BA (Hons) MTh, DMin, FHEA, FRAS, FRSA
Dean of Ministerial Formation
Tutor in Practical Theology
Email: seidel@spurgeons.ac.uk
Mobile: 07425 809235
Seidel assumed his role as Dean of Ministerial Formation in 2022. He is a member of the College’s senior executive and has responsibility for overseeing the ministerial formation process for three distinct categories of ministers at Spurgeon’s College: Ministers in Training (MiTs in the Baptist Union of Great Britain and wider Christian church), Newly Accredited Ministers (NAMs), and Recognised Local Ministers (RLMs). The scope of Seidel’s role encompasses the strategic supervision and management of ministerial formation activities across multiple locations. RLM training initiatives are conducted at three campuses: London, Birmingham, and Cambridge (Histon). Important ministerial formation work is done in partnership with four Baptist Associations (LB, EBA, SEBA and HEBA). Seidel is also Tutor in Practical Theology and teaches professional ministerial practice, mission, evangelism, apologetics, preaching and world religions.
Seidel holds a number of additional key roles. He is the Moderator of the national Baptist Union Council, a critical role in facilitating the strategic direction of the BUGB. He serves as an External Examiner (Durham University) for St Augustine’s College of Theology, Trinity College, Bristol, in collaboration with Bristol Baptist College. His is a Trustee of the IVP Publishing Board and Global Action UK. Seidel is a popular guest preacher and lecturer in many churches, colleges and organisations. In the past, he worked as the Director of Outreach and Lecturer at Capernwray Bible School; Development Officer at Moorlands College; and a Minister at Rosebery Park Baptist Church.
Seidel completed his doctoral work at the University of Chester and has a Master of Theology (MTh) degree with distinction in preaching from the University of Wales and a first-class honours degree (BA Hons) in Applied Theology from the University of Gloucestershire. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE) and holds a professional Higher Education Teaching Certificate from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University (HarvardX). He was chosen as the International Baptist Scholar in 2020 by the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR) organised by Baylor University, and will be the 2025 Whitley Lecturer delivering the annual Whitley lecture.
Fellowships and Memberships
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
- Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE)
- Member of the British and Irish Association for Practical Theology
- Member of the Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians
- Member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics
- Member of the Baptist Historical Society
Publications
Books
2024: Forthcoming Book – Seidel Abel Boanerges, Holistic Apologetic Preaching: An Innovative Approach to Apologetic Preaching for the 21st Century (Leiden: Brill, 2024)
2024: Forthcoming Book – Seidel Abel Boanerges, Holistic Apologetics: Apologetics Re-Imagined for the 21st Century (Oxford: Whitley Publications, 2024)
2024: Book Co-Editor – Seidel Abel Boanerges and John Woods (eds.), Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant – Reflections on Effective Christian Ministry: Essays in Honour of Stephen I. Wright (London: Spurgeon’s College, 2024)
2021: Book Co-Editor – Anthony Reddie and Seidel Abel Boanerges (with Pamela Searle) (eds.), Intercultural Preaching (Oxford: Regent’s Park College, 2021)
Chapters
2024: Book Chapter – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘The Importance of Character Formation in Christian Ministry’, in Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant – Reflections on Effective Christian Ministry: Essays in Honour of Stephen I. Wright, ed. by Seidel Abel Boanerges and John Woods (London: Spurgeon’s College, 2024), 293-322
2023: Book Chapter – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘Kingdom Shaped Apologetics – Making Apologetics Accessible to All’, in Baptists and the Kingdom of God, ed. by T. Laine Scales and João Chaves (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2023), pp.249-270
2021: Book Chapter – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘Theological and Contextual Foundations of Preaching’, in Intercultural Preaching, ed. by Anthony Reddie and Seidel Abel Boanerges (with Pamela Searle) (Oxford: Regent’s Park College, 2021), pp. 28-49
2021: Book Sermon – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘What is the Meaning of Christmas’, in Intercultural Preaching, ed. by Anthony Reddie and Seidel Abel Boanerges (with Pamela Searle) (Oxford: Regent’s Park College, 2021), pp. 237-240
Journal Articles
2024: Forthcoming Journal Article – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘A Homiletical Framework for Holistic Apologetic Preaching’, in Sermon Studies Journal (2024)
2024: Forthcoming Journal Article – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘Parenting Apologetics: Teaching Children (5-12 yrs) to Appreciate Faith in Secular Society’, in Sacrum Testamentum Journal Vol. 4 A Theology of the Child (2024).
Other
2024: Forthcoming Bible Reflections – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘The Book of Isaiah’, Everyday Faith Bible (London: Bible Society UK, 2024)
Forewords and Commendations
2024: Commendation of Paul Beasley-Murray, Here is Love! Preaching at Weddings (Colchester: College of Baptist Ministers, 2024)
2022: Commendation of John Woods, God Is in the House: A Fresh Model for Shaping a Sermon (Cumbria: Langham Preaching Resources, 2022)
2020: Foreword to Brian Harris, Why Christianity is Probably True: Building the Case for a Reasoned, Moral and Relevant Faith (Milton Keynes: Authentic, 2020), pp. xi-xvi.
Christian Magazines, Websites and Interviews
2022: Magazine Article – Seidel Abel Boanerges, ‘The Core of missio Dei is Evangelism’, in Baptists Together Magazine, Autumn 2022
2021: News Article – Lynn Green and Seidel Abel Boanerges, Baptists During the Pandemic: What is God saying to us?’, in Baptist Times, 20 October 2021, Baptist Union of Great Britain
