Warren W. Wiersbe
Encyclopedia
Warren Wendel Wiersbe is an American
pastor
, Bible teacher, conference speaker and a prolific writer of Christian literature
and theological works. Born on May 16, 1929 in East Chicago
, Indiana
, Wiersbe is perhaps best known for his series of 50 books in the "BE" series: Be Real, Be Rich, Be Obedient, Be Mature, Be Joyful, etc. and other theological works.
Warren Wiersbe studied at Indiana University
in Indianapolis
, Roosevelt University
, and graduated in 1953 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
in Lombard
, Illinois. While attending the seminary, he was ordained as pastor of Central Baptist Church in 1951 and served until 1957. From September 1957 to 1961, Wiersbe served as Director of The Literature Division for Youth for Christ International. From 1961 to 1971 he pastored Calvary Baptist Church of Covington
, Kentucky
south of Cincinnati
, Ohio
. The church grew from a church seating a congregation of eight hundred to build a new church seating of two thousand. This church drew members from the Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky Tri-state Area. His Sunday sermons were broadcast as the “Calvary Hour” on a local Cincinnati radio station. From 1971 to 1978, Warren Wiersbe pastored Chicago's Moody Church
, named for 19th century evangelist Dwight L. Moody
. While At Moody Church he continued in radio ministry to include Speaker on “Songs in the Night”, a national radio program that moved to Moody Church in 1968. Between August 1979 and March 1982 he wrote bi-weekly for Christianity Today as “Eutychus X”. Also during this same time frame between 1978 to 1982, Warren Wiersbe taught practical theology classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
in Deerfield, Illinois and wrote the course material and taught, "Imagination and the Quest for Biblical Preaching", a Doctor of Ministries course at Trinity and Dallas Seminary. While pastoring in Chicago, Warren Wiersbe served on the board of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) from 1971 to 1983, ten of those years he served as chairman of the board. From 1980 to 1990 he went to work for Back to the Bible
radio broadcasting network and served as general director the last six years of his time there. In 1995, Wiersbe became Writer in Residence at Cornerstone University
in Grand Rapids
, Michigan
, and Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
. A contributing editor to Baker Book House
. He has been writing books since the 1950s under several publishing house labels; completing more than 150 books including the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible which has sold over four million copies. Warren Wiersbe was awarded two honorary Doctorate Degrees and has accumulated in his personal library more than 10,000 books; some times referred to as “the pastor’s pastor”, Dr. Wiersbe has become a well known and trusted Bible theologian and scholar throughout Fundamental
and Evangelical
circles.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Bible teacher, conference speaker and a prolific writer of Christian literature
Christian literature
Christian Literature is writing that deals with Christian themes and incorporates the Christian world view. This constitutes a huge body of extremely varied writing.-Scripture:...
and theological works. Born on May 16, 1929 in East Chicago
East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Wiersbe is perhaps best known for his series of 50 books in the "BE" series: Be Real, Be Rich, Be Obedient, Be Mature, Be Joyful, etc. and other theological works.
Warren Wiersbe studied at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
, and graduated in 1953 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary is a seminary located in Lombard, Illinois, USA, near Chicago. It was founded in 1913 by the Second Baptist Church of Chicago to prepare students for church leadership, and it continues to represent a theologically conservative alternative within its...
in Lombard
Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, "The Lilac Village", is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 42,322 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2004 to be 42,975.-History:...
, Illinois. While attending the seminary, he was ordained as pastor of Central Baptist Church in 1951 and served until 1957. From September 1957 to 1961, Wiersbe served as Director of The Literature Division for Youth for Christ International. From 1961 to 1971 he pastored Calvary Baptist Church of Covington
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
south of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The church grew from a church seating a congregation of eight hundred to build a new church seating of two thousand. This church drew members from the Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky Tri-state Area. His Sunday sermons were broadcast as the “Calvary Hour” on a local Cincinnati radio station. From 1971 to 1978, Warren Wiersbe pastored Chicago's Moody Church
Moody Church
The Moody Church is a historic Protestant church in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. right|thumb|270px|-Building:...
, named for 19th century evangelist Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody , also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts , the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.-Early life:Dwight Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts to a large...
. While At Moody Church he continued in radio ministry to include Speaker on “Songs in the Night”, a national radio program that moved to Moody Church in 1968. Between August 1979 and March 1982 he wrote bi-weekly for Christianity Today as “Eutychus X”. Also during this same time frame between 1978 to 1982, Warren Wiersbe taught practical theology classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. TEDS is one of the largest seminaries in the world, enrolling more than 1,200 graduate students in professional and academic programs, including more than 150 in its PhD programs...
in Deerfield, Illinois and wrote the course material and taught, "Imagination and the Quest for Biblical Preaching", a Doctor of Ministries course at Trinity and Dallas Seminary. While pastoring in Chicago, Warren Wiersbe served on the board of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) from 1971 to 1983, ten of those years he served as chairman of the board. From 1980 to 1990 he went to work for Back to the Bible
Back to the Bible
Back to the Bible is an international Christian ministry based in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, using radio, the internet, television, and other media...
radio broadcasting network and served as general director the last six years of his time there. In 1995, Wiersbe became Writer in Residence at Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University is an independent, non-denominational Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The university emphasises the trinitarian belief in the triune God and the literal interpretation of the Bible...
in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University is a multidenominational evangelical Christian seminary located in Grand Rapids, Michigan...
. A contributing editor to Baker Book House
Baker Book House
Baker Publishing Group is an evangelical Protestant Christian book publisher based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It has six subdivisions: Bethany House, Revell, Baker Books, Baker Academic, Chosen and Brazos Press.-Identity:...
. He has been writing books since the 1950s under several publishing house labels; completing more than 150 books including the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible which has sold over four million copies. Warren Wiersbe was awarded two honorary Doctorate Degrees and has accumulated in his personal library more than 10,000 books; some times referred to as “the pastor’s pastor”, Dr. Wiersbe has become a well known and trusted Bible theologian and scholar throughout Fundamental
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
and Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
circles.