Dr. Martin Alan McMahan is an associate professor of Intercultural Studies, and Chair of the Undergraduate Department of Anthropology

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...

 and Intercultural Studies at Biola University

Biola University

Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...

, and past president of the American Society for Church Growth

American Society for Church Growth

The American Society for Church Growth is an international organization which provides a professional network for those individuals or organizations associated with the Church Growth Movement. The society was founded in 1986 by Donald McGavran and C. Peter Wagner, and is currently led by...

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Biography

Dr. Alan McMahan graduated with a Ph.D.

Ph.D.

A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...

 from Fuller Theological Seminary

Fuller Theological Seminary

Fuller Theological Seminary is an accredited Christian educational institute with its main campus in Pasadena, California and several satellite campuses in the western United States...

, where his dissertation was entitled "Training Turnaround Leaders, Systemic Approaches to Reinstate Growth in Plateaued Churches." McMahan has also earned a Th.M. from Asbury Theological Seminary

Asbury Theological Seminary

Asbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...

, a M. Div. at Alliance Theological Seminary

Alliance Theological Seminary

Alliance Theological Seminary is an evangelical Christian Seminary affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. The school finds its roots from the Missionary Training Institute, a school established by A.B. Simpson to train missionaries for world service. The school eventually became...

, and a B.S. at Nyack College

Nyack College

Nyack College is a private, evangelical, liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and home to the Alliance Theological Seminary, one of the denomination's seminaries. The main campus is located in Nyack, New York...

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McMahan has served in churches in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 and on the Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim

The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The term "Pacific Basin" includes the Pacific Rim and islands in the Pacific Ocean...

, and has taught in the disciplines of missiology

Missiology

Missiology is the area of practical theology that investigates the mandate, message, and mission of the Christian church, especially the nature of missionary work...

, church growth

Church growth

Church Growth is a movement within evangelical Christianity which emphasizes mainly missionary work combined with sociological awareness of the target population. The "seeker sensitive" label for this approach characterizes the would-be converts as "seekers".-History:Church Growth began with the...

, leadership

Leadership

Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...

, organizational development, and evangelism

Evangelism

Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....

. His students have included both undergraduate and graduate, mid-career professionals, Bible school teachers, pastors, and denominational leaders through the U.S., Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and much of Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

. He maintains an active consulting service in churches and is the former president of the American Society of Church Growth. He has served as a Vice President for the Alliance Theological Seminary, and as the Academic Dean at The King's College in mid-town Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

. He currently serves as the chair of the undergraduate program at Biola University. He has a wife, Terri, and two sons, Billy and Jonathan, and lives in La Mirada, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

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Affiliations and awards

As well as the American Society for Church Growth, McMahan is affiliated to the American Society of Missiology and the International Association for Missions Studies, and is a member of the Overseas Missions Study Center (OMSC) Study Group on Missions Issues. McMahan was selected as a distinguished educator by Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006. He received the Leadership Award from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1998, and the Donald McGavran Church Growth Award from Fuller Theological Seminary in the same year. As a student he was a member of the Theta Phi Honor Society at Asbury Theological Seminary in 1989, and was honoured in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities while at Nyack College in 1979 and 1980.

Publications

• “Training Turnaround Leaders: Systematic Approaches to Reinstating Growth in Plateaued Churches.” 1998. University Microfilms, Inc.
• “Book Review: Human Capital: What it Is and Why People Invest It.” Strategies for Today's Leaders Third Quarter 2001 (Web edition).
• “Church Growth Consulting: Evolution of an Intervention.” Journal of the American Society for Church Growth Fall 2004.
• “Guest Editor” Journal for the American Society for Church Growth Fall 2004.