What comes to mind when you think of the term pastor-theologian? We often do not think of these words as a pair. A theologian is often pictured as a highly educated person with an elevated social status sitting in an isolated, ivory tower pondering thoughts about God and life. However, theology is not meant to isolate and elevate. In his book, Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology, R.C. Sproul wrote, “The purpose of theology is not to tickle our intellects but to instruct us in the ways of God, so that we can grow up into maturity and fullness of obedience to Him. That is why we engage in theology.” Theology done rightly enables Christians to better love God and their neighbors and to be better servants of Christ, especially in the church. At the Baptist University of Florida (BUF), we strive to give our students a biblical and theological foundation empowering them to fulfill the Great Commission no matter the context. To do this well, we are excited to introduce our newest faculty member, Dr. Gary Shultz, Associate Professor of Theology and Editor of Baptist University Press (BUP).
Dr. Gary Shultz is the embodiment of a pastor-theologian. Dr. Shultz has always been the type of person who wants to know the reason behind everything. He became a follower of Christ as a teenager, and he immediately started asking the “why” questions of Christianity and the Bible. Questions such as “Why do we believe in the Trinity,” or “Why do we believe the Bible is the Word of God?” Dr. Shultz’s pastor answered his questions with patience and introduced him to good books, which was a big part of his call into vocational ministry. Dr. Shultz earned a B.A. in Pastoral Studies, a M.A. in Intercultural Studies, and a Master of Divinity in Biblical and Theological Studies all from Mission University in Springfield, Missouri. Following his master degrees, Dr. Shultz completed his Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
In addition to Dr. Shultz’s experience as pastor and professor, author has also been added to his list of accomplishments. Dr. Shultz’s work entitled A Multi-Intentioned View of the Extent of the Atonement, which culminated his studies as a doctoral student was published in 2014 by Wipf and Stock Publishers. His writing defends a multi-intentioned, biblically and theologically comprehensive discourse on the extent of atonement.
Before joining the BUF family, Dr. Shultz served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Tallahassee for almost six years along with teaching classes at Liberty University as an adjunct professor. Dr. Shultz is excited to work with students in both sharing his passion and knowledge of theology as well as creating an environment for them to grow and thrive.
Along with his passion for theology, Dr. Shultz is an avid sports fan, particularly when it comes to Iowa Hawkeyes football. He plays both tennis and pickleball, and he was the champion in the last pickleball tournament he entered. Nonetheless, with all these titles and roles, no doubt that his favorites are husband to his wife Kristin, and father to their three daughters Hayden, Violet, and Avonlea. Dr. Shultz, welcome to the BUF family!
Are you ready to be part of a community being equipped to fulfill the Great Commission? Apply today at buf.edu/apply!