Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
Chair, Department of Missions and Intercultural Studies, Talbot School of Theology

• Th.D., Wycliffe College, University of Toronto
• M.Div., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Speaker at a revival service in East Kalimantan to more than 10,000 people.
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
Chair, Department of Missions and Intercultural Studies, Talbot School of Theology

Expertise

• Ministry
  Spiritual Warfare
  New Testament
  Pastoral Ministry

Working Experience

Dr. Tom Sappington was involved in pastoral ministry for 9 years before being called to ministry in the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia, where he and his wife served for 15 years in Central Java. During his years in Indonesia, he taught various courses in New Testament, Spiritual Conflict and Pastoral Ministry at 6 branches of the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Indonesia, where students are required to win a minimum of 15 people to the Lord and disciple them to the point of baptism before graduation. This is no easy task in the world’s largest Muslim-dominated nation! Since the seminary was founded in 1979 by Dr. Chris Marantika, students and affiliated church planters have established tens of thousands of new congregations in various parts of Indonesia. The vision of the seminary is One-One-One: To establish one new congregation in every (one) village in Indonesia in this (one) generation.

Dr. Sappington also founded Duta Pembaharuan (Ambassadors of Renewal), a ministry that brings renewal, inner healing and deliverance to pastors and other church leaders in Indonesia, and trains them to use these ministries in the context of their local church. Since Ambassadors of Renewal held their first public training in the year 2000, the ministry has trained hundreds of Christian leaders and others to minister to others in the context of their local churches and in other Christian ministries. He has spoken in numerous churches and in other settings in various parts of Indonesia, including preaching at a revival service in East Kalimantan to around 10,000 people.

In his teaching at Biola and Talbot, Dr. Sappington combines a strong background in biblical and theological studies with his years of pastoral ministry and cross-cultural experience. He has written four books and enjoys sharing his passion for missions with students in any part of the world. He also ministers to many students at Biola and Talbot, helping them overcome the issues that have been hindering both their growth in Christ and their effectiveness in Christian ministry. He is currently writing his next book on the biblical and theological basis for the ministry of deliverance in the context of the local church. He earned his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, CA, his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL and his Th.D. in New Testament studies from Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Canada.

Family

The Sappingtons live in La Mirada, CA, and have been blessed with three adult children—two sons, Chris and Joel, who is married to Tricia, and one daughter, Amanda.

Others

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