Faculty Q&A with Dwayne Milioni

Dwayne Milioni is the pastor of Open Door Church in Raleigh and an assistant professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS). He shares about his current writing projects and how he teaches students to equip the local church for the work of the Great Commission.

1. Tell us about yourself. 

I grew up in Michigan. I was a pre-med student at Albion College in Michigan when the Lord called me into the ministry. After graduating from Albion College, I went to Liberty University where I earned two master degrees: a Master of Divinity and a Master of Counseling. After that, I began my Ph.D. work at SEBTS studying preaching and began teaching adjunctively at the same time. In 1999, I became the pastor of Open Door Church. I’ve been married 27 years and have four grown children.

2. What do you do at Southeastern?

My title is “Assistant Professor of Preaching and Coordinator of the Ph.D. in Preaching

Program” at Southeastern. I am known around campus more as “Pastor Dwayne” than I am as “Dr. Milioni,” which is fine with me.

3. On what are you currently working? 

I’m currently working on two book projects. One is a multi-volume history of preaching. Another is a commentary on the book of Romans for the average church member. I also do church planting work and am the chairman of the board of a church-planting network. 

4. What have you been reading recently?

Because of the history of preaching project I am working on, I have been doing a lot of reading on the history of preaching and how various Christians throughout history write and talk about the matter of preaching. Lately, I’ve been reading Karl Barth and his perspective on preaching. 

5. When you get home from work, what do you look forward to doing? (What are your other passions?)

I love hanging out with my wife and dog. We enjoy doing work around our yard and our garden. We’re also retired athletes, so we enjoy watching all kinds of sports. We enjoy spending time with our kids when they come home, too.

6. Who are your role models?

Growing up, the pastor of my church was a huge role model in my life and ultimately in my ministry. I have also been heavily influenced by preachers from the past, such as Charles Spurgeon, John Calvin, Alexander McLaren and others.

7. What has God been teaching you lately?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and supplication be thankful. That’s been the biggest thing I’ve been dealing with lately: trusting God for my children’s future. 

8. Where are some of your former students? 

Both students and church members who were students are all over the world: Boston, Miami, Phoenix and all over the place. I have former students in East Asia, Africa, Central Asia and other places. 

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

I want them to walk away with a love for the gospel and a greater passion to communicate the gospel with clarity. I also want them to have a deeper love for the local church and a deeper appreciation for pastoral ministry.

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

We talk in my classroom a lot about missions and the Great Commission and how to use what we’ve been learning to equip people to disciple the nations. What I try to do is make what I’m offering in the classroom very applicable to the Great Commission through the local church. We deal a lot not only with what it means to be equipped, but also what it means to be sent.