Pittsburgh Theological Seminary has named the Rev. Dr. Johannes G.J. Swart as associate professor of world mission and evangelism. He will begin his service June 1, 2013.
“Jannie Swart provides a remarkable combination of international mission experience, new church development, pastoral leadership in both large and small churches, a Ph.D. at Luther Theological Seminary, and a unique ability to help students and congregations think theologically about ministry in the 21st century,” said the Rev. Dr. William J. Carl III, president and professor of homiletics at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. “Jannie has both an evangelical heart and a love for social justice, which led him to participate actively as a young man in bringing about the end of Apartheid in South Africa. Dr. Swart will fill the position vacated by the Rev. Dr. Scott Sunquist (cofounder of World Mission Initiative) who left last summer to become Dean of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary after 18 years on the PTS faculty inspiring countless numbers of students to learn more about Christian missions both here and abroad.”
Swart currently serves as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Oil City, Pa. He is a graduate of Luther Seminary (Ph.D. in Congregational Mission and Leadership) and University of Stellenbosch (B.Th., B.A. Philosophy, B.A.).
Swart previously served as senior pastor of Fontainebleau Community Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. There he led a Dutch Reformed mega-church during their post-apartheid attempt to become more multi-cultural, multi-racial, and multi-lingual. Before that, Swart led a new church development among college students at an emerging technicon campus in Cape Town while serving at Tafelberg Dutch Reformed Church in Cape Town, South Africa. Additionally, Swart worked as the national director of training and development for the Democratic Party in South Africa, a new, emerging political party (merger of three different political parties) in opposition of the apartheid policies of the National Party (prior to the release of Nelson Mandela, the unbanning of the African National Congress, and democracy).
Swart worked with St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in St. Paul, Minn., as director of intergenerational faith formation; the Church Innovations Institute in St. Paul, as the director of partnership for missional church; and the Allelon Foundation in Boise, Idaho, as the research assistant for Allelon’s Mission in Western Culture Project.
He has been involved in several research projects. His publications include articles, book chapters, and book reviews. Most recently his article “Via the Broken Ones: Toward a Phenomenological Theology of Ecclesial Leadership in Post-Apartheid South Africa” appeared in the Journal of Religious Leadership. Swart has taught at Luther Seminary, Agora College, Rochester College, and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
He is married to Mari and they have two children, Suné and Janco, both in high school.
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is a graduate professional institution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). Founded in 1794, the Seminary is located in Pittsburgh, Pa. and more than 300 students are enrolled yearly in the degree programs. The Seminary prepares leaders who proclaim with great joy God’s message of good news in both word and deed. PTS is rooted in the Reformed history of faithfulness to Scripture and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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