Professor Jost resigns from Tabor, accepts position at MBBS
Dr. Lynn Jost, associate professor of biblical and religious studies at Tabor College, has accepted an invitation to serve as the Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Old Testament at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif.
His resignation comes after 15 years of service at Tabor College. In addition to his current teaching responsibilities, Jost serves as Worship Coordinator and Chair of the Humanities Division. He also is a member of the Tabor College Wichita faculty.
This decision came as a natural transition in life, Jost said. Now that their youngest child is preparing to graduate from high school, he and his wife Donna felt the timing was right to make a change.
"We wanted our children to grow up in Hillsboro and they did," said Jost. "Donna and I both had a sense that if we were going to do something different with our lives it would be now."
Jost was drawn to the seminary in Fresno not only for the opportunity to be a part of a graduate level program, but also for the opportunity to prepare pastors for service in the Mennonite Brethren denomination.
"One of the things I am looking forward to doing as a dean is caring for the faculty," said Jost. "I think the job of the dean is to nurture faculty, encourage them, help them think about what they are doing and why."
One of the visions the faculty has at the seminary is to minister to the needs of the marginalized in Fresno.
"I've preached a lot about social justice and now I am willing to help participate in it," he said.
Jost hopes to also empower the faculty in this area.
"One of the visions the faculty has that I want to encourage is to connect with the people who are doing ministry to those needy groups," said Jost. "It's the idea of proclaiming Fresno for the Kingdom in ways that aren't overtly spiritual."
While meeting the needs and challenges of another Mennonite Brethren institution in his new role excites him, the transition will not come easily for Jost, who was once a Tabor College student himself.
"I'm very content at Tabor," he said. "I don't think things have ever been better here."
Stepping away from the deep level of engagement with the students will be especially difficult for Jost.
"I'll also miss the lunch room and sitting with the faculty," said Jost. "I probably won't have all different disciplines sitting at the table with me there. It will be a narrower perspective and I will be impoverished because of it.
"And, of course, I'll miss the Tabor football team and running the chain gang."
Jost will begin his new responsibilities July 1, 2006.
