Asbury Theological Seminary

 

Presidential Search Committee News Update

September 20, 2007

Dear Asbury Family,
The Presidential Search Committee has been continuing its work, and we want to tell you about our progress.

1) First: A “Thank You!” Faculty, staff, students, and the President’s Cabinet met with us in Wilmore and Orlando, to hear and interact with the Search Committee regarding both the process of the search, and the profile needing to be developed for the presidential position. We realize that the first week of the semester was a somewhat awkward time, but we are heartened by the rich and varied feedback we received. We are putting together our written notes from those meetings, and will be forwarding them to the Seminary Board as they bring these matters of process and profile towards final form.

Our meetings on Tuesday (Sept. 4 in Wilmore) and Wednesday (Sept. 5 in Orlando) involved:

2) Our Consultants Many of you have met our search consultant, Mr. Bruce Dingman, while fewer, perhaps, have met our search coach, Dr. Robert Cooley. The Search Committee has now experienced first hand what it fully expected to be the case: each of our consultants brings a wealth of information and a deep reservoir of wisdom to us as we navigate our way forward.

Mr. Dingman’s website [www.dingman.com] offers an overview of his work, values, and past experience. His work with over 60 Evangelical organizations, his involvement with (now) 11 presidential searches, and his cooperation with over 30 different search committees with good results confirm his gifts now in our service.

Dr. Robert Cooley’s biography [found at www.gordonconwell.edu/faculty/cooley.php] reveals the breadth of his academic experience and expertise. As former president of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, and former president of The Association of Theological Schools (TATS), Dr. Cooley is uniquely positioned to help both the search committee and the board of trustees better assess and meet with confidence both the general and the specific challenges now facing Asbury.

3) Open Channels and Strict Confidentiality Again, we are very grateful for all who were able to meet with us on Sept. 4 and 5 and offer to us their perspectives. The door remains (and will remain) open for anyone to add or expand upon the comments we have received to date. Please send your comments to Bruce Dingman on the seminary’s FirstClass email system (bruce_dingman@asburyseminary.edu). He will continue to gather comments and pool them for board consideration. Also, Mr. Dingman and any member of the search committee may be approached and given suggestions regarding any part of the search process, regarding the presidential profile, and especially regarding possible presidential candidates. Even though we cannot comment upon these suggestions, we are happy to receive them and greatly value them.

At the same time, we must all remain absolutely committed to a strict confidentiality about two matters. First, no Search Committee member is free to share any information at all about the identities of candidates. Second, no information can be shared about the actual process of deliberation regarding candidates. As all of us realize, much harm can be inflicted on candidates if it becomes known that they are under consideration. Let us all continue to resolve to speak and act with special care in these matters.

4) An Active Search Our presidential search is designed both to receive applications from all interested persons, and to seek out viable candidates who would not on their own initiative apply. With the help of our consultants, we intend to explore every meaningful network of associations, and follow up on every name presented to us. We expect to request numbers of persons to consider prayerfully the possibility of allowing us to draw them into our discernment process.

5) An Open Search We are conducting our search without any limits or requirements in terms of gender, ethnicity, nationality, or denominational membership. As a committee we have absolutely no knowledge of “inside candidates,” and will not function with that approach. We sense quite vividly the sacred trust under which we must operate, and are individually and collectively committed to a “clean” process, the Lord being our help.

6) The Process The pathway ahead will likely include the following components set within these general (and flexible) time frames:

7) The Bottom Line: The Search Committee and consultants are fully agreed that it is more important to find the right candidate, than to meet particular deadlines or time frames. If necessary, it would be better to slow down and re-group than to answer to the pressure of the calendar.

8) Prayer It has been a great encouragement to know that many of you, from every part of our community, have been giving special attention in your prayers to us as the Search Committee. That means everything! Consider adding Mr. Dingman and Dr. Cooley specifically to you prayer list as these brothers help us toward the goal.

9) Communiques We have an icon on FirstClass to house all communications we send as a Search Committee. We are also posting these updates to our website's homepage, www.asburyseminary.edu under the "Presidential Search" button. Our progress will be updated at these two locations as well as previous notices from the Search Committee.

God bless and keep you all,
The Search Committee

Tammy Cessna, Joe Dongell, Al Gwinn, Steve Harper, Joe Harris, Dan Johnson, Joan Krupa, John McNairy, Ed Robb, Brian Russell, Jim Smith, Gabriel Tait, Karen Thomas