Faculty

Full-Time Undergraduate Faculty

Burton, Donovan
Professor of Biblical Counseling
Director of the Life Tree Counseling Center

  • B.A. University of Kentucky - 1997
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2009
  • D. Min. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2015

Ditty, John
Robert O. Fitts Professor of Old Testament

  • B.Th. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 1983
  • M.Div. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1988
  • D. Min. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1993

Little, Kelli
Assistant Professor of General Education (English and Fine Arts)
Director of Testing and Developmental Studies

  • B.S. East Tennessee State University – 1987
  • M.A.E. Cumberland University – 2000
  • M.A. East Tennessee State University - 2010
  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 2024

Mitchell, Eric
L.C. Kelly Chair of Biblical Interpretation
Director of Graduate Studies

  • B.A Baylor University - 1981
  • M.Div. Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary - 1994
  • Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2002

Nix, Matthew
Professor of Music and Worship

  • B.S. Liberty University - 2011
  • M.A. Liberty University – 2013
  • D.W.S. Liberty University - 2020

Smith, Joshua
Professor of Expository Preaching
Directior of Christian Service

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College – 2008
  • M.Div. Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary – 2011
  • D.Min. Liberty University - 2020
Part-Time Undergraduate Faculty

Dyer, Andrew
Part-Time Professor of Missions and Evangelism

  • B.A. Campbellsville University - 1999
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2003
  • D.Min. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2011

Merrick, Bruce
Distinguished Professor of Church Ministries and Leadership

  • B.A. Drury University - 1973
  • M.R.E. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1977
  • Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1994

Sims, Dustin
Part-time Professor of General Studies and Apologetics

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College – 2006
  • M.T.S. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2017
  • M.A. Liberty University – 2018
  • D.Ed.Min. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2023
  • Th.M in Christian Apologetics (2024)
Undergraduate Adjunct Professors

Martin, Ruth
Adjunct Professor

  • B. A. Northland International University – 2008
  • M. A. Northland International University – 2011
  • M. A. in Music Education at Liberty University – (began Fall 2023)

DeLand, Michael
Adjunct Professor

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 2016
  • M.A. University of the Cumberlands – 2017
  • M.T.S. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2020
  • D.Min. Liberty University - 2022

DeLand, Susan
Adjunct Professor

  • B. S. University of Tennessee - 2007
  • M. S. in Civil Engineering - 2016

Dodson, Alan
Adjunct Professor

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 1996
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2000
  • D.Min. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - 2016

Hester, Malcolm
Adjunct Professor

  • B. A. Samford University – 1971
  • M. Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1974
  • Ph. D. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1981
    • Post-Graduate study Oxford University – 1990
    • Post-Graduate study University of Kentucky – Philosophy - no degree earned

Summerlin, Dan
Adjunct Professor

  • B. S. University of Alabama – 1981
  • M. Div. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary – 1985
  • Th. D. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - 1991

Wallis, Thomas

  • B. A. Murray State University – 1970
  • Ph. D. Duke University - 1974
Teaching Administrators

Burchfield, Andrea Fox
Director of Library Services

  • B.S. Lincoln Memorial University – 2010
  • MLIS University of Southern Mississippi – 2022

Goodman, Charlie
President
Professor of Theology

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 2008
  • M.R.E. Covington Theological Seminary - 2010
  • M.A.C.S. University of the Cumberlands - 2014
  • M.T.S. Liberty University – 2018
  • M.A. Liberty University – 2019
  • D.Min. Liberty University – 2021

Lucas, Roy
Academic Dean
Professor of Bible

  • B.A. Oklahoma Baptist University – 1978
  • B.A. Oklahoma Baptist University – 1979
  • M. Div. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1982
  • M.A. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1985
  • Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1993

Sulfridge, Jay
Accreditation Liaison

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 1993
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2000
  • Ph.D. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2010
  • Additional Studies:
    • The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2003-2004

Styles, Jared
Dean of Administrative Affairs

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 2019
  • M.A. Biblical Languages, Liberty University - 2021
  • Ph.D. Biblical Exposition, Liberty University - In Progress
Adjunct Graduate Faculty

Brooks, Lonnie
Adjunct Graduate Professor

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 1993
  • M.Div. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2000
  • D. Min. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2010

Burton, Donovan
Professor of Biblical Counseling
Director of the Life Tree Counseling Center

  • B.A. University of Kentucky - 1997
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2009
  • D. Min. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 2015

Ditty, John
Robert O. Fitts Professor of Old Testament

  • B.Th. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College - 1983
  • M.Div. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1988
  • D. Min. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1993

Hester, Malcolm
Adjunct Professor

  • B. A. Samford University – 1971
  • M. Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1974
  • Ph. D. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1981
    • Post-Graduate study Oxford University – 1990
    • Post-Graduate study University of Kentucky – Philosophy - no degree earned

Kennedy, Kevin
Adjunct Graduate Professor

  • B. A. Liberty University – 1986
  • M. Div. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1990
  • Ph. D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – 1999

Merrick, Bruce
Distinguished Professor of Church Ministries and Leadership

  • B.A. Drury University - 1973
  • M.R.E. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1977
  • Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - 1994

Mitchell, Craig
Adjunct Graduate Professor

  • B. S. Savannah State College – 1980
  • B. S. Naval Graduate School – 1985
  • M. S. West Coast University – 1991
  • M. A. West Coast University – 1993/li>
  • M. A. University of Texas in Arlington – 2011
  • Ph. D. University of Texas in Arlington - ABD

Mitchell, Eric
L.C. Kelly Chair of Biblical Interpretation
Director of Graduate Studies

  • B.A Baylor University - 1981
  • M.Div. Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary - 1994
  • Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2002

Nix, Matthew
Professor of Music and Worship

  • B.S. Liberty University - 2011
  • M.A. Liberty University – 2013
  • D.W.S. Liberty University - 2020

Smith, Joshua
Professor of Expository Preaching
Directior of Christian Service

  • B.A. Clear Creek Baptist Bible College – 2008
  • M.Div. Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary – 2011
  • D.Min. Liberty University - 2020

Summerlin, Dan
Adjunct Graduate Professor

  • B. S. University of Alabama – 1981
  • M. Div. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary – 1985
  • Th. D. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - 1991

Whittaker, John

  • B.A. Murray State - 1998
  • M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - 2003
  • D. Min. Union University - 2016