New Dean of the School of Education
Mr. Thomas Graham will be assuming the role of Dean of the School of Education at Maranatha Baptist University in the Summer of 2022.
Graham is no stranger to Maranatha as he has taught for Maranatha Online, two of his children have graduated from MBU, and his wife graduated from Maranatha Online. The Grahams currently reside in Poplar Bluff, MO, where they minister at Westwood Baptist Church and Academy.
Graham graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a BA in Bible/Missions; Bible Exposition, Education. He received a Master of Religious Education (MRE) from Temple Baptist Seminary and will graduate with a Doctor of Educational Ministry (EdD) from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in May 2022.
Involved in education since 1996, Graham brings a variety of experiences to the MBU classroom as a teacher and as an administrator. “Before teacher and astronaut, Christa McAuliffe, perished in the Challenger disaster, she expressed her love for teaching this way: ‘To be a teacher is to touch the future,’” Graham shares. “She was correct, but I also believe, as William Yount stated, ‘to be a teacher in the service of the Lord is to touch eternity’ (Yount, 1999)1. My desire to serve the Lord through Maranatha Baptist University’s School of Education is driven by a passion to touch eternity by fulfilling the imperative delivered by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:2, ‘And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.’ My purpose in coming to MBU is to invest my life into the lives of those preparing for a teaching ministry, that they too may go forth and touch eternity ‘to the praise of His glory.’”
Dr. Will Licht, Vice President of Academics and former Dean of MBU’s School of Education, believes Graham will be an excellent fit for the position. “Graham’s 25 years of experience managing a superb Christian school ministry from the ground up has prepared him well to mentor MBU’s future educators.”
Mr. Graham will follow in the steps of Dr. David Handyside, current Dean of the School of Education, in June 2022.
1 Yount, W. R. (1999). Called to teach: An introduction to the ministry of teaching. Broadman & Holman Publishers.