Asbury Theological Seminary

 

Dr. J. Steven Harper

Vice President: Asbury Theological Seminary Florida-Dunnam Campus
Professor of Spiritual Formation

Expertise:

Education:

B.A., McMurry University, 1970; M.Div., Asbury Theological Seminary, 1973; Ph.D., Duke University,1981

Steve Harper has been part of the "Asbury Seminary family" since 1970, when in June of that year, he and his new bride (Jeannie) arrived in Wilmore, where he began seminary studies and she began working as a secretary for Dr. Robert Mayfield in the Development Office. During the student years in Wilmore, Jeannie joined with Mardelle Stanger to establish "The Life and Work of the Minister's Wife" study series, and Steve served his senior year as president of the student body. Just before graduation, their son John was born.

Following graduation, they returned to the Northwest Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, serving two pastoral appointments, and becoming the parents of a daughter, Katrina. In the mid-1970's Steve sensed a call to attend graduate school at Duke University to prepare for a vocation in higher education. He studied broadly in Historical Theology, with a concentration in Wesley Studies, and a particular focus upon Wesleyan Spirituality. In 1980, Asbury Theological Seminary invited Steve to return to his alma mater, teaching in the discipline of Spiritual Formation and succeeding Dr. Thomas Carruth, who had founded the Department of Prayer and Spiritual Life. From 1980-1993, he served on the faculty. Jeannie served at the seminary during those years as a secretary to the Vice President At Large and as Coordinator of Official Visitors.

In the Fall of 1992, Steve and Jeannie transitioned to new ministries, launching a ministry-to-ministers called "Shepherd's Care" and overseeing A Foundation for Theological Education (the John Wesley Fellows program, of which Steve was the first Fellow). Those ministries continued until 1996, when The Upper Room in Nashville invited Steve to become the Founding Director of The Pathways Initiative, a ministry to spiritual leaders. Steve and Jeannie moved to Nashville in the summer of 1996, intending to be there for a long time. But on March 8, 1998, President Maxie Dunnam called, inviting Steve and Jeannie to move to Orlando where Steve would be the founding Vice President and Dean of the Florida-Dunnam campus. After a time of discernment, they accepted the invitation as God's call for their lives.

Since July 1998, they have lived in Florida, serving on the Orlando campus. Jeannie has served as a coordinator for Spouse Ministries, and Steve has combined administrative duties with teaching in Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies. During the course of these years, their daughter Katrina has blessed them with two grand-children: Zoe and Isaac. And Steve has continued ministries of preaching and writing, with eighteen books authored or co-authored. At the end of June 2009, Steve will resign his vice presidency and return full-time to the faculty.