Paul Kooistra

Dr. Paul D. Kooistra holds the B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, the M. Div. from Colombia Theological Seminary, and the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Alabama. He served as Assistant Pastor of Pinelands Presbyterian in Miami, Florida (1967-1969), and as Associate Pastor of Seminole Presbyterian Church in Tampa, Florida (1969-1973) where he was also Principal of Seminole Presbyterian Day School during the 1972-73 academic year.

In 1973, Dr. Kooistra assumed the position of Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi; he subsequently became Associate Professor of Christian Education and Homiletics at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Clinton, Mississippi (1975). In 1985 he accepted the presidency of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he also taught Practical Theology. He served the seminary until 1994, when he was named Coordinator of Mission to the World for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), where he served until 2014. Dr. Kooistra was elected Moderator of the PCA’s 36th General Assembly in 2008. Upon his retirement from MTW in 2014, he became President of Erskine College and Seminary, and retired from there in 2016.

Dr. Kooistra has published five devotional books: 31 Days of Grace; Following God: His Will for Your Life; Supper’s Ready; Pursuit of Joy; and Faith Promise.

After losing his first wife, Jan, to cancer in 2008, the Lord brought Sandi into Dr. Kooistra’s life. They were married on August 29, 2009, and reside in Suwanee, Georgia. They have five adult children and seven grandchildren.