Alumni Updates
Curtiss Wagner (ThM, 1982) serves on staff with Global Training Network and has traveled most recently to Rwanda, Mozambique, and Nepal to train over 170 pastors in the basics of ministry. The organization focuses on training pastors in the Majority World who have no pastoral training. Curt retired from chaplaincy in the Ohio Air National Guard after thirty-nine years of ministry in 2020 and from pastoral ministry after thirty years of ministry in three different churches.
Peter M. Wallace (ThM, 1984) has concluded twenty-two years of ministry as the president of the Alliance for Christian Media and executive producer and host of the international weekly “Day1” radio and podcast ministry based in Atlanta, Georgia. He accepted the call to serve as vicar of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church on O’ahu in Hawaii and begins his work there in February 2024.
(Right) Matthew R. St. John (ThM, 1995; DMin, 2007) was appointed chair of the Board of Governors at Trinity Western University after serving on the board since 2011.
Angelica Esqueda (MABS, 2000; MACE, 2002) has been involved in several ministries serving women. For the past three years, she has worked as a bilingual copywriter for enrollment marketing at Biola University. She has been a contractor for several ministries and Christian authors, including Dr. Sandra Glahn.
(Left) Dale Pinkley (MACE, 2004) graduated with his Doctor of Educational Degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on May 12, 2023. He couldn’t have done it without the help of his awesome wife, Sarah Pinkley (MABS, 2005). He currently serves as the Assistant Head of School at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Virginia.
In November of 2022, the Lord began leading Billye and Jason T. Anderson (MACE, 2006) to start a church in Caldwell, Idaho. They had seen the need, and the Lord opened doors at a local senior center for them to start meeting once a week. Their church started in March of 2023 with only twenty people. They now have sixty people attending each week. The Lord is continuing to move among their church, and they are in awe of what only Jesus can do!
(Above) Joe M. Allen III (ThM, 2007) was recently installed as the Gary Taylor Endowed Chair of Missions and Evangelism at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.
Dr. Larry Clements (DMin, 2007) serves as an adjunct professor for Solomon Islands Missionary Baptist Seminary in Honiara, Guadalcanal and recently participated in the first graduation ceremony. Fourteen students received diplomas. Dr. Clements is on the first row third from the left.
Gertrude and Kevin Nicholas (MACM, 2008) completed the Notsi New Testament with their team in the Notsi community of Papua New Guinea after fourteen years! They are joined by five other New Ireland Providence language groups who are also finishing the New Testaments this year—Nalik, Label, Feni, Sokirik, and Notsi-Madak. Tabataba!
Michael J. Breznau (ThM, 2011) and his family recently took a step of faith into the mission field of the military after serving for six years as lead pastor at Mayfair Bible Church in Michigan. In March 2023, Michael was commissioned by the U.S. Air Force as an active-duty captain to serve as a chaplain. He serves as the Mission Support Group Chaplain, 88th Air Base Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. As MSG Chaplain, he advises the group commander, four squadron commanders, and other senior leaders concerning spiritual fitness, religious accommodation, ethics, morale, resiliency, and readiness. He provides soul care and counseling to 1,800 airmen and their families. He also has the joy of serving as the lead pastor for the community of WPAFB Protestant Chapel.
Julie K. Smestad (MABS, 2014; DEDM, 2020) recently published “Building a Spiritually Forming Culture Across Generations” in the Warren Journal of Theology.
Obituaries
Sutherland (Suthy) MacLean (ThM, 1962) went to be with the Lord on January 26, 2023. He had a burden to evangelize, from the moment of his salvation, which led to a life-long passion to impart God’s truth effectively and infect all he met the same passion.
Suthy married Rodina Priestley the following week, and they joined UFM a few weeks later, which led to an amazing life of missionary service. His first field of service was a tribe in Papua New Guinea. They spent the next twenty-five years evangelizing and discipling students at the University of Grenoble in France. He was co-founder, with Carol Rumpf of the Foyer Evangelique Universite (FEU), leading to the salvation and discipleship of hundreds of students. He then spent two years in Germany as a pastor and a Bible teacher at the Black Forest Academy.
The next 25 years were spent in Odessa, Ukraine with Bible Open Air Ministries (BOAM) where he lectured in most of the state universities and teaching evangelistic subjects in six of them. He disciples professors, students, and pastors. He also taught Bible at Odessa Open Christian Economic & Humanitarian University (HEGE) where he received a Medal of Honor & a Doctor of Theology from HEGE in conjunction with the University of Zurich. While teaching, he evangelized and preached with The Friends of Israel Gospel Mission and Jews for Jesus Odessa. Those who knew Suthy best will always remember his love for his family, the students he discipled,
his integrity, his humility, and his boldness in sharing Christ. Leaving Odessa in 2017, Suthy was asked by a former student convert from the FEU, a leading physicist in France, to evangelizing students in southwestern France. Suthy was planning to go when he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer which had metastasis to every bone in his body.
He fought a valiant battle until the Lord Jesus called him home Suthy leaves behind his wife & co-laborer, Rodina married 60 yrs. And five precious children: daughters Heather MacLean, Rodina & Robert Schramm, sons Robert MacLean, Andrew & Grace MacLean & James & Wendy MacLean. He also had thirteen grandchildren.
William B. Park (ThM, 1968) passed away November 28, 2023. Bill pastored High Point Baptist Chapel for over forty years and started High Point Camp and Conference Center and High Point Baptist Academy. He also taught as an adjunct professor at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary and at various institutes around the world. He had a passion for missions, especially South America where he would often lead camp ministries.
David Warren (ThM, 1968) went to be with the Lord on November 24, 2023. He pastored at Champion Baptist Church in Warren, Ohio, and served as professor at both Faith Baptist Bible College and Cedarville University.
Denny Ma (ThD, 1970) went to be with the Lord in 2022. He founded Dallas Chinese Bible Church and wrote over one hundred papers and books in Chinese and English.
Robert Paul Teachout (STM, 1972; ThD, 1979) passed away at age 79 on June 8, 2023, from complications due to surgery. After graduating from Baptist Bible Seminary, Johnson City, New York (now Clarks Summit University), he went on to earn his MDiv from Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary in 1970 and then the degrees STM (1972) and THD (1979) from Dallas Theological Seminary. Robert taught Hebrew and Old Testament for ten years on the graduate level before serving as pastor in Michigan for twenty-six years. He served his Lord fervently in preaching and teaching God’s Word. He enjoyed God’s created creation outdoors—especially growing flowers in retirement. He is survived by his beloved family: wife Joan of almost fifty-seven years, son Trent, daughter Terra, and three grandchildren.
Charles William Greene (1973) passed away on December 24, 2023. Charles served as a chaplain at Baylor Medical Center and on staff at Lavon Drive Baptist Church in Garland, Texas. He later joined the engineering field, working at Milliken and Company, Proctor and Schwartz, and Windsor & Jerauld Manufacturing Company. He also taught mathematics at Piedmont International University. Before he retirement, he served as a high school math teacher for seven years.
Clark E. Austin (ThM, 1976) passed away on December 14, 2023. Clark pastored churches in Greenfield Center and Averill Park, New York. He also taught and counseled at the Capital City Rescue Mission. He loved puzzles, exploring, learning, and spending time with his family.
On December 5, 2023, Marilynn Ann Haeffner passed away. Marilynn was the wife of Arden Dean Haeffner (ThM, 1977). Marilynn moved adventure, traveling with Arden around the globe. She also took up quilting and knitting, serving his family and community by her creativity.
Rebecca Sue Barnett passed away December 27, 2023. Becky flourished at campus ministries, including Campus Crusade for Christ, and served alongside her husband, Bill Barnett (ThM, 1982), at churches around the country. She and Bill moved to Bloomington, Indiana in 2019 to serve with Faculty Commons at Indiana University Bloomington.
Kevin Stern (ThM, 1989) passed away January 7, 2024.
Edward M. Lee (ThM, 1990; DMin, 2011) went to be with the Lord on May 27, 2021. Ed planted Mosaic Community Covenant Church and was passionate about discipleship. He is remembered for his creativity, selflessness, hope, love, and dedication to serving the Lord.
Gregory K. McCoy (1994) died on November 28, 2023. Greg worked as an executive in software sales before founding International Christian Network, serving as their president.
Travis Stewart (MACL, 2020) passed away on December 25, 2023.
(Below) Bruce A. Pickle (DMin, 2001) passed away December 5, 2023.
(Left) H. Graham Wilson, Jr. (MABS, 2001) passed away on Thursday, November 16, 2023. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas A&I in 1962. He later earned a Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor Dental College in 1966. He was a member of Village Parkway Baptist Church where he taught Sunday School for 20 years. Dr. Wilson served as a missionary to Russia, sharing the gospel with the deaf community. In 2002 he joined a mission to Ukraine with Sammy Tippet’s ministry and shared Christ in the small villages in southern Ukraine.