“The sole reason we teach in the classroom is so students can apply what they learn in the field,” said Sarah Sumner, Ph.D., professor of theology and ministry. “We do not function as mere dispensers of knowledge—our calling requires that we train students, particularly ministry workers, in God’s wisdom through His Word.”
Through that training and wisdom, Myra Perrine, D.Min. ’04, gained insight into the unique temperaments of spiritual leaders. What began as her dissertation on the most effective impact of these dispositions in ministry, resulted in a published book, What’s Your God Language?: Connecting with God Through Your Unique Spiritual Temperament (Tyndale, 2007). Her volume builds on her work with Church Resource Ministries (CRM), a missions organization that develops leaders to start and strengthen churches worldwide, where Perrine offers training, pastoral counseling, and spiritual direction to some of CRM’s 325 missionaries in 22 nations.
“When it was time to write my final doctoral project, I asked the Lord to give me something that would empower His body to better navigate the very real spiritual challenges I’d seen many Christians face,” said Perrine, also an adjunct professor in HGST. “The Lord prompted me to study how ministry leaders best and most naturally relate to Him—analyzing spiritual formation through the lens of ‘spiritual temperaments.’ Pastoral teams now have a clear handle on how to create meaningful opportunities for worship and service within the body of Christ by using the spiritual practice tools I’ve developed.”
While Perrine poured herself into the dissertation/book project, she gives credit where it’s due—to God and her professors. “It felt like iron sharpening iron with all my professors,” said Perrine. “They weren’t just doling out information; they led my fellow students and me on a journey. They compelled us to follow their example of integrating Scripture with life.”
“We are disciple-makers,” said Sumner. “We see the calling of God on these students and we seek to come alongside and help them change lives for the Lord.” But Perrine, who recently returned from South Africa, saves the highest praise for her dissertation advisor. “No one has ever required of me the type of rigor and synthesis that I experienced with my doctoral advisor, Dr. Steve Peisner,” said Perrine. “He pushed me like a coach pushes an athlete, challenging me to be exacting, thorough, and original in my thought processes.”
