Stephen A. Hayner, Th.M., Ph.D.

When he joined Columbia Theological Seminary in 2003 as the Peachtree Associate Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, Stephen Hayner took with him with a long history of experience in ministry to the church and to students. 

A graduate of Whitman College, Hayner went on to Harvard for an M.T.S. degree in Semitic languages and literature.  While at Harvard, he experienced God's call to full-time ministry in the church. He received a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1973, and was ordained and installed as university pastor at University Presbyterian Church, in Seattle, where he was involved with students and faculty for 11 years. He has served in a variety of church, teaching, and mission roles. In 1984, he completed his Ph.D. in Old Testament from University of St. Andrews, in Scotland, and was called the vice presidency for student life at Seattle Pacific University. In 1988, Hayner became president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and led InterVarsity for 13 years before leaving to return to parish ministry. From 2001-03, he served as associate pastor in two ethnically and theologically diverse congregations in Madison, Wisc.

Hayner and his wife, Sharol, have three children and one grandchild. Sharol, who is completing her M.Div. degree in preparation for ordination, serves as associate pastor for discipleship at Atlanta's Peachtree Presbyterian Church.

Steve Hayner also serves as scholar-in-residence at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, where he also works with two new church-planting teams. He serves on a number of national and international boards, including those of World Vision, International Justice Mission, Christian International Scholarship Foundation, and Presbyterian Global Fellowship.

Hayner's passion is to prepare others to lead congregations toward the fulfillment of God's call to be missional churches – churches that are biblically faithful and growing steadily in their love for God, their love for each other, and their love for Christ's work in the world.