Ken Bickel Professor Pastoral Ministries   B.A., Millersburg State College   M.Div., M.A.B.C., Grace Theological Seminary   D.Min., Denver Seminary Phone: 574-372-5100 ext. 6452 E-mail: kebickel@grace.edu

Dr. Bickel was originally in banking when saved and called to the ministry. He served as a full-time senior pastor for eleven years and part-time instructor at Grace Seminary before coming full-time to Grace in 1990. He is a visiting instructor in Homiletics at Philadelphia Biblical University and has served as a church consultant on several occasions. He currently serves as President of the FGBC national ministerial association. He is a charter member of the Evangelical Homiletics Society and regularly presents papers at the annual meetings. He is active in community related activities and in leadership and service in his local church.

 

7 Questions with Dr. Bickel:

1) What are some of your interests and hobbies outside of teaching and ministry?

I enjoy canoeing, home repair and spending time with my grandsons.

 

2) Who are the members of your immediate family?

Doris – wife of 40 years

Lori – daughter married to Chris Judson—has two sons, Evan and Colin

Tim – son married to Jennifer—has one son, Nathan

 

3) What is one of your most memorable experiences in ministry?

The time I convinced a battered wife to allow me to take her to the emergency room. I came to find out later that, if she hadn’t gone, she might well have died. 

 

4) What was the topic of your Dmin, Th.D, or Ph.D dissertation?

"A Study of the Effect of the Introduction of Tension into a Deductive Sermon on Listener Retention of the Sermon Content." 

 

5) What classes do you teach?  Which is your favorite to teach?

• Philosophy of Ministry – Co-teach with Dr. Gill
• Expository Preaching and Teaching - favorite
• Advanced Preaching
• Seminar in Worship
• Counseling in the Local Church
• Local Church Ministry in the 21st Century
• Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Management – Co-teach with Dr. Morr

 

6) Outside the Bible, what are some of the most influential books in your life?

• What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey
• The Connecting Church by Randy Frazee
• Extreme Righteousness by Tom Hovestol
• How to be Good in a World Gone Bad by James Spiegel

 

7) What is your most recent area of research?

• Ministerial Ethics
• Preaching Forms for the Psalms
• Postmodern Ministry Forms