CHICAGO, IL (April 20, 2017) – Dwight Perry has been called to be the new dean of faculty at North Park Theological Seminary, as well as professor of homiletics and leadership, it was announced today.
Perry brings a breadth of experiences that includes serving as the executive director of a gospel mission, church planter, conference and denominational executive of Converge (formerly the Baptist General Conference), and professor of pastoral studies at Moody Bible Institute.
Perry was the first African American to earn a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has written several books, including Breaking Down Barriers: A Black Evangelical Explains the Black Church, Building Unity in the Church in the New Millennium, Turnaround: Renewing Organizations from the Inside/Out, Finish Well, Connect, a volume on homiletics, and The Hole in My Soul, on mentoring.
He is a sought-after national speaker who has spoken on diversity inclusion, homiletics, and organizational and systems development, especially in not-for-profit settings.
“Dr. Perry is the rare combination of scholar and practitioner that theological education so desperately needs,” said Dave Kersten, dean of the seminary. “He wants to make a significant contribution to the community of pastors and feels particularly called to NPTS and the Evangelical Covenant Church.”
In addition to his doctorate from Trinity, Perry earned a master’s of science in adult and continuing education from National-Louis University, a master’s of education in educational psychology from the University of Illinois–Urbana, and a bachelor’s of arts in history education.
Perry’s wife, Cynthia, is a tenured professor and director of the Early Childhood Regular and Special Education Program at Edgewood College. The couple has four adult children and five grandchildren.
