Tabor Associate Prof. to Serve as Academic Dean at Fresno Seminary

An associate professor of biblical and religious studies at Tabor College has accepted an invitation to serve as the Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Old Testament at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif.

Dr. Lynn Jost’s resignation comes after 15 years of service at Tabor College. In addition to his current teaching responsibilities, Jost serves as Worship Coordinator and Chair of the Humanities Division. He is also a member of the Tabor College Wichita faculty.

This decision came as a natural transition in life, Jost said, according to Tabor. Now that their youngest child is preparing to graduate from high school, he and his wife Donna felt the timing was right to make a change.

"We wanted our children to grow up in Hillsboro and they did," said Jost. "Donna and I both had a sense that if we were going to do something different with our lives it would be now."

Jost was drawn to the seminary in Fresno not only for the opportunity to be a part of a graduate level program, but also for the opportunity to prepare pastors for service in the Mennonite Brethren denomination.

"One of the things I am looking forward to doing as a dean is caring for the faculty," he said. "I think the job of the dean is to nurture faculty, encourage them, help them think about what they are doing and why."

One of the visions the faculty has at the seminary is to minister to the needs of the marginalized in Fresno.

"I've preached a lot about social justice and now am I willing to help participate in it," he said.

Jost hopes to also empower the faculty in this area.

"One of the visions the faculty has that I want to encourage is to connect with the people who are doing ministry to those needy groups," said Jost. "It's the idea of proclaiming Fresno for the Kingdom in ways that aren't overtly spiritual."

Jost will begin his new responsibilities July 1, 2006.