Chris Shirley

Assistant Professor of Adult Ministry

Chris Shirley serves as assistant professor of adult ministry in the Jack D. Terry School of Church and Family Ministries, where he teaches courses in adult discipleship, single and older adult ministry, men’s discipleship, and family ministry. In addition, Dr. Shirley coordinates the family ministry degree programs on the master’s and doctoral level.

Prior to coming to Southwestern, Dr. Shirley was involved in over 20 years of ministry experience in Christian camping and local churches in North Carolina and Texas. He has served the local church as a Youth Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Family Life, Single Adult Minister, and Associate Pastor.

Dr. Shirley is a frequent conference and workshop speaker in a variety of areas: family ministry, men’s discipleship, older adult ministry, adult education, and teacher training. In addition, he has written youth and adult Sunday School curriculum, adult and youth Vacation Bible School materials, and Bible book studies for LifeWay Christian Resources. He has also published a number of book reviews through the Southwestern Journal of Theology and Christian Education Journal, as well as an article in the Evangelical Dictionary of Education. His article on comprehensive discipleship in the local church—“It Takes a Church to Make a Disciple”—was published in the Southwestern Journal of Theology in 2008.