MBBS appoints eighth president

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Jost commits to two-year term as seminary president

MBBS press release

Franklyn “Lynn” Jost has been appointed as the 8th president of the seminary for a two-year period, effective June 1, 2009, announced the MBBS Board of Directors. A public inaugural event is being planned for November. 

Jost has been filling the role as acting president since September 2008. “We are grateful to Dr. Jost for his willingness to serve, and affirm his appointment as president during this important time of transition,” says Ed Boschman, executive director of the U.S. Conference. Boschman adds, “Lynn is a proven and much-appreciated churchman and Bible teacher. Our support will be accompanied by prayer for God’s wisdom.”

During his presidency, Jost will lead the seminary through the work of reshaping itself, with the potential of doing so in partnership with other institutions. The goal is to strengthen the seminary’s mission while simplifying operations and expanding access to students.

Jost says that talks have taken place between the seminary and its two denominational undergraduate schools—neighboring Fresno Pacific University and Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. In addition, various partnership options are being discussed with Fuller Theological Seminary based in Pasadena, Calif.

Describing his passion for MBBS, Jost says, ‘I am glad to lead a seminary that is strongly evangelical. Our teaching is grounded in the authority of God’s Word, the Bible, and our mission is to invite women and men to be born again through conversion to Jesus. I am pleased to lead a seminary that is also thoroughly Anabaptist. As followers of Jesus we teach that disciples are to be baptized into the believers church, a covenant community that practices mutual accountability, worship, and holistic mission through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Jost earned his Masters of Divinity from MBBS and his doctorate in Preaching and Old Testament from Vanderbilt Divinity School. He, with his wife Donna, served for a decade as a pastor in California and in Kansas. From 1990-2006 Lynn was professor of biblical studies at Tabor College and has contributed to the life of the Mennonite Brethren denomination through various national and global boards. Jost chaired the revision of the MB Confession of Faith Task Force for the U.S. and Canada (approved in 1999) and served on the International Committee of MB Confession of Faith Task Force which published an international confession in 2003. He currently represents U.S. Mennonite Brethren at the Mennonite World Conference General Council.

“The mission of MB Biblical Seminary is to inspire and equip transformational pastors and leaders for the church and for the world,” Jack Falk, MBBS Board chair affirms. “We are glad to have Dr. Jost’s leadership in this mission and ask for the strong support, faithful prayer, and generous giving of those the seminary serves to vigorously engage this mission alongside our new president.”

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