Background

Earl came to Northwest University to direct the Ph.D. program in Organizational Leadership at the Center for Leadership Studies, after having served for seven years as a church planter in Berkeley, California.

Earl's academic career began as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Public Speaking Program at the University of Vermont. After a sojourn in pastoral ministry, he returned to the academy as a Professor and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. His teaching experience includes courses on leadership, emerging culture, preaching/communication, spiritual formation, and intercultural studies.

Traveling widely to study ministries connecting effectively with contemporary culture, Earl has pastored four churches. He has also served as the national Adult Ministries Consultant for the Assemblies of God, in addition to training and consulting with congregations and parachurch organizations.

Earl earned a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Northwestern University and a D.Min. from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.

His books, Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders (2006) and Reverse Mentoring: How Young Leaders Can Transform Us and Why We Should Let Them (2008), are both publications of Jossey-Bass/Leadership Network.

Publications

Books

Anthology Chapters

“Postmodern Pentecostals?: Emerging Subcultures Among Young Pentecostal Leaders.” In The Future of Pentecostalism in the United States, eds. Edwin Rybarczyk and Eric Patterson. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2007, 27-47.

“Worldview Therapy.” In Stories of Emergence: Moving from Absolute to Authentic, ed. Michael Yaconelli. El Cajon, CA: Youth Specialties, 2003, 147-163.

“Power and Process.” In Revival Sermons. ed. Ken Horn. Springfield, MO: Onward Books, 2000, 53-58

Periodicals

“Is There Room for Someone Like Me? Influence No. 3 (Dec 2015-Jan. 2016): 32-39.

“The AARP Generation Plants Churches.” Enrichment (Fall 2009). 

“Multi-Conversation.” Neue Quarterly 4 (Summer 2009): 178-185.

“Moving Target: Reframing Discipleship for Postmoderns.” Enrichment Journal 13 no. 1 (Winter 2008): 68-73.

“The Love Language of Boomers: How to Get Older Leaders to Pay for Your Ideas.” (Relevant) Leader #20 (Fall 2007): 32-33.

“Reverse Mentoring.” Ministry Today (May/June 2007).

“Sacred Accidents.” Conversations: A Forum for Authentic Transformation 5, no. 1 (May 2007).

 “The End of the World as We Know It.” Relevant #25 (March/April 2007): 56-57.

“What They’re Really Thinking When You’re Speaking.” (Relevant) Leader (Winter 2007): 26-28.

“The Azusa Effect.” Ministry Today (May/June 2006): 68-74.

“What is the Future of Ministry in the US?” Church Executive (June 2005): 44-47.

“Fighting the Future.” Ministries Today (July/August 2004): 50-54.

“Spatial Evangelism.” Strategic Adult Ministries Journal 19 no. 3 (Issue #148): 14.

“Disciplemaking in a Postmodern World.” Enrichment Journal 7, no. 4 (Fall 2002): 52-59. 

“The High-Turnover Small Church.” Leadership (Spring 1993): 103-105

Papers

“Postmodern Pentecostals: A Listening Project among Emerging Leaders.” Paper presented at the Society for Pentecostal Studies meeting, March 12, 2004, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“On the Polemic Functions of Knowledge.” Panel presentation for the Speech Communication Association. New York City, New York, November 1980.

“Rhetoric, Community and Evil.” Panel presentation for the Central States Speech Association. Chicago, Illinois, April 1980.