“The most powerful moments for me are when a student is able to identify and give voice to their calling,” shares SCS Vice President, Dr. Chris Stapper. “It is incredible to walk alongside a student as they discern how God is calling them to serve the church and community.”
Dr. Stapper gets to live out his own calling everyday by helping men and women develop their leadership gifts at SCS. “I love serving at SCS, because I have the opportunity to provide practical training to our students that they can then use to serve the local church,” he says. “My Ph.D. was in Leadership Studies with a concentration in Ministry. Specifically, I studied the leadership practices of youth ministers as they led volunteers to grow spiritually, so I am looking forward to teaching Foundations of Youth Ministry this fall.”
Dr. Stapper has been involved with SCS for many years both as a staff member and a student. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Howard Payne University via SCS while he was working at Camp Zephyr and kept in touch with the college throughout his years as a youth pastor in Athens, Texas. During his time in Athens, he pursued his Master of Arts in Christian Education and a Master of Business Administration from Dallas Baptist University before returning to the Coastal Bend to join the SCS familia. He later earned the Ph.D. from Dallas Baptist University thus contributing an unparalleled level of practical and academic expertise to the college.
Dr. Stapper serves as the Vice President of Mission and Finance. “I oversee the operations side of the college,” he tells us. “This includes finance, technology, communication, and facilities. I also have the opportunity to meet with local churches to connect our work at the seminary with the work being done in the local church.”
Outside of SCS, you can find Dr. Stapper serving local churches alongside his wife Erin who teaches Special Education at Annapolis Christian Academy. Dr. Stapper loves to barbecue in his backyard, play guitar, and go camping with his wife and children.