After almost 20 years at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, Doug Webster, professor of pastoral theology and Christian preaching, announced plans to retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
“Doug Webster is an honest-to-goodness pastor-theologian, who has spoken into our students’ ministerial formation from a deep well of both pastoral experience and theological learning,” said Beeson Dean Douglas A. Sweeney. “He’s the kind of role model at Beeson that we all aspire to be. Everyone here will miss his hard-won pastoral wisdom and firm commitment to equipping all God’s people for ministry.”
Webster came to Beeson in 2007 after pastoring First Presbyterian Church of San Diego for 14 years. He also taught at Tyndale Seminary and has written more than 20 books, including his most recent works, More Than a Sermon: The Purpose and Practice of Christian Preaching and The Psalms: Jesus’ Prayer Book.
“I will really miss Beeson,” Webster said. “I don’t feel like I’m done, but I should move on while I still have the energy to do so.”
Among his many contributions at Beeson, he led the creation of a pastoral theology course, taught preaching courses and taught in Beeson’s Lay Academy of Theology. Webster said he’s also proud of how the school has incorporated more ministry training for women and how much more diversified the student body has become in the last 19 years.
Philippians 1:9-11 is Webster’s personal mission statement for his time at Beeson: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Being at Beeson has allowed Webster to enjoy a week of Sundays every week.
“My Beeson experience has been filled with people who want me to talk Bible and theology. It is like the best of Sunday every day,” Webster said. “Beeson has great students who love the Lord and take God’s Word seriously. What a privilege to engage these students for Christ and His Kingdom.”
Webster said his time at Beeson has helped him grow as a follower of Christ.
“It’s definitely given me a very positive rhythm to life and ministry, allowing me to be in the Word all the time,” he said.
Webster and his wife Virginia’s daughter Kennerly and son-in-law Patrick studied at Beeson. In that time, Kennerly and Patrick lived with the Websters, creating a special time in their family when they experienced the “little seminary” within the bigger seminary of Beeson.
The Websters, who have three children and five grandchildren, anticipate moving to San Diego where Patrick and Kennerly pastor an Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Several leaders from the church Webster pastored from 1993-2007 are now at Covenant Church in the North Park neighborhood.
“I’ll be happy if I can teach a Bible class there,” Webster said.