David Seamands
Encyclopedia
Dr. David Seamands, author and leader in evangelical renewal movements within the United Methodist Church was born in India to Methodist missionary parents and spent much of his boyhood there. He graduated from Asbury College, Drew Theological Seminary and the Hartford Seminary Foundation. He also received honorary degrees from both Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary
. He and his wife, Helen, served as United Methodist missionaries in India from 1946 until 1962.
"Sixty-seven years ago, I first met David Seamands," recalled Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, former president of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. "I wanted to be a Christian because of persons like David Seamands. Dr. Edwin Lewis, one of the seminal minds of Methodism in that era [1930s], wanted David to go on for Ph.D. work in theology. But David had another call - the obscurity of India. For 16 years his heart and life were given there."
When Seamands returned to the United States in 1962, he was appointed as pastor of the Wilmore United Methodist Church
where he served for 22 years. Tapes of his sermons were sent by the tens of thousands around the world, and free to hundreds of missionaries overseas. Additional tens of thousands of his tapes dealing with the subject of damaged emotions were circulated before his book, Healing for Damaged Emotions (1.1 million sold), was ever published. In all, Seamands' seven books have sold more than two million copies. He was a pioneer in the field of Christian counseling
and was recognized as such at the 1992 Congress of Christian Counseling where, together with James Dobson, Larry Crabb and Gary Collins, he received the special "Paraklesis" Award. He and Helen were pioneers in the Marriage Enrichment and Engaged Discovery movements and led over 2200 couples through these special weekend experiences.
Upon his retirement from the local ministry in 1984, he taught pastoral care at Asbury Theological Seminary. From 1988 to 1992, he was appointed as the Dean of the Chapel at Asbury.
Seamands was also a delegate to six General Conferences, beginning in 1976. At four of those he presented the minority report for the legislative section dealing with issues of human sexuality. He also was responsible for the founding of the Evangelical Missions Council. In 1983 The Mission Society for United Methodists was organized.
Dr. Seamands died on July 31, 2006 at the age of 84.
Just prior to his death, an April 13, 2006 post, compiled by Ted Olson on the Christianity Today Weblog, entitled "Two Sad Resignations", stated Dr. Seamands as having, "told Wilmore United Methodist Church on Sunday. 'In response to a complaint filed against me of sexual misconduct with an adult female occurring over a number of years, I admit that I have broken my covenantal relationships and have abused the trust of those I have harmed.' " At the time of his death, some 3 months later, he was undergoing a "one-year leave from all ministerial functions" as part of church-imposed discipline.
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...
. He and his wife, Helen, served as United Methodist missionaries in India from 1946 until 1962.
"Sixty-seven years ago, I first met David Seamands," recalled Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, former president of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. "I wanted to be a Christian because of persons like David Seamands. Dr. Edwin Lewis, one of the seminal minds of Methodism in that era [1930s], wanted David to go on for Ph.D. work in theology. But David had another call - the obscurity of India. For 16 years his heart and life were given there."
When Seamands returned to the United States in 1962, he was appointed as pastor of the Wilmore United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
where he served for 22 years. Tapes of his sermons were sent by the tens of thousands around the world, and free to hundreds of missionaries overseas. Additional tens of thousands of his tapes dealing with the subject of damaged emotions were circulated before his book, Healing for Damaged Emotions (1.1 million sold), was ever published. In all, Seamands' seven books have sold more than two million copies. He was a pioneer in the field of Christian counseling
Christian counseling
Christian counseling is counseling which draws upon psychology and Christian teaching. Efforts to combine counseling with Christian or other religious perspectives or approaches are sometimes called "integration."...
and was recognized as such at the 1992 Congress of Christian Counseling where, together with James Dobson, Larry Crabb and Gary Collins, he received the special "Paraklesis" Award. He and Helen were pioneers in the Marriage Enrichment and Engaged Discovery movements and led over 2200 couples through these special weekend experiences.
Upon his retirement from the local ministry in 1984, he taught pastoral care at Asbury Theological Seminary. From 1988 to 1992, he was appointed as the Dean of the Chapel at Asbury.
Seamands was also a delegate to six General Conferences, beginning in 1976. At four of those he presented the minority report for the legislative section dealing with issues of human sexuality. He also was responsible for the founding of the Evangelical Missions Council. In 1983 The Mission Society for United Methodists was organized.
Dr. Seamands died on July 31, 2006 at the age of 84.
Just prior to his death, an April 13, 2006 post, compiled by Ted Olson on the Christianity Today Weblog, entitled "Two Sad Resignations", stated Dr. Seamands as having, "told Wilmore United Methodist Church on Sunday. 'In response to a complaint filed against me of sexual misconduct with an adult female occurring over a number of years, I admit that I have broken my covenantal relationships and have abused the trust of those I have harmed.' " At the time of his death, some 3 months later, he was undergoing a "one-year leave from all ministerial functions" as part of church-imposed discipline.