Mike Tapper (BAR, 1998) was selected Faculty Member of the Year at Southern Wesleyan University. Nominated by faculty, staff and students, criteria includes a strong commitment to teaching and classroom performance in addition to an interest in, love of, and positive attitude towards students.
Mike has served as Chair of the Religion Division at Southern Wesleyan University since 2017. Prior to this, he served in several churches in the Atlantic District and as adjunct professor at Kingswood University while serving as the Connections Pastor at Moncton Wesleyan Church. He holds a Ph.D. from Saint Paul University in Ottawa, ON.
Mike was also featured recently in Faith Today magazine for research completed with several colleagues at SWU. The article, The Life-Cycle of Worship Songs, was co-written with Marc Jolicoeur, Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at Moncton Wesleyan Church, and makes an interesting comparison of the lifespan of songs we sing today compared to the past, even twenty years ago. The study determined that while our desire is still to come before the Lord in worship, we introduce new songs at a faster rate than ever before. They conclude, “The Church will always need to wrestle with the tension of wanting to join the psalmist in singing new songs, even while aiming for those songs to be as firm, grounded and familiar as the Psalter itself.”
Mike credits his Kingswood education with giving him a solid foundation in the area of biblical and theological studies and cultivating a passion in his heart for ministry. We are proud of the role he plays in Christian Higher Education.
Mike & Kristy (2000) live in Central, SC, with their four teenagers: Andrew, at Indiana Wesleyan University this year, Ethan will graduate high school, Abigail, and Jadon.