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Bethel’s Dr. Lancaster Named to SSAC All-Faculty Team

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The 2019-20 SSAC All-Faculty Team was announced recently by the Southern States Athletic Conference. Bethel University’s Dr. David Lancaster was named to the team.
Each athletic department submits one faculty member from their institution that has gone above and beyond in support of student-athletes.
Dr. R. David Lancaster (B.A., ’75), professor of Christian Studies at Bethel University, lives in Martin. He and his late wife, Barb, who was also a Bethel graduate (’76), married in September 1975, and had four children, all Bethel graduates.
After earning a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1979, he began his first pastorate in West Paducah, Kentucky. After five years, the family relocated to Knoxville, serving the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church over the next 19 years. He has served on several denominational boards, and beginning in 1986, has taught in the extension school for ministers preparing for ordination. For twelve years, the Knoxville congregation sponsored a daily radio ministry which David produced called Family Matters, which aired on a local Christian station. The Graduate Theological Foundation awarded him a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2008. In September 2010, the Sharon CP Church honored him by naming him its supply pastor.

In its annual June General Assembly meeting in Palm Harbor, Florida, in 2017, the delegates elected him as its 187th Moderator, a one-year position which concluded in June 2018.
For over 20 years, David has studied the subject of leadership. He wrote a monthly column, Leading Matters, for the denominational magazine, The Cumberland Presbyterian. He has developed two outreach/service programs at Bethel, The Bethel Center for Creating Leadership (inactive) and Certificate in Christian Studies.
Bethel Associate Athletic Director Brad Chappell shared his thoughts, “The All-Faculty Team is an honor voted on by our coaches each year. It is awarded to the faculty member that is viewed by our coaches as having been the most supportive of our athletes and our department. We are proud to honor Dr. Lancaster with this distinction as he certainly checks all those boxes.”
Bethel President Dr. Walter Butler commented. “Dr. David Lancaster’s history with Bethel goes all the way back to the 1970’s when he was a student here. Being selected for the SSAC All-Faculty Team is so appropriate for Dr. Lancaster. He cares for his students and spends hours, each semester, helping them to become successful, both on and off the field. On behalf of the entire Bethel University faculty, staff and student body, your choice of Dr. Lancaster is a great selection.”
Dr. Lancaster was thrilled with the award. “I’m in total shock, and incredibly honored and thrilled to receive this kindness. I love working with our student-athletes. I feel blessed to be a part of the Bethel experience.”