, humility, and hope

🎙️ Inside the Episode

01:59 – From pastoral burnout to a calling in hospice and end of life education

06:11 – The training gap facing Bible colleges and seminaries

08:35 – Teaching the sanctity of life from birth through death

12:57 – Navigating dementia, suffering, and God’s sovereignty

16:45 – What higher education does well, and where it must grow

18:46 – Pastoral presence, listening well, and avoiding easy answers

21:09 – Stewardship, advance directives, and loving others wisely

25:12 – Re-centering hope on eternity and the promise of resurrection

27:53 – Why humility and collaboration matter in pastoral leadership

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What does faithful leadership look like when vision is bold, change is constant, and the stakes are eternal? In this wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Bill McCarthy, Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Logos Bible Software, reflects on decades of leadership across technology, business, and ministry partnership. From operationalizing vision to building culture and investing in global evangelism, Bill offers hard-won wisdom for leaders navigating complexity while staying anchored in faith and mission.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• The four leadership responsibilities every effective leader must embrace

• Why turning vision into action is often the hardest leadership challenge

• How culture shapes long-term organizational health and impact

• What faith-driven leadership looks like in seasons of rapid change

• Why investing in the global church remains a defining priority

🎙️ Inside the Episode

02:14 – Four core responsibilities every leader must carry

06:48 – Why operationalizing strategy is harder than setting vision

12:21 – Navigating organizational change, chaos, and stability

16:09 – How culture reinforces mission and builds trust

23:05 – Where Bill’s passion for evangelism and global ministry began

26:48 – Scaling Logos to serve the global church

32:06 – A word of encouragement for leaders in biblical higher education

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What does faithful leadership in theological education look like amid cultural change, secularization, and global realignment? In this insightful conversation, Marvin Oxenham offers a grounded and hopeful perspective on the state of theological education in Europe. Drawing from his leadership with the European Council for Theological Education and his work across multiple global networks, Marvin challenges narratives of decline and highlights growth, innovation, and renewed opportunity for the church and academy across Europe.

🎧 Tune In to Discover

• Why theological education in Europe is not fading but evolving

• How cultural diversity and migration are reshaping ministry preparation

• What distributed leadership and bi-vocational ministry mean for training leaders

• How accreditation and quality assurance function across Europe’s varied systems

• Why micro-credentials present new opportunities for theological education

🎙️ Inside the Episode

01:50 – The spiritual landscape of Europe today and common misconceptions

05:08 – Surprising growth trends in European theological education

07:17 – Distributed leadership and bi-vocational ministry formation

10:15 – Why “evangelical” was removed from ECTE’s name

13:22 – How accreditation works across Europe’s diverse systems

25:15 – What micro-credentials are and why they matter for theology

35:03 – The greatest threat and opportunity facing theological education in Europe

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What does it take to equip leaders, boards, and faculty for the rapidly changing realities of biblical higher education? In this forward-looking conversation, Eric Brandt offers a first look at the ABHE Leadership Academy, a new initiative designed to strengthen institutions from the inside out. Drawing on decades of experience in digital education and faculty development, Eric shares why accessible, mission-aligned leadership formation is essential for the future health and flourishing of ABHE institutions.

🎧Tune In to Discover

• Why leadership and faculty development are critical for institutional flourishing

• How the ABHE Leadership Academy expands access beyond conferences.

• What makes micro-courses and effective tool for ongoing formation

• How biblical integration and effective teaching practices are being addressed for faculty

• Why ABHE is investing deeply in leaders at every level.

🎙️ Inside the Episode

02:00 - The evolution of distance and online education and why it matters now.

09:47 - Why leadership and faculty development are essential for institutional health

15:40 - What makes the ABHE Leadership Academy different from past initiatives

21:35 - Addressing biblical integration and effective teaching gaps among faculty

28:03 - What courses are launching first and the long-term vision for 100 micro-courses.

32:02 - Why the Leadership Academy is offered as a member benefit for ABHE institutions

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Philip Dearborn shares a brief message of gratitude, vision, and anticipation for what lies ahead. He thanks listeners for being part of Biblical Higher Ed Talk and reflects on the mission of highlighting faithful leadership across biblical and Christian higher education and the church. 

Philip also looks ahead to Season 7, previewing upcoming conversations, leadership development initiatives, and key gatherings, including the ABHE Annual Meeting and spring leadership conferences. With an encouraging pastoral tone, he invites listeners from every context to continue growing as leaders, deepening their walk with the Lord, and engaging the work God is doing across the global biblical higher education community.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is brought to you by The Association of Biblical Higher Ed and is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

For Dr. Dondi Costin, President of Liberty University,  God’s direction led from a timid teenager afraid to speak in public, to a decorated military chaplain, to the presidency of one of the largest Christian universities in the world. His story is a powerful reminder that God’s sovereignty weaves every season, assignment, and relationship into a calling far greater than we imagine. With humility and clarity, Dr. Costin reflects on leadership, obedience, identity, and the future of Christian higher education.

🎧 Tune in to discover

✅How God redirected a young Air Force cadet into ministry and chaplaincy.

✅Why authentic leadership begins with self awareness and Spirit shaped character.

✅How Liberty University’s early innovation shaped distance learning nationwide.

✅What younger leaders need to understand about calling, initiative, and humility.

✅Why leaning into Christian identity is essential for the future of biblical higher education.

🎙️ Inside the Episode:

04:49 – How Liberty University shaped his early ministry preparation

10:24 – Entering the chaplaincy and discovering a calling to serve young adults

13:49 – God’s providence in opening doors to university leadership

19:20 – Leading authentically and surrounding yourself with complementary strengths

26:10 – Why decisive leadership matters in today’s higher education landscape

32:55 – Two core leadership principles for young leaders.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for Biblical Higher Ed Talk in your favorite podcast player.

The Biblical Higher Ed Talk podcast is proud to be a part of The Higher Ed Marketer Podcast Network. 

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.