More To Learn, More To Say: Maurice West (MA ‘23) – Alumni Profile
April 17, 2025
After feeling a call to ministry for many years, Maurice West shared it with his pastor. He’ll never forget what his pastor said: “It doesn’t matter how Holy Ghost-filled you are. You need an education.”
Those words got the ball rolling. Without a college degree, Maurice couldn’t immediately pursue a master’s degree, but he could enroll at NBTS for a Certification in Theological Studies/Urban Ministry. Though he had to unlearn many things he thought he knew about the Bible, his professors told him he had a “head for theology.” And with the help of his advisor Dr. Terry Ann Smith, his scholarly writing improved.
Soon after finishing this certification, Good Will Rescue Mission (Newark, NJ) asked Maurice to preach on New Year’s Eve, beginning a five-year journey leading services there. Maurice realized that more preaching would require more education. So he embarked on another NBTS certification, this one in Expository Preaching.
By successfully completing those certificate programs at NBTS, Maurice became eligible to apply for graduate courses. A few years later, Maurice finished as the top student in his cohort, earning an M.A. in Theological Studies.
After completing his M.A. thesis (“The Demelanization of Jesus”), Maurice was ready for a break. But when Dr. Smith and Dr. Beth LaNeel Tanner urged him to enroll in the DMin program, he realized that he had more to learn and more to say.
What keeps him coming back are the professors. According to Maurice, NBTS professors respect their students, not just in spite of but because of our differences. They are always willing to connect and always there to encourage. Knowing that Maurice deals with multiple sclerosis (diagnosed six months before starting his M.A.), many of his professors regularly assure him of their prayers.
Even though Maurice is still paying tuition, he also donates to NBTS. Why? Because “the world needs more Christian leaders trained to think critically, act justly, lead faithfully.” Maurice says that his seminary courses have always equipped and empowered him to take the next step in ministry. He regularly preaches at the Market Street Mission in Morristown, New Jersey. Someday he might want to direct a nonprofit. What he knows for sure is that in his job and in his volunteer roles, he serves God better thanks to his NBTS degrees.