SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – Evangel University recently named Dr. Derrick Rosenior as director of the William J. Seymour Initiative at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), the institution’s embedded seminary. Funded by a $1 million Pathways for Tomorrow grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Seymour Initiative will develop pathways to strengthen current and establish new theological graduate training specifically focused on Black ministers within the Assemblies of God (AG) fellowship.
“I look forward to joining the team at AGTS as we work to further develop and enhance world-class Pentecostal seminary programs and resources tailored to the Black community,” said Rosenior.
Rosenior currently serves as president of the Assemblies of God Black Fellowship of Southern California and teaching pastor at Orange County First Assembly of God in Santa Ana, California. He previously served as an associate professor of communication and director of the Lewis Wilson Institute for Pentecostal Studies at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California.
Born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, he is an ordained AG minister and holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Intercultural Communication from Howard University in Washington, D.C., a master’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from Central Michigan University, and a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia.
“We are thrilled to draw from Dr. Rosenior’s unique expertise to elevate the work AGTS is doing through the Seymour Initiative,” said Dr. Wade Mumm, AGTS vice president. “His strategic efforts will allow us to better equip Black ministers for service within our fellowship and the broader Pentecostal Church community.”
AGTS also secured funding through the Pathways for Tomorrow grant to establish a Hispanic Initiative. In similar fashion, the initiative is focused on expanding educational offerings and resources to Spanish-speaking pastors, with adaptation of elective courses to better serve the needs facing local church congregations. Dr. Sergio Navarette serves as director of the initiative.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location.
In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.
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About AGTS & Evangel University
AGTS serves the larger Pentecostal and evangelical traditions with 21st century leadership for the Church and its mission. AGTS is accredited by The Association of Theological Schools and The Higher Learning Commission. AGTS is the embedded seminary of Evangel University, the national school of the Assemblies of God.