Wikipedia

Draft:Hershael York

Hershael W. York
11th Dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 1, 2018
Preceded byGreg Wills
Victor and Louise Lester Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 1999
President of the Kentucky Baptist Convention
In office
November 2004 – November 2005
Succeeded byPaul Chitwood
First Vice-President of the Kentucky Baptist Convention
In office
November 2004 – November 2005
Personal details
BornMarch 4, 1960
Fort Thomas, Kentucky, U.S.
Spouse
Tanya York
​
(m. 1981)​
Children2
Residence(s)Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Kentucky (B.A. and M.A); Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. and Ph.D.)
OccupationBaptist theologian and minister

Hershael W. York is an evangelical theologian and a Baptist minister. He currently serves as the Dean of The School of Theology and the Victor and Louise Lester Professor of Christian Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.[1] Having served as the Senior Pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church,[2] York currently is the pastor emeritus of Buck Run Baptist Church.[3] He started Pastor Well,[4] to help churches and pastors across the globe to be focused on effective gospel communication and leadership.[5]

Early Life and Education

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Hershael was born in Fort Thomas, Kentucky to Wallace and Doris who moved to Brazil in July 1960 as missionaries.[6] Though the York family returned to the United States within the next couple of years owing to health complications, Hershael continued to have strong ties to Brazil.[7] Hershael professed faith in Christ as a 7 year old, and was baptized at Julien Baptist Church in Julien, Kentucky.

York was a student at Michigan State University from 1978-80, studying English; however, he continued his education at University of Kentucky upon moving to Lexington, Kentucky to serve as a youth and music minister at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church.[8] He received his Bachelor of Arts from University of Kentucky majoring in English and Classical Civilizations; graduating Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude, he continued his education at University of Kentucky to receive a Master of Arts in Classical Languages.[9] After serving as an Associate Pastor at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church till 1987, Hershael pursued a Master of Divinity degree, graduating summa cum laude in 1988 from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. He received his doctorate in Greek and New Testament in 1993 by writing a dissertation[10] on the First Epistle of John.[11]

Ministry

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York pastored First Baptist Church of Marion, Arkansas from 1988 to 1990.[12] He was called to be the Senior Pastor at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in 1990; serving from 1990 to 1997, York led Ashland Avenue Baptist Church back into the Southern Baptist Convention.[13]

York joined the faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in May 1997 as the Associate Professor of Preaching. In 1999, he was named as the Victor and Louise Lester Professor of Christian Preaching and the chair of Preaching department. York was elected Kentucky Baptist Convention president in 2004 and played a pivotal role in enabling the state denomination regain solid orthodox footing while restoring a friendly relationship between the Kentucky Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.[14] York was named as the 11th Dean of The School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary effective August 1, 2018.[15]

While serving as the preaching professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, York preached at the Fegenbush[16] campus of Highview Baptist Church till 2003. He was called to be the Senior Pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church at Frankfort, Kentucky in 2003. Having led the 200-year-old church during a period of growth that necessitated relocation to a 100-acre campus and new facilities,[14] he retired on January 28, 2024.[17] York currently serves as the Pastor emeritus of Buck Run Baptist Church while traveling as a guest preacher and speaker.[3]

Personal Life

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On March 14, 1981, Hershael married Tanya York. Hershael and Tanya have two biological sons, Michael York and Seth York born in 1983 and 1985.[18] Tanya currently teaches at the Seminary Wives' Institute at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Hershael and Tanya help couples through Marriage retreats and seminars.[19]

Views

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York is a conservative evangelical who believes in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible. He has played a prominent role in the conservative resurgence of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. He has been an advocate against abortion, highlighting the sacredness and dignity of human life.[20] He made a decision to leave twitter on June 4, 2024 as twitter changed its policy allowing sexual content on the platform.[21] Hershael spoke against the executive order of Andy Beshear banning the so-called conversion therapy, reminding that God created humans as gendered people.[22]

Honors

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Kentucky Baptist Convention recognized Hershael for his leadership by awarding him the Distinguished Leadership Award in November 2022.[23] Kentucky State Senate honored Hershael on January 23, 2024 for his faithful service to the commonwealth and beyond.[24] York has been invited to several institutions to deliver lectures on preaching, and Preaching Today[25] has included him among North America's most effective preachers.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Hershael W. York". The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  2. ^ "Buck Run Baptist Church". Buck Run Baptist Church.
  3. ^ a b "Leadership". Buck Run Baptist Church. 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  4. ^ "Pastor Well". Pastor Well.
  5. ^ "Pastor Well". Pastor Well. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  6. ^ Overbey, H. H. (October 1960). "Mission Sheets" (PDF). Baptist Faith Missions (October 1960).
  7. ^ "Hershael York «". www.bfmnow.org. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  8. ^ "Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Seventieth Anniversary Service Statistics". baptisthistoryhomepage.com. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  9. ^ "Campbellsville Univeristy Hosts Dr. Hershael York as Speaker for Chapel". www.campbellsville.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  10. ^ York, Hershael Wallace (November 18, 1993). "An analysis and synthesis of the exegetical methods of rhetorical criticism and discourse analysis as applied to the structure of First John" – via newlibrary.wts.edu Library Catalog.
  11. ^ "Dr. Hershael York". SBC Pastors' Conference 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  12. ^ "SBTS profs' first pastorate: Hershael York". The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  13. ^ "Celebrating 100 Years of Gospel Ministry". Ashland Avenue Baptist Church. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  14. ^ a b "SBTS Honors Schreiner and York—Teachers of Joy—for 25 Years of Faithfulness". The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  15. ^ Clabes, Judy (2018-06-24). "People in the News: Jesse Brewer gets national award, York named seminary dean, Dr. Jung to board". NKyTribune. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  16. ^ "Fegenbush Campus | Highview Baptist Church". www.highview.org.
  17. ^ Hutcheson, Chip (2024-01-28). "York calls pastoring Buck Run Baptist Church 'a singular honor of my life'". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  18. ^ Maynard, Mark (2020-08-07). "A family of faith: Yorks have love for Kingdom work and it shows". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  19. ^ Redmond, Tessa (2023-05-10). "Tanya York, pastor's wife, honored for 40 years of ministry service". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  20. ^ Kentucky Baptist Convention (2021-03-01). "Standing strong for life". Kentucky Baptist Convention. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  21. ^ "Christian Leaders Threaten to Leave X (Twitter) Now That it Allows Porn". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  22. ^ Maynard, Mark (2024-09-21). "York says Beshear executive order contradicts Bible's definition of loving your neighbor and being made in the image of God". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  23. ^ Hutcheson, Chip (2022-11-15). "KBC honors individuals, churches with awards". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  24. ^ Redmond, Tessa (2024-01-23). "Kentucky Senate honors Dr. Hershael York". Kentucky Today. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  25. ^ https://www.preachingtoday.com/
  26. ^ "Hershael York, Author at Preaching.com". Preaching.com. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
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