Retiring in 2021
His colleague Dr. Lawrence Olson admires Jim for his love of his Savior and his students. He says: “Prof. James Pope models the qualities every seminary graduate strives for: a pastoral heart paired with theological insight.
“Over the last 21 years, he has taught 10 different courses and walked into an MLC classroom well over 7,000 times to feed our students with the Word of God and to help them understand God’s workings in human history. He has also supervised 25 interns as they completed that formative final step in their training.
“His students appreciated—I know because I asked them—how kindhearted, open, and welcoming he was. They valued his mastery of what he was teaching and his ability to mix interesting stories and welcome humor in with his deep insights. They looked up to him as an example of humble service. They commented on how he connected with them and guided them. They will remember his love for his Savior and his commitment to the ministry of his church.
“Those students could have been speaking for me. Jim has had a profound, formative influence on our college and on the Staff Ministry Program. He has been a trusted colleague with a steady hand as we navigated seas that were sometimes rough over the last 21 years. I am thankful for the privilege of working with him for more than two decades. He has been a blessing from God to me.”
Professor Emeritus Pope and his wife, Cathy, plan to stay in the area for now and take some time off. Eventually, they would like to combine travel and ministry by serving congregations beyond the Midwest that are experiencing temporary vacancies.
“If you could leave MLC students with one last message . . .”
“Remember always that service in the public ministry is an undeserved privilege from God.”
– Professor Emeritus James Pope
