Seth Bible Announced as Dean of Judson College

Since June 1 of this year, Bible has served as the acting dean of The College following Scott Pace’s promotion from the position to provost of Southeastern. During their fall biannual meeting earlier this week, Southeastern’s trustees unanimously voted to elect Bible as vice president of undergraduate studies and announced Bible as the new dean of The College.

Bible, a two-time graduate of Southeastern, has served and taught at Southeastern in a variety of roles for more than two decades — most recently launching and directing Southeastern’s flourishing prison programs.

“Seth has been a great blessing to Southeastern now for 23 years,” noted President Danny Akin. “It has been exciting to see how the Lord has raised him up and used him to serve and support this institution. He has done a superb job directing our prison programs over the past six years and is a gifted administrator and teacher. The faculty, the administration, and the trustees are all of one heart and one mind that God has set apart Seth to lead our college.”

It has been exciting to see how the Lord has raised him up and used him to serve and support this institution.

A graduate of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Bible heard about Southeastern through his campus ministry leaders who were alumni of Southeastern. After visiting campus during his senior year, Bible followed God’s leading to Southeastern and began his MDiv in 2000.

As an MDiv student, Bible served as the director of intramurals and then as the facilities and fitness manager at Southeastern. After graduating in 2003, Bible began his PhD in ethics the following year, focusing his research on environmental ethics. Two years into his doctoral program, Bible became the director of student life, overseeing day-to-day student community and discipleship for The College and the seminary.

Bible graduated with his PhD in 2011 and transitioned from his role in student life in 2016 to oversee the launch of Southeastern’s prison programs and to join the faculty as assistant professor of ethics and history of ideas. In his role as director of prison programs, Bible coordinated with state and local officials as well as donors and other agencies to develop a successful field minister program that now has deployed 49 incarcerated men to serve as ambassadors to the North Carolina prison system. Under his leadership, Southeastern’s prison programs have also grown to include a women’s field minister program in North Carolina and in Florida.

As dean of The College, Bible is excited to lead and disciple students to grow in their faith and service to Jesus just as he was challenged to do during his time in college.

“College was a pivotal time in my life,” recalled Bible. “It was during those four years that I felt like my faith became my own as I experienced God working to draw me towards his calling on my life. I am excited to be a part of encouraging this next generation of leaders in their faith and vocational journey, and I am particularly excited about doing that at Judson College. We have a ‘top shelf’ curriculum, a world class faculty, and godly leaders, and it is an honor to be a part of what is happening on this campus.”

I am excited to be a part of encouraging this next generation of leaders in their faith and vocational journey, and I am particularly excited about doing that at Judson College.

Since 2003, Bible has been a member of Open Door Church in Raleigh and currently serves as a lay elder at Open Door. Bible and his wife Kristy have been married for over 20 years and have four children. Southeastern is grateful for the ongoing investment of Bible and his family and is excited to partner with them in training students to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the Church, among the nations, and in every aspect of society.