The Executive Committee

Past Presidents of the Academy

The Academy has a rich heritage of significant scholars who have provided leadership throughout the years. These include:

• George E. Sweazey 1973-75
• Robert E. Coleman 1975-77
• Lewis A. Drummond 1977-79
• Patrick J. Sena 1979-81
• Richard V. Peace 1981-83
• William E. Pannell 1983-85
• David L. Watson 1985-87
• Raymond J. Bakke 1987-89
• Richard S. Armstrong 1989-91
• Robert C. Anderson 1991-93
• J. David Hester 1993-95
• George G. Hunter, III 1995-97
• Samuel Wilson 1997-99
• Ron Crandall 1999-2001
• T.V. Thomas 2001-2003
• Scott J. Jones 2003-2004
• Hal Poe 2004-2006
• Ron Johnson 2006-2008
• John Bowen 2008-2010
• Paul Chilcote 2010-2012
• Winston Worrell 2012-2014
• Rick Richardson 2014-2015
• Bob Whitesel 2015-2017
• Mark R. Teasdale, 2017-2021
• Beth Seversen, 2021-

Constitution of The Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education (founded in 1973).

I. Name and Purpose

1. The organization shall be called The Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education. The name may be employed in its shortened form, The Academy for Evangelism.
2. The purpose of the Academy shall be to facilitate the teaching of evangelism, which shall include the sharing of pedagogical ideas and methods, the introduction of new resources and trends in the discipline and ministry of evangelism, and the fostering of scholarly research in evangelism and related concerns.

II. Membership and Dues

1. Membership (full) in the Academy for Evangelism is open to all interested persons who are affiliated with theological education in one of the following ways:

• as a faculty member in an accredited seminary or college, teaching evangelism full-time or part-time on a regular basis;
• as a faculty member in an accredited seminary or college teaching wholly in some other theological discipline but who has scholarly and/or vocational interests in facilitating Christian evangelism and its curriculum;
• a denominational leader for evangelism or an ecumenical leader in evangelism who has demonstrable and regular involvement in the evangelism curriculum in one or more divinity schools, or whose teaching or research ministry, in the judgment of the Executive Committee, qualifies her or him for membership.

(Hereafter membership (full) or members (full) shall be referred to as membership or members.)

2. Members will have voice and vote.
3. Associate membership is open to those not eligible for membership but who are interested in furthering the teaching and/or research and resource developments in evangelism. Associate members will have voice but no vote.
4. The Executive Committee of the Academy is the Credential Committee.
5. The Annual Dues for each individual member and associate member of The Academy for Evangelism shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

III. Officers and Organization

1. The business and programming of the Academy shall be under the direction of the Executive Committee, consisting of a President, Vice President, and Secretary, Treasurer, Journal Editor, and the immediate past President.
2. Elections of the officers shall be held every two years, and they shall serve two-year terms. All nominations for the election of each officer shall be received from the floor during the election session of the Annual Meeting. Nominees receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be elected. Unexpected vacancies shall be filled by executive committee appointment until the next election.
3. The President shall be elected from the Academy membership for a two-year period. The President may not succeed himself/herself in that office.
4. The Vice President shall be elected from the Academy membership for a two-year period. The Vice President may not succeed himself/herself in that office.
5. The Secretary shall be elected from the Academy membership for a two-year period. The Secretary is eligible to succeed himself/herself in that office, but there shall be no presumption for indefinite perpetuation, and the Academy shall carefully consider this office at election. The Academy’s headquarters and official mailing address shall be located at the school or institution of which the secretary is a member.
6. The Treasurer/Managing Editor shall be elected from the Academy membership for a two-year period. The treasurer/managing editor is eligible to succeed himself/herself in that office, but there shall be no presumption for indefinite perpetuation, and the Academy shall carefully consider the office at election. The treasurer/managing editor is a member.
7. The Journal Editor shall be elected from the Academy membership for a two-year period. The Journal Editor is eligible to succeed himself/herself in that office, but there shall be no presumption for indefinite perpetuation, and the Academy shall carefully consider the office at election.
8. The Executive Committee shall convene at the conclusion of the stated meeting of the Academy and shall convene at such other times (by travel or conference calls) as needs will The Executive Committee shall determine the subjects and personnel for the Academy’s programs. The Executive Committee shall determine the site for each Annual Meeting from among the invitations received from members representing their institutions.

IV. The Annual Meeting

There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Academy for Evangelism, which shall include both business and programmatic sessions. The President shall preside at these sessions. The meeting shall normally be in the Fall of the year. The Secretary shall, in the Spring of each year, notify both the members and the Deans of American Association of Theological Schools member institutions regarding the pending Fall meeting.

V. Ratification and Amendment Procedure

1. This constitution was ratified upon a three-quarter’s vote of the membership at the Fall, 1974 meeting. It has been amended in 1981, 1984, 1989, 2002, and 2012.
2. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership in attendance at the Annual Meeting, providing that the amendment shall have been proposed and debated the preceding day of the meeting.