Tim Demy (ThM, 1981; ThD, 1990) spent twenty-seven years serving as a U.S. Navy chaplain both afloat and ashore with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Those years were marked by fruitful ministry, but they were also marred by tragedies and trauma.
In 2008, Tim retired from active duty and now serves as a civilian professor at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. His primary subjects are military ethics, religion, and security—he also writes and edits publications in these fields. Tim teaches several hundred mid-grade and senior-grade U.S. and international military officers as well as selected government employees as part of a master’s program in national security and strategic studies.
As he reflects on his time as a chaplain and as a professor, his mind often wanders back to his time as a student at DTS. Among his fondest memories are singing in Men’s Chorus under Jim Kutnow; fellowshipping with classmates like Pat Hunt, Tommy Ice, Chuck Ballard, and Reg Grant; and working in the book room under the leadership of Bob Schroder, who exemplified servant leadership. Classes made an indelible mark—those with Drs. Hannah, Blum, Hoehner, Fanning, and Ross shaped him as a scholar and godly servant. After his first year at DTS, Tim married his high school sweetheart, Lyn (MABS, 1986) and they will celebrate forty-five years of marriage next year. Lyn served for seven years as a U.S. Navy reserve nurse and on active duty.
One of the most critical lessons Tim has learned—and his advice to others in the DTS family—is to understand and embrace that having a biblical worldview changes every area of life. Too often, believers miss the ocean for the waves; they get caught up with the numbers and details instead of being present with individuals. Every person is created in the image of God and has incalculable dignity and worth. So, know your Bible, know your theology, and prayerfully ask God to bring people into your life to whom you can minister.
Tim’s years at DTS poured the foundation upon which God built His ministry. DTS gave him the tools to develop a biblical worldview and yearn after Christ with a consist theological framework to hold him steady. Even amid tragedies and traumas, God’s grace over Tim’s ministry has equipped him to say that it is a pleasure to serve.