Kay Arthur, an internationally-known Bible teacher and co-founder of Precept Ministries International, will be speaking in chapel on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m, and a Q&A lunch will follow at 11 a.m. in the Grant Center. In addition, she will give guest lectures for an Old Testament class and an Introduction to Bible Study class.
Kay received salvation at the age of 29 when she was a divorced mother of two, working as a nurse. She began to study the scriptures like never before, and later married Jack Arthur, a missionary with the Pocket Testament League.
They served as missionaries in Mexico for three and a half years, then moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., where Jack entered a new leadership role at a Christian radio station and Kay began teaching a Bible study for teenage girls out of her home. The Bible study later grew to include college students, then adults.
Eventually, Kay’s teaching about the Inductive Bible study method led to her and her husband’s founding Precept Ministries International in 1970, an outreach that provides nearly 185 countries, 70 languages, with the tools to study God’s word.
Kay’s Inductive Bible study method provides a practical approach to scripture and is being taught all over the world today. Jack and Kay served as co-CEOs, until they stepped down in February 2012, at which time their son David became the CEO.
Stephanie Edge, associate professor of computer science, first learned about Kay Arthur as a college student. Edge earnestly wanted to grow deeper in her new faith, so she visited a Christian bookstore and bought a book by Kay Arthur entitled, “Lord, I Want to Know You!” She said that it changed her life and cultivated a passion and love for God that she didn’t have before she began seriously studying scripture for herself.
“From that time, I have continued to study the Bible using many studies written by Kay, attended many of her events, and am a trained Precept Bible study leader through her ministry, Precept Ministries International,” Edge said.
“As a women’s ministry leader for over 15 years, I have encouraged women to study God’s word using Precept studies. Because of my love for the word of God and a strong desire to see college students know him personally and develop a love for his word, I invited Kay to campus. I believe students will see a person who is authentic. Kay is an example of someone who has been faithful in ministry for nearly 45 years, who has a passion for God’s word, and desires for others to know God through personal study of his word.”
Kay is currently the host of Precepts for Life, a daily television, radio and online program that reaches over 75 million households in over 30 countries and is designed to establish people in God’s word. Kay is also an award winning author of over 100 books and Bible studies with over 10 million in print.
Seating for the Q&A lunch with Kay is limited, so if students are interested in attending after chapel, they will need to pick up free tickets at Union Station ahead of time.
“Kay Arthur is not only a faithful teacher of the Bible but one God has used to teach sound principles of biblical interpretation to thousands of others,” said Todd Brady, assistant professor of ministry and vice president of University Ministries. “She is a tremendous model of a fine Christian woman, a faithful teacher of God’s word and an influential mentor to many. I am glad she could be with us and I encourage those in our community to take advantage of hearing from this dear Saint of God.”
