Michael Severe

Professor of Christian Ministries;
Program Director, Christian Ministries;
Chair, Master of Arts in Ministry

Biblical Studies, Christian Ministries, Intercultural Studies & Philosophy Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM)

Contact Information

Reade Center 149
765-998-5149
mcsevere@taylor.edu
View CV

Specialties:

adolescent identity/culture burnout evaluation/assessment ministry philosophy networking organizational change spiritual formation transformative learning youth ministry

Education

PhD, Education, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
MA, Christian Formation and Ministry, Wheaton College Graduate School
BS, Youth Ministries and Bible/Theology, Multnomah Bible College

Featured Publications

Ministry with Youth in Crisis

Authors: Harley T. Atkinson, W. Lee Barnett and Michael Severe

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Abide Bible

Authors: Mike Severe (contributor)

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Manual for Ministry Internships

Authors: Haley Atkinson and Mike Severe

Career Highlights

The Christian ministries program is currently working with a $1,000,000 grant to develop young Christian leaders who are theologically and scripturally engaged. We are excited to equip ministries with tools to develop adolescents into ministry competencies.

I have served on a number of boards such as the Association of Youth Ministry Educators, a professional organization that provides, networking, research, a journal and professional opportunities for those in the field of formal youth ministry education.

I have published research into youth ministry, ministry philosophy, evaluation/assessment, spiritual formation, adolescent identity/culture, networking, transformative learning, burnout, organizational change, teaching and more. I have developed evaluation tools for networks in the National Network of Youth Ministries and been utilized as a consultant on the national level.

After consulting and launching a number of graduate programs at other institutions, I currently lead Taylor’s two sites for our Master of ministry program.

I have led seminars, lectures and training in a dozen states and three continents, including both colleges and seminaries and conferences such as Youth Specialties. I feel called to a lifetime of youth/family ministry and training and currently have over a decade of professional experience in youth ministry and Christian education.

Download Burnout among Christian Youth Workers: A Cross National Analysis (.pdf)

Biography

Taylor is a collaborative community seeking to further the kingdom of God. I believe God has called me here to make disciples and train those who wish to use their gifts and engage in ministry. God calls our Christian Ministries students to a wide variety of ministry opportunities, and it is a privilege and a challenge to help them seek God’s direction and equip them for His work. Taylor supports important research and allows me to contribute to our discipline and the entire Kingdom. One of the most important reasons I feel called to Taylor is the students and professors here. Students are passionate, creative, and hard working. My colleagues are gifted teachers, people of integrity and maturity who seek to glorify God in all they do. It is a privilege to serve here amongst God’s people.

A truly Christian education will be one not only in content but also in form. The process, the people and the pedagogy must coincide with a biblical view of the person. Understanding both the fallen-ness of humanity (Romans 3:23) and being created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27, 5:1-2) is vital. The integration of faith and Christian education requires relationship, challenge, guidance, process and example. It is the means by which a person can more fully resemble Christ in this world. Thus, the relationships, experience, attitudes, skills and knowledge gained are for the purpose of forming character and virtue in the individual. That individual then is prepared to do the same in their ministry context.