Dr. Dwight Peterson currently serves as the Executive Director at The Capital Church in Columbus, Ohio, a church plant that is part of the SALT Network. He also serves as the longest tenured graduate and undergraduate professor for Anchor Christian University. Prior to taking the role in Ohio, he invested 20 years as an essential faculty member at Clarks Summit University (PA), building on almost two decades of pastoral ministry at churches in New Jersey and Indiana.
In this episode, Dwight shares his background and journey in ministry, from growing up in a ministry family at Word of Life to transitioning from church ministry to the college environment. He discusses the role of a professor in discipleship and the collision points of purpose between instruction and discipleship. He emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships with students and creating opportunities for application and skill development. Dr. Peterson also highlights the value of content and application in education, focusing on the need for students to understand and apply what they learn. In this conversation, Dwight and Ben discuss the importance of learning and application, the challenges and adjustments in transitioning to a new role and context, and the process of building relationships and understanding in a new environment. They also explore the significance of building systems and structures to facilitate growth and desired outcomes.
Quick Outline
Use the “chapters” at the bottom of the embedded video (links below) to jump to different parts of the conversation.
- 00:00 Background and Story
- 03:10 Transition from Church Ministry to College Environment
- 18:24 Collision Points of Purpose in the College Context
- 27:41 The Role of a Professor in Discipleship
- 38:36 The Value of Content and Application in Education
- 51:15 The Importance of Learning and Application
- 53:36 Transition to The Capital Church and Role Adjustment
- 55:06 Challenges and Learning in a New Context
- 58:19 Building Relationships and Understanding
- 01:03:02 Building Systems and Structures
- 01:04:02 Outcomes and Growth
Key Takeaways
- Building authentic relationships with students is essential for effective discipleship.
- The role of a professor is not just to teach content, but to create opportunities for application and skill development.
- Rigor in education should be measured by the value and outcomes of the content, not just the volume of information.
- Education should focus on helping students understand and apply what they learn in real-life contexts. Learning should not be solely focused on passing tests but on applying knowledge effectively.
- Transitioning to a new role and context requires learning a new language and way of doing things.
- Building relationships and understanding is crucial in navigating new environments.
- Building systems and structures is essential for facilitating growth and achieving desired outcomes.