An Interview with Dr. Dan Doriani

Next month (dv), I should be finally finished with my Masters from Covenant Seminary's ACCESS (distance ed.) program. It has been nothing but a blessing for me over the course of my time at Covenant. A particular highlight has been my participation in three classes from Dr. Dan Doriani. He left the Covenant a few years back to return to pastoral ministry (see below) but while he was there he blessed countless seminary students through his gifted teaching and personable style. I feel blessed to be counted as one of those. You can read more about Dr. Doriani here.

Recently he agreed to do an interview for my blog. Here it is:

1. Why did you decide to leave Covenant Seminary and return to pastoring a local church?

There were two main factors: 1) I had developed a bond with that particular church, which was just 5 miles from the seminary, by preaching and teaching there many times. 2) I had been invited to take a senior leadership post many times in recent years and slowly realized it was time to give up the smaller sphere of service for a larger one, in an influential city church. It was time for a new challenge.

2. It seems that more and more seminary education is moving away from local campuses and moving towards distance education programs. Do you think this is a good thing?

It's good to make the content of seminary classes more widely available. But students lose the life on life experience of growing as theologians by 1) working things out with their fellow students and 2) getting to know their profs after class.

3. What is one thing you wished more seminary professors emphasized as they trained future pastors?

What it's like to be on a staff of several pastors who have to run the church in all its mundane activities. The real cure for this is not via a class but via internships and field work.

4. Has your experience with more formal academic pursuits contributed well to being a local church pastor? If so, how? Does the church need more pastor/scholars, and/or the reverse, scholars who are pastoral?

It all depends on the church. My church is close to a major university, so it's a plus. But an academic mindset isn't necessarily a boon if you live in rural Wyoming. The church needs pastors who know their people and both fit where they are and take them to new places.

5. You recently released a 1200 page, two volume commentary on the book of Matthew. What is unique about this commentary?

It has illustrations that actually enhance the interpretive task – a bit like parables. Also the approach is openly Christ-centered and theological.

6. Over the years, what books or authors have most shaped your life and practice as a pastor and a theologian?

My reading list is unexceptional except that it has lots of OT and NT scholars. My biggest influences are probably my peers – old classmates, fellow profs and pastors. There is nothing like a conversation with a generally like-minded friend with whom you are free to disagree.

7. You have a written a book called "The Life of a God-Made Man". It seems there is a resurgence in certain Christian circles concerning biblical masculinity. Does this book contribute to that? If so, how?

As the preface says, that book is a proposal and a protest. It protests all the books that reduce the life of a Christian man to a string of techniques and how-to lists. It proposes instead that the course of the Christian man is the course of his God. It protests all the lists of four steps for building lasting friendships, five techniques for raising obedient children and seven methods of loving your wife. It also proposes that we focus on character over technique and law. God has renewed his sons and is remaking us in his image. We are most true to ourselves when most like Christ.

So, instead of starting with laws and guidelines for godly living, we will consider the nature of God first. For example:

• Godly husbands follow the pattern of sacrificial love set by Jesus. His love for his bride, the church, shows husbands how to love their wives.
• Good fathers are like God, our Father. His love, justice, faithfulness and loving discipline are the pattern for godly fathers.
• Godly friends imitate God's friendship with Abraham and Moses, the friendship of Jesus and his disciples. Self-disclosure and helpful presence are the marks of friendship.
• Godly workers love to create because God, who delights in creation, made us in his image. We like to finish tasks because we resemble Jesus who exulted, "It is finished."
• Even in our play, we imitate the playfulness of God manifest through creation. His pattern of work and rest liberates us to rest and play.

There is more to godly masculinity than this, but nothing is more foundational. From the beginning, God created us in his image. By his grace, he restores us to that image day by day. For that reason, I accent character over technique, being over doing.

Some of Dr. Doriani's books:

Getting the Message - A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible


Women and Ministry - What the Bible Teaches


The Sermon on the Mount - The Character of a Disciple


Putting the Truth to Work - The Theory and Practice of Biblical Application


The Life of a God-Made Man


Some of his commentaries:

James (Reformed Expository Commentary)


Matthew (two volumes in the Reformed Expository Commentary)

Here are some audio resources from Dr. Doriani.

I am currently listening to his class, The Life and Teachings of Jesus, on my drive into work. I took this class about 6 years ago and in listening through for my 2nd time I am reminded again of how skilled Dr. Doriani is as a Bible teacher.