As the announcement was made to the student body that Dr. Ron Smith was going to be the next President of Ohio Christian University a deafening roar of approval could be heard all over the campus. There was also excitement among the faculty and staff as they had learned to love and appreciate Dr. Smith’s leadership as he served the University as interim President since August of 2022.

The Ohio Christian University Board hired Dr. Ron Smith to be the interim President starting in August of 2022. He jumped right in and began to lead our university with a heart of love for people and a love for God and His Word. It became evident that Dr. Smith should be our next President. Dr. Smith is a man of God who believes that a biblical foundation and understanding of holiness is vital in the training of our students.

He is also a churchman and has a desire to build God’s church through The Churches of Christ in Christian Union. A statement from Dr. Ron Smith: ‘The Bible doesn’t say the Lord will build His universities but that He will build His Church. I believe God will build His Church and honor and bless the university that helps to build His Church. Let’s Build God’s Church together.’ I say yes, let us build God’s Church together.

Dr. John Oswalt had this to say concerning Dr. Smith becoming our next President. ‘I know that at this point in its history Ohio Christian University is in need of the dynamic spiritual leadership that Ron is uniquely gifted to provide.’

We are blessed to have Dr. Ron Smith as the next President of Ohio Christian University. He will begin as President I trust the following will allow you to get to know him and his lovely wife, Dorena.

President Ron Smith’s special burden is for mentoring students in higher education. He and his family have hosted a weekly meeting for spiritual growth and study with college and seminary students for many years. Ron has written articles for many denominational and missional publications and has a special interest in producing substantive theological literature for the Church today.

Ron earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies at Asbury College (now University) in 1977, an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1982, a Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary in the History of Christian Doctrine in 1990, and a M.Phil. and Ph.D. from the Casperson School of Graduate Studies, Drew University in 2005.

Ron is an ordained minister and has served the local church as youth pastor, associate pastor, senior pastor, and church planter. Currently, he serves as President of the Francis Asbury Society. Ron served The Francis Asbury Society from 1993-1998 as a Fellow and for two years as Executive Director. In 1998, he was elected as the fifth president of Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS, where he served for thirteen years. Upon retiring from the presidency, Ron rejoined The Francis Asbury Society in January of 2011, serving as Executive Director, as President, then as a speaker, a Board member, and in 2020 as President again.

Ron has been a speaker, lecturer, and/or preacher in a wide array of settings in the U.S. and around the world. He has served as a keynote lecturer/preacher in a variety of regional, national and international meetings for denominations and consortiums in the pan-Wesleyan world. Ron has also delivered several different distinguished lecture series at different colleges, universities, and theological seminaries such as The Chamberlain Lectures, The Cox Lectures, The Cowman Lectures, and the Thomas F. Staley Distinguished Lectures. Ron has served on the boards of World Gospel Mission, The Francis Asbury Society, and, for several years, was Chairman of the Board for One Mission Society. As OMS Board Chairman, he also served as Chairman of the Theological Committee and member of the Executive Committee.

Ron served as Chairman of the Faculty and as Professor of Christian Thought at Wesley Biblical Seminary. His work focused on the History of Christian Doctrine; Evangelicalism and Modernity; the Intellectual History of the Nineteenth Century; Forging the American Evangelical Tradition; Perfectionism and Pre-millenialism; the Theological Lifework of Henry Clay Morrison; and Evangelistic Preaching.

Ron has been married to his wife Dorena since 1982, and they have two adult, married daughters, Katie and Laura Jane.

As we begin a new year it is exciting to have a new university, President. Be sure to welcome and pray for Dr. Ron Smith and Dorena and have a very Happy New Year.