Evangelism professor to speak

Dr. Jerry Root, a professor at Wheaton College in Illinois who teaches evangelism courses, will speak in chapel at Northwestern College on Monday, Sept. 12, at 10:05 a.m. and on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 11:05 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Root’s speaking engagement was suggested by Northwestern professors Mitch and Sandie Kinsinger. When they were college students at Wheaton in the early 1980s, they met Root, a college pastor at the time, at a local church.

“He understands what it’s like for college students to explore God’s call in their life, trying to deepen their faith in Christ,” Mitch Kinsinger says. “He is insightful, yet down to earth. That’s why students enjoy him so much.”

Root teaches graduate courses at Wheaton in the M.A. in evangelism and leadership program as well as undergraduate courses in the Christian formation and ministry department. He is also the associate director of the college’s Billy Graham Institute for Strategic Evangelism.

Before teaching at Wheaton, Root pastored three churches over 20 years and taught courses at various schools, including Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the Talbot Graduate School of Theology at Biola University. Throughout his career, he has lectured or preached in 20 countries and 32 states.

Root has written numerous study guides, articles and book chapters on evangelism and spiritual formation. He is co-editor of the award-winning book about C. S. Lewis, The Quotable Lewis.

Root earned a doctorate at British Open University, a Master of Divinity degree from Talbot Graduate School of Theology and a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College.

Root’s speaking engagement at Northwestern is made possible by the Ronald R. Nelson Scholars and Artists in Residence Program, which seeks to inspire students with scholarship that encourages peace and justice. The program is named in honor of Ron Nelson, a history professor who taught at Northwestern from 1974 until his death in 1985.