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Educational Values and Teaching Philosophy:

Education is a strong value for me. I am the first in my family to attend college and the first to earn bachelor and graduate degrees. My parents could not afford to pay for my education, so I earned four-year and graduate degrees while working full-time jobs and carrying full-time course loads. Personal organization and time management are important and are a key to balancing family, life, work, and education. Completing assignments and meeting deadlines in a timely fashion is my consistent practice. I am a life-long learner and an avid reader. In addition, I have strong verbal and written communication skills.

My philosophy includes seeking to help others succeed by passing on learning augmented by practical experience. I have a passion for making complex concepts clear and understandable. I especially enjoy encouraging people. It is important to help students win. My goal is to help every student pass, excel, and grow. I want to see students develop an authentic integration of faith and learning. Therefore, I actively engage, encourage, and coach individual students in the discussion forums, grade assignments quickly (with explanatory notations), and reach out to lagging and struggling students with early intervention. Today’s transformation of education by technology means it is important to use a variety of interactive approaches, especially when it comes to engaging adult learners. In today’s rapidly changing educational environment, immediate response, prompt grading, and instructor engagement are vital.

Unique Attributes:

One of my most unique and important attributes is a lifetime of ministerial and real-world leadership experience. I am not solely an academic. I have lived and taught in a variety of cultures including the Southern culture of the Ozark Mountains, the Appalachian culture of West Virginia, the Midwestern culture of Indiana, and the major metropolitan cultures of Baltimore, Washington DC, and Tidewater Virginia. I have over 47 years of practical ministry and leadership experience ranging from leading extremely small struggling rural churches to serving as the lead pastor of a large multi-staff church. My experience also includes decades in network leadership where I stayed abreast of culture and effective innovation. In short, I spent my first twenty years of ministry as a lead teaching pastor in the local church, and the second twenty years as a coach and “pastor to pastors” in our denomination. My intention is to teach, coach, and encourage young people during this season of life and ministry as an educator.

Current Academic Involvement and Partnerships:

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Recent Student Feedback:

• “Great job professor!”
• “Always available and very active in the Discussion Posts.”
• “One of the most prompt instructors I have ever seen.”
• “The fact he truly cared about the class was apparent in every interaction.”
• “Challenging and practical. [He] Really pushed me to learn the details of excellence.”
• “Clear expectations, very organized, a fair grader, prompt responses and feedback, and very engaging and encouraging!”
• “Easy to contact, easy to get feedback, very good.”
• “Fair, kind, prompt with feedback.”
• “He is excellent for me.”

Academic Recommendations:

• “Strong teaching skills … able to communicate ideas in a clear manner that is easy for other to understand.’” -Dr. Troy Gearhart, Business Department Chairman, University of Valley Forge.
• “A skilled teacher, but also an excellent facilitator … he has the ability to include all participants, ask probing question and allow self-discovery to occur.” -Dr. Dana Cavalero, Regent University School of Divinity
• “Gary has impeccable character and is a model of integrity. As a teacher his communication skills are outstanding. His ability to integrate research and life experience … is unique.” -Dr. H. Robert Rhoden
• “Gary uniquely combines a keen mind, gracious and encouraging people skills, and outstanding communication and teaching skills.” -Dr. Paul Drost, Adjunct Professor, North Point Bible College and Seminary and Trinity Bible College.
• “Gary is professional, equipped with vast knowledge and the ability to communicate and apply teaching in a manner that brings transformational results.” -Dr. Jim Rodriquez, Adjunct Professor, Southeastern University.

Interested in considering Gary as adjunct faculty? Contact Gary Butler for a complete copy of his curriculum vitae.