A university press provides valuable tools and opportunities for the presentation of scholarship from the institution’s faculty, staff, librarians, researchers and other university community members. For Truett McConnell University (TMU), the vision for TMU Press came from President Emir Caner’s vision to expand the university’s academia to the Christian population across the United States.
Due to the generous donor who gave TMU $200,000, this vision was brought to fruition. “Our desire for TMU Press is to reach a new generation for Christ through the most biblical materials that provide schools and families access to first class education in an affordable manner and through state-of-the-art platforms,” said Caner.
To lead this endeavor, Dr. Peter Lumpkins, who has worked in Christian publishing for almost a decade, accepted the role as Director of TMU Press. “I’ve known Dr. Caner for several years, following his contributions to Christian education and scholarship. When the opportunity opened to serve under Dr. Caner, to teach, and to continue in Christian publishing, all at an exciting Christian university in the North Georgia Mountains, I said, ‘Oh, yeah, I thanked our Lord for answering my prayers!’”
Lumpkins has served in various full-time Christian ministry roles since 1981, including: senior pastor, executive pastor, and director of city-wide crusade evangelism. Along with his ministry background, the new director has an extensive portfolio in publishing as general editor, publisher of small group Bible study curriculum, and published author of three works.
In addition to publishing campus curriculum, Lumpkins shared plans for “launching an academic publishing department which will reach every region in the United States and perhaps, globally.” What is more,” he added, “TMU Press will become a venue for writing professors to put their knowledge into print which will extend their influence beyond their classroom lectures.”
With his expertise and knowledge, Lumpkins has already started his efforts to complete two projects benefiting the Christian homeschool community along with current TMU students. These projects, which hope to be completed in the next three years, include a K-12 science curriculum for homeschool students and an Anabaptist study Bible.
“Both of these are long-term projects,” he explains. “We’re committed to working toward completion with that timeline as a backdrop. TMU Press plans to have its first publication in print by the summer of 2019.”
The goal is also to increase brand awareness and thus, help with recruitment of new students to TMU, once the press gets into full publishing mode. “In the end,” added Lumpkins, “TMU Press exists to further the vision of Christian higher education that Truett McConnell University is all about.”
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Jenny Gregory is the Digital Content Specialist for the TMU Marketing and Communications Department.
Photo/JG
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