Professor Mike Fullingim with background

Mike Fullingim

Professor of Religion, Intercultural Studies, and Linguistics


Chapel and Fine Arts Center 210

Mike Fullingim

Dr. Mike Fullingim has been in higher education for the better part of four decades. He received his AA from Miltonvale Wesleyan College, his BA in Religion from Southern Nazarene University, and both his MA in Descriptive Literature and his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a lifelong member of The Wesleyan Church and was ordained by the denomination in July 1973.

Dr. Fullingim and his wife, Barbara, served as career missionaries among the Wiru-speaking people of the Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea. They established Missionary Training Institute (MTI) for Global Partners in 1994 and co-directed MTI for twelve years, facilitating the pre-field intercultural training for over two hundred new missionaries serving with Global Partners, Wesleyan Native American Ministries, and World Hope International.

Mike has also assisted in establishing the summer EuroCamp ministries of Global Opportunity-Network (GO-Net) in the former Eastern Bloc nations of Russia, Czech Republic, and Albania.

His scholarly interests are in Contextualization of the Gospel, Oceanic linguistics and ethnography, Islam, and Semantic Structure Analysis of New Testament Greek.

“Both in and out of the classroom, I am committed to inciting and inflaming the passion and skills that will equip students for life-long learning, critical thinking, and Christ-like servanthood in a multicultural and pluralistic world.”

Courses Taught:

Literature of the Old Testament

Introduction to Intercultural Studies

International Human Rights

Contemporary Global Models

Global Context of Service

Global Human Suffering

Descriptive Linguistics

New Testament Greek (I-IV)

Cultural Anthropology

Publications:

  • “The Church Jesus Builds Is Missional.” In The Church Jesus Built: A Dialogue on the Church in the 21st Century, Joseph E. Coleson, Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2007.
  • “Outward Focus,” one of ten ‘Workout Rooms’ in the Church Health Fitness Center Department of Evangelism and Church Growth, The Wesleyan Church.  2004.  <http://www.wesleyan.org/ME2/Sites/Default.asp>
  • “Why Second Language Learning Is Still Essential.” Wesleyan World, January-March 2004: 12-13.
  • “Knowing Your Purpose,” “Knowing True Discipleship,” “Knowing the ‘Ask,’” “Knowing the Motives of Others,” “Knowing the Scriptures,” “Knowing the Core Truth”—Series of Six Daily Devotionals. In Declare His Name: Aligning Our Lives with Christ’s Passion.   (Personal Spiritual Journal for Forty Days of Prayer and Fasting.)  Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2004.  62-73.
  • “Dr. Mike Fullingim and BWC Alumni Make an Investment in Russia.” Tower1 (Spring 1994): 4-5.
  • “My Call.” Wesleyan World7 (1988): 4-6.
  • “Of Pigs, Men, and Life: A Glimpse at Wiru Society.” In Nucleation in Papua New Guinea Cultures, eds. Marvin K. Mayers and Daniel D. Rath.  Dallas, TX: International Museum of Cultures, 1988.  23-35.
  • “Pigs and Social Structure in Wiru Society.” In Pangia: Development and Change, ed. S.G. Weeks.  Port Moresby: Educational Research Unit, University of Papua New Guinea, 1987.
  • Review of Reports on Text Linguistics: Approaches to Word Order. by Nils Erik Enkvist and Viljo Kohonen.  Abo: Academy of Finland, 1976.  In Notes on Linguistics 24 (October 1982): 42-44.
  • Review of Current Trends in Textlinguistics. (Research in Text Theory, 2).  by Wolfgang U. Dressler.  Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1978.  In Notes on Linguistics 23 (July 1982): 35-36.
  • Review of Words, Worlds, and Contexts: New Approaches in Word Semantics. (Research in Text Theory, 6). by Hans-Jurgen Eikmeyer and Hannes Rieser.  Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1981.  In Notes on Linguistics 23 (July 1982): 32-34.
  • “Translation and Computer Technology: a Timely Duo for the Wiru of Papua New Guinea.” The Wesleyan Advocate18 (1982): 369-70.
  • “Kawiapu: Where Time Stops.” Wesleyan World 58 (1977): 20-21.

Presentations:

  • “Understanding Cultural Diversity.” Two-part seminar presented at the Tri-State District Camp of The Wesleyan Church, in Bartlesville, Ok, 25 July 2005.
  • “How to Prepare Persons for Transcultural Ministry,” and “How to Adapt to a New Culture.”  Two-part addresses presented at the Fifth Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Missions, in Manaus, Brazil, 5-12 October 2001.
  • “Expanding Our Vision for the Pre-field Training and Preparation for Intercultural Ministry.” Four-part address presented at the Mission Executive Meeting of the Christian Holiness Partners (CHP), at the World Gospel Mission headquarters, Marion, IN, 23-24 October 1997.
  • “Strategy for Effective Mission: Four Principles of Communication based on the Incarnation,” “The Transcultural Missionary—Attrition and Training Issues.” Four addresses on effective mission preparation presented at the Second Latin American and Caribbean Congress on Missions, in San José, Costa Rica, 11-19 January 1997.
  • “From Performer to Participant: The Passage to Servanthood.” Commencement Address at Bartlesville Wesleyan College, Bartlesville, OK, 11 May 1991.
  • “Joyous Commitment to the Lordship of Christ Outweighs the Radical Cost.” Plenary Address at the Denver 88 Wesleyan Youth Convention, Denver, Colorado, 27 December 1988.

Organizations:

Ordained Elder, The Wesleyan Church

Member, American Missiological Society

Member, Personnel Committee for Global Partners

 

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