2012 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners
by Jo Brosius, Director of Communications, Wilmore Campus
Wilmore, KY (November 8, 2012) Asbury Theological Seminary has just announced the 2012 winners of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Steve Harper, a 1973 graduate of the Masters of Divinity program, and Dr. Richard James Waugh, 2010 recipient of the Doctor of Ministry degree, were selected to receive this year’s award after being nominated by other alumni.
Asbury Seminary has sought to recognize those whose ministry reveals the heart of the seminary and the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The nomination process allows the Seminary to hear the stories of service and sacrifice, holiness and vision for many of its alumni. “The nominations allow us to see the fruit of a ‘well-trained, sanctified, Spirit-filled evangelistic ministry spreading scriptural holiness throughout the world,” said Tammy Cessna, Director of Alumni Relations at Asbury Seminary.
Dr. Steve Harper is a professor of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies. He taught at Asbury Seminary for twelve years until 1992. He later became the founding director of The Pathways Initiative, a ministry to spiritual leaders. He served with The Upper Room from 1996 to 1998 when he was invited back to Asbury Seminary to become founding vice president and dean of the Seminary’s Florida Dunnam Campus. He is a member of the Theta Phi Honor Society and a 2004 recipient of the Francis Asbury Award. He has authored twelve books and co-authored six others. Dr. Harper and his wife, Jeannie, reside in Winter Springs, Fla.
Dr. Richard Waugh is president of the South Pacific Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and Chairman of the New Zealand National Church Leaders Meeting. He is a prominent Wesleyan leader, and although he is the alumni living farthest from campus, he is among the most active in expressing Asbury Seminary values both globally, ecumenically, denominationally and in community service. He is the founding Senior Pastor of Auckland’s East City Wesleyan Church, now one of the largest English-speaking multi-cultural churches of the Methodist/Wesleyan stream in the South Pacific region. (www.ecw.org.nz) He is a recognized catalytic leader for Wesleyan revival in New Zealand and the South Pacific region and is known as a “word and deed” minister in the Wesleyan tradition. He currently resides in Auckland, New Zealand.