[1]SAN FRANCISCO (BP)–Shera Melick is known as a woman of action, working hard to blend ministry and innovation in every arena where she’s served.
She joined the Golden Gate Seminary family several years ago as director of women’s ministries and Child Development Center director. This fall, she joins the seminary’s Christian education department as a new faculty member. Leroy Gainey, professor of Christian education and chair of the CE department at Golden Gate, praised her faculty election by trustees.
“Shera brings a wealth of experience not only in the childhood development area, but also in leadership development,” said Gainey. “She is entrepreneurial, visionary, evangelistic and a team player. She compliments the new direction of the education department and has proven to be an impact player from the onset.”
Melick began serving as director of the seminary’s Child Development Center in 1997. Since that time, it has grown to include a kindergarten class and become increasingly recognized in the local community as a place of high-quality education, character development and love for children.
In her new position, Melick will continue to have an important role at the Child Development Center. She will serve as a faculty liaison to the CDC staff and teachers She will also supervise a new internship program to develop greater teaching, administrative and leadership skills for students wanting to operate similar programs in local church communities.
Melick brings to the seminary 30 years of Christian education experience in ministry, 15 years of experience in Christian school administration and an extensive background in women’s ministry program development both in campus and church settings.
[2]Four years ago, she began a Partners In Ministry program to provide basic theological education and ministry development courses for spouses of the seminary students on two of Golden Gate’s campuses.
A former registered nurse, Melick earned her bachelor of arts degree from Palm Beach Atlantic College in Florida and her master of science degree from the University of Memphis in Tennessee. She is completing a doctor of education degree from Nova Southeastern University later this year.
“To know Him and to make Him known has been my life goal,” Melick said. “I’m grateful the Lord has allowed me opportunity at Golden Gate to share from a life commitment to Christian leadership and ministry.”
Melick considers it a “privilege to support seminary students as they sharpen Christian leadership skills to further the gospel of Christ around the world.”
Her husband, Richard, is provost at the seminary.
Melick’s work ethic and bent for action will prove valuable in the months and years ahead — the Christian education program at Golden Gate is undergoing important transitions. The department’s senior professor, Dan Boling, officially retires at the end the current academic year and the next senior CE faculty member, Jerry Stubblefield, has announced plans to retire following the end of the next academic year. Additionally, CE faculty members are in the process of revising the program’s curriculum for the future.
“The Christian education department has worked diligently this entire year to evaluate who we are, and who we need to be to meet the needs of churches in the West today,” said department chair Gainey. “Leadership development is what churches of the West are asking for and is the challenge for us to deliver.”
Although the specifics of a curriculum revision in the Christian education have yet to be fully developed, Gainey said the vocational objectives will be “more centered around a ‘trainer’ who can develop a multiplicity of leaders for the local church, other than, but inclusive of teachers.
“I hope the current Christian education department will have a number one objective of supplying leaders who can develop other leaders for our churches,” Gainey added.
Melick is enthusiastic about the faculty team she’s joining: “This team, from a great Christian education curriculum foundation, is currently reviewing, revising, and developing a cutting edge future for Christian education at Golden Gate. It is with great excitement that I look forward to the days ahead.”
–30–
(BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: SHERA MELICK.