Rodger Nishioka is an American preacher, Seminary professor, and Christian educator. He currently serves as Senior Pastor at Village Presbyterian Church in
Prairie Village, Kansas
Prairie Village is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and located within the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 22,957.
History
After the successful development of the Coun ...
. He was previously the Benton Family Associate Professor of Christian Education at
Columbia Theological Seminary
Columbia Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Decatur, Georgia. It is one of ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
History
Columbia Theological Seminary was founded in 1828 in Lexington, Geor ...
. Nishioka is noted for his work with young people and his reputation as a popular "keynoter" at inter-denominational Christian youth conferences.
Career
Nishioka received a B.A. from
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University (SPU) is a private Christian university in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 in conjunction with the Oregon and Washington Conference of the Free Methodist Church as the Seattle Seminary. It ...
in 1983, a M.A.T.S. degree from
McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary is a private Presbyterian seminary in Chicago, Illinois. As of 2023, it shares a campus with the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and Catholic Theological Union, in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. A l ...
(1998), and a Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Foundations of Education (2008) from
Georgia State University
Georgia State University (Georgia State, State, or GSU) is a Public university, public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1913, it is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities. It is al ...
. The son of a retired Presbyterian minister, Nishioka was ordained an elder in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PCUSA, is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States too. Its theological roots lie primarily in the Scottish Reformat ...
in 1978. He taught English and Social Sciences at Curtis Junior High School in Tacoma, WA (1978-1986) before becoming the National Coordinator for Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) from 1986 to 1999. Beginning in 2000, he served as the associate professor of Christian Education at
Columbia Theological Seminary
Columbia Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Decatur, Georgia. It is one of ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
History
Columbia Theological Seminary was founded in 1828 in Lexington, Geor ...
(2000-2008). Nishioka was a Benton Family Associate Professor of Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary before transitioning to Village Presbyterian Church.
Thought
Nishioka focuses on equipping pastors to be teachers and leaders in the church's educational ministry, specializing in particular on youth and young adult ministry. He is a strong proponent of diversity in education, and states, “Good things happen when we gather in all of our diversity to work together on theological imagination and resilient leaders because imagination and resiliency are hindered by homogeneity (sameness), and enhanced by heterogeneity (differences).” He has published a number of books, and articles and has contributed many chapters to books.
His most recent research focuses on young adults, 20–30 years old, asking them “Why are so few of you sticking with us, especially, especially since we baptized and nurtured many of you?” He discovered a trend of wanting “to see how God is at work in our world—and they want us to show them how to live a more faithful life in response to God’s overwhelming grace in Jesus Christ.”
Honors
*Member of the Joy and Adolescent Faith and Flourishing Advisory Board of the Theology of Joy and the Good Life project based at the Yale Center for Faith & Culture (2015)
*Presbyterian Children's Homes and Related Ministries Children's Champion Award (2002)
*