Today we highlight Dr. Larry Asplund, ’72, who served faithfully for eighteen years at Portland Bible College.
Larry was born and raised in North Dakota/Minnesota and graduated with a BA in Philosophy & Biblical Studies from Evangel University, MA in Biblical Literature from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, DMin in Leadership and Spiritual Formation from George Fox University, and an Ed.D. (ABD) in Educational Leadership. He is the son and the father of a pastor and comes from a long line of Christian ministers and educators. He has been involved in pastoral ministry and teaching for 48 years, including serving as an associate pastor, teaching pastor, senior pastor, and church planter. He has also been actively engaged in the ministry of higher education for 31 of those years, including roles as a full-time Bible college teacher, seminary teacher, and university vice president. He has served as a “ghostwriter” for well-known authors as well as writing several books of his own. In recent years, he has served as a part-time Instructor in the School of Divinity in the area of Practical Theology at Regent University and also at Christian life School of Theology Global.
Hear what Larry has to say about his latest book, “Yoked”:
In the Great Commission as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus left his followers with clear instructions: They were to make disciples by teaching people to obey all he had commanded them. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really thought about Jesus as giving commandments. We all know about the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus but Jesus came “full of grace.” Surely fullness of grace did not involve commandments, let alone the need to obey those commandments. But there it was, recorded plainly in these famous words of Jesus. If making (and being) disciples requires us to teach people how to obey the commandments of Jesus, maybe we should focus more attention on what those commandments are, and how to obey them.
Also, be sure to check out his blog!