Faculty Q&A with Kristin Kellen

Kristin Kellen is an assistant professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She shares about her call to ministry and the importance of biblical counseling in disciple making.

1. Tell us about yourself. 

I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I came to faith when I was a child. As I was growing up, I felt like I wanted to go into medicine, so I attended the University of North Carolina to study pre-med. While there, I was praying about how the Lord would use me, and he directed me to ministry, which is why I ended up at Southeastern. My husband, Josh, and I have been married for five years, and our first baby, David, was born in July. 

2. How did you come to SEBTS?

When I was in college and said the Lord was calling me to ministry, a friend of mine invited me to come to Southeastern for a day. I sat in one of Dr. Liederbach’s ethics classes. I realized the Lord was doing some really cool things at SEBTS and that he was leading me here.

I came here for my masters in biblical counseling in 2007. I taught my first class last summer, and I really enjoy serving the female students here on campus and mentoring them. 

3. What do you do at Southeastern?

I am an “Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling.” Being a professor, I teach several classes at a time. I am also involved in a good bit of counseling. Recently, I started getting involved with The Society of Women in Scholarship.

4. On what are you currently working?

I am helping with Church Initiative, a program here in the area. They have launched a new care leader website, careleader.org. I write articles for them. I am also working on writing a text that connects the theology of family relationships with counseling specifically for marriage and family.

5. What have you been reading recently?

Josh and I have been reading the book of Acts. Our church is going through a transition, so it’s been good to read about how the early church went through its transition. 

I have also been reading a lot about child development and how counseling is different for different age groups.

6. When you get home from work, what do you look forward to doing?

David takes up most of my time, and I love spending time with him. Also, my husband and I love to do house projects. We bought a foreclosure and stay busy remodeling it. It’s fun to see something old turned into new.

7. Who are your role models?

My mom has been instrumental in pushing me to do what the Lord has gifted me to do and has reinforced the idea that I can do anything he has called me to do.

Also, I have a dear friend who is battling stage-four colon cancer. She is fighting uncertainty with joy, and she is drawing near to the Lord. She has really taught me a lot this past year.

8. What has God been teaching you lately?

I have been learning that if the Lord calls us to do something, he will equip us to do it. At times, I don’t feel qualified to be a professor, but I know that the Lord called me to it.  Because he did that, I know that he will give me what I need to do it.

9. When a student completes your class, what do you want him or her to walk away with at the end of the semester? 

Two things. First, I want them to feel comfortable when life problems arise as other people come to them for counseling. Second, I want them to be confident in God’s Word and his Spirit to help them minister to others.

10. We always say that every classroom at SEBTS is a Great Commission classroom. What does that look like for your class?

Part of counseling is discipleship. We see a lot of counseling happen in the context of discipleship. I want them to see how counseling fits into that. I want them asking, “How can I serve my brothers and sisters as I’m learning about these issues?”