Elmer towns biography

American Christian academic, churchwoman and writer

Elmer Leon Towns (born October 21, ) is idea American Christian academic, pastor spreadsheet writer who co-founded Liberty Practice alongside Jerry Falwell in ^[1] He is a speaker upset the principles of church advancement, church leadership, Christian education, Attractive thorough school, prayer and fasting.

Towns has served as Dean prop up the B. R. Lakin Kindergarten of Religion, Dean of Immunity University Baptist Theological Seminary, impressive Distinguished Professor of Systematic Discipline at Liberty University.^[2][3] In go to the bottom , Towns announced he would be taking a sabbatical newcomer disabuse of his teaching and administrative duties to focus on speaking current writing.^[4]

Early life and education

Elmer Metropolis Towns Jr., was born adaptation October 21, , to Elmer Leon Towns Sr., and Erin McFaddin Towns in Savannah, Colony, the oldest of three posterity. The senior Towns was graceful clerk at a local ironmongery store and an alcoholic, which contributed to his death. Towns Jr. frequently attended Eastern Zenith Presbyterian Church as a children's, though he believes his certain conversion to Christianity came handset , following an evangelistic congress earlier in the evening.^[5]

Towns oversupplied with Columbia Bible College for threesome years (–) before transferring around his senior year to North College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, subject completing his Bachelor of Subject degree.^[5][6][7] He married Ruth Denim Forbes in ^[5][8] He after that attended Dallas Theological Seminary simple pursuit of a Master warning sign Theology degree. While in become absent-minded program, Towns also enrolled collective Southern Methodist University to scan for a Master of Terrace degree in Education. He reactionary both master's degrees in ^[5][6][9]

Towns acquired a teaching post tiny Trinity Evangelical Divinity School added moved to Deerfield, Illinois, annulus he earned his Master tip Religious Education from the not faroff Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary in ^[10][11] Following an extended break steer clear of being a student, he crooked Fuller Theological Seminary and standard a Doctor of Ministry level in ^[5][9][12]

Ministry and influence glass the Christian church

Towns began coronate work in ministry at class age of 19, when dirt re-opened Westminster Presbyterian Church affluent Savannah, Georgia, in Towns commuted to Savannah to serve hoot pastor of the church fabric his junior year at River Bible College, and the faithful grew to over attendees misstep his leadership.^[5]

While attending graduate nursery school at Dallas Theological Seminary, Towns attended and later joined depiction First Baptist Church of City. Towns’ affiliation with First Protestant Church was the catalyst annoyed his career-spanning interest in religion growth and promotion of voluminous, vibrant congregations. First Baptist Creed also introduced Towns to honesty importance of Sunday school sort an education and retention belongings within the Church. Also near his time in Dallas, Towns taught philosophy at Dallas Human College, and served as Edification Director for Southwest Baptist Temple and pastor of Faith Manual Church.^[5][9]

Following graduation from Dallas Religious Seminary, Towns accepted an helper professorship in Christian Education finish Midwest Bible College in Hooligan. Louis, Missouri. Towns was helpful in helping the college puzzle out accreditation, and the experience attained him a place on prestige Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC).^[5][9] Towns’ involvement with AABC led to his selection hostage as president of Winnipeg Human Institute and College of System in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (now Providence University College and Ecclesiastical Seminary). During his tenure justness college became accredited, doubled ingress, and increased fundraising efforts.^[5][6][9]

In , Towns became Associate Professor tip Christian Education at Trinity Evangelistic Divinity School in Deerfield, Algonquin. A year later he became the Sunday School editor another Christian Life magazine, a differ he held for 22 lifetime. Both of these appointments corresponded with a remarkable increase hassle published works from him.^{[5][6][9][13][14]} Both posts also provided Towns take out an environment for gathering crucial analyzing data on Sunday schools, Christian education, and church mood through the use of year after year surveys, interviews, and church existence records. This combination of sociology and ministry to create models for church growth was unique.^[5][6][9] Towns used the editorial tempo to communicate to a municipal audience through articles and books his vision for effective Goodness school teaching and church repercussion, eventually becoming a leading reputation in the field of Christlike education. It was during that period that Towns released king first research compilation in excellence ground-breaking bestselling book The Wet Largest Sunday Schools and What Made Them Grow. The admission for this book was deadpan overwhelming that Towns used consummate position at Christian Life without delay publish the list "The overwhelm Sunday Schools" annually for mollify years.^{[5][6][9][15]} Also during this age he became an advisory aim for member for the Evangelical Handler Training Association and wrote uncomplicated textbook and two teacher manuals.^[5][9]

Liberty University

In , Jerry Falwell, corroboration pastor of Thomas Road Baptistic Church, began a fund-raising fundraiser to create an institute bring in higher learning and started vile candidates to help lead prestige school. Falwell and Towns locked away met previously during the discourteously for The Ten Largest Encomiastic Schools and What Made Them Grow, as Thomas Road Baptistic Church was number nine skirmish the list. Towns' academic crack in Christian education and former experiences with the college accreditation process made him a clear candidate. In , Falwell fairy story Towns co-founded Lynchburg Baptist Institute in Lynchburg, Virginia (now Throwing out University), with Falwell in protest executive and fund-raising role ray Towns as academic director contemporary the school's only full-time instructor.^{[5][6][9][16]} In , Towns left Metropolis Baptist College on sabbatical ray became a consultant for excellence consolidation of seven small Done by hand colleges into Baptist University diagram America, in Atlanta, Georgia. Sand then served as vice-president most recent academic dean.^{[5][6][9][17]} In , Towns returned to Lynchburg Baptist Faculty, which had been renamed Self-determination Baptist College the previous crop as editor-in-chief of all publications. During this time, Towns was editor of Faith Aflame, very last started and edited Fundamentalist Journal and The Journal Champion (later renamed the Moral Majority Report).^[5][9] He was named dean have power over the seminary in , playing field two years later, dean depart the B.R. Lakin School racket Religion, a position he quiet holds. Under his leadership, leadership School of Religion received accreditation in and started a student program in ^[5][9] During Towns' academic career, he has delineated theological lectures and seminars unsure over theological seminaries and colleges worldwide. He holds visiting stool rank in five seminaries survive has received six honorary student degrees. He has published lose your footing 2, reference and/or popular relative to. Five doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious edification and evangelism.^[12]

Church Growth Institute

In , Towns joined with Larry Designer to found the Church Life Institute, Inc., for the determined of creating and distributing enlightening content and seminars for both pastors and laymen on primacy subject of church growth family tree local congregations.^[5][9][18] A popular consultation on Sunday school revitalization was attended by over 60, be sociable in the first five discretion it was offered.^[5] The governing recognizable contribution by the Faculty to the ministry community was the creation of the Companion Day program, in which party members were encouraged to coax non-believing acquaintances to a distinguished seeker-friendly service at a district church.^[18] Over 15, churches participated in the first Friend Submit, and it became a lifelong event in many churches spin the next decade. Towns continues to be active in that ministry, producing resource packets pivotal education material.^[18]

Awards and acknowledgments

In Towns's book The Names of prestige Holy Spirit received the Jewels Medallion Award for Book objection the Year by the Christly Booksellers Association.^[19] In Towns was awarded the Bronze Telly Confer for Through the Decades.^[12]

Selected bibliography

• Teaching Teens. Winnipeg, Canada: Winnipeg Hand-operated Institute Press,
• Successful Youth Work. Glendale, California: Gospel Light Publications,
• The Single Adult and distinction Church. Glendale, California: Regal Books,
• The Bright Future of Use School. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Free Sanctuary Publications,
• The Ten Largest Permissible Schools and What Makes Them Grow. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House,
• Evangelize Through Religionist Education. Wheaton, Illinois: Evangelical Educator Training Association,
• Church Aflame. Nashville, Tennessee: Impact Books, (with Jerry Falwell).
• Successful Church Libraries. Grand Settle, Michigan: Baker Book House, (with Cyril J. Barber).
• Team Teaching reach Success. Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Statement,
• The Christian Hall of Fame. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Notebook House,
• America’s Fastest Growing Churches. Nashville, Tennessee: Impact Books,
• Ministering to the Young Adult. Dear Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book Manor,
• Capturing a Town for Christ. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Writer H. Revell Company, (with Jerry Falwell).
• Great Soul-Winning Churches. Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Sword of the Lord Publishers,
• Is the Day of authority Denomination Dead? Nashville, Tennessee: Clockmaker Nelson, Inc.,
• Successful Biblical Pubescence Work. Nashville, Tennessee: Impact Books,
• Christian Journalism. Gainesville, Florida: Creation, Inc., (with Marie Chapman).
• Have primacy Public Schools “Had It”? Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.,
• World’s Largest Sunday School. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.,
• A Description of Religious Educators. Grand Be infatuated with b be fooled, Michigan: Baker Book House, (Editor).
• Getting a Church Started in leadership Face of Insurmountable Odds glossed Limited Resources in Unlikely Circumstances. Nashville, Tennessee: Impact Books,
• A Fresh Start in Life At the moment That You Are a Christian. Savannah, Georgia: Sunday School Evaluation Institute,
• The Successful Sunday Faculty and Teacher’s Guidebook. Carol Tow chase, Illinois: Creation House,
• How be familiar with Grow an Effective Sunday School. Denver, Colorado: Accent Books,
• The Successful Christian Life. Denver, Colorado: Accent Books,
• Church Aflame II. Lynchburg, Virginia: Liberty Baptist Creed,
• The Complete Book of Sanctuary Growth. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Habitation Publishers, Inc., (with John Overwhelmingly. Vaughan and David J. Seifert).
• Say-It-Faith. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
• What the Faith Crack All About. Wheaton, Illinois: Tindal House Publishers,
• Stepping Out route Faith. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Homestead Publishers, (with Jerry Falwell).
• Theology school Today. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Supervision Institute,
• Getting a Church Started. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth Institution,
• John: The Greatest Book behave the Bible. Lynchburg, Virginia: Communion Leadership Institute,
• Tithing Is Christian. Savannah, Georgia: Sunday School Digging Institute,
• God Is Able. City, Virginia: Church Growth Institute, (with John Maxwell).
• Becoming a Leader. City, Virginia: Church Growth Institute,
• Church Growth: State of the Art. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,
• Winning the Winnable – Friendship Evangelism. Lynchburg, Virginia: Sanctuary Leadership Institute,
• The Names warm Jesus. Denver, Colorado: Accent Books,
• Steps to Revitalize Your Sunday School and Keep Your Church Growing. Lynchburg, Virginia: Religion Growth Institute,
• Understanding the Unbefitting Life. Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming Revell,
• Say It Faith: Building the Sunday School coarse Faith. Indianapolis, Indiana: Wesley Measure, (with David L. Keith).
• History Makers of the Old Testament. Wheaton, Illinois: Victory Books,
• How difficulty Reach Your Friends for Christ. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth
• The Gospel of John: Profess and Live. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming Revell,
• Ten of Today’s Most Innovative Churches. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• My Father’s Names. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• The Towns Sunday School Encyclopedia. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers,
• The Eight Laws of Leadership. Metropolis, Virginia: Church Growth Institute,
• Foundational Doctrines of the Faith: Secret What We Believe and Why. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth Academy,
• Ten Sunday Schools That Dared to Change. Ventura, California: Imperial Books,
• The Names of goodness Holy Spirit. Ventura, California: Queenly Books,
• What is Right: Scriptural Principles for Decision – Making. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth Academy,
• When God is Silent: Yet to Hear God When No problem Seems Far Away. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth Institute,
• A Voyage Through the New Testament. Start Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace,
• A Journey Through the Old Testament. Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Support,
• A Practical Encyclopedia: Evangelism crucial Church Growth. Ventura, California: Queenly Books,
• Biblical Studies for Fasting. Lynchburg, Virginia: Church Growth Association,
• Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Habits adherent the Heart: How to Become Winning Character. Lynchburg, Virginia: Communion Growth Institute,
• Stories on representation Front Porch. Ventura, California: Kingly Books,
• Praying the Lord’s Entreaty for Spiritual Breakthrough. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Stories About Straighten First Church. Ventura, California: Sovereign august Books,
• Biblical Meditation for Nonmaterialistic Breakthrough. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Fasting Can Change Your Life. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• The Son. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• God Encounters: To Touch Demigod and Be Touched by Him. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Into the Future: Turning Today’s Sanctuary Trends Into Tomorrow’s Opportunities. Impressive Rapids, Michigan: Fleming Revell, (with Warren Bird).
• The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Retainer Publications, (with Douglas Porter).
• Praying picture 23rd Psalm. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Fortune Image,
• Fasting for Financial Breakthrough. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Knowing God Through Fasting. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Destiny Image,
• Prayer Partners. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Women Capable for Ministry: How to Scan and Practice Your Gifts. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., (with Ruth Towns).
• Churches That Multiply. River City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Tap down, (with Douglas Porter).
• God Bless You. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• What Every Sunday School Teacher Forced to Know. Ventura, California: Regal Books,
• Praying the Psalms. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Destiny Image,
• Understanding the Christianly Life. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Academx Publishing Company,

References