Gary Parrett

Dr. Gary Parrett was part of the Gordon-Conwell community from 1998-2010 and was Professor of Educational Ministries and Worship. He was also privileged to teach Pastoral Ministry and Catechesis. Prior to going to Gordon-Conwell, he taught in the areas of Youth Ministries and Biblical Studies at nearby Gordon College for two years. 

In 2010 he miraculously survived a deadly bus accident in Korea on an airport toll bridge that killed 14 people, including one of his first students and longtime dear friend, Pastor Kenny Ye. 

In addition to his work as a professor, Gary has some twenty years of experience in pastoral ministry, having served churches in Boston, New York City, New Jersey, Seattle and Seoul, Korea. He is also a regular speaker at conferences, retreats and seminars. Over the past decades, especially, he has enjoyed the privilege of helping to equip pastors serving in several countries throughout Asia. 

Gary has written articles on Christian education and on worship for publications such as the Christian Education Journal and Christianity Today magazine. He is the co-author of four books and a hymnal. 

Special areas of study and teaching for Gary have been: historical and biblical foundations of Christian education, catechesis, worship, and issues of faith and culture. He is also a lover of music and has written hundreds of hymns and choruses for congregational worship, including a published collection of hymns. 

Gary did undergraduate studies at Multnomah School of the Bible, received a B.A. from Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, an M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver, and an Ed. D. from Columbia University. He was a member and former vice president of the North American Professors of Christian Education (NAPCE), now called Society of Professors in Christian Ministry (SPCM). 

Below are the books he has co-authored thus far. 

• A Many Colored Kingdom which he co-authored with Elizabeth Conde-Frazier & S. Steve Kang in 2004 (with 3 of his songs) 
• Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, which he co-authored with Julie Tennent in 2008 (with 31 of his songs) 
• Teaching the Faith; Forming the Faithful, which he co-authored with S. Steve Kang in 2009 (with 13 of his songs and 3 by others) 
• Grounded in the Gospel, which he co-authored with JI Packer in 2010 (with 8 of his songs) 
• The Heart of a Servant, which David E. Ross wrote (for which he contributed 14 songs in 2022)