Jul 21, 2014 07:19 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Dr. Paul Kooistra has been appointed as the president of Erskine College and Theological Seminary.

"He is a time-tested leader who lives out his life with grace and humility before the Lord," Rev. William S. Cain, chairman of the Erskine Board of Trustees, said in a statement.

Kooistra joins the Erskine community after serving Mission to the World (MTW) as director since 1994 and president of Covenant Theological Seminary in Creve Coeur, Mo., for nearly a decade. He also held various positions on the faculties of the Belhaven College, Reformed School of Education and Reformed Theological Seminary.

As the school's 16^th president, Kooistra aims to successfully lead the institution to great heights; plans on more listening and introduce necessary steps to guide Erskine forward.

President Emeritus of Covenant Theological Seminary Dr. Bryan Chapell said that Kooistra served Christ's church with great ability and deep humility.

"He has been a youth pastor, a minister of Christian education, a preacher, a Christian school leader, a professor, a mission leader, an author, a friend to many-and a leader of remarkable courage and insight when we most needed it," Chapell said.

Dr. George W. Robertson, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Ga., has known Kooistra for nearly 30 years. Robertson said that Kooistra is the right person for the job.

"The secret to Paul's leadership genius is not so much organizational prowess -though he has that-as it is the theology of the Cross."

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