ONTARIO, Calif. (BP) – Accolades are pouring in for Adam Groza, who was nominated to stick to Jeff Iorg as president of Gateway Seminary. The official announcement was made April 2, and Gateway trustees are anticipated to vote during their conference April 15-16.
“Congratulations to Dr. Adam Groza and Gateway Seminary for this excellent information,” reported Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in created comments for Baptist Push. “It suggests a excellent offer about the energy of Gateway Seminary that they uncovered their future president within the establishment.
“Dr. Groza’s items, convictions, and vision for Gateway drew the self-confidence of the look for committee, and I am assured that excellent days are forward for the seminary.”
Groza joined Gateway in 2010 and at this time serves as vice president for enrollment and student products and services and affiliate professor of philosophy. Gateway noted a tumble 2022 whole enrollment of 2,182 pupils, in accordance to the 2023 SBC Once-a-year.
“Strength is included to power and good days are in advance,” Mohler said. Other seminary presidents also expressed their powerful assistance of the nomination.
“I am thankful that God has raised up a man who will observe in the footsteps of Dr. Iorg and keep on the faithful ministry of Gateway Seminary,” mentioned Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in responses to Baptist Push. “I glance forward to performing alongside Dr. Groza in the days in advance.”
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary president Jamie Dew reported he also seems to be ahead to Gateway trustees’ affirmation of Groza.
“[Groza] is a gentleman deeply dedicated to God’s Phrase, the neighborhood church, the SBC and Gateway Seminary,” Dew reported. “Moreover, Southern Baptists will appreciate his humble and down to earth management.”
A Southern Baptist seminarian
Prior to coming to Gateway, Groza served as the director of admissions, affiliate director of the Riley Events Middle and an appointed faculty member at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worthy of, Texas.
SWBTS president David Dockery told BP, “The Southwestern Seminary community joins me in expressing their enjoyment and help for the announcement that Adam Groza, a two-time Southwestern alum, will be advisable to serve as the subsequent president at Gateway Seminary.”
Groza retains a B.S. from Northern Arizona College, an M.Div. from The Master’s Seminary, a Th.M. from SWBTS and a Ph.D. from SWBTS.
“Dr. Groza is a gifted chief and a wonderful Christian thinker, deeply dedicated to the Lordship of Christ and to faithful theological education and learning,” Dockery reported. “His decades of service alongside President Jeff Iorg should really make for a seamless changeover at Gateway, making it possible for them to go on their concerted efforts to prepare potential generations to take the Gospel to the nations.”
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Jason Allen informed BP that as a “sister Southern Baptist institution,” Midwestern would “continue to root for” Gateway.
“We rejoice with them in the numerous accomplishments of Dr. Jeff Iorg’s tenure, and in God’s obvious provision of Dr. Adam Groza to guide them into a new period of trustworthy ministry,” Allen claimed. “As we await the board of trustees’ formal motion in this regard, we’ll be praying for Dr. Groza, Gateway Seminary, and for a dazzling foreseeable future for both of those.”
Groza has authored or contributed to four guides, such as very last year’s “Unraveling Philosophy,” authored with theologian J.P. Moreland and released by B&H Educational. He also wrote “Faith Wins: Making it Via a Crisis of Perception,” printed by New Hope Publishers in 2020, and contributed to “Christianity and Idealism,” published by Bloomsbury Push in 2016, and “Ministry and the New Marriage Tradition,” released by B&H in 2015.
Considering the fact that 2017, Groza has served as a investigation fellow of the SBC’s Ethics & Spiritual Liberty Commission. ERLC President Brent Leatherwood also welcomed the news of Groza’s nomination.
“The appointment of Dr. Adam Groza to provide as the future president of Gateway Seminary is these kinds of fantastic news for the institution and for the Southern Baptist Convention,” Leatherwood claimed. “Dr. Groza has been an necessary element of the success at the seminary about the a long time and now has been tapped to guide this wonderful entity. … We are thankful for his service in SBC Life.”
Groza has served as a pastor or interim pastor at several church buildings in Texas and California, and he is currently serving Southern Baptists as a member of the Good Fee Resurgence Analysis Task Drive, which will existing its findings to messengers at the SBC once-a-year meeting in June.
A missions advocate
Gateway has manufactured students’ involvement in missions a precedence. In 2023, the seminary introduced a partnership with the Intercontinental Mission Board allowing for each qualified pupil to take part in a thoroughly-funded short expression mission journey. At the time, Iorg referred to as the partnership a dream come genuine.
“When I initial grew to become Gateway’s president just about 20 many years ago, just one of my goals was for each and every student to have an international missions working experience whilst they were being enrolled at Gateway,” Iorg claimed. “God has furnished a way to give upcoming missionaries, pastors, youth ministers and worship leaders an invaluable experience on the mission field as a section of their education and learning.”
IMB president Paul Chitwood believes the potent partnership in between the seminary and the IMB will carry on beneath Groza’s management.
“Under Jeff Iorg’s management, Gateway Seminary has been an extraordinary spouse with the IMB,” Chitwood instructed BP. “I’m thrilled about the prospective of operating with Adam Groza as each entities continue being concentrated on serving Southern Baptists in carrying out the Great Fee to make disciples of all nations.”
Woman’s Missionary Union president Sandy Knowledge-Martin believes God has been shaping Groza for the lead role.
“Everything in his lifestyle has well prepared Dr. Groza for this important hinge in history,” Wisdom-Martin mentioned. “He is a prophetic voice for our era. Dr. Groza has responded to God’s contact and Southern Baptists will be blessed by his trustworthy support.”
A analyze in leadership
Groza’s tenure at Gateway has viewed major transform at the institution, which include a name modify and a 400-mile relocation to Southern California in 2016. Groza was instrumental in these transitions.
Kevin Ezell, Ben Mandrell and Jonathan Howe imagine Groza’s management knowledge will shell out dividends for the seminary and Southern Baptists.
“Adam Groza has faithfully ministered at Gateway for lots of yrs now, quietly serving Southern Baptists well and instruction leaders to satisfy the Great Commission, said Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. “He’s an fantastic prospect to take the baton from Jeff Iorg and lead Gateway Seminary into the potential.”
Lifeway Christian Methods President/CEO Ben Mandrell said outgoing President Iorg is “one of the greatest leaders I have at any time regarded.”
“And he speaks so extremely of Adam,” Mandrell additional. “It’s a testimony of Jeff’s leadership that this sort of a robust leader was previously in area at the seminary. I not too long ago visited Gateway, and I could notify the society is established and sturdy. Adam would be inheriting a very wholesome firm. I have no doubt there are great times forward for Gateway.”
Jonathan Howe, SBC Govt Committee interim president/CEO, claimed in composed responses that Groza’s nomination “fills me with excitement for the long term of Gateway Seminary.
“He is uniquely positioned to create on the foundation he aided build with Jeff Iorg above the earlier 14 several years,” Howe claimed. “Gateway is an essential and unique seminary product for Southern Baptists, and Adam’s leadership and services to the seminary ought to position it for unparalleled upcoming accomplishment.”
(EDITOR’S Take note – Brandon Porter serves as Associate Vice President for Convention News at the SBC Government Committee.)
The put up SBC leaders see dazzling long term for Gateway below Groza’s leadership appeared initial on Biblical Recorder.